Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
right in. So last Sunday we stopped at a scripture.
that we got from Matthew 19 so that the Pharisees
came to test Jesus with a question that is it
lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just
any other reason and we noted that the Pharisee
had a twisted knowledge or understanding of a
woman because whatever action you would take
to a friend to someone who is close to you will
depend on how you see the person and we noted
a quite difference between what jesus was pointing
at and what the pharisees were insisting their
focus is to put away understand they knew the
law that is not uh at for any cause now they
want to ask jesus Can we put her away for any
cause? Remember, they want to test him. But Jesus'
focus was, no. In the beginning, it was not so.
In the beginning, the idea is to join, not to
put away. So by saying just to join, Jesus pointed
us to something very critical. Which we are trying
to explore. As we continue. But he quoted. Two
scriptures. In verse 4. That. And. He answered
and said. To them. Have you not read. That he
who made them. At the beginning. Made them male
and female. This scripture is taken from. Genesis
chapter 1, verse 27. And we saw that scripture
repeated in Genesis 5 too. We're going to that.
Then verse 5, and said, for this reason, for
the reason of what? That is for the reason of
the verse 4. That is they are made male and female.
And we noted that we are coming to that. That
male and female, they are made in the image of
God. So Jesus was not just talking about marriage.
It's beyond marriage what he's trying to talk
about. So then he said, on the basis of this
understanding that they are made in the image
of God, male and female, a woman is not less
of the image of God than the man. You understand?
Based on this understanding, therefore shall
a man, you understand, leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife. So it's about the
joining. And the joining is predicated upon an
understanding, you understand, of who the woman
is or the image of God. Because she's the same
as the man, you understand, the image of God.
Either join. But they did not have that understanding.
That was why Jesus said. Have you not read. In
the beginning it was not so. Because they have
no understanding of this. Value of a woman. That
both the woman and the man. In the image of God.
So they see a woman of a lesser value. So it's
just about. Let's put her away. Understand. Let's
put her away. And remember. that the focus is
always the woman. What about the Pharisee? So
he can go and sleep anywhere, anyhow, and nothing
happens to him. Because there was no any idea
around what will happen to the Pharisee, you
understand? If he's the one that misbehaved.
But the focus is the woman because she is of
a lesser value to them. Because that's a patriarchal
culture. You understand? So, and then we now
move to look at those two scriptures, which we
said we are going to explain them. But before
I come to Genesis 1, then we move to look at
Genesis 2, verse 24, where Jesus said, therefore,
for this reason, man shall leave his father and
mother and join to his wife. Then we move to
Genesis 2, verse 24. Genesis 2 .24, which we
said, that scripture as always, because we started
work on that. And then we read that scripture.
And then we said, for us to understand the basis,
because he said, therefore, you understand. Are
we together? Verse 24. Are you there? Genesis
24 and 2 .24. Therefore, a man shall leave his
father and mother. And then what we did was to
read because what we see, therefore, that means
it's coming to a conclusion. You understand?
This is something that needs to be understood.
Are we together? Just the same way, Jesus, the
way Jesus also arranged the scripture in Matthew
is not haphazard. You understand? Definitely,
that verse he quoted, male and female. You understand?
Then, therefore, it's not by mystic. is by the
spirit of God that it was put that way. And that's
why you find out that even in the scripture here,
the way also, that's the same, because there
must be that kind of revelation first before
the devil, because the devil, shall a man leave
his father and mother and join to his wife, is
like a conclusion predicated upon actually this
understanding and revelation. And we said, okay,
let's go back and read a little bit in the sand
to understand. what the Bible is saying before
coming to this day of all. And then we started
from verse 18. And then we will go behind, but
we will start at verse 18 because it says, and
the Lord God said, it is not good that a man
should be alone. You understand? Then he now
said, I will make him a helpmate. Or in my version
here, I see a helper. I think those who are using
King James says a help me. Amen. So he said a
helper comparable to him. A helper comparable
to him. And then we read that. So we stop at
verse 18. And as we said, oftentimes this verse.
is taught as the woman that is the woman as the
helper and so we explore some ideas in the sense
that because when you start reading from behind
it looks as if uh the issue of tending of the
um the garden and all that is a work of the man
and so the woman is coming to help the man in
his assignment so more or less as it has always
been taught that the man is a one day That God
gave him the work. He is the man that has the
assignment. The man that has the ministry. The
woman is coming. Actually to help the man in
the work. And then we noted that. That actually
does not hold true. Through our scriptures. Because
as we said. That the Holy Spirit is the author.
