GENESIS 2
6 OUTLINES
Genesis 2:4-25
INTRODUCING...MAN!
INTRODUCTION - Vss. 4-6
A LOWLY START - Vs. 7a -
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,"
A LIVING SOUL - Vs. 7b -
"...and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a
living soul."
A LOVELY SPOT - Vss.
8-24
1. The Resources Of
2. The Responsibilities
In
3. The Restrictions Of
4. The Rejoicing In
Of course, you are welcome
to use Vss. 8-24 as your text and use the four "R's" under point
three as your outline. You could call this message "
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Genesis 2:8-25
GETTING STARTED
A GARDEN PLANTED – Vss. 8-14
A FARMER PROVIDED – Vss. 15-17
A HELPER PURSUED – Vss. 18-19
A WIFE PERFECTED – Vss. 20-25
***************************************************************************Genesis
2:8-3:24
IN THE GARDEN
PARTNERSHIP – 2:18-25
PERVERSION – 3:1-7
PUNISHMENT – 3:8-13, 16-20, 22-24
PROMISE – 3:14-15, 21
Verse 21 shows that the blood of innocent animals was
shed to provide a covering (skins) for Adam and Eve.
Blood was shed by our innocent Savior to cleanse us
from our sins once and for all! Verse 15
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GENESIS 2:15-24
FATHER KNOWS BEST
Does anyone remember who Jim
Anderson was on television in the late 50's and early 60's?
He was the wise father,
played by Robert Young, on the show "Father Knows Best".
On this show it seems that
the father always knew what was right.
He always made the right
decisions.
He always knew what was
best.
Fathers and mothers are very
often wise, very often right, and very often they know what is best.
I discovered over the years
that my own dad and mom were very often wise, very often right, and very often
knew what was best! I am appreciative
for the upbringing and the support that
my parents gave me.
However, Jim Anderson on
television was not perfect.
Dad Peters was not perfect.
Your father wasn't or isn't
perfect.
As a father, or in any other
way, I'm not perfect.
In reality fathers do not
always know what's best.
That's because we all have a
faulty human nature.
Every one of us is a sinner!
That means we are fallible.
I have good news! There is a
father who always knows best.
The father who always knows
best is our Heavenly Father.
Because He is God, He is
always right, always accurate, always loving, and always knows best. He is far
superior to any of us human fathers or mothers. Isaiah 55:8-9
In this passage we are
looking at God's dealings with the first man, Adam. At this point Adam was in the perfect
environment.
God, in his great wisdom and
because He knows best created Adam with some needs. God has created you and I with the same
needs.
Except for the arrival of
Eve, creation had been completed.
Vs. 8 - God created a wonderful garden called
He placed man in that garden.
THE NEED FOR LABOR - Vs. 15
The word "put" is
worth noting. According to the Expositor's Bible Commentary, in the original
language the word is used in conjunction with God's rest or safety. It is also
used in reference to the '"dedication' of something in the presence of the
Lord."
According to Expositor's
Bible Commentary, "Man was 'put' into the garden where he could rest and
be 'safe,' and man was 'put' into the garden 'in God's presence' where he could
have fellowship with God." Frank E. Gaebelein General
Editor, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary,
Volume 2, (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan
Publishing House, 1990) pp. 44-45
This reminds me of some very
important truths.
1. God loved Adam.
2. God placed Adam in a place where he would be safe.
3. God placed Adam in His
own presence, the presence of
God.
I can't help but think, that
as Christians although we are no longer in the perfect Garden of Eden, God
loves us, God keeps us safe, God, through the Holy Spirit, has placed us in His
own presence.
God did not create man to
just sit around.
God created man to be useful
and productive.
God placed man in the garden
to cultivate it and take care of it.
Of course Adam's labor here
was a little easier than the farmer of today.
Adam was working ground that had not been cursed by sin. Although he
might have worked hard, there would not be the frustrations of farming that
came after the fall of man.
God has intended that, when
physically possible, people should work.
Some Scriptures that remind
us of the importance of work: Proverbs 18:9, Proverbs 13:4, Ephesians 4:28,
Colossians 3:23
A NEED FOR
Adam was no robot.
He was given certain
freedoms.
According to Vs. 16,
he was able to chose what he wanted to eat. Trees are specifically mentioned,
but there would also be that which he grew from the tilling of the soil and
planting. There was probably a wide variety of foods from which to choose.
Vs. 19 - Adam was a very intelligent man. He had the freedom and ability to
name all the animals.
God has given us a great
deal of liberty or freedom.
Each day we get to chose the
clothes that we are going to wear.
We make choices of where we
are going to go and what we are going to do.
We make decisions concerning
career, concerning family, concerning friendships and a host of other things.
