Bible Pathways 1/1/2001
January 1
Genesis 1 -- 3
On the sixth day of creation, God said: Let Us make man in Our Image, after Our Likeness: and let them have dominion . . . over all the earth (Genesis 1:26). 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 a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). No animal has a spirit, a God consciousness, nor is capable of worshiping God. All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds (I Corinthians 15:39). Mankind alone is able to decide to rebel against God or to be obedient to Him.
The Lord God took the man, and put him in the Garden of Eden . . . to keep it -- not to own it (Genesis 2:15). Adam and Eve's responsibility was to obey the Word of God spoken to them and to take care of His garden. However, God allowed their love, loyalty, and obedience to be tested. He gave them the free will to be submissive to Him or to rebel and to be as gods as Satan falsely suggested (3:4).
In the Garden of Eden, we first learn of the one who came in the guise of the serpent (3:1), whose ways are like those of a poisonous, insidious snake. He is also called the Devil, and Satan. . . . Lucifer. . . . the enemy. . . . your adversary. . . . the accuser. . . . the dragon. . . . the serpent (Revelation 20:2; see also Isaiah 14:12; Matthew 13:39; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10,13,15). When Satan spoke to Eve, he did not reveal himself as the enemy of God or as a wicked deceiver intent on destroying every enjoyment of mankind (II Thessalonians 2:9-10). His intent was, and still is, twofold. First, he tried to create doubt concerning the absolute truth of what God has said. Then he implied that God was withholding the best enjoyments in life from them. He asked Eve: Has God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden (Genesis 3:1)? This was followed by Satan's lie, which was part truth, a favorite tactic: God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil (3:5). At that moment Eve began to "covet" what belonged only to God. She then disregarded His ownership, as well as His authority. She saw the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise . . . (so she trespassed on God's property and) took the fruit and did eat (3:6).
Eve yielded to lust when her eyes desired (coveted) what God had reserved for Himself. On the day Adam and Eve (the father and mother of all mankind) were dissatisfied with what God had provided, they sinned. At that point, they died spiritually and forfeited eternal life. And, from that moment on, death passed upon all men, for all have sinned (Romans 5:12). All of Adam's descendants inherited his sinful nature. Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth (eternal) death (James 1:14-15). Death reigned from Adam to Moses. . . . For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One (Jesus Christ) shall many be made righteous (Romans 5:14,19).
The only means of a right relationship with God is through Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God who was born of the Virgin Mary by the power of God and without a human father. Because He was born without the Adamic nature and lived a sinless life, Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of all mankind as the perfect substitute because He had no sins of His own. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive (I Corinthians 15:22).
Word Studies:
1:29 meat = food; 2:10 heads = branches, rivers; 2:14 Hiddekel = Tigris; 2:15 dress = take care of it; 2:24 cleave = cling; 3:1 subtil = shrewd; 3:13 beguiled = deceived, seduced; 3:15 it = her seed (Jesus Christ); bruise = attack.
Government Officials: Rep. Martin Frost (TX), Sen. Ernest Hollings (SC), Gov. Gary Johnson (NM), Gov. Tony Knowles (AK), and Rep. Robert Menendez (NJ) · Pray for your church leaders · Pray for the Bible Pathway International Radio Broadcast in honor of Dr. and Mrs. John A. Hash · Pray for the Bible Pathway Arabic International Radio Broadcast for the month of January sponsored by Pauline Zuniga · Country: Peru (22 million) on the western coast of South America · Major languages: Spanish and Quechua · Open to evangelism and Bible distribution · 89% Roman Catholic; 4% Protestant · Prayer Suggestion: Humbly kneel before the Lord in prayer and worship the Lord (II Chronicles 6:13).
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:
Psalms 1:1