Is one. Therefore whatever that is taught in
Genesis. Must be consistent. with the entire
bible because that's the entire context so and
then we look at it we said in no part when we
begin to read and i read some i mean it's a scripture
like second corinthians uh 5 17 to 20 and we
saw that actually that scripture is is showing
to us that the ministry is both for male and
female no one is is is actually like a quote
-unquote a helper of the order You understand?
That we are all, those who have been reconciled
are given the ministry of reconciliation. And
those who have been given the ministry of reconciliation
are those who have been reconciled. And those
who have been reconciled are male and female.
You understand? All have been reconciled. And
these are people in Christ. So I say, okay. So
it actually contradicts a lot of things. And
we didn't look at it as actually making any sense.
In the sense that, so what about those ladies
who are not married? Okay, we said every woman
is a helper of a man. What about those who are
not married? Does that mean that a woman becomes
useless if she is not married? And then we noted
that also, again, the purposes of God is not
gender -based. It's also marriage -determined.
Marriage is a choice. You can decide to marry.
Decide not to marry in the sun. But as we noted,
if we decide to get married, it must be because
of the Lord. If we decide not to get married,
it also must be for the Lord. If you go and do
it for any other selfish reason, are you savvy?
We are not dead yet. We are not dead yet also.
So, because the consequences is going to come
along the line. And so, the point is that now
we want to understand then in the sun. Is the
woman the helper of the man? So we want to go
down to look at the word helper and then explain
to understand whether the woman is the helper
of the man. Now let's look at that verse 18 again.
And the Lord God said, it is not good that man
should be alone. That man should be alone. So
I will make him a helper. So the issue of I will
make him a helper comparable to him was God's
response to actually it is not good that man
be alone. It's not good that man be alone. Now,
we have done that study for those of us who have
been in the church for some time. We have done
this study. during some of our teachings about
marriage and relationship and also teachings
about salvation. But let's go over it. We have
a lot of people who have not been with us. But
then again, we really need to go over it again.
First, I want us to know that word alone. That
word alone. It is not good that man be or should
be alone. That word alone. That word alone in
Greek is B -A -D. Bad. B -A -D. Alone. That word
alone in Hebrew is B -A -D. It's B -A -D. That
is bad. You understand? Not bad the one in English.
Not the bad in English. Yes. So that word. Bad
is a noun, actually. So it means separation or
apart from. That's what it means. It means separation
or apart from. And when I looked at it more deeply,
it is from a root word, badad. B -A -D -A -D.
Badad is from a root word, badad. So that word
bad, which is alone. is from the root word badad.
Of course, the root word is a verb. B -A -D -A
-D. It means to separate or separate or be isolated.
That's what it means. Separate or be isolated.
That's what it means. So we can say, if we plug
that into the verse, we can say that it is not
good that Man should be separate or apart from.
Man should be separate or apart from. But there
is a question we need to ask here at this point.
Be separate or apart from what? Because that's
the question we want to ask. If man is not good
to be separate or to be alone or to be... apart
from to be separate or to be apart from what
what exactly are we together now to answer that
question we need to so just bear with me that's
the reason why i use questions a lot because
that it takes us gradually you understand so
um to answer that question we need to explain
the word helper because um In that verse 18,
God's response to it is not good that man be
alone is that he will make him a helper. Did
you understand what I'm saying? So that means
if we can understand the word helper, we will
then understand actually what God... never intended
or did not want or the reason why god did not
want man to be separate or to be apart from in
the sun are we together we have already noted
that that could not be the woman because of some
of the question we have raised which does not
actually uh meet the test of the entire scripture
because there are other scriptures that seems
to show that the woman have a ministry and have
a purpose apart from the man. So it could not
be that. But let's look at it closely again,
as we said. So let's look at the word helper.
