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You Shall Not

What emotion(s) or questions are you noticing in response to this post’s title, “You Shall Not”?

Let’s add another word: “You shall not eat”. What surfaces now?

Are you feeling discontented? Angry? Rebellious? Focused on the high calorie food you love? Fearful?

What if we add four more words: “Did God actually say, “You shall not eat”?

How does this change the tone of the question in your mind?

If someone young asked you this how would you react? How about a nutrition expert?

Can you see how the context of a question matters?

In Genesis 3:1, a new character is introduced to the narrative who asks Eve this very question.

ESV  Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

What are we told about the serpent in this verse?

  1. The serpent is a wild beast.
  2. The serpent is more crafty than other beasts of the field.
  3. The serpent was made by the LORD God.
  4. The serpent speaks the same language as Adam, Eve and the LORD God.
  5. The serpent doesn’t refer to God as LORD.
  6. The serpent seriously misquotes God’s command from Genesis 2:16-17.

ESV  Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 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 description of the character and origin of the serpent provides hints that something is awry in the garden. Genesis 3:1 sets up the context for what is referred to in both Christian and Jewish faiths as the fall of mankind. Next time we’ll look at how Eve responded to the serpent.

Meanwhile, what emotions or questions do you have after looking at Genesis 3:1?

Blessings,

Barbara Lynn

 

 

 

 

 

 

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God’s Role in Tragedy and Sorrow

One of the hardest things to grasp when reading the Bible are the times where God is shown as allowing bad things to happen or even sending trouble someone’s way. Many in our society today take great offense at these aspects of the Judeo-Christian God.

My daily reading in the Bible has recently taken me through 1 Samuel where it shares the stories of Saul and then later David becoming kings of Israel. Several times in this section there are statements that God has removed His Spirit from Saul and sent a harmful spirit instead to torment Saul.

For instance, 1 Samuel 16:14 reads:

Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. (1Sa 16:14 ESV)

Some translations use the words “an evil spirit from the LORD” instead.

Many ask how can a God be all good that allows or sends harmful or evil spirits to torment someone? If one takes 1 Samuel 16:14 without considering all that came prior to it and what follows afterward one can easily be perplexed at God’s action here. In other words, one must take into consideration the context of the action, not just the action itself.

Take a moment to look back at 1 Samuel 8:1-5.

The people of Israel ask Samuel, God’s prophet, to appoint for them a king so they can be like the nations around them. Did you catch the transition in their thinking? They no longer wanted God to rule over them. Instead, they preferred being ruled by a human king.

What was their reasoning for asking this? Initially they say it is because Samuel’s sons were taking bribes and perverting justice. If this was the reason why didn’t they simply ask for Samuel’s sons to be removed from their roles and request new appointees? The real reason comes at the end of their request. They wanted to emulate the nations around them by having a monarchy.

Did you catch that? They wanted to emulate who? The God of Israel had made a covenant with them to protect and lead them, demonstrating exactly this as He rescued them from Egypt and settled them in a land that wasn’t theirs. And now they want to emulate the nations around them instead of following the God who had brought them to this point in time!

What is Samuel’s response? (see 1 Samuel 8:6)

Samuel was not grieved simply because his sons had failed in their appointed role. A literal translation of the Hebrew in this verse is “the thing was evil in Samuel’s eyes”. Thus, he immediately took the people’s request for a king to the Lord.

What is the Lord’s response? (see 1 Samuel 8:7-9)

Unexpectedly, the Lord tells Samuel to grant the people’s request to put a king over them! But He also tells Samuel to explain how an earthly king will treat them.

Compare 1 Samuel 8:11-13 with Exodus 13:1-2.

An earthly king will “take your sons” and “your daughters”. God required that the firstborn be consecrated to the Lord. Both “kings” required a giving of people to themselves. The king will take both sons and daughters without any set limit. God only required the firstborn be consecrated to him. Consecration involves a setting apart and declaring someone or something sacred for the service of a deity.

Compare 1 Samuel 8:14-17 with Exodus 34:18-26

The earthly king will take the best of all fields, vineyards, and orchards. He will also take a 10th of all grain and grapes produced. Not just from the fields, vineyards, and orchards he claims for himself, but every crop. The earthly king will also take male and female servants, the best of the young men, donkeys, and flocks. Lastly, the earthly king will ultimately enslave the people.

