Good morning,
friends, and welcome once again
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to Sabbath School Study Hour
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here at the Granite Bay
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in Sacramento, California.
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Very warm welcome
to our online members
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and also those
who are joining us
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on the various networks
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across the country
and around the world.
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Thank you for tuning in to
study our lesson with us today.
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Also the
members and the visitors
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as always here at Granite Bay,
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very warm welcome to all of you.
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Now as many of you know,
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we started a brand new
lesson quarterly entitled
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"Oneness in Christ."
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And today we're going to
launch into our first study
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which is entitled
"Creation and the Fall."
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And I know many of you
have your lesson quarterly.
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If you don't have
a lesson quarterly,
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you'll be able to receive
one following the church today.
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Just ask for it.
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One of our church hosts will
be able to get that for you.
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And for those who
are viewing online,
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if you don't have a
copy of today's lesson
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and you'd like to
have one in your hand
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that you can study along.
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All you'll need to do is
just visit the following website
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at study.aftv.org.
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And you'll be able to
download this week's lesson.
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That website
again is study.aftv.org
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to download a copy
of the lesson for today.
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And then we also
have the free offer
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we'd like to let those
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who are watching
the program know about.
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It is a DVD sermon
by Pastor Doug Batchelor
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entitled "Holiness and Purity."
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And this is our free offer
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to anyone who would
call and ask for it.
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The number to
call is 866-788-3966
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and ask for offer number 857.
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You can also download
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a digital version of the sermon,
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you can have it right there
on your phone or your computer.
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In order to do so,
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you need to text the
following code, "SH110"
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to the number 40544.
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And then you'll receive a link
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where you'll be
able to download for free
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a digital version of
the sermon by Pastor Doug
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entitled, "Holiness and Purity."
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Before we get to
our lesson this morning,
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we always like to begin by
lifting our voices in song.
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I'm going to invite our choruses
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to come and now lead us
in our song this morning.
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Thank you so much
for joining with us,
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and at this time, Pastor Ross
will have our opening prayer.
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Dear Father in heaven,
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we thank You for the
opportunity that we have
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to gather together in Your house
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and study Your Word,
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and as we launch into
this new series of lesson,
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we do ask and
especially the Holy Spirit
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to guard our
hearts and our minds.
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Father, we know
that it's Your desire
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that we be united in You.
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And so guide us as we
explore this important theme,
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for we ask this
in Jesus' name, amen.
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We're very delighted to have
a church here at Granite Bay
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with many talented individuals.
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One of our elders
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here at the Granite Bay
Church is Dr. David DeRose.
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He's not a stranger to
our Sabbath School audience
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and those of you here in person.
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And we're just delighted
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that he's willing to
come and share with us.
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So he'll be
teaching our lesson today.
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So thank you, Dr. DeRose.
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You know there are many
great themes in the Bible,
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and perhaps one of the greatest
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is one that really
describes the entire Bible,
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it's sometimes called
the theme of restoration
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or the plan of restoration.
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I invite you to
turn in your Bibles
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to the third chapter of Acts.
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There is the story of Peter
and John entering the temple.
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There is a man there
greatly in need of healing.
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And God ministers
through His two apostles.
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And Peter then has an audience
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and he begins to
preach there in Acts 3.
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And he mentions, beginning
with verse 19 a pivotal verse
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that I believe sets the stage
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for where we're
headed this quarter
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and where we're going today.
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Acts 3:19, the words of Peter,
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"Repent
therefore and be converted,
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that your sins
may be blotted out,
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so that times of refreshing
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may come from the
presence of the Lord,
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and that He may
send Jesus Christ,
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who was preached to you before,
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whom heaven must receive
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until the times of
restoration of all things,
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which God has spoken by
the mouth of all His prophets,
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all His holy prophets,
since the world began."
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Did you catch it
there in Peter's preaching?
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There is a theme that
runs through the entire Bible,
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at least as Peter spoke
about it under inspiration.
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He said that God
has spoken by the mouth
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of all His holy prophets
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since the world
began about what?
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That's right.
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The times of
restoration of all things.
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And so as we begin the quarter,
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as we begin this
theme on Oneness in Christ,
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we want to look and focus
in on this theme of restoration
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because we're introduced at
the beginning of this series
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to the creation.
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It's just where the
Bible starts, isn't it?
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If you think about it,
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if you've never
looked at it that way,
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the Bible starts two chapters
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describing the
original perfect creation.
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We're going to look
at that in some detail.
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But if you missed
some of the details
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of the original
perfect creation,
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the last two chapters of
the Bible speak about what?
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That's right.
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The restoration
or the recreation
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of those very same things
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that were made
originally in the beginning
00:08:05.81\00:08:08.35
by our loving Creator.
00:08:08.35\00:08:09.88
So let's look at the focus
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in the first
couple of lessons there,
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actually it's less than one,
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couple readings there
for Sabbath and Sunday
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if you were going
through the lesson quarterly.
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And you see first as it begins,
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it mentions here on
the very first paragraph
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commenting on this series,
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it says, any
attempt at understanding
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the nature of
unity in the church
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must begin with God's
original plan at the creation
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and then the need for
restoration after the fall.
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So with that in mind,
let's go to Genesis 1.
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And in Sunday's lesson
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it has us focus on a
descriptor that God used,
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an adjective to
describe how His creation was.
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In Genesis 1:31, if you'd
been reading through Genesis 1,
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of course, we don't have
time to do it together today.
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But if you're reading
through Genesis you'd read,
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it was good, it was good.
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At the end of each
of the days of creation
00:09:07.04\00:09:08.91
just about
everyone it has that mention
00:09:08.91\00:09:10.68
but then at the end of
the sixth day of creation,
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verse 31, it says, God saw
everything that He had made
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and indeed it was what?
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Very good.
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So a summary of
God's original creation
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is that it was very good.
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Everything that
God made was very good.
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And it's interesting
as you look in detail
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at what God made.
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It brings us to this
subject of unity very quickly.
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In fact, many
scholars have pointed out
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the very name of
God used in Genesis 1,
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Elohim is a plural name for God.
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Other times in the Old Testament
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we read that
term often translated
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Jehovah or Yahweh
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but here in Genesis 1,
it says plural term Elohim.
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And so it is as you're
reading through Genesis 1,
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you come to a work that
is done by God in plurality.
00:10:02.56\00:10:06.97
That's right, that's
how the Hebrew reads.
00:10:06.97\00:10:09.40
In Genesis 1:26,
we read those words,
00:10:09.40\00:10:13.51
"Let us make man in our image,
according to our likeness,
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let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea,
00:10:19.15\00:10:21.72
over the birds of the
air, and over the cattle,
00:10:21.72\00:10:23.99
over all the earth
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and over every creeping
thing that creeps on the earth."
00:10:25.32\00:10:28.79
So God created
man in His own image,
00:10:28.79\00:10:31.99
in the image of God He
created him male and female,
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He created them.
00:10:36.60\00:10:39.20
And so it's quite
interesting, isn't it?
00:10:39.20\00:10:41.44
That God when He wants
to create in His own image,
00:10:41.44\00:10:44.71
He doesn't
create a single being,
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He creates in plurality.
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And so from the very
beginning of Scripture,
00:10:49.08\00:10:51.38
we have this sense that God
although one is a plurality.
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And I know we struggle
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with this concept often
referred to as the Trinity
00:10:58.89\00:11:02.46
but is a biblical term,
00:11:02.46\00:11:04.26
and we often speak biblical term
00:11:04.26\00:11:06.39
not because that
word Trinity appears,
00:11:06.39\00:11:08.73
but because the concept appears
in very, the very beginning,
00:11:08.73\00:11:12.17
look at verse 1, Genesis
1:1, "In the beginning God..."
00:11:12.17\00:11:17.44
This God
described by a plural noun.
00:11:17.44\00:11:20.88
"God created the
heavens and the earth.
00:11:20.88\00:11:23.14
The earth was
without form and void
00:11:23.14\00:11:25.15
and deepness was on
the face of the deep.
00:11:25.15\00:11:27.42
And the Spirit of God
00:11:27.42\00:11:29.42
was hovering over
the face of the waters."
00:11:29.42\00:11:32.55
And so God the
Father, God the Son,
00:11:32.55\00:11:34.39
and God the Holy Spirit
00:11:34.39\00:11:35.42
were all involved in
that original creation
00:11:35.42\00:11:37.86
and so they create in plurality.
00:11:37.86\00:11:39.49
Now some, as they look at that,
00:11:39.49\00:11:41.13
they say, "Yes, it's obvious,
00:11:41.13\00:11:42.20
it's plural but Dr.
DeRose there are only two,
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Adam and Eve who are created."
00:11:45.80\00:11:47.37
So it must just be the Father
and the Son that were involved.
00:11:47.37\00:11:50.81
Maybe there isn't
even a Holy Spirit.
00:11:50.81\00:11:52.87
You know it's very interesting
00:11:56.24\00:11:59.45
how the Godhead
refers to itself.
00:11:59.45\00:12:02.32
Have you ever
thought about this?
00:12:02.32\00:12:03.92
The Godhead
never calls attention,
00:12:03.92\00:12:06.05
any person in the Godhead,
00:12:06.05\00:12:07.59
Jesus never calls
attention to Himself.
00:12:07.59\00:12:09.59
Who is He always
pointing to? The Father.
00:12:09.59\00:12:12.59
Who does the Father honor?
00:12:12.59\00:12:15.70
Jesus, right.
00:12:15.70\00:12:17.30
Who does the Spirit point to?
00:12:17.30\00:12:20.07
Points to the
Father and the Son.
00:12:20.07\00:12:21.97
This is very
interesting relationship
00:12:21.97\00:12:24.04
in these members of the Godhead.
00:12:24.04\00:12:25.17
In fact, if you study
this out through history,
00:12:25.17\00:12:27.91
even the angels misunderstood
the nature of the Godhead.
00:12:27.91\00:12:33.92
Jesus throughout history
00:12:33.92\00:12:35.62
has always been stepping down
to the level of His creation.
00:12:35.62\00:12:39.89
You're following along with me?
