So, a little while back, I realized that it had been some time since I had read the Bible front to back. At the time, I wasn't in a position to start as we were just about to pull up stakes in California and head east. In the course of the trip, I think I might have donated my Bible to one of the various hotel rooms we stayed in. That's right, just call me Gideon. Anyway, I have replaced my lost Bible and I have the time to do this so I figured why not yet again inflict my opinions on my friends.
I'm not following any specific reading plan, I have no chapter goals, no "Bible within a year" plan or anything like that. Basically I have my morning coffee and read the Bible until I feel like stopping, usually 1-3 chapters. Beyond that I find that I get less out of it. The Bible I'm reading is the New International Version (NIV) Archaeological Study Bible. It's still a little heavy on opinion within the study notes but it does have some interesting cultural, historical, and archaeological notes that I find interesting. Any Bible quotes may be considered NIV unless otherwise stated. Finally, I'm just some guy. I've never been to seminary, I'm not a renowed theologian, or a pastor, or anything of the such; I'm just a guy sitting at his kitchen table. Also I know others might have already said the things I'll say, or really even better that what I'll say, these are just my thoughts as I read.
So starting in Genesis, there's the creation narrative and this has been exhaustively discussed. I have no desire to rehash any of that. It was really something in the Adam and Eve story that caught my eye. Adam and Eve live in Eden. In the middle of the garden God placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve can eat from any tree in the garden except the latter. On what was likely an otherwise perfect day, the serpent approaches Eve and convinces her to eat fruit from the tree of knowledge. You can't blame her here. It was likely the first lie she, or anyone else, had ever heard. Anyhow, she eats and convinces Adam to eat. Then bad things happen. First they experience shame and attempt to cover their nakedness with fig leaves. (Do you think Eve asked Adam if her leaf made her butt look big?)
Then God comes to the garden "in the cool of the day" and asks "Where are you?" Adam tells God that they're hiding. God then asks, in so many words, "Have you two been naughty?" Adam then throws Eve under the bus with a "She made me do it." I'm sure Eve replied with the first ever "Oh, so this all my fault." God is less than entertained by their banter. First he curses the serpent who slithers away. Then God tells the woman that childbearing will now be accompanied by crushing pain, and then turns to Adam and says:
“Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
(18) It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
(19) By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”
Notice that God never curses Adam and Eve, but in this moment, the time it took to take a bite of fruit, all that God had done in the seven distinct periods of creation and in the creation of mankind, was shattered. I don't know about you, but I'm frustrated if my kids mess up my weekend plans. "Cursed is the ground because of you." That's some heavy stuff there. And this is God's curse, not like my curse that doesn't mean anything, this is God's curse, the Alpha and the Omega. Also, Adam and Eve can not be allowed to eat from the tree of life so they are banished from Eden where a cherubim and flaming sword prevent their return.
So Adam and Eve have disobeyed God and ruined everything forever. God was so angry that he has cursed the very ground, God's own creation, and had thrown his first children out of paradise, guarding it with an angel and a flaming implement of death. God then returns to his throne and calls them both idiots. Well, not quite on that last bit. And this is what caught my attention, verse 3:21:
The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
I'm not following any specific reading plan, I have no chapter goals, no "Bible within a year" plan or anything like that. Basically I have my morning coffee and read the Bible until I feel like stopping, usually 1-3 chapters. Beyond that I find that I get less out of it. The Bible I'm reading is the New International Version (NIV) Archaeological Study Bible. It's still a little heavy on opinion within the study notes but it does have some interesting cultural, historical, and archaeological notes that I find interesting. Any Bible quotes may be considered NIV unless otherwise stated. Finally, I'm just some guy. I've never been to seminary, I'm not a renowed theologian, or a pastor, or anything of the such; I'm just a guy sitting at his kitchen table. Also I know others might have already said the things I'll say, or really even better that what I'll say, these are just my thoughts as I read.
So starting in Genesis, there's the creation narrative and this has been exhaustively discussed. I have no desire to rehash any of that. It was really something in the Adam and Eve story that caught my eye. Adam and Eve live in Eden. In the middle of the garden God placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve can eat from any tree in the garden except the latter. On what was likely an otherwise perfect day, the serpent approaches Eve and convinces her to eat fruit from the tree of knowledge. You can't blame her here. It was likely the first lie she, or anyone else, had ever heard. Anyhow, she eats and convinces Adam to eat. Then bad things happen. First they experience shame and attempt to cover their nakedness with fig leaves. (Do you think Eve asked Adam if her leaf made her butt look big?)
Then God comes to the garden "in the cool of the day" and asks "Where are you?" Adam tells God that they're hiding. God then asks, in so many words, "Have you two been naughty?" Adam then throws Eve under the bus with a "She made me do it." I'm sure Eve replied with the first ever "Oh, so this all my fault." God is less than entertained by their banter. First he curses the serpent who slithers away. Then God tells the woman that childbearing will now be accompanied by crushing pain, and then turns to Adam and says:
“Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
(18) It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
(19) By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”
Notice that God never curses Adam and Eve, but in this moment, the time it took to take a bite of fruit, all that God had done in the seven distinct periods of creation and in the creation of mankind, was shattered. I don't know about you, but I'm frustrated if my kids mess up my weekend plans. "Cursed is the ground because of you." That's some heavy stuff there. And this is God's curse, not like my curse that doesn't mean anything, this is God's curse, the Alpha and the Omega. Also, Adam and Eve can not be allowed to eat from the tree of life so they are banished from Eden where a cherubim and flaming sword prevent their return.
So Adam and Eve have disobeyed God and ruined everything forever. God was so angry that he has cursed the very ground, God's own creation, and had thrown his first children out of paradise, guarding it with an angel and a flaming implement of death. God then returns to his throne and calls them both idiots. Well, not quite on that last bit. And this is what caught my attention, verse 3:21:
The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
Really? This is God angry, cursing the ground and throwning the kids out. But first, he clothed them.
"I can't believe you did this! You disobeyed me! I gave you everything and only asked one thing in return. Get out! Get out and never come back!" but as the kids are walking out the door, "Wait, you'll need these. It's cold out there. Before you go, here, take these."
God's love and care didn't end.
This is what struck me in this story, that "Wait, wait, you'll need this." What parent doesn't understand that? Anyway, this caught my attention and I thought I'd share.
Y'all know I love ya.
(c) 2011, Carl Mealie
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