Lesson & References Index (For the context Check www.biblia.com www.biblegateway.com) with notes added from the different versions of the lesson by our site www.sse6.blogspot.com--- Lesson 6 – February 2 to February 8

From http://www.ssnet.org/lessons/13a/helps/lesshp06.html

http://www.ssnet.org/lessons/13a/#Helps

 

Creation and the Fall

 (All Bible texts are in the NKJV Bible unless otherwise indicated)

Sabbath Afternoon

Memory text: Genesis 3:15

15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

Revelation 12:12

12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

1 John 3:8

8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

For some people, the idea of the devil is an ancient superstition not to be taken seriously. Scripture, however, is unequivocal: though Satan is a defeated foe (Rev. 12:12, 1 John 3:8), he is here on the earth, and he is determined to wreak as much havoc and destruction as possible against God’s creation. L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day added by us here at sse6.blogspot.com

Introduction: Fall Into Grace   Gen. 3:1-15

...Of course, this is our story too. No matter what we've done, we are not forsaken. We are worth redeeming. God seeks for us, not to condemn us, but to heal and restore us.
Yes, we have fallen into sin. But we can fall into grace—the grace of a God who would rather sacrifice Himself than sacrifice us. Melanie Asaki, Moscow, Idaho, U.S.A. in Collegiate Quarterly, Sabbath February 2, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation of the day added by us here at sse6.blogspot.com

Sunday – The Serpent Was More Cunning

Genesis 3:1

1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

John 8:44

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Revelation 12:9

9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

1 Peter 5:8

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Matthew 4:3-10

3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’
and,
‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship theLORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”

Genesis 3:1

1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

Satan has, obviously, lost none of his cunning or deceptiveness. He still uses the strategy that was successful with Eve. He raises questions about God’s Word and God’s intentions, hoping to raise doubts and draw us into “conversation.” We must be vigilant (1 Pet. 5:8) in order to resist his devices...
Compare Matthew 4:3-10 with Genesis 3:1.What similar ploy did Satan try on Jesus, and why did it fail? What lessons can we learn from how Jesus responded to the devil’s attacks in the wilderness? In what ways does Satan try the same thing with us, now? L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day added by us here at sse6.blogspot.com

Evidence: Deceived by the Evidence   Gen. 3:4-6

...The devil appealed to Eve in three areas: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (Luke 4:1-13; 1 John 2:16). Eve based her decision on how things appeared. Her desire for wisdom and beauty reflect present-day pursuits. The desire for self-aggrandizement is evident in popular culture in general and the entertainment industry in particular. People are continually seeking out one body-perfecting potion after another, and new schools of thought are developed as people pursue knowledge for its own sake.
God, however, provides a fulfilling life and heavenly rewards for a life of service to others. In the midst of our self-sufficiency, confusion, and ambiguity, He invites us to consider His love. His love can help us confidently respond to the lies of the enemy. We can trust that our omnipotent God will guide us into all truths once we surrender our will to Him. Claudine Anderson-Atkinson, Pullman, Washington, U.S.A. in Collegiate Quarterly, Sabbath February 2, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation of the day added by us here at sse6.blogspot.com

Monday – The Woman and the Serpent

Genesis 3:2-3

2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

Matthew 15:7-9

7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

Revelation 22:18

18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;

Colossians 2:20-23

20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as thoughliving in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Though Eve clearly knew the command of God, which shows her culpability, she does make a statement that goes beyond what God had said, at least as recorded in the Bible. God had clearly instructed Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree; nothing was said about not touching it...
How often do we face the same thing today: someone comes with teachings that, on most points but not all, are in harmony with Scripture? It’s the few points that aren’t that can ruin everything else. Error, even mixed with truth, is still error.
The problem with sin is not a lack of rules but a reprobate heart. L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day added by us here at sse6.blogspot.com

Logos: God's Grace Overpowers Sin Gen. 3:1-6, 13-17; Matt. 4:3-10; John 3:16, 17; Rom. 5:12-21; Col. 2:20-23; 1 Pet. 5:8

Conquering Satan With Scripture (Col. 2:20-23; 1 Pet. 5:8)
Through Jesus' experience with Satan, we learn that when faced with temptation, the Bible is the most powerful weapon at our disposal. It is “sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12). Memorization and the use of such a powerful weapon will allow us to conquer any foe that comes our way. Along with a strong understanding of the Bible, we must also be alert. As 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (NKJV). Like the serpent in the Garden, Satan is also a vicious lion, waiting to attack us at our most vulnerable moments. However, if we remain alert at all times and focus on God, we'll never be at Satan's mercy. When we are changed into God's people, we possess an even greater power to resist Satan's attacks because he is no match for the power that is Christ in us...