00:12:39.89\00:12:41.19
Jesus is, in the Old
Testament often referred to,
00:12:41.19\00:12:44.49
even in the New as
Michael the archangel.
00:12:44.49\00:12:48.93
As you study the scriptures,
00:12:48.93\00:12:50.07
it seems that even the
angels misunderstood Jesus
00:12:50.07\00:12:53.94
to be an angel at one point.
00:12:53.94\00:12:56.77
And when He came to this earth,
00:12:56.77\00:12:57.87
Jesus was misrecognized as what?
00:12:57.87\00:13:01.61
As humanity.
00:13:01.61\00:13:03.51
And the Holy Spirit
often shrouded in some mystery
00:13:03.51\00:13:07.58
has often been
relegated to just an essence.
00:13:07.58\00:13:11.09
But the personhood
of the Holy Spirit,
00:13:11.09\00:13:13.15
we studied about it
for a whole quarter.
00:13:13.15\00:13:15.76
And yet many in Christianity
still struggle with this.
00:13:15.76\00:13:18.19
But I'd like to suggest to you
00:13:18.19\00:13:19.93
that even in the vernacular
00:13:19.93\00:13:22.93
we understand
something about unity
00:13:22.93\00:13:25.33
that comes to us as we look
00:13:25.33\00:13:27.44
at the very
beginning of creation.
00:13:27.44\00:13:28.97
How many of you have
heard the expression,
00:13:28.97\00:13:30.74
two's company but three's a...
00:13:30.74\00:13:34.11
Crowd.
00:13:34.11\00:13:35.58
What's that referring to?
00:13:35.58\00:13:38.81
I mean, sometimes
there's a connotation of some,
00:13:38.81\00:13:40.85
you know, intimate
dialogue or something,
00:13:40.85\00:13:43.79
but actually we don't
have too much of a problem
00:13:43.79\00:13:47.46
thinking about two people,
00:13:47.46\00:13:48.79
two closely united
people being in harmony,
00:13:48.79\00:13:51.46
but when you bring
three people into harmony,
00:13:51.46\00:13:54.00
this truly is remarkable.
00:13:54.00\00:13:55.86
And as we're
speaking about oneness
00:13:55.86\00:13:58.13
and if we're
speaking about the creation,
00:13:58.13\00:13:59.70
I don't think we can escape
00:13:59.70\00:14:02.87
realizing who the Creator is
00:14:02.87\00:14:06.41
that the Godhead in its
fullness created humanity.
00:14:06.41\00:14:10.38
And humanity in its fullness
00:14:10.38\00:14:12.68
does not include
just Adam and Eve.
00:14:12.68\00:14:14.68
Do you notice
from the very beginning
00:14:14.68\00:14:16.42
what was the plan of
the Godhead in creating?
00:14:16.42\00:14:22.19
Do you catch it
there in Genesis 1 and 2?
00:14:22.19\00:14:24.39
Was it the plan
00:14:24.39\00:14:25.63
that just Adam and Eve would
be united as two individuals?
00:14:25.63\00:14:30.10
What were they
tasked with doing?
00:14:30.10\00:14:33.30
With multiplying, right?
00:14:33.30\00:14:35.10
They were given dominion,
00:14:35.10\00:14:37.04
a loving rule over the
earth but they were to multiply.
00:14:37.04\00:14:42.31
It's a very, very
interesting concept,
00:14:42.31\00:14:44.55
and I encourage
you to ponder that
00:14:44.55\00:14:46.68
because really I
believe the foundation for unity
00:14:46.68\00:14:49.38
is seen in the Godhead itself.
00:14:49.38\00:14:52.72
You know there
was a famous poet,
00:14:52.72\00:14:55.76
no disrespect to him who said,
00:14:55.76\00:14:57.86
God created
because He was lonely.
00:14:57.86\00:15:00.80
But I would like to suggest you
00:15:00.80\00:15:01.96
the amazing thing
about the creation
00:15:01.96\00:15:04.13
is that God
created out of the fullness
00:15:04.13\00:15:07.64
that was in the Godhead,
00:15:07.64\00:15:09.44
three people perfectly
united, perfectly content
00:15:09.44\00:15:14.88
but wanting to
share that love with us,
00:15:14.88\00:15:19.51
with angelic
beings with creation.
00:15:19.51\00:15:23.62
Well, this lesson on Sunday
00:15:23.62\00:15:26.82
points us to something else
about that original creation.
00:15:26.82\00:15:30.36
And it comes from 1 John 4,
00:15:30.36\00:15:33.40
it speaks about God
creating in His own image,
00:15:33.40\00:15:36.10
it's really asking us to
ponder a little bit more about
00:15:36.10\00:15:38.60
what that image involves.
00:15:38.60\00:15:41.24
And so as John that disciple
00:15:41.24\00:15:43.61
who had a special
relationship with Jesus
00:15:43.61\00:15:45.77
wrote his first epistle,
00:15:45.77\00:15:48.38
his letter there
found in the Bible,
00:15:48.38\00:15:50.41
not in the Gospel of
John but in 1 John 4.
00:15:50.41\00:15:54.28
John describes
the character of God
00:15:54.28\00:15:57.35
in a way that
has often been quoted
00:15:57.35\00:16:00.72
1 John chapter 4
00:16:00.72\00:16:04.36
beginning with verse 4.
00:16:04.36\00:16:08.80
Excuse me,
beginning with verse 7,
00:16:08.80\00:16:10.23
1 John 4:7
00:16:10.23\00:16:13.20
"Beloved, let us
love one another,
00:16:13.20\00:16:15.64
for love is of God,
00:16:15.64\00:16:17.44
and everyone who loves is
born of God and knows God.
00:16:17.44\00:16:21.58
He who does not
love does not know God,
00:16:21.58\00:16:24.38
for God is," what?
00:16:24.38\00:16:26.35
"God is love."
00:16:26.35\00:16:27.45
We've heard that
many times, right?
00:16:27.45\00:16:29.08
That simple succinct
description of God's character,
00:16:29.08\00:16:33.32
He is what?
00:16:33.32\00:16:34.49
Love. God is love.
00:16:34.49\00:16:36.42
And so when God
creates in His image,
00:16:36.42\00:16:38.56
it's not just with
some physical bearing,
00:16:38.56\00:16:42.10
having some
relationship physically to God
00:16:42.10\00:16:44.27
but it's also character.
00:16:44.27\00:16:46.00
So just as God
creates in plurality,
00:16:46.00\00:16:48.14
creates for
oneness, creates for unity,
00:16:48.14\00:16:50.71
He creates with that essence
that is necessary for unity
00:16:50.71\00:16:55.31
and what is it?
00:16:55.31\00:16:58.15
What do we have
to have to be united?
00:16:58.15\00:17:00.72
Love, right?
00:17:00.72\00:17:02.45
So God's character is love,
00:17:02.45\00:17:03.89
He creates loving creatures
00:17:03.89\00:17:06.09
with the capacity
to love each other.
00:17:06.09\00:17:10.19
Now it was not just
enough for God to create,
00:17:10.19\00:17:14.00
God wanted to be intimately
involved with His creation.
00:17:14.00\00:17:18.03
We're going to look in
just a moment in a scripture
00:17:18.03\00:17:20.04
found in Revelation 21.
00:17:20.04\00:17:21.87
We have someone
who'll be reading that for us
00:17:21.87\00:17:23.97
in just a minute
from Revelation 21:3-5.
00:17:23.97\00:17:27.91
But I want to
observe something for you.
00:17:27.91\00:17:31.25
God did not just
wind up this world
00:17:31.25\00:17:33.78
and put it in motion.
00:17:33.78\00:17:34.92
You know, there's a
philosophy, a view of the world,
00:17:34.92\00:17:39.55
a cosmology that's called deism.
00:17:39.55\00:17:42.22
And the idea is that
God is the divine clockmaker
00:17:42.22\00:17:44.96
that He just wound up the clock
on creation and let things run.
00:17:44.96\00:17:48.13
No, that's not the picture
00:17:48.13\00:17:50.00
that we get as
we read the Bible.
00:17:50.00\00:17:53.40
In fact, as you read
through Genesis 1, 2 and 3,
00:17:53.40\00:17:56.47
it becomes readily apparent
00:17:56.47\00:17:58.57
that God was physically
present with Adam and Eve.
00:17:58.57\00:18:02.74
Have you picked up on that?
00:18:02.74\00:18:04.55
If you don't catch
it in Genesis 1 and 2,
00:18:04.55\00:18:06.78
well you say,
well God formed Adam
00:18:06.78\00:18:09.45
from the dust of the earth,
00:18:09.45\00:18:10.55
He had to be
physically present there,
00:18:10.55\00:18:13.15
but that there was an
ongoing physical contact,
00:18:13.15\00:18:16.32
ongoing physical contact,
you find it there in Genesis 3,
00:18:16.32\00:18:19.63
you find evidence there,
00:18:19.63\00:18:20.96
we'll find other evidence
00:18:20.96\00:18:22.06
in the
recreation in just a moment.
00:18:22.06\00:18:24.50
But look at Genesis 3,
00:18:24.50\00:18:25.73
after sin we'll talk about
the fall in just a few minutes,
00:18:25.73\00:18:29.27
but after the fall
it says in Genesis 3:8,
00:18:29.27\00:18:35.44
they referring to Adam and Eve,
00:18:35.44\00:18:37.01
"Heard the sound of the Lord God
00:18:37.01\00:18:39.25
walking in the garden
in the cool of the day,
00:18:39.25\00:18:42.32
and Adam and his
wife hid themselves
00:18:42.32\00:18:45.99
from the
presence of the Lord God
00:18:45.99\00:18:47.82
among the trees of the garden."
00:18:47.82\00:18:51.59
Now let me ask you a question.
00:18:51.59\00:18:54.93
Do you hide
yourself from a spirit?
00:18:54.93\00:18:58.63
Would that make any sense
if God was just some essence,
00:18:58.63\00:19:01.64
would you hide?
00:19:01.64\00:19:03.30
No, you'd say an
essence is always there,
00:19:03.30\00:19:05.44
God was not as an essence
interacting with Adam and Eve,
00:19:05.44\00:19:08.51
He physically came
and dwelt with them.
