Sermon Tone Analysis

Review Pt. 1

One of my favorite portions of Scripture to study…

Tell about discovery of the connection between I AM and LET THERE BE.

Another interesting nugget in this first chapter of Genesis is the creation of light in the beginning and the creation of the “lights in the expanse of the heavens” (sun moon stars) on the 4th day.

This also gives rise to the quandary about the age of the earth and the length of the days of creation.

Briefly summarize the age of the earth quandary and the ambiguity around the length of the days, the initial “age” of the earth when created, how long they were in the garden, etc.

One thing I do want to bring to your attention, if you’re studying on your own about creation, there’s something you may come across.

Briefly explain the difference in the order of creation from Gen 1 to Gen 2 and some prevailing theories as to the reason for the difference.

(i.e.

restatement theory, documentary theory, editor theory)

Many of the subsequent theologies presented throughout scripture somehow link back to these first few chapters in Genesis.

Sanctity of life, Man’s intended role in God’s creation, Sabbath Rest, much of the temple imagery comes from Eden, and Marriage.

God made Husband and Wife - Creation pt. 2

Part 1 - Man Placed in Eden

Earth Before Adam

Read Gen. 2:4-6 “4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.

5 Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.

6 But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.”

Adam from Earth

Read Gen 2:7-8 “7 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

8 The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.”

The study guide points out that man and the animals were all formed from the same substance and even partially with the same process, but only man was breathed into with the breath of God Himself.

Expand on thought

Eden - “happiness” or “Delight” or “Pleasure”

Part 2 - Man Alone in Eden

Prepared for Habitation

Read Gen. 2:9-14 “9 Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10 Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four rivers.

11 The name of the first is Pishon; it flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.

12 The gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there.

13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the whole land of Cush.

14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it flows east of Assyria.

And the fourth river is the Euphrates.”

Every need Adam had was met in the garden, except one.

A Purpose and a Prohibition

Read Gen 2:15-17 “15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.””

Adam was purposed with tending the garden created by God.

This work, also translated “worship and obey” are used together as a phrase only in one circumstance in the Pentateuch to describe the duties of the Levites pertaining to the tabernacle in Num.

3:7-8.

Part 3 - Man and Woman in Eden

Adam is Uniquely Occupied

Read Gen. 2:18-20 “18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”

19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.

20 The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.”

The study guide points out to start that for the first time God called something “not good.”

Some nuance: this type of “alone” may not just be single, but without one of his kind.

Paul holds that remaining single may be a call of God for some:

Two of a Kind

Read Gen. 2:21-25 “21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.

22 The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.

23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” 24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

I like the phrasing the guide uses, “God did not form woman from the earth, as He did the man, but from the living tissue from the man.”

I think this appropriately captures the direction the idea of marriage is headed, as marriage is used as an earthly illustration of a heavenly concept: God and His bride, and Christ with the Church.

This points back to Eden where Eve was taken from Adam, but connected with Him in the one flesh union…

Idolotry is often used as a type of adultry in the OT.

The reason marriage between a man and a woman is sacred in the scriptures is because it is a archetype of God’s relationship with His people.