Even though God punished Adam and Eve for their disobedience, His judgment holds a wonderful promise—the promise of life: “ ‘I will put enmity / between you and the woman, / and between your seed and her Seed; / He shall bruise your head, / and you shall bruise His heel’ ” (Gen. 3:15, NKJV). In His judgment, God promised to stand between Satan and humanity. He promised that Eve's descendant would crush Satan by paying the price of our sins with His own life...Christ's mission on earth was to show His undying love by saving a sinful human race. Mindi Vetter, Newman Lake, Washington, U.S.A. in Collegiate Quarterly, Monday February 4, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation of the day added by us here at sse6.blogspot.com

Tuesday – Deceived by the Evidence

Genesis 3:4-6

4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

Genesis 1:27

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

1 Timothy 2:14

14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

Romans 5:12-21

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resultedin condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It’s interesting that though Adam and Eve had been told not to eat of it, she notices that it is “good for food.” Talk about a conflict between the senses and a clear “Thus saith the Lord!”
A second line of evidence that convinces Eve to eat the fruit is that it is pleasant to the eyes. No doubt all the fruit in the garden is beautiful, but for some reason, Eve is especially attracted to the fruit that Satan is offering her. The supposed power of the fruit to make one wise is a third reason that Eve wants to eat of the fruit. The serpent has assured her that eating the fruit will expand her knowledge and make her like God. Of course, the sad irony here is, according to the Bible, she already is like God (Gen. 1:27).
We are told that Eve was deceived, but Adam was not (1 Tim. 2:14). If Adam was not deceived, why did he eat? Adam consciously disobeyed God, choosing to follow Eve rather than God. L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day added by us here at sse6.blogspot.com

Testimony Grace and Judgment in Paradise   Gen. 3:9-11, 13-17

The “life of toil and care . . . was appointed in love. It was a discipline rendered needful by his sin, to place a check upon the indulgence of appetite and passion, to develop habits of self-control. It was a part of God's great plan for man's recovery from the ruin and degradation of sin.”2

Since the divine law is as sacred as God Himself, only one equal with God could make atonement for its transgression. . . . Christ would reach to the depths of misery to rescue the ruined race.”3

Through endless ages immortal minds, seeking to comprehend the mystery of that incomprehensible love, will wonder and adore.”4

2 Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 57. 3 Ibid., p. 63. 4 Ibid., pp. 63, 64. in Christopher Atkinson, Pullman, Washington, U.S.A.  in Collegiate Quarterly, Tuesday February 5, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation of the day added by us here at sse6.blogspot.com

Wednesday – Grace and Judgment in Eden: Part One

Read Genesis 3

Genesis 3:9

9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

Genesis 3:11

11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”

Genesis 3:13

13 And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Genesis 3:14-15

14 So the LORD God said to the serpent:
“Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

Genesis 3:16-17

16 To the woman He said:
“I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;
In pain you shall bring forth children;
Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you.”
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.

John 3:17

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Think through the implications of what is happening here. God’s first declarative statement to the fallen world is, in fact, a condemnation of Satan, not humanity. Indeed, even in that condemnation of Satan, God gives humanity the hope and promise of the gospel (vs. 15). As He declares Satan’s doom, He proclaims humanity’s hope. Despite their sin, the Lord immediately reveals to Adam and Eve the promise of redemption.
Notice, too, that only after this promise, only after hope of grace and salvation is given in verse 15 (known also as the “First Gospel Promise”), does the Lord pronounce judgment on Adam and Eve: “To the woman He said, I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children. . . .’ Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife . . . .’” (Gen. 3:16-17, NKJV)...
“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17). L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day added by us here at sse6.blogspot.com

How-to: Dazzling Serpent, Roaring Lion   Gen. 3:1-6; 1 Pet. 5:8

Although Peter suggests that the lion is roaring, I suspect that the roaring does not take place during the prowl, but during and after the kill. In Eden, Eve was not presented with the alarming sound of a snake's rattle. What she saw was a beautiful serpent. Likewise, the temptations we face will present themselves in a similarly enticing manner. They won't be accompanied by ominous music as they are in films or television shows.  Not only must we be on guard, we must look at situations carefully and realize that things are not always as they seem. Lies are mixed with truth to give them credibility. Poor decisions are made because they have perceived outcomes we find attractive. Take a second look before you act...
Fight with the strength and power of God! He is ready to send in troops of angels if we but only ask. Cheryl Forster, Uniontown, Washington, U.S.A. in Collegiate Quarterly, Wednesday February 6, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation of the day added by us here at sse6.blogspot.com

Thursday – Grace and Judgment in Eden: Part Two

Genesis 1 and 2

Genesis 3:14-15

14 So the LORD God said to the serpent:
“Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

Revelation 14:6-7

6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

Friday – Further Study

Ellen G. White, Counsels for the Church, pp 228-9.

God gave our first parents the food He designed that the race should eat. It was contrary to His plan to have the life of any creature taken. There was to be no death in Eden. The fruit of the trees in the garden, was the food man’s wants required. God gave man no permission to eat animal food until after the flood. Everything had been destroyed upon which man could subsist, and therefore the Lord in their necessity gave Noah permission to eat of the clean animals which he had taken with him into the ark. But animal food was not the most healthful article of food for man.