God states again in Exodus 34:19 that all firstborn, whether human or animal, belong to Him. But verse 20 talks about how one redeems donkeys and firstborn sons with a sacrificial lamb. He appoints specific feasts, a work/rest cycle based on His own example in Genesis 1-2, and the first fruits of all produce that is harvested. He also promises how He will bless the nation and give them land if they abide by these regulations.

Which king is ultimately best for the Israelites? God or a human?

Why can God be more generous toward the Israelites than an earthly king?

Back to why God sent a spirit to torment Saul. Look at 1 Sam 16:14-23. In these verses we learn that David is called in to play harp music to soothe Saul when he is being spiritually troubled.

Look at 1 Samuel 16:11-13

Prior to David’s assignment as a musical therapist to King Saul, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David after Samuel anointed him as the next king of Israel. I find it fascinating that although the Lord leaves Saul personally in verse 14 he then places David who is now empowered by the Lord’s Spirit in Saul’s presence as Saul’s servant in verse 21.

Neither Saul nor David sought to be the king of Israel. In fact, Saul tried to hide among the baggage in order to avoid becoming Israel’s king. But once he became king and had received victories and blessings with the help of the Lord, Saul began to think more of himself than of God. David was anointed king by Samuel but humbly served as Saul’s music therapist and armor bearer while refusing to usurp Saul as king of Israel until after Saul was killed in battle.

1 Chronicles 10:13-14 provides a summary of the reasons for the Lord’s actions with Saul.

Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance and did not inquire of the LORD. So, the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Bottom line, God is God and we are not. We may not always understand why God has allowed or even sent tragedy in our lives or the lives of others. But as we study His word, we see this is something that’s occurred in Scripture for distinct purposes.  I’m reminded of the illustration of a tapestry. When we look at the backside of the tapestry it is impossible to see what the tapestry is designed to reveal. But when we look at the other side a clear picture of master craftsmanship is visible.

May you be encouraged today to reconsider the Judeo-Christian God’s role in your life or others struggling with tragedy and sorrow. May the Lord reveal to you a glimpse beyond the tragedy and sorrow towards His master craftsmanship of redemption for you.

I’d love to hear back some reader’s thoughts on this topic. Leave a comment on the blog or email me back at barbaralynn@barbaralynnseibel.com.

More to come!

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Managing Relationship Stressors

Are these fruits evident in your relationships when under stress?

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

I was recently in a meeting when the team was asked by the leader to take a moment to look at Galatians 5:22-23 and consider which fruit of the Spirit we struggled with the most in our relationships.

My first reaction to this question was to think it varied for me based on circumstances. Afterall, circumstances and people are all unique so what I might struggle with in one relationship could possibly be different in another one.

Then as I listened to a team member share their reaction to the question, I started to think I about asking those closest to me which fruit of the Spirit theyv’e observed I consistently struggle with in my relationships.

As the day progressed, I began to think of times when I’ve “lost it” with another person. This reflection finally yielded my answer to the question.

Ironically, the fruit of the Spirit I struggle with the most is also the one I tend to receive praise for from those in my work place settings, family members, and even close friends. When I’ve received this praise in the past, I’ve been a bit baffled because I knew what they were thinking they saw in me was far from the reality going on internally.

As I began sharing this information with my husband, but before I revealed what I had determined is my greatest struggle, he named it! After living with me for almost 30 years my husband has had plenty of opportunity to see how I process relationship stressors. So, it doesn’t surprise me at all that he could easily answer the question on my behalf. That he knew what I was going to say made me smile.

I seldom display what I’m truly struggling with in a relationship situation when I’m feeling irritated, frustrated, even angry, with the person in front of me. Many have praised me for having great patience in these moments. Even people whom I would’ve liked to tear to shreds have praised me for being patient!

But I know better. And my husband knows better. The gift that is truly being exercised in those moments is not patience but a heightened moral compunction towards self-control. Why do I say this?