The word helper is a word E -Z -E -R or E -Z
-E -R. However, either you say Z or Z, whichever
one you use. So E -Z -E -R. Ezar. That's what
it means. Now, this word Ezar, please follow
me gradually. I'm a bit detailed this time around.
It occurs 21 times in the Bible. 21 times. That
word particularly. It occurs 21 times. Now, Moses
alone, Moses alone in his five books, that is
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy,
Moses alone uses six times. Use that same word
six times. Then in the book of Psalms alone,
it is used 11 times. In the book of Psalms, it's
used 11 times. Then in Isaiah, it is used once.
In Ezekiel, it is used once. In Daniel, it is
used once. And then Hosea, it is used once. Let
me come again. Moses alone used that. We said
the whole that word Isaiah is used 21 times in
the Bible. I'm using King James, so probably,
let's say about 21, because I used the King James.
So that means if you're using any other translation,
maybe you can find a different number. However,
it will be about that. So, as I said, Moses alone
uses six times in his five books. In the book
of Psalms, 11 times that word was used, Ezzah.
In Isaiah, it was used one time. In Ezekiel,
one time or once. In Daniel, it was used once.
And then Hosea also once. So quickly, let's already
look at the first one in the book of Moses in
Genesis. If you look at Genesis 1 .18, can you
see that Genesis 1 .18? Genesis 1 .18. Helper
is there. So that's one time. When you go to
verse 20, that's the second one. Verse 20. 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. There was not found a helper comparable
to him. So that word helper there is also Ezar.
That's the second time Moses is using it. The
third time Moses uses or used that word is in
Exodus 18. Exodus 18 verse 4. Exodus 18 verse
4. And the name of the order was Elijah. For
he said, so note that word Elisa is from the
word El and Ezar. You understand? El and Ezar.
Remember the E -L, El refers to God. Ezar, we
said, is the word helper. So Elisa means, that's
why he explained what that means. He said, for
he said, God, the God. Of my fathers was my what?
Was my help and delivered me from the sword of
Pharaoh. So, I want you to note the use of this
one here. At least, let's put the ones in Genesis
first. Let's move with these ones. Now, in this
place, Ezra means God. You understand? And God
as a deliverer. That's what is clear here. God
as a deliverer. Okay, Deuteronomy 33. That's
the fourth one. Deuteronomy 33, that Moses used
that word. Because Moses was the one who started
using this word. So we have to follow to see
how Moses used the same word in other places.
Because that would give us an idea. Because he
was the one who used the word. So, if you look
at Deuteronomy 33, verse 7. Deuteronomy 33, verse
7. And this he said of Judah. Hear the Lord,
the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people.
Let his hand be sufficient for him, and may you
be a help against his enemy. Again, he's using
this place as referring to God, a help against
his enemy. Okay. We'll go to 26, Deuteronomy
33, 26. There is no one like the God of Jehurum,
or Jeshurum, rather, who rides the heaven. To
help you. So it's referring still to God. To
help you. And in his excellencies. Of the cloud.
Deuteronomy 33. 29. So move to 29. Verse 29.
That same chapter. So in Deuteronomy. Just 33.
He uses it three times. Verse 29. Happy are you.
O Israel. Who is like you, a people saved by
the Lord, the shield of your help. So that means
it's still referring to God as a shield of his
help, that is of your help. And the sword of
your majesty, your enemies shall submit to you
and you shall tread down their high places. So
we can see this is the, so we can see that from
Exodus and the three verses in Deuteronomy 33.
All of them refers to God as Ezzah, you understand,
who came to deliver. You can see that he's explaining
that word in the direction that God is the deliverer.
God as a help means God as a deliverer or a savior
or one who rescues. from enemies, from danger.
Okay, let's go to Psalms 20. Let's look at the
verses in the Psalms. Psalms. We said there are
11 verses in Psalms that use the word helper
or ezer or help. 20 verse 2. 20 verse 2, Psalms
20 verse 2. May he send you help from the sanctuary
and strengthen you out of Zion. Now, when you
read verse 1, you will understand he's talking
about the Lord. Verse 1 says, may the Lord answer
you in the day of trouble. May the name of the
God of Jacob defend you. May he send you. So
he's still talking about God sending you help
in times of trouble. Okay. Psalm 33, verse 20.