00:19:08.51\00:19:11.11
They physically
interacted with God.
00:19:11.11\00:19:13.68
And so we know that
right there in Genesis 3
00:19:13.68\00:19:15.78
we see this
picture of Adam and Eve
00:19:15.78\00:19:18.09
no longer enjoying
communion with the Godhead,
00:19:18.09\00:19:23.83
we'll get there in a minute.
00:19:23.83\00:19:25.43
Let's go to
Genesis 21, excuse me,
00:19:25.43\00:19:27.86
Revelation 21 because we
want to take another glimpse.
00:19:27.86\00:19:31.60
Remember, we're talking
about the plan of restoration,
00:19:31.60\00:19:35.07
what God had in the beginning
He will have in the end.
00:19:35.07\00:19:39.34
In Genesis we see
God's original creation,
00:19:39.34\00:19:42.48
Revelation 21,
00:19:42.48\00:19:43.75
let's look at the
picture of the recreation there.
00:19:43.75\00:19:46.75
Revelation 21:3-5.
00:19:46.75\00:19:49.65
"And I heard a loud
voice from heaven saying,
00:19:49.65\00:19:52.45
'Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men,
00:19:52.45\00:19:55.49
and He will dwell with them,
and they shall be His people.
00:19:55.49\00:19:58.89
God Himself will be
with them and be their God.
00:19:58.89\00:20:02.13
And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes,
00:20:02.13\00:20:05.53
there shall be no more
death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
00:20:05.53\00:20:09.17
There shall be no more pain,
00:20:09.17\00:20:10.61
for the former
things have passed away.'
00:20:10.61\00:20:13.21
Then He who sat
on the throne said,
00:20:13.21\00:20:15.74
'Behold, I make all things new.'
00:20:15.74\00:20:18.05
And He said to me,
00:20:18.05\00:20:19.08
'Write, for these words
are true and faithful.'"
00:20:19.08\00:20:22.02
It's a beautiful
passage, isn't it?
00:20:22.02\00:20:24.45
God is making all things what?
00:20:24.45\00:20:27.19
New.
00:20:27.19\00:20:28.22
He's restoring, He's recreating
00:20:28.22\00:20:30.96
and when He recreates
where is God to be found?
00:20:30.96\00:20:36.46
In the physical
presence of His people.
00:20:36.46\00:20:39.40
So just like it
was in the beginning,
00:20:39.40\00:20:41.27
God is
recreating, God is recreating.
00:20:41.27\00:20:45.14
In Genesis, excuse
me in Revelation 22,
00:20:45.14\00:20:47.88
and boy, Genesis, Revelation,
running back and forth,
00:20:47.88\00:20:50.98
I'm having a hard time
myself, keeping them straight.
00:20:50.98\00:20:54.18
Revelation 22, if you read there
00:20:54.18\00:20:59.32
beginning with verse 3,
again a similar picture,
00:20:59.32\00:21:02.96
"There shall be no more curse,
00:21:02.96\00:21:05.79
but the throne of God and
of the Lamb shall be in it,
00:21:05.79\00:21:08.66
and His
servants shall serve Him.
00:21:08.66\00:21:11.67
They shall see His face,
00:21:11.67\00:21:13.84
and His name shall
be on their foreheads.
00:21:13.84\00:21:15.87
There shall be no night there,
00:21:15.87\00:21:17.41
they shall need no
lamp nor light of the sun,
00:21:17.41\00:21:19.91
for the Lord God
gives them light.
00:21:19.91\00:21:23.71
And they shall
reign forever and ever."
00:21:23.71\00:21:26.88
So here is this
amazing creation,
00:21:26.88\00:21:29.68
we start in the
beginning with a God
00:21:29.68\00:21:31.25
who just doesn't
share life with humanity
00:21:31.25\00:21:35.79
but shares His presence,
00:21:35.79\00:21:37.39
He makes us in His
image, He gives us love,
00:21:37.39\00:21:39.73
He brings us into
loving relationships
00:21:39.73\00:21:42.13
and He commissions Adam and Eve
00:21:42.13\00:21:44.07
to share that love with
other creatures in plurality.
00:21:44.07\00:21:48.20
It is this picture of oneness
00:21:48.20\00:21:50.07
and it is a picture that
God will restore in the end,
00:21:50.07\00:21:53.04
it is a beautiful story,
00:21:53.04\00:21:55.78
were it not for
the rest of the Bible.
00:21:55.78\00:21:58.08
No, yes, the rest of
the Bible is beautiful
00:21:58.08\00:22:00.12
but humanity's response
00:22:00.12\00:22:02.95
is not as beautiful
as God's gift, is it?
00:22:02.95\00:22:07.42
Because in Monday's lesson,
00:22:07.42\00:22:09.42
it brings us to what immediately
00:22:09.42\00:22:10.76
follows in the Bible
00:22:10.76\00:22:12.43
and that is the fall.
00:22:12.43\00:22:14.86
Now those of you who've
studied Genesis 1-3 before,
00:22:14.86\00:22:20.47
no doubt you've struggled
00:22:20.47\00:22:21.80
with what many
have struggled with.
00:22:21.80\00:22:23.64
We looked at that
simple description,
00:22:23.64\00:22:26.94
that simple verdict
00:22:26.94\00:22:29.18
passed with unerring
accuracy by the Creator
00:22:29.18\00:22:32.75
that everything was
very good in the beginning.
00:22:32.75\00:22:36.35
But there's a problem,
00:22:36.35\00:22:37.45
some people say
with what God created.
00:22:37.45\00:22:39.55
I'm in Genesis 2
00:22:39.55\00:22:40.76
and as we're preparing
to talk about the fall,
00:22:40.76\00:22:42.89
we have to bring
this into perspective.
00:22:42.89\00:22:45.86
In Genesis 2:8, it says,
00:22:45.86\00:22:51.53
"The Lord God planted a
garden eastward in Eden,
00:22:51.53\00:22:56.54
and there He put the
man whom He had formed.
00:22:56.54\00:22:59.21
And out of the ground
00:22:59.21\00:23:00.34
the Lord God
made every tree grow
00:23:00.34\00:23:03.08
that is pleasant to the
sight and good for food.
00:23:03.08\00:23:06.18
The tree of life was also
in the midst of the garden,
00:23:06.18\00:23:10.22
and the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil."
00:23:10.22\00:23:16.93
Where was the
tree of the knowledge
00:23:16.93\00:23:19.33
of good and evil?
00:23:19.33\00:23:22.16
It was in the
midst of the garden.
00:23:22.16\00:23:25.17
So there was that tree of life
00:23:25.17\00:23:26.84
that Adam and
Eve had to partake of
00:23:26.84\00:23:29.37
in order to sustain life,
00:23:29.37\00:23:31.01
it was a symbol of their
trusting relationship with God,
00:23:31.01\00:23:34.28
but God had endowed that
tree with special properties
00:23:34.28\00:23:37.58
and yet in close
proximity to that tree
00:23:37.58\00:23:42.22
in the center of
the garden somewhere,
00:23:42.22\00:23:43.89
it was what?
00:23:43.89\00:23:45.72
This tree of the
knowledge of good and evil.
00:23:45.72\00:23:48.56
Now some had struggled with this
00:23:48.56\00:23:49.82
because they said, God said
that everything was very good,
00:23:49.82\00:23:53.26
but that tree of the
knowledge of good and evil
00:23:53.26\00:23:55.43
does not seem to
be all that very good
00:23:55.43\00:23:57.90
because we're
coming to Genesis 3
00:23:57.90\00:23:59.67
and you know what happens
00:23:59.67\00:24:01.44
at that tree of the
knowledge of good and evil.
00:24:01.44\00:24:04.77
How could that
tree be very good?
00:24:04.77\00:24:07.64
Have you ever thought about it?
00:24:07.64\00:24:11.18
Well having taught
in the classroom before,
00:24:11.18\00:24:16.15
I have perhaps a
different perspective on tests
00:24:16.15\00:24:19.59
than many of you who
may have only been students.
00:24:19.59\00:24:24.09
I never, I can never recall
00:24:24.09\00:24:26.36
a student
begging for more tests.
00:24:26.36\00:24:29.33
Do you think it would,
it might not be illogical
00:24:29.33\00:24:31.73
if someone did
poorly on a few tests,
00:24:31.73\00:24:33.67
maybe if we had more tests
they could pull their grade up,
00:24:33.67\00:24:36.50
but I don't ever
remember someone coming to me
00:24:36.50\00:24:38.87
and saying, "Dr.
DeRose, couldn't we have
00:24:38.87\00:24:40.64
just a few more
tests in this class?
00:24:40.64\00:24:42.18
I looked over the syllabus
00:24:42.18\00:24:43.31
and we only have four
exams in the whole semester."
00:24:43.31\00:24:45.88
You know, a test is not
just a way of evaluating people,
00:24:49.25\00:24:54.46
but a test can actually
00:24:54.46\00:24:56.76
strengthen the one
who takes the test.
00:24:56.76\00:24:59.59
You ever thought about this?
00:24:59.59\00:25:02.06
You know, if you
don't take a test,
00:25:02.06\00:25:04.50
sometimes you're not as diligent
00:25:04.50\00:25:06.53
about learning the lessons,
have you ever realized that?
00:25:06.53\00:25:09.90
We have three children,
00:25:09.90\00:25:10.91
they all happen to
be in college right now
00:25:10.91\00:25:13.64
and not uncommonly we
hear about them facing an exam
00:25:13.64\00:25:17.68
and somehow those examinations
00:25:17.68\00:25:20.02
seem to increase their
motivation for studying.
00:25:20.02\00:25:24.02
Can you relate?
00:25:24.02\00:25:26.79
But there's something else
00:25:26.79\00:25:27.89
that happens
when you take a test.
00:25:27.89\00:25:32.03
It can reinforce the
things that you know,
00:25:32.03\00:25:36.00
think about it for a minute.
00:25:36.00\00:25:37.73
Adam and Eve
walking through the garden,
00:25:37.73\00:25:39.97
coming to the tree of life.