Well if it was patience that is being exercised in these situations, I wouldn’t need to find a safe place and time to vent my frustrations or anger over the situations that irritated me! Sometimes my husband has helped me process my venting by being a safe sounding board. But most of the time I tend to vent when I’m alone. My husband has discovered me in the process of venting at times!

Several things are essential for me to be able to avoid “losing it” with anyone. First, I need to spend time with the Lord consistently and intently. Studying His Word and listening for His counsel above all others. Secondly, I need to take good care of my physical body with proper rest, exercise, and food choices. In addition, I need to limit my activity load so that the first two items are not neglected.

Granted life throws curve balls at me that I can’t always predict. And yes, no matter how well I’ve been practicing the things mentioned above, there are certain situations that somehow or another push my buttons in a negative direction. Thankfully, by God’s grace in granting of the heightened ability to exercise the fruit of self-control, it is rare for me to “lose it” in a situation.

How about you? Which fruit of the Spirit do you struggle with the most? Send me your thoughts on this topic!

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A Branch of Hope

Read Genesis 7:4-8:10

Noah had built the ark, gathered his wife, sons and daughters-in-law as well as pairs of all animals including additional ones for sacrificial offerings while in the ark. Once sealed in the ark by God’s own hand it began to rain. How long did it rain? (Genesis 7:4)

Then after the rain stops, how many days passed? (Genesis 7:24)

Once the ark ceases to move, how many days did Noah wait before he opens a window of the ark to send out first a raven and then a dove? (Genesis 8:6-8)

The dove returns because it had no place to set her foot. Scripture tells us this means the earth was still covered in water.

How many days does Noah wait before sending out the dove again? (Genesis 8:10)

What does the dove return with? (Genesis 8:11)

And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So, Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. (Gen 8:11 ESV)

The first evidence of foliage post flood is a leaf from an olive tree. The ESV translation retains the word “behold” from the original Hebrew manuscript. “Behold” is a word meant as an exclamatory expression to draw focus and emphasis to what comes after it. In this case, hope is what is being emphasized. The rain has stopped. The ark has ceased floating around. The mountain tops have appeared. And now, an olive leaf is brought back to the ark by the dove.  Can you imagine the emotions that Noah and his family experienced that day?

Noah’s family had been in the ark tending to all the various animals for at least 244 days at this point. Bear in mind they had no TV, no cell phones, and no internet. They couldn’t go outside to warm themselves in the sun or walk barefoot in the grass for a “break” from the space and scenery of the ark. But now they finally have a sign that a food bearing tree is starting to leaf out!

What is the longest you’ve had to wait for a sign of hope from God? Or perhaps you’re still waiting for one? Write or share your experience with a friend today.

It strikes me that spending time considering the hope that God provides us, at just the right moment we need it, is something we may occasionally fail to recognize or acknowledge in our lives. We must be looking for these signs of hope with anticipation and expectation while continuing to work at what God has called us to do for Him. Even if it means days and days of routine. That’s the tricky part for most of us.  We must watch for and share with others the “behold” moments of hope we experience from our God.

May you have an expectant heart and fervent hope just as Noah did while continuing to be faithful in the routines your life currently entails.

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An Unknown Word

Why would God leave a word in the Bible that we can only identify as a noun due to its construction but have no other example available to us either in the Bible or other literature?

What purpose does something like this have in instructing us about God and His ways? How do we make sense of this for how we live out our faith?

The word I’m referring to is found in Genesis 6:14. It is sometimes left out of Biblical translations, simply transliterated, or a “best guess” is used in its place. Scholars debate what “gopher” is. Some think it is a type of tree that was wiped out because of the flood. Others think it may be a scribal error since the Hebrew “g” closely resembles the Hebrew “k”. If the word is supposed to be “kopher” then it would be describing a wood that has been treated to resist water. This latter argument makes a great deal of sense to my logical mind since Noah was building an ark meant to survive a flood. But the bottom line is we don’t know for certain.

How does this information impact you? Does it strengthen your faith or make you skeptical about the Bible’s accuracy?

As you continue to read the remainder of Genesis 6 do you notice that God gives Noah specific instructions on how the ark should be built and what is to be collected for this mission?

