ADULT BIBLE STUDY GUIDE - FIRST QUARTER 2013 ORIGINS 1. Jesus, Creator Of Heaven And Earth 2. Creation: Forming The World 3. The Creation Completed 4. Creation, A Biblical Theme 8. Jesus, Provider And Sustainer 9. Marriage: A Gift From Eden 10. Stewardship And The Environment 11. Sabbath: A Gift From Eden 5. Creation And Morality 6. Creation And The Fall 12. Creation And The Gospel 13. Creation, Again 7. Through A Glass, Darkly About End Show
• In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
• The inventor is greater than his invention
• The earth is lower than its inventor
• The God revealed in the Bible made the earth and all that is in it
• This is the God whom we worship and serve
• He is our Creator
• Our Creator is the same God who came to live on earth as human
• Amazingly He took on Himself the punishment for our sins
• The Creator’s love
for us is so great
that He bound us to
Himself forever in
the person of Christ
• Our lives should be
a response of love
to God’s great love
for us
In The Beginning
• The universe did not
exist in the eternal
past
• The universe had a
beginning
• The universe was made in heaven
• The one who made the universe is the Creator
• The universe was made at God’s command
• The visible was made from the invisible
• God did not need matter to create the world
• God spoke the world
into existence, His
Word made the
world
• Matter and energy
were made by God’s
power• God created the
universe from nothing but men can
only make things
from something
• Only God can “ex nihilo” or create from nothing
• We depend on the Creator God for our very existence
The Heavens Declare
• An invention says something about its maker
• The heavens talk about their Maker
• The heavens talk about the glory of God
• The heavens say
– God is magnificent
– He is brilliant
– He is exalted
– He is great
– He is to be praised
– He is splendid
– He is wonderful
• The firmament is
God’s exhibition
centre, its His
showroom
• Creation is a message about God
to us
• Creation makes God visible and audible to everyone
• The universe is wisely designed to support life
• In His wisdom God keeps the forces and systems of nature in harmonious balance
• Through the working of these forces and systems God keeps life provided for
• The heavens are a
vast source of
knowledge
• The heavens teach
us who God is, He is
full of wisdom, He is
the God of glory
The Power Of His Word
• God made the earth
by His power
• He founded the
world by His wisdom
• He stretched out the
heavens by His
understanding
• Our God is a powerful God
• The energy in all of creation came from God’s Word
• Even the atom and the atomic or nuclear energy came from God’s Word
• All matter stores energy
• The universe is a
vast energy storehouse that God
spoke into existence
• All this energy talks
of how powerful God
is
• Nature and its
governing laws work
under the control of
God’s power
• God is not controlled by
natural laws
• God determines and controls natural laws at His will
• God’s great power is for us, its all for our benefit, it talks of God’s love for us
Jesus, Creator Of Heaven And Earth
• In the beginning was the Word• In the beginning the Word was with God• In the beginning the Word was God
• Through the Word
all things were created
• The Word became
flesh and lived among us
• Jesus is the Word,
Jesus is God
• The Word is creative
• Jesus is the Creator,
the “Logos”, the
Incarnate One
• Jesus is the image of
the invisible God, He
is the revelation of
the Father
• Jesus is the First Born, the rightful head of the human family
• Jesus was not created, He was one with the Father from eternity
• Jesus is both Creator and Heir of all things
• Jesus is the exact
representation of
the Father’s nature
The Creator Among Us
• Jesus has power
over His creation
• At Cana He changed
water into a high
grade wine
• No other known
power can directly
convert water into
wine
• Jesus took a little food and multiplied it to feed over 5000 families and extra was left
• From five small loaves and two fishes, where did the extra food come from?
• No other known power can directly increase food quantities as Jesus did
• A man was born blind, Jesus’ spit, a little mud and some washing restored the man’s sight
• No other known
power has restored
human sight in that
remarkable manner
• Jesus is Creator, He
is now one of us
• Jesus is restorer, He
is among us
• Jesus has power
over creation and
situations all to our
advantage
• Jesus can do new unnatural things with the natural
• Jesus is like a window through which we can see the working of the power of God
Thought • All things, material
or spiritual, became reality before the Lord Jehovah at His command
• All things were created for His own purpose
• The heavens and all
the hosts of them
• The earth and all
things therein
• All are works of His
hand
• The breath of His
mouth brought
them into existence
• Human science
cannot search out
the secrets of God
• The method of
creation is God’s
secret
• God is mystery, His ways are mysterious
• As God chooses He reveals His mysteries to mankind
• By faith believe that He is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth
Creation: Forming The World• For thus says the Lord– Who created the
heavens– Who is God – Who formed the earth
and made it – Who has established it– Who did not create it in
vain– Who formed it to be
inhabited:
• “I am the Lord, and
there is no other”
• The earth was designed
to be inhabited and to
support life
• God spent the first
three days of
creation forming the
earth• Creation does not
propel itself, it has
no will of its own
• It cannot evolve to a self determined level
• Creation depends on God
• Creation is God’s expression of His love for the creatures He made
Without Form And Void
• In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
• The earth was without form and void
• And darkness was over the face of the
deep
• And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the
waters
• The earth existed
before the creation
week in a state God
calls ‘without form and
void’
• Then God purposefully
fashioned or prepared
the earth to support
life
• Through the power of God’s word the ‘without form and void’ was changed into our inhabitable world
• God purposefully formed and filled the earth with living creatures
Let There Be Light• Then God said, – Let there be light; – And there was light – And God saw the light,
that it was good; – And God divided the
light from the darkness– God called the light Day
and the darkness He called Night.
• So the evening and
morning were the first
day
• It was only at God’s
command that light
appeared
• God determined
that there be light
• This light was good
in God’s sight
• God packaged light separately from darkness
• The light He called day and the darkness He called night
• Night and day mark time, time depends on God
• Night and day were the first day
• Light accompanies
the presence of God,
light existed before
the creation week
• This light is
presented in the
creation week
before the creation
of the sun and moon
The Heaven Created
• Then God said, – ‘Let there be a
firmament in the midst
of the waters
– And let it divide the
waters from the waters.’