00:25:39.97\00:25:41.47
And as they come
to the tree of life,
00:25:41.47\00:25:43.10
they pass the
tree of the knowledge
00:25:43.10\00:25:44.74
of good and evil.
00:25:44.74\00:25:46.74
What do their
senses say about that tree?
00:25:46.74\00:25:50.31
Well, you'll see as
you read through Genesis 3,
00:25:50.31\00:25:52.28
the tree looked
wonderful, right?
00:25:52.28\00:25:53.85
Just like everything else.
00:25:53.85\00:25:56.52
But God said what?
00:25:56.52\00:25:58.65
Not to eat from that tree.
00:25:58.65\00:26:01.19
So every time they choose
not to eat from that tree,
00:26:01.19\00:26:04.39
what are they doing?
00:26:04.39\00:26:06.93
Basically what they're doing
00:26:06.93\00:26:08.00
is they're not
only trusting God,
00:26:08.00\00:26:09.96
but they're strengthening
their relationship to God,
00:26:09.96\00:26:13.34
they're choosing to
honor the one who created them.
00:26:13.34\00:26:17.31
And by the way how do,
00:26:17.31\00:26:18.44
how do you get
stronger in the physical realm?
00:26:18.44\00:26:24.28
Some of you are not looking
at me with great credibility
00:26:24.28\00:26:28.02
like maybe I don't
know too much about this,
00:26:28.02\00:26:30.02
you know, don't I
look like a weightlifter.
00:26:30.02\00:26:33.56
Whether I do or not, I
do know something about
00:26:33.56\00:26:36.32
how you strengthen muscles.
00:26:36.32\00:26:39.76
I see it sometimes in
patients who've been bedridden,
00:26:39.76\00:26:44.53
maybe they had a major surgery,
00:26:44.53\00:26:47.57
they've been laid
up for a long time.
00:26:47.57\00:26:49.24
What do they have to do
00:26:49.24\00:26:50.67
in order to
regain their strength?
00:26:50.67\00:26:54.24
They've got to exercise,
00:26:54.24\00:26:56.01
they've got to
use their muscles.
00:26:56.01\00:26:58.68
So God put in the
middle of the garden
00:26:58.68\00:27:01.55
a place where Adam
and Eve had to strengthen,
00:27:01.55\00:27:04.42
choose to exercise their faith,
00:27:04.42\00:27:07.49
their trust,
their commitment to Him.
00:27:07.49\00:27:10.59
So it's not a restriction
really that God put there,
00:27:10.59\00:27:14.30
you say, "Well, He did,
He said, you couldn't eat."
00:27:14.30\00:27:16.60
But God was giving them
an opportunity for blessing
00:27:16.60\00:27:20.34
and to strengthen
their relationship with Him.
00:27:20.34\00:27:22.34
If you have a hard time
wrapping your mind around it,
00:27:22.34\00:27:24.37
I do too, but think about that.
00:27:24.37\00:27:27.78
But as we come
to Monday's lesson,
00:27:27.78\00:27:29.34
we find that that test,
00:27:29.34\00:27:31.01
that place that was designed
to strengthen relationship,
00:27:31.01\00:27:35.12
something went terribly wrong.
00:27:35.12\00:27:38.45
There in Genesis 3
as we read the account,
00:27:38.45\00:27:42.46
Satan takes the
form of the serpent
00:27:42.46\00:27:48.36
and it says in Genesis 3:1
00:27:48.36\00:27:52.30
as Eve is there
apparently alone at the tree,
00:27:52.30\00:27:57.67
the serpent asks the
question, has God indeed said
00:27:57.67\00:28:01.94
you shall not eat of
every tree of the garden.
00:28:01.94\00:28:05.75
And the woman immediately
00:28:05.75\00:28:06.82
enters into converse with Satan,
00:28:06.82\00:28:08.42
she says, "Oh, we may eat
00:28:08.42\00:28:10.09
the fruit of the
trees of the garden
00:28:10.09\00:28:12.49
but of the fruit of the tree
00:28:12.49\00:28:14.02
which is in the
midst of the garden.
00:28:14.02\00:28:16.36
God has said
you shall not eat it
00:28:16.36\00:28:19.06
nor shall you
touch it, lest you die."
00:28:19.06\00:28:22.80
And then in verse 4,
00:28:22.80\00:28:24.60
we have the first
lie in the Bible, right?
00:28:24.60\00:28:28.10
The serpent says
to the woman what?
00:28:28.10\00:28:31.37
"You will not surely die.
00:28:31.37\00:28:34.94
For God knows that in
the day you eat of it,
00:28:34.94\00:28:37.18
your eyes will be opened
and you will be like God,
00:28:37.18\00:28:40.05
knowing good and evil."
00:28:40.05\00:28:42.75
So here it is, the
temptation of Satan
00:28:42.75\00:28:45.99
is calling Eve to do what?
00:28:45.99\00:28:47.42
Disobey God.
00:28:50.86\00:28:53.60
Trust him instead of
God but even more than that.
00:28:53.60\00:28:56.93
Look at what happens in verse 4,
00:28:56.93\00:29:01.50
Satan says that
you will get blessing
00:29:01.50\00:29:04.77
and then what
does Eve do in verse 5?
00:29:04.77\00:29:06.68
Then she, verse
6, she checks it out.
00:29:06.68\00:29:12.21
"So when the woman saw
that the tree was good for food
00:29:12.21\00:29:17.92
and a tree
desirable to make one wise,
00:29:17.92\00:29:20.89
she took of its fruit and ate."
00:29:20.89\00:29:22.62
Now this is quite interesting,
00:29:22.62\00:29:23.86
how can you tell that a
fruit is good to make you wise?
00:29:23.86\00:29:29.20
You see, Satan tells you a lie
00:29:29.20\00:29:31.60
and then you
line up some evidence
00:29:31.60\00:29:34.27
that seems to line up
with what Satan's saying
00:29:34.27\00:29:37.21
but it is totally irrational,
00:29:37.21\00:29:38.94
you can't look at a fruit
00:29:38.94\00:29:40.74
and decide it's going
to make you wise, right?
00:29:40.74\00:29:42.94
That's impossible.
00:29:42.94\00:29:45.38
But because there is
some evidence that it's true,
00:29:45.38\00:29:47.52
it looks good, this
serpent is speaking,
00:29:47.52\00:29:50.42
he's saying, it's good.
00:29:50.42\00:29:52.82
So you add some evidence now,
00:29:52.82\00:29:54.92
your sight and Eve
decides to do what?
00:29:54.92\00:29:59.73
That's right.
00:29:59.73\00:30:00.80
"Eve eats, she took
of its fruit and ate.
00:30:05.40\00:30:08.80
She also gave to her
husband with her and he ate."
00:30:08.80\00:30:12.94
From the very beginning,
from the very Garden of Eden,
00:30:16.98\00:30:21.65
there is a
tension, do you see it?
00:30:21.65\00:30:25.65
Are we going to
trust in our loving Creator
00:30:25.65\00:30:28.79
or are we going to
trust our own senses and what
00:30:28.79\00:30:33.16
even those in
authority around us might say?
00:30:33.16\00:30:36.40
I mean, who was
more authoritative
00:30:36.40\00:30:39.10
than the serpent in
that setting, right?
00:30:39.10\00:30:43.20
She wasn't hearing
God's voice speaking to her,
00:30:43.20\00:30:46.04
Satan is telling her one thing,
00:30:46.04\00:30:47.61
it seems to
align with her senses
00:30:47.61\00:30:49.81
and what does she do?
00:30:49.81\00:30:52.28
She eats.
00:30:52.28\00:30:55.52
Someone has a scripture for us
00:30:55.52\00:30:57.22
just a little
bit later in Genesis,
00:30:57.22\00:31:00.52
in Genesis 3
beginning with verse 11,
00:31:00.52\00:31:03.39
we start with a picture
of unity, perfect harmony,
00:31:03.39\00:31:07.20
no sin, no death, no suffering,
00:31:07.20\00:31:09.00
that's where God is trying
to bring this planet again,
00:31:09.00\00:31:10.93
that's where He will bring it.
00:31:10.93\00:31:12.43
The Book of Revelation tells
us in Revelation 21 and 22.
00:31:12.43\00:31:17.21
But in Genesis 3 we
see immediate disunity,
00:31:17.21\00:31:22.61
Genesis 3:11,
00:31:22.61\00:31:23.85
what does it have
to say it to us today?
00:31:23.85\00:31:25.95
"And He said, 'Who told
you that you were naked?
00:31:25.95\00:31:30.09
Have you eaten from the
tree of which I commanded you
00:31:30.09\00:31:35.39
that you should not eat?'
00:31:35.39\00:31:37.23
Then the man said, 'The
woman who gave to be with me,
00:31:37.23\00:31:43.10
she gave me of
the tree, and I ate.'
00:31:43.10\00:31:46.23
And the Lord God
said to the woman,
00:31:46.23\00:31:48.40
'What is this have you done?'
00:31:48.40\00:31:51.81
The woman said,
'The serpent deceived me,
00:31:51.81\00:31:54.24
and I ate.'"
00:31:54.24\00:31:56.64
So what's happening
there in that dialogue?
00:31:56.64\00:32:01.25
Blame, right?
00:32:01.25\00:32:02.88
Instead of holding people up,
00:32:02.88\00:32:04.52
instead of
affirming one another,
00:32:04.52\00:32:06.49
what's happening,
00:32:06.49\00:32:08.26
he did it, she did
it, he did it, right?
00:32:08.26\00:32:11.69
Is this a
prescription for unity?
00:32:11.69\00:32:14.66
Immediately from the beginning
of the fall, we see disunity.
00:32:14.66\00:32:18.40
We see God's
original plan is unity.
00:32:18.40\00:32:21.20
God wants us to
be one as He is one.
00:32:21.20\00:32:24.64
And sin brings
disunity and disharmony.
00:32:24.64\00:32:28.38
But there's more to the story
00:32:28.38\00:32:30.85
as it's brought
out in the lesson here,
00:32:30.85\00:32:33.68
God has done some interesting
things to this point.
