God’s Original Plan

Photo by: Shannon Richards

Reading: Genesis Chapter 2

My last post I mentioned “The Fall – Chapter 3” would be my next post, but plans have changed! I didn’t want to skip over valuable information from Chapter 2. So as we continue our journey through God’s Word, in Genesis Chapter 2, we will study God’s “Original Intent and Purpose for mankind!” But, before we journey into Chapter 2, let’s take one more look at Genesis 1:31. God closes out Chapter 1 with Moses recording: “And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” I believe God is pausing here, lovingly looking over His creation, announcing once again “it was very good” as a way of voicing His love for His creation.” I can just imagine God standing over His creation, with love, introducing Himself as creator of the heavens and the earth and putting His seal of approval on all creation, including mankind! Can you?

Now, as we step into Chapter 2, God is giving us a chronological review of His creation. This chapter begins with God affirming Himself as creator of the finished work of the world and mankind. Psalms 102:25 confirms this as the psalmist praises God for laying the foundation of the earth and for making the heavens with His hands.

Verses 2 and 3
In these verses, we read God established the seventh day as the Sabbath. He blessed the seventh day and made it Holy, not because He needed rest, but because He ceased from all His labor on the seventh day.

When an individual becomes a Believer through the “born again experience” Hebrews 4:10 tells us we too must cease from our own works (efforts) “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His.” We are to “rest” in the finished work of what Jesus Christ did at the Cross for our redemption.

Verses 4 thru 6
We are now given a summary of the history of the generation of the heavens and earth. (Quite often people become confused when reading Chapters 1 and 2, so keep in mind God is giving a summary of creation from Chapter 1.) The heavens and earth have a day of birth. God is reminding that He made something out of nothing along with how vegetation life was to be sustained. God created earth for man, but created man last.

Verse 7
Once again God is retelling how He created man from the dust of the ground and how man became a living soul when He (God) breathe His breath into man. Friends, we were created from the dust of the earth we live in, awesome!

Verses 8 thru 14
These are very interesting scriptures. Notice what God does after creating man, He then plants a Garden named Eden and within that Garden God produced every type of tree that was pleasant for sight. Now don’t miss this, God has the writer point out that two distinctly different trees are also planted in His Garden: “the tree of life,” and the “tree of knowledge of good and evil” were also planted in the Garden of Eden. (We will revisit these trees again in Chapter 3).

We now need to pause and review what we just learned in Chapters 1 and 2. Have you discovered it? God’s intent and purpose for creation! God created the heavens and earth, created man from the dust of earth, blessed man to be fruitful, to multiple, and to replenish the earth. God also gave man “dominion” over the earth to “subdue” it! God then tells us in Chapter 2 He planted a beautiful, rich garden with pleasant fruit, along with two named trees, and put man in His Garden. Psalms 8:6-8 confirms God’s intent and purpose, “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.” Friends, we were originally created to rule and reign over God’s created order, which did not include ruling or controlling mankind. God was to be our Leader in Command, not manmade power! Verses 10 thru 13 gives us a detailed description of the beauty and wealth in and surrounding the Garden. Man was given Paradise to live in as his command post!

Verses 15 thru 17
As we journey into verses 15 thru 17 these verses give further clarity of Gods intent for earth and purpose for mankind:

• God created earth for man to rule on His behalf (man’s God-given purpose).
• God planted a Garden, named it Eden.
• God gives man a vocation in the Garden (man’s God-given purpose).
• He was instructed to dress and to keep the Garden of Eden.
• He was commanded not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the midst of the Garden.
• The result from disobeying God’s command: death!

What we are learning is that God provides for His creation. He put man into the Garden of Eden to dress and keep it for Him, but all provisions from the Garden were for man to enjoy. Dress in Hebrew means to “embellish, tend, or cultivate” and keep in Hebrew means to “guard and protect.” Notice all this takes place before God created woman.

Verses 18 thru 20
God has put man into the Garden, gives man the first command of the Bible, and then we read God making a statement about man being alone, “it is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him;” and God continues by bringing all the animals to man to name and to become acquainted with them. I personally believe what we are reading is God teaching man, the role of leadership. Now, notice two things in verse 20, man is now called “Adam” and man discovers in verse 20 while doing his work of naming the animals – “but for Adam there was not found a help meet for him.” Although God already stated man needed a mate, He wanted Adam to discover for himself, he was alone and needed someone of his kind!

Verses 21 through 24
These verses gives us a more detailed account of how God created woman by taking a rib from man and fashioning with His hands, woman. God performed the first marriage ceremony in the universe when He presented woman to man. I can just imagine the excitement of Adam having a help meet of his own kind! Someone to rule the earth with, someone to share his dreams with, someone to worship God with, and most of all, the joy of not having to live alone. Chapter 2 ends with God letting us know the innoncence of Adam and woman by stating, “and they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” (Genesis 2:25 KJV)

Conclusion:
God’s original plan was for man to rule and reign on earth, so Chapter 2 should be read slowly, because it is packed with a wealth of information regarding creation and God’s original intent and purpose for earth and mankind.

This chapter also reveals God’s love for His created order through Him providing provision and protection for Adam and woman. We were created from love, to be loved and to love others (1 John 4:17). Chapter 2 is a testimonial of God’s love, protection, provision, and compassion, revealing God to us as our Heavenly Father.

Reflection:
Just as God provided for Adam and Eve, He still provides for His children today. There is no lack in God’s kingdom! Are you trusting God for your daily needs?

Do you know God as your Father? If not, He is waiting for you to call out to Him. He will answer you! Acknowledge His Son Jesus as Lord of your life by believing He died on the Cross for your sins and rose on the third day, now sitted at the right hand of God the Father. Believe in your heart and receive Jesus today for eternal life. Now share the “good news!” You are now a “born again” Christian!