Genesis 3:14-19 Understand the Curse to Understand the Cross

Genesis 3:14-19 ESV  The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.  (15)  I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."  (16)  To the woman he said, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."  (17)  And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;  (18)  thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.  (19)  By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

It is all over the news.  In fact, you can hardly find an escape.  It is indeed everywhere and now they’re telling us it was here before we knew it was here.  They have us quarantined at home aside from essential trips to find groceries and such.  Why?  The coronavirus outbreak referred to as COVID-19.  This pandemic has certainly got our attention as it wreaks havoc across the globe with hundreds of thousands expected to lose their lives.  This, while the best scientists in the most advanced institutions in the world wrestle to gain the upper hand.

On this Good Friday when we remember the day of Christ’s crucifixion it brings us to the obvious question of why?  Why did Christ have to die on the cross and why is this coronavirus doing its best to kill us?

The answer is found in the passage referenced today referred to as, “The Curse”.  This act of God cursing his own creation was the result of the fall of Man.  Please review the passages preceding where the perfection of the garden was infected by the temptation of the serpent (Satan) resulting in the sin (something less than holy) of Adam and Eve.  That willful disobedience of the first man stained his kind.  That’s you and me.  We now have the nature of sin within us because of what Adam did.  And with that comes our inheritance of the curse.

In fact, the world from that point forward is living under the curse.  The curse of creation has actually been at work attacking through the ages and having a greater and greater effect.  A review of the patriarchs reveal a steady decline in the age to which they live.  Methuselah lived 969 years the oldest recorded living man.  But all of these early men lived for hundreds of years many more than 500.  As the curse persisted so did the decline in the age to which a normal man would live.

Only with the introduction of modern science, our deeper understanding of the pathogens of the curse have we been able to push back.  But are we pushing back successfully?  I mean real success.  Not just incremental improvement.  I would say, no.  Median lifespan is now in the high seventies approaching eighty.  That’s a far cry from 969.  And by the way, that life span of nearly 1000 years was not God’s design.  Man was created to be an eternal being.  Death was introduced with the curse.  None of us were ever supposed to die – full stop!

But with the curse came death and all the means toward death including yes, the coronavirus and this present COVID-19.  It is the result of the curse and it will be defeated by the scientists and our own immune system which God too created.

So what is the tie to this day; Good Friday?

Well, why would it be called “Good” when such a terrible thing happened?  How is the crucifixion of Christ “Good”?

Frankly, it was the only way.  In fact, it was the very purpose of Christ’s coming to this earth in the form of Man living in this cursed creation but doing so perfectly.  Living a sin free life.  That set him up to be the perfect sacrifice.  Not for himself, a sinless man requires no sacrifice.  Just go ahead, live a perfect life and find out.  Ooops, no you cant.  It’s not possible since you come from Adam and were born into the lineage of sin. 

So on this day some 2000 years ago the perfect was sacrificed for the imperfect.  His act of giving himself up on the cross as a holy sacrifice enables the restoration of mankind.  A reconciliation of the cursed back into the presence of a holy God.  His act breaks the curse.

But, whoa, hold on, you said that happened 2000 years ago.  Why do we have a pandemic today?

Well, that is simple to answer but hard to understand.  The simple answer is that God is merciful and full of grace.  You see the impact of the act of Christ on the cross is dependent on our faith.  We must believe what Christ did and believe He did it for us.  In order to do that, some of the generations prior to Christ looked forward to the cross anticipating the Messiah.  There are numerous examples of faithful people believing the promise of a deliverer and that faith being reckoned as righteousness.  Since the cross we look back with the same faith.  God’s grace has provided the time for this message to reach us.  In fact, He is providing time for all to hear and respond to this good news.

So what?  All this blather about reconciliation and sin and etc. etc.  Why does this all matter?  People are sick and dying.

Yep!  They are and they will continue to.  The coronavirus COVID-19 is a blessing in one simple way.  It has our attention.  It has brought the stark reality of life and death literally to our front door.  There is no escape from the cursed world in which we live.  That is, no escape other than through Christ.  Even then, we will all still die.  Well, except those who are still here when Christ comes to bring us home.  But that’s a story for another day.

For today, take a moment to reflect on the cross.  The sacrifice made for you.  Make the decision that this gift of grace is indeed for you and accept it.  You can do that right there where you are.  Just talk to God – in your head or out loud.  He’ll hear you.

