THE FALL
Amen last week. We we began in Genesis chapter 3 exploring. That the entrance of sin the reality of evil in the world. We start out in Genesis 3:1 with the entrance of this this this character of the serpent then I did my best last week to show you from not just Genesis, but the the scriptures that we're not just talking about a snake. It's not just a weird talking snake. It's much weirder than that. It's actually a Divine being a spiritual that we would use probably in most common language language Angelic Dean. It is a what was the scripture called? The Bene Elohim of Son of God. This is a divine creature that comes into the garden and enters into a conversation with the intent to mislead and deceive
the man in the woman into Rebellion with got so let's just start by reading Genesis chapter 3 verses 1 to 7 says there's now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field of the Lord. God had made he said to the woman Did God actually say you shall not eat of any tree in the garden and the woman said to the serpent will eat the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God did say you will not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden either so you touch it. Or you will die. Serpent said to the woman you will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God knowing Good and Evil. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise she took of its fruit and ate and she also say gave some to her husband who was with her and ski dates. Immediately the eyes of both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves.
Simple Story really probably very familiar to the vast majority of us. It's a it's a it's a commonly understood Story the creation of humanity in the entrance of sin in the Temptation and and what we call the fall when we talked about the fall in the scriptures. We we think about Genesis chapter 3 and the fall of Adam and Eve mm consult conceptually we say well this is where sin began. This is where sin entered into God's good creation. It was Eve's fault say the misogynist time. Everything was perfect. There was no sin. But now it's an entered into God's realm because of the decision of Eve and Adam to eat the fruit and this morning. I want to show you not only from Genesis, but from the rest of the scriptures that that is not true.
This is not the origin of sin. This is not the or just an if we just look at the text and think about it. We're left with some some real question. If we don't just treat it as an ancient myth or a fable or non-real or and if we stopped trying to liberalize everything about if we just look at what it's trying to communicate there's some real questions we got to ask. What's the snake up to? Why is this Divine being coming into the garden tempt the woman in the man? What's the essence of The Temptations tempt them to do that what's going on here? If we start with the assumption that up until this moment, there is no sin. There is nothing broken that all of creation is an absolute perfection. The story doesn't make any sense.
But this is not the origin of sin. It is Man's first sin. But it is not the first sin. It is man's fall. But it is not the first fall.
Last week I spent some time in to text Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14. Supersonic text that work on two levels on one level. They're speaking to a human king or prince in the time of the Prophet but in both cases as God is speaking to His prophets God begins to condense based on a story that happened far before them. In other words what we see in these texts is that the story of the Bible is built upon patterns. It's built upon Cycles. It's built upon repetition judgement on Wicked evil. Human Kings. He also pronounces judgement on the wicked evil Divine beings that stand behind them and he references in both these texts back to fall. And I and I tried last week to show you the connections between these two tax Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14 and Genesis chapter 3, there's connections of language of civil ISM of imagery. There are just flat-out straightforward connections. I want to walk through those text again, and I want us to carefully look at what the text are describing.
Remember that they're describing.
the actions and consequences
I'm a Divine spiritual being 11 moreover. The word of the Lord came to me son of man. Raise the lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him thus says the Lord God you were the Signet of perfection full of wisdom and perfect in Beauty. You were in Eden the Garden of God so that this moment we're not really sure who he's talking about. If we're thinking in terms of Genesis 3, we're probably going always must be talking about Adam or Eve that they were they were created in the garden and they were perfect and full of Beauty in Genesis 2 and 3 in the creation accounts of Adam and Eve. It doesn't say that about them that language is not used of them. We assume that they were perfect but the text doesn't say that about them.
So we got to ask yourself. Who is this talking about it goes on to describe cuz you were a neat in the garden of God. That's where you were you were in Eden. They're describes a different kind of eating. It says every precious stone was the covering sardius topaz Diamond Barrel Onyx Jasper Sapphire Emerald.
