YOU’D BETTER ADAM AND EVE IT!
March 08, 2017
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Genesis 2:5-25
Adam and Eve
5-7 At the time God made Earth and Heaven, before any grasses or shrubs had sprouted from the ground—God hadn’t yet sent rain on Earth, nor was there anyone around to work the ground (the whole Earth was watered by underground springs)—God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!
8-9 Then God planted a garden in Eden, in the east. He put the Man he had just made in it. God made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. The Tree-of-Life was in the middle of the garden, also the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil.
10-14 A river flows out of Eden to water the garden and from there divides into four rivers. The first is named Pishon; it flows through Havilah where there is gold. The gold of this land is good. The land is also known for a sweet-scented resin and the onyx stone. The second river is named Gihon; it flows through the land of Cush. The third river is named Hiddekel and flows east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 God took the Man and set him down in the Garden of Eden to work the ground and keep it in order.
16-17 God commanded the Man, “You can eat from any tree in the garden, except from the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil. Don’t eat from it. The moment you eat from that tree, you’re dead.”
18-20 God said, “It’s not good for the Man to be alone; I’ll make him a helper, a companion.” So God formed from the dirt of the ground all the animals of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the Man to see what he would name them. Whatever the Man called each living creature, that was its name. The Man named the cattle, named the birds of the air, named the wild animals; but he didn’t find a suitable companion.
21-22 God put the Man into a deep sleep. As he slept he removed one of his ribs and replaced it with flesh. God then used the rib that he had taken from the Man to make Woman and presented her to the Man.
23-25 The Man said,
“Finally! Bone of my bone,
flesh of my flesh!
Name her Woman
for she was made from Man.”
Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife. They become one flesh.
The two of them, the Man and his Wife, were naked, but they felt no shame.
Imagine that!! Can you Adam and Eve it???
They had a beautiful Des Res, a real paradise,
All they had to do was keep to the contract – and not eat from one particular tree!
Eat everything else, enjoy yourselves, love the Garden and look after it–
just don’t eat from that tree.
But they did.
A smooth operator slid along, and conned them into thinking it was their right –
and anyway if they ate it they would become as great as.....
As great as God. Wow.
In a way it was true – after eating the fruit from “that” tree
They saw themselves as they were: naked, guilty.
And they lost their Garden, and a lot more beside.
That’s the picture of how it began – The Great Divide between God and Humanity.
I expect most of us understand it; after all we con ourselves every day –
“no one will miss a few (reams) of paper....”
“I’ll make up my time next week...”
“Don’t tell them, but I can’t stand them..”
“Did you hear what she said about you?”
“No sorry, have to go straight home.... (whisper) pub down the road ok?”
“Sorry, Church not for me – Sunday is our family day.”
“Course I believe in God – but it doesn’t make much difference, why should it?”
Fortunately for all of us (you’d better Adam and Eve it!) God has offered us a new contract.
He does not want to destroy us – no matter much we turn away from him, or reject him.
He wants to offer us a fresh start – not once, but over and over again.
The contract is on-going,
and based firstly on Jesus and his life, death and resurrection,
and secondly on us wanting to turn our lives over to God,
to his forgiveness and renewing love.
PRAYER
Amazing, forgiving God –you see us as we are, and love us.
Open our eyes that we too may see ourselves as we are;
And ask your forgiveness, and accept your love and grace,
To work in us and help us become the people you made us to be.
Amen
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