Genesis 2 Formed to Embody

Reflecting on THE STORY in Genesis 2 Genesis is written in “hindsight” Beginning Present End (Genesis) (Israel in Wilderness)

Reflecting on THE STORY in Genesis 2 The author tells the Story of the past to address the present questions of the wilderness generation and to point to the future of God’s people

Reflecting on THE STORY in Genesis 2 Questions What is our God like? (versus Egypt, Canaan) Who are we? (versus Egypt, Canaan) Where are we going? (Egypt or Eden?)

Reflecting on THE STORY in Genesis 2 Focus of Genesis 2: Human creation in God’s likeness (cf., Gen 1:26-28). 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Reflecting on THE STORY in Genesis 2 Seven sections in Genesis 2 . . .

(1) Genesis 2:1-4a God’s Pattern of Work and Rest 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

(1) Genesis 2:1-4a God’s Pattern of Work and Rest God works and rests Humans - created in God’s likeness - likewise work and rest The pattern or rhythm of God’s work and rest

(1) Genesis 2:1-4a God’s Pattern of Work and Rest Exodus 20 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God . . . 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

(1) Genesis 2:1-4a God’s Pattern of Work and Rest 4a These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

(1) Genesis 2:1-4a God’s Pattern of Work and Rest 4a These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

(1) Genesis 2:1-4a God’s Pattern of Work and Rest 4a These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. 4b In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens . . . 2

(2) Genesis 2:5-7 Eden before the Fall 4b In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up — for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground — 

(2) Genesis 2:5-7 Eden before the Fall Genesis 3:17-18: The “Fall” And to Adam he said, . . . “cursed is the ground because of you; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field . . .“

(2) Genesis 2:5-7 Eden before the Fall 7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.  For you are dust, and to dust you shall return Gen 3:19 What is man that you are mindful of him? Psalm 8:4

(3) Genesis 2:8-10 Planting the Garden in Eden 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

(3) Genesis 2:8-10 Planting the Garden in Eden 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

(4) Genesis 2:10-14 Geography of Eden 10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 

(4) Genesis 2:10-14 Geography of Eden 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it. 10 They shall make an ark of acacia wood . . . 11 You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. Exodus 25 and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass Revelation 21

(4) Genesis 2:10-14 Geography of Eden 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

(5) Genesis 2:15-17 Man’s Purpose 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

(5) Genesis 2:15-17 Man’s Purpose 15 The Lord God took the man and rested him in the garden of Eden to worship and obey. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

(6) Genesis 2:18-24 Man’s Completion 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”  7 in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them Genesis 1

(6) Genesis 2:18-24 Man’s Completion 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 

(6) Genesis 2:18-24 Man’s Completion 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 

(6) Genesis 2:18-24 Man’s Completion 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 

(6) Genesis 2:18-24 Man’s Completion 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones     and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman,     because she was taken out of Man.”

(6) Genesis 2:18-24 Man’s Completion 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. “I and the Father are one” John 10:30

(7) Genesis 2:25 Foreshadowing the Fall 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed . . .

Genesis 2 How did it encourage Israel in the Wilderness? What is our God like? Where are we going? God formed Israel and planted a place for them: A place of rest (from enemies) A place for worship and obedience A place where God will dwell with them

Genesis 2 How did it encourage Israel in the Wilderness? Who are we? Israel is formed to embody God’s character In the pattern of work and rest In worship and obedience In triune relationship

Genesis 2 How did it encourage Israel in the Wilderness? All of this is contingent on obedience (trust and obey)

Genesis 2 How does it encourage us today? What is our God like? Where are we going? God formed us and prepared a place for us: A place of rest (from enemies) A place for worship and obedience A place where God will dwell with us

Genesis 2 How does it encourage us today? Who are we? We are formed to embody God’s character: In the pattern of work and rest In worship and obedience In triune relationship

Genesis 2 How does it encourage us today? All of this is contingent on obedience (trust and obey) Jesus has obeyed God perfectly on our behalf! In Jesus we can and will enjoy the benefits of Eden

Reflecting on THE STORY in Genesis 2 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 

Reflecting on THE STORY in Genesis 2  3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Reflecting on THE STORY in Genesis 2   5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”