Study From the Book of Genesis,2

Study From the Book of Genesis,2

Today we are studying the second chapter of the book of Genesis. There are many biblical principles and lessons in this chapter. But I choose the two most useful ones in biblical counselling.

The earth is not the physical centre of the universe; it is the centre of God’s great creative work. God did not rest on the seventh day “the Sabath” because of fatigue, but because of His accomplishment. He showed that He was satisfied with the work He had done.

The order of events in the second creation story is somewhat different from the first account. The phrase not caused to rain anticipates the story of the Flood. Here was an element of creation that was still in the process. The Hebrew term for man sounds similar to the term used for ground. Mist: refers to some manner of irrigation before the Lord brought the cycle of rain into being.

Although God created light with a mere word, He created man by fashioning a body out of mud and clay, transforming the clay into something new, and then breathing life into it. This breath may be the narrator’s way of describing the infusion of the human spirit, with its moral, intellectual, relational, and spiritual capability.  The breath of life makes humans distinct from all other creatures.

The term Eden is not explained except that it is eastward. Some scholars believe its location was in Iraq now. But that was all destroyed by the Flood at the time of Noah later on. The garden was perfectly prepared. It was the man’s home and he had to tend and keep it. 

We know little about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Presumably God wanted man to learn wisdom, but wisdom tied to his relationship with Creator. The phrase to die, is not the guilty person would drop dead right then, but that it would be certainly happen -there is no escape.

It is the first time a negative assessment appears in Genesis. God did not want Adam to be lonely, so He fashioned a helper comparable to him. The phrase indicates that this helper or partner be truly fitting and fully adequate-just right. It does not refer to someone who is secondary or inferior.

This is the first surgery, and God was the Surgeon. In His kindness, God used an unusually deep sleep as an anaesthetic for the task. Luther observed, God might have taken a bone from a toe and thus signified that Adam was to rule over her; or He might have taken a bone from his head to indicate her rule over him. But be taking a bone from his side, God implied equality and mutual respect. One flesh suggests both a physical, sexual bonding and a life- long relationship.

Structure

Verses 1-7: the history of creation, continues.

Verses 8-24: life in God’s Garden.

Principle 3: verse 2:15- ----"Then the Lord took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”

Lesson 3: God gave the man work to do long before sin entered the world. Adam felt energised in his work because he knew God was present-exactly the same as with us.

Principle verse 4:20: ----” So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.”

Lesson 4: A significant delay occurred between the time God said He would make a helper for Adam and the time He actually made Eve. We may have to wait for God’s blessing, but it is always worth to! 14/9/2025.