Psalm 33, verse 20. Our soul awaits for the Lord.
He is our help and our shield. Again, referring
to God. Psalm 70, verse 5. Psalm 70, verse 5.
But I am poor and needy. Make haste to me, O
God. You are my help and my deliverer. So God
as a deliverer. God as a help, O Ezra. Psalms
89 verse 19. The next one is Psalms 89 verse
19. Then you spoke in a vision to your Holy One
and said, I have given help to one who is mighty.
I have exalted one chosen from the people. Yes,
talking about, because when you read, verse 18
says, our shield belongs to the Lord and our
king to the Holy One of Israel. Then verse 19
says, then you spoke in a vision to your Holy
One. So when you continue, you understand what
that is talking about also. Okay. Psalms 115.
That is 115 verse 9. Psalms 115 verse 9. O Israel,
trust in the Lord. He is your help and your shield.
He is your help and your shield. Then the next
verse, that's verse 10. So add one, Psalms 115
verse 10. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord.
He is your help and your shield. Then the next
verse also, Psalms 115 verse 11. You who hear
the Lord, trust in the Lord. He is their help
and their shield. So you can see. Someone who
shields you. Someone who rescues you. Someone
who delivers from trouble. That is Ezzah. That
is Ezzah. The popular one, Psalms 121. Next one.
Psalms 121. This one is popular. I will lift
up my eyes to the hills. From whence comes my
help. Did you see that? Verse 1. That word help
is exact. From whence comes my help? Then verse
2. That's another one. So Psalms 121 verse 2.
He said my help comes from the Lord. That word
help is exact. Who made heavens and the earth?
Who made the heavens and the earth? Who made
the heavens and the earth? Psalms 124, look at
124, verse 8. Our help is in the name of the
Lord who made heaven and earth. There again,
talking about God. Psalms 146, verse 5, the last
one in the book of Psalms. Psalms 148. Sorry,
46. Let's say 48. 46 verse 5. Happy is he who
has God of Jacob for his help. Who has the God
of Jacob for his help. Whose hope is in the Lord
is God. So again, you can see throughout the
book of Psalms the 11 times it presents that.
Isaiah is God referring to God who saves, who
shields, who delivers. Are we together? Who saves,
who shields from trouble, who helps from trouble,
who delivers from trouble. Okay. Then we said
there is one verse in Isaiah. Isaiah 30 verse
5. Isaiah 30 verse 5. Opening plenty scripture
is good for our health. Glory to Jesus. Are you
in verse 30? I'm sorry, chapter 30 verse 5. He
said, they were all ashamed of a people who could
not benefit them or be helped. Or benefits. But
a shame. And also a reproach. Now I want you
to see something here. Very dramatically. He
said a people. Who could not. Benefit them. Or
be a help. That is. They could not be a czar.
A people. That could not be a czar. I want you
to be very instructive. So it appears to look
as if it's only God that can be Ezzah. Because
we have a people who cannot give benefit them
or be Ezzah. You understand? So I want you to
see this very clearly. Now when you read here
in the text, you will see it talks about how
uh the egyptians couldn't help uh actually um
if you go back by the time you read from uh verse
even from verse three he said therefore the strength
of pharaoh shall not shall not be your shame
and that and trust in the shadow of egypt shall
be your humiliation for his princess were as
soon and his ambassadors came to harness They
were all ashamed of a people who could not benefit
them or be a help. So it's talking about Egypt,
the Egyptian who could not be a czar to Israel.
You understand? It was like a futility to depend
on them to give you help. Okay. Then Ezekiel
12 verse 14. Ezekiel 12 verse 14 he said I will
scatter to every wind all who are around him
to help him and all his troops and I will draw
out the sword after them if you read also contextually
you will see that this text is showing the captivity
of Judah, how God will scatter their helper.
You can see that he said, I will scatter. When
you read this one, I don't want us to read one
because that's not the direction we are going.