Crafted in gold with your settings and Engraving describing this this Garden of Eden and in Genesis Chapter 3 The Garden is described in terms of foliage vegetation trees plants flower. But in this description of Eden, we're giving a description of minerals and Jewel put the symbolism is up of reflection and Brilliance and Beauty. I mean to this day we're amazed and inspired by the beauty and reflection and Brilliance of precious gems metal. It says you were in this Garden. There's all this beauty. This mineral is all of this sort of stuff. It says this on the day that you were created. They were prepare. I got to just pause here for a moment. Because we live in a world. Pull up not only religions but philosophies that have embraced. a dualistic out view view of Life dualism yin, and yang the force Luke embrace the good side, not the dark side. We have this concept of dualism. So there's good and evil. And that kind of dualism has infiltrated the church. So there's good and evil, there's God and there's the Satan and when we drink dualistically like that, we make the grave error of elevating the Satan to the level that only God is to occupy.
The Bible and the stories of creation that we find in the scriptures are anything but dualistic that they emphasized over and over and over again the unique the supremacy. I've God above all of creation. Camp in Ezekiel 28 this description of his Divine being who is dwelling in Eden. He was created. That means that the Satan the adversary the enemy had a beginning ski is not God's equal. He's not the flip side of the coin ski is not the Yen to the Yankee is a created contingent be in other words. I love the devil is God's devil.
There's only one. Who is necessary? There's only one who doesn't depend on something else and that is God. Swimmer thinking and talking about the enemy The Challenge because he is far more powerful than URI.
But he's not even close to being in God's Lake. Lights off on a day that you were created. They were prepared. You were an anointed Guardian cherub so we know right there. He's not talking about Adam or Eve.
We see he's talking about this Divine spirit. Who is created to dwell in the garden is Anointed and surrounded in Beauty and Brilliance crafted in wisdom? He is Anointed Guardian. He guards the worship of God.
The next phrase there's very important. It says I placed you. I placed you in this Garden. Why is that important? Because when we remember Genesis chapter 2 when God creates the man was it safe and he placed him in the garden. We're getting patterns. We're getting repetition. You got to let your ears pick up what the text is saying. Okay, God creates this Divine being places it in a garden as Throne Garden. This is he has to be the prophet priest and King to dwell in Eden's to guard the worship of God to reflect his Beauty and glory to his he's an image of God's Not Human not Material Divine immaterial. He's created and God places him in Eden. If I fill a role and a purpose.
You are on the Holy Mountain of God. That's a reference to eat in the temple. That's where you were I placed you in the garden. You're my phone Guardian. You're in the Holy Mountain of God in the midst of stones of fire. Is rolling stone guardian. It's a bring the praise and glory and worship of the created round and bring it to God to dwell in Eden's, but he can walk in the stones of fire. very presence of God
You were blameless in your ways. Till the day from the day you were created. until unrighteousness was found in you.
In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in the mix and you sent so I passed you as a profane thing from the Mountain of God and I destroyed you a guardian cherub from the midst of the stones of fire. We don't we don't get a lot of detail here, right? We don't get a lot of insight into why we're going to get a couple close here in a second. But all we have is a description you were made at this Divine spirit being placed you and eating your ear to be a part of my worship your to be a part of my kingdom. You're one of my images. I made you beautiful. I made you wise. I made you powerful but somehow it's some point in time unrighteousness entered your heart you send and because of your sin. I judged you and cast you out of Eden I cast you down. Adjudged you just like we have freedom to obey or disobey God the Divine realm has freedom to obey or disobey God. So you have freedom. You can choose your car. But you can never choose your consequences.
You can choose your car. You can choose to obey or disobey. You have that freedom, but you are not free enough to decide. What happens to you after you decide that.
Divine being the same person as we know from the Restless cuz I make the decision. I'm going to reject the goodness power and authority of God's Kingdom. I want to make a name for myself.
And it says you were judged you were cast down. You were removed from your position. What was his position? He was to be the guardian Throne chair up in Eden facilitating the worship of God from creation to God. He lost his job. He lost his role. He lost his position, but God did not destroy him. Did not kill him. God cast him out and God cast him down.