Did Noah understand the Lord’s instructions to him? (see Genesis 6:22)

God spoke clearly and precisely to Noah to save a remnant of all flesh. Noah listened to God and was obedient to the instructions.

Is it important that we know the meaning of “gopher”? (see Genesis 9:8-17)

Considering God has promised that He will never again destroy all flesh again via a flood, there will never again be a need for an ark made of gopher wood to be constructed.

So why write a post then about this unknown word?

In today’s world we have so many sources of information barraging our senses that it is often difficult to discern what we should listen to, let alone be obedient toward. Knowing that God spoke with specificity to Noah encourages me to believe that God will also speak to us today with the same clarity through His word so that we may navigate the waters of our own day and age.

But are we listening to Him and are we willing to do as He instructs us just like Noah did?

Are you willing to live out your faith in such a way that you make a difference for God’s mission to humanity?

What does this look like in your life today?

It may not be as epic as building an ark to save all flesh from a flood, but the mission will be specific to who God created you to be to point others to a different structure made of wood that served an even greater epic saving purpose, the cross of salvation. (see Matthew 27:32 to 28:20.)

We all have a specific role to play today. Are you listening and obeying? (See Romans 12:1-2)

Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and out with pitch. (Gen 6:14 ESV)

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What’s Your bloodline?

Sometimes life doesn’t take the route we expect. The past several months for myself have been full of unexpected responsibilities, illness, or injuries that made getting to my personal writing goals simply not feasible. Now that I’m able to return to my writing it struck me that sometimes in God’s word there appear to be gaps in the story line as well. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Yes, some details are left out, but we can trust that what is provided is exactly what we need to know.

Genesis 4-5

Based on the face value of the years of life mentioned in the list of Adam’s descendants at the start of Genesis 5, about 1056 years pass from the time Adam and Eve birthed their first son before we come to the story of Noah and the great flood. We’re not given all the details of what transpires during these 1056 years but the details we are told prepare us for this flood story.

Looking back at Genesis 4 we receive these details of Cain’s bloodline:

  1. Adam and Eve have two sons: Cain and Abel.
  2. Cain murders Abel. (See Genesis 4:1-16)
  3. Cain’s genealogical line develops toward a great-great-great grandson Lamech who was the first man to take two wives.
  4. This Lamech brags about killing a man in response to having been only wounded by that man.
  5. Lamech’s offspring tend to livestock, create musical instruments, and develop the forging of bronze and iron.
  6. Lamech’s son, Tubal-cain has a sister named Naamah. (See Genesis 4: 17-24)

The details that are shared about Seth’s descendants in Genesis 4:25 thru chapter 5 are:

  1. Adam and Eve have a third son: Seth.
  2. Seth has a son: Enosh.
  3. At this time the people began to call upon the name of the Lord.
  4. Enoch, the great-great-great grandson of Seth, “walked with God after he fathered Methuselah…Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.”
  5. Methuselah fathers Lamech.
  6. This Lamech fathers Noah and said about Noah, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands”. (See Genesis 5:28-29)

Genesis 5 opens with a summary of the fact that God created mankind then details the genealogical line from Adam through his third son Seth to Noah.

Why do you think this recap of creation is given at the start of Genesis 5 given what we’ve learned thus far in Genesis 1-4?

What difference do you see in the great-great-great grandsons of Cain (Lamech) versus Seth’s(Enoch)?

What is the result of this difference found in Enoch?

Can you see the importance of our need to call on the name of the Lord for the hope of the generations to come?

May the Lord deepen your understanding of His patience and provision for His creation as you reflect on the differences between Cain’s and Seth’s family heritage. As you personalize these lessons to your own life may the Lord give you insight and wisdom as to how He has provided for you in your own family heritage.

Maybe your heritage has more examples along the line of Cain’s bloodline than Seth’s. If so, thank the Lord for this knowledge and seek His strength and mercy to be the catalyst for future generations in your family line toward loving and serving the Lord above all else.

Or does your heritage have more in common with Seth’s blood line than Cain’s? If so, thank the Lord for this knowledge and continue to seek His strength and mercy to continue in faithfulness for future generations in your family line as well.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about Genesis 4-5 if you feel so led to share. Either post a comment on the blog site if you’d like to share with all readers or email me your comments if it is for my eyes only.