After the Flood the people ate largely of animal food. God saw that the ways of man were corrupt, and that he was disposed to exalt himself proudly against his Creator and to follow the inclinations of his own heart. And He permitted that long-lived race to eat animal food to shorten their sinful lives. Soon after the Flood the race began to rapidly decrease in size, and in length of years.  Counsels on Diet and Foods, 373.

In choosing man’s food in Eden, the Lord showed what was the best diet; in the choice made for Israel He taught the same lesson. He brought the Israelites out of Egypt and undertook their training, that they might be a people for His own possession. Through them He desired to bless and teach the world. He provided them with the food best adapted for this purpose, not flesh, but manna, “the bread of heaven.” It was only because of their discontent and their murmuring for the fleshpots of Egypt that animal food was granted them, and this only for a short time. Its use brought disease and death to thousands. Yet the restriction to a non-flesh diet was never heartily accepted. It continued to be the cause of discontent and murmuring, open or secret, and it was not made permanent.

Upon their settlement in Canaan, the Israelites were permitted the use of animal food, but under careful restrictions which tended to lessen the evil results. The use of swine’s flesh was prohibited, as also of other animals and of birds and fish whose flesh was pronounced unclean. Of the meats permitted, the eating of the fat and the blood was strictly forbidden.

Only such animals could be used for food as were in good condition. No creature that was torn, that had died of itself, or from which the blood had not been carefully drained, could be used as food.

By departing from the plan divinely appointed for their diet, the Israelites suffered great loss. They desired a flesh diet, and they reaped its results. They did not reach God’s ideal of character or fulfill His purpose. The Lord “gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” Psalm 106:15. They valued the earthly above the spiritual, and the sacred pre-eminence which was His purpose for them they did not attain.

Those who eat flesh are but eating grains and vegetables at second hand; for the animal receives from these things the nutrition that produces growth. The life that was in the grains and vegetables passes into the eater. We receive it by eating the flesh of the animal. How much better to get it direct, by eating the food that God provided for our use!  The Ministry of Healing, 311-313.

Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 24

Satan represents God's law of love as a law of selfishness. He declares that it is impossible for us to obey its precepts. The fall of our first parents, with all the woe that has resulted, he charges upon the Creator, leading men to look upon God as the author of sin, and suffering, and death. Jesus was to unveil this deception. As one of us He was to give an example of obedience. For this He took upon Himself our nature, and passed through our experiences. "In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren." Heb. 2:17. If we had to bear anything which Jesus did not endure, then upon this point Satan would represent the power of God as insufficient for us. Therefore Jesus was "in all points tempted like as we are." Heb. 4:15. He endured every trial to which we are subject. And He exercised in His own behalf no power that is not freely offered to us. As man, He met temptation, and overcame in the strength given Him from God. He says, "I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart." Ps. 40:8. As He went about doing good, and healing all who were afflicted by Satan, He made plain to men the character of God's law and the nature of His service. His life testifies that it is possible for us also to obey the law of God.

Ellen G. White, Education, pp26-27.

To Adam God had said: "Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Genesis 3:17-19.

Although the earth was blighted with the curse, nature was still to be man's lesson book. It could not now represent goodness only; for evil was everywhere present, marring earth and sea and air with its defiling touch. Where once was written only the character of God, the knowledge of good, was now written also the character of Satan, the knowledge of evil. From nature, which now revealed the knowledge of good and evil, man was continually to receive warning as to the results of sin.

In drooping flower and falling leaf Adam and his companion witnessed the first signs of decay. Vividly was brought to their minds the stern fact that every living thing must die. Even the air, upon which their life depended, bore the seeds of death.

Continually they were reminded also of their lost dominion. Among the lower creatures Adam had stood as king, and so long as he remained loyal to God, all nature acknowledged his rule; but when he transgressed, this dominion was forfeited. The spirit of rebellion, to which he himself had given entrance, extended throughout the animal creation. Thus not only the life of man, but the nature of the beasts, the trees of the forest, the grass of the field, the very air he breathed, all told the sad lesson of the knowledge of evil.

But man was not abandoned to the results of the evil he had chosen. In the sentence pronounced upon Satan was given an intimation of redemption. "I will put enmity between thee and the woman," God said, "and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Genesis 3:15. This sentence, spoken in the hearing of our first parents, was to them a promise. Before they heard of the thorn and the thistle, of the toil and sorrow that must be their portion, or of the dust to which they must return, they listened to words that could not fail of giving them hope. All that had been lost by yielding to Satan could be regained through Christ.

This intimation also nature repeats to us. Though marred by sin, it speaks not only of creation but of redemption. Though the earth bears testimony to the curse in the evident signs of decay, it is still rich and beautiful in the tokens of life-giving power. The trees cast off their leaves, only to be robed with fresher verdure; the flowers die, to spring forth in new beauty; and in every manifestation of creative power is held out the assurance that we may be created anew in "righteousness and holiness of truth." Ephesians 4:24, margin. Thus the very objects and operations of nature that bring so vividly to mind our great loss become to us the messengers of hope.

As far as evil extends, the voice of our Father is heard, bidding His children see in its results the nature of sin, warning them to forsake the evil, and inviting them to receive the good.