Galen Mason

A Short History of Marriage, Family, and Sexuality in Scripture

On every subject of importance, we first need to know God’s thoughts since He is the creator and designer of everything that exists. Searching for God’s plans for humanity, we must begin where the Scriptures begin, with the creation. What can we learn from those beginning pages of the Bible about the most basic of human relationships? Since the first two chapters of Genesis concern events that occurred before sin entered the world, we can find information about God’s original intentions before the world became distorted by sin. What can we learn about God’s view concerning marriage, family, and human sexuality?

God’s Original Pattern Genesis 1 – 2

Before creating humans, God created a variety of living things, and He designed them to continue on, to reproduce. First, the plants in Gen 1:11-12, and then animals in 1:20-25. Each was to reproduce “after their kind” as they multiplied and filled the earth. Then, when God created humans “in His own image” according to 1:26-28, they also were to “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” There was, however, a great difference; of all living things, only humans were created in God’s image and their status was to be over all the rest of creation. From the sexual standpoint, for both animals and people, reproduction requires a male and a female. For the animals, such multiplication appears to be governed primarily by instinct. But it is not so for people.

Gen 1:27 says, “God created man in His own mage, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” It is the male and female together that best reveals the image of God. Then notice God’s first recorded words spoken to the first human couple, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth …” Although the sexual relationship between the man and woman will be shown in Scripture to have other purposes, it is the purpose of reproduction that is first declared as part of God’s plan and design in the creation.

In the second chapter of Genesis, the author narrows the focus of the creation narrative, zeroing in on the creation of humankind, backing up to retell the story from that point of view. In 2:7 we read, “Then the LORD God formed man of the dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Later, God states, 2:18 “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper suitable for him.” The mate would be “suitable for” or “corresponding to” the man. By declaring the need of the man for a mate and by the action of God to meet that need, we find the foundations for marriage and family. The man needs a wife; the woman meets the need of the husband; together they will be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. All this is by God’s original and good design.

We then read in 2:21-22, “So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.” The man’s response is recorded in poetic form in 2:23, “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” The Hebrew word for man is “Ish” and the word for woman is “Ishah” thus showing the likeness between the two. These words are found throughout the Old Testament, and most frequently translated into English as “husband” and “wife” respectively.

The two verses that follow set the pattern for marriage, for the relationship between the husband and his wife, 2:24-25. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” First, there is to be a transition from being under the authority of parents to the beginning of a new primary relationship, that of husband and wife. Secondly, the joining together speaks of a strong commitment to one another, later in Scripture referred to as a covenant. Thirdly, the idea of a “one flesh” relationship is far more than simply the physical, sexual union; the unity in marriage involves the whole person and the entirety of their lives together. Finally, the reference to being “naked and … not ashamed” is an indication of the openness, the transparency, of the relationship between husband and wife on every level. This pattern for marriage was made before sin came into the world; this is God’s original intent.

Many centuries later Jesus quoted these verses in response to a question about divorce, Mt 19:4-9, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’? … Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.” Jesus thereby reaffirmed God’s original pattern (from the beginning).

We shouldn’t miss the statement in Gen 2:22, that God “brought her to the man.” Notice the context, the Creator “fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.” The personal care of God in fashioning the woman and then in presenting her to the man shows the value God placed on this relationship. The bond of marriage is a sacred connection, designed by God.

We should also notice that at the time of their creation, there was no shame, no fear, and no guilt; the relationship of husband and wife was exactly as God designed it should be. The original pattern is made clear. There has never been, in the experience of humanity, a stronger relationship between people than that of the marriage relationship when experienced as God intended.

The History of Sin as it Affected Marriage, Family, and Sexuality Gen 3-19

Without detailing the account of “the Fall” of humanity into sin (Gen 3), it can simply be said that both Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, the first husband and wife, fell into sin by disobeying a direct command of God after being tempted to do so by the “serpent.” One of the things Adam and Eve quickly realized was that they were naked, 3:7, so they tried to cover their nakedness with fig leaves. God came looking for them and when they heard Him coming, they hid themselves. God called out, 3:9, “Where are you?” Adam responded by saying that when he heard God coming, 3:10, “… I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” Of course, God already knew what had happened but was giving them a chance to confess. Instead, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. Sin, once recognized, always brings guilt, fear, and shame and often blaming others for our own failures.

As part of God’s declaration of the consequences of their sin, He says to the woman, 3:16, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth …” and “Your desire will be for your husband. And he will rule over you.” The New Living Translation tries to clarify what is said about the husband wife relationship, “And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” So, we see that one of the results of sin is a tendency to bring conflict into the marriage relationship! It is still true today. A further result of the sin of Adam and Eve is their eviction from the Garden of Eden.

Gen 4 relates the deterioration of humanity and society before many years go by. The first two children mentioned are two sons born to Adam and Eve; their names were Cain and Abel. Cain murders his brother and is then condemned to be a wanderer. Through a brief genealogy, we find one of his descendants, a few generations later, breaks the pattern that God had given for marriage by marrying two wives, 4:19. The narrative doesn’t tell us, at that point, whether this was good or bad, but in the history that follows every time a man has more than one wife there are negative results.