– Thus God made the
firmament
– And divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament;
– And it was so. – And God called the
firmament Heaven. – So the evening and
morning were the second day”
• By His Word God created the firmament, the sky or heaven
• Its job is to divide the waters above from the waters below
• It separates the
waters
• The waters above,
or the atmosphere
was created on the
second day
• The waters below
evaporate into the
atmosphere
• In the atmosphere
water moves from
one part of the
earth to another
• The waters above come back to earth as mist or rain• God named the
firmament • He positioned it • He rules it• He is in charge of space• He left nothing to
chance
Space For Living
• The water under the sky was gathered into one place• The dry ground
appeared• The dry ground He
called ‘land’ and the waters ‘seas’
• He called forth from
the ground a diversity of plant life
• At His command
grass, herbs and
fruit trees all came
up with their kinds
• The dry ground
provided space for
food to grow
• God was providing
an environment that
could support the
life He was about to
create
• God formed light and darkness
• God separated the waters with the firmament
• Now God gathers the waters below to allow dry ground to appear
• Dry ground was space for the living creatures He was going to create
• God created the space then created the food that His creatures would need
• God was purposefully forming and filling
the environment
with life support
conveniences
• He is a caring and
loving God
God’s All-Powerful Word
• The power of His
Word created light
• The power of His
Word brings us
salvation
• God’s Word accomplishes His desire and achieves the purpose for which He sends it
• By God’s Word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water
• Conflict, resistance, death or suffering do not appear in the creation account
• The evolution account anchors on conflict, resistance, death and suffering
• In God’s creation the
strong do not
domineer and
eliminate the weak
as in evolution
• Our God defends
the week and
generously provides
for all
• Different peoples at
different ages of
time have explained
creation in fables
and fairy tales
• Some science has
explained creation
as evolution
• The Bible says creation was per God’s Word
• God spoke and it was
• The rivers were noble and the lakes were lovely• The soil was fruitful and the vegetation luxuriant• There were no
swamps or barren heights
• Shrubs were
graceful and the
flowers were
delicate
• Trees were majestic
• The air was clear
and healthful
Thought
• There was life before
the creation of this
earth
• Satan was present in
the garden of Eden
before Adam and Eve
sinned
• Adam and Eve were not the first beings to be created
• The wonderful works of God were a delight
• That’s God’s design
for His creatures was good
The Creation Completed
• By the seventh day
God had finished
the work he had
been doing;
• So on the seventh
day He rested from
all his work
• In this lesson we study the last three days of creation and the Sabbath rest
• God chose to spread His creative activities over seven days• The Sabbath is a
special time for communion between God and humanity
• The week provides
time for work while
the Sabbath provides time for
rest• The Sabbath
reminds us that God
is the true provider
• The Sabbath also
reminds us that we
depend on God for
everything
• The creation week
was acted out with
care and purpose
• God directed every activity, nothing was left to chance
Sun, Moon, And Stars
• God created lights in the sky to separate the day from the night
• These lights were signs to mark seasons and days and years
• These lights light the
earth• The sun governs the
day and the moon
governs the night
• The stars give light to
the earth to govern the
day and night and to
separate light from
darkness
• Its not clear what the
source of light was
during the first three
days of creation
• Possibly God was the source of light
• Possibly God appointed the sun, moon and stars to shine on day four
• Possibly the sun already existed but was obscured as is said to be the case with Venus
• However we should not over-emphasize our questions more than the Bible
• Some aspects of
creation remain a
mystery only to be
accepted by faith
Creation Of Air And Water Animals
• On day five God
populated the water
with living creatures
and the sky with
birds• Both air and water
creatures were created according to
their kinds
• God blessed the creatures and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply
• God created a diversity of water and air creatures, no hint of evolution
• Each creature was created with a potential to produce a variety of itself
• Creation from God
was good, beautiful
and free from
defects
• Think of the birds,
they are a wonder,
they are wonderfully designed
• Its feathers are light
but strong, stiff but
flexible
• Its lungs obtain
oxygen as it inhales
and also as it
exhales
• Its bones have air sacs
• Despite the complex design of the sparrow God says we are worthy more than many sparrows
Creation Of The Land Animals
• God separated the waters on the second day
• God filled the waters and the firmament with life on the fifth day
• God separated the
land and sea on the
third day
• God filled the land
with life on the sixth
day
• The sequence of
creation is orderly
and purposeful
• Living creatures
were produced each
according to their
kind
• Creatures were created in their great diversity
• During the flood creatures were also preserved according to their great diversity
• God created the animals in their many distinct and separate lineages
• No animal evolved from another
• Despite God’s
perfect creation sin
has marred what
was good
• Sin has introduced
things like parasites,
predators, suffering
and violence
The Creation Completed
• Creation of the
heavens and earth
was completed in
their vast array in six
days• On the seventh day
God rested from all
the work of creating
that He had done
• God blessed the seventh day and made it holy• He rested on the seventh day because He had completed His work of creation
• On day five and day six God blessed the creatures He had made and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply• On day seven God blessed the day, He blessed time, He also made the day holy
• The seventh day was
made for man, to meet
His need for relationship with His
Maker• Humans need
communion with their
maker just as children
need communion with
their parents
• Communion with
our parents confirms our
identity and place in
the family
• Similarly communion with
God confirms our
identity and place in
the universe
• The seventh day helps us not to lose sight of God
• It also protects us from overwork and from being materialistic
• The seventh day is God’s day, spend it with God, cease from your labours
The Literal Day
• Evening and morning marked a day at creation
• The day starts at sunset, night is the first part of the day
• Sunrise to sunset is
the second part of
the day
• The day does not
start at midnight,
neither does it end
at midnight
• The creation week
was a literal week
• There are six days
when you may do
your work, just as
God did His in six
days
• But the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, God rested on that day
• It is a day of sacred assembly, God reserved the day for relationship with the children He had created
• You are not to do any work on the Sabbath, God did not do any work on the Sabbath
• Wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord, the Sabbath is universal
• The Sabbath day is
special because it
carries a special
blessing from God
• Evening and morning was the
seventh day
Thought • Days in the creation
week were not vast
segments of time,
they were literal 24-
hour time segments
• The fossil record is
not in harmony with
the order of creation
• God created plants, then water and air animals, then land animals and lastly humans• Creation was in six successive 24-hour segments of time
• The Sabbath is not an indefinite period of time, it is day seven of each week
• The Sabbath is not a thousand or billions of years, it is day seven of each week
• The Sabbath is what
we now call Saturday
• It starts sunset
Friday and ends
sunset Saturday
• Spend that time
each week in relationship with
God your Maker
Creation, A Biblical Theme
• Then I saw another
angel flying in mid-air
• And he had the eternal
gospel to proclaim to
those who live on the
earth-
• To every nation, tribe,
language and people
• He said in a loud voice• “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has
come• Worship Him who
made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water”
• Other Bible writers referred to creation in their writings• Some referenced Genesis directly with direct quotes
• Others referenced
Genesis indirectly by
repeating some words
or ideas
• Right through the Bible
creation is referenced,
in this lesson we study
some of these
references
Creation In Genesis 2
• “These are the
generations of the
heavens and of the
earth when they
were created, in the
day that the Lord
God made the earth
and the heavens”
• Genesis 2 gives a more detailed account of the creation of Adam and Eve
• In Matthew Jesus quotes Genesis 1 and 2 in His response to the Pharisees
