Category: BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Welcome to AtoZMom’s BSF Blog! BSF International, or Bible Study Fellowship (BSF)’s study of the book of Genesis will take you from the beginning of the world to the death of Joseph. We will see God create the world and then destroy it, saving only Noah and his family. We will then see God call Abraham and give His promise to make his descendants a great nation in Jacob. Don’t miss this great online and free Bible study!

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 5, Day 4: Genesis 4:9-16

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  The Lord asked Cain where was his brother.  Cain replied, “I don’t know.  Am I my brother’s keeper?”  (Hence, where our saying comes from).  The Lord says his blood cries out to Him from the ground and He curses Cain, saying no crops will grow for him and he will be a restless wanderer on the earth.

Cain complains, saying his punishment is unbearable and someone will kill him.  The Lord forbids anyone to kill Cain and marked him as a warning.  Cain lived in Nod east of Eden out of the Lord’s presence.

Questions:

9a)  Cain never once asked God for forgiveness for his crime.  He never apologized or even admitted wrong-doing.  He only cared about the punishment he received and then it was still all about him.  I picture Cain groveling to God how horrible his life will be and how he’ll be killed.  Don’t you deserve it?  After committing the first murder EVER?

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  God took pity on Cain (out of His grace and love) and protected him even though he deserved a death sentence like Cain had given Abel.  God’s love is greater than man’s evil.

10a)  Cain selfishly complains.  David admits he “sinned against the Lord” and even composes a song about repentance!  David asks for God’s mercy and fully confesses his sins and asks for forgiveness.  He asks to be made better, to create a “pure heart” and then tells God he will teach others His ways so sinners will turn to Him.  He says he will praise God.

David has “a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart.”  He humbles himself before the Lord.  Cain is still full of pride.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  I get defensive cause I’m in denial.  Yet as I grow in God, I get better and better at admitting my wrong-doings, truly repenting, and asking for forgiveness as I strive to do better.  Sure, I fail.  But I do see humility more than pride now.

11a)  We all have sin and we all sin.  If we believe otherwise, we are merely deceiving ourselves and the truth (Jesus) is not in us.  If we confess our sins, God will forgive us and purify us.  If we claim to have Jesus in us but we still walk in the dark (commit evil willingly), then we do not have Jesus.  If we walk in the light, we will have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus will purify us from all sin.

b)  Accept the blood of Jesus, have faith in Him, confess our sins, and we will be righteous with God.

Conclusions:  Good lesson on sin and the importance of confessing sin and making it right with the Lord.  Loved reading David’s Psalm.  Great, great prayer for us sinners!

As human beings, we all sin.  No way of getting around that.  We were born sinners.  Yet what matters to God is how you handle sin.  When you fall, admit it humbly to Him and ask Him for forgiveness.  He will grant it.  All you must do is accept Jesus’ blood and have a willing heart.

Cain’s attitude saddens me but I can see myself in him too.  Gives me something to work on!

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 5, Day 3: Genesis 4:6-8

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  The Lord confronted Cain about his feelings, asking him why he was angry and downcast.  God told him if he did what was right, he’d be accepted.  If you don’t do what is right, sin will prevail so you must master it.

Cain lured Abel out to the field and murdered him.

Questions:

7a)  God told him if he did what was right, he would be accepted.  If he didn’t do what was right, sin would win and he must master sin.

b)  God understands the power of the devil and sin and is trying to encourage Cain to resist.  God does what every good psychologist does:  acknowledges the hurt and offers up a solution and encouragement.

8a)  If you believe in me, I will accept you.  If you turn from me, sin will consume you.  The choice is yours.

b)  1 John 3:10-16 explains that Cain did not have God and was thus a child of evil for he did not love his brother nor did he do what is right.  Cain was jealous of his brother who was righteous and thus he committed evil when he murdered him.  Do not be surprised if the world hates you because you believe and have eternal life.  Unbelievers are in death.

Jesus defined love when he gave his life for others.  We are called to do so as well.

Conclusions:  God always reaches out a hand to those who turn from Him but God cannot make us choose Him.  God knew Cain would kill Abel; yet, He offered him a chance.  Cain refused.  Cain did not have love in his heart.  He was evil.