Society grows worse as sin abounds and by the time we reach Gen 6:5-7, we read, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land …” However, 6:8, there was one man who “found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” The story that follows tells how God gave Noah instructions to build a large boat in which God would save him and his family and preserve all the various kinds of animals. God then sent a flood on the earth and all the rest of humankind was lost, but Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives, were saved.

Starting over with this family did not solve the problem of sin. An incident that clearly shows the fallen nature of humanity is recorded in Gen 9:20-27. Noah made wine, drank too much and “… became drunk, and uncovered himself inside the tent.” One of his sons saw him and told the others. The other two sons, “… took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father.” A contrast here needs to be noticed. Before sin came into the world, Adam and Eve were said to be, “naked and … not ashamed,” but here, nakedness is not to be seen by others.

After many generations have gone by, God chooses Abram (who later is renamed Abraham) and begins to unfold a plan to bring salvation into the world, a way for people to regain a right relationship with God and with one another. God’s original promises to Abraham are recorded in Gen 12:1-3; God promises to give Abraham a family with many descendants, to bless him and to make him a blessing to others. In fact, God declares, “And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” The ultimate fulfillment of that promise is found in Jesus Christ, who came to “save His people from their sins,” (Matt 1:21). Abraham was far from perfect and though he tried to follow God’s plan, he often failed. One failure that has reference to families was his marriage to a second wife, Hagar, and the son that was born to them, with all the resulting conflict and problems.

Another incident in the life of Abraham further illustrates the sinfulness of humanity as well as tells us much about God’s purposes for the family. In Gen 18 God appears to Abraham along with two others, who are apparently angels as we will find out as the story unfolds. God is there to reaffirm His promise of a son to Abraham and to Sarah, but as the time of His visit is concluding, we learn something about the plans of God for Abraham, and for all families. God decides to tell Abraham about His second purpose for being there but first makes a comment about His plan for Abraham and the world. Gen 18:19, “For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the ways of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.” God’s purposes for marriage and family include the plan to teach the ways of the Lord to the next generation, ways that are characterized by righteousness and justice.

Then God revealed to Abraham the second purpose of His visit, one that concerned Abraham’s nephew, Lot, who had moved some distance away and was living in the city of Sodom. The Lord tells Abraham, 18:20, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.” Abraham attempts to convince the Lord not to destroy those cities by holding out the hope that there are some righteous people there as well. Abraham asks, 18:23, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” As he pleads with God, he says further, 18:25, “… Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” Abraham rightly recognizes that God is the supreme Judge and that He is the God of true justice! The attempted negotiation ends in 18:32 when Abraham requested that if there are at least ten righteous people in Sodom, would He spare the city. God says, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten,” As we will see, there were not even ten righteous people in those cities.

In the following chapter, we find that when the two angels arrived in Sodom, Lot invited them into his home as an act of hospitality. That evening, 19:4, we find revealed the sort of wickedness that was the cause of God’s judgment. A large group of the city’s men surrounded Lot’s home, saying, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.” The angels miraculously caused the men to be blinded so they could not find the door and thus, Lot and his family and his angelic visitors were kept safe. The angels told Lot of their purpose, 19:13, “… we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the LORD that the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” Without going into the details of the story, Lot and his two daughters were the only ones saved from the destruction. The next morning, 19:24, “… the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.”

The only specific sin mentioned here of which the people of Sodom were guilty was the sexual sin of homosexuality or sodomy, actually named after this city. In addition, Eze 16:49-50 declares other sins of which the people of Sodom were guilty, “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom; she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it.” Perhaps because of their abundance they became arrogant and out of their pride came their practice of abominations. The very names of Sodom and Gomorrah are used throughout Scripture and history as examples of great sin that brought the judgment of God. Notice the statement of Jude 1:7, “Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them … indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, [and] are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.”We ought to remember that in Gen 18:19 the ways of God are described as “righteousness and justice” and in 18:25 God is recognized as “the Judge of all the earth …” who will certainly “… deal justly.” We then see in the very next chapter, Gen 19, that God demonstrated this in His actions toward Sodom and Gomorrah; “… the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.” His actions were just.

As we saw God’s original plan for marriage and family in the first two chapters of Genesis, so we have seen in the chapters that followed how sin caused the plan to be broken and rejected. Rejecting God’s ways is always detrimental to individuals, families, and to society. The negative effects of rejecting or ignoring God’s plan is shown time and time again throughout the remainder of Genesis.

God’s Will for Family, Marriage, and Sexuality in the Old Covenant Law Exodus 20

There is much to be learned about God’s ways in the Old Testament Law. The Ten Commandments provide a summary of God’s will. The first four of the commandments refer to having a proper belief and reverence concerning God, Ex 20:2-11. “… You shall have no other gods before Me … You shall not make for yourself an idol … You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain … Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy …” The other six commandments, 20:12-17, refer to the way people should treat other people. Because of these two emphases of the Ten Commandments Jesus declared that all of the OT Law could be summed up in two commandments, Matt 22:36-40. A Jewish leader asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, ” ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” The first, to love God, covers the first four of the Ten and the other six fall under the second, to love your neighbor.

