Mark Jones – In His Dust

Yesterday was interesting. I’ve got a new book called ‘Desiring God’ by John Piper. And it’s brilliant. So much so that last night I went to be, couldn’t sleep from thinking about what I’d read and learned, and had to get up in the early hours of the morning to share it with people.

Today however, I spent more time focusing on some BIBLE!

My bible reading is a bit all over the place at the minute really. I’m mixing a lot of Old testament with New, and generally reading a lot of whatever takes my fancy.Today was a section of Genesis.

I love the fact that having been through the bible several times now, there’s always something new that jumps out at me. So here’s my 3 points from Genesis 2.

1) Genesis 2:9(b)

The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now, we see a few verses later that God commands Adam, saying “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

We also see in chapter 3 that the tree was “good for food”, and that it was a “delight to the eyes”, as well as it being ‘desirable’ to make one wise.

What I found interesting here is how this ‘temptation’ is right in the centre of the Garden of Eden. Adam, would have to walk by this ‘temptation’ all the time. It wasn’t on the edge of the garden, or off in a corner… it was in the centre. Which relates to temptation today. In a culture (for guys, for example), there’s temptation everywhere. It’s not hidden from us. It’s in the ‘centre’. It’s in the spotlight. Through media, the internet, shops, billboards, the movies, pubs, barrs, etc, etc, etc.

We see in chapter 3 the ‘fall of man’. But the idea is that before that, the tree was right in the centre. It was a temptation that required walking by, and perhaps away from.

2) Genesis 2:15

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

God put Adam to work. I get the impression that ‘work’ for a guy is an important thing. Even when God curses the ground (NOT ADAM), it’s all related to ‘work’. I believe guys need to work. Some guys probably even need 2 jobs. Even in relation to the last point, I think guys that don’t work will be tempted in their bordom. Guys that are working full time, and involved in their local church, aren’t going to have as much time to be sitting in their bedrooms, in front of a computer, looking at Porn… or even wasting their time playing computer games.

3) Genesis 2: 20(b)

But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.

God decides it’s not good for Adam to be alone. And that he needs help. Then after going through the possible animal companions, God creates EVE! (PRAISE GOD!). I think I would struggle with a cat as a companion. Something tells me it just wouldn’t work. I like this idea of Eve being Adam’s helper. It points towards guys not being single. It shows that we need ‘help’. It shows that we need a wife, I guess. It shows that we’re not complete without a wife.

On top of that, the idea of Eve being formed out of Adam’s rib. Eve being made out of Adam’s side. I guess that’s where guys need a wife! At their side. It would potentially also explain why ‘girls’ or ‘gurls’ enjoy cuddling so much. They’re at home. At your side. hahaha.

Anyway. Back to reading Desiring God by John Piper.