One of the worst crimes against humanity and it’s been around since Genesis 4 (page 8 in my Bible out of 1370 pages).  Disheartening to think about.

Love truly does conquer all.  It never fails.  1 Corinthians 13

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 5, Day 2: Genesis 4:1-5

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Eve gave birth to Cain and then Abel.  Abel was the shepherd and Cain was the farmer.  Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to God. Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock as an offering to God. The Lord favored Abel’s offering but not Cain’s.  Cain was angry and downcast because of this.

Questions:

3a)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Because God demands the best.  Cain only brought some of the fruits of the soil.  Abel brought the best (fat) portions AND they were from the firstborn of his flock (think venison versus veal).  Abel brought the choicest cuts.  Cain only brought hamburger meat (analogy here).

The verses point to how Jesus was a perfect, unblemished sacrifice.  God sets the example.  He demands the best since He gave the best.

Hebrews seems to point to how Abel had more faith in God than did Cain.  God knows the heart.  And Cain’s heart was not right that day.

It could have been attitude as well.  Abel came with a cheerful heart; Cain not so much–begrudging maybe.

b)  He wants our faith in Him and we show that by giving Him the best of us.  Then we shall be righteous before Him.  If we have faith in God, we will be accepted.

4)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Just based off of these verses (Genesis 4:1-5) and pretending I don’t know what happens I would answer Yes.  Genesis 3:15 is God’s promise to put enmity or distrust between the devil and man and how the devil will eventually be defeated.  His promise of a Savior.  No man had ever been born before so why wouldn’t Cain be the deliverer in Eve’s mind?

What mother ever thinks her son is evil or will be tempted by the devil?  I think Eve thought Cain would defeat the devil and could even be God’s promised Savior.  Here, in this offering, for all we know Cain is just in a bad mood or it’s his first sacrifice ever and he’s not for sure what to bring.  He’s learning.  We don’t know.  But I would say the devil does not have Cain yet here.

5a)  Seriously?  What’s your attitude?  We have a total of 2 verses here that talk about Cain, his offering, and his reaction.  Sometimes I wonder how much speculation, interpretation, and deduction BSF wants.  We know nothing of Cain’s life in-between his birth and this offering.  For all we know this offering made him snap.

His attitude is not good.  Maybe resentful of even having to offer a sacrifice since he did not bring the first fruits.  He probably grew up hearing stories from his mom and dad about how great Eden was before the Fall so he’s pining for that and resenting his parents for his toil of the land.

To Abel he obviously resents and is jealous (but we don’t know this until he kills him).  He’s just been shown up by his younger brother.  How would you feel?  Anger and downcast we are told.

To life?  Speculation:  Who knows?  Maybe resentful.  Maybe happy.  We just don’t know enough here.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  He was angry because he was felt not good enough by his offering and his brother showed him up.  His pride was wounded.

c)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Constant comparison to others.  It’s easy in this world where we do feel not good enough even though God says we are.  It’s tough to believe sometimes.

We all like to be the best and our human pride does get wounded often, which makes us unhappy or angry.  Also, if God is not our center, it’s easy to get off-kilter and be angry and unhappy.  We must keep Him our focus in the midst of the daily drudges.

6)  Sacrifice of praise and to do good and share with others.  Try to praise God every chance I get and do good and share with others.  Not sure on specifics.  Have to see what God presents first.

Conclusions:  Seemed to me to be a lot of speculation in this lesson.  We don’t know anything about Cain’s life after his birth up until this sacrifice.  We don’t know how old he is either.  He could be 12, 18, 22, 32, 102, 402…

Seems unfair to me to speculate about Cain’s life based off of one sacrifice (pretending we don’t know he’s about to murder his brother since the verses today do not include that–nor God’s reprimand and warning to Cain).  He could have had a great childhood, loving relationship with Abel, his parents and God, and just snapped in the moment.

It’s all speculation unless the Bible says and it doesn’t.

One could argue, “Well, he brought the crap which indicates he didn’t have faith and was resentful.”  True.  But it could have been a bad day or he didn’t know any better.  We are not told the REASON Cain brings the crap (except in Hebrews that he lacks faith).  But there are days my faith isn’t as strong as others and I’m in a bad mood.

