Genesis: Sin / Seeking

Genesis:

Sin / Seeking

                                                                                 Skokie Valley Baptist Church

Adult Education

March 16, 2003

Larry Craig

1.         Have you ever started or worked on a project and then you had to stop and say, “This is just not working.  I am just going to have to start all over.”  This is what happened when God first started this world out.

2.         Was God surprised by this?  No, it’s like when you buy a new white carpet for your living room and then someone gives you a new puppy.  You know what’s going to happen. 

3.         God had a plan to fix things before anything got broke; He had a solution before there even was a problem.  The Bible calls Jesus the lamb that was slain from the foundation of the earth.  Rev. 13:8

4.         When the Bible talks about sin, this is basically what it is talking about.

5.         These are three common Hebrew words and one common Greek word used in the Bible to describe what we might call “sin.”

            a.          (a(fr   (rah-a¢) be evil, bad – There is good and evil, and there are those who chose to do

                        what is evil (e.g. rape, kill, steal, etc.)

ab.         (a$fP  (pah-sha¢) vb. rebel, transgress  -  The basic idea here is that of crossing over a line.  It could be intentional or accidental (e.g. speeding ticket).

c.          )f+fx (chah-tah¢) miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin

d.         a(marti¿a,   (ha-mar-tee¢-ah) a failure, fault  2. In philos. and religion, guilt, sin (         a(marta/nw (ha-mar-tan¢-oh) miss the mark 2 generally, fail of one’s purposes, go wrong 3. fail of having, be deprived of  4. rarely, fail to do, neglect  II. abs.,do wrong, err, sin    Romans 3:23  . . . all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

6.         We used two words to describe Genesis, partly because we don’t want to sound negative.  But in Genesis, we see God starting the world out, and the world didn’t quite turn as it was supposed to.  If life was a one lane highway, we would all be stuck in a field.

7.         Even those who followed God don’t seem any better than anyone else, except that they sought and worshiped the one true God.

8.         The book of Genesis shows us three key elements in seeing God, the world, and the people who live in it.

Basic outline

I.          The world in general       1-11

            A.         Creation and Adam         1-5

            B.         Noah and the flood         6-9

II.         God’s people in particular           12-50

            A.         Abraham           12-24

            B.         Isaac                 25,26

            C.         Jacob                27-36

            D.         Joseph               37-50

Practical outline

I.          What God is like

A.                 He rules His creation

1.         He made it; He owns it; it is His.

2.         He maintains it. – What in life does not require maintenance?

(“The result is that, for anyone who believes that the development of life is a truly random process, it appears unlikely, not only that life exists anywhere else in the universe at this moment, but that it will ever exist anywhere else – unless we are the ones who do the colonizing.” Heeren, Fred. “Exoplanets, SETI, and the Likelihood of Contact,” Cosmic Pursuit, 2,1 – Spring 1999, 20.

B.                  He knows His creation – Who understands like the inventor?

1.         He invented this thing.  He has to understand everything.

2.         He knows how it is supposed to work.

C.                  He cares for His creation

1.                   Creator – personal pride   He saw that everything was good.  1:10,12,18,21,25

2.                   Image – expression of self

3.         Garden of Eden   }ed"(  Eden   luxury, dainty, delight.

a.             He put them in a garden, not a desert.  2:8  Kaiì e)fu/teusen ku/rioj o( qeo\j para/deison e)n Edem   }aG (gan) n.m. enclosure, garden.   From }anfG (gah-nan´) cover, surround, defend

b.         It was a place of joy and gladness.  Isaiah 51:3  For the LORD will comfort Zion;    he will comfort all her waste places,   and will make her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;   joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song.

