Genesis 2.4-17 One Simple Rule for a Special Person

Genesis 2 is a re-run of the creating that went on in Genesis 1 but with a different focus - now we're looking at the man in his special place

Man is a Special Person. He's like all the animals, made in a similar way as a distinct species but more than just another species, man is unique:

He's made in God’s image (Ch1). God breaths life into him showing a direct intimate act of creation. God speaks to him directly directing and commanding.

We share characteristics with animals but are made separately from dust, not from another animal. We are all descended from Adam (Acts 17:26)

The second thing about man is that he is to worship God in a Sacred Place (4-6; 8-15)

The earth was an uncultivated and unproductive area waiting for the arrival of man.
God plants a garden and puts man there with a command to work. It's a pattern that's repeated in the temple worship - sacred space with the presence of God and God's people worshipping him. In the garden the worship is to rule, subdue explore, work take take of the world. To extend the garden to the world. All we can do to serve and take care of creation, whether we get paid or not is a blessing, it's worship.

It's also really clear that man is not an imposter in an otherwise perfect world. Yes he does spoil things pretty soon but it's not true that by design man is an unhelpful addition to creation. Creation is lost without him. It has not purpose, no production.

Adam was to Serve in Dependence and Trust (verse 16,17).

Man lives by the breath of God and the word of God. He depends on God for the wonderful garden and a world to explore Man is dependent on God for life daily expressing this by eating from tree of life. But he also has to trust God's word. God gives a command: eat anything but this one tree. And then there's a warning: ignore me and you’ll die which means you begin to die losing access to tree of life. Our daily experience is of either dependence and trust or independence and unbelief

Which leads us to realise something has gone wrong because we're not in the garden and we all die. How do we get back to garden?

Only Jesus Fulfils the Mandate. We get back to Eden by Jesus. well that's not quite true. We actually get to somewhere better. To the new Jerusalem. Jesus perfectly fulfils the creation mandate for service, dependence and trust. Jesus made all the right choices. Jesus gives the right to eat from the tree of life

We need to be the best at serving God in working in this world in dependence and trust but we so need a Saviour for all the bad choices we've made.

We need the new Adam, Jesus Christ.

Do you know Him?


Here's a few questions for you:

1. How does the OT temple copy from the garden?

2. What does it mean that Jesus breathes on His disciples?

3. What do you think is meant by the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil"?

4. Do you think Adam and Eve were immortal before the ate the wrong fruit?

5. Have you got any other questions?!


Listen to the full sermon here...