|
To Study:
Genesis 2:8-25; 3:1-24.
To Read in class: Genesis 3:1-19.
Memory Texts:
Younger: Romans 3:23. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory
of God.”
Older: Romans 5:12. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
OBJECTIVES: To show that:
1. The Goodness and Generosity of God in all that He does for mankind.
2. Circumstances were favourable for Adam and Eve to live in fellowship with
God.
3. Great intelligence is no defence against sin and the wiles of the devil.
4. Disobedience is sin and inevitably results in judgment.
5. The grace of God provides salvation for the guilty.
SCENE No. 1. VISUAL AIDS: The Garden of Eden. Figure of Adam surrounded by a
variety of animals, plants, trees, birds, etc.
DEVELOPMENT:
 - While
Adam was yet in the state of innocence, and before he fell into sin, God gave
him the task of naming the animals. How would Adam have been able to think of so
many names?
- Adam’s intelligence must have been superior to that of the most intelligent
person in the world
today, since he was the first created human being in a state of mature adult
development.
Cmt. The Creator gave a responsibility to Adam and as he exercised his
intelligence, God accepted his decisions. (Genesis 2:19.)
Sug. Establish the principle that God respects the decisions taken by human
beings. There are many applications of this principle in life even when the
person is mistaken.
Exm. God respects the decisions students make with regard to a career, or their
preference for certain friends.
He also respects the choice people make of a husband or wife, and articles that
are bought, etc.
- As Adam named the animals, he observed that each one had a mate, but he found
none that was a suitable partner for him.
- Adam would become acquainted with the animals, noticing a certain limitation
of communication with them.
- Apparently the animals were docile at this time. With the entrance of sin into
the world later on, some of them became fierce and dangerous.
Cmt. It is not known for how long Adam was alone in the garden, carrying out the
will of God.
SCENE No. 2. VISUAL AIDS: The Garden of Eden showing a river flowing out of
it. A figure of Adam asleep, which is then replaced by one of him seated and
looking toward a figure of Eve, recently brought to him by Jehovah.
DEVELOPMENT:
 - Out
of Eden flowed a river which provided the needed water for plants and animals.
There was
sufficient provision for every one of God’s creatures.
Sug. Teach that God is Good, Generous, and Caring. He is concerned about the
well-being of His creatures.
Cns. Throughout history the abundant provision seen initially in Eden has
continued to be a characteristic of the Creator who supplies all that is
necessary for his creatures to live.
Cmt. Concerns are expressed by well-meaning experts who wish to justify
population control in fear of a dwindling food supply. They fail to take God
into account.
- God was going to provide a wife for Adam also, but He would do so in a special
way.
- In order for God to work out His plan to provide Adam with a wife, it was
necessary for Adam to be put to sleep.
- From Adam’s side, God took a rib and with it, He made a woman.
- On awakening, Adam saw Eve for the first time. How beautiful she would look to
him!
- Adam must have been completely happy with what God provided for him, for when
God gives something, it is always the best.
- In order to receive a wife, Adam had to pass through a period of sleep, a time
of being physically inactive in the world.
Apl. Adam’s experience is a figure of what happened to the Lord Jesus Christ. He
passed through death, and as a result of that period of inactivity, a new
creation came into existence which is the Church, the bride of Christ.
- It has often been said that Eve was not taken from the head of Adam to
dominate him, or from his foot to be trampled on, but from his side, close to
his heart, for he was to love her.
Sug. Ask the students about the conversation Adam might have had with Eve. Would
he tell her about the work he had done up till then? For example, what names he
gave to the animals.
- Adam would surely reveal to Eve the story of how she came into being.
Apl. For a similar reason, believers never tire of remembering the Lord Jesus in
His work at Calvary. This is why the Breaking of Bread meeting is so precious.
It is a reminder to the believers of how they came into being as the Body of
Christ.
- The garden was their home and everything was theirs. Adam told Eve that they
could eat of all the produce in the garden except from the tree in the middle of
the garden.
- Undoubtedly they would talk about future plans. Part of God’s charge was to
have a family, and exercise lordship as stewards of God’s creation.
- See Genesis 1:28. The verbs are in plural. They have shared responsibilities.
Apl. Apply all this to what Christ does as Head of His Church. Through the
Spirit, the unsearchable riches of Christ are revealed regarding the past,
present, and future.
Cns. The scar left in the body of Adam when God closed up his side after
removing a rib would be
something he would always carry, a sign of the “operation” through which he
passed to obtain his wife.
Apl. The Lord Jesus Christ has permanent marks in His body which will always be
there, evidence of the price He paid to obtain His bride, the Church.
