God Spoke… and it was GOOD
It is January, like every new year,
The Back Pew goes back to THE BEGINNING to remember the no-small-task of God creating all things, as recorded in Genesis.
GENESIS 1 - In the beginning, God spoke the universe into existence. Some of those present claimed they heard a loud crackling sound like thunder, but most simply described it as sort of a.. BANG.. actually…
a BIG BANG! At this point, let me be clear, I am not here to discuss Old Earth v New Earth theories. This would be above the pay grade of most every cartoonist (including me), but what I will say is...
God created, and it was GOOD!
Genesis 1:1-31 But make no mistake, creation was a daunting project that was completed in 6 days,
Day 1 - God created Night and day by separating Light from Dark. *
Day 2 - God created the SKY
Day 3 - God separates the land from the sea, and the land produces trees and vegetation.
Day 4 - God creates the SUN to rule the day and the STARS to rule the night
Day 5 - God creates fish and birds
Day 6 - God created all the living creatures on land... and ... MAN from the dust of the Earth
Day 7 - God declared His creation Good & Holy.
* My wife has warned me of the importance of separating lights and darks when doing laundry, so I am guessing the same holds true when God separated Day (lights) and Night (darks)... maybe.
So welcome to PARADISE
THE GARDEN OF EDEN (Genesis 2:4-25)
Before sin, there was the Garden of Eden, and in the middle of the garden were two trees. The Tree of Life, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Genesis 2:17
Next, God assigned Adam the job of naming all the animals. I'm not sure how that played out, but without a doubt, it no doubt was both a daunting and visually amusing task. Genesis 2:18-20
God sends a Helper
As time passed, it became apparent that the Garden was becoming a mess. I can imagine Adam leaving empty pizza boxes everywhere and the dirty dishes stacking up. But at least since Adam was NAKED, he was not guilty of leaving dirty clothes lying around, or never making his bed.
Adam was not big on cooking, and so was eating out too often, and those extra pounds were showing up, especially since he was again ... NAKED.
So… God created for Adam a helper.
Not just for the above messes Adam was oblivious to, but for his more profound need to share life and partner with. Since it would be a while before dating apps like eHarmony were available, God intervened.
The cost to Adam for one woman was just ONE RIB! Adam was heard to exclaim…
"Deal, where do I sign up?" Genesis 2:21-22
Then, after a scheduled deity day surgery for Rib Removal, Adam, with two thumbs up, declared. "Hey, beautiful, where have you been all my life?"
Just Two Lovebirds in Paradise
It was just Adam & Eve in the Garden, where Eve was 'literally' the only girl in town. It was the best of times before their little boys Cain & Able entered the picture.
I am sure this included Date Night once a week to see a movie or go through the drive-thru (or was it ‘walk-in’ back then?) for a fast food burger and fries. Adam would wink at Eve, saying,
"It's just you and me, baby."
The Fall of Man
Of course, all things in the Garden were great, until they were… NOT. The Bible does not say exactly how long the Garden of Eden remained Paradise, but in Genesis 3, the Serpent enters the picture to tempt Eve; Eve then tempts Adam, and they both eat the forbidden fruit,...
And ... THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS HOW SIN has always worked. In a moment of weakness or laziness, we sin; with all sins, there will always be consequences.
In all sins, there may be reasons but not excuses. It is easy to play the BLAME GAME, attempting to excuse our sins, but, as with Adam and Eve and the original sin, there was no one to blame except ourselves.
The only difference between those original sins and mine is that my sins were NOT recorded in the Bible. -Whew!-
God was not amused
by the sins of Adam and Eve... or the Serpent. The Serpent now would crawl on its belly to get around. Adam and Eve opened a fig leaf fashion line.
As a result... Adam and Eve were evicted from their little piece of Paradise in Eden. Genesis 3:24
In the same way today, also prevents us from ever realizing the life God intended for each of us.
But Praise God, His Son Jesus, through His life, death, and resurrection, has paid the price for our sins.
... For if the many died by the trespass of the one man (Adam), how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
Genesis 5:15
Blessings
Jeff
