We now need to read Genesis 3:22-24, a passage, which if rightly understood, conveys the precious hope of Redemption and glorious sonship to the members of the human race. Let us read the passage from the Rotherham translation: “Then said Yahweh God-Lo! man hath become like one of us, in respect of knowing good and evil. Now therefore lest he thrust forth his hand and take even of the tree of life, and eat and live to times age abiding-So Yahweh God put him forth from the Garden of Eden, to till the ground wherefrom he had been taken. So He expelled the man-and caused to dwell in front of the Garden of Eden-cherubim-and a brandishing sword flame, to keep (or guard) the way to the tree of life.”
Yahweh God (or Jehovah Elohim) is translated Lord God in the A.V. This expression is not found in the Bible until after the creation of man. (See Gen. 2:4, 7.) It signifies the “Self-Existent One who reveals Himself”; or the Manifested God; therefore indicates the Eternal Son. Yahweh, translated Jehovah, in the Old Testament, is the Redemption name of God. It indicates Christ of the New Testament. Elohim is a plural noun indicating God in His complete threefoldness, as shown in Genesis 1:26, “Let us make,” etc.; “Yahweh Elohim,” as used in this passage and at least one other (Gen. 11:7), indicates this same plural form, as shown by the personal pronoun us.
The expression “in respect of knowing good and evil,” indicates the fact of man’s choosing experimental knowledge as the result of independent activity, rather than to remain in absolute dependence upon God. It was another way of declaring that the members of the human race had “turned every one to his own way.” Verse 22 is an unfinished sentence, difficult to explain; yet if we carefully weigh all that we have previously considered in reference to the tree of life in its symbolic character, this difficult phrase becomes more intelligible. Possibly the following paraphrase will convey what was in God’s mind when He uttered these words: “Because man has chosen to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, instead of the tree of life-the eating of which would bestow Eternal Life and immortality-therefore must he be sent forth from Eden to realize the result of his choice.” Attention has previously been called to the fact that “lest” does not mean peradventure. God would not send man out of Eden to deprive him of that which the tree symbolized, but that He might avert the possibility of his presuming upon his created right to the tree of Life-a right which he had forfeited.
But now note the precious fact that although man has forfeited his created right to eat of the tree of Life, the way to that tree is to be kept open for him; so that if he chooses the way, he will have the right to the tree and be permitted to freely eat of its fruit. Carefully notice the wonderful provision made to guard this way to the tree of life. The Cherubim surrounding the tree and the revolving sword flame presented an awe-inspiring picture of God’s holiness and Love in providing a way whereby sinful man should partake of His Life. But perhaps one may ask, “Why the need of such constant keeping?” Because Satan would close the way if possible. He quickly perceived that if this way were kept open for sinful man, his hold over man would be gone forever. His purposes would fail of fulfillment. What was this way? The Sacrificial offering of God’s Lamb-God’s Plan of Redemption.
From the moment that Satan perceived the purpose of God, as symbolized by the guarded way to the tree which has been described, all of his corrupted wisdom and selfish power were concentrated upon one object: to frustrate the Redemptive Plan of God. We see his success in the case of Cain, the first child born into the world. He projects into his mind, already tainted by his sinful inheritance, the thought of substituting some other sacrificial offering than the slain lamb. Have the class read the account of the two offerings in Genesis 4:1-8 and explain the significance of each. The Rotherham translation of verses 6 and 7 is very helpful. “So then Yahweh said unto Cain, Wherefore hath it angered thee, and wherefore hath thy countenance fallen? Shall it not if thou do right be lifted up? But if thou do not right at the entrance a sin-bearer is lying.” This last phrase points to the fact that the Lord God calls attention to the fact that Abel would supply him with a lamb from his flock as an offering; indeed the Hebrew text seems to indicate that he was longing to do so, for he penetrated the symbol,* Note: Of course the teacher will explain more fully, if necessary, the relation between the symbol and the Reality, as some persons cannot readily interpret symbolic teaching. and in offering his sacrifice, he manifested faith in God’s Lamb. (See Heb. 11:4.) Cain was given every opportunity to follow Abel’s example, but he deliberately refused, and in him we see the first sinner to refuse God’s Plan of Redemption and put faith in God’s Slain Lamb.
We next observe Satan’s attempt to prevent the execution of the Redemptive Plan, in the fact that he leads Cain to murder his brother, thus planning to make void the promise of the seed of the woman; for Satan could not look into the future and see the birth of this promised Seed in Bethlehem. Doubtless he, as well as Adam and Eve, expected this Coming One to be a child of Eve.
The major portion of the Old Testament deals with the history of the race, tribe and family from which the Redeemer should come, and it is interesting to notice the efforts of Satan in each generation to render futile the prophecies concerning the birth of this Promised One. There were times when the royal line of David seemed extinct, but God overruled as in the case of Joash. (See 2 Chron. 22:10-12.) Idolatry and wickedness of every kind brought disaster to the nation, yet God’s word concerning the promised Redeemer was literally fulfilled. After the birth of the God-Man, Satan sought to slay Him. After His baptism, he sought to master Him through subtle temptation. All through the earthly ministry of the God-Man, Satan sought to hinder, to render inoperative, to prevent the work given Him to do. In the garden of Gethsemane, Satan sought to take away that life which the God-Man had said He was to “lay down of Himself” for His sheep. (See John 10:14-18.) In every possible way Satan sought to prevent the execution of God’s Plan of Redemption.
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