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This podcast is designed to help you better understand the Word of God — both the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament is the story of the Covenant which God made with His chosen people Israel. And the New Testament is the story of the Cross which signifies the fulfillment of the Old Covenant with Israel and the formation of a New Covenant with redeemed people from many nations.
We always like to start out with the Word of God, and today’s passage of Scripture is Genesis 3:6-7 which reads: “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. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”
Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from the Reformation Study Bible edited by theologian R.C. Sproul:
Adam and Eve’s spiritual death is shown by their alienation from one another, symbolized by the sewing of fig leaves together for clothing, and separation from God, signified by their hiding among the trees.
Nakedness in the Old Testament suggests weakness, need, and humiliation. The Hebrew word for “naked” sounds like the Hebrew word for “crafty” in Genesis 3:1. The intimacy of marriage is shattered; trust is replaced by distrust. The first experience of guilt was expressed in terms of an awareness of nakedness. Redemption is linked to God providing a covering for human sin.
Their consciences condemning them, they shrank from the intimacy with God they formerly enjoyed in the garden. Their expulsion from it matches their attitudes and actions.
Today’s quote about the Bible is from R.C. Sproul. He said: “We fail in our duty to study God’s Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy.”
Our topic for today is titled: “Humanity’s Relationship with Self” from the book, “The Promise and the Blessing” by Dr. Michael A. Harbin.
The third area of relationship affected by the Fall is internal, or psychological. It is logical to suggest that before the Fall, both Adam and Eve were in perfect mental health. At this point of our text, we see only hints of the internal problems that develop, two of which we will look at here.
The first evidence of psychological problems is manifested when Adam and Eve realize they are naked, which suggests guilt and shame. This is why they try to cover themselves with fig leaves.
The second evidence is reflected in Adam’s response to God when God asks him whether he has eaten of the tree. Adam exhibits self-deceit when he tries to pass the blame on to the woman (“she gave me”) and back to God (“the woman you put here with me”). In other words, Adam is saying, “God, it’s not my fault. I was doing fine until the woman came along, and after all, You gave her to me.”
It has been suggested that most psychological problems are grounded in these two issues: guilt and self-deceit. Of course, other factors that affect our mental well-being include the defective relationships already discussed, not to mention physiological problems as a result of a now defective world.
Let’s Pray —
Before we close, dear friend, I want to remind you that the most important thing you should know about the Bible is that it is the story of God working to save humanity from sin and the consequences of sin. He did this by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins and take the punishment that we deserve on Himself. Romans 5:8 says, “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, and you want to get to know Him today, all you have to do is believe “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” and you will be saved. The Bible states in the book of Romans 10:9, 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Pray and ask Him to come into your heart and He will.
Until next time, remember the word of God is the foundation to a successful life. God bless.
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in twenty-three foreign countries. He is the author of thirty-four books. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry which publishes a monthly magazine called The Torch Leader. He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts, The Prayer Motivator Devotional and the Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report and the Second Coming Watch Update. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, and a Master’s degree in Religion from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica for twenty-five years. God has blessed their union with seven children. Find out more at www.danielwhyte3.com. Follow Daniel Whyte III on Twitter @prophetdaniel3 or on Facebook.
BCNN1 WP 