• “Haven’t you read”, he replied, “that at the beginning the creator made them male and female”• In this way Jesus confirmed the harmony of the creation
accounts in Genesis 1 and 2
• Genesis 1 and 2
discuss the same
creation account
• Creation is a doctrine that forms
the foundation of
our existence and
purpose
• We are not a result
of chance or accident, we are
being made in the
image of God
• God made us from
dust and breathed
into us His breath of
life
• God left it to us to decide to obey Him or to disobey Him
• God left it to us to freely choose to do His will or not
Creation In The Psalms
• Psalm 8 echoes God’s work during the creation week as given in the Genesis 1 account
• Psalm 104 takes the creation account as literal
• It recognises the
power, wisdom and
goodness of God as
evidenced by creation
• It assets the dependence of all
creation on the
Creator
• The Psalms are full
of praise for the
Creator
• On creation the
Psalms and Genesis
are consistent
• Creation confirms that we are sons and daughters of God
• The heavens and the earth and all in them belong to God, He made them
• Time and the seasons belong to God, He made them
• By His word God made the heavens and the starry hosts, they are His
• We are God’s people, He made us
• What we think we
own is God’s, He
made it
• All good was created
by God
Creation In The Book Of Job
• God laid the foundation of the
earth• God marked the
dimensions of the
earth• God laid the
cornerstone of the
earth
• God set the boundaries of the seas
• God commands time, he set days in their place
• God visits the springs of the sea and the recesses of the deep
• Job needs comfort and answers because of the tragedy he is in
• God confronts Job
with his creative wisdom, power and
greatness in answer
to his questionings
• Our questionings
when in tragedy
shows our lack of
understanding
• Through God’s
creative greatness
Job decided to trust
God despite the
tragedy
• In eternity with God we will get explanations to our questions
• The marvels we see in creation should help us to trust God’s incredible love and power
Creation In The Prophets
• “For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens;
• God himself that formed the earth and made it;
• He hath established
it, He created it not
in vain• He formed it to be
inhabited;
• I am the Lord; and
there is none else”
• The earth was
designed and
prepared for
humans to live in
• The earth is the only
known planet with
an abundance of
water
• The oxygen and nitrogen balance on earth makes it suitable for life
• The range of temperatures on earth are supportive to life
• God created the earth, stretched out the heavens, created mankind
• God made the earth by His power
• He founded the
earth by His wisdom
• The prophets testify
that God is the
creator of the
heavens, the earth
and all that is in
them
Creation In The New Testament
• Paul used creation in
his introductory
discussion with the
Athenians
• God is the creator,
men has his life, his
being and existence
in God
• From one man God made every nation of men to inhabit the whole earth
• God determined the times and places of where men should live
• Some Athenians believed that nature was purposefully designed
• Creation is a common and crucial theme for all humanity
• New Testament
writers make direct
or indirect reference
to the Genesis
creation account
• Angels confirm God
as creator
• You are worthy our
Lord and God… for
you created all
things
• And by your will
they were created
and have their being
• Creation occurred by
the will of God
• It was not by accident, it was not by evolution, it was by God’s purpose
• There is wisdom in accepting the Genesis creation account by faith
Thought
• The Bible explains God’s relationship to humans and the world
• Creation was supernatural, special and a result of direct acts of God
• Being unique and
supernatural creation lies outside
the reach of science
• Our origin is a direct
action of God, science cannot
explain it
• Human science
cannot search out
the secrets of God
• The works of
creation were
miracles of God’s
mighty power
• Science cannot explain how God came into existence as much as it cannot explain creation
• Our view of human nature and self-identity depend on our view of our origin
• Our roots are set in heaven
• God is our Father• God is our Maker• God is our Sustainer
• Apart from God we
have no existence
• Apart from God we
have no identity
• Apart from God we
are nothing
Creation And Morality
• And the Lord God
commanded the
man• “You are free to eat
from any tree in the
garden;
• But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
• For when you eat from it you will certainly die”
• God gave man the right to eat from every tree except one
• God denied man the right to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
• Today we hear of
human rights, of
citizen rights, what
could these rights
be?• These are supposed
to be rights we have
because we are
humans
• These are supposed
to be our rights
because we are
God’s creation
• Can these rights
change, can another
human being ‘give’
us these rights?
• Creation is again at the centre of the definition of human rights
Our Dependence On The Creator
• Adam was created an intelligent being, remember his naming of the creatures
• Adam was created a moral being, remember his failure to find his kind among the animals
• Adam was not an
animal but was
different from the
animals
• With His own hands
God moulded clay
and formed Adam
• God is ‘hands on’
with humanity, even
today• God has His best
interest for us, He is
our Maker
• God has the right to
set rules for us, they
are rules of love
• We depend on God for life and its necessities
• We are obliged to trust God the way children trust their parents
• God deserves our worship, He is our Maker
• We depend on God, we are the flock of His care
• We depend on God
for guidance, we are
the people of His
pasture
• God’s commands
are a wall of protection about us,
we depend on Him
In The Image Of God
• God created us special,
we bear His image and
His likeness
• We reflect His
Sovereignty as He gave
us dominion over the
birds, the fish, the
animals and other
creatures
• We resemble Him in relationship, He made male and female as One in relationship just as God is three in One in relationship
• We resemble Him in that He gave us a conscience, we can tell between right and wrong
• From one man God made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth
• He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker
• Whoever is kind to
the needy honours
God• Rich and poor have
this in common;
“The Lord is the
Maker of them all”
• Despite everything,
we are one family
• The Genesis creation
account makes it
clear we all come
from God through
Adam and Eve
• We are family, we are one, from one God, we are of the same origin
• We are obliged, at least by common origin, to respect and love one another
The Character Of Our Creator
• Being created in God’s image implies we should resemble God’s character
• Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you
• Cause your sun to
rise on the evil and
the good
• Send your rain on
the righteous and
the unrighteous
• Greet your enemies
• Model after God
• Be humble
• Be one in spirit and
purpose with God
• Do not be selfish
• Do not be puffed up
• Consider others better than yourself
• Consider the interest of others
• Be responsible one for another
• Set differences aside, be kind and compassionate one with another• The strong must care for the weak• Maintain peaceful relationships
• This is the character
of our creator
• This is the character
we must reflect
• God’s image in us
makes it possible for
us to do as God
would
Morality And Accountability
• Paul discussed
creation and
judgment with the
Athenians
• Being created moral
is being created
accountable
• We are each responsible for our actions and words
• At judgment we account for our actions and words
• Then I saw a great white throne …• And I saw the dead, great and small,
standing before the throne
• And books were opened
• Another book was
open which is the
book of life
• The dead were judged according to
what they had done
as recorded in the
books
• Treat those in need
with care and love
• There is no place in
heaven for those
who trade others
under foot
• God wants us to be
just
• God wants us to follow the divine moral order
• We are each accountable for our choices and actions
• In judgment we account for all our deeds
Thoughts
• Adam was the first man
• There was no human before Adam
• Adam was specially created from the dust by God
• Our origins and our
morality are inseparable
• Both our origins and
our morality are of
heaven
Creation And The Fall
• And I will put enmity
between you and the
woman
• And between your
offspring and hers;
• He will crush your
head, and you will
strike his heal
• Yes, Satan is a defeated foe
• But Satan is not a joke
• Satan is determined to wreck as much havoc and destruction as is possible
• Scripture is clear that Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may
devour• Scripture is also
clear that we can claim victory against Satan
• Such victory is ours
in Christ who
defeated Satan on
the Cross
The Serpent Was More Cunning
• Now the serpent
was more cunning
than any of the wild
animals the Lord
had made
• He said to the
woman, ‘Did God
really say you must
not eat from any
tree in the garden?’