I would like to think of the good in Cain.  Yes.  He failed this test miserably and God himself reprimanded him.  But saying his whole life up until the sacrifice was miserable and lacked faith is something I’m just not going to say or believe.

God wants us to be happy and have a good life.  And I think Cain did too.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 4, Day 5: Genesis 3:14-24

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  God curses the serpent for his beguilement of Adam and Eve to crawl on his belly and eat dust and God put enmity between the serpent and man for all time. Literally, this is humans not liking snakes (especially women).  Figuratively, this is humans not trusting Satan and having an inborn wariness of him.

God punished woman by greatly increasing her pains in childbirth; woman will desire her husband who will rule over her.

God punished Adam by cursing the ground so painful toil is now required to eat of it.  The ground will produce thorns and thistles.  And now death is introduced since “for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Adam names Eve and God makes them clothes and banishes them from the Garden of Eden so that he won’t be able to eat from the tree of life.  He places cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life.

Questions:

13a)  “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the 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.”

b)  “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children.  Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

c)  “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.  It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.  By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

14a)  The serpent is Satan and her offspring will be Jesus.  Jesus will ultimately defeat Satan (crush his head) even though Satan will wound Jesus (strike his heel).  “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet”  (Romans 16:20)

b)  With garments of skin

15a)  Everyone dies.  We are all sinners through Adam.  Jesus was sent to redeem his people, bring grace, and offer justification through his death so that we may have eternal life.

We were born sinners.  But Jesus can redeem us.  The results and consequences for us today are we have a choice:  to choose or reject Jesus.  Choose Jesus=life.  Reject Jesus=death.

b)  Jesus.

Conclusions:  We see here that God never abandoned us, even when we sinned.  He always had Jesus planned to save us.  It’s hard to comprehend:  why would God create us if He knew we would Fall?  Only God can answer that.  He must think we are worthy in some way.  Sometimes I wish I believed but a piece of that worthiness.

I had never thought of us being born with a wariness to Satan before.  So we’re born with a natural rebelliousness towards God but a natural distrust of Satan.  Again, we must choose.  Naturally, we gravitate towards serving ourselves (like children).  But we learn to choose and no choice in life is more important.  The outcome of our life depends upon this choice.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 4, Day 4: Genesis 3:7-13

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked; so they covered themselves with fig leaves.  They hid from God when they heard Him in the garden so God called to them, “Where are you?”

Adam said he was afraid cause he was naked and explained that the woman gave him some fruit and he ate it when God asked how he knew he was naked.  The woman said the serpent beguiled her and she ate as well.

Questions:

10a)  They realized they were naked.  Remember, some scholars believe Adam and Eve were clothed in light until the moment they sinned.  So imagine the light snuffed out and now they needed something else to clothe them.

b)  They hid from Him amongst the trees.  Because they were ashamed of being naked.  They felt guilt for disobeying.  They were afraid of dying.  They were afraid of the consequences of disobedience.  They were embarrassed at their own inadequacy.

11a)  “The woman you put here with me–she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”  Technically, yeah, that’s what happened.  But Adam is trying to put the blame on Eve when he clearly disobeyed as well by partaking of the fruit.  He could have said, “No.”  However, he didn’t lie to God about it.  He also did not repent.  God is giving him the chance and Adam missed it.  He does not accept responsibility for his role in the Fall.

Also, note how, essentially, Adam is blaming God by saying, “The woman you put here with me…”  As if it’s God fault for creating a companion to Adam and he wouldn’t have sinned otherwise.

b)  “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”  Mostly because the serpent did deceive her and she admits she ate it.  She didn’t lie.  However, being deceived, listening to the serpent in the first place instead of God, is a sin as well (Romans 1:25: “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie…and served created things instead of the Creator”)

c)  Both of them.  Adam for not explaining to Eve better not to eat the fruit and for standing by while the serpent beguiled her.  Adam for eating the fruit Eve gave him.  Eve for even talking to the serpent, for doubting God and His word, and for eating the fruit. Both sinned equally.  Both are responsible.  Both fell from God.