Blessings,

Barbara Lynn

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In the Midst

Genesis 2:9

And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

What does it mean to be “in the midst” of something?

Dictionary.com defines “in the midst” as the position of anything surrounded by other things or parts or occurring in the middle of a period of time.

Have you ever wondered why the tree of life is highlighted as being in the midst of the garden God created? What is the significance of this detail that is shared with us?

A synonym for “midst” is “middle”. Being in the middle of something means the object or person is equally distant from everything else within a specified area. In Genesis 2:9 this could mean the tree of life was at the very center of the garden God created. Or it could mean the tree of life was simply among the other trees of the garden.

Regardless of its precise physical placement within the garden design, scripture is making a point to highlight the tree of life as being present and available to mankind at the start of God’s design. However, God restricted our access to the tree of life as the consequence for disobedience to his first command after Eve and Adam ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (See Genesis 3:22-23)

Right now, we are “in the midst” of His plan of restoration for mankind. But guess what? We will one day have access to the tree of life again!

Revelation 22:1-2

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 22:14

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

What does it mean to “wash their robes”?

Revelation 7:14

I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Restoration is God’s plan for those who acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior. All who “wash their robes” in accepting Christ’s sacrifice (on a tree by the way) as the penalty for their sins will be granted access to the tree of life and its twelve fruits that yield a harvest every month!

In the meantime, we’ve been promised that the Helper, the Holy Spirit, is with us to teach and comfort us while we await the final restoration. (See John 14:26)

May you be encouraged knowing the Holy Spirit is “in the midst” of your daily experience until the time of the final restoration.

Blessings, Barbara Lynn

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Pleasure

pleasure

Genesis 2:9

I’m blessed to have a balcony at my home that is protected by tall evergreens and deciduous trees on the easement between our development and the adjacent high school parking lot. This area is a great place to spend time “defragging” my mind when the weather is conducive. And it affords me a cozy, private feel.

At times, when I think there are no breezes around I’ll still see a leaf or branch shimmy to a breeze that is too high up for me to personally feel. I believe my love of trees stems from my childhood home. My parents still reside where I grew up so every time I get the opportunity to visit there I’m reminded of all the beautiful trees on their property and surrounding neighborhood that I would spend time gazing at or climbing in as a child.

So, what’s the point of this study today? My previous post focused on the provision of trees that yield food for our sustenance. Did you notice in the quote from Reference.com that less than 1% of plants are food bearing? What is the purpose of the other more than 99%? Let’s read Genesis 2:9 again:

And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Gen 2:9 ESV)

Did you see it?  “Pleasant to the sight” is part of God’s purpose for trees. We’ll look at other purposes for trees as we continue to travel together but right now simply focus on the fact that God appreciates and desires beauty. He purposely decorated the earth with all kinds of vegetation for our enjoyment and His.

As I write this post it just happens to be the fall season when the leaves are turning from their summer shades of glorious greens to a cornucopia of bronze, gold, and earthy reds. Other seasons provide interesting textures and colorful flowers from new growth, or nothing but the barky structure that stands firm year-round.

A little over a year after moving to South Carolina our dog, Bear, passed away after many ups and downs. I was grieving the loss of this precious pet as I drove the same route to work I’d been traveling for months. As I stopped for a red light my eyes glanced to the left to see a tree I’d seen many times before. At that moment though something about that tree wowed me more deeply than before. It shook me from my grief into a moment of praising God for His amazing creation.

Have you ever experienced a moment when a part of God’s creation moved you to praise and adoration of your creator? Or are you too busy grumbling that you need to clean leaves out of your home’s rain gutters or some other task that involves assisting the plants around you? Yes, nature can create work for us. (See Genesis 2:5, 15). But God also intended for the trees and other vegetation to generate pleasure and sustenance for us.

I’d love to hear your stories of how God’s landscaping efforts have impacted you towards awe and wonder. May you experience the pleasure of God’s creation today!

Blessings,

Barbara Lynn

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Feeling Fruity!