D.                 He is like man.  1:26

II.         What humans are like     3-11

A.                 Limited in understanding 3:3

B.         Lacking in trust – thought they knew better or cared more than God  3:6

1.         God was withholding something good and important from them

2.         God’s love must be limited or imperfect.

3.         God’s Word was not normative for them.  Normative: a principle of right action binding upon the members of a group and serving to guide, control, or regulate proper and acceptable behavior

C.         Knows good and evil  2:17, 3:7

D.         Shame – unloved  3:7

E.         Fearful of God   3:8-10

F.         Stubborn – refused to admit wrong

1.         No feeling for God         4:3,4

2.         No repentance                4:6-16

G.         Rebellious of thought – wanted to do wrong  6

H.         Exalter of self – name-seeking  11

III.       What humans need to be like   12-50

A.                 Tested – What is important to you?   /      Believing           12-24

Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.  Matthew 6:33

1.                   What is a test?  A situation forcing one to make a moral choice

2.                   Why a test? 

a.                   Shows priorities:   the tyranny of time

b.                   Shows sincerity

1)         Where shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  John 6:68

2)         Matthew 26:33-34 Peter declared to him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away."  Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times."

3.                   What kinds of tests?

a.          Family              12        

1)         By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.   Hebrews 11:8

2)         He who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me.  Matthew 10:37   cf. Matt. 19:29  Mark 10:29  Luke12:53, 14:26

b.         Possessions        13,14

1)                  He let Lot choose first.  He wasn’t bound to his possessions.           13

2)                  He wanted nothing of the spoils of Sodom.  He wanted no association with evil.                        14

c.                   Faith     15 – 21   Romans 4:13-22

1)                  God promises to bless Abraham’ seed.

Ten years he remains childless. 

God assures him he will have a son. 15

2)                  Abraham has a child by Hagar  16

3)                  Thirteen years later God tells Sarah she will have a son, after she can no longer have a child  

d.                   Self      22 (v 12) He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."   

1)         After he finally gets this son, he is later asked to lose him.       Cf. Hebrews 11:17-19  By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son,  of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your descendants be named."  He considered that God was able to raise men even from the dead; hence, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.  

2)         After he obeys, God emphasizes how much He will bless him because of this.   vv. 16,18

4.                  What is the answer?

a.                   Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.  Matthew 6:33

b.                  "Which commandment is the first of all?" You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. Mark 12:28-30

c.                   One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD,  and to inquire in his temple.   Psalm 27:4

d.                  One thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,   Philippians 3:13

e.                   And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." Mark 10:21

f.                    Luke 10:42 One thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her."

            B.         Broken – How bad do you want it?  /     Insisting              25-36

Luke 11:5-11  And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 11.6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 11.7 and he will answer from within, Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything'? 11.8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity*  he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 11.9 And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 11.10 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11.11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 11.12or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 11.13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:9-10 ka)gwÜ u(miÍn le/gw, ai¹teiÍte kaiì doqh/setai u(miÍn, zhteiÍte kaiì eu(rh/sete, krou/ete kaiì a)noigh/setai u(miÍn: pa=j ga\r o( ai¹tw½n lamba/nei kaiì o( zhtw½n eu(ri¿skei kaiì t%½ krou/onti a)noig[h/s]etai.

*a)nai¿deia, aj, h( (also a)naidi¿a)    (1) in a negative sense, as insensitivity to what is proper shamelessness, boldness, insolence (possibly LU 11.8); (2) in a positive sense persistence, tenacious insistence without regard to time, place, or person (possibly LU 11.8)

1.           The patience     24         Abraham and Isaac were committed not to return to their                            homeland.

2.           The promise     25         Jacob was chosen over his twin to be the heir to show that God’s purposes would be fulfilled. 25:23   Romans 9:10-13

            boqA(áY  Jacob (expl. fr.  b"qf(  (ah-qave´) heel, i.e. supplanter; cp. with  baqf( (ah-qav´) overreach, one closely following)

 b"qf(  n.m. heel, footprint, hinderpart -- a. heel, of man, as obj. of attack from behind; as instrument of attack,   'f( yalf( lyiD:gih hath made great the heel against me, i.e. given me insidiously a great fall (fig. for, taken some cruel advantage of me); b. mark of heel, footprint,  yab"qA( Ur:m:$éy  they mark my footprints, i.e. watch me insidiously wherever I go,

Supplant  1: to supersede (another) esp. by force or treachery 2 b: to take the place of and serve as a substitute for esp. by reason of superior excellence or power Supplant basically implies a dispossessing or ousting by craft, fraud, or treachery and a taking or usurping of the place, possession, or privileges of another. But (it) sometimes implies an uprooting and replacing . . . , in such cases trickery or treachery is no longer implied.