Get a little bit inside. It says your heart was proud. because of your beauty
became a victim of his own success. God made him so beautiful so powerful. So amazing that he began to believe his own print press clippings. I am beautiful. I do look good today.
What should I do what God says, maybe we should do what I say. When I get in details about how it happened, but we just were just told to happen pride pride on because of his Beauty.
You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.
Isaiah gives us a little bit more insight into this process. tells us more about The fall of this being starting verse 12 it says how you are Fallen.
How you are falling from the heavens? Oh Daystar, son of done how you were cut down to the ground you who laid the nation's low. You said in your heart? I will Ascend to the heavens. I just just let the text speak and listen to what the text is sang. I will Ascend to the heavens.
Where was he when he said that?
If you have to ascend to the heavens, he was on the earth when he said it slipped listen to the text. We always think about the fall of Satan in the Rebellion say all that must have taken place in the heaven somewhere that must take place another that's not what the Bible lays out. Trevor story, let's talk the story. Is this Divine being that's created to be in England as God's representative. This Divine Throne Guardian. Because Pride answers to his heart says I will accept I'm not satisfied being in Hedon. I'm not satisfied being a throne Guardian. I want to sit on the throne.
So it says I will send the heavens. I'll go about the stars of God's all set my Throne on high. Sit on the Mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north. I don't want to rule on Earth. I want to rule on the heavens and on Earth. I don't want to serve God. I want everything to serve me.
Cuz I'll send about the heights. of the clouds It's not it's not talking geography here. He doesn't think the heavens exist like two miles up, right? That's not what he's thinking clouds are an image of the glory of God anytime in the scriptures. Are you having an appearance of God is almost always incredible clouds and they represent the Beauty and the power and the Brilliance and the glory of God.
We saying when I'm going to go about the closet that I'm going to make my glory greater than the glory of God.
This is amazing. I got so many technical difficulties. This morning you'd almost think somebody has on me talking about this.
Go to the next one for my Cory. I will send about the heights above the clouds. I will make myself. like the most high
Here is the the revelation of the intent of this divine creature to rebelled against God when he says I want to be like the most high doesn't say. I want to be equal to God. That's not what he saying. And I want to replace God. I'm going to be the most high possessor of Heaven and Earth. I'm going to be the most high ruler and Sovereign of all of creation. I'm going to replace God in order to put your throne on the high. It's not like it's an empty place. Like it's just waiting for a throne know there's a throne there and God sits on it. Don't ever for him to put his throwing up there in order for him to go and be like the most high he's got a top of the most high. Anything he can do it. He thinks he can do it. I've often wondered. Why did he think you could do it? I can wait. We looked at it with what we know about God and go crazy.
But I want you to think about that up until this point in time. Anyone in the Angelic the Divine realm had ever seen of God was his generosity his creativity his Beauty his love his kindness. He was incredibly generous giving God. She creates them to enjoy creation to work and partner with him in creation. They have never seen the Wrath the Justice the Judgment of God on my teeth because there hasn't been a need for it. That's why I think Satan does what many in our world do today? Is he mistakes God's patience and his kindness and his love for weakness.
I've got this off. Yeah, he's good and create all the stuff. I like.
I'm going to overthrow.
Boy, was he surprised?
I made this decision. I will make myself like the most high will the next one Corey. But you are brought down to sheol.
To the far reaches of the Pitt not fascinating. He wants to ascend from the Earth to the heights of the heavens. But when he goes up against God he is judged and he is cast down not just back to the Earth. But the shield below the Earth. He wants to be the highest. He ends up the lowest. I want you to hold on to that cuz we are going to come back to that in a moment.
When did this happen? That's got to be the first question that pops in your mind you think about this like so when is all this happened? Zekiel? Talk about Isaiah. Send. when
38 where were you when I laid the foundation of the Earth tell me if you have understanding. So here's the context job is mad at God. Thanks, God being unfair and unjust and Jobe demands to take God to court. That's what I want to take you to court and I'm going to bring judgment against you and in a very beautiful case of be careful. What you ask for. God gives it to him. So the beginning I love the beginning of God shows up and he's like, all right, dude, turn up your loins.
