Village Schools of the Bible

Genesis: A Devotional Study
by Max Frazier, Jr

We continue our study in the book of Genesis. Let's look at chapter 2.

Key Words: "man," "woman," wife"

Key Verse: Verses 18 and 24 tell of God's original intent for marriage. It was to be one man and one woman.

Purpose Statement: This chapter focuses on the specifics of the creation of man and woman and their relationship to each other.

Outline: THE CREATION: FOCUS ON MAN

I. The Seventh Day (vs. 1-3)
II. Man (vs. 4-25)
A. His creation (vs. 4-7)
B. His garden (vs. 8-14)
C. His restrictions (vs. 15-17)
D. His responsibilities (vs. 19-20)
E. His companion (vs. 18, 21-25)

Questions to Ponder: Why was there a time gap between the creation of man and the creation of woman?

Thoughts to Ponder: From the very beginning, God's desire has been for mankind to work. It was never God's intent for man to be idle and lazy. He was to have constructive work to do managing God's creation. In verse 2 we read where God finished His work and then entrusted the remainder of His work to man (vs. 15). Work has sacred implications for us.

God made man from the ground (vs. 7). God made animals from the ground also (vs. 19). The difference is that God breathed His life into man only (vs. 7). God created two special trees; yet only one was off limits to man - the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. I wonder if these two trees were in close proximity to each other.

It is interesting to note that whenever someone says to us, "Don't peek in that room" or "Don't ask for more" that we sneak a peek and ask for more. The power of the negative is great. Perhaps that is the reason Eve was around the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was the power of the "no."

Genesis 3

Key Words: "curse," "pain"

Key Verse: Verse 15 is a statement of penalty and a promise of hope.

Purpose Statement: world. it shows the subtleties of sin and also the grave consequences for sin.

Outline: THE FALL OF MAN

I. The deception of Eve (vs. 1-7)
II. God confronts Adam and Eve (vs. 8-19)
A. Excuses offered (vs. 8-13)
B. Penalties imposed (vs. 14-19)
III. Eve named (vs. 20)
IV. God closes Eden to man (vs. 21-24)

Questions to Probe: Why did Eve add the phrase, "do not touch", to the commandment of God? Why was she even anywhere close to the tree? Did she already have an innate urge for it? Why did Adam eat? Did he also have a desire for it?

Thoughts to Ponder: Eve was the very first legalist. She added further restrictions to God's laws. God had said, "You shall not eat." Eve told the serpent God had said, "You shall not touch or eat." Isn't it just like a legalist to add to God's restrictions. But Eve soon broke her own version of God's laws. How we need to be careful not to add to God's
laws or to wander in our interpretation of them.

The very first consequence of sin was the shedding of moral innocence - they realized their own nakedness and were ashamed. Whereas a sinful Adam and Eve tried to hide their nakedness, sinful men and women today seek to uncover theirs. Even the shame has been lost.

Because of Adam and Eve's sin, the very first deaths occurred. Innocent animals died so that a covering could be made for Adam and his wife. This thread of the death of the innocent for the atonement (covering) of the guilty runs throughout the pages of Scripture until it climaxes there
at Calvary's cross.

Verse 16 presents the first hint at any authority structure. Eve was created as a help suitable for Adam (Genesis 2:18). That phrase meant someone who exactly corresponds to someone else. They were to rule over God's creation together (Genesis 1:26). But, after the fall, the woman was given a place subordinate to man. It was part of the curse.

Notes: Not only the serpent, the wild animal, was made by God, but also the serpent who spoke through the wild animal was made by God (see Ezekiel 28:13).

Adam's first expressed problem was loneliness which God corrected with the creation of Eve. In verse 10, after eating the fruit, he expressed fear - a problem present today and correctable only by God's presence.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Like animals, man is a creature of earth; unlike them, he can become a citizen of heaven. (Henry Jacobsen)

Genesis 1 Return to Table of Contents Genesis 4-5