Friday: Further Thought – Crisis in Eden
Though we are a long way away from Eden, from the original Creation, there’s still so much in creation that speaks to us of the goodness of God. Look around: we can see not only incredible beauty but incredible design, as well, all of which testifies to our Creator’s love.
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
For instance, think about things like apples, oranges, tangerines, strawberries, blueberries, avocados, tomatoes, lemons, limes, watermelons, almonds, pecans, pears, plums, carrots, peas, bananas, pineapples, pomegranates, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, onions, raspberries, cherries, celery, papaya, eggplant, rhubarb, spinach, melons, and on and on. Is it just by chance that all these are so tasty (well, some people don’t like Brussels sprouts!), so good for us, and just happen to grow out of the ground bearing their own seed? Of course not. Not everyone has access to these bounties, however, and there are floods and famines and pestilences, and people do go hungry. This is, of course, testimony to how greatly damaged our world has become because of sin. But if we can, for a moment, get “behind” the damage in creation and just view the creation itself-wow! What a powerful testimony to God’s love. We just have to remember: the hope is not in the creation itself but only in the Creator Himself.
Discussion Questions:
- As human beings, we were never meant to die. Death is an aberration, something that humans should have never known or experienced. Hence, the universal abhorrence of death that we all feel is, no doubt, a vestige of what we have taken with us from Eden. Dwell on all the Bible promises of eternal life that we have been given. How can they help us to deal with the terrible trauma of death now?
- What parts of the created world talk to you in a powerful way about the reality of God and God’s love for us?
- Read again in Genesis 3 about how Adam and Eve started justifying their sin. Why is that so easy to do? What are ways that we seek to do the same? That is, how often do we claim heredity, environment, or other people as being the causes of our mistakes? How can we get out of this dangerous mind-set and own up to our responsibility for our actions?
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Thanks for the english lesson! I'm peruvian girl but I really like to read my sabath school lesson in english (y)Greetings from here and blessings!
Marriage is symbolic to the love the LORD GOD extends to humanity. In the Bible, we are told that 'man' represents God and 'woman' represents humanity/church. So to me, marriage , church, night and day, the climate, the fauna and flora, etc. are reminders of God's pure and perfect love for us.
We are to keep in mind that the majesty of heaven Jesus Christ die because of a selfish decision. E.G.W. Wrote "Adam and Eve persuaded themselves that in so small a matter as eating of the forbidden fruit, there could not result such terrible consequences as God had declared. But this small matter was sin, the transgression of God’s immutable and holy law, and it opened the floodgates of death and untold woe upon our world.... Let us not esteem sin as a trivial thing. - {TMK 14.6}
This is a great lesson we are studying this quarter.
I will be glad if someone can help answer why we originally had the tree of life in the Garden of Eden. If we were never meant to die in the first place, what was the tree meant for, what purpose was it meant to serve in the Garden?
Henry, Adam was “a TYPE (foreshadowing) of Him (Christ) who was to come”.(Rom 5:14)
“Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the Spiritual. The first man was from the earth, earthy (man of dust); the second man is from heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.”(1 Cor 15:45 - 49)
Just as Israel’s economy represented types or shadows of the good things to come, (Heb 8:5; 10:1; Col 2:16,17) and Christ spoke of the manna that fell from heaven as a “type” of the TRUE BREAD, HIMSELF. “I AM the BREAD OF LIFE”, Christ says.(John 6:31-71); even so Adam’s economy represented types and shadows of the good things to come through Christ.
So the “Tree of Life” typified CHRIST. What about the RIVER that flowed from Eden to water the garden? You know what that typifies ....!!
The complexity of the an eye or of a cell really shows me that they had to be created and couldn't have evolved gradually.
A cell is as complex as a factory producing cars, it is as likely to have happen by chance as a rocket ship.
Praise the LORD, His wonders to behold!
Henry, to answer your question. I believe that God placed the tree of life in the garden for our longevity. After Adam sinned, the Bible said in Genesis 3:22 "And the Lord God said Behold the man is become as one of us.........and now lest he put forth his hand, and take of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever". He was denied entrance to the garden of Eden. Adam lived for over 900 years. In Revelation 22:2 "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life...........and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." From the scriptures I believe the tree was and will be necessary for our longevity.
Eileen
In Genesis 3 its the first time we've sined ,we are so gulliable. Now we want to do sin everyday. ex: drinking,Mudering, alutery,and so on and now there is a small amount of belivers
to me,perfect creation was completed on the 6th day and so becoz our creator gave adam and eve the command to love and worship him alone.and so the tree was just but a tester if they loved him freely n not that they had no choice. God doesnt force people into loving him bt the principle of free will free choice
Happy Sabbath all,,,...
I have questions regarding Adams action when Eve gave him the forbidden fruit, Why Adam did not say something to protest or reject his wife with that forbidden fruit?
though He known exactly what Gods command about that Fruit??
Why He just acting like Robot on that time??
One answer is that Adam trusted and believed God. God said they would die if they ate the fruit. Eve had eaten the fruit, therefore she would die. He was then determined to die with Eve rather than live without her. We also have Ellen White on this event.
"An expression of sadness came over the face of Adam. He appeared astonished and alarmed. To the words of Eve he replied that this must be the foe against whom they had been warned; and by the divine sentence she must die. In answer she urged him to eat, repeating the words of the serpent, that they should not surely die. She reasoned that this must be true, for she felt no evidence of God's displeasure, but on the contrary realized a delicious, exhilarating influence, thrilling every faculty with new life, such, she imagined, as inspired the heavenly messengers.
Adam understood that his companion had transgressed the command of God, disregarded the only prohibition laid upon them as a test of their fidelity and love. There was a terrible struggle in his mind. He mourned that he had permitted Eve to wander from his side. But now the deed was done; he must be separated from her whose society had been his joy. How could he have it thus? Adam had enjoyed the companionship of God and of holy angels. He had looked upon the glory of the Creator. He understood the high destiny opened to the human race should they remain faithful to God. Yet all these blessings were lost sight of in the fear of losing that one gift which in his eyes outvalued every other. Love, gratitude, loyalty to the Creator--all were overborne by love to Eve. She was a part of himself, and he could not endure the thought of separation. He did not realize that the same Infinite Power who had from the dust of the earth created him, a living, beautiful form, and had in love given him a companion, could supply her place. He resolved to share her fate; if she must die, he would die with her. After all, he reasoned, might not the words of the wise serpent be true? Eve was before him, as beautiful and apparently as innocent as before this act of disobedience. She expressed greater love for him than before. No sign of death appeared in her, and he decided to brave the consequences. He seized the fruit and quickly ate." PP
It's a good Lesson. For me it is going to help me grow spiritually.
I have just joined SDA and I'm enjoying life in Jesus Christ.
Happy.
Please check out this incredible video from Oasis HD that shows how water can actually "remember" what it has come in contact with. This really is fascinating. This alone is such a tremendous testimony of the Creators wonder and awesomeness, beyond human expression or thought!
https://youtu.be/ILSyt_Hhbjg
I enjoy all the contributions to the lessons. I have little children so every Sabbath I cannot attend the adult class, I attend the cradle roll so I miss having the lesson discussions.