• Similarly Satan said to Christ, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread”
• To this Jesus responded, “It is written, man does not live by bread alone..”
• Satan does not make a direct attack• Satan lures us into conversation• Satan generates doubt concerning God’s word
• With Eve Satan
suggested God was
too generous to
forbid the eating of
the fruits in the
garden
• In this way the
Serpent was cunning
• Satan is a liar and
the Father of lies, he
is bent on deceiving
the whole world
• Satan is still as
cunning and as
deceptive as he was
in Eden
• Satan raises questions and doubts and draws us into misleading conversation
• Be vigilant, apply scripture to ward off Satan’s attacks
The Woman And The Serpent
• Eve added to God’s instruction, she claimed the fruit was not to be touched
• A mixture of truth and error does not purify error
• Correct teachings
mixed with error
will not make error
truth• God’s word and
command should be
taken as is, no
extras, no reductions
• Jesus called the
Pharisees hypocrites
for teaching man-
made rules in place
of the word of God
• God warns us not to
add to His word
• As God’s children we must not submit to the basic rules of this world
• Man-made rules cannot protect us from sin, we need to have our hearts renewed by the Holy Spirit
• Our standards must be based on Biblical principles
• Human thought no matter how good is not God’s word
• A thus says the Lord
should be a complete statement
of God’s standard
Deceived By The Evidence
• Satan drew Eve into
conversation
• Satan succeeded in
raising doubts
concerning what
God had said
• Satan provided a false reason as to why God had given the command• Satan diminished God in the eyes of Eve
• Satan’s deception heightened Eve’s desire for the forbidden fruit
• Eve began to see the fruit as good for food
• The deception led
Eve to see the fruit
as pleasing to the
eyes• Eve was deceived
enough to accepted
that the fruit would
make her wise
• Eve was deceived
that she would be
like God though she
had been created in
the image of God
• The Serpent did not
deceive Adam, Adam
chose to follow Eve
rather than God
• Other people’s actions easily mislead us despite our knowledge of God’s word
• It is from this encounter in Eden that the misery of human history unfolds
Grace And Judgment In Eden: Part 1
• Where are you?• Who told you that
you were naked?• Have you eaten
from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?
• What is this you
have done?
• After questioning
Adam God proceeds
to condemn Satan
• Cursed are you
above all livestock
and all wild animals!
• You will crawl on
your belly and you
will eat dust all the
days of your life
• And I will put enmity between you and the woman
• And between your offspring and hers• He will crush your head and you will strike his heel
• In one statement God condemns the serpent and also gives the promise of the gospel and human redemption• Only after giving the gospel and the hope of redemption does God pronounce judgment on Adam and Eve
• Judgment before the
promise of redemption
is condemnation
• The serpent was
condemned
• God sent His Son into
the world to save and
not to condemn
Grace And Judgment In Eden: Part 2
• After the fall God
offered humanity
the gospel for our
redemption
• In Genesis, God by
His word created,
now by His word He
redeems humanity
• God redeemed man from the condemnation he deserved
• God provided an escape from the wrath of judgment through Jesus Christ
• In Revelation, the Creator again provides the gospel escape route before judgment
• The gospel always comes first then judgment
• Grace is the foundational message
• The good news is
that we can be pardoned
• We can be purified,
we can be justified
through Christ
• God offers us His
grace in place of the
condemnation we
deserve
• Both in Eden and
after, God offers
grace before
judgment
• Remember Noah and his ark, and the flood, that was grace before judgment
• By grace we are saved, from the wrath of judgment, through faith in Jesus Christ
Thoughts
• God gave us vegetation for food
• There was to be no death in Eden
• No creature was to give its life
• Satan presents
God’s love as selfishness
• Satan declares that it
is impossible to obey
God’s commands
• Satan blames God
for all sin, human
suffering and death
• But God gives us
hope and redemption through
Jesus Christ
• The grace of God overshadows the painful experience sin brought on humanity
• What we lost to Satan we can regain through Jesus Christ
• Grace is God’s gift to us, grasp it!
Through A Glass, Darkly
• The wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.
• As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness’
• William Paley argued that God’s
character could be
understood by
observing nature
• He argued that
features of animals
exhibited the care
and skill of the
Creator
• Sin and the Fall have
negatively affected
nature
• Charles Darwin
argued that a God
who designs every
feature of nature
would be no good
• This argument laid the foundation of Darwin’s theory of evolution
• In this lesson we study what nature reveals and does not reveal about God
The Earth Is The Lord’s• God is the only one
who can create from nothing
• God created all the material in the universe
• The world, our possessions and our bodies legitimately belong to God
• “Every animal of the
forest is mine and
the cattle on a
thousand hills”, says
the Lord
• “You are mine”, says
the Lord
• The earth is the
Lord’s and everything in it
• “Everything under
heaven belongs to
me”, says the Lord
• “You are not your
own; you were
bought with a
price.”, says the Lord
• This world belongs to God, He created it
• Every creature belongs to God, He is the only one who can create life
• We are totally dependent on God for our existence
• We also belong to God by redemption
• The only thing we
can give God is our
allegiance everything else
belongs to Him
A Fallen World
• Our world is sin
damaged, its not
like it was at the
beginning
• The sin of Adam and
the murder committed by Cain
grossly affected the
world
• Adam’s curse brought thorns and thistles
• Cain’s sin reduced the productivity of the soils, it made working the land a painful toil
• The Flood was a curse on the world, the soil was washed away• The soil lost its
fertility greatly lowering crop yield
• Rainfall became the
new way of watering the earth
• The earth is very
different from the
way it was from
God’s hand
• All creation awaits
freedom from decay
as can only come
from God
• All creation awaits
its freedom from the
curse of sin
• Our hope is in the Second Coming of Christ
• Christ will recreate the earth and restore it to its former beauty
The Ruler Of This World
• The Lord said unto Satan, “Whence comest thou?”
• Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, ”From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it’”
• “Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary
the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may
devour”
• The world belongs
to God by creation
and by redemption
• Despite the defeat
at the Cross Satan is
trying to wrestle
control over all he
can
• Satan is wrath and destructive, he has a good part of this world under his control
• Satan still has the ability to cause great destruction in this world, remember Job
• Soon Satan, the prince of this world, will be driven out
• Satan is the ruler of the kingdom of the air, he exercises great power and authority over the disobedient
• Our struggle is
against this family of
evil powers, rulers
and authorities of
this dark age
• Our hope is in taking
shelter in the Cross
of Christ
The “Wisdom” Of The World
• Human thought that
challenges God’s
word is “wisdom” of
this world
• Evolution as a
science of origins is
a “wisdom” of this
world
• Theories that reject the parting of the Red Sea as a miracle are a kind of “wisdom” of this world
• Explanations that reject the Ten Commandments as coming from God are a “wisdom” of this world
• Human thought that challenges God is a kind of “wisdom” of this world• “I will destroy the wisdom of this
world”, says the Lord
• “The intelligence of
the intelligent I will
frustrate”
• The wisdom of this
world is foolishness
in God’s sight
• Human wisdom that
denies Jesus’ miracles
is foolishness in God’s
sight
• The “wise” theories of
learning that are
against God are
foolishness in God’s
sight
• When we reject God’s word we must put human thought in its place and that is foolishness in God’s sight
• Wisdom is accepting the way of the Lord
Through The Eye Of Faith
• Compared to the moon and stars we are small and insignificant
• The heavens show God’s greatness and our smallness
• The heavens show
God’s caring nature,
creation speaks of
God’s care
• Creation, however,
does not fully reveal
God because of sin
and the curse it is
under
• Apart from divine
revelation and the
eye of faith how did
David conceive the
vastness of the
universe
• Through the eye of
faith David saw God’s
glory in the heavens
• The sky proclaims God’s handiwork and the heavens are full of knowledge• Despite our
insignificance in size by faith we see God’s care for us in creating the universe
• Despite the grandeur of creation Jesus Christ is the only true and complete revelation of the Father
• In nature we see God but darkly, in Christ we see God fully
• At the Cross we see
the nature of the
Father by beholding
Jesus Christ
• Our Father is loving,
He gave Himself for
us to redeem us
from our sins and
from bondage to
death
Thought
• Finite men do not
understand the
greatness and
power of God
• Human “wisdom”
puts science and
religion in opposition to each
other
• People pervert science and religion in order to create a following for themselves
• Correctly taken both science and religion declare the glory of God
Jesus, Provider And Sustainer
• “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus”• The universe does not
run on its own like a set machine, God constantly sustains the universe
• Nothing in the universe
exists independent of
God• Through Him all things
were made; without
Him nothing was made
that has been made
• Not only did He create,
He also sustains and,
further still, He died on
the Cross to redeem us
from bondage to death
• He created all things for
Himself and in Him all
things hold together
• He sustains the worlds in space
• He holds in orderly arrangement and tireless activity the whole of creation
• The hand that created and sustains is the same hand that was nailed to the Cross
• As you go around your work today remember He keeps you going
• As you enjoy your
next meal remember He is the
Provider
• When things get
tough and you can’t
see the way out
remember He carries
you through
The Sustainer
• The Son is the radiance
of God’s glory and the
exact representation of
His being, sustaining all
things by His powerful
word
• By Him all things were
created
• Things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;
• All things were created by Him and for Him … in Him all things hold together
• The universe depends on the continuous exercise of divine will
• God did not create and leave the universe alone
• God is not the universe, He is not inside the universe
• God and the universe are not the
same body
• God is not dependent on the
universe
• God exists independent of the
universe
• The universe depends on God
• Moment by moment
we depend on God’s
sustaining power
• God is our energy, our strength and our enabler
• In God’s hand is our breath, in His hand are all our ways, we must glorify Him
The Generous Provider
• Before leaving creatures were created God generously provided for them
• Herbs, fruits and seeds were created for both animals and humans
• There was no predator and there
was no competition
for food
• Predation, violence
and survival for the
fittest is not God’s
mode of sustaining
life
• And the Lord God made
all kinds of trees to
grow out of the ground,
trees that were
pleasing to the eye and
good for food
• God planted a special
garden for Adam and
Eve
• A beautiful garden rich with a variety of food
• The garden was a gift of God’s extravagant love and grace
• It was grace, Adam and Eve did nothing to deserve it, they received Eden furnished
• Our damaged world is far different from what God created
• Despite sin and the
damage evidence
still exists of God’s
powerful love
• Think of the Victoria
Falls and many
other marvels of
God’s creation
Natural Evil
• Why natural evil?
Floods, hurricanes,
drought, earthquakes,
epidemics and such
like• Why should such
things happen when
God is in control?
• We cannot understand evil, we may never get our questions fully answered
• Through the life of Job God gave us a glimpse of the reason for evil
• Evil is from Satan’s hand, Job suffered a great deal at the hand of Satan
• There are issues beyond our understanding, we just have to trust God’s care and love
• A great war rages on
between Christ and
Satan, so the
suffering of Job, so
our suffering
• God knows the detail
of what we are going
through in our
different situations
• God did not answer
Job’s questions but
He carried Him
through and greatly
blessed him
• We need to trust that God’s grace is sufficient for us, in His own way He will carry us through
Governing A Damaged Creation
• God causes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, the sun does not just rise
• He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, rain does not just come
• God is actively
providing for the
necessities of His
creatures, He
sustains
• God orders events in
His creation
according to His will
• He ordered the wind
to recede the waters
of Noah’s flood
• God ordered the
wind to bring in
locust over Egypt
• God ordered the wind to bring in quail from the sea to the Israelite camp
• These were not natural winds, they were providential winds under special command
• God caused the sun to stand still for the battle to complete, the sun did not get jammed
• God orders creation the way He wants, nothing is too hard for Him
• God’s actions in
creation are many,
we will not understand them
• God commands
actions in our favour, in ways we
neither expect nor
understand, lets
trust Him
Provider For A Damaged Creation
• “Behold the fowls of
the air;
• For they sow not,
neither do they
reap, nor gather into
barns;
• Yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.
• Are ye not much better than they?”
• With Adam and Eve out of Eden God still provided for their physical needs
• Despite our unworthiness God’s grace still provides for us
• If Jesus cares so
much for the lilies
and the birds He did
not die for, what
more for us
• When in need, in
loss or suffering He
loves us enough to
care
• When tragedy hits, be
it famine, drought,
floods, epidemics,
death or whatever,
trust His care
• Who of you by
worrying can add a
single hour to His life
• Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear
• Life’s realities threaten to destroy us, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul
Thoughts
• Some science claims to understand God’s wisdom, not possibly!