Two of the Ten Commandments deal specifically with marriage and family, the fifth and the seventh commandments, “Honor your father and your mother,” and “You shall not commit adultery.” As God set the standard in Genesis, the family is to consist of a father, a mother, and their children. Of course, sin has often caused these standards to be broken and families often consist of broken homes and families. It is important to realize, however, that God will build or rebuild His ways into our homes to whatever extent He can as long as we allow Him to do so.

The seventh commandment, Ex 20:14, simply says, “You shall not commit adultery.” The context of such faithfulness is the marriage, faithfulness to your spouse, and is equally applied to both husband and wife. Adultery is defined as having sexual relations with a person other than the one to whom you are married. A similar word, also found is Scripture, is fornication and refers to an unmarried person having sexual relations with another unmarried person. The word is usually translated in the NIV as “sexual immorality.” Jesus said in Matt 15:19, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” He was speaking of the things that defile a person and such things begin in the heart. Sexual sins were as rampant in Bible times as they are today, but God’s standards have never changed.

The Ten Commandments are a summary of God’s will for our lives. Throughout the remainder of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, the Law is expanded and explained. The sin of adultery is only one of several other laws that together define acceptable and unacceptable sexual relations. In Lev 18:3-4, God declared, “You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, to live in accord with them; I am the LORD your God.” The remainder of the chapter lists practices that are not acceptable to God.The list begins with a prohibition of the various forms of incest, 18:6 “None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am the LORD.” The NIV gives a more modern translation, “No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.” The forbidden incestual relationships are listed in 18:6-18. Then, 18:20 refers to adultery, having relations with a person married to someone else, “You shall not have intercourse with your neighbor’s wife, to be defiled with her.”

Other sinful practices are also listed here. 18:21 forbids the sacrificing of children to the false god, Molech, which was a practice of the surrounding societies. Then 18:22 states, “You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.” Before we discuss that command further, notice the following verses, 18:23-25. “Also you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion. Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled. For the land has become defiled, therefore I have brought its punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants.” Notice that the reasons the pagan nations were being driven out of the land was not simply to give the land back to the Israelites but was because of their many sins which had “defiled” the land.

Because of today’s controversy concerning same-sex relationships I need to consider the words of 18:22, “You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female …” One article I read recently appeals to a German translation from the 1800s that says, “Man shall not lie with young boys as he does with a woman, for it is an abomination.” The same translation was apparently found in Lev 20:13 and a similar one in a New Testament verse, 1 Cor 6:9. However, the German translation misses the point. The word in Leviticus is a Hebrew word, zakar, which is found in the Old Testament over eighty times, and only two times does it refer to boys, both times referring to newly born infants, Isa 66:7 “… she gave birth to a boy,” and Jer 20:15 “… A baby boy has been born to you.” To then translate the word as “young boys” is a mistranslation. The practice of homosexuality with young boys was a part of Greek and Roman cultures and perhaps was the cause of the mistranslation. We must not allow the mistake of that translation to deceive us from God’s original meaning.

New Testament Prohibitions of Sexual Immorality

Consider 1 Cor 6:9-10, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” The Greek term translated here as “homosexual” is arsenokoitai; the word is from two other words, arsen, which is translated as “male” or “men,” and koite, which means “bed” and by implication cohabitation. The preceding listed sin is “effeminate,” and a footnote in the NASB explains, “I.e. effeminate by perversion.” The NIV renders the two words together as “nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders.” The Greek term arsenokoitai is only found twice in the Bible, here and in 1 Tim 1:10 where it appears in a list of sinful practices which are against the law of God. Again, to translate the word as “boy molesters” as in the old German translation mentioned above is simply wrong, a mistranslation.

Modern translations have “homosexuals” in both places, though the King James Version has “abusers of themselves with mankind” and “them that defile themselves with mankind.” The modern word “homosexual” was not in use at the time the KJV was translated. The word itself applies specifically to men, but in Rom 1:26-27, same-sex relations are condemned for both men and women. The word “homosexual” is not used, but the practice is clearly described. “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” Same-sex activities were here stated to be “unnatural.” It would be hard to misunderstand the plain teachings of Scripture, which gives us the truth of God’s will and plan for us all.

Conclusion: God’s approved pattern is the same as it has been from the beginning, marriage is to be between one man and one woman. Sexual relations are only acceptable between a husband and his wife within the bounds of their own marriage. All else is forbidden. As the Scripture said at the end of creation, Gen 1:31 “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” God’s plan is a good one and any practice that turns away from that original and good plan will lead to problems. We should embrace God’s plan for humanity in reference to marriage and family. God’s ways are always the best ways.