In ancient cultures, you wear robes. If you go into battle, you don't want rolled right? You got to wrap those robes around you got to hike it up you make yourself a little diaper and you go to battle. God shows up and he's like, it's diaper time Joe. Turn up your lines. Let's go. You think you're worthy to criticize me? You think you can stand against me? You think you can bring an accusation against me? Alright, let's test your credentials. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth tell me if you have understanding something easy like crashing. You're an expert on this right? I mean if you can judge me you understand how I've made everything to determine its measurements surely, you know. Stretch the line upon it. what words baseless song Kool-Aid its corners of describing the creation of the of the Earth on the world of material world like a house like a temple like a building ancient cosmology is how they Then he says this. You know how this was done when the morning Stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.
talking about Genesis 1 - creation using all that language and imagery from Genesis chapter 1 talking about creation and he says when that was happening. Good morning. Star Venus Angelic Divine being the sons of God the Bene Elohim separating when she doesn't the Angels going to see that. Wow, they're praising. They're shouting they're enjoying artist.
The Bible doesn't tell us when the Spiritual Beings were created doesn't tell us how the Spiritual Beings are created. The only thing that tells us is that when we look at Genesis and the creation of mankind in the shaping of the world. They were already there. We saw that in Genesis 1 26 and 27, didn't we we God's Great getting ready crate man. He goes to his Divine Council. It says let us make God in our own image and image of God. He created them male and female he created them. They're already there.
what we learned
Genesis 1:1
in the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth verse to hear. It's really interesting though. The Earth was without form and void. And darkness was over. The face of the deep in the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. If you if you want to take an interpretation of Genesis 1 that it describes the initial creation out of nothing of all things. You got a real problem in Genesis, 1:2. Genesis 1:1 says God made everything. Haven't seen you at the does. The first two is really weird and we just jump over it we get let's get in the good stuff. Let's go to day one is going to be fun. We just ignore verse 2 hours to it. If you want take a serious is going to cause you to ask and and have to answer some serious question because Amherst traded everything and then God is there and the Earth is there it's already there.
But it's formless and void the Hebrews tohu bohu if they're worth of judgment, they describe desolation emptiness. They don't have formed. There's no structure in their empty their there's water there's deep. There's Earth. It's all there and God. Is there looking over the spirit hovering? And then. Begins his work of reshaping.
grass yourself seems weird God creates and one wanted creates the heavens and the Earth and what he created was a mess.
Rice University we got this like mess I got was like folks and then he's got to like try to shape it up.
It's interesting. So you eat you look in the Hebrew scriptures for the usage of those words tohu and bohu, Tova Boca formless and void. That's all in the empty. They show up and they show up primarily in in passages dealing with chaos and passages dealing with judgements. Go to the Isaiah 45.
if Genesis One is describing the initial creation of everything out of nothing Genesis. 45 is a real problem. Because it says this for that says the Lord who created the heavens.
Who formed the Earth and made it established? It was it say he did not create it empty.
Genesis 1:2 know the Earth was Touhou. Isaiah 45 he did not create it to who but you have to ask and try to answer the question. He did not create it to who how did it get tobu?
Probably mispronouncing it left and right.
UC logically what you got to deal with her
. Jeremiah this one this text Jeremih for he's given this prophetic utterance and all about creation. in the midst of a Jeremiah's given a vision and it's a vision. of the Earth As fascinating it says it's I looked on the earth and behold it was without form and void. What do you think that is? Vote exact same phrase from Genesis chapter 1. Why do you think he said that he wants you to think?
I looked on the earth and behold it was without form and void into the heavens and they had no life. What's before verse 3 right? I looked on the mountains and behold there were quaking and all the hills move to and fro and I looked and behold there was no man and all the birds are the Airhead sled and I looked in the whole the battle plan was a desert and ruined it for the Lord before his Fierce anger.