You could say the serpent (devil) but we have Free Will to choose.  The devil offered. Adam and Eve accepted.  The serpent didn’t force them to take a bite.

12)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Honestly, probably very similar.  I’m good at the good stuff.  Bad at the little sins.  Very bad.  Something I need to work on.

Conclusions:  Good emphasis on responding to sin.  We all do it ever since Adam and Eve and I think what matters most to God is how we respond to it.  Whether we truly repent and whether we mend our ways.  We can still give glory to God through our confession and our sincere desire to do better.  Joshua 7:19-20:  “Give glory to the Lord…tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

Side Note:  God addresses Adam first as the head and one could argue it is Adam who bears the brunt of the responsibility for the sin since Adam is the head of woman.  Interesting since in popular culture you always hear how it was Eve’s fault.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 4, Day 3: Genesis 3:1-6

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  The crafty serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say not to eat from any tree in the garden?”  Eve tells him they can eat from any tree except from the tree in the middle of the garden or they will die.  The serpent plants doubt, saying surely you won’t die; you will just be like God, knowing good and evil.

So, Eve took some and ate it and gave some to Adam (who was with her the whole time) and ate it as well.

Questions:

7)  Matthew 13:19:  He snatches away the message (Word) that was sown in man’s heart

Matthew 13:25, 39:  He sows weeds amongst the crop while you are sleeping (unaware)

John 8:44:  He is a liar, murderer, and father of lies.  He has nor speaks no truth

John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11:  He is called the prince of this world

2 Corinthians 4:4:  He is called the god of this age

Ephesians 2:2:  He is called the ruler of the kingdom of air

8a)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Ephesians tells us he’s a schemer, so much so we need the full armor of God to resist him.  2 Corinthians tells us he masquerades as an angel of light.  Luke shows us that Satan knows scripture and he will use it to tempt us to sin and he will twist it’s meaning like he did to Eve when she ate the fruit.

Satan’s life purpose is to make us fall.  He spends his entire time scheming and using our weaknesses against us.  He will use all the tricks in the book and then some.  He has no morals or values as we know them.  He is pure evil.

b)  With Job the devil could not touch the man himself but only those people and things around him.  The devil had 40 days to tempt Jesus but when he was done tempting he left Jesus alone.  In Revelation we see the devil is limited in time.  He has only a certain amount of time before God says enough and defeats him.

1 Corinthians 10:13:  “He (God) will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear…he will also provide a way out so tht you can stand up under it.”

God sets limits to what the devil can do to us.  God is there, protecting us.  God allows the devil to exist and to tempt us (to test our faith).  He is in control.  We are choosing either the devil or God.  Always.

9)  1 Thessalonians 5:17, James 5:16:  pray continually, confess your sins and pray for each other

Matthew 4:1-2; Luke 4:1-2:  Be full of the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12:  The Word of God–the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit

James 4:7:  Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you

Conclusions:  This was a study on the devil.  To be honest, I didn’t even read the passage (since we read it yesterday).  Every question had us looking elsewhere so leave some time for today’s lesson.  Even though a lot of the books are small that’s what makes them tricky to find.

If you did Acts last year, a lot of this will be familiar.  We discussed in detail our weapons against the devil (the Word, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and obeying God’s commands).  I hold to 1 Corinthians 10:13:  there is nothing God gives us we can’t bear, including the devil’s temptations.  If we believe we can overcome and God is on our side and He’s in control, then we will!

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 4, Day 2: Genesis 3:1-6

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  The crafty serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say not to eat from any tree in the garden?”  Eve tells him they can eat from any tree except from the tree in the middle of the garden or they will die.  The serpent plants doubt, saying surely you won’t die; you will just be like God, knowing good and evil.

So, Eve took some and ate it and gave some to Adam (who was with her the whole time) and ate it as well.

Questions:

3)  the devil or Satan

4a)  Adam was to care for the trees in the garden and he was free to eat from any tree in the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil because if he ate from that, he would die.

b)  Yes.  Why else would God plant it and why would he instruct Adam to eat from any tree (including the tree of life)  Verses 9 & 16.  Everything God does has a purpose.  God gave man Free Will–to choose life or death.  And man chose.