A NEED FOR LIMITATIONS
Vs. 17 - We are most secure when we have boundaries.
With freedom comes
responsibility.
With responsibility comes
limitations.
There are things that God
says "no" to.
Because Adam and Eve ate of
the forbidden fruit, they eventually died physically. The moment they ate of
the fruit they died spiritually. Separation occurred between them and God.
Ezekiel 18:4 - Behold, all souls are mine; as
the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that
sinneth, it shall die.
One big problem that we have
with God is that we fail to realize how much he cares! We don't realize that when he puts limits on
our liberty, that He is doing it because "Father knows best!"
A NEED FOR LOVE
Vs. 18 - Father knows best concerning man.
He knows that it is not good
for man to be alone.
Single men are to be the
exception, not the rule, even in ministry.
God decided to give man a
partner, a "help meet"
He has provided someone to
share the joys and sorrows of life.
I think of God giving man a
best friend who is an extension of him. She is distinctly and wonderfully different,
and yet uniquely part of himself.
Read Vss. 19-22
Vs. 23 - Notice the natural attraction.
Men and women are naturally attracted and impressed with each other.
Vs. 24 - Man was to leave his Father and Mother and cleave to his wife. The two
were to be "one flesh" with one life. This was and is a life that is
to be lived together, complimenting and supporting each other.
God has met our need for
love in the marriage relationship.
Father knows best!
A NEED FOR LIFE
And because father knows
best, He met another one of our needs, the need for forgiveness and eternal
life.
Like Adam and Eve we have
failed God.
Like Adam and Eve we are
spiritually dead.
God, being just, needs a
payment for our sins.
Someone has to pay!
That's why God provided His
Son, who died in our place for our sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus has paid for our sins,
but He gives us a choice.
We can believe on Christ,
trust Him as our way of forgiveness, or we can pay for our sins some other way,
such as trying to be good, or going to church, or trying to keep the 10
commandments, or giving money. The only problem is, all other ways do not bring
forgiveness, and a person ends up paying for sin in hell for all eternity! John
14:6, Acts 4:12, John 3:36
The Father has met your need
for eternal life because He knows best. Have you accepted His way through
Christ?
Now, if you have trusted
Christ as Savior God is meeting your needs in a special way. He still knows
best!
THE NEED FOR LABOR
God did not place you
"in Christ" to be idle.
He placed you "in
Christ" to serve. Ephesians 2:10, Luke 9:23, Matthew 28:19-20, 1 Peter
4:10-11
THE NEED FOR
In Christ we have a newfound
freedom over sin and death. Romans 6:14
According to Galatians
5:13,
In Christ there is also
THE NEED FOR LIMITATIONS
Because God is holy, He
expects us to live holy lives as His children. He hates certain things, and
because we are His "kids" we should hate the same things. Galatians
5:19-21
In Christ there is
THE NEED FOR LOVE
Our need for love is met in
Christ.
The church is the “bride of
Christ”.
There is no doubt that He
loves and cares for us.
And He loves us on a higher
level than all those things that are mentioned concerning the husband/wife
relationship mentioned in Genesis 2.
God said it was not good for
man to be alone.
The Lord Jesus says, "I
will never leave you nor forsake you."
The partner was to be a best
friend. Our Lord is the friend that sticks closer than a brother.
Mates are attracted to each
other. Our Lord was attracted to us, dying for us before we were even born
again.
We are attracted to Christ,
if we have been truly born again.
And finally, there is the
"one flesh" relationship. The moment you trusted Christ, you became
part of His "body".
Father knows best! He has
met our needs!
THE NEED FOR LIFE
Not only has Christ met our
need for eternal life, but he has met our need for a fulfilled life now.
He has given us real living!
John 10:10, Romans 5:17
Father knows best, therefore
he has done things that meet our needs in Christ.
THE NEED FOR LABOR
THE NEED FOR
THE NEED FOR LIMITATIONS
THE NEED FOR LOVE
THE NEED FOR LIFE
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Genesis 2:18-25
FIRST FAMILY
(LITERALLY!)
ADAM'S PROBLEM - Vss.
18-20 - No helpmeet.
GOD'S PROVISION - Vss.
21-22 - Rib surgery!
WOMAN'S PLACE - Vss.
23-25 - One flesh with man.
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Genesis
EVE!
EVE'S STANDING
1. Helper Vs. 18
2. One flesh with Adam 24
EVE'S SIN 3:1-6, 13
EVE'S SAVIOR 3:15
Here is the first promise of our wonderful Lord and
Savior.
EVE'S SORROW
3:16, 22-24, 4:1-8
1. In childbirth 3:16
2. In separation from God 3:22-24
3. In experiencing the murder of her son by her son
4:1-8