That brings up a whole bunch of other questions. I'm not going to have time to go into but here's what I want you to say Genesis 1:2 says now the Earth was formless and void Isaiah says it was not created formulas is not crowded empty. Jeremiah is given a vision. When the Earth was formless and void when there's no light. There's no man. There's no birds. There's no animals. And the reason is like that according to Jeremiah is because of the Judgment of God. The Judgment of God on who the man cuz they're not made yet. It is the Judgment of God on the Divine Throne Guardian. Who said I will Ascend and was a stead cast down and when God cast him down from the heavens, what do you think? It might have done to the Earth?
Jesus said I saw Satan fall like lightning.
We got Hollywood trying to do movies about this asteroid coming and hitting the Earth. What's it look like when a great object a powerful mask falls from the heavens and Strikes the earth. I think I might probably look a lot like genesis want to know the Earth was formless and void in the spirit of God hovered over the darkness of the deep in the water.
Why is this important?
Think about the creation of man. the creation of the Adam and Eve they are created in the image of God just like he was created in the image of God. They are placed in Eden just like he was placed in Eden. They are commanded by God to be his Prophet priest and King just like he was the prophet priest and King. They are imagers like he was an immature mankind is created after the fall of his Divine Throne Guardians, and they're given to his job.
Answers a lot. Why does the serpent come in to deceive them? Why does the adversary hate us so much. Why does the thief comes to kill steal and destroy because we are made as an object Lesson by God's that a weaker vessel than a Divine Throne Guardian is going to do what she didn't and couldn't could have done.
And in that context Genesis 3 makes all the sense in the world and comes in and he said what did he say to him? You shall be like God. What did he fall for I will be like the most high. How that work out for him not very well. He was cast down to the Earth. He was cast down below the Earth is she now has not destroyed and in fact, he's given us authority over the realm of dust. Give the prince of the power of the air. He is the God of this age when he rules over the land of death and when we fall, why does he want us to fall because we're cast out of the garden. Where the main?
We've been thrust into the middle of a cosmic conflict.
That is far bigger than anything we've ever imagined. And when we when we miss that. We miss it to our peril.
And what would we see it? Actually things really start to make sense. I've been trying to go to Jesus at the end of every sermon here because he's the goal and point an object of all the scriptures and the more I study Genesis the more I see Jesus if you don't see Jesus in Genesis, I don't think you're reading it right like it he's there so so how does Jesus fit into this reality New Testament tells us that Jesus is the second Adam, right? He came to do what Adam didn't do but Adam is the adversary right? There's a lot going on. Why does why does Satan hate Jesus? Cuz he's going to do what he didn't do. When we get into the gospels remember the scene where Jesus is taken out into the Wilderness. How's that start it start. Jesus is baptized in the water when I drop some connections here next week, but I want you to think about this. What does God do he hovers over the deep and out of the water which symbolizes chaos he brings out order white. Why is it fitting for Jesus to get baptized? Because when John the Baptist put them underneath the water when he enters into the chaos of the water and he comes out God brings him out. And what does God do this is my beloved Son.
There's a lot of Imaging going on here. Then the spirit immediately takes them out into the Wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. Now, we got Imaging and repetition and patterns coming from all sorts of other areas right at the end of it. Jesus is being tempted when he's at his weakest when he's physically depleted when he is at his lowest point the tempter The Advocate the devil the serpent comes to tempt him. I wish I had a couple hours for you guys. And I wish I wish I could show you the connections between the Temptation in the wilderness and the Temptation in the garden their profound, but let's just look at 1. Let's go to look for 5 to 8. The devil took him up and showed him. Highlighted three words in this passage all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And he said to him. To you. I will give all the authority power and their glory for have been delivered to me and I will give it to whom I will.
things that joke in here.
He's been cast down to the Earth key rules over the realm of the Dead key. Is that the leader of the Rebellion?
And we've been tapped into that.
And I'll take Jesus when he says.
It's the same Temptation y'all. Do you want the kingdom? Do you want the power? You want the glory? I'll give it to you without the cross.
I'll give it to you pain free. I'll give it to you without God. I'll give you everything you want except God because that's exactly the Temptation that used to come to.