3.         The plan            25 - 31

a.          Jacob showed that his heart was for God by seeking the birthright. 25:31

            “ . . . by connecting this event (his wrestling with God in ch 32) with what took place at the birth of the twins (xxv.26), the prophet (Hosea) teaches that Jacob merely completed, by his wrestling with God, what he had already been engaged in even from his mother’s womb, for the possession of the covenant promise and the covenant blessing.  Keil, 305

b          Jacob sought the blessing. 27

c.          God confirms His blessing and covenant with Him. 28

d.         God blesses Jacob and calls him back to the promised land. 31

                        4.         The pain            32

a.          His prayer – recounting God’s promises  vv. 9-12

b.         His problem – facing life’s obstacles    vv. 13-24

c.          His persistence – refusing to let go v. 26   cf. Hosea 12:4  “he wept and sought His favor”

d.         His prize – receiving God’s blessing  v.27-32

            1)         A new name - Israel

                                 lÕ")fr:&éy-{i) yÙiK ê!:mi$ üdO( rÛ"mf)¢y üboqA(áy )Üol rem)èoYáw   

        ;l×fkUTáw {yÙi$ænA)-{i(ºw {yÖiholE)-{i( ftyÓirf&-y×iK gen Then he said, "Your name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed."

hfrf&  persist, exert oneself, persevere

lokæy   vb. be able, have power, prevail, endure --. prevail: a. abs. prevail, overcome, be victor; succeed..

2)         A new mark – a limp that symbolizes his brokenness before God.

He had used his wits and his cunning to prevail with men, but now he sees that ultimately his success is from God.

C.         Proven – Why do you want it?     /           Enduring           37-40

      I Peter 5:6 Tapeinw¯qhte ouÅn u(po\ th\n krataia\n xeiÍra tou= qeou=, iàna u(ma=j u(yw¯sv e)n kair%½,  Be humbled therefore under the mighty hand of God, that you He may exalt in due time.

1.         The belief          37

            a.          He believed God had spoken to him. Cf. 41:16

            b.         He believed that God had promised to him a future. 37:5-11

2.         The barrenness   37-41

a.          His circumstances and fate

1)         hated by his 10 brothers  37:4,11

2)         sold into slavery 37:28,39:1

3)         thrown into prison          39:20

4)         thirteen years total, at least two of them in prison (41:1)  cf. 37:2,41:46

b.         His character and faith

            1)         Gen. 39:3 and his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hands.  Cf. vv. 2,23

a)         He had a relationship with God that was unphased by his being sold into slavery. 39:1,2

b)         He experienced God’s favor and blessing in the midst of his circumstances. 39:5,21,23

2)         Gen.39:9 “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

a)         Sold into slavery, yet maintains his refusal to sin against God.

b)         He does what’s right because it is right, not because it has any effect on his personal advantage.

3)         Gen. 41:16 "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."

                                                            a)         He knows that God is the source of his gifts.

                                                            b)         He knows that God wants what is best.

                                                            c)         He knows that God is speaking.  41:25,28

                                                            d)         He knows what God is saying      41:32

3.         The blessing       41-50

a.          He was made second to Pharaoh.  41:39-57

b.         He was exalted over his brothers (and father).  42:6

c.          His brothers were united with each other.  44:18-34

d.         He was reconciled with his brothers.   45:1-15

e.          He saw God’s plan in his life.  45:5-9, 50:20

And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 45.6 For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 45.7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 45.8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God; and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 45.9 Make haste and go up to my father and say to him, Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry;