Participants: Jim Reinking
Series Code: LDS
Program Code: LDS000001
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00:34 You know, we've been through some interesting times,
00:37 haven't we? 00:39 Since, we entered into the new millennium. 00:41 Remember Y2K? 00:44 I think most of us that's kind of ancient history now 00:46 but you know all of the worries we have back then, 00:49 we had no idea what was ahead of us in this decade, didn't we. 00:54 We had no idea what was gonna happen. 00:57 And our subject tonight I've entitled the 00:59 "Present World Order and Impending Future." 01:02 I know that's a mouthful. 01:04 But let me tell you we have been through lot 01:07 and we're gonna be through a lot 01:09 and yet we had the promise that we are never alone. 01:13 I want to remember that promise that Jesus gave. 01:15 He said "I'm with you always even to the end." 01:21 He has promised that 01:22 and we need to take Him at His Word, don't we. 01:25 But let me tell you we have all kinds of problems tonight. 01:28 We have economic problems. 01:31 Who would have guessed just two years ago 01:33 that we would be in the mess we are financially today, 01:37 foreclosures all over the banking system 01:40 and Detroit is in the middle of it. 01:43 And even oh, even, even Honda and Toyota 01:47 are having their problems. 01:48 You have been watching the news, haven't you? 01:50 And some of us may be are in financial distress. 01:55 And all of the uncertainty that that breeze is just, 01:59 you know, it's distressing when you take a look at it. 02:02 And then we go back historically and it almost seems like, 02:06 you know, that happens almost so long ago but 9/11. 02:10 And again the mess that we have been in ever since 02:15 and the problems but, you know, 02:17 the present issues that we are faced, 02:19 we are faced with have almost led us to forget 02:22 what we've gone through with 9/11. 02:25 I mean, we're still in a war. 02:27 We are in two wars you know this. 02:29 We're in Iraq still. We're in Afghanistan. 02:33 Where is this all going? 02:35 What's going to happen? 02:37 And that's, that's one of the questions 02:39 we want to find as we open God's Word together. 02:41 We want to know what is ahead, 02:43 what does God have in mind for us. 02:46 And I think as become apparent to all of us 02:48 that there are terrifying forces at working this world of ours 02:53 representing an evil that is undermined 02:55 our sense of security. 02:58 Where, where do we find God in this kind of a world 03:03 with all of the problems and the uncertainties 03:06 that we find ourselves in? 03:08 And what is His plan, does He have a plan 03:11 and is relevant to me. 03:13 Is it relevant to you? 03:16 And that's where God's Word 03:17 is going to give us some real insights. 03:19 For this opening weekend we will discover that 03:23 the scriptures offer us some real answers 03:26 to the dilemma that we find ourselves in. 03:29 This evening we will discover what God's purpose are, 03:33 what they were at the very beginning. 03:35 We are gonna find out what happened, 03:37 what went wrong and we're gonna find out 03:39 what God's gonna do about the problems that we are facing. 03:42 Our study tonight is going to layout the 03:44 fundamental underlying theme of the Bible. 03:48 You might well call it a template. 03:51 And there're gonna be parts of what 03:52 I'm gonna be sharing with you. 03:53 For those of who you have been Bible students that, 03:56 you know, this is going to seem almost fundamental. 03:59 This is gonna seem almost elementary. 04:02 But I want you to put the different parts 04:05 of our study together tonight 04:06 because they are absolutely relevant 04:10 as we will get into the heart of our study tonight. 04:13 We're going to begin in the Book of Genesis, Genesis tonight 04:16 we are going to end up in the Book of Revelation. 04:19 And I'm not promising you 04:20 I'm gonna take through every book in between. 04:22 I'm not gonna be able to do that tonight. 04:25 But we are gonna end up in the Book of Revelation. 04:28 Remember, Alex Haley, do you remember that name. 04:32 Alex Halley and his number one seller Roots. 04:36 I mean this is going back to the 70s. 04:38 I think for some of you the 70s is not even a memory, 04:43 something that's in the history books. 04:45 But Alex, you know, Alex Haley 04:50 traced his ancestry back to Africa. 04:55 Alex Haley is an African American, 04:57 he traced his ancestry back to Africa 05:00 and put together the story of what happened 05:02 when his family in the past was taken into slavery 05:05 came to United States and traced them right on down to his time. 05:09 If you've never read the book, 05:11 if you know nothing about the story 05:13 it is really a fascinating story as you take a look at it. 05:16 In his introduction he makes a fascinating statement. 05:19 He said "In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, 05:23 to know who we are and where we came from. 05:27 Without this knowledge, there is an emptiness 05:30 and the most disquieting hollowness and yearning." 05:34 And I want to take that, those sentiments 05:37 and I want to apply it to where we're at in life. 05:41 That, that philosophical question, 05:44 where did we come from and where are we going 05:48 is a significant one 05:51 and we could thank to Lord that 05:52 He has given us a Revelation in His Word 05:55 that helps us understand the past where we came from 05:58 and also tells us where we're headed. 06:01 And my friend, you know, we have that insight. 06:05 Take your Bibles and turn with me to Genesis 1, 06:07 it's the Old Testament, page 1. 06:11 Genesis 1:1. 06:13 It seems like a good place to start our study tonight 06:18 in the Book of Genesis and again these are gonna be words 06:21 that in their simplicity are yet so profound. 06:27 Look at it Genesis 1:1 where it says 06:29 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." 06:33 My friend, God is the source of all 06:36 is what the Bible tells us and again 06:37 I know that's fundamental, I know that's pretty simplistic. 06:40 But my friend, we didn't come to be by happenstance. 06:44 This earth the life that we live on this earth, 06:48 this universe did not just happened to come into existence. 06:53 There was a master designer behind all of it 06:57 what we call creation 06:59 and that's what the Bible indicates. 07:01 "God created the heavens and earth 07:03 in the very beginning." 07:04 And as you go through chapter one, 07:06 you will discover that the Bible tells us that God did it. 07:10 Let me tell you God is so powerful. 07:12 God did it, it says in the Bible in six days. 07:17 Now I know some of you may be thinking six days? 07:22 I know what some people are saying you know 07:24 they're talking about long periods of time 07:26 here is what they're trying to read into the text 07:28 but let me tell you when you look at the Hebrew word for day 07:31 it means evening-morning that is a exact 24 hour period of time. 07:37 You know, the far of this point that we have discovered 07:39 with our instruments of exploration in universe. 07:42 The last report I heard is 13 billion-light years away. 07:48 I don't know that we can really comprehend these distances. 07:51 You know how fast light travels don't you. 07:53 Remember this, light travels at how many miles per second, 07:57 hundred and eighty six thousand miles per second. 08:00 If you could travel that fast could we ever reach to point 08:03 where we could develop the ability to travel that fast. 08:06 I don't think so. 08:07 But anyway hundred and eighty six thousand miles per second 08:10 and you traveled for a 13 billion-years 08:14 that's just hard to comprehend 08:16 we will reach this point that we discovered 08:19 in the outer reaches of the universe. 08:21 The nearest star in comparison is 08:24 four and half light years away. 08:27 And if you could travel at a 100, 000 miles per hour 08:31 do you know it would take you 29,000 years 08:36 to reach the nearest star to us. 08:40 And then when we talk again about the universe 08:42 there are several 100 billion galaxies alone. 08:46 The Milky Way galaxy, Art galaxy is a 100, 000 light years 08:52 from one end to the other. 08:53 We're talking about something that is immense. 08:57 And you know as you look at it philosophically, 09:00 philosophically as you look at the phenomenon of the universe 09:03 there has to be a first cause powerful enough to account 09:08 for the vastness that first of all we see in the universe 09:12 and secondly, as we look at creation 09:14 and particularly as we experience it here 09:16 upon this earth that God created intelligent life. 09:21 And my friend, that first cause is that, it is God. 09:25 It did not happen by coincidence. 09:28 And there is no answer scientifically when you go back, 09:31 can you go back far enough in time 09:32 where there was nothing? 09:35 Can you go back in time, could you go back in time 09:37 where the universe began? 09:41 Well, what brought that first, you know what, 09:44 what brought that first substance into existence? 09:48 My friend, you can't get something out of nothing. 09:51 Can you? You can't. 09:54 And my friend, I think it's a compelling argument 09:57 for the fact there has to be God, 09:59 there has to be something that has always existed. 10:04 And my friend, the Bible tells us that was God 10:06 and that was God that came to this planet 10:09 and again put this creation in all in six days 10:12 and on the sixth day as we are looking at verse 26 10:15 He said "Let us make man 10:17 in our image, after our likeness." 10:20 And I will tell you that is an interesting text 10:22 as you take a look at it because it's talking-- 10:25 God is talking in the plurality of it. 10:28 He said "let us make man 10:31 in our image after our likeness." 10:37 So you know what's going on here? 10:40 Why is, you know, what us are? 10:44 What's going on here? 10:45 I'm going to share with you a principle 10:47 in interpreting the Bible that we will be using 10:50 night after night and this is the principle. 10:54 We interpret the Bible by the Bible 10:58 that is we find the relevant passages of scripture 11:01 that throw light on a given text, text 11:03 that help us to understand and properly to interpret it. 11:07 And I'm gonna give an example of this 11:08 as we are looking here at Genesis 1:26 11:11 where it talks about us. 11:12 By the way, in the Hebrew 11:14 the word that we translate God is the word Elohim 11:17 which is a plural term. 11:20 Further more, the Hebrew word Adonai 11:23 is most often in the plural term. 11:27 So again in what sense does God, 11:30 God say here, "Let us make man in our image." 11:32 Well, go back and look at verse 2. 11:36 Genesis 1:2 where it says, 11:39 "The earth was formless and void, 11:41 and darkness was over the surface of the deep, 11:44 and the Spirit of God was moving 11:46 over the surface of the waters." 11:49 So who else was there at the very beginning of time? 11:52 Who else was there? 11:54 My friend, the Spirit of God. 11:57 Fascinating, but the second verse of the Bible 12:00 introduces us to the Holy Spirit. 12:04 And it is in the context of the creation and my friend, 12:07 it becomes apparent as we study about the Holy Spirit 12:10 that wherever God is in the process 12:13 of establishing life 12:16 whether we are talking about physical life or spiritual 12:18 there we find the mighty power 12:21 and movement of the Holy Spirit, amen. 12:24 The Spirit of God was there at the very beginning. 12:27 So that gives us a partial answer to why it says 12:30 let us make man in our image after our likeness 12:33 but there was somebody else 12:34 that was there in the very beginning. 12:36 And we find, we find the clue to this in John 1:1 12:42 where John begins with the words in the beginning. 12:47 When John begins with this phrase in the beginning 12:50 where it was not coincidental that he was using this phrase 12:54 that we just read in Genesis 1:1. 12:56 He very particularly and very specifically 12:59 was seeking to draw our attention back to that verse 13:04 that opening verse of the Book of Genesis. 13:08 And so he says "In the beginning." 13:09 Let's read it. 13:10 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." 13:14 That we have the idea plurality, don't we, 13:16 whoever the word is, the Word was with God. 13:19 "And the Word was God. 13:21 He was in the beginning with God." 13:23 And then he says, "All things came into being by Him, 13:26 and apart from Him nothing came into being 13:28 that has come into being." 13:31 So when we talk about the universe 13:33 its saying of the Word all things came into being, 13:39 came into existence by the Word. 13:43 And then as we dropdown to verse 14 13:46 we find the identity of who the Word is. 13:48 In verse 14 it says "And the Word became flesh, 13:51 and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, 13:54 glory as of the only begotten from the Father, 13:56 full of grace and truth." 13:59 So who were that be talking about? 14:02 It's talking about Jesus. 14:05 Oh, Jesus was there at the very beginnings of time. 14:08 Jesus was evolved in the creation of this planet 14:10 and of the universe. 14:12 Well, that's what verse 3 says. 14:13 All things came into being by Him 14:15 and without Him nothing came into being. 14:18 Does that what it says? 14:20 Exactly. 14:23 Many of us have not paused to consider 14:25 what the Bible teaches about the preexistence of Jesus. 14:29 And Jesus was there at the very beginnings of time. 14:35 We will discover in the Bible 14:37 and we see it clearly indicated here 14:39 He was the active agency by which 14:41 the universe came into existence. 14:45 And remember as I share with you in the orientation, 14:47 really this all about a relationship with God 14:50 through Jesus Christ. 14:52 That's is-- what this book is really all about. 14:55 And He is the Creator. 14:56 He is the Creator and He is our Savior. 15:01 An interesting connection when you think about it. 15:03 The one who created us is the one who died for us. 15:08 And through His death we're redeemed. 15:13 But there's something more as we're looking here at verse 26. 15:16 We're still there in verse 26, aren't we? 15:18 We want to discover in what sense 15:21 were we made in the likeness of God? 15:24 Now, we can just scratch our heads 15:26 and we give, you know, put our imaginations at work 15:28 and tried, you know, come over some ideas, 15:30 you know, but, you know, 15:32 we want to be scriptural about it. 15:34 And one of the things we ought to do 15:35 when we are studying the Bible 15:36 we always ought to look at the verse 15:38 and we always ought to look at it in its context. 15:42 And so let's look at the context as we go further. 15:44 I'm gonna read the first part of that again 15:46 so we get the flow of it. 15:47 It says "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, 15:50 according to our likeness 15:52 and let them rule over the fish of the sea 15:54 and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle 15:56 and over all the earth, 15:57 and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 16:02 " It said God said "let them rule." 16:06 The King James Version says, let them have dominion 16:10 or dominion ship over the earth, let them rule. 16:15 And my friend, that is one sense 16:17 in which we were created in the likeness of God. 16:21 It's in this sense in the much in the same way 16:25 that God exercises His sovereignty 16:28 and His dominionship over the universe 16:32 God intended for the human race 16:35 to exercise dominionship over this planet. 16:39 But there is something else 16:40 as we look at the next verse that is verse 27. 16:44 It says "God created man in His own image, 16:46 in the image of God He created him 16:48 male and female He created them." 16:52 There is something about the fact that God created us 16:55 male and female that related to us 16:58 being created in His likeness 17:01 and it is not that there is male and femaleness in the God head 17:05 because there is no indication of that. 17:08 But there is something here 17:11 when He created as male and female 17:13 made-- created us with the capacity 17:17 and with the ability to recreate in our likeness. 17:22 Now remember, when He created the, the human race 17:26 it says "that we were created in His likeness, in His image." 17:30 He gave us that ability 17:32 to recreate after our own likeness 17:34 and it's a wonderful thing isn't it. 17:37 Let me ask you I mean, if your parents. 17:40 You have got children so the word we use 17:43 as procreation for this, 17:45 ability to recreate after our likeness. 17:48 And so I saw quite a few hands going up. 17:50 There's been a lot of procreation going on 17:53 represented by you folk here. 17:55 And then Genesis 1 is all wrapped up in this. 17:58 It says "God saw all that He had made, and behold, 18:01 it was very good and there was evening 18:04 and there was morning, the sixth day." 18:07 So when God finished His handiwork 18:12 and He stood back to look at what He had done. 18:16 What did he say about it? 18:18 It was very good. 18:19 And let me tell you when God said 18:21 it was very good it was perfect. 18:24 What God created in the beginning was a paradise 18:26 and this is so vitally important 18:28 because it also helps us understand 18:30 what God's original purpose was 18:33 for the human race and for this planet. 18:36 And my friend, let me tell you just right up front. 18:38 The mess that we find ourselves in the world that 18:41 we inhabit is not what God purpose in the very beginning. 18:46 What God purpose for you and for me was a paradise, 18:51 a perfect place with a perfect environment 18:55 inhabited by perfect people. 19:00 Obviously, something went wrong, right. 19:05 And we are gonna discover what went wrong 19:07 was a departure for God's original plan. 19:10 You see this is so vitally important 19:12 because it goes to God's original intention for us. 19:15 It goes to God's intention for the kind of life that He 19:18 that, He wanted you to live in for me to live. 19:22 And prophecy is going to tell us about what He is gonna do 19:25 about the mess that we are in but in anyway 19:28 and by the way, when you talk about it was perfect 19:32 you see it even in nature today, the beauty of it. 19:36 As you look at the various life forms 19:38 that God created on the planet they were perfect. 19:41 They were beautiful in the very beginning 19:42 now they are tainted by evil. 19:46 But yet we see much of the original perfection 19:50 that God, that God created at the very beginning. 19:55 As we turn in Genesis 2:16, 17 19:58 God did something fascinating here. 20:01 In verse 16 it says "The Lord God commanded the man." 20:04 I mean that's a pretty strong word. 20:05 Isn't it "The Lord God commanded the man saying, 20:08 'From any tree of the garden you may eat freely, 20:12 but from the tree of the knowledge 20:14 of good and evil you shall not eat, 20:15 for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.' 20:21 " I think probably it's pretty apparent 20:23 at this point in our opening night 20:26 and our opening subject that the approach 20:29 we are taking to the Book of Genesis 20:31 is a literal approach. 20:34 I know that there are those who will represent 20:36 that the first few chapters of the Book of Genesis 20:40 are the things of myths, the things of fairytales. 20:45 But I believe that the Book of Genesis is just as inspired 20:50 and therefore just as accurate 20:52 as any other part of the book of the Bible. 20:54 After all in 2 Timothy 3:16 Paul said 20:58 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 21:02 and is profitable for doctrine, teaching" You know it says all. 21:08 Jesus Himself said as, as He was tempted by, 21:13 by the devil in the wilderness 21:15 He said in response to won the temptations 21:17 He said "Man shall not live by bread alone but by." 21:21 How much of the word? 21:23 "Every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." 21:27 And I, you know, to be consistent, 21:31 you know, we just can't go through the Bible say, 21:33 I'm gonna skip this, this sounds good, 21:34 I like this, I'm not sure about this. 21:37 And you know when we start down that track 21:40 where do we end up with. 21:42 What really is reliable? 21:43 What is, you know, what is truth, 21:46 and then it becomes very subjective, doesn't it. 21:51 My friend, the Revelation we have in God's word 21:54 is objectively sound. 21:56 Every, every element of truth 21:59 that is revealed there is the truth. 22:01 This is exactly what happened in the very beginning. 22:05 So this tree of the large of good and evil 22:06 let's get back to it I again 22:07 I know this is the stuff of myths for some people 22:10 but let me tell you there is something that was going on here 22:13 that is of more significance than 22:15 may be a casual reading of this verse would indicate. 22:19 God said at the tree He commanded them 22:21 you shall not eat of the tree for in the day that you eat it 22:24 you will surely die. 22:27 You see, when God created us in the beginning 22:30 He gave us the power of choice. 22:34 But when you're living in paradise 22:37 and everything around you is good 22:39 how can you make any other choice 22:41 than the choice that God made in the beginning 22:44 when He created it the way that He did. 22:47 We're gonna discover tomorrow night 22:49 that there was an alternative way 22:53 already broody in the universe 22:57 and we're gonna discover 22:59 that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil 23:02 is of great significance 23:04 because it represented a choice for Adam and Eve. 23:08 A choice between God's way and we know what God's way 23:12 what His intention was that we would inhabit a paradise 23:15 a perfect world or the alternative way. 23:18 That's what it represented. 23:20 And trust in God will be revealed by the fact that 23:24 Adam and Eve will not eat-- 23:26 I mean they had all of the other trees 23:28 that they could eat up but not this one. 23:30 Not this one. 23:33 And as I said it represented 23:35 a vital choice that they're faced with. 23:38 You know God, when you think about this 23:39 God could have created us in the very beginning. 23:42 Just like we would, you know, create a robot. 23:47 You know, He could, He could have embedded in us, 23:50 He could have programmed us in such a way 23:52 that we would love Him with all of the order 23:55 and with all of the intensity of the human heart. 23:59 God could have created such a way 24:00 that it was impossible for us to make any other decision 24:04 than the one that He programmed us with. 24:07 But, you know, God did not program us that way. 24:10 God gave us a choice. 24:13 He could have but, you know, sooner or later, you know, 24:16 He could have programmed us to love Him 24:19 and I think sooner than later God will say you're only saved. 24:24 You love me because I made you that way. 24:28 No, love must arise spontaneously out of the heart. 24:33 It must be a spontaneous thing. 24:34 It must be a choice 24:37 and that's what it represented a choice between, 24:41 again as I mentioned God's way or the alternative way. 24:45 Yes, and then we move to Genesis 3. 24:47 I'm gonna get you Revelation before we're done. 24:49 But we have got to look at Genesis 3. 24:52 Oh, the serpent. 24:53 Oh, yes, that's in, 24:55 that's in the first part of Genesis isn't it? 24:58 And again I know there are those who are saying fairytales 25:01 this is how you know we explain to children, 25:04 you know, in simplistic terms about good and evil 25:07 and how it all happened. 25:09 Again I want to go on record I believe historically 25:12 this is exactly what happened. 25:14 And as you look at it I think it's gonna make a lot of sense. 25:17 May be little bit more sense than we have seen before 25:19 just with a casual reading of it. 25:21 So as we turn to Genesis 3:1 it says 25:25 "Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field 25:28 which the Lord God had made. 25:31 And he said to the woman, indeed, has God said, 25:34 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?'" 25:37 Talking serpents it seems pretty fantastic. 25:42 Again I don't know exactly 25:44 how soon after the creation this happened. 25:49 And I'm not so sure that Eve understood the implications 25:54 what was happening but this was something that was captivating 25:58 when she came across this creature 26:00 and he began to communicate with her. 26:04 I mean that grabbed her attention. 26:08 Now you know, you and I know 26:09 that's snakes aren't' supposed to talk. 26:12 Now remember the snakes that we have, have been cursed. 26:15 That happened in chapter 3, by the way. 26:17 The animal was cursed. 26:19 But what we have really going on here is 26:21 what we call channeling or a media 26:23 and I will share with you what's behind, 26:26 what's going on here in Genesis 3:1. 26:30 But, you know, just imagine 26:31 what it must have been for Adam and Eve 26:34 when they were created the sixth day 26:35 everything was put in order. 26:36 All of the life forms have been created ahead of them, 26:40 this was a beautiful place that they were gonna have. 26:42 Just think of the days of exploration 26:45 that Adam and Eve were enjoying. 26:49 I mean, can you imagine the first time 26:51 that Eve picked up a, a cat 26:54 and when she stroked its fur it began to purr. 26:58 Can you imagine those kinds of experiences 27:01 the first time experiences that they had? 27:05 And I mean, and then we come in Genesis 3 27:07 and on this occasion here it comes to this tree 27:10 he sees this creature that God's created 27:12 and he begins to talk to her. 27:14 I don't know that she understood that, you know, 27:18 and was it supposed to be able to talk to her. 27:22 And there's some implication may be 27:23 because of that fruit of the tree 27:26 that's why that's serpent had that capability of speaking. 27:31 But let me tell you, let me share with you 27:33 as we look it at another text. 27:34 Let me share with you who was actually behind 27:37 what was happening in the tree 27:38 of the knowledge of good and evil. 27:40 Revelation, Revelation Chapter 12 27:42 and we are looking at verse, verse 9. 27:45 Where it says "And the great dragon," 27:47 the great dragon "was thrown down, 27:49 the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, 27:54 who deceives the whole world." 27:57 So who was behind the serpent? 28:01 My friend, Satan was behind the serpent. 28:04 And you have-- if you have the question 28:06 where does Satan come from you come tomorrow night 28:09 as we look at "Battle Beyond the Stars" 28:12 and will find exactly what the Bible teaches about 28:14 where the devil came from. 28:16 It's gonna be a real surprise to find out really 28:20 what the Bible teaches about this whole matter. 28:23 And so it was the devil, it was Satan 28:27 who was working through the medium of a serpent 28:31 to bring temptation to Eve. 28:36 So he is asking the question. 28:38 Indeed as God said you shall not eat 28:40 from any tree of the garden. 28:41 Notice verse 2. 28:44 Verse 2 it says "The woman said to the serpent, 28:46 'From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat 28:50 but from the fruit of the tree 28:51 which is in the middle of the garden,' 28:53 "in the middle of the garden " God has said, 28:55 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you will die.' 29:00 " Lest you die. 29:02 So when we talk about Eve being deceived 29:06 there is a sense of which she was deceived 29:07 but she was not deceived in the sense 29:09 that she did not clearly understand 29:12 what God has said about the tree. 29:14 Her response makes that clear. 29:16 She understood that God said if you eat of it or you touch it 29:19 you will surely die. 29:20 That's what Jesus said. 29:23 But I want you to notice 29:25 what the serpent says in response 29:27 as we come to verse 4. 29:30 Verse 4 says "The serpent said to the woman, 29:34 'You surely shall not die!' 29:38 " I don't know that you and I can really appreciate 29:40 what that did to Eve. 29:45 You see, up to this point 29:46 everything that Eve had ever heard, 29:48 everything that Eve had ever seen 29:50 and had experienced in her life 29:53 had been in harmony 29:55 with the God that had created her. 29:57 And now for the very first time in her existence 30:00 she is face with a contradiction. 30:04 Now you and I live in a world of contradictions. 30:07 I mean, this is way its just way it is. 30:10 That's not the way that it was at the very beginning. 30:14 And so for the very first time she heard 30:16 God directly being contradicted. 30:18 And let me tell you it put her immediately into a crisis. 30:23 It did and by the way, again remember, 30:27 the contradictions we are living with 30:29 is because of what comes out of, 30:31 what happened here in Genesis 3. 30:36 That's the contradictions, that's where it pulls out off. 30:40 And again I want to point out 30:41 it was never God's intention for us 30:42 to live in such a world with the contradictions. 30:45 And my friend, it's the contradictions 30:48 that we're away at the life force 30:52 that God created within us. 30:58 It's a powerful evil thing 31:01 the contradictions that we are talking about. 31:05 It puts, it puts everything out of harmony 31:08 again with what God intended in the very beginning. 31:10 You surely will not die, is what the serpent said. 31:13 And then and then he goes on to say he goes on to say. 31:16 "For God knows that in the day that you eat from it 31:19 your eyes will be opened." 31:21 Notice the representation he is making here. 31:23 "And you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 31:29 Now did you know something about good? 31:31 She knew lot about what was good. 31:34 It was all around her, it was the environment, 31:36 it was a place that God created for her, 31:38 it was a life that God intended for she and Adam 31:41 and their descendants. 31:44 That was His intention. 31:45 That she knew much about good 31:47 but here is a representation by the evil one. 31:50 You will come to know evil. 31:51 You will become like God knowing both good and evil 31:55 as if God was holding something back of significance from them. 32:00 And verse 6 says "When the woman saw 32:02 that the tree was good for food, 32:05 and that it was a delight to the eyes, 32:06 and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, 32:09 she took from its fruit and ate 32:11 and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate." 32:15 Now you're following this progression 32:18 up to, up to verse 5 we have a conversation 32:23 that's taking place between the serpent and Eve. 32:27 The indication is that Adam was not in the immediate vicinity. 32:31 At least he was not participating 32:32 in the conversation that was taking place, 32:34 right that's clear. 32:36 Okay, so it was Eve that was confronted 32:39 with the talking serpent 32:40 and with his deceptive temptations 32:44 but who was Adam faced with when it came to the temptation. 32:50 The temptation did not come to him 32:52 directly by means of the serpent. 32:56 The temptation came by means of Eve, you've got it Eve. 33:02 How deadly of a temptation was that. 33:06 I mean he loved her. 33:08 God created the two for each other. 33:11 That was His part of the original 33:14 you know purpose in creating Adam and Eve. 33:18 And Adam just could not imagine living without Eve. 33:21 He loved her deeply. 33:23 And here she comes, this beautiful creature 33:27 and she picks some of the fruit out of the tree 33:30 she has been eating of it 33:32 and she says "Adam, you got to try this." 33:36 She was exhilarated initially, exhilarated. 33:40 You know sin could do that to you. 33:42 He could be the initial exhilaration 33:44 of sin in transgression. 33:46 But let me tell you it always has a bitter aftertaste. 33:50 And that many of us know that by experience, don't we. 33:53 So here's she comes bringing that fruit 33:56 it was almost, almost irresistible for Adam. 34:02 And so he took and ate the fruit as well 34:06 and now they were in this together. 34:08 And now the fate of the human race 34:12 was pretty much set for what was gonna follow 34:15 and what's been playing down historically 34:17 down to our own time. 34:20 Before we leave Genesis here I want you notice immediately 34:25 how when they gave into the tempter 34:28 and they ate the forbidden fruit. 34:30 And listen, I know, I know on one hand some people will say 34:33 you know it's just a piece of fruit. 34:35 I mean, how could all of the tragedy 34:37 and all of the horrible things that have followed down 34:40 through the centuries a millennia time 34:42 down to old day. 34:43 How could that, you know, it's a piece of fruit. 34:47 My friend, it's what the fruit represented that's key. 34:52 It wasn't so much the fruit itself 34:54 it's what the fruit represented. 34:56 And again it represented a choice. 35:00 It represented on one hand the choice for God's way 35:03 as I mentioned earlier on the other hand 35:05 it represented choice for the alternative way. 35:09 And again I want you to notice 35:10 as we come down to verses 8 and 9 35:12 I want you to notice the first thing we notice 35:16 that their view of God went under a fundamental alteration. 35:24 Immediately, it was changed. 35:26 Because we read in verse 8 in verse 8 it says "they heard." 35:32 That's Adam and Eve. 35:33 "They heard the sound of the Lord God 35:35 walking in the garden in the cool of the day, 35:38 and the man and his wife hid themselves 35:40 from the presence of the Lord God 35:41 among the trees of the garden." 35:43 So they hear, they sensed 35:46 the presence of God in the garden. 35:49 What does that indicate? 35:52 I think it indicates that God was in the practice of coming 35:58 and communing with Adam and Eve. 36:02 I don't think this was the first time 36:04 that God had been in that garden. 36:06 Do you? 36:07 I don't think so at all. 36:09 But something fundamentally has changed here. 36:11 Because when they sensed 36:13 the presence of God in the garden 36:14 what are they doing? 36:15 They're not running after to greet Him. 36:18 What are they doing? 36:19 They're running, they're hiding. 36:22 What's the dynamic that's going on? 36:25 Well, they remembered, now see this is 36:27 the initial exhilaration of sin and transgression 36:31 now has changed to fear. 36:35 And for the very first time in the existence 36:37 they're sensing real fear. 36:41 And what is so very disturbing about it, 36:43 they're sensing fear of the one that Lord created them 36:47 and gave them this perfect place to live in. 36:51 Isn't that disturbing when you think about it. 36:53 They're fearful of Him. 36:55 And they're fearful because now 36:57 they begin to realize, you know, we ate that fruit. 36:59 And He said, if you eat it you'll die. 37:01 They have never seen, they have never experienced death 37:04 but they certainly knew that it must, 37:06 they must at least know 37:07 that it meant the end of existence. 37:11 And so now they now see God 37:15 as the great hunter and they're the prey. 37:20 And God is there to do what He said would happen 37:24 if they ate of the tree. 37:25 That's why they're running into the 37:27 inner recesses of that garden. 37:30 They're hiding, their heart are pumping, they're, 37:32 you know, with a bait of breath they're hiding 37:34 as they sense the presence of God. 37:36 The adrenaline is flowing through their system 37:39 because they are so fearful of God. 37:42 And my friend, a lot of that has been transmitted down 37:47 through the ages to our own time, 37:49 a miscomprehension of who God is. 37:54 You know, you know, yes He is God of love 37:57 but, you know, He's got this big ugly stick behind His back 38:01 and if you blow it you discover there is this other side of God. 38:08 And I want to tell you fear is something very real 38:10 for lot of people in relationship with God 38:12 because of sin that's what sin has done. 38:15 It disrupted the relationship and so we often miscomprehend 38:21 or miscomprehend who God really is. 38:25 And that's one of the reasons this book has been given to us 38:28 to share with us the real truth of what's being going on 38:31 and the real truth about who God really is. 38:35 This study will become as we move on into nice ahead 38:40 will become clear how vital this subject really is tonight 38:44 that we began with this subject. 38:46 So there they're, they're hiding in fear, 38:49 they're running in fear and then and then here He comes verse 9. 38:54 Verse 9 "Then the Lord God called to the man, 38:57 and said to him, 'Where are you?' 39:00 " Now do you have that picture, they ran, they ran new garden, 39:03 they're hiding and here comes God 39:07 and He is calling out. 39:09 Adam, Eve, where are you? 39:13 Then He know where they were. 39:16 Can one really hide from God, you tell me? 39:18 Can one really hide from God? 39:20 Jonah tried to, didn't he? 39:22 Ended up in the belly of the whale 39:23 and you know the rest of the story. 39:25 Nobody can really run and hide from God. 39:30 God comprehends it all. 39:32 He knew, He knew exactly what had happened. 39:35 He knew exactly what was going on 39:37 in their hearts and minds. 39:38 That's why He showed up at the point that He'd hid. 39:44 That is they had eaten up the fruit of the tree 39:47 then God stepped into the picture. 39:49 And that tells us something 39:51 pretty important about God, isn't it. 39:53 And some of us has discovered that in our own experience 39:55 when we gone through tragic and difficult and hard times. 40:00 We sense that God steps in 40:04 and we find that you know there's, 40:06 there's someone there for us. 40:08 And there they were just experiencing this. 40:11 So here is God, He calling that where are you. 40:14 Do you know this is the first gospel call 40:17 right here. 40:19 For this, this call has been acquaint, 40:22 this call of God is been acquainting down 40:25 through the centuries and millennia time 40:26 down to our own day. 40:28 God is still looking for His lost children. 40:32 You know, Dick, where are you? 40:33 Jane, where are you? 40:37 Where are we? Where are you? 40:40 Where am I? 40:42 That's the search of God 40:45 for His as I said His lost children. 40:48 And then I'm gonna end up in verses 23 and 24 40:51 we'll wrap it up here in Genesis 3. 40:54 I still got to get you to Revelation, 40:55 just a little bit in Revelation to get the full picture here. 40:59 So as we come to Genesis 3 41:01 and we're looking at verse 23. 41:04 Notice what we find here verse 23 41:06 "Therefore the Lord God sent him" 41:09 that's Adam and his wife Eve "out from the garden of Eden, 41:13 to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 41:15 So He drove" notice the terminology 41:18 "He drove the man out 41:20 and at the east of the garden of Eden 41:21 He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword 41:24 which turned every direction 41:25 to guard the way to the tree of life." 41:29 Notice they were driven out of the Eden home. 41:33 I mean, that's pretty horrible isn't it. 41:37 I mean, think of the millions 41:40 today right now that are going through foreclosure. 41:43 May be there is somebody here going through foreclosure. 41:45 You're been forced out of your home. 41:49 That's traumatic, that is stressful, 41:53 that is depressing. 41:56 The Savior is, isn't it? 41:58 So, you know, we can have some understanding 42:02 you know for our own experience or the experience of others. 42:05 You know what it was 42:07 what was happening Adam and Eve 42:08 when they were driven out of the Garden of Eden. 42:13 Was God being mean? 42:15 Was God being arbitrary? 42:19 Is God really love or what's going on. 42:23 My friend, the point is in paradise 42:29 in the Garden of Eden in paradise 42:31 there is no place for sin, transgression, rebellion 42:37 and the suffering that comes out of it. 42:41 And if you think of it we actually would say 42:44 "Praise the Lord." 42:46 Then in paradise there is no place for sin 42:49 and in the end we're going to discover 42:51 it's not gonna be a place for sin in this planet 42:53 either that's where prophecy comes in 42:56 because He is gonna deal with it. 42:58 So it also has an other implication 43:01 you see this planet that we inhabit, 43:03 this place that we live in Corvallis as wonderful 43:06 as it is the State of Oregon 43:08 and I know you have got the beaches 43:09 just I don't know 50, 60 miles down the road, 43:12 you know I'm 34 43:14 as beautiful as the state is and so advantageous 43:19 is nothing compared to what God originally intended for us 43:24 in the very beginning. 43:28 It means that this is not the place 43:31 that God intended for us into inhabit. 43:33 What God intended for us inhabit was a perfect, perfect world. 43:38 And so they were driven out of he garden of Eden. 43:42 And now God have a choice. 43:44 Yeah, God have a choice 43:46 because He said if you ate of the tree you will surely die. 43:49 They've eaten of the tree. 43:51 And one thing you could be sure of God, 43:52 God is always faithful. 43:54 God is always true. 43:55 When God says something 43:57 He is always faithful to His word, right. 44:01 But there's another aspect of God 44:03 that we need to appreciate too. 44:05 God is a God of love and compassion 44:09 and this is the dilemma that God was placed into 44:13 when the human race take into the tempter 44:16 what was He going to do. 44:18 Now, listen God could have just walked away. 44:21 God could have said "you made your bed 44:23 you're gonna have to sleep in it." 44:24 He could have said that, right. 44:26 He could have washed His hands of it 44:28 and He could have just walked away 44:30 and just unless you're gonna start over 44:33 but you know God didn't do that, right. 44:37 God didn't walk away. 44:39 And the question is why did He not walk away? 44:44 And, my friend, the answer is because He loves us. 44:50 Love could not let us go. 44:55 I want you to think about that, 44:57 love could not let us go. 45:00 And it was gonna be become impair 45:01 as we move in a little bit further into, 45:04 into our study tonight. 45:07 What it cost God to deal with the problem 45:10 that came from that faithful choice? 45:14 And let me tell you it cost God a lot. 45:17 God, no, He didn't walk away from us. 45:19 God has put to work every resource of heaven 45:23 for our salvation. 45:26 He has so troubled himself over us 45:28 simply because He could not let us go. 45:32 And, my friend, it's just not Adam and Eve, 45:35 God still loves His children. 45:39 God still loves you. 45:41 You may have lived a, a really terrible life of sin. 45:44 May be you have done some really horrible things in your life, 45:47 God has a reason why, 45:50 you know, all of this has played out for so long 45:54 and we'll see this as we study further. 45:55 God just simply can't let us go. 46:00 Now there is an end that's gonna come, 46:02 so had this dilemma. 46:04 On one hand He said "if you eat at the tree you're gonna die." 46:08 God must always be true to His word 46:09 God is always righteous 46:11 but again as I mentioned He is God of love. 46:13 So this was the dilemma, how could He be true to His Word 46:17 and yet in love somehow save us 46:21 out of the mess that has followed. 46:24 And He came up with a masterful plan, 46:26 a masterful plan as we find it. 46:29 Yeah, Satan had taken control 46:30 but God was gonna let us stay there. 46:33 God was gonna act to wrench it out of his hands. 46:36 And so His solution was as we find it in here on the screen 46:40 John 3:16 you know this texts it says 46:43 "For God so loved the world." 46:46 And we're not talking of the trees, the mountains, 46:49 the animals, you know God loves creation 46:52 but He is talking about you and me. 46:53 "For God so loved the world 46:54 that He gave His only begotten Son 46:56 that whoever believes in Him should not perish 46:59 but have everlasting life." 47:05 That's pretty powerful. 47:07 Everlasting life, could you handle that? 47:12 I think I could handle that. 47:13 Especially, with what we will discover 47:16 God has in mind for the future, 47:18 this beautiful future that God has in mind. 47:21 Now, God sent His only begotten Son, 47:24 Jesus was the answer to the dilemma. 47:28 And this is how it worked. 47:30 It means that Jesus had to come down to this earth. 47:32 He had to take all humanity upon Himself 47:34 because He became the representative 47:36 of the human race. 47:38 As He hung upon the Cross of Cavalry the sins, 47:41 you know the story, don't you. 47:43 Just, you know, we just glibly talk about 47:46 what Jesus did at the Cross of Cavalry 47:47 but really think about this. 47:50 God laid upon Jesus in the person of Jesus 47:53 the weight of the sin of every one of us 47:57 that is ever inhabited this planet. 48:01 He stepped in, He experienced the consequence, 48:07 a consequences that sin brought. 48:10 That is He experienced the wrath of God 48:13 against sin in His person. 48:14 He experienced on our behalf the abandonment 48:19 that sin has brought into our lives. 48:21 Remember He cried on the cross my God, my God, 48:24 why have you forsaken Me? 48:27 It's because He was bearing our sins. 48:29 So He took our place that's was the genius of the divine plan 48:34 that Jesus would bear our sins, 48:36 He would die in our place that was required 48:39 God said "if you eat at tree you'll surely die." 48:43 And my friend, and the person of Jesus death was satisfied, 48:47 justice was satisfied in the death of God Son. 48:51 So that through faith in Him God in His love could save us. 48:58 That is the divine transaction that takes place 49:02 at the Cross of Cavalry by faith. 49:05 And that is essential. 49:07 And I want you to take note in our 49:10 as I'm talking about this tonight there are two trees, 49:13 there was the tree in the Garden of Eden 49:14 that choice was faithful for the human race. 49:19 But 2000 years ago God erected another tree 49:22 we call it the Cross of Cavalry. 49:25 And it is at that tree 49:27 and what God has done for us in Jesus Christ 49:29 that we must make a decision and eternity is at stake. 