God Has Spoken
“The Progress of Redemption – # 3” – Review
Genesis 3:1-19, and Genesis 12:1-9
In Genesis 3:1-19, the Bible describes the events related to Satan’s temptation of man, and man’s subsequent failure to fulfill the purpose for which God had created him.
- According to Numbers 14:21, God’s purpose for creation was to one day see the whole earth full of His glory. Therefore, the chief end of man is to glorify God and to praise Him forever.
- However, as the Apostle Paul said in Romans 5:12, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, for all have sinned.”
- After “the fall,” God issued His judgment and His curses:
- The serpent was condemned to crawl on its belly.
- The woman would suffer pain during childbirth.
- The man would have to contend with a cursed earth in providing food for his family.
- There would always be enmity between Satan and his seed, and Eve and her seed.
- However, eventually, an offspring of the woman will crush the serpent’s head, referring to Jesus’ victory over Satan. (Colossians 2:14-15, Hebrews 2:14-15)
In Genesis 3:21, the Bible says, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”
- The garments of skin that God Himself made for Adam and Eve and placed upon them to cover their shame required the shedding of blood and were symbolic of the salvation we have been given through the death of Jesus Christ.
- “It was the first Gospel sermon, preached by God Himself, not in words but in symbol and action. It was a setting forth of the way by which a sinful creature could return unto and approach his holy Creator. It was a blessed illustration of substitution—the innocent dying in the stead of the guilty, for without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin.” (Arthur Pink)
- Up to this point in human history, other than in His dealings with Adam and Eve, God had just SPOKEN.
- If God had not spoken – we, of all people, are to be pitied, for there is no plan for our redemption.
- If God has spoken – we, of all people, should rejoice, and give God the glory, for we know this life is not all there is, and therefore we have hope.
After the events at the tower of Babel, where God dispersed the people according to their respective languages, and out of a global population of more than 27 million people, God called one man through whom His plan for the redemption of lost man could be carried out.
- This man was Abram (later called Abraham), who lived in Ur of the Chaldees, a prominent city in what was then called Mesopotamia, but is now known as southern Iraq, which was steeped in polytheism and idolatry.
- God’s call was not based on Abram’s righteousness, for he had none, but rather on God’s divine initiative and abundant grace.
- God elected Abram to be the channel of His blessings to the world.
- Genesis 12:1-3 is the “seed-bed” for our faith in God. In fact, there is no “new” theology beyond what is recorded in these verses: “In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed!”
- Just as Genesis 3:15 is the “first gospel”, Genesis 12:1-3 is the “first theology”; the “first doctrine”, and the “first step” in God’s plan for man’s redemption, as He “called out” Abraham to forsake all and follow Him.
- Mark this down as the foundational turning point in biblical history, for not only is God SPEAKING, but now He is also WORKING!
God made seven unconditional promises to Abraham, ensuring the formation of a chosen nation, divine protection, and universal blessing for all humanity. The seven promises include:
- “I will make you a great nation”: God promised to multiply Abraham’s descendants into a vast nation.
- “I will bless you”: God promised to pour out divine protection, provision, and favor upon Abraham.
- “I will make your name great”: God promised to elevate Abraham’s status, making him widely honored and renowned.
- “You shall be a blessing”: Abraham and his descendants were chosen to be a conduit of God’s goodness to the rest of the world.
- “I will bless those who bless you”: God promised His favor to those who support, honor, and treat Abraham and his descendants well.
- “I will curse him who curses you”: God promised to bring judgment upon those who oppose, mistreat, or actively persecute Abraham’s line.
- “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”: The ultimate promise of global redemption, traditionally viewed in Judeo-Christian theology as pointing toward the lineage of the Messiah.
- These promises are further expanded in later passages to include the gift of a specific geographical land (the Promised Land) and an everlasting covenant
The unifying theme throughout the whole Bible is that God is speaking, or God is working – He is revealing Himself through His activity in human history.
- In Numbers 23:19, Moses asked: “Hath God said and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?”
- In Amos 3:17, the Prophet said: “Surely the Lord Jehovah will do nothing except He reveal His secret unto His prophets!”
- In Acts 1:1, Dr. reminded Theophilus of “Of all that Jesus began both to do, and to teach!”
- In 1 Corinthians 10:11 Paul said, “All these things happened upon them for examples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come!”
- One theologian said, “Genesis 1-11 is the introduction to God’s world and man’s need for salvation. But everything that follows from Genesis 12:4 to Revelation 22:21 is the record of God’s fulfillment of the promises He made to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3.
God told Abraham:
- His descendants would possess the land of Canaan, which is now called Israel – Genesis 12:7
- While the Hebrews have “lived” on the land for several periods of history, this promise will be fulfilled after the resurrection, when all of Abraham’s descendants will possess Canaan forever – Matthew 8:11.
- His descendants would become a great nation.
- While this promise is being fulfilled by those who are of the “blood” of Abraham, when Jesus returns again, those who are of the “faith” of Abraham will also become citizens of that nation – a multitude which no man can number; people of all kindred and tongues – Revelation 7:9
- Through Abraham’s descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
- Today, the nations of the earth are perplexed, and human beings live in fear, because they have turned from the knowledge of God’s Word.
- But as the gospel of Jesus Christ is being preached, the Holy Spirit is “calling out” a people unto God!
- Soon, the world will see the Son of Man – the pre-eminent “seed” of Abraham, coming in the clouds with great power, and on that day, the whole world will be filled with God’s glory!