And with me and the other Christians around the world anticipate with great joy the celebration of Easter on Sunday when we celebrate the victory of Christ as he conquered death and rose from the tomb.  Like Christ, we who believe will rise and join Him to live forever as originally intended.

The Curse is Broken!  AMEN

Joshua 10:7-11 Holy God; Holy Jesus

Joshua 10:7-11 (NASB) “So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the valiant warriors.   The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you."  So Joshua came upon them suddenly by marching all night from Gilgal.  And the LORD confounded them before Israel, and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.  As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.”

Who is Jesus to you?  Do you think of Jesus with the long flowing hair and smooth nearly effeminate features hung on so many Sunday School walls when we were kids?  Do you picture the Jesus who said, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16b (NASB)  Is God to you you a bit firmer as  you consider passages such as, Matthew 21:12 (NASB)  “And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.”  Is He more ?  Is He safe passage?  “Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” John 14:6 (NASB) 

While all these pieces of Jesus are true if left in isolation or even filled in with like passages it paints an incomplete portrait of our Lord and Savior. 

While it is true that Jesus is love, (1 John 4:8) there is much more to Him than our image of love.  Love is in fact more than warm and fuzzy.  Love is Holy.  Holy is incapable of tolerating anything unholy.  Holy equals Righteous.  And now you’re starting to get nervous – am I right?

Well, we’ve glossed over a few things that we have to go back and clear up.  First, that passage we quoted that says, Jesus is Love – actually says this, “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8 (NASB)  So the first two points to make are first, Jesus is not referenced by name, it is “God” with a capital G who is mentioned.  And second, if you do not love, you do not know God.

So how can you get away with saying “Jesus is Love” Dale?  -- Here’s how.  John also writes,  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 (NASB)  So, the Word equals God.  So what you say – that doesn’t make Jesus equal to God.  Read on my friend.  “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'" For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.  For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” John 1:14-17  So, Jesus is God and Jesus is Love.

Where did I come up with this God is Holy stuff and who says anyone or anything is unholy?  We can clear this one up pretty quick with a New Testament quote from Peter, “Because it is written, ‘YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.’" 1 Peter 1:16 (NASB) and the other part comes from Paul, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 (NASB)  Do we have to point out that sin is somehow less than holy?  That is clearly short of God’s standard of holiness.

Ok – what has this got to do with the passage from Joshua.  Simply this.  Joshua picked up the mantle as it were from Moses who had led God’s chosen people out of Egypt through the wilderness and to the Promised Land.  Moses led them there not once but twice you might recall.  On the first trip they arrived and sent twelve spies into the land to check it out and only two came back with reports that they should enter in.  Those two were Caleb and Joshua.

Because Moses failed to lead God’s people into the Promised Land they had to wander the wilderness another forty years and when they came back another generation had been raised up.  Only this new generation plus the two Caleb and Joshua were allowed to enter in.  Only Caleb and Joshua who had given the report that the inhabitants of the land could be defeated plus the new generation not yet circumcised until just before entering in as a way to separate the generations.

What was God’s command to Joshua and His people upon entering the Promised Land?    "Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.  Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.  No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.”  Joshua 1:2-6 (NASB)

He said take the land I am giving to you.  He said no one there will stand against you.  In later passages as the various battles are depicted even more explicit instructions are given about leaving no survivors.  This holy God commands utter destruction.

So my question comes back to this.  Who is Jesus to you?  Is He only the warm and fuzzy Teddy Bear Jesus or is He your Holy God Jesus?  For me, He is both.  AMEN!

Psalm 37:28 It's not about YOU!

Psalm 37:28  “For the LORD loves justice And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off”. (NASB)

I’m reading a book called, “Today’s Gospel” by Walter J. Chantry first published in 1970 and while I’m not yet done a theme is emerging.  The first assertion is that evangelism today tends to focus too soon on God’s love without first explaining God Himself and His holiness.  The other assertion is that the gospel being presented today makes man rather than God the center of the equation.  In short the title could have been a Dr. Phil quote, “It’s not about YOU”!  Oops!  Let’s take a look at these two ideas.

First, God does call us into relationship with Him but we need to back up the truck and see why that is even necessary.  God is holy and His creation was too along with everything in it.  Even Adam and Eve were holy and enjoyed a direct relationship with God in the garden.  All was good as God Himself proclaimed.  Then along came the snake, Satan who tempted Eve and when she and Adam followed through on that temptation the first of man’s sins took place and broke fellowship with God.  God proclaimed judgment and creation was cursed.

