Genesis_ A lesson in Right
Relationship with God
Priscilla Van Sutphin
May 17th, 2004
Gen 1:26-28 NKJV Then God said, "Let
Us make man in Our image, according to Our
likeness; let them have dominion over the
fish of the sea, over the birds of the air,
and over the cattle, over all the earth and
over every creeping thing that creeps on
the earth." 27 So God created man in His
own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Gen 1:28 NKJV Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Fruitful: OT:6509 parah (paw-raw'); a primitive root; to bear fruit (literally or figuratively): KJV - bear, bring forth (fruit), (be, cause to be, make) fruitful, grow, increase.
So this says they were commanded to be fruitful and multiply and to take dominion TOGETHER over the whole earth. Figuratively fruitfulness is not only producing offspring, but refers to subduing the land, and also subduing our own land and bringing forth FRUITS of the Spirit, and FRUITS of RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Multiply: OT:7235 rabah (raw-baw'); a primitive root; to increase (in whatever respect): KJV - [bring in] abundance (X -antly), archer [by mistake for OT:7232], be in authority, bring up, continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding (-ly), be full of, (be, make) great (-er, -ly, -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have, make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more (in number), (ask, be, be so, gather, over, take, yield) much (greater, more), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty (-eous), process [of time], sore, store, thoroughly, very.
Subdue: OT:3533 kabash (kaw-bash'); a primitive root; to tread down; hence, negatively, to disregard; positively, to conquer, subjugate, violate: KJV - bring into bondage, force, keep under, subdue, bring into subjection.
The subduing and dominion are part and parcel of our INHERITANCE in GOD. Jesus came to RESTORE that first relationship Adam and Eve had with God in the garden, where all was peace, calm, fruitful and bounteous, and they walked with GOD. They heard His VOICE in the cool of the garden. A young man asked me this last week,
"So you think God wants to talk to me ? "
Of course He does, I answered. This is what Christ died for, to reestablish that communication with God. Communication is the BASE of ALL INTIMACY in relationships.
Have Dominion: OT:7287 radah (raw-daw'); a primitive root; to tread down, i.e. subjugate; specifically, to crumble off: KJV - (come to, make to) have dominion, prevail against, reign, (bear, make to) rule,- r, over), take.
Remember HE gave it to THEM to do together…to have dominion…again not self reliance, but together treading down, prevailing against.
Gen 2:18 NKJV And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."
Alone neither is complete. So what does that say about same sex marriages?
Or what does it say that God made EVE from ADAM’s rib, and not John ?
Male and female together are more complete, like GOD Who Himself is “mother-father God” El Shaddai, the all loving/nurturing, all wise God.
So a couple that is same sex, does not make a whole. As much as it may bring a comfort to each of them to have at least someone to love. It is a perversion of God’s intent, no matter where you are in the world. God’s best for Adam was EVE as a helper. Now I would admit that many Eve’s today are not the best helpers. Neither are the sons of man the best helpers to women. But the above is how God intended it to be.
Gen 2:20-22 NKJV So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a HELPER comparable to him. 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
OT:5048 comparable
neged (neh'-ghed); from OT:5046; a front, i.e. part opposite; specifically a counterpart, or mate; usually (adverbial, especially with preposition) over against or before: KJV - about, (over) against, aloof, far (off), from, over, presence, other side, sight, to view.
OT:5046
nagad (naw-gad'); a primitive root; properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise: KJV - bewray, certainly, certify, declare (-ing), denounce, expound, fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, surely, tell, utter.
Helper
OT:5828 `ezer (ay'-zer); from OT:5826; aid: KJV - help.
OT:5826 `azar (aw-zar'); a primitive root; to surround, i.e. protect or aid:
KJV - help, succour.
Main Entry: suc·cor
Etymology: Middle English succur, from earlier sucurs, taken as plural, from Old French sucors, from Medieval Latin succursus, from Latin succurrere to run up, run to help, from sub- up + currere to run -- more at CAR
1 : RELIEF; also : AID, HELP
2 : something that furnishes relief
Are we being that as wives ? Are we furnishing relief ?
He LET man recognize his need for companionship, that he was not whole alone. Why ? Because we were never meant to be INDEPENDENT of GOD. Marriage is a reflection of the union between God and man and Christ and the Bride. You’ll notice it says that in the beginning They said, LET US make man in Our image, and let THEM have dominion. So He already knew He was going to make woman as well. It wasn’t a surprise and sudden change of plans from His first conception. It is a SIGN of the dependence we have on HIM, that man needs woman and woman needs man. Christ wants our love, and we have desire for His love. This is why there is something very HOLY about the sex within marriage, besides having Godly offspring. It reflects the sanctity of union with God.
Benny Hinn once said, in the garden that God brought forth a wife for Adam by a wound in his side, then on the cross, God brought forth a Bride for Christ, with a spear in his side
{ not a direct quote} A blood-bought Bride is reflected in the words of Tsipporah when God came to slay Moses, and her son had not been circumcised so she quickly circumcised him { having been a baby nurse, that is not a quick task}, and threw the foreskin ( our flesh) at the feet of Moses and said, “ A HUSBAND OF BLOOD you are to me “ ! In this passage, Moses stands for Christ and Tsipporah, the Bride of Christ. And remember Tsipporah was dark skinned. Just like in Songs where the Shulamite says, I am dark but lovely ! We are all dark { all have sinned and are falling short of the glory of God } but we are LOVELY in His eyes. We must have this view of each other as well. All are dark, but lovely in His eyes. He is the One Who perfects us, Who SANCTIFIES us, day by day, step by step, glory to glory, grace to grace, if we LET HIM. And if we SUBMIT to HIM in the process, we will GROW in our love for Him and each other.
Gen 2:23-25 NKJV And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
The wife like Paul says is to love her husband and respect him and call him Lord, like Sarah did Abraham. This is an act of obedience to God and reflects how she is to love him, as she loves God. The man is to love her as the weaker vessel, like Christ loved the church (Bride). To do this requires a death to self, and a serious reliance on God for how to love the other mate.
We cannot do it with SELF-RELIANCE or INDEPENDENCE in our hearts, but must look to HIM from Whom we came, to show us how to do it, and for the strength and grace to do it. All self-importance, all self-centeredness, all self-worship has to go ! Only total dependence on God can bring forth the fruits of the Spirit in us. His presence sanctifies us, just as the first Temple was sanctified with His glory. So our temples must be sanctified with His glory.
This whole creation theme smacks in the face of all humanism and the antichrist spirit prevalent in the world today. People do not believe it so they worship the god they have made in their own image. Rebellion has grown and so the Truth has been denied in many who call themselves by His name even. Isn’t this the true “falling away” ? For many are called, but few are chosen. Without HOLINESS, no one will see God.
Heb 12:14 AMP Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord.
1 Thess 3:12-13 NKJV And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
Obad 17-18 NKJV Israel's Final Triumph
"But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. 18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau shall be stubble; They shall kindle them and devour them, and no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau, "For the LORD has spoken.
Zech 14:20-21 NKJV In that day "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in the LORD's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21 Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the LORD of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.
Luke 1:74-75 NKJV To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
Rom 6:19 NKJV I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
Rom 6:22-23 NKJV But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Eph 4:24 NKJV and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Ps 110:3 NKJV Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power;
In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth.
Ps 96:9 NKJV Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.
Matt 5:6 NKJV Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