00:32:33.68\00:32:36.82
In fact, I'm gonna have you jump
00:32:36.82\00:32:38.29
if you have your quarterlies,
I'm gonna have you jump
00:32:38.29\00:32:40.56
all the way to Friday's lesson,
00:32:40.56\00:32:42.06
I want you to pick
up on something here
00:32:42.06\00:32:44.96
because coming into
focus in Friday's lesson
00:32:44.96\00:32:48.56
is something
that we skipped over
00:32:48.56\00:32:51.03
that was part of
the original creation
00:32:51.03\00:32:53.80
because after that
summary of creation
00:32:53.80\00:32:56.30
we read in Genesis 1:31
that everything was very good,
00:32:56.30\00:33:00.14
we read in Genesis 2
00:33:00.14\00:33:03.45
beginning with verse 1,
00:33:03.45\00:33:06.51
"Thus the heavens and the earth,
00:33:06.51\00:33:08.55
and all the host of
them, were finished.
00:33:08.55\00:33:11.32
And on the seventh day
00:33:11.32\00:33:12.59
God ended His
work which He had done,
00:33:12.59\00:33:14.96
and He rested on
the seventh day."
00:33:14.96\00:33:19.53
And what does He
do when He rests?
00:33:19.53\00:33:22.40
It says, He not only rest,
00:33:22.40\00:33:24.23
"from all His
work which He had done.
00:33:24.23\00:33:26.17
But He blesses the
seventh day and sanctifies it,
00:33:26.17\00:33:32.04
because in it He
rested from all His work
00:33:32.04\00:33:35.98
which God had created and made."
00:33:35.98\00:33:38.81
So not only does
God give them a place,
00:33:38.81\00:33:41.32
a physical place in the garden
where He will meet with them,
00:33:41.32\00:33:45.79
God sets aside a
day, a place in time,
00:33:45.79\00:33:50.19
if you will a palace in time
for humanity to meet with Him.
00:33:50.19\00:33:54.20
From the very beginning,
00:33:54.20\00:33:55.40
there is a blessing
on that Seventh-day.
00:33:55.40\00:33:58.27
By the way, how
many Jews were there
00:33:58.27\00:34:00.40
in the Garden of Eden?
00:34:00.40\00:34:02.34
There were none, it was
before there was ever a Jew.
00:34:02.34\00:34:05.11
How many Muslims and
Christians were there?
00:34:05.11\00:34:08.21
Zero. Zero.
00:34:08.21\00:34:09.28
From the beginning of creation
00:34:09.28\00:34:10.71
before there were
any denominations,
00:34:10.71\00:34:12.41
before there were any sects,
00:34:12.41\00:34:13.98
God's original
plan was that all flesh
00:34:13.98\00:34:17.19
should meet before
Him there on the Sabbath,
00:34:17.19\00:34:19.99
this special day
that He had set apart.
00:34:19.99\00:34:22.19
So Friday wants us to
have that in perspective
00:34:27.13\00:34:29.86
as we come to
looking at the fall
00:34:29.86\00:34:34.40
because was it true,
00:34:34.40\00:34:37.14
did death occur when Adam
and Eve ate from the tree?
00:34:37.14\00:34:42.51
Did they die the day they ate?
00:34:42.51\00:34:44.41
No.
00:34:44.41\00:34:46.18
What died?
00:34:46.18\00:34:47.25
Look at Genesis 3 closely.
00:34:50.32\00:34:53.62
The death, the
first death in the Bible
00:34:53.62\00:34:57.13
is only implied
but it is quite clear.
00:34:57.13\00:35:01.63
You see in Genesis 3
after God pronounces judgment,
00:35:01.63\00:35:06.90
by the way in the
midst of judgments
00:35:06.90\00:35:09.74
God gives the first
picture of the gospel.
00:35:09.74\00:35:13.94
It's there in verse 15 as
God is speaking of judgment
00:35:13.94\00:35:18.85
on the serpent, He says,
00:35:18.85\00:35:22.75
"I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
00:35:22.75\00:35:26.22
and between your
seed and her seed,
00:35:26.22\00:35:29.29
he shall bruise your head
and you shall bruise his heel."
00:35:29.29\00:35:34.23
The seed of the
woman ultimately is Jesus.
00:35:34.23\00:35:38.93
Jesus would be
bruised by the serpent,
00:35:38.93\00:35:41.87
the serpent
would bruise his heel
00:35:41.87\00:35:43.84
but it would not be a
life-threatening wound.
00:35:43.84\00:35:48.54
But the serpent's head
would be crushed by the Savior.
00:35:48.54\00:35:52.98
The promise of the gospel
right there in Genesis 3:15,
00:35:52.98\00:35:56.32
but that
although it foreshadowed
00:35:56.32\00:35:59.25
Christ's
sacrifice, the first death
00:35:59.25\00:36:01.86
is found a few verses later
00:36:01.86\00:36:04.36
because Adam and Eve
recognized that they were naked
00:36:04.36\00:36:09.56
after they ate of the tree.
00:36:09.56\00:36:13.27
Many believed
that they were clothed
00:36:13.27\00:36:14.74
with robes of light
and that light departed
00:36:14.74\00:36:18.54
after they broke
covenant with God if you will.
00:36:18.54\00:36:22.24
And in verse 21 it said
also for Adam and his wife
00:36:22.24\00:36:27.28
the Lord did, what?
00:36:27.28\00:36:29.85
Made tunics of
skin and clothed them.
00:36:29.85\00:36:35.32
How do you get tunics of skin?
00:36:35.32\00:36:38.56
You get it from, that's
right, the death of an animal.
00:36:38.56\00:36:42.16
And so the first death,
the death that is occasioned
00:36:42.16\00:36:46.80
by the sin of Adam and Eve
00:36:46.80\00:36:48.14
is the death of
an innocent victim
00:36:48.14\00:36:50.71
who has to be killed
00:36:50.71\00:36:54.01
so that Adam and
Eve can be clothed
00:36:54.01\00:36:56.71
with appropriate garments.
00:36:56.71\00:36:59.21
So in Genesis
3:15 we have a prophecy
00:36:59.21\00:37:03.12
of Christ's sacrifice,
00:37:03.12\00:37:05.35
a prophecy of
Christ's saving work.
00:37:05.35\00:37:07.92
But in Genesis 3:21 we
have an enacted parable
00:37:07.92\00:37:11.73
of what Christ will do.
00:37:11.73\00:37:13.36
Then He will clothe us
00:37:13.36\00:37:15.43
with His robes of righteousness.
00:37:15.43\00:37:17.17
If we allow God to
give us His covering,
00:37:17.17\00:37:20.60
He will cover our nakedness,
00:37:20.60\00:37:22.57
He will cover the
results of our sin.
00:37:22.57\00:37:25.31
It's not because of who we are
or what we've done because of,
00:37:25.31\00:37:29.01
but because of what He provides,
00:37:29.01\00:37:31.25
a beautiful picture of
the saving God that we have.
00:37:31.25\00:37:36.72
And so although the
consequences of the fall
00:37:36.72\00:37:39.15
are disunity, God
brings healing in that context.
00:37:39.15\00:37:43.99
Now you'd think, we
could stop right there
00:37:43.99\00:37:46.53
but we have to
look a little bit more,
00:37:46.53\00:37:47.96
I believe that it's
just appreciating the gospel
00:37:47.96\00:37:52.53
because there's an interesting
dialogue that comes up,
00:37:52.53\00:37:55.34
not only is the fall
described in Monday's lesson
00:37:55.34\00:37:58.37
but also the flood.
00:37:58.37\00:38:01.51
And before we go there,
00:38:01.51\00:38:03.65
we're going to
have someone read for us
00:38:03.65\00:38:05.35
from Philippians
2:5-8 but before we do that,
00:38:05.35\00:38:10.52
let me just set the
stage a little bit more
00:38:10.52\00:38:13.02
because we've been
following along, right?
00:38:13.02\00:38:15.89
God creates
perfectly, creates in unity,
00:38:15.89\00:38:19.56
sin comes, brings disunity,
00:38:19.56\00:38:21.73
but God has a solution
from the very beginning.
00:38:21.73\00:38:24.47
And the solution
comes through His provision
00:38:24.47\00:38:27.17
not through what we do.
00:38:27.17\00:38:28.54
Humankind has
messed up God's covenant
00:38:28.54\00:38:31.14
but God the faithful covenant
keeping God provides a Son,
00:38:31.14\00:38:35.01
provides a lamb.
00:38:35.01\00:38:38.01
In Philippians 2:5-8
00:38:38.01\00:38:41.12
we get to catch another picture
00:38:41.12\00:38:43.02
of God's great
sacrifice on our behalf.
00:38:43.02\00:38:48.09
"Let this mind be in you
which was also in Christ Jesus,
00:38:48.09\00:38:52.03
who, being in the form of God,
00:38:52.03\00:38:54.10
did not consider it
robbery to be equal with God,
00:38:54.10\00:38:57.80
but made Himself
of no reputation,
00:38:57.80\00:39:00.54
taking the form
of a bondservant,
00:39:00.54\00:39:02.50
and coming in
the likeness of men.
00:39:02.50\00:39:05.17
And being found in
appearance as a man,
00:39:05.17\00:39:08.21
He humbled Himself
and became obedient
00:39:08.21\00:39:10.91
to the point of death,
even the death of the cross."
00:39:10.91\00:39:15.45
So Jesus continues
to step down, right?
00:39:15.45\00:39:19.15
And as our Savior He comes
down as a man and dies for us.
00:39:19.15\00:39:23.76
But it's
interesting, Philippians 2
00:39:23.76\00:39:25.59
doesn't stop with that picture.
00:39:25.59\00:39:28.23
Okay after Jesus dies,
00:39:28.23\00:39:31.17
Paul as he's writing
on under the inspiration,
00:39:31.17\00:39:33.37
he says in Philippians 2:9,
00:39:33.37\00:39:35.97
"Therefore God also has
highly exalted Him, Jesus
00:39:35.97\00:39:39.47
and given Him the name
which is above every name
00:39:39.47\00:39:41.98
but at the name of Jesus,
00:39:41.98\00:39:43.11
every knee should
bow of those in heaven
00:39:43.11\00:39:46.28
and of those on earth
and of those under the earth.