• Men deny or ignore God’s existence
• Men try to explain
even the working of
the Holy Spirit
• Men no more reverence the name
of God or fear His
infinite power to
work His will
• Men want to
depend on the
discoveries they
have made
• God’s arena of
working is just too
vast for men to
begin to understand
• God is our creator, our provider and sustainer
• God is not human, men cannot discover Him
• Revere and fear the name of the Lord
Marriage: A Gift From Eden
• “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; • I will make him an help meet (suitable) for him
• Animals were not
suitable for Adam
for intimate relationship
• Only a woman, not
another man, was a
help meet for Adam
• A happy marriage
and a loving home
are a blessing
• It is possible, for
some, that marriage
is pain and anger
instead of joy and
peace
• The sorrow in some marriages is a result of the damage sin has wrought
• The Creator of the universe originated marriage and officiated at the first wedding
• Marriage is honourable, it is one of the first gifts God gave to man
• With God marriage is a blessing, it guards the purity and happiness of the race
• Marriage provides
for man’s social
needs
• It elevates the
physical, the intellectual and
moral nature of men
Lo Tov – “Not Good”
• Through the
supernatural power
of His Word God
created the world
• At the end of each
day of the creation
week God saw His
work and it was
“good”
• At the end of the creation week the work God had done was “very good”
• In the midst of all the “good” creation Adam’s aloneness was “not good”
• Alone, out of relationship Adam was “not good”
• This aloneness did not reflect the relationship aspect of the Godhead
• Adam needed
someone like
himself
• Adam needed
relationship, mutual
love and cooperation from
one of his kind
• Adam could not find
anything to pair
with in the animal
kingdom
• Adam was “not
good” until a help
meet for him was
found
• In God’s wisdom a help meet for Adam, a man, was Woman
A Companion For Adam
• In Adam’s experience its clear that a great gap exists between humans and other creatures• No animal was comparable to Adam, apes were ‘not meet’ for him
• Adam found no
possibility of pairing
with any animal
• So the Lord God
caused Adam to fall
into a deep sleep
• While he slept God
took one of Adam’s
ribs …
• Then the Lord God
made a woman
from the rib … and
He brought her to
Adam
• Adam and Eve were one flesh, they were united, they were not independent of each other• God’s providence
provided a companion for Adam
• This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, what excitement, typical down the ages• Adam greatly valued his wife and their close relationship
• Eve was Adam’s
equal until sin
tempered with that
equality
• Adam chose to sin
along with Eve, he
should have trusted
God to give him
another helper
Ideal Marriage
• In-laws can cause a
lot of marital
disturbances, if
possible live
separately from
them
• Married couples are
independent from
their parents
• A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife
• The two will become one flesh, they are no longer two but one
• The privacy and intimacy of marriage must be respected• The married must maintain unity of purpose as a priority
• Marriage is a
lifetime pledge, its
not a casual
relationship to be
thrown away at will
• Do the best for each
other and for the
marriage union
• Husband must give
himself to his wife in
loving service
• The wife must
respect the husband
and co-operate with
him
• Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord
• Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church
• Self-sacrificing love must be met with loving respect and mutual happiness
• The home must be a
foretaste of heaven
Protecting What’s Precious
• Human sexuality is a
wonderful gift from
God• Sexual activity is to
be between
husband and wife
• It is to be between male and female in the context of marriage
• Sexual activity under different conditions is sin
• Do not commit adultery
• Do not look at a woman lustfully
• If your sexuality causes you to sin then dump it!
• Purity requires
giving up!
• Pluck out the eye
• Cut off the hand or
lose eternal life
• Jesus preached and
lived a high moral
standard
• Jesus is forgiving,
gracious and
compassionate
• If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all iniquity
• Moral principle, strictly carried out, becomes the only safeguard of the soul
Marriage As A Metaphor For The Church
• Marriage symbolizes the relationship between God and His covenant people
• An unfaithful woman symbolizes apostasy and backsliding
• God does not allow
any close relationships with
pagans
• God does not want
the perverse nature
of the pagans to
lead Israel astray
• A virtuous woman
symbolizes Christ’s
church
• The church as the
bride of Christ
symbolizes unity
among believers and
with Christ
• An ideal marriage, one man, one woman in a loving self-sacrificing
relationship represents the relationship between the church and Christ
• The relationship between God and His people is intimate
• God desires to bring His people into relationship with Him
• Love your wife with
a self-sacrificing love
just as Christ loved
the church
Thoughts
• Divinely accepted
sexual morality is
tied to our divine
origins
• Evolution does not
provide a link
between sexual
activity and morality
• Based on God’s standard we can differentiate between good and bad moral behaviour
• It is in the light of creation that we reject homosexual relationships
• The marriage relationship represents the tender and sacred union between Christ and His people
• The joy of the
wedding celebration
points to the joy to
be experienced at
the marriage supper
of the Lamb
Stewardship And The Environment
• “Then God blessed
them, and God said
to them, ‘Be fruitful
and multiply;
• Fill the earth and
subdue it;
• Have dominion over the fish of the sea• Over the birds of the air • And over every living thing that moves on earth’”
• The earth is a gift of love from God the Creator to humanity• Preserving and nurturing the environment is our service to God
• Degrading the
environment leads
to poverty
• Development of
resources must be
carried out in a
sustainable manner
• Seventh-day Adventists
are committed to the
stewardship of the
earth• Seventh-day Adventists
also believe that total
restoration of the earth
will be complete when
God makes all things
new
• Take good care of the environment• Remember the
generations to come will also depend on the same environment
Dominion Given At Creation
• Adam was given dominion over the sea, land and air• Adam was made ruler over the creatures
• The authority given
him to name the
creatures confirmed
his status as ruler of
the animals
• “You crowned man
with glory and
honour”, said David
• “You made him ruler
over the works of
your hands”
• “You put everything
under his feet, all
the flocks and
herds”
• “And the beasts of the field
• The birds of the air• The fish of the sea,
and all that swim the paths of the seas”
• The Lord took the man and put him in the Garden Of Eden to work it and take
care of it• To manage it, to
watch over it, to protect it, to tend to its needs
• The garden was
God’s gift to Adam,
he was to be responsible over the
gift• Think of the spiritual
gifts God gave us
• God crowned Adam
with honour
• He made him ruler
over the animals
• A president of the
animal kingdom
• A custodian of Eden!• “What is man that thou art mindful of him!”• Exercise your
dominion in the fear of the Lord
Caring For Other Creatures
• “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills”• The dominion God gave Adam does not
translate to ownership
• We care for on behalf
of God, He remains the
owner of His creation
• God intended that the
creatures He created
should exist, man must
advance this purpose
• Humans have a
special status in
God’s plan as
compared to
animals
• That special status
should enable us do
desist from cruelty
to animals
• Being cruel to animals is viewed as a personality disorder
• Nurture God’s creatures with the respect that it is from God that they have their being
The Sabbath And The Environment
• The environment should not be worked on Sabbath
• The animals of burden must not work on Sabbath
• All of creation,
including the
environment, must
enter into God’s rest
on Sabbath
• The Sabbath
reminds us of God’s
creative acts
• The Sabbath reinforces
the special relationship
between the Creator
and His creation
• The Sabbath reminds
us that we depend on
God and we do not do
just as we feel like
• The Sabbath provides us with limits as to how we relate with those under us• We must respect those under us, be fair with them and be gracious toward them
• Creation should not be exploited or plundered just to fulfil our desires and wants
• We are stewards, we
are accountable
before God
Stewards Of Our Health
• From God’s hand we
were in good health,
“very good” and
perfect
• Sin brought with it
sickness, disease
and death
• Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit
• We must keep the body with an eye single to the glory of God for whom the body is a temple
• We must keep our brains in good health for effective communication with the Holy Spirit• Abuse of the body destroys both the physical and the spiritual nature
• The care of the body
is a moral issue, it
puts eternity at
stake• Intemperance is sin,
it degrades our
spirituality and our
moral nature
• Habits that do not
promote healthful
action degrade the
higher and nobler
faculties
• We must keep the
body in the best of
health it is our
spiritual duty
• Keep your health as your spiritual service to God
Stewardship Principles
• “Every good and perfect gift is from above• Coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows”
• Stewardship
principles have their
foundation at
creation
• Everything we have
is a gift from God, it
is a trust we must
use for God
• God has given to
each of us something to put to
work for Him
• Each of us has their
place in God’s
mission plan for the
salvation of others
• As surely as God has a place in heaven for each of us he also has a place of work for each of us on earth• Use the talents God gave you to bring a harvest to Him
• Someone kept his gift and returned it to the master without interest, outer darkness was his reward• Another used his two talents and returned to the master two more, the master’s happiness was his reward
• Yet another used his
five talents and
returned to the master
five more, the master’s
happiness was his
reward
• God rewards good
stewardship
Thoughts
• We were redeemed for
service, no idling in
God’s kingdom!