Well, even that seems to be a man centered explanation.  The real point is that God is holy and anything in His presence must be holy too.  Everything else; everything less than holy is subject to His wrath.  That, my friends, is the position in which we find ourselves in this world; sinners, unholy, alienated from God and ready for the fiery furnace.  The prophet Isaiah had an encounter with holy God and recorded it this way, “Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.’  Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.  He touched my mouth with it and said, ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.’" Isaiah 6:5-7  Only that cleansing fire made his remaining in God’s presence possible.  God is holy!

The proper perspective we need to have is a thorough understanding and appreciation of God’s holiness.  That is, we need as thorough an understanding as our feeble minds are capable of having.  It is Chantry’s assertion that the foundation of who God is must be adequately laid during the presentation of the gospel.  In other words, how will a new believer appreciate the gift of salvation without an understanding of God’s holiness?  God’s holiness then becomes the standard by which sinful man is judged.

What does this mean for us?  We are called to make disciples first at home and then all over the world.  That’s the great commission, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20  So evangelism, the making of disciples, is the right thing to do but we need to start and end with God.  Disciples need to know first that God is God and we are puny sinful creatures deserving death because we fall so short of God’s holy standard.  

Only from that foundation can a proper perspective of the power and richness of God’s mercy and grace through the work of Christ come into view.  It’s not about YOU!  It’s about Jesus!  AMEN!

Isaiah 6:1-3 Holy, Holy, Holy

Isaiah 6:1-3  “In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.  Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.’" (NASB)

Have you had those questions in your head about heaven.  You know, how does it look?  What’s going on?  In my childhood I had this idea of blue skies and clouds.  Don’t ask me why.  As I’ve been under Biblical teaching I’ve adjusted my conception of heaven but there’s still plenty of mystery.  So what is heaven like?

The prophet Isaiah had a very special opportunity, one that very few have had.  He was given a glimpse into heaven.  Isaiah 6 records what he saw.  He records that this vision of heaven was given to him in the year if King Uzziah’s death.  History tells us that happened in 754 b.c.  One commentator notes that this coincides with the birth of Romulus, Rome’s namesake.

Isaiah reports that he saw the Lord sitting on a throne.  Hearing this before I had in my head this was God the Father on the throne.  But Scripture is clear that God the Father is invisible; He doesn’t appear in bodily form.  “He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation”.  Collosians 1:15  This passage in Collosians gives us the clue we need.  Jesus is “The image of the invisible God”.  So Isaiah saw Jesus on the throne.

The throne was, “Lofty and exalted”.  That Jesus is seated on the throne is an indication of His office as King Jesus.  Only the King sits on the throne.  That the throne is “Exalted” is an indication of His majesty.  Others have used the phrase “High and lifted up”.  There is no throne higher than the throne of Jesus.

Then Isaiah reports that the robe Jesus wears has a train.  ”With the train of His robe filling the temple”.  His train is so expansive that it actually filled the whole temple.  Barnes comments, “The Orientals regarded such large robes as indicative of grandeur and state”.  Certainly the description of Isaiah with a robe completely filling the temple could not be matched by any earthly king.  His robe is fuller, His throne is higher.

Next Isaiah tells us there were Seraphim standing above Him.  What are Seraphim?  The word Seraphim refers to “Fiery ones”.  They have feet and faces so they seem humanlike in appearance except for their six wings.  ”Each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew”.  The covering of the face and feet with four of the six wings denotes an act of reverence in the presence of Jesus.  It is worth noting, these heavenly beings are holy and yet they cover themselves in the presence of Him.  This is an indication of the reverence we should have coming into His presence.  And when do we come into His presence?  Every time we pray.  Think about that before you just toss a one liner toward heaven without contemplating what is really going on.

What were the Seraphim doing?  They were calling to one another saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory”.  These heavenly and holy beings were continually calling this out to one another.  “Holy, Holy, Holy”  Barnes suggests that this indicates something like a three part harmony.  Each one singing a part as they all harmonize this praise.

What a picture of heaven.  Jesus in all His splendor; King Jesus on His throne higher than any throne.  Adorned with the most magnificent of garments being worshiped by these holy Seraphim who repeat time after time, “Holy, Holy, Holy”.

One day we’ll see this scene for ourselves and we won’t just be observers.  We’ll be participants in the worship of Jesus in His very presence and singing ourselves, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts”!  AMEN!