Bible Pathways 01/01/2003
Read Genesis 1 -- 3
In Today's Reading:
Creation of all things; creation of Adam and Eve; temptation by Satan; Adam and Eve rebel against God and forfeit Garden of Eden.
God made mankind in His image and His likeness. He made us different from every animal that He created in that each of us is a triune being — body, soul, and spirit. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). No animal has a spirit, a God consciousness or is capable of worshiping God.
The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it — not to own it (Genesis 2:15). Man's responsibility was to obey the word of God and to take care of His garden. However, God allowed his love, loyalty, and obedience to be tested.
In Eden, we are introduced to Satan, the one who came in the guise of the serpent (3:1). He is also called the Devil. . . . the enemy. . . your adversary . . . the accuser (Revelation 20:2; see also Isaiah 14:12; Matthew 13:39; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10). He did not reveal himself as the enemy of God or as a wicked deceiver intent on destroying every enjoyment of mankind. His intent was, and still is, to prevent man from obeying his Creator. First, Satan tried to create doubt concerning the truth of what God had said. He implied that God was withholding the best enjoyments in life from Adam and Eve. He asked: Did God really say, You cannot eat from any tree in the garden (Genesis 3:1)? This was followed by Satan's partial truth, which was a lie: God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (3:5). At that moment, Eve chose to trust self rather than God, began to "covet" what belonged only to God and disregarded His ownership and authority. She saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, so she chose to trespass on God's property and took . . . its fruit and ate (3:6).
Eve yielded to lust when she coveted what God had reserved for Himself. On that day, Adam and Eve, the father and mother of all mankind, chose to eat the forbidden fruit. They sinned and died spiritually. From that moment on, all of Adam's descendants inherited his sinful nature. In this way death spread to all men (Romans 5:12).
Christ Revealed:
As Creator (Genesis 1:1). John 1:1-4; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 11:3. As the seed of woman (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; 9:6-7) God sent His Son, born of a woman (Gal. 4:4).
Prayer Needs:
Government Officials: Sen. Jon Corzine (NJ), Rep. Martin Frost (TX), Sen. Ernest Hollings (SC), Gov. Gary Johnson (NM), Gov. Tony Knowles (AK), and Rep. Robert Menendez (NJ) · Country: Kazakhstan (17 million) central Asia · Major languages: Kazakh and Russian · Religious tolerance · 40% Muslim; 25% Russian Orthodox/Armenian Apostolic; 1% Protestant; .6% Catholic · Prayer Suggestion: Ask the Lord to deliver you from willful sins (Psalms 19:13).
Optional Reading: Matthew 1
NOTE: Bible Pathway covers the Old Testament with devotional and commentary insights over a nine-month period, January through September. Each day during these months, an optional reading of one chapter a day from the New Testament will also be listed. The October, November, and December issues will provide a daily commentary on the New Testament readings. Thus, the reader goes through the New Testament twice each year using the Bible Pathway plan.
Memory Verse for the Week: Matthew 1:23