You can have the kingdom you can have the power you can have the authority we go to the next verse if you will just worship me. It will all be yours and Jesus answered. Differently than anybody's ever answered before.
I said no Will Worship the Lord God and him alone.
K'Nex passes Corey we look at John 17 High Priestly prayer of Jesus, right? I have glorified you here on the Earth.
Where Satan fell where Adam fell where all of mankind has fallen I have come and I've glorified you on the earth having accomplished the work that you gave me to do and now father glorify me in your own presents with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. Jesus is not saying I'm going to ascend you saying father Ascend me. I've done everything that you've asked. That this is all you guys.
It's not a mistake right after the temptation of Jesus comes back and gathers disciples and they say teach me how to pray. What is he do since I like this Abba Father Our Father. Who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name? Thy kingdom come? Your will be done here on the Earth as it is in heaven. This is what Jesus came to do. This is Jesus came to be and this is how Jesus teaches us. We don't seek our wealth. We don't we don't see our Glory we see kid. Can we pray father? You're in the heavens? We want your way your will your kingdom here on Earth just like it is where you are to get us the Daily Bread. We need to protect us from the evil one help us to forgive and be forgiven and oh by the way, yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen seems like you want the kingdom you want the power. Do you want the glory Jesus is like? No. That's the father's may she have the king and the glory forever and ever and ever. See that you see this this is amazing go to Philippians chapter 2. We're getting into the season of Advent celebrating the birth of Jesus Emmanuel. God made flesh God in our Mist love Philippians chapter 2 coming to have this mind among yourselves, which was also in Christ. Jesus know he was in the form of God did not consider equality with got a thing to be grasped. Jesus Is God Jesus is the co-creator of Creation in Genesis 1 and all the other creation accounts. Jesus Is God but don't he is God and share equality with God. He did not consider that equality something but emptied himself taking on the form of a servant being born in the likeness of meth libyans chapter 2 is the opposite of Isaiah chapter 12. I will Ascend Philippians chapter 2. Jesus says, I will be sent
He leaves the glory of equality with God empties himself takes on the form of a servant takes on the form of a human. Being found in human form. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death. Even death on a cross equal with God empties himself form of a servant form of a human and braces and because the great enemy of flesh and blood is jet ski chairs in death, but not just any death death on a cross the death of a criminal the death of condemnation the death of Justice Jesus who never send Jesus who always been right die.
And what happens? What happens when he's faithful what happens when he's obedience we go there for God has highly exalted him and bestowed upon him the name that is above every other name. Did you see the great reversal things? Like I'm going to ascend God like you're going down. Jesus says I'll do whatever you want father. He goes down and when he is faithful, God says you're coming up. Jesus I've been given the throne that Satan tried to take Jesus has been given the name. The power The Authority the Dominion that is above every other name so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth. shirts that mean something it's not geography. It's not like if we Dig Down far enough, we're going to find people under there.
And the supremacy and sovereignty and sufficiency of Jesus is so great that there's no power. There's no Authority. There's no Thrones that is not subject to him when he rose from the grave. He ascended to the highest of the heights. The rule over all of creation. What's the saying that says every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. to the glory of God the Father Isn't that awesome? juicy Do you see why we need the story to understand what Jesus did? Reweave the American gospel become so weak. So anemic. Jesus came and died so we can scrub off your sins. So after you die you float off and play a harp in some place called heaven. The elements in that theater, of course truth, but it's not the message of the Gospel. The good news of the Gospel is that God created a world to be good to be a reflection of his glory and Beauty God created to find games and material beings as his sons to partner with him in the beauty of governing his creation. Both rounds rebelled against God and God instead of destroying them instead of washing his hands and walking away instead of abandoned us to ourselves. God said I will not give up there is no plan B, I will make this right and he did it by sending cheese.
That's what the Jesus came to make all things new. Jesus came not to destroy the Earth and take us to some place called Heaven. Jesus came to remake a new heavens and a new Earth. Where sin is no more where death is forgotten SquarePants and sorrow are vanished Jesus? Came to destroy the works of the devil. And he is the Great conquer that had his name every knee should bow and every tongue confess.