5a)  The serpent planted doubt.  He questioned God’s words by asking, “Are you sure God said that?”  It made Eve wonder if God did indeed say that.  Then he questions God’s word and twists it by saying Eve wouldn’t die if she ate it.  Why would God do such a thing?  Then the serpent does speak some truth by saying their eyes will be opened.  They just wouldn’t be opened how the serpent says.  Finally, he tempted by saying “You will gain knowledge of good and evil” and be equal with God.

b)  First, Eve talked to the serpent.  Then she listened to the serpent.  Then she believed the serpent.  Then she gave in to her desire for wisdom and partook  of the fruit.

c)  God first and foremost.  God’s truths.  God’s words.  God’s goodness.  God himself really.

6a)  Jesus used God’s truths to defeat the devil.  Granted, Eve didn’t have the Bible to use but in a way she had something just as powerful:  a personal relationship with God.  Eve doubted God’s goodness; Jesus never did.  Eve doubted God’s ways; Jesus never did.

Of course, Jesus was God on earth and Eve was merely a human so it’s hard to compare.

But the serpent does use the same methods:  lust of the flesh; lust of the eyes; and pride.

b)  No.  James says after desire (temptation) has conceived (been planted), then it gives birth to sin (one sins) and sin leads to death.

Because Eve coveted the fruit didn’t mean she sinned.  She only sinned when she ate the fruit (disobeyed God’s commands).  At any moment before then she could have walked away.  But she didn’t.

The definition of sin according to Webster’s Dictionary is “a transgression of the law of God”.  Transgression means a violation of a law or command; to go beyond the limits.

According to my bible dictionary (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary by Douglas and Tenney) sin is “revolt against the holiness and sovereign will of God.  It is a condition of the heart and the outworking of that condition through one’s words and actions.”

We are all tempted (“to entice to do wrong by promise of pleasure or gain” says Webster’s).  Satan tempts to undermine our faith.  God tests (not tempts) to strengthen our faith.

c)  Personal Question.  My answer:  To quit God’s work and purpose for my life.  Some days it’s just not worth it.  It’s a constant temptation.  I’m also tempted to say mean things or not be giving.  Constant temptation to not do as Jesus would do.  Temptation to do what I want to do and not what God wants me to do.

Conclusions:  We discussed the whole sin versus temptation thing in Acts last year except we were asked if it was okay to doubt (see lesson HERE).  We are human.  We will be tempted.  Constantly by the devil.  But we have Free Will to say no.  God always offers us an out (1 Corinthians 10:13) so we can stand up to the devil.  God will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear.

From Eve we can learn the common steps the devil uses to make us sin:  he plants doubt in our mind; he makes us question God’s word; he entices with something seemingly better.  This pattern we need to be aware of so we don’t fall into sin.  So we can stand up to the devil and say “NO!” in God’s name.  So we don’t lose sight of God like Eve did.

Interesting Side Notes:  Note that God instructed Adam to not partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge.  Then God created Eve.  Eve must have been told by Adam but she was not instructed by God.  Hence, she was chosen by the serpent to tempt as she was the weaker link.  We don’t know what Adam said to Eve but Adam was standing right there.  He knew it was wrong.  Eve disobeyed God and Adam.

Also, if Adam had been chosen to eat first, Eve might have had an out by saying she was only obeying her husband, the head of the household.  Hence, God allowed Eve to be tested first.

Eve doesn’t even seem to know the name of the tree and exactly what God said since she uses the word “touch” instead of “eat” as God did.  This is not an excuse.  But it does fall upon Adam to communicate to her God’s commands.

Eve was truly deceived by the devil; Adam sinned in full knowledge of what God had said. (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Timothy 2:14).

I was always told it was Eve’s fault man sinned.  But upon close examination Adam bears most of the burden.  He was right there (Genesis 3:6) the entire time.  At any moment either one could have ran from the serpent.  But neither did.  It just shows how powerful and cunning the devil truly is.  And what we must fight against daily.

If Adam and Eve could be tricked and disobey–those who actually walked with God–then we must be extra vigilant and strong in the Word in order to resist.