SCENE No. 3. VISUAL AIDS. The Garden of Eden. Figures of Adam and Eve
conversing, surrounded by trees, with fig-leaf aprons on their bodies. A figure
of a serpent is seen nearby.
DEVELOPMENT:
 - Adam
and Eve lived surrounded by fruit trees from which they could eat.
- In the middle of the garden was the one tree about which God had said they
were not to eat the
fruit.
Cns. When teaching older students, the question might be asked, “Why was this
prohibition
imposed in the first place?”
Rsp. One answer might be that it was symbolic of God’s authority for He had
given them a free
will. His desire was that through use of the free will, they would recognize His
authority and obey Him so as to continue to enjoy fellowship with Him.
Sug. Think of illustrations of the signs of Authority in your own community.
Exm. A sign outside a hospital ward, “Do Not Enter.” A Stop sign at the corner
of the street. A sign placed outside a field, “Private Property.”
- One day, Eve was found near the tree talking to a serpent.
- Satan used the serpent to speak in a way Eve could understand.
- The serpent was astute and persuaded Eve she could have greater intelligence
than she already possessed.
- Eve was as intelligent as Adam, for she had been made a “help meet” or
suitable for Adam.
- The serpent caused Eve doubt the goodness of God, hinting that He had left her
without some knowledge that would be very useful to her.
- The devil asked the question in such a way as to make Eve desire to be like
God. The same ambition Satan had when he fell into sin, has now been awakened in
Eve.
- Eve believed the lie and ate of the fruit. She was deceived.
- Eve then offered the fruit to Adam and he also ate. Adam was not deceived, but
disobeyed. See 1 Timothy 2:14.
The first effect of sin was that they were ashamed and wanted to hide.
Cmt. While Adam and Eve were obedient to God, their interests were totally
focused on what God wanted, without taking themselves into account. When they
sinned, their focus changed immediately to a self-concerned preoccupation with
their bodies.
Ilu. When a person causes offence to another, the reaction is similar. He or she
is ashamed and tries to avoid contact with the other person. This happened to
Adam and Eve; they didn’t want to face God.
Cns. John 3:19-21; 1 John 2:16.
SCENE No. 4 VISUAL AIDS: In the garden. A figure of the sun with the word “God”
written on it and the question written “What hast thou done?” Figures of Adam
and Eve with fig-leaf aprons. These are then replaced with figures of Adam and
Eve covered with an animal skin. Also a figure of a dead animal. Upper
left inset. Figure of a couple peeking from behind some shrubs. Upper right
inset. Figure of a flaming sword preventing access to the tree of life. A sign
with the words of Romans 5:12 written out.
DEVELOPMENT:
 - A
function of the conscience is to accuse the individual of having acted wrongly
before a holy God.
- God sought out Adam and Eve to speak to them about their sin.
Apl. God has every right to hold us responsible for our actions and to ask us to
account for what we do.
- Previously, when in innocence, God could speak freely with Adam and Eve. Now
they have hidden themselves and God must ask, “Where are you?”
Lsn. It is important that each one find out where he/she is before a Holy God.
If people do not consider themselves sinners, they will not recognize their need
of salvation.
- The aprons of fig leaves would not cover them for long, for very soon the
leaves would wither and there would be a need to make new ones. It was not a
permanent solution.
Cmt. Some Jewish scholars interpret the fig leaves as coming from the tree of
which they ate. There is nothing to confirm this, although generally people
think the fruit was an apple.
Apl. Good works, the product of human endeavour, will never cover sin nor bring
man into a right
relationship with God.
- The first question asked by God in the Bible is “Where are thou?” and the
second “What has thou
done?”
Sug. Ask the students the same questions to make them reflect on their present
standing before God.
- When sin was confessed and acknowledged, God provided a remedy for their
condition.
- The solution they had applied was unacceptable. It hadn’t taken God into
account. It was self-made, and not permanent.
Cmt. For centuries, man has tried applying his own solution to the problem of
sin, without taking God into account.
- God made them a covering of skin, clothing that required the death of an
innocent animal.
- Once death of a substitute had taken place, they could lift their heads once
again and look toward God without being ashamed. The value of the substitute met
God’s demands and they were forgiven on that account.
Cmt. Adam and Eve accepted the provision made by God, allowing the aprons to be
taken from them and replaced with that which pleased God. This is equivalent to
what the sinner does when he obeys the gospel, laying aside his own efforts in
order to accept what God has provided.
Lsn. Adam and Eve were put out of the Garden for just one sin. This shows that
God cannot let a person enter into heaven in a sinful condition.
Sug. The text verse in Rom. 5:12 can be used to end the lesson.
|