But if you read in the context, you will see
that he's talking about Judah, you understand,
the captivity of Judah and how God will scatter
those who provide help, you understand, any person,
you understand, their helper. God will scatter
them. And then look at Daniel chapter 11. I know
we like that verse closely. You understand? That
other verse. 1130. Daniel 1130. We like that
verse, right? Amen. Now look at, I'm not reading
32. That's the one most people normally quote.
But if you read also in the context, you understand
what that means. You understand? But I will read.
34. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with
a little help, but many shall join with them
by entry. So if you read behind, I mean, if you
read in the context, I mean, those post -texts,
you will see that this scripture is talking about
the king of the north that set himself against
the people of the covenant. you understand he
set himself against the people of the covenant
and then the people of the covenant could not
get much help you could only get little help
in that time of persecution you understand you
could only get little help in that time of persecution
you understand of course the scripture we normally
read is those who do wickedly against the covenant
shall be corrupt with flattery that means Because
it was a time of trouble. There are those people
who will be corrupted. But then the Bible says
that, but the people who know their God shall
be strong and carry out great exploits. Meaning
that they shall stand their ground. Because the
king of the north was coming against the people
of the covenant. So some will be corrupted. those
people who know their god they shall withstand
they shall stand strong are we together and so
when you go down he talks about also that these
people of the covenant in that time of difficulty
they could not receive much or they received
little help in the sun are we together amen then
lastly hosiah hosiah hosiah 13 verse 9 oh israel
you are destroyed but your help is from me i
will be your king where is any other that he
may save you in all your cities and your judges
to whom you said give me a king and princess
so here again is pointing god as a zap Now, in
all these places where it appears, now, you know,
as we thought, each time you read context, you
try to find the original meaning of the word
and where it appears and in different contexts.
We try to look at, even though, yes, the root
word does not tell us what the meaning of that
word contextually. But they help us to give us
an idea of actually how we can relate to what
the world is talking about. So, sometimes when
we look at the world, it appears in different
contexts differently. You understand? Just like
even here that we saw. You understand? But you
see, if you look at how it appears, it appears
majority showing God as Ezra. Are we together?
But in no place did it appear as showing that.
Ezra means a woman. So that is instructive for
us to pay attention. So in all the 21 places
where it appears in the sun, all of them in the
sun, the word helper does not refer to a woman
in no any place, no any place. But we could see
that Ezra refers to a savior. A rescuer. One
who is powerful. And superior. In strength. And
coming in times of trouble. To rescue. Or to
deliver. So we can see that. That one we can
be able to. Generally look at those. To conclude.
It mostly appeared as. That Ezar must be one.
Who is superior in strength. Who. comes to rescue
you who is powerful you understand and it comes
to help you in terms of trouble in times of trouble
this is not a description of a woman you understand
this certainly is not a description of a woman
no a woman is not described as a savior of a
man or neither as a rescuer of a man that's not
how She's not superior to a man. Remember, we
have already noted. Neither is a man superior
to her. Because we are coming back to that scripture.
Remember? I need to be reminding you. We are
coming back to that scripture. They are made
male and female in the image of God. That means
none is superior. Glory to God. Okay. So, this
helper is not the description of a woman. Okay.
So, what we can see here is that in all those
places, particularly, we'll pay attention to
because, let me tell you one thing. Everybody
in scripture gets his message from Moses. You
know what I'm saying? Everybody gets his message
from Moses. A subsequent prophet is from Moses.
You understand? So, You see, first let's focus
in how Moses used the word. In the place we saw
Moses use the word, both in Exodus and in Deuteronomy,
he was teaching, please note that, he was teaching
the Israelites that God is their deliverer. God
is their deliverer. God is their rescuer from
trouble. And God is their savior. That was what
Moses was teaching. So, could that his teaching
from Exodus and Deuteronomy be different from
what he is teaching from Genesis? Remember, You
cannot understand fully Genesis without understanding
Exodus. Because the message of Genesis is revealed
to the Exodus. So we understand Exodus. And then,
because that's where the background is. Are we
together? So, let's go back to our 18th. That
is Genesis 2. Genesis 2 .18. Genesis 2 .18. So
now, let me just start to address something here,
even though I can't finish that. So, what we
see now here is that Moses was teaching and referring
to God as Ezra. So, bear in mind now. Now, let's
put God as the helper there. You understand?