Great explanation of Genesis 3 HERE

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 3, Day 5: Genesis 1 & 2 and skim Genesis 3:1-10

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passages:  Genesis 1:  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was formless and void but the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

1st Day:  God made light and He saw it was good.  He separated light from dark.  He called light “day” and dark “night.”

2nd Day:  God separated the waters to create sky.

3rd Day:  He let the dry ground appear, which He named “land” and the gathered waters he called “seas”.  Then the land produced vegetation–all of which God saw was good.

4th Day:  God made the sun, moon, and stars to be used as signs to mark the seasons, days, and years; to give light on the earth; to govern the day and the night; and to separate light from darkness.  God saw that it was good.

5th Day:  God created the great creatures of the sea as well as every winged bird.  He blessed them to multiply and fill the earth.  He saw it was good.

6th Day:  God created living creatures on the land and all the wild animals and He saw it was good.  He made man in His own image to rule over all the earth and its creatures.  God blessed them and told them to be fruitful and rule.  He gave man every green plant for food and everything that has the breath of life in it.  God saw that it was very good.

Genesis 2:  By the seventh day, God had finished his work so he rested and blessed the day as holy.

After God made the heavens and the earth but before plants had sprung and only streams had watered the earth, God made man from the dust of the ground and breathed life into his nostrils and man became living.  He put the man in the garden of Eden.  He made all kinds of trees for food and in the middle were the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  A river watered this garden.

God put man in charge of the garden to work it and take care of it.  He warned the man not to eat from the tree of knowledge or he would die.  He brought the animals to Adam to name.  When God did so, He noticed no helper was found for man; so He created woman from Adam’s rib while he was sleeping so man would not be alone.

This is why man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and become one flesh.  They were naked and felt no shame.

Genesis 3:1-10:  The crafty serpent said to Eve, “Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?”  Eve said, “We cannot eat from the tree in the middle or we shall die.”

The serpent says they will not die but they will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Desiring wisdom, Eve ate and gave some to Adam so he would eat.  Their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked.  They covered themselves with fig leaves.

Adam and Eve hid from God when they heard him in the garden.  God called to them and Adam said he was afraid because he was naked.

Questions:

12)  It addresses before man was made that God had not yet sent rain so streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground (Genesis 2:5-6).  Genesis 2:10 does mention a river that waters the garden flowed from Eden after man’s creation.

So we know there was water and the plants grew.  I’m imaging at some point the water cycle kicked in but in the beginning the earth was so new the water cycle probably didn’t have time to evaporate and form clouds so God watered where He needed to.

13a)  God did it all.  He created everything.  He created.  He said.  He blessed.  He made.  He controls.  In Genesis 2, I see God caring for his creation.  In Genesis 1, the focus was on making everything.  In Genesis 2, God cared for and perfected his creations.  He gave man a companion because man needed one.  He watered the land so it would grow.

Genesis 1:  Created & controlled

Genesis 2:  Cared for

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  I threw in control because I think a lot of us suffer when we try to take control instead of allowing God to be in control.  I know I do this often.  Praying “God, you take this” is one of my frequent prayers.

Knowing in my heart God cares for me is something also I need to rejuvenate.  I know God is in control and he cares about me but having that in the forefront of my mind is hard.

Something I need to pray, “God you created me, you are in control, and you care for me.  So please help me sow this into my heart and remember this in my daily walk so you will be in control.”

14a)  The definition of ashamed according to Webster’s Dictionary is, “feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace; feeling inferior or unworthy”.

Man did not feel inferior or unworthy before the Fall.  Man and God seemed to me to be best friends.  God made man in His image and they walked in the Garden together.  As equals?  Probably not.  But as a proper Father/son/daughter relationship should be–full of respect and admiration.

God made man worthy of him.  Man then sinned and brought unworthiness into the world.  So Jesus had to make it right.

They didn’t know they weren’t supposed to be naked.  They didn’t have the knowledge of being naked until they ate from the tree.  The first thing God asks them in Genesis 3:11 is “Who told you that you were naked?”

[Makes me wonder if this is why we wear clothes today.  Because we are ashamed of our bodies when we shouldn’t be.  Especially since originally man wasn’t ashamed. Interesting.]

b)  I like this idea of light as clothes (never heard this before).  Could I get some of this light?  It would probably be much prettier than what I wear!