49:36 Absolutely yeah, stake. 49:38 In Matthew 24:14 let's get into the prophetic side of this 49:42 as we draw the steward conclusion. 49:43 In Matthew 24:14 it says, "And this gospel of the kingdom 49:47 shall be preached to the whole world." 49:50 What is the gospel? 49:51 The gospel is the good news 49:52 of what God has done about this problem of sin. 49:55 What God is doing about the problem of sin 49:57 in your life and my life. 49:59 It says "When this gospel the kingdom shall be preached 50:02 or proclaimed to the whole world 50:04 for a witness to all the nations" 50:06 then the this is the scariest of the prophecy you know. 50:10 "Then the end shall come." 50:14 My friend, I'm telling you there is an end coming 50:16 and it is not so scary and so horrible 50:21 as you and I might 50:22 again with the sevice consideration of it think 50:24 and then the what, 50:25 and end of all of the suffering and misery, 50:28 pain and death that sin has bought to this place. 50:32 God is going to end it and He is going to do it 50:36 through what Jesus did for us at the Cross of Cavalry. 50:39 That means that Cavalry is the gateway to the future. 50:47 It's going to bring an end to this mess 50:49 but it's gonna be a glorious new beginning 50:52 for those that love Him. 50:55 That's what prophecy really comes in. 50:56 If prophecy has two significant aspects of it. 51:00 It's bringing to an end the rain of sin and death 51:04 rebellion upon this planet. 51:07 And wow, I will read you the second part of it 51:10 as we turn to Revelation 21 the New Testament page 200. 51:17 Revelation 21 and beginning, 51:24 I'm sorry beginning with verse 1. 51:29 Are you there? 51:31 Revelation 21:1 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth." 51:37 Boy, think of the implications of this. 51:39 John envisions he is a new heaven and new earth. 51:41 He is looking down in the future, 51:43 he is looking down to the end of time 51:46 and this is what he finds. 51:47 "A new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven 51:49 and the first earth has passed away." 51:55 The world is gonna come to an end, my friend. 51:58 But in its place God's gonna create 52:00 a new heaven and new earth. 52:03 There are actually three heavens 52:05 that the Bible talks about you know. 52:07 There is heaven that we usually think about what God dwells. 52:10 There is the heaven's in regards to this all universe. 52:14 The Bible speaks of that. 52:16 And then the heavens 52:17 when it talks about the earth and there's heavens 52:20 it stalking about the earth and its atmosphere. 52:23 And that's what it is talking abut here. 52:24 When it says a new heaven and a new earth 52:26 it's talking about an earth with a restored atmosphere. 52:29 Do we need a restored atmosphere? 52:32 Now we know something about 52:34 what's happening to our atmosphere don't we. 52:36 So "He makes a new heaven and new earth 52:39 and the first earth passed away 52:40 and there is no longer any, any sea." 52:42 Think about that. 52:43 There is not gonna be the great oceans 52:45 that we know today and then verse 2. 52:47 "And I saw the holy city New Jerusalem 52:49 coming down out of heaven from God 52:52 made ready as a bright adorned for her husband." 52:56 The holy city the New Jerusalem 52:58 that is the capital city of the universe. 53:01 It is the city of God. 53:04 And verse 3, says "And I heard a loud voice 53:06 from the throne saying 53:07 behold the tabernacle or dwell in place of God is among men. 53:13 And He will dwell among them and they shall be His people 53:18 and God himself will be among them." 53:22 My friend, this, this is the other 53:25 significant point of prophecy. 53:27 Again the first point is that God is gonna do away 53:29 with all the sin and suffering and death 53:31 that has fallen because of transgression. 53:34 It's all been-- its all possible 53:36 because of what Jesus did at the Cross of Cavalry. 53:38 Remember Jesus cried out on the cross, its finished. 53:43 And, my friend, this placed out overtime, 53:44 it's gonna be done. 53:46 It's gonna be over with. 53:49 And we are living in those days. 53:51 We will be studying this form the prophecies. 53:54 And the other significant thing is God's going to 53:58 make this new heaven and new earth. 53:59 God has this wonderful powerful glorious future 54:05 for those that love Him. 54:06 Paradise is gonna be restored to this planet. 54:10 Sin and all of the contradictions 54:13 that we have been living with 54:14 that just been wearing down our life forces 54:17 is going to be removed. 54:20 Love is going to be principle of every relationship. 54:23 Can you imagine this? 54:24 You're not gonna need, you're not gonna get any locks in there 54:27 up there in the new earth. 54:29 You're not have locks and keys 54:31 and you know all of the stuff that we, 54:33 there is no more arguments, 54:35 no more anger, no more conflict 54:37 can you imagine that kind of existence. 54:40 Because those are gonna inhabit this place 54:42 are those that love God 54:44 who have accepted this wonderful invitation of salvation 54:49 and who will be the inhabitants of this place. 54:52 And not only are we going to be love in God 54:54 we are gonna love each other. 54:57 And there is gonna be beautiful harmony 54:59 and peace and quietness and joy. 55:03 This is what God has prepared for those, 55:06 for those that truly love Him. 55:08 it says, 55:10 "All these" speaking of men and women of faith of the past. 55:13 "All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, 55:18 but having seen them and having welcomed them 55:20 from a distance, and having confessed that 55:22 they were strangers and exiles on the earth." 55:25 Strangers and exiles on the earth, 55:28 the last verse in Revelation 21:4 55:31 just says it as good as any verse. 55:34 You know, we got the new heaven and new earth 55:36 and New Jerusalem coming down. 55:38 God drawing among His people and there's says in verse 4 55:40 "And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes." 55:45 God is going comfort His people. 55:47 "And there will no longer be any death, 55:49 there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain 55:54 the first things have passed away." 55:56 It's all done. 55:58 Can you imagine no more pain, no more suffering, 56:00 no more moaning. 56:01 A place of everlasting joy 56:04 that's what God has prepared for those that love him. 56:07 And, my friend, we can be a part of it 56:09 but there is only one way, it's the way of the cross. 56:13 It's through what Jesus has done for us. |
Revised 2014-12-17