Genesis 2:4-25 A Present / Active God The way it was meant to be

When you get it right you just know it.

Picture straight?

Plato – there must be a perfect circle – because we mimic it in our reality – all attempts are imperfect, but there exists a perfect form in the immaterial.

There is an ideal state – we can imagine it – though we can never reproduce.

No one has ever seen a perfect circle, nor a perfectly straight line, yet everyone knows what a circle and a straight line are.

There is an ideal state – we can imagine it in glimpses – it existed. It will exist again.

I. The way it was meant to be: The perfect person

A. In a perfect heaven and earth

(ESV) Genesis 2 4 These are the generations ofthe heavens and the earthwhen they were created, in the day that the LordGod made the earth and the heavens. 5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground—

1. Structure: Toledot - Just what became of … the heavens and the earth (10) – glory of it the way it was intended and disruption of it because of sin

2. Resummarizes as he unfolds the story of creation with a different perspective – with a perspective of man.

3. Heavens and earth created with an anticipation of life

4. And immediately an indication that the key upcoming component was man

5. Something is missing – no man yet

B. Man, God’s handiwork

(ESV) Genesis 2 7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

1. In the resummary he skips right past the rest and talks about man’s creation – formed him

2. An finely crafted creation

a. Formed – artistry /craftsmanship / potter

3. A uniquely alive creation

C. Living in covenant with God

(ESV) Genesis 2 7 then the LordGod formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

1. LORD – covenant name first given

2. Breathed into – intimacy / giving life from Himself

a. Breath of God sustaining

II. The way it was meant to be: The perfect place

A. A place for man

(ESV) Genesis 2 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

1. Intentional placement

2. God did it for his sake

B. A real place

(ESV) Genesis 2 10 A river flowed out of Edento water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed aroundthe whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyxstone are there.

1. Geographically described

2. Rich and beautiful place (Bdellium-a fragrant tree resin, gold/onyx/water)

13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

3. Tigris/Euphrates + two unknown – don’t look for it = flood / changes /destroyed

C. A place to meet man’s needs

(ESV) Genesis 2 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. … 10 Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden

1. Water – abundant water in a dry land

2. Food – waiting to be picked

D. A place of enjoyment

(ESV) Genesis 2 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every treethat is pleasant to the sight and good for food. … 16 And the LordGod commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,

1. Pleasant to look upon

2. Good food

3. Freedom to enjoy

4. Eat to your heart’s content

E. A place of spiritual prosperity

(ESV) Genesis 2 9 … The tree of lifewas in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

1. Tree of life – eat and live eternally ??? / found in future eternity

2. Wait on other tree – by it you gain the knowledge of good and evil

F. A place of communion with God

(ESV) Genesis 2 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, …

(ESV) Genesis 3 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, …

1. Talked to man

2. Directed man

3. We will see – He walked with man daily

III. The way it was meant to be: The perfect activity

A. Meaningful activity

(ESV) Genesis 2 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

1. Two words are used often in the Mosaic Law to describe spiritual service – their work would be worship to God – fulfill His desire for them – accomplish His management of the world on His behalf

2. Tend ---- Work it

3. Demonstrate his own creativity

B. Responsible activity

(ESV) Genesis 2 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

1. Guard it – should have thrown serpent out

2. Care for it

C. Accountable activity

(ESV) Genesis 2 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

1. Privilege to eat to heart’s content

2. Opportunity to obey God

3. One command to ‘not’ – in the midst of plenty

4. Gain the knowledge of good and evil not by the fruit but by the response

5. Consequence to free will response – death / alienation / separation

IV. The way it was meant to be: The perfect relationship

A. A perfect discovery

(ESV) Genesis 2 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

(ESV) Genesis 2 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beastof the field and every birdof the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fitfor him.

1. Not good – stark contrast from earlier pattern

2. Pattern of creation – two paired together

3. Recognize his own need for a partner

4. Together to fulfill God’s plan – ministry partnership

B. A perfect partner

(ESV) Genesis 2 18 Then the Lord God said, “… I will make him a helper fit (comparable) for him.”

… 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bonesand flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

1. The same essence – image of God

Genesis 1: 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

2. An established order – created first / names her / she made to help him

3. Recognize the partnership pattern of creation

a. Helper – complete what is lacking in male

b. Comparable – same essence (image of God from ch 1) from rib not earth

c. Opposite? – complement (same but different)

4. “At last” this is the one

5. Fashioned and brought together by God Himself

a. Word: Built – like a building – architected and complex

C. A perfect marriage

(ESV) Genesis 2 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed .

1. Defined: One man / One woman – for a lifetime

2. A commitment before God/men – like a ceremony here

a. A commitment for a lifetime before God

1) God sets the manner – anything else is sinful / adultery / fornication 2) Invocation of a covenant – agreement between people and God – God oversees and enforces and is involved in any violation

b. Before men – society establishes its method – legal – not separate from God’s manner ---- one and the same

1) Not expedience – monetary / protection of assets / enjoyment without commitment

3. A priority over previous family and all other connections

4. A choice to commit and join together in all aspects of life

5. A oneness in the midst of their diversity =

a. Physically pictured through sexual relationship

b. Sexual relationship more than just physical – an emotional bonding as well / spiritual bonding?

c. Intent to deeply bond in oneness at all levels of existence

6. A relationship of openness and intimacy

Chapter 3 – A world upside down: The fall of man

Chapter 4 – First families: Sin and rebellion propagates

Chapter 5 – Death reigns: Everyone dies

Chapter 6 – Unrestrained sin: Evil fills the earth

Chapter 7 – God judges: The flood comes

Chapter 8-9 – God gives grace: A new way of life and covenant with God

Chapter 10-11 – God intervenes: The nations scattered