Today’s Reading: Gen 3:1–4:26, Matt 3:1–4:25, Eccles 1:6–11
Today’s Theme: The Old Lie
Important lessons today include the fact that the Devil has always lied to man through false religion and through our minds in thinking that we can in someway be on the same level as God, be a god ourselves or live above God. This is the oldest and ultimate lie which leads to the bondage of sin that Jesus calls us to repent from and find true satisfaction in Him.
Genesis 3:1–4:26
The old lie
For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5 (ESV)
The devil is still using this same lie in many world religions and the new age movement and even in some so called Christian teachings where the lie is that man can become god through attaining secret knowledge… the old lie of Gnosticism.
The promise
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.” Genesis 3:15 (ESV)
This is the first promise of the Messiah (Jesus)
Cain’s wife
Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. Genesis 4:17 (ESV)
A question often asked is where did Cain get his wife? In this early period of creation and human history, brothers and sisters would be married. This was before the commands against incest were instituted through Moses.
Scientific data backs this up and even points to the fact that as the human gene pool developed, marriage between close relations would cause genetic problems that it would not have caused in the earlier stage.
Matthew 3:1–4:25
The Trinity
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”Matthew 3:16–17 (ESV)
All three members of the trinity are present at the baptism of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is like a dove, The Father’s voice and Jesus the Son.
The Bible is a weapon
And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Matthew 4:9 (ESV)
Jesus used God’s written word in all three encounters with the enemy. Today God’s written word is found in the bible, we should use it as a defense and as a weapon against the lies and schemes of the enemy.
The importance of repentance
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 (ESV)
Repent is the first word Jesus is recorded as saying in his public ministry, this shows how important and central repentance is to the Gospel.
Ecclesiastes 1:6–11
Lasting satisfaction
All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. Ecclesiastes 1:8 (ESV)
God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. We can only find lasting satisfaction in God.
Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014