To Solve A Problem – Find Where It Started
In the Beginning – That’s Where Everything Starts
The book of Genesis is not only the first book of the Bible, but it is the book of firsts. Since this book records the origin of the world and particularly human life, we can expect to find the first occurrence of the issues that affect our lives and God’s instructions on how to live pleasing to Him. One of the finest principles of Biblical Hermeneutics is “The First Mention Principle”. This is the idea that God’s first revelation on an issue is of fundamental importance. Closely allied with this principle is another, “The Progressive Mention Principle”. This principle shows us how, after His initial revelation, God continues throughout the Scriptures to give us additional information regarding issues that affect His plan for all humankind. These two principles are particularly useful in understanding God’s plan for redemption of humankind. However this article is about a facet of that plan that affects us all and not the complete plan.
The First Family of the World Arrives
This is about the first man and the first woman and their respective testing whose failure ultimately affected the entire human race. We know the story of Genesis; in chapter one God created the entire world in six literal days and on day six He created mankind in His own image and likeness. In chapter two we see an exploded view of day six where God declares the generations of the heavens and Earth and gives a detailed description of the creation of the first man and woman. It is in chapter three that our story takes place. God created Adam and gave Him the command to eat anything he liked, but the fruit of one special tree. After Adam names the animals and it is apparent that there is no one like him, for him; God creates Eve and brings her to Adam. There is no indication; anywhere in the Bible that God also gave to Eve the same instruction about the special tree, actually later we find indication that it was Adam’s responsibility to see to it that she knew about it.
Problems Plague the First Family
I think we all know of the story of the serpent tempting Eve, but are we aware of why the sin that takes place in the Garden of Eden is called the sin of Adam? Eve took the forbidden fruit first, but Adam takes the heat for it, what’s up with that? Hardly seems fair does it? First, let me say that God makes no mistakes and is totally righteous in all that He does! What may seem unfair to us always has a back-story that will vindicate our righteous Lord! Here’s that story.
1. God made Adam and gave him commands and authority of leadership.
2. God made Eve second and gave her the position of following Adam.
3. In the family in the Garden there was order and structure. These same truths are seen in I Corinthians 11:1-12.
4. Both Adam and Eve were about to be tested (tempted) for faithfulness. Both failed their test.
5. The serpent (Satan) approached Eve first. God allowed this for some obvious reasons. The temptation was to check faithfulness, not knowledge or ability. She needed to be tested first because Adam’s authority exceeds hers. If Adam were tested first she would have been untested because the damage would have been done and she would have been included in the consequence.
6.
|
Genesis 3:1-6 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. Genesis 3:13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Genesis 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
|
Eve’s temptation was to listen to the authority of her husband (Adam) or to chose to listen to the advice of the serpent, thereby taking family authority (Adams) for herself, thwarting God’s plan and altering her designed position. She failed her test. The above scripture selection reveals the conflict and the consequence.
- Adam’s temptation was not the beguiling of the serpent or the attractiveness of the fruit. His testing was also in the arena of authority. Would he listen to the authority of God’s command or would he listen to the voice of his wife? Adam made the wrong choice. He listened to Eve instead of God; therefore it is Adam’s sin that has affected the entire human race. Disobeying the voice of a man may bring temporal consequences, but disobeying the voice of God brings eternal consequences. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
- The consequence of Adam’s sin is death to the entire human race, but God provided a way of redemption and salvation, also first demonstrated in the first chapters of Genesis. The consequence of Eve’s sin is difficulty in childbirth. Her being under the rule or authority of her husband is not a consequence of her sin, but rather a reminder of why she got into trouble in the first place.
First Family Failures = Modern Families Problem
In the western world we are seeing our cultures deteriorating at an epidemic rate. Many are wondering why. The reality is that the failures of the first family still plague us today. Sin has become a part of human nature as a result of Adam’s sin. We are repeating their actions in regard to authority, both God’s authority and family authority; as a result we reap the destruction and heartache that they too experienced. We cannot continue mixing up the same old recipe and expect to come up with a better cake, just won’t happen. What we must do, if we are to enjoy a better home life and by extension a better national life is to repent of our actions and return to the God designed structure for the family. God is the final authority in each person’s life and we will ALL ultimately answer to Him. The primary issue each of us will face, after yielding to Christ Jesus, as Savior is our relationship to God as the genuine Lord of our life. This is the same set of issues that Adam and Eve faced in the Garden of Eden. Whose authority are we yielding our self to? In the family God has ordained that the husband and father is the head, that is, he is the final authority for the family and he is under God’s authority. Under the headship of the husband is the wife and mother. She is under his authority and is disobedient to God and her husband if she listens to any other source of authority that would usurp her husband’s leadership. She does wrong to even go to God for instruction when her head has given direction or instruction. By going to God to get confirmation of her desire, she would actually be asking God to bless or be involved in circumventing the authority He has placed over her, her head, her husband. The only time it would be right for a wife to seek God’s intervention against her husband would be if he were an ungodly man bent on rebellion against God with destruction for her as well. Even then it is her duty to pray for him and seek to demonstrate Christ in his presence. Our culture is falling apart because of the lack of godly structure in our homes. As the family goes, so goes the nation. We have raised several generations of people that disregard God’s designated authority, both personal and familial; we therefore are reaping the reward of our disobedience. The only solution is to repent and return to God’s designated family structure. I doubt that we can change the world, but we are still responsible for our families.
Bottom line – Let’s do it to the glory of God!
BOAZ – The unsung hero of the Book of Ruth
The law of the childless widow.
Deuteronomy 25:5-10
If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her. And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother. Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house. And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
Boaz was wealthy and well respected.
Ruth 2:1
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
Boaz was spiritual.
Ruth 2:4-5
And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, “Whose damsel is this?”
Boaz was practical.
Ruth 2:8-9
Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
Boaz had good values and respected the same in others.
Ruth 2:11-12
And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
Boaz was generous.
Ruth 2:15-16
And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: and let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
Boaz was a man of higher than normal moral standards.
Ruth 3:7-12
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman. And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
Boaz knew how to take care of business.
Ruth 4:1-2
Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! Turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
Boaz was used by God in the lineage of Jesus.
Ruth 4:13
So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.
Ruth 4:17
And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Boaz was likely already married at least once.
Ruth 2:1
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
{A man of his wealth and power was not a young man. He would have been extremely odd indeed, had he attained his position without being married to at least one wife. Polygyny was an accepted and approved practice among the people of God, even in that day.}
Boaz was more likely nearer Naomi’s age than Ruth’s age.
Like Naomi, Boaz called Ruth “daughter” 4 times. He spoke to her in a clear paternal manner until, under Naomi’s instruction; Ruth pressed the issue of the Law of the childless widow. Boaz called her righteous in the matter.
No mention of romantic love is found in the Book of Ruth.
Honor, faithfulness, respect and character permeate the book, but not one mention of romantic love is found. Where these traits exist, love will grow and abound. Where they do not exist, initial love will wither and die, leaving a bitter remorse.