00:39:46.28\00:39:48.58
And that every
tongue should confess
00:39:48.58\00:39:50.82
that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the glory of God the Father.
00:39:50.82\00:39:55.06
Multiple times
in the scriptures,
00:39:55.06\00:39:57.33
in Isaiah, in Romans,
we read this expression
00:39:57.33\00:40:00.43
that every tongue is
going to glorify God.
00:40:00.43\00:40:03.13
When it's all said and
done, everyone is going to say
00:40:03.13\00:40:05.90
just and true are Your
ways, You're righteous God,
00:40:05.90\00:40:09.90
all Your works are righteous.
00:40:09.90\00:40:11.97
And yet in Monday's
lesson it speaks of the flood.
00:40:11.97\00:40:16.14
And many an atheist, many
a secularist has said that
00:40:16.14\00:40:20.55
the flood is the
work of the worst dictator
00:40:20.55\00:40:25.42
that's ever been on a planet,
if that's true God is a tyrant.
00:40:25.42\00:40:28.66
Have you heard claims like that?
00:40:28.66\00:40:33.23
Imagine, you've got a relative
00:40:33.23\00:40:35.23
and they're going to
travel across country, okay.
00:40:35.23\00:40:37.83
Make a long trip,
they're gonna move
00:40:37.83\00:40:40.50
and as they're checking out
the new area they're moving to,
00:40:40.50\00:40:43.57
they hear about
this group of people
00:40:43.57\00:40:46.57
you might call them a
gang but that name isn't used,
00:40:46.57\00:40:48.68
it's, but people are actually,
00:40:48.68\00:40:51.51
in this community
they're knocking people out
00:40:51.51\00:40:54.65
and then they're cutting
limbs off, arms, legs, I mean,
00:40:54.65\00:41:00.29
but it just sounds
sickening, doesn't it?
00:41:00.29\00:41:03.29
I mean, what do you
think your relative would think
00:41:03.29\00:41:05.79
if they heard they
were going to a community
00:41:05.79\00:41:08.00
where that kind of
thing was happening,
00:41:08.00\00:41:09.76
what would you think?
00:41:09.76\00:41:12.20
You say, those people
are terrible, aren't they?
00:41:12.20\00:41:15.34
But now what if I told
you that group of people,
00:41:15.34\00:41:18.07
they called one of
them an anesthesiologist
00:41:18.07\00:41:21.44
and another one they
called an orthopedic surgeon.
00:41:21.44\00:41:24.75
And then I told you
00:41:24.75\00:41:26.01
there were very
high rates of diabetes
00:41:26.01\00:41:28.92
in that community.
00:41:28.92\00:41:31.09
And they were amputating limbs
00:41:31.09\00:41:33.39
that had become gangrenous,
what would you think?
00:41:33.39\00:41:36.52
Would you think was
a terrible community?
00:41:36.52\00:41:39.86
Now what, what changes it all?
00:41:39.86\00:41:43.97
When you have full information,
something taken out of context
00:41:43.97\00:41:49.00
that looks terrible
00:41:49.00\00:41:50.41
can actually be
merciful and loving.
00:41:50.41\00:41:54.14
You see God only sees
00:41:54.14\00:41:57.25
from the
perspective of eternity.
00:41:57.25\00:41:59.25
Now maybe that's too strong
because of course God sees
00:41:59.25\00:42:02.68
from our human
perspective as well.
00:42:02.68\00:42:04.42
I mean He sees through our eyes,
00:42:04.42\00:42:05.79
He experiences with us
because He feels with us.
00:42:05.79\00:42:09.19
But as God looks
00:42:09.19\00:42:10.23
from the
perspective of eternity,
00:42:10.23\00:42:11.79
what does this
life really matter?
00:42:11.79\00:42:14.63
I mean, does it
really matter if you die
00:42:14.63\00:42:17.00
at ten years of
age or at a hundred.
00:42:17.00\00:42:19.73
From the
perspective of eternity,
00:42:19.73\00:42:21.40
I mean, is it that
great a difference?
00:42:21.40\00:42:25.47
I mean, think
about what was going on
00:42:25.47\00:42:29.08
in Genesis 6,
00:42:29.08\00:42:32.51
you see it there,
it's quoted Genesis 6:5
00:42:32.51\00:42:34.85
in your lesson.
00:42:34.85\00:42:36.89
"Every intent of the
thoughts of his heart,
00:42:36.89\00:42:39.55
speaking of mankind,
was only evil continually."
00:42:39.55\00:42:44.43
The whole earth was
about to be swept up in evil,
00:42:44.43\00:42:48.53
the only way God
could save the planet
00:42:48.53\00:42:51.17
was by doing
some ghastly surgery.
00:42:51.17\00:42:56.04
But before He did the surgery,
00:42:56.04\00:42:57.44
He gave people
120 years to repent.
00:42:57.44\00:43:01.71
Now some of you say,
well, that was the problem,
00:43:01.71\00:43:03.28
I mean if you give me
120 years to do something,
00:43:03.28\00:43:05.61
I'll just procrastinate.
00:43:05.61\00:43:09.12
In fact, none of us
have likely 120 years,
00:43:09.12\00:43:12.79
I could say that with
some certainty, right?
00:43:12.79\00:43:16.42
But the point was God in mercy
00:43:16.42\00:43:18.46
gave everyone a chance to repent
00:43:18.46\00:43:21.73
but when people said,
00:43:21.73\00:43:22.83
we are going to
hold on to the gangrene
00:43:22.83\00:43:25.83
if you will have
sinned, God said,
00:43:25.83\00:43:28.14
finally there was
no choice for humanity
00:43:28.14\00:43:30.44
but to cut off all
those gangrenous appendages,
00:43:30.44\00:43:34.08
and it may sound
terrible to the secularists
00:43:34.08\00:43:36.38
who doesn't understand eternity
00:43:36.38\00:43:38.28
and who doesn't
understand the love of God,
00:43:38.28\00:43:40.25
but it was the most
loving thing God could do.
00:43:40.25\00:43:42.28
It was the only
way to save the planet,
00:43:42.28\00:43:45.59
to save the righteous few.
00:43:45.59\00:43:48.69
If He had not intervened then,
00:43:48.69\00:43:50.53
the whole earth would have
been swallowed up in wickedness.
00:43:50.53\00:43:54.23
There would have
been nothing to do
00:43:54.23\00:43:55.46
but to recreate
the earth from nothing
00:43:55.46\00:43:58.90
if He was going to do it.
00:43:58.90\00:44:00.54
But instead He saved a remnant.
00:44:00.54\00:44:06.51
Tuesday tells us
00:44:06.51\00:44:07.58
there's more
disunity and separation,
00:44:07.58\00:44:10.11
we come to the Tower of Babel.
00:44:10.11\00:44:12.41
And there in Genesis 11,
00:44:12.41\00:44:15.42
we read a very, very
interesting statement.
00:44:15.42\00:44:17.45
By the way if
you read Genesis 9,
00:44:17.45\00:44:20.06
you'll see that God again
covenants this time with Noah.
00:44:20.06\00:44:24.39
He promises him, He tells
him, actually let's look at it
00:44:24.39\00:44:27.86
before we go to Genesis
11, look at Genesis 9 with me.
00:44:27.86\00:44:31.63
In Genesis 9 if
that chapter begins,
00:44:31.63\00:44:34.80
God says really
00:44:34.80\00:44:36.77
that His intent for
this planet has not changed,
00:44:36.77\00:44:39.31
He wants people
to dwell in unity.
00:44:39.31\00:44:41.24
He wants the earth
00:44:41.24\00:44:42.51
to share in the fullness
of His love and His unity.
00:44:42.51\00:44:46.21
He has now set
aside a group of people
00:44:46.21\00:44:49.15
who are faithful
and loyal to Him.
00:44:49.15\00:44:51.25
And He says in
chapter 9 verses 1 and 2,
00:44:51.25\00:44:54.72
"God blesses Noah and his sons
00:44:54.72\00:44:56.66
and He says to them,
00:44:56.66\00:44:57.76
'Be fruitful and
multiply and fill the earth.' "
00:44:57.76\00:45:01.73
And then he goes on
and he gives promises,
00:45:01.73\00:45:03.60
he promises the rainbow,
the sign of the Covenant.
00:45:03.60\00:45:07.04
But when we come to Genesis 11.
00:45:07.04\00:45:09.54
In the Tower of Babel,
00:45:09.54\00:45:11.04
God's promises
again are forgotten,
00:45:11.04\00:45:13.31
what God says
is not as important
00:45:13.31\00:45:16.58
as what others are saying
00:45:16.58\00:45:19.11
and what your own
senses are telling you.
00:45:19.11\00:45:21.25
Look with me at Genesis 11,
00:45:21.25\00:45:24.15
it says Genesis 11:1,
00:45:24.15\00:45:26.79
the whole earth had one
language and one speech.
00:45:26.79\00:45:30.93
And it came to
pass that there on that
00:45:30.93\00:45:33.06
vast land of Shinar
00:45:33.06\00:45:35.26
there on the
Mesopotamian region there
00:45:35.26\00:45:38.43
and that Fertile Crescent.
00:45:38.43\00:45:40.24
And it says in verse 3,
00:45:40.24\00:45:43.34
it says, "They
said to one another,
00:45:43.34\00:45:44.77
'Come let us make bricks
and bake them thoroughly.'"
00:45:44.77\00:45:47.68
And so they get
these building materials.
00:45:47.68\00:45:50.31
And in verse 4, they say,
"Come let us build ourselves
00:45:50.31\00:45:53.01
a city and a tower
whose top is in the heavens.
00:45:53.01\00:45:55.85
Let us make a
name for ourselves,
00:45:55.85\00:45:58.89
lest we be scattered abroad
00:45:58.89\00:46:01.89
over the face of
the whole earth."
00:46:01.89\00:46:04.09
You catch what's going
on here, God says scatter,
00:46:04.09\00:46:07.36
scatter,
replenish the whole earth.