Notes on Marriage

Genesis Two – Notes on Marriage

Lots of wedding ceremonies refer back to the story of Adam and Eve, specifically to Genesis 2:24-25. God had previously stated (in 2:18) that “It is not good for the man to be alone,” and spoke of His intention to make a helper for Adam. Then, Adam was given the task of naming the animals, and perhaps in the process of doing that he had been searching for that “helper” that God had mentioned. However, verse 20 states, “… for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.”

The Scripture continues, “So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept …” (a divine anesthetic prior to the world’s first surgery?) “… then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man” (2:21-22).

Adam’s response was remarkable! (Much as is that of a groom when his bride appears at the back of the sanctuary, beautiful in her wedding gown, and escorted in on the arm of her father!) “The man said,

‘This is now bone of my bones,

And flesh of my flesh;

She shall be called Woman,

Because she was taken out of Man.’” (2:23)

Adam was excited, to say the least!

The importance of the words in the next two verses can hardly be questioned! Let’s consider four foundations for marriage contained in those two verses (2:24-25). “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

Let me note that Adam and Eve obviously did not have earthly parents, so these concepts are mentioned here because they became the norm for all succeeding generations.

The first foundation is found in the word “leave”. When a wedding occurs, there is a change in relationship between the ones being married and their parents. The husband is the one addressed here, but obviously both marriage partners will experience the same change. Prior to this, they have lived in the homes of their own parents and family. Now, as they begin a new family, things change! The word used in Scripture is “leave”, “… a man shall leave his father and his mother …”.

Children, throughout childhood, are taught to be under their parents’ authority and to obey them. Now, as they “leave” them, a change of relationship occurs. However, they are still called upon by Scripture to “honor” their parents, but their relationship has changed. In marriage, the primary person in the life of both husband and wife is to be their partner.

The second foundation is found in the next words, “… cleave unto his wife …” (KJV) or “… be united to his wife …” I like the word “cleave” because it means to stick like glue; marriage is to be a permanent relationship! I mentioned in my previous post the words of Jesus in Matthew 19:6 after He quoted these verses from Genesis, “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

Which brings up the third foundation, “… they shall become one flesh.” A major characteristic of marriage is to be oneness, unity, or “one flesh”! Let me offer a quote concerning this idea of oneness: “The one flesh in marriage is not just a physical phenomenon, but a uniting of the totality of two personalities. In marriage, we are one flesh by vow, economically by sharing, logistically by adjusting time and agreeing on the disbursement of all life’s resources, experientially by trudging through the dark valleys and standing victoriously on the peaks of success, and sexually by the bonding of our bodies.” [Louis H. Evans, Jr., Hebrews: The Communicator’s Commentary Series (Waco, Tex.: Word Publishing, 1985), p. 243.]

So, the “one flesh” concept is larger than we might first expect. Most of us only grow to understand it as we share our lives together in the living out of our wedding vows! I will come back to this in a moment.

The fourth foundational concept is from Genesis 2:25, “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” There is to be, in the marriage relationship, an openness, a transparency, a “nakedness” that includes but is far more than physical! There is to be a communication that is characterized by unconditional love, respect, and acceptance! This can only be developed over time; it’s not a magical change that occurs on your wedding day! But it’s worth the effort; just wait and see! Let me also say, and emphasize, that “physical” nakedness is only to occur within the marriage relationship!

Before I conclude this article, I want to go back to the “one flesh” idea. Notice that for Adam and Eve, their first connection was with God, the heavenly Father! This is a “spiritual” relationship, and before the possibility of a wedding is even discussed, the man and the woman need to ensure that they are both on the same (or very similar) “spiritual” foundation. Spiritual oneness must always come first!

Then, if there is a spiritual oneness, consider what we might call “soul” oneness (as in the term “soul-mate”)! How do the two of you fit together in your thinking and how well do your personalities connect? Usually opposites attract, so I’m not talking about being alike, but how well do you really like each other? How well do you enjoy this person you are falling in love with? How deep is your love for one another? Are you really “friends”? Keep the order correct; first is “spiritual” oneness, then “soul” oneness. Love God first, then you’ll be able to love your mate!

Again, make sure your “spiritual” beliefs and your relationships to God are in agreement; both of you need to be “Christians” (saved, born again) and in agreement on the church denomination you will attend and raise your children in! Then, make certain that your life styles, your personalities, and your values agree enough, and that you discover you are truly “soul mates”! In addition, make sure you’ve had sufficient time to develop your love for one another! Only then should you consider marriage.

The last part of the “one flesh” relationship, the physical sexual part, should occur only after the wedding! Only then will the “one flesh” relationship be appropriate and blessed by God! Remember to get it right, “spirit, soul, body” – in that order!

Marriage is God’s idea and if we will follow His plan, married life will be wonderful! And, I might add, will grow more wonderful as you share your lives over the course of years!

A Few Notes on Genesis One and Two

Have you ever noticed God’s first recorded words to Adam and Eve, the newly created man and woman? There is, I think, a very important message here! These are not His first spoken words to them but the ones we first encounter as we read through the first two chapters of the Bible. Let’s read them in context.

First of all, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). This is, of course, a summary statement; Genesis chapter two gives more details about their creation as we will see in a moment.

In the very next verse (Genesis 1:28) God speaks directly to them His first recorded words spoken to this man and woman. “God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”

Don’t miss those first words that God spoke to them! “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth …”! God declared in these words His intention for this man and woman, this first husband and wife, to have a family! They were to “multiply” – to have children who would also develop into families and have children, who would then marry and have children as they became families, and so on – until they filled the earth!

Thus, from God’s very first words to Adam and Eve, He spoke of family; He revealed His perfect plan for humanity to enjoy the blessings of marriage and families!

Then, in the second chapter, beginning in Genesis 2:7, we begin to get more details of God’s creation of this first man, Adam, and then later in the chapter, of His creation of Eve, the first woman! Notice that God did not simply speak Adam into existence; He took more time, being careful in this creation. “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being (a living soul).”

There appear in this context words that God spoke to Adam before the creation of Eve (which is why I said earlier that the words in Genesis 1:28 were the first “recorded” words that God spoke to humans). Of course, nearly all of us remember this command, given after God placed him in the Garden of Eden and gave him his job description. Notice Genesis 2:15, “Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” Then, the famous command of Genesis 2:16-17, “The LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.’” It seems that it would be Adam’s responsibility to pass that command on to Eve after God brought her to him.

However, before He created Eve, God made a profound statement (although it is common sense to most of us now); “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Gen 2:18)! God then stated His intention to “make him a helper suitable for him.” God helps Adam to also recognize his need for a helper by presenting all the animals to Adam (probably in pairs, male and female; I’m just guessing). God allows Adam to give names to the animals, but the conclusion is clear, “… but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him” (Gen 2:20). Ah, now Adam sees the need as well!

“So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man and brought her to the man” (Gen 2:21-22). The man then makes a poetic declaration,

“This is now bone of my bones,

And flesh of my flesh;

She shall be called Woman,

Because she was taken out of Man.” (Gen. 2:23)

(Adam may have won her heart right there; women love poetry! Just saying.)

Bringing this section of Scripture to a close, the concluding statement of the Scripture writer was certainly inspired by God (as was all other Scripture, of course). “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:24-25).

I find it interesting (and important!) that Jesus quoted these verses when asked about divorce in Matthew 19. He responded with a question, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6).

(Note: The reason for the capital letters in that quote are because the NASB writes Old Testament quotations in the New Testament with capital letters.)

According to the Scripture itself from Genesis and from the words of Jesus, we find that marriage consists of one man and one woman and that when God joins them together in holy matrimony, the two become one flesh! Thus began God’s plan for marriage and family! And I say, “Hooray!”

(I have more to say about that “oneness” but will save it for another blog.)

Genesis One

In the Beginning July 9, 2024

The place to begin is usually “In the beginning.” It’s there that the Bible begins. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). So, there you have it – everything begins with God! The remainder of chapter one relates the process and order of creation.

The entire natural realm came into existence from the decision of God; He simply “created” everything! Well, not “simply” by our idea of simplicity; the created world, in fact the entire universe, is far more complex than scientists, philosophers, and theologians have as yet discovered! But let’s back up and see clearly this one fact, that everything begins with “God”!

Considering everything that the designer and creator has placed within this natural realm, as far as we know only humans have the ability to know, to realize, that there is a Creator who exists in a realm beyond the natural realm. All the rest of the creation simply exists without any thought or knowledge of the creator – this One to whom we owe our very existence! Since we have the capacity to recognize this truth, how are we to respond? That is perhaps the most important question we should attempt to answer today.

The first chapter of the first book of the Bible begins here with this first truth – that God exists and He is the Creator! God creates and His own character is reflected in the creation; we see order and beauty, simplicity and complexity. Also built into the creation is the ability to continue; all that is living, both plant and animal life, has the ability to sustain itself and to reproduce, to continue! Plants have seeds that reproduce “after their kind.” All the various sorts of animal life reproduce and multiply “after their kind” (Genesis 1:11, 21).

Then, standing back and considering the wonder of this natural realm, from the largest and the most distant of the stars, to the smallest of the plants, even to the tiniest of atoms, God evaluates it all as “very good” (Genesis 1:31).

We only learn in the New Testament that Jesus Himself was fully involved in the process of creation. One example of this truth is stated in Hebrews 1:1-3, “God … in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.” So, we see clearly that the natural realm was originally created by God with the participation of Jesus Christ, and is still being upheld and sustained by His protective power and care!

It ought to be encouraging to think that of all that the Lord created, only one of His creations is said to have been made “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:26-27). Us! Humanity! Mankind! Only one creature was appointed to bear the “image” of God and to apparently be His representative in the natural realm. We have been delegated a limited authority to “rule over” the rest of creation. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them!”

As the narrative continues, these humans are frequently in conversation with God, being spoken to and speaking back to Him! Don’t miss that point! He speaks to us, and we are to hear Him; we speak to Him and He hears us! [Later, we’ll discuss just how it is that He is speaking to us today.]

Just these few simple thoughts should convince us that we have a responsibility to God for how we respond to Him and to His plans for us. As the One who has the ability to simply speak the worlds into existence, the fact that He is concerned about us at all is amazing and intimidating. Think of it this way, “I owe Him my very existence; I am therefore accountable to Him!” What an amazing, wonderful, creative, and joyful God He is! I am newly motivated to learn more of Him and more of His plans for me.

work out your own salvation

The words were right there; I stared at them and read them again. Seemed like they were in bold print, “… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” I felt like God was talking to me!

I was young, maybe ten or eleven years old, when that phrase from the Bible grabbed my attention. I didn’t get the real meaning for a while; I didn’t even see the rest of Philippians chapter two, just that part of verse twelve. I read the words “work out” as a challenge, like a math problem, and thought I needed to figure it out, to work out the real meaning of salvation, to understand it! So, not even realizing the importance of that decision, I started on my own personal life-time journey to figure it out! At that young age, I know now that my attempt was shallow, and my understanding was immature, and I know that I’ve stumbled many times along the way, but that really was the first “big” decision of my spiritual journey. No matter how young you are or how old you are, God will come to you and speak to you on your own level; He will meet you right where you are!

That verse became a rule to guide me as I tried to learn and understand everything I could about God and what it means to be a Christian. Instead of just doing what I was told or believing what someone else told me to believe, I decided that God wanted me to figure things out for myself. I wanted to know for myself what I believed and why I believed it! I wanted to learn for myself what the Bible said and what it really means. I wanted God’s Word to work its way into every part of my life so that I could actually live as a Christian in every part of my life to the very best of my ability. I was very serious when I asked God to help me “work out my own salvation”! And nearly sixty years later, I am still trying, still learning, still attempting to actually work out in real life the things I learn!

Desperate to Know the Ways of God

Great desperation filled his voice as Moses bowed low before God, as he cried out for mercy! So much had happened, yet he knew he was incapable of dealing with what was yet to come. Inside this “tent of meeting” (Ex 33:9) God was speaking, “Depart, go up from here … I will send an angel before you … for I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way” (Ex 33:1-3). Afraid to attempt the impossible without God’s presence, Moses cried out for mercy!

Through the series of dreadful miracles (the ten “plagues” that had fallen on Egypt), through the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea on dry ground, through the daily giving of the miracle food “manna” and finally through the hearing of the Voice of God from the mountain top, the nation had come from Egyptian slavery to the barren wilderness! Into the very presence of God Himself, at the base of Mount Sinai.

Having heard the Ten Commands from God Himself, the people had then watched Moses climb upward and disappear into the cloudy heights of God’s Presence. And they had waited for his return. And waited. And after many days he had not returned.

So, without a prophet and without a tangible god that they could see and touch, in fear and disobedience they reverted to the days of Egypt, making for themselves a god, a golden calf, an idol. Even though the Second of the Ten Commands had forbidden idols! “So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play” (Ex 32:6). But there was no peace. Far above, on the mountain top, the Lord saw. “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, ‘Go down at once, for your people … have corrupted themselves’” (Ex 32:7).

What happened next is difficult to know. God was seemingly ready to destroy them all, but Moses cried out, interceded, entreated God, prayed for His mercy, and reminded God of His past promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the ancestors of these disobedient people. And equally hard to explain, “… the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people” (Ex 32:14)! Moses ran down the mountain with the two stone tablets on which God had engraved His Law, the Ten Commands, and “… as soon as Moses came near the camp … he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain,” (Ex 32:19). The Law had already been broken and now the Tablets of the written Law were shattered. Moses ground the golden calf to powder, scattered it on the water and the people were made to drink it. Further judgement came and people died, slaughtered. Finally, an exhausted and emotionally overwhelmed Moses turned back to the Lord. As he desperately prayed for these people, Moses even begged that if God would not forgive their sin, then God should “… blot me out from Your book which You have written!” (Ex 32:32).

And so, God had stated, “… I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way” (Ex 33:4). Then, in desperation, Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me.” Further, Moses reminded the Lord that He had said to Moses, “I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight” (Ex 33:12). Moses is confused, frustrated, and hurt, but he quickly gets to the heart of the issue, “Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You …” (Ex 33:13)!

Ah, there it is, the need of Moses, the nation of Israel, both your need and mine! If Moses, who by this time we think should have known God and His ways better than anyone, this Moses to whom God spoke “… face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend” (Ex 33:11), if Moses prayed this prayer, then certainly you and I need to pray it unto God! We need to know God! And therefore, as the first and most obvious way to know Him, we must learn His ways! We must pray, “Lord, let me know Your ways that I may know You.”

What is WRONG with people?

I offer here ten possible reasons for what is wrong with our world:

10. Discontented, we look around at what we don’t have – possessions, pleasure, power, stuff of all kinds – and we desire them! Not content with what we have or what we can earn on our own, we start wanting what other people have, or what we imagine that other people have, or what the many forms of advertisements say we need to have. We are discontented.

9. When people don’t respect the very concept of truth, the result will be lies and deception. Unhappy with the way things are, we lie to convince ourselves that things are or that they ought to be the way we want them to be! Or we lie to make others think something is true that isn’t. Unhappy with what is, we deceive.

8. Having no respect for what others possess, our discontent coupled with dishonesty and a lack of respect for others, we become thieves! Why should they have what I don’t?

7. Without respect for marriage or our marriage partner, or the marriage partner of another, we imagine that we aren’t loved and seek the love of another. Due to a lack of love and a lack of respect for ourselves or anyone else, we cheat sexually. People look at others as potential partners who can meet their needs. Needs that we think we have, that our husbands or wives aren’t meeting. And with the sexual boundaries lowered or removed in the society that surrounds us, we give ourselves and others permission to commit adultery, or have sexual relations in many other ways that should be off limits. Once the sexual boundaries have been removed, there will be no limits to which people will not go seeking fulfillment, or love, or simply pleasure.

6. Disrespect for life, our own lives and the lives of others, will result in anger, bitterness, resentment, hatred, and grudges. In turn, these emotions will produce conflict and violence. Then, murder or attempted murder, or random violence and the killing of innocent people, the shedding of innocent blood.

5. Disrespect for the family – not only for parents, but for children, and for the very idea of marriage – will result in broken hearts, broken homes, more anger, rebellion, and more violence.

Note: All of the above listed problems have to do with the way people treat one another. All are motivated ultimately by a lack of love and respect for other people or for ourselves. This lack of love and respect for people is really the result of a lack of love and respect for the One who created us. The next four reasons for the unacceptable situation of our world actually precede those already named.

4. Disrespect for the one day a week that God gave us for rest and for worship, His day, will cause us to treat all days alike and will result in life becoming overly stressed and too full of too many things, too many activities. Such busyness will not allow our bodies the rest they need; our minds and emotions will not rest. Disrespect for the Lord’s day will keep our minds away from any thoughts about God.

3. Disrespect for the reality of God, for the name of God, for God Himself, will result in disrespect for one another. Disrespect for God will also result in crude vocabularies, referring to God in unacceptable ways. There will also be disrespect for the people who claim to be God’s people, much of which is deserved because we have taken the name of God, calling ourselves “Christian” but not living as Christ taught us, many not even trying to live worthy of God!

2. Instead, we make “idols” of many things. We serve ideas, or possessions, or pleasures, or people, or more likely we simply worship and serve ourselves. People become their own gods.

1. Finally, the most basic cause of all that is WRONG in our world today, is simply that people refuse to submit to the God who created the universe that we live in. He has given us guidelines that, if followed, would make life better, would make the world a better place, would create a safer environment for our children, a more enjoyable and fulfilling existence for us all. Acknowledging God and being grateful to Him for all He has given us, including the gift of salvation, is the place to begin.

For background, read Exodus 20:1-17.

Temptation Three

Consider the third temptation of Jesus. (Concerning the first two temptations, I refer you to a couple of my previous posts.) “Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me’” (Matthew 4:8-9).

Understand that Jesus had come to earth to establish a kingdom! John the Baptist had already begun the work; his message was clear, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). So, it appears that the devil was offering Jesus an easy way to accomplish the mission! Jesus simply had to submit to him, to accept the ways of the world, to follow the plan of Satan, the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4). The Kingdom would quickly become a world wide kingdom! Mission accomplished!

Hmmm. Aren’t many churches today giving in to this same temptation? Trying to build God’s church by using the proven and effective methods of the world?!! This “worship” that Satan was asking Jesus to give him was not to sing songs of praise to Satan or to honor him as “god” – NO! All Jesus would have to do was simply “bow the knee” to Satan, to use the methods of the world system! Listen carefully, the temptation was to use the world’s methods to accomplish God’s goals.

Let’s make this personal for a moment. Do you primarily use the world’s system to reach your own goals – personal, financial, business, educational, family? Or do you search the Word of God for His plan, His way, His priorities, His methods for all the areas in your life? Just asking.

Jesus quickly saw through the lie, the deception, and commanded, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY’” (Mt. 4:10). The Kingdom that Jesus came to establish was not an earthly kingdom but a heavenly kingdom! It could never be gained by using the world system, not by a compromise with the devil! Notice the command that Jesus quoted; the words “worship” and “serve” are both included! You will serve that which you worship and worship that which you serve. Perhaps, again, a little personal inventory is appropriate here.

The foundations of the ministry of Jesus were tested and established in those days of fasting, prayer, and temptation. Would His focus be on His personal needs? Would He expect God to protect Him even if He were not obedient to all the ways of God? Would He rely on the spectacular to draw the crowds and the methods of the world system to establish His kingdom? Or would He focus on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, seeking to keep all of His ways in agreement with the ways of God, and trusting God to show Him what to do and when to do it? I encourage you to read those first eleven verses of Matthew four again and put yourself in the place of temptation.

Another quote to consider might be 1 John 2:15-17. “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (NASB)

What if …

What if we lived in a world as God originally intended it to be? What would such a world be like? What would our lives be like? Is it even possible to know? When God completed the original creation, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). What if it had stayed that way? How would God want us to be living our day by day lives in that perfect world?

But even living in the world as it is today, what if we could know how God wants us to be living? In every area of life?

After the Fall, after sin came into this world, since that time, everything God has done seems to have been motivated by His intention to restore us, to restore the original creation, to “redeem” us from the results of sin. He desires to restore us to a right and good relationship to Himself! That’s why He chose Abraham and his descendants, why He gave the nation of Israel the Ten Commandments and the Old Testament Law! That’s why He sent prophets! That’s why He sent Jesus to die on the cross and open the way for us to be restored! For our sins to be forgiven and overcome! To set us free from slavery to sin! That’s why Jesus promised to return! That’s why God sent the Holy Spirit, why He has offered to us the reality of being “born again”!

And at the end of all things as we know it, we are promised a new earth and a new society perfectly in line with God’s original intentions, a society of God’s own making and design, perfect in every way! And what’s more, you and I, all of us, have been provided an opportunity to live there forever! Hip, hip, hooray! And Hallelujah!

But until then, how are we supposed to live? How are we to relate to God, to ourselves, to the people around us, to the world as it is? What are we supposed to be doing? Do we know? Can we know? What if God wanted to tell us, to show us, to help us know the way He intends for us to be living day by day, now, in the world as it is? What if He wanted to tell us the proper way for us to conduct ourselves in every area of life? How would He tell us, show us; how would He go about making us know the way we ought to be living?

I’d suggest there are as least three ways He might do it. First, He could put within our human nature some sort of inclination toward Him, a tendency or inner knowledge of the way He has planned for us to live. Secondly, maybe He could simply come into our world as one of us, to show us personally what He wants us to know and do. He could demonstrate the way; He could actually be the “way” He has designed for us to live. And thirdly, He could have it all written down, so that His words could be read, discussed, studied, and translated into every language! Then everyone could have these words, this book from God. That book could be printed and passed on to each succeeding generation! His words would be applicable to every culture and every society and for every time period until the end of time, until His ultimate and final plan is completed and the new earth and heavens are brought into existence! What if!

Just so you know, God has done all three of those things! We have no real excuse for not living the way He wants us to…

Temptation Two

Temptation # 1 was discussed in the previous post; after forty days of fasting, in a time of physical weakness Jesus was tempted by Satan. “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Mt 4:3). Would He use the power of God in a self-centered way, to meet His own physical needs? (The need was real!) Jesus properly rejected the tempter’s suggestion with a scriptural quote, “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD” (Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3). What about us? Where do we focus when we’re at our weakest point? On ourselves, our needs, or do we turn to God and His Word so that He can meet our real needs and show us His plan?

Temptation # 2: Satan seemed to think that if Jesus could use Scripture, then so could he. So, he took Jesus into the holy city, had Him stand on the pinnacle (the highest point) of the temple, and then suggested that He throw Himself down. To land safely after such a fall would quickly gain people’s attention! And give Jesus opportunity to declare that the Kingdom of God had come! To support his suggestion Satan reminded Jesus of God’s promise in Psalm 91:11-12; “HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU … ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE” (Matt 4:5-6). Hmmm … makes sense … but, wait!

The problem here is the same one as we find in Genesis 3; the serpent (Satan) is speaking to Eve, questioning the words of God, and even questioning God’s good intention. Pay attention here; Satan will always question, misquote, or twist the meanings of God’s words! Remember? “Indeed, has God said …?” (Gen. 3:1).

Look more closely at Satan’s quotation of Psalm 91:11-12; if you look it up, you’ll notice that between the two promises, he left out a part, “To guard you in all your ways.” May not sound important at first, but God’s promise to send His angels to guard you and to protect you is connected to the phrase “in all your ways.” The condition of all the amazing promises found in Psalm 91 can be found in the first verse, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” So, here’s the question for Jesus, if He leaps from the pinnacle of the Temple will He still be dwelling in the shelter of God and in the shadow of the Almighty? Is this “way” of announcing the Kingdom in agreement with God’s “ways”? It’s a good question for you and me, too. What about our ways? Are all of our ways in agreement with God’s ways?

Consider Psalm 25:4, “Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.” We can’t just pick and choose when or how we want to apply or to claim a promise of God! Only as we know God’s ways and walk according to His paths (to the best of our ability and with the help of the Holy Spirit) can we expect God to keep His promise of protection! He’s not being hard to get along with; He just wants to keep us safe! And will as we walk in His ways!

Back to the temptation, Jesus again recognizes the devil’s faulty reasoning and answers with another quote, reminding Satan that it was also written, “YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST” (Mt 4:7, Deut 6:16). To leap from the roof of the Temple without God’s approval would be to put God to the test, attempting to force God to act! And when we choose to follow our own “ways” (or choose to follow Satan’s “ways”) we will disqualify ourselves from expecting God’s protection! Perhaps a little self-evaluation is needed.