Seriously, answer is sin.  When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and partook of the fruit, the knowledge and sin removed the light.

c) Romans 3:23 “for we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  Not sure what “this” is in this question.  Naked?  Ashamed?  The light being removed?  The light being the clothing?

Because of sin we fall short of the glory of God.  Since the Fall we all sin so we all fall short. Thus, we are inferior and unworthy of God unless we have Jesus who makes us worthy.

Conclusions:  Not sure of 14c.  Not sure what the point is that we haven’t already concluded from the Fall.

Great reminder that God is in control and He cares.  Even when we don’t want Him to.

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

This is a post I wrote over a year ago and I’m resurrecting it because we talked about this in lecture. The point: we are unworthy and God loves us anyways. So when we feel completely inept in life, remember that: God loves you anyways!

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 3, Day 4: Genesis 2:9-17; John 4:14; 6:29-63; 10:28

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passages:  Genesis 2:9-17:  God made all kinds of plants for the Garden of Eden that were pleasing to the eye and good to eat.  In the middle were the tree of life and the tree of knowledge.  A river watered the garden, two of which we know still exist today:  the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

God took the man and put him in the garden to work it and take care of it.  He commanded the man to not eat of the tree of knowledge or man would die.

John 4:14:  Jesus says whoever drinks the water he gives will never thirst and the water will well up into eternal life.

John 6:29-63:  Jesus explains that the work of God is to believe in him (Jesus).  The people ask for a miraculous sign like Moses received in the form of manna.  Jesus explains that God gave them the true bread from heaven, which is him (Jesus) who brings life to the world.

Jesus says he is the bread of life.  Whoever believes in him will never hunger nor thirst. Jesus has come to do God’s will and God’s will is to raise up those he has given (or who believe in Jesus) on the last day.  God’s will is whoever believes in the Son will have eternal life.

The people do not believe Jesus is the Son.  Jesus says only the Father will send believers to him to raise up.  Everyone who listens to the Father will come to him.  And those who believe in Jesus will have everlasting life.

If you partake of Jesus and eat of him, you will not die.  You will live forever.  Jesus repeats himself again to these skeptics that whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood will have eternal life and be raised on the last day.  For then Jesus will be in them and vice versa.

God sent Jesus.  Jesus lives because of the Father.  Those who feed on Jesus will live because of him.

Jesus says the Spirit gives life and his words are the spirit and therefore life.

John 10:28:  Again, Jesus says he give them eternal life and no one can snatch them from him once they are his.

Questions:

10a)  God and everlasting life through Him.

b)  No.  God said “you are free to eat from any tree….” Genesis 2:16

c)  Yes.  Jesus is the tree of life.  Revelation 2:7:  “I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”  Revelation 22:2:  On each side of the river stood the tree of life…”  Revelation 22:19 also mentions the tree of life.

11)  In Genesis, all that is recorded is that God only said don’t eat from the tree of knowledge or you will die.  Jesus says you will die in your sins if you don’t believe in him. John 14:6:  Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

I’m wondering if Adam even had a concept of death like we do today.  Probably not.  I picture him like a child who disobeys because they don’t think the consequences are that bad.  So in Adam’s case, he thought eating the apple would merely be like a slap on the wrist or a time out.  This doesn’t excuse his behavior but Adam probably thought, “Die?  What does that mean?”  He wasn’t afraid of death like we are today because fear did not exist in the Garden.  Fascinating, isn’t it?

Jesus, speaking to Fallen man who completely understands an eternal death, explains he is the way to eternal life in heaven–not on earth like Adam had been promised.  Jesus makes it crystal clear:  either you believe in Him and are saved or you don’t and you are condemned.  Period.  Both still lead to a physical death.

Conclusions:  It all comes down to trust, faith, and obedience.  Trust in God when He tells you what to do.  Have faith He knows what’s best.  And obey.  Same with Jesus. Trust in Jesus.  Have faith in who he is.  And obey Jesus’s commands.  Because the Father and the Son are one in the same.

For one split second, Adam and Eve lost all of those.  And they paid the price.  So it is today.  We must decide: do we have trust, faith, and obedience in our life?