00:46:07.36\00:46:09.70
And the folks say,
00:46:09.70\00:46:10.83
"Hey, we're all getting
along well together here.
00:46:10.83\00:46:12.93
We're just going
to stay together,
00:46:12.93\00:46:14.14
in fact we're
going to build something
00:46:14.14\00:46:15.24
that goes to the heavens."
00:46:15.24\00:46:16.27
The implication is
00:46:16.27\00:46:17.61
that they didn't
trust God's promise
00:46:17.61\00:46:19.14
that he'd never
sent a flood either.
00:46:19.14\00:46:21.38
And so again
relying on their own wisdom,
00:46:21.38\00:46:23.35
trusting in their
own selves they do what?
00:46:23.35\00:46:26.11
They erect their own monuments
in contrast to God's word.
00:46:26.11\00:46:31.52
You know God has to do it again.
00:46:31.52\00:46:34.42
He again has to
call out a remnant
00:46:34.42\00:46:37.33
in the very next chapter,
00:46:37.33\00:46:40.16
Genesis 12 we see
the call of Abram.
00:46:40.16\00:46:44.83
And it's amazing as you read
through the story of Abraham,
00:46:44.83\00:46:48.20
the focus there of Wednesday
and then Thursday's lesson
00:46:48.20\00:46:51.21
because Abram is the progenitor,
00:46:51.21\00:46:54.74
is the forefather
ultimately of the Jewish nation.
00:46:54.74\00:46:59.11
And what God is doing
and what He's doing today
00:46:59.11\00:47:02.08
is He's calling a
people because you see Abraham
00:47:02.08\00:47:05.09
was not just the
father of the Jews,
00:47:05.09\00:47:07.19
he is the father of
all those who have faith.
00:47:07.19\00:47:10.26
We have another scripture
that we're going to look at,
00:47:10.26\00:47:12.46
it's found in Galatians 3:7-9.
00:47:12.46\00:47:15.20
Before we have that read for us,
00:47:15.20\00:47:17.40
I just want to remind
you of what Abram gave up.
00:47:17.40\00:47:21.00
Look at Genesis 12 with me,
00:47:21.00\00:47:23.37
again it's, the story is if
we want to be united to God,
00:47:23.37\00:47:27.21
we have to take Him at His word,
00:47:27.21\00:47:29.38
even when it
contradicts our senses.
00:47:29.38\00:47:32.31
You see, Abram history tells us
00:47:32.31\00:47:34.02
was living in a
wonderfully affluent area,
00:47:34.02\00:47:36.89
Ur of the Chaldees.
00:47:36.89\00:47:38.39
Amazing
structures, they found them,
00:47:38.39\00:47:40.09
amazing gold artifacts,
00:47:40.09\00:47:42.22
amazing artistry,
00:47:42.22\00:47:43.69
it was the New York
City, the Paris, the London,
00:47:43.69\00:47:46.70
the Beijing, whatever
your model city is today,
00:47:46.70\00:47:49.43
that's what it was in the day.
00:47:49.43\00:47:51.03
And Abram is called to
leave, to get out of his country
00:47:51.03\00:47:55.44
and God promises to bless
him and make him a blessing.
00:47:55.44\00:48:00.44
This is the blessing that God
pronounces on His church today,
00:48:00.44\00:48:03.55
catch it as we hear
from Galatians 3:7-9.
00:48:03.55\00:48:09.05
"Therefore know that
only those who are of faith
00:48:09.05\00:48:12.19
are sons of Abraham.
00:48:12.19\00:48:14.19
And the Scripture, foreseeing
00:48:14.19\00:48:15.82
that God would
justify the Gentiles by faith,
00:48:15.82\00:48:19.39
preached the gospel
to Abraham beforehand,
00:48:19.39\00:48:21.70
saying, 'In you all the
nations shall be blessed.'
00:48:21.70\00:48:26.30
So then those who
are of faith are blessed
00:48:26.30\00:48:29.27
with believing Abraham."
00:48:29.27\00:48:32.27
What does it take
to be united to God?
00:48:32.27\00:48:36.78
It takes accepting the
gift that He's given us,
00:48:36.78\00:48:39.08
accepting His
forgiveness, accepting His Son
00:48:39.08\00:48:43.28
and trusting Him.
00:48:43.28\00:48:45.15
And that's really the
essence for unity in the church.
00:48:45.15\00:48:48.12
It's becoming one with
Jesus, one with the Father,
00:48:48.12\00:48:51.36
one with the Godhead
00:48:51.36\00:48:52.73
and then we become
one with one another.
00:48:52.73\00:48:55.06
And as we close again
looking at Friday's lesson,
00:48:55.06\00:48:57.43
I will remind you
00:48:57.43\00:48:59.03
that the Sabbath was not
just a symbol of creation,
00:48:59.03\00:49:03.51
but it's a symbol of redemption.
00:49:03.51\00:49:06.01
When the Ten
Commandments are given,
00:49:06.01\00:49:07.21
the second time in Deuteronomy,
00:49:07.21\00:49:09.11
the Sabbath
we're told to keep it
00:49:09.11\00:49:10.68
because God is our
Redeemer, our Deliverer.
00:49:10.68\00:49:13.95
And in Isaiah 66, the
Sabbath is that special time
00:49:13.95\00:49:18.29
throughout eternity
where we'll meet together
00:49:18.29\00:49:21.99
around the throne of the King.
00:49:21.99\00:49:26.29
Well, Oneness in Christ,
we're embarking on a study,
00:49:26.29\00:49:29.83
I invite you to
be with us next time
00:49:29.83\00:49:33.00
as we look at
lesson two in our series.
00:49:33.00\00:49:35.87
And we do have a special
offer, don't forget that.
00:49:35.87\00:49:38.64
It's available, free
offer number 857, 8-5-7,
00:49:38.64\00:49:43.31
"Holiness and Purity."
00:49:43.31\00:49:45.31
You can get it by
calling 866-Study-More.
00:49:45.31\00:49:48.88
Or you can text
it to the information
00:49:48.88\00:49:51.52
that's showing on the
screen, text that code,
00:49:51.52\00:49:54.72
get the free resource that
goes along with the lesson.
00:49:54.72\00:49:58.69
We look forward
to seeing you again
00:49:58.69\00:50:00.26
next week as we study
together on the theme,
00:50:00.26\00:50:03.50
Oneness in Christ.
00:50:03.50\00:50:05.60
My parents got divorced
when I was three or four
00:50:11.91\00:50:14.11
and then I was basically
unchurched most of my life.
00:50:14.11\00:50:17.55
I had a girlfriend at
high school tell me that
00:50:17.55\00:50:19.25
she had to break up with me
because I wasn't a Christian.
00:50:19.25\00:50:21.25
I thought that's
weird, I believe in God,
00:50:21.25\00:50:22.68
why would she say that
00:50:22.68\00:50:23.92
without realizing I
was living a horrible life
00:50:23.92\00:50:25.69
with foul language, I
was mean and other stuff.
00:50:25.69\00:50:28.46
And that kind of
challenged me initially
00:50:28.46\00:50:31.66
and then my dad,
9/11 woke him up,
00:50:31.66\00:50:34.00
he wasn't ready
to meet his Lord,
00:50:34.00\00:50:35.46
though he was a man I
valued and knew loved me,
00:50:35.46\00:50:38.40
didn't doubt that.
00:50:38.40\00:50:39.63
But he just knew he needed more.
00:50:39.63\00:50:40.87
So he started
watching TV ministries first.
00:50:40.87\00:50:44.11
Baptist preachers and others
00:50:44.11\00:50:45.47
and he was kind of intrigued
by what he was learning.
00:50:45.47\00:50:49.28
And so when he turned me
on to this television station,
00:50:49.28\00:50:52.11
first thing that I got access to
00:50:52.11\00:50:54.65
was Doug Batchelor's
Most Amazing Prophecy series
00:50:54.65\00:50:57.02
that he did in
Berrien Springs, Michigan.
00:50:57.02\00:50:59.32
And I remember when
I first watched this,
00:50:59.32\00:51:00.92
my background was
Baptistish of sorts.
00:51:00.92\00:51:04.26
I remember when I
first watched this series.
00:51:04.26\00:51:07.23
I remember thinking,
I've never heard that before
00:51:07.23\00:51:09.13
about the state of the
dead, or about the Sabbath,
00:51:09.13\00:51:11.57
or the Commandments, or
the rapture or other things.
00:51:11.57\00:51:14.30
I remember thinking to myself,
I've never heard that before
00:51:14.30\00:51:16.47
but that's what the text says.
00:51:16.47\00:51:18.84
And that kept happening
and I had this experience
00:51:18.84\00:51:21.08
of just wondering like,
well, what else have I believe
00:51:21.08\00:51:23.58
that isn't as it is, you know.
00:51:23.58\00:51:25.58
And the more I watched,
the more helpful it became,
00:51:25.58\00:51:28.85
but again he kind of
took a different perspective
00:51:28.85\00:51:30.82
on the messages,
it was fresh to me
00:51:30.82\00:51:33.09
but I just, these
things I had never heard before
00:51:33.09\00:51:35.99
and I just realized like
00:51:35.99\00:51:38.29
there's so much
stuff in the Bible
00:51:38.29\00:51:40.10
that no one's talking about
and that people need to know.
00:51:40.10\00:51:43.37
And so I ended up in
this awkward situation
00:51:43.37\00:51:45.60
that some of my
friends who didn't believe
00:51:45.60\00:51:47.77
what I was coming to believe,
00:51:47.77\00:51:49.44
I didn't know how to
communicate with them.
00:51:49.44\00:51:51.34
And so one of the
things that helped me initially
00:51:51.34\00:51:53.98
was the
sabbathtruth.com website,
00:51:53.98\00:51:56.81
the truthabouthell.com,
00:51:56.81\00:51:58.85
and the truth about death
00:51:58.85\00:51:59.91
and some of
those resource websites
00:51:59.91\00:52:01.88
and Amazing
Facts you put together,
00:52:01.88\00:52:03.62
they were just
full of resources.