• True life’s purpose is
ministry, we were
saved to minister to
others
• Christ served, we must
serve, serve God, serve
mankind
• Ministering to others brings us into connection with Christ
• In service we are bound to God and to our fellow men
Sabbath: A Gift From Eden
• By the end of day six God was satisfied with what He had made• The earth was filled with living creatures
• Adam and Eve had
been created in
God’s own image
• Eden, the first well
provisioned home
was ready
• The first marriage
had been inaugurated
• God was yet to add
the Sabbath to His
acts of creation
• God blessed the seventh-day and sanctified it
• The Sabbath is a memorial of the creation of all humanity
• The Sabbath was not for the Jews, there were no Jews on day seven of the first week
• For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day
• Each Sabbath enjoy
the blessings that
the Lord intended
for all humanity
• Enjoy God’s grand
gift from Eden, join
the Lord in His
Sabbath rest
Creation And The Seventh-Day Sabbath
• The Sabbath points
back to creation, a
world without sin
• A perfect world
coming from the
Creator
• The Sabbath is to be observed as the memorial of the creator’s work
• By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing
• On the seventh day He rested from all His work, and God blessed the seventh day and made it holy• He made it holy because on it He had rested from the work of creating He had been doing
• The six days of creating
preceded the seventh
day, the day of rest
followed the six days
• Science cannot prove
the creation account
and cannot prove the
seven day week
The Rich Meaning Of Sabbath Rest
• Remember you
were slaves in Egypt
• Remember the Lord
your God brought
you out of there
with a mighty hand
and an outstretched
arm
• Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day
• And I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign … so they would know that I the Lord made them holy
• We observe the Sabbath in recognition of the six day creation and the seventh day rest
• We observe the Sabbath because God redeemed us in Christ Jesus
• We observe the
Sabbath day
because God is the
one who sanctifies
us• Rejecting creation
diminishes God’s
grace for us
• Rejecting creation
underplays our total
dependence on
grace and the
substitutionary
sacrifice of Christ in
our place
• On the Sabbath we celebrate the Creator, creation, the Cross and our total removal from the world of sin at His coming
Jesus And The Sabbath
• The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath• So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath, after all, He is Lord of all that He made
• The religious leaders
of Christ’s day
upheld man-made
rules as higher than
human need
• How the Sabbath
should be kept had
been made a point
of controversy by
the Pharisees
• Jesus healed the man
with a shrivelled
hand on a Sabbath
and the Pharisees
were enraged
• Jesus healed a
crippled woman on a
Sabbath day and the
Pharisees were
enraged
• Jesus healed the man who had been sick for thirty eight years and the Pharisees were enraged because he carried his mat on a Sabbath
• Work done on a Sabbath to alleviate suffering does not violate the Sabbath• The Sabbath should be a day of human blessing
• The Sabbath is not
an excuse to prolong
suffering
• The Sabbath should
be kept by doing
good to others
Sabbath And The Last Days
• In the last days
scoffers will come,
scoffing and following their own
evil desires
• The same Word that
created the world
will bring the world
to an end
• Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come
• Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water
• The message of the last days centres on the Sabbath• The Sabbath
symbolizes creation and redemption
• Rejecting creation is
rejecting the
Sabbath, it leads to
accepting a man-
made Sabbath
• Rejecting creation
leads to a
separation from God
• The Sabbath, which
is the original sign of
God as Creator will
be central to the
message of the last
days
• God will keep His promise of the Second Coming just as He kept the promise of His First Coming
• Fear God and give Him glory for the hour of His judgment is come
A Psalm For The Sabbath
• It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name• O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night
• Praise and thank the
Lord for His loving
kindness and
faithfulness
• Acknowledge God as
Creator
• God’s judgment is
coming, it is in favour
of the righteous, the
wicked will be
consumed
• The Sabbath is a time
to delight in the Lord,
to rejoice in Him
• To celebrate what the Lord has done and what He has promised to do for us
• God gave us one-seventh of our life for rest and to rejoice in the works of the Lord for us
Thoughts
• God created man in His own image• God is Sovereign
• Our divine origin is dignified
• Man is worthy of
the hand that gave
him life
• We were made in
heaven
• We are holy just as
our Maker is holy
Creation And The Gospel
• Adam and Eve were
created without any
moral defect
• God created them
with a free will
which enabled them
to love
• When Adam and Eve sinned they brought the whole world under Satan’s power• Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and free us from Satan’s power
• His death on the Cross, on our behalf, released us from Satan’s power• On the Cross Jesus became sin for us. Sin separated Him from His Father
• Christ’s death restored the relationship between God and
the Father that sin
had broken
• God creates a new
heart in His children
• When we accept the
Gospel God renews
His image within us
• God also restores
our relationship
with Him
• This is the power of the Gospel, to re-create us back into the image of God
• The Gospel reverses the loss we suffered in Eden, but we must choose the reversal
Grace In The Garden
• A perfect Adam and Eve fell into sin consciously and death came on earth• Eve was deceived into sin while Adam sinned intentionally
• In a similar way we
sin and become
guilty of God’s law
• For Adam and Eve
the effect of sin was
immediately visible,
they became naked
• Then God looked for
Adam and investigated what
had happened
• God wanted Adam
and Eve to take
responsibility for
their actions
• Taking responsibility is the first step toward repentance and restoration
• The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them
• God gave Adam and
Eve the first gospel
promise in Eden
• Grace immediately
went into effect,
Christ gave His life
and took their sin
• The skin clothes were a reminder– Of God’s grace – Of the sin committed– Of a lost Eden– Of the redeemer who was to come
• That is the gospel, grace for the undeserving
Sin And Death
• Until you return to the ground since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return• The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils
• When you take
away their breath
they die and return
to the dust
• In Him was life and
that life was the
light of men
• God gives all men
life and breath and
everything else
• Life is marvellous,
we cannot touch it,
we cannot produce
it, but its evidence is
indisputable
• We are expert at producing death, we know how to kill, as if we are an extension of sin itself
• God alone has the ability to create living organisms, science cannot
• But your iniquities have separated you from your God• Your sins have
hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear
• Separation from
God cuts us from
the Source of life
and death is the
result
• Jesus came to
restore our link to
the source of life so
that we may live
eternally
While We Were Yet Sinners …
• God’s love is
genuine, unselfish
and redemptive
• God could have
abandoned Adam to
Satan’s destructive
power but He chose
to redeem him
• God decided to give Adam a chance to be better informed and then choose again, it sounds like probation
• When we were still powerless Christ died for the ungodly
• While we were yet sinners Christ died for us, that is love• When we were God’s enemies we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son
• God did not wait for
us to ask for
forgiveness, He took
the initiative
• God does not seek
revenge but
restoration, He
seeks to reconstruct
the broken
relationship
• Love is a principled
behaviour– It puts an effort to
reconcile the
estranged parties
– It works to restore
the relationship
• While we were yet in rebellion God provided for our restoration into relationship if we should so choose• Let this mind be in you which is in Christ Jesus …
The Sin-bearing Substitute• Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us• Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree, at the Cross Christ took our guilt upon Himself
• On the Cross, Christ
the Seed of the
woman, bruised the
serpent’s head
• The Cross reconciled
God to the human
family
• The Cross confirmed that evil will finally be eliminated from the universe• Christ redeemed us from the curse of
the law by becoming a curse for us
• On the Cross the
curse of sin
separated Christ
from the Father
• On the Cross Christ
put away or
surrendered His
divine powers, He
became sin for us to
be His righteousness
A New Creation
• The death of Jesus
as our substitute is
the good news, the
gospel
• Jesus took upon
Himself the penalty
of death that is ours
• Death is foreign to God’s original creation and Christ came to destroy it
• In Christ we are being re-created into God’s image
• Create in me a pure heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me• I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you
• You have put on a
new self, which is
being renewed in
knowledge in the
image of its Creator
• Therefore if anyone
is in Christ, he is a
new creation; the
old has gone, the
new has come!
