The Man, Marriage, and the Garden – 2

2021 1 31

I still haven’t found what I’m looking for

Proverbs 25:2 (NKJV) It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

Time and location

God is love (1 John 4:8), Is love another dimension?

Jesus’ return and God’s plan

A just God cannot judge humans on something that He Himself has hidden that is beyond finding out.
God will judge a man on what he or she has not searched out, on what has been revealed to him.

Deuteronomy 29:29 (NKJV) The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

The “secret things” are those things which are revealed when man searches for them from the revealed Word from God.
They belong to man and he should know them.

A new understanding

Some things change because of our new covenant with God.

Making merry for e.g.

Acts 1:26 (NKJV) And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Romans 8:14 (NKJV) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

A lot Vs the Holy Spirit.

Heavens remain the same till renovation, but the governing rules have changed.

Isaiah 5:14 (NKJV) Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself And opened its mouth beyond measure; Their glory and their multitude and their pomp, And he who is jubilant, shall descend into it.

The first is the atmosphere above us.
The second heaven is the stellar heaven, the sun, moon, and stars.
The third heaven is where God resides.

2 Corinthians 2:11 (NKJV) lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Amos 3:7 (NKJV) Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Difference between OT prophet vs NT believer.

Search out a matter.

The Creation

God created man on the 6th day.

From the Man, God created the woman

Genesis 2:18-25 (NKJV) ¹⁸ And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” ¹⁹ Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. ²¹ And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. ²² Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

²³ And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”

²⁴ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. ²⁵ And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

1 Corinthians 11:12 (NKJV) For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.

John 16:7-11 (NKJV) ⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Before he made the woman, he gave instructions.

Genesis 2:16-17 (NKJV) ¹⁶ And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 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.”

The Garden

He created man, and from man, God created woman.

The Garden as part of God’s earthly family.

God gave them some work, a trade.

Genesis 2:8-15 (NKJV) ⁸ The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. ⁹ And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. ¹⁰ Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. ¹¹ The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. ¹² And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. ¹³ The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. ¹⁴ The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates. ¹⁵ Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

God also gave the tools for the trade.

Multiply

Genesis 1:28 (NKJV) Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Fruitful both spiritual and natural.

Authority

Part of those tools is authority.

Subdue and Dominion – Authority.

Both in the OT and the NT.

Could alcohol, like lies, make you lose that authority?
- Noah naked, uncovered in his tent.
Could that explain the nature of God’s question to Adam about who told him that he was naked?
Would being spirituality clothed in Christ equate to being filled with the Holy Spirit?
2 women kicked out because they don’t follow God’s authority.
A husband’s authority should not be usurped by a pastor, provided that the husband doesn’t demand anything against the Word of God. (not silent)

Romans 13:1 (NKJV) Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

1 Corinthians 11:10 (NKJV) For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

1 Timothy 2:12 (KJV) But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

1 Peter 3:1-12 (NKJV) ¹ Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,

1 Corinthians 7:1-11 (NKJV). ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

John 17:2-3 (NKJV) ² as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV) ¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Luke 10:17-20 (NKJV) ¹⁷ Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” ¹⁸ And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. ²⁰ Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Good & Bad. Landmarks.

All this God did before He rested.

Genesis 2:1-3 (NKJV) ¹ Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. ² And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Saturday – The Sabbath speaks of law as six days of labor which are followed by rest.
Sunday – Lord’s Day speaks of grace, for we begin the week with rest that is followed by works.

Ancient landmarks.

Landmarks are identifiers.

Proverbs 22:28 (NKJV) Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.

Isaiah 5:20 (NKJV) Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NKJV) Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

2 Timothy 2:22 (NKJV) Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Matthew 5:8 (NKJV) Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

Hebrews 12:14-16 (NKJV) ¹⁴ Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵ looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; ¹⁶ lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.

See the Lord now and when He returns.

Man, Marriage, and the Garden

God created everything, including Man and Woman.

God instituted Marriage.

All authority is from God.

That authority is to do good.

The ultimate good is to fulfill your purpose in the great commission.

Mark 16:15 (NKJV) And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.