Genesis 1

I’ve planted two fruit trees in my life time. The first was a cherry tree that had two varieties of cherries grafted together so that they could help pollinate each other. Sadly, I moved away from that home before I could appreciate more than a handful of cherries from the tree. My next fruit tree endeavor was a miniature peach tree in a large pot on my patio when living in Oklahoma. The harvest from this tree was also small but incredibly delicious before the tree died due to an attack of fungus. If my current dwelling had more sun and space I’d probably be planning some new adventure with a fruit tree.

Have you ever wondered why God created trees? The first mention of trees in Genesis specifically highlights fruit trees.

And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that is was good. Genesis 1:11-12 ESV

Then after mankind is created God says, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” Genesis 1:29 ESV

It is clear from these verses that God intended fruit trees and other seed-bearing plants to be a means of sustaining us physically. The phrase “each according to its kind” in the verses means God created variety in our food supply. I’m very thankful for this as I get bored easily if I’m having to eat the same thing day after day. Just ask my husband!

I was curious to learn how many kinds of fruit or edible plants exist. Reference.com had this answer: The total number of plant species in the world is estimated at 390,900 by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Approximately 1,000 to 2,000 species of plants are edible by humans. About 100 to 200 species of plants play an important role in world commerce, and about 15 species provide the majority of food crops. These include soybeans, peanuts, rice, wheat and bananas.

Do you think about this abundant provision when you eat a piece of fruit or other seeded plant today? I have grown very fond of a prayer of thanks and blessing for the food we eat that I learned from my husband. Most of the time when he offers a prayer before a meal he will include something along the lines of asking a blessing on all the hands who have prepared the food that is before us. This simple prayer of thanks and blessing makes me think of the farmers who planted the seeds all the way to the workers in the grocery or market where we purchased our food before we served it to ourselves.

Today before you eat your vegetables, grains, and fruits, pause and give thanks to the Lord for the amazing variety, color, and textures He created for our sustenance. Ask Him to bless all those who had a hand in bringing you this food you are about to enjoy. These seed-bearing plants and fruits are the foods God provided for our continued physical nourishment from the very beginning.

Blessings,

Barbara Lynn

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In the Beginning

Bible Study Blog

Genesis 1-3

What do you think is around the bend on the forest path depicted in the header of my site? Do you find yourself wanting to quicken your pace so you can see what’s next? Or would you rather linger on the path and take in all the details of the forest before moving forward? Perhaps you’re afraid to see what’s around the bend?

Today, as I write my first ever blog post, I relate to all these questions!   I chose that picture intentionally. Not simply because I love taking strolls in nature but because the first book of both the Hebrew and the Christian Bible, Genesis, describes the creation of our natural world.

And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that is was good. Genesis 1:11-12 ESV

Then after mankind is created God says, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” Genesis 1:29 ESV

Chapter 1 of Genesis is a broad strokes description of the creation of the earth and everything in it. Turning to chapter 2, we receive a more detailed view.

And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2: 8-9 ESV

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 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.”. Genesis 2:15-17 ESV

Did you notice in God’s command that there is no restriction from eating from the tree of life at this point in the text? The only forbidden fruit is from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It isn’t until after Adam and Eve disobey God’s command that we learn they had not yet eaten fruit from the tree of life.

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever–” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:22-24 ESV

Part of God’s response to their disobedience is to place a restriction on access to the tree of life. This restriction fulfills God’s word of warning in his command that they would die if they ate the forbidden fruit. But in God’s grace they don’t die immediately. Instead it appears that the first substitutionary atonement for sin is enacted by God to properly clothe the man and woman.

And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. Genesis 3:21 ESV

Previously everything God made was simply spoken into being. Here we are told God made the clothing out of skins.  I believe we are being told here that an animal was slaughtered to provide the skins. This then is a foreshadowing of the animal sacrifices the people of Israel are later instructed to practice for their sins and ultimately God’s sacrifice of Jesus for all mankind.

Can you see even in these few verses taken from the opening chapters of Genesis that God delights in his creation and is already beginning His plan of restoration at a time that He is heartbroken over their sin?

I’m convinced if you read the chapters in full you will find even more evidence to support that God is in the business of restoration. I’d love to hear what you find as you spend time reading and meditating on these three chapters.

Blessings,

Barbara Lynn

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