00:52:03.62\00:52:05.92
If I needed an
answer to something
00:52:05.92\00:52:07.39
that someone brought up,
there would be 95% chance
00:52:07.39\00:52:11.49
that Amazing Facts would
have something that I could use.
00:52:11.49\00:52:13.86
It makes witnessing
even easier in that sense.
00:52:13.86\00:52:16.77
The Amazing Facts
prophecy study Bible
00:52:16.77\00:52:18.53
was my first
real Bible that I had
00:52:18.53\00:52:21.47
of more trusted translation,
00:52:21.47\00:52:23.17
and the Bible study guides
were in the back, everything,
00:52:23.17\00:52:25.17
they had lot of other
resources that were helpful.
00:52:25.17\00:52:27.48
If you can hand
a book to somebody
00:52:27.48\00:52:29.51
and you can pick up a
phone and call Amazing Facts,
00:52:29.51\00:52:31.35
you have everything you need.
00:52:31.35\00:52:32.38
And so I was just
printing off stuff
00:52:32.38\00:52:33.82
and handing it
to people, you know,
00:52:33.82\00:52:35.05
like here's what
I'm coming to realize,
00:52:35.05\00:52:36.95
this is true, it's in the Bible.
00:52:36.95\00:52:38.89
And was a huge
blessing to me and a real help
00:52:38.89\00:52:41.89
just to kind of help
me to better understand
00:52:41.89\00:52:44.59
what the message was
00:52:44.59\00:52:46.43
and understand it for
myself and they have resources
00:52:46.43\00:52:48.43
to put in hands of other people.
00:52:48.43\00:52:49.50
It was invaluable.
00:52:49.50\00:52:50.80
Some time went by, then I
went to school of evangelism
00:52:50.80\00:52:53.87
and was baptized.
00:52:53.87\00:52:55.10
And then I had
this amazing opportunity
00:52:55.10\00:52:56.97
that after being in ministry
for about five or six years,
00:52:56.97\00:53:00.21
Doug Batchelor was going to be
00:53:00.21\00:53:01.28
the main speaker
at a youth event.
00:53:01.28\00:53:02.98
And I was actually
going to be doing a seminar
00:53:02.98\00:53:04.95
at this youth event.
00:53:04.95\00:53:06.11
I mean, this is amazing
kind of full circle experience
00:53:06.11\00:53:08.75
that the first person
that I came in contact
00:53:08.75\00:53:10.89
with Adventism.
00:53:10.89\00:53:12.29
To hear the message,
to have it make sense,
00:53:12.29\00:53:13.86
to be able to do
ministry together with him
00:53:13.86\00:53:16.56
in whatever role possible
just meant the world to me
00:53:16.56\00:53:19.36
and to be able to tell him
my story and tell him thank you
00:53:19.36\00:53:22.00
was invaluable.
00:53:22.00\00:53:23.03
And so God just
gave me a precious gift
00:53:23.03\00:53:26.23
in affording that opportunity
and I'll never forget that.
00:53:26.23\00:53:28.90
My name is Dee.
00:53:28.90\00:53:30.21
Thank you for changing my life.
00:53:30.21\00:53:32.04
Let's face it,
it's not always easy
00:53:38.31\00:53:40.58
to understand everything
you read in the Bible.
00:53:40.58\00:53:43.18
With over 700,000
words contained in 66 books,
00:53:43.18\00:53:46.96
the Bible can
generate a lot of questions.
00:53:46.96\00:53:49.52
To get biblical
straightforward answers,
00:53:49.52\00:53:51.79
call into Bible Answers Live,
00:53:51.79\00:53:53.70
a live nationwide
call-in radio program
00:53:53.70\00:53:56.36
where you can talk
to Pastor Doug Batchelor
00:53:56.36\00:53:58.67
and ask him your most
difficult Bible questions.
00:53:58.67\00:54:01.30
For times and
stations in your area
00:54:01.30\00:54:03.44
or to listen to answers online,
visit Bal.AmazingFacts.org.
00:54:03.44\00:54:08.91
What can be more
irresistible than a kitten?
00:54:24.53\00:54:27.03
These guys might look cute
now but some of their ancestors
00:54:27.03\00:54:30.13
have grown into man-eaters.
00:54:30.13\00:54:31.57
We're here in a lion
park in South Africa now,
00:54:36.30\00:54:38.54
where we can view these
creatures in relative safety,
00:54:38.54\00:54:41.38
but there's a reason they're
known as the king of beasts.
00:54:41.38\00:54:44.91
So what is it that people find
00:54:44.91\00:54:46.11
so enchanting and
frightening about lions?
00:54:46.11\00:54:48.52
Is it their speed? Their
claws? Their sharp teeth?
00:54:48.52\00:54:51.95
Or all of the above?
00:54:51.95\00:54:53.52
Might also be
some of the stories
00:54:53.52\00:54:55.06
about man eating lions
00:54:55.06\00:54:56.83
like in 1898
right here in Africa,
00:54:56.83\00:54:59.76
they were building a bridge
over the Tsavo River in Kenya,
00:54:59.76\00:55:03.20
and two brother lions terrorized
00:55:03.20\00:55:05.40
the construction process,
00:55:05.40\00:55:07.17
eating 135 workers.
00:55:07.17\00:55:11.44
Did you know lions
are mentioned in the Bible
00:55:11.44\00:55:13.38
over a hundred times
00:55:13.38\00:55:14.71
and you can
find them all the way
00:55:14.71\00:55:16.18
from Genesis to Revelation.
00:55:16.18\00:55:18.18
It's usually in
reference to their ferocity
00:55:18.18\00:55:20.32
and how dangerous they are.
00:55:20.32\00:55:22.05
Of course, Samson killed
a lion with his bare hands.
00:55:22.05\00:55:24.82
David killed a lion.
00:55:24.82\00:55:26.39
There are
man-eating lions in the Bible.
00:55:26.39\00:55:28.46
The way that
they punish criminals
00:55:28.46\00:55:29.99
was by throwing
them in the lion's den.
00:55:29.99\00:55:32.29
And early Christians
were even fed to lions.
00:55:32.29\00:55:35.43
But amazingly as
the Bible mentions
00:55:35.43\00:55:37.57
not all lions are to be feared.
00:55:37.57\00:55:39.60
There have been a few
friendly lions in history.
00:55:39.60\00:55:42.44
For example, in the 1950s
00:55:42.44\00:55:45.11
a couple George
and Margaret Westbeau
00:55:45.11\00:55:47.71
who lived up at a ranch
near Seattle, Washington
00:55:47.71\00:55:50.65
adopted an abandoned lion cub.
00:55:50.65\00:55:53.52
They named it Little Tyke
'cause they felt sorry for it.
00:55:53.52\00:55:56.48
But they discovered as
they tried to feed her,
00:55:56.48\00:55:59.02
she refused to
eat any meat at all.
00:55:59.02\00:56:02.32
They were concerned
thinking there was no hope
00:56:02.32\00:56:04.29
for this little
lioness to survive
00:56:04.29\00:56:06.06
and everybody told them the same
00:56:06.06\00:56:07.83
because we know in the wild,
00:56:07.83\00:56:09.30
lions survive on
almost entirely meat diet.
00:56:09.30\00:56:12.87
Then someone
showed the Westbeaus
00:56:12.87\00:56:14.60
that verse in the Bible
that talks about in heaven
00:56:14.60\00:56:17.57
the animals are vegetarians
00:56:17.57\00:56:19.21
and the lion will
eat straw like the ox.
00:56:19.21\00:56:22.64
That encouraged them
00:56:22.64\00:56:23.95
and so they began
to feed Little Tyke
00:56:23.95\00:56:26.08
a purely vegetarian diet.
00:56:26.08\00:56:28.28
Not only did she survive,
00:56:28.28\00:56:30.09
she thrived growing into a
lion that was over 352 pounds
00:56:30.09\00:56:35.02
and over 10 feet long.
00:56:35.02\00:56:37.23
In fact, zoologist
had examined Little Tyke
00:56:37.23\00:56:39.53
when she was full grown
said they had never seen
00:56:39.53\00:56:41.93
such a perfect specimen
of a lioness in their life.
00:56:41.93\00:56:45.50
A pure vegetarian.
00:56:45.50\00:56:47.64
You know, when we
hear incredible stories
00:56:47.64\00:56:49.27
about that of little Tyke,
00:56:49.27\00:56:50.91
it reminds us that
God's original plan
00:56:50.91\00:56:53.24
was to make a
world of total peace.
00:56:53.24\00:56:55.84
It describes it here in
the Bible in Isaiah 11:6,
00:56:55.84\00:56:59.55
"The wolf also will
dwell with the lamb,
00:56:59.55\00:57:02.22
the leopard will lie
down with the young goat,
00:57:02.22\00:57:04.59
the calf and the young
lion and the fatling together,
00:57:04.59\00:57:07.39
and a little
child will lead them.
00:57:07.39\00:57:09.76
Nothing is going
to hurt and destroy
00:57:09.76\00:57:11.46
in the new
heavens and the new earth
00:57:11.46\00:57:12.93
that God is going to create."
00:57:12.93\00:57:14.50
Wouldn't you like
to live in a kingdom
00:57:14.50\00:57:15.96
where there's perfect peace,
00:57:15.96\00:57:17.07
where there is no more
death or killing or pain.
00:57:17.07\00:57:20.57
God says that He
wants you in that kingdom.
00:57:20.57\00:57:23.20
The Lamb of God made it possible
00:57:23.20\00:57:25.84
for you to have an encounter
00:57:25.84\00:57:27.34
with a lion of
the tribe of Judah.
00:57:27.34\00:57:29.38
Wouldn't you like
to meet him today?
00:57:29.38\00:57:31.35
Can't get enough
Amazing Facts Bible Study,
00:57:38.69\00:57:41.56
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00:57:41.56\00:57:43.29
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00:57:43.29\00:57:45.93
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00:57:45.93\00:57:50.97
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00:57:50.97\00:57:53.20
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00:57:53.20\00:57:55.94
as well as printed
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00:57:55.94\00:57:59.07
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00:57:59.07\00:58:01.74
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00:58:01.74\00:58:04.25
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00:58:04.25\00:58:07.22