• A new mind is
created for good
works in line with
God’s will
• The creation of a
new mind is a work
of the Holy Spirit, it
is not human
• God’s creative power is able to change our lives and to bring us into relationship with Him• Invite Christ to work a change in you, to re-create your life and make it conform to the standard of heaven
Thoughts
• The way God accomplished the work of creation is a secret, its unknown to men
• His creative power, just like His existence cannot be understood
• At the Cross Christ
was not to be
comforted by the
Father’s presence
though the Father
was there
• Christ was to tread
the winepress alone
Creation, Again
• But in keeping with His
promise we are looking
forward to a new
heaven and a new
earth, the home of the
righteous
• This earth and its
heaven will be
destroyed with fire
• Sin has dominion in this old earth but righteousness has dominion in the new earth
• In this earth death rules but in the new earth life rules
• The same Word that created the heavens and the earth will create a new heaven and a new earth again
• Our salvation is fully realised in the new earth the Lord shall create
• The new earth is the
home of the saved,
God’s righteous ones
A New Beginning
• This earth as we
know it is not going
to last forever, it will
be destroyed with
fire• The destruction of
the earth marks a
new beginning
• Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away
• I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God
• Prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband
• There will be no
more death or
mourning or crying
or pain, for the old
order of things has
passed away
• “I am making
everything new.”,
said the Lord
• Death and suffering
intruded into God’s
creation, it was not
part of God’s “very
good”
• Death and suffering will
not intrude into the
new creation only
God’s law will work
there
• The new creation will be a new beginning that Christ has made possible for us
• Praise be to God for His great plan of salvation that the Cross has wrought for us
From Dust To Life
• The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground
• For dust you are and to dust you shall return, the dead are in the dust not in heaven
• Life depends on an
unbroken connection with the
Father
• Sin separated us
from the Source of
life so death came in
through sin
• But your dead will
live; their bodies
will rise
• You who dwell in
the dust, wake up
and shout for joy
• The earth will give birth to her dead• Multitudes who
sleep in the dust will awake; some to everlasting life
• For the faithful death is temporary• God creates humans from the dust where they returned
• The resurrection is in
itself an act of creation
• In a flash, in an instant,
in the twinkling on an
eye we will be changed,
we will be re-created!
Not in millions of years!
• For the trumpet will
sound, the dead will
be raised imperishable
• Death has been
swallowed up in
victory; Where, O
death is your sting?
• Both the resurrection of the dead and the translation of the living are supernatural creative acts of God
• We will rise!
Restoration Of Human Dominion
• God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number. Fill the earth and subdue it
• Adam was the ruler of this world, he lost that kingship to Satan due to sin
• Satan exercised his
power causing death
and violence
• At the Cross Christ won
the earth back from
Satan, its time up for
Satan
• Now is the time of
judgment on this
world; now the
prince of this world
will be driven out
• The restoration of
our dominion over
the earth is near
• If we died with him we will also live with Him; if we endure we will also reign with Him• You have made them to be a kingdom of priests to serve our God, and they will reign on earth
• Reigning implies invested authority• And priesthood implies standing between God and His creatures• With authority we shall serve the Lord
• The dominion we
had before sin will
be restored to us
• We shall enter into
the joy and the
wisdom of unfallen
beings
More Restoration
• In the animal kingdom
predation is the way of
life, it was not so in the
beginning
• In the “very good”
creation no animal fed
on another, green plant
was food for all
• Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence
• All the people on earth had corrupted their ways
• God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them.”• The once “very good” creation was ripe for destruction
• Scripture promises
us a new way of life
in the new earth
• The wolf and the
lamb will feed
together, and the
lion will eat straw
like an ox
• The leopard will lie
down with the goat
and the cow will
feed with the bear
• There will be neither
violence nor
predation in the
new earth
• In the new earth there will be harmony, co-operation and peace
• Nature and the animal kingdom will also be restored to their “very good”
state
The Restoration Of Relationship With God
• Before sin Adam enjoyed open communion with his Maker, sin changed that
• Adam was denied access to the tree of life
• Adam could no
longer see God face
to face and live
• God sent Adam and
Eve from His presence as a way to
keep them alive
• God’s plan of salvation
was designed to restore
the broken relationship
between Adam and Eve
• “If I go and prepare a
place for you, I will
come back and take
you to be with me … “
• No longer will there be any curse … they will see God’s face and His name will be on their foreheads …• And they will reign forever and ever
• The redeemed will be given– A new environment– A new life– A new dominion– A new peace with the whole of
creation– A new relationship with God
• The purpose of the
original creation will
be realized, God and
humanity will be
family
• Praise be to God for
His redeeming love!
Thoughts
• Through eternity more
and more glorious
revelations of God and
Christ will be our
experience
• As we know more of
God and Christ so will
love, reverence and
happiness increase
• The more we will learn of God the more will be our admiration of His character• In terms of the
heavenly syllabus we must be very far behind the unfallen beings
• As Christ shows us the riches of redemption and amazing gains in the great controversy we will thrill with more fervent devotion and joy• Then will be the rapture of a mighty chorus of praise
• The great controversy is
over• Sin and sinners are no
more
• The entire universe is
clean
• Creation moves in
perfect harmony
• From God flows life
and light and
gladness
• All things alive and
non-living, in their
perfect joy and
beauty declare that
God is love
• Don’t miss out, take advantage of God’s plan of redemption!