So that means that a helper, you understand,
is God saying, I will be the helper of man. You
understand? Because it is not good that man be
alone, so I will be a helper to him. You understand?
I'll be a helper to him. So the question now
is, If God is to be a helper to man, and we saw
that the helper is rescuing from trouble, in
all that it appears, when we see God as Ezra,
is that he rescues from trouble. He delivers
from trouble. Are we together? Are we together?
Yes, that's very important. Now, the question
now is that, we should ask here is that, What
is God rescuing man from? Because that's the
question. Since God is a helper, dear, what is
he rescuing man from? Because we have to answer
that one to be able to be sure or to fully explain
that really that Ezzat there is God. What is
God rescuing man from? Now, I want us to move
back a little bit. You understand? Move back
a little bit. To. Verse 16. Because that verse
18. Could not have just moved like that. Because
there is some verses behind. So let's read behind.
Some verses in the first text. Now verse 16.
And the Lord God commanded man. Saying. Of every
tree. of the garden you may freely eat you may
freely eat but of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil you shall not eat for in the day
you eat of it you shall surely die then Verse
18 says now, and the Lord God said, it is not
good for a man to be alone. It appears that God
has already is making plan for man because there
is imminent danger of what man will do. But let's
move so that we will not just answer it just
like that. We want to see it. From scriptures.
To explain it from scriptures. Because in the
day you eat. You shall surely die. Would it be
that God is becoming a help. For man to rescue
him from death. From. Did you get what I'm trying
to say? To rescue man from death. To rescue man
from death. Are we together? Okay. So. I want
you. But before that. I want you to know the
word every day. verse 16 every three you know
most times when we read this we normally use
we normally assume once we say every three we're
thinking there are plenty trees you understand
plenty trees around there understand that what
every is cold cold p sorry the icc k o l k o
l that word every in verse 16 of every in the
sun cold in hebrew k -o -l is a noun and it means
it could mean each it could also mean any it
could also mean all it could also mean whole
w h o l e It also means totality or everything.
So that word kol will mean any of this. Now,
it might interest you to know that that word
kol is from the root word kalal. That is K -L
-A -L. K -A -L, sorry, K -A -L -A -L. That is
kalal. And that word kalal means perfect or complete.
That's a verb. So a verb means complete or perfect.
So that means whole means whole, complete. I
mean, I want to point you to something. Generally,
when you use the word every, it is used before
what we call a singular noun. You know what I'm
saying? To refer to individual members of a set.
Like, for example, just, you know, individual
now. To refer to, like, all the individual members
of a set without exception. You understand? Of
a set of 18 without exception. And know that
that word every is not actually... uh a determinant
of the number in the set it's not he's not talking
about the number in the set or he's talking about
the kinds in the sets let's for example you have
a box the box has let's say 20 balls you understand
when you say every ball you are not referring
to the number of the box one you are also not
referring to the kinds of the balls let's say
blue green whatever no that's not your focus
your focus is actually saying all the balls that
is all the individual in the set without exception
are we together so that's the the the the focus
so it cannot tell you whether there are there
are two threes four threes five threes seven
threes so when you say every three it just talks
about all the trees But it's not referring to
there are plenty trees there. That's not what
he's saying. So it is reading in the context
that will tell us the trees there. You understand?
So every tree does not mean many trees. That's
not what it means. Look at verse 9. Because it
mentioned that also there. Also let me read verse
19 first. 19 also tells us about that every.
Out of the ground, the Lord God formed every
beast of the field, every breath of the air.
So you see, he's not trying to tell us the number.
He's not trying to tell us all the kinds. He's
just trying to tell us all the individuals in
the set. So look at verse 9. He said, out of
the ground, the Lord God made every tree. Grow.
That is pleasing to the sight. And good for food.
Then. The next line says. The tree of life. Was
also in the middle. Of the garden. And the tree
of the knowledge. Of good and evil. So I want
us to pay attention here. Because there is an
additional information. That verse 9 gives to
us. That verse. 16 did not. And 17. Because it
just tells us. Every tree of the garden. You
may freely eat. 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.
So that means it's focusing. If you look at verse
17. It's focusing on the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil. So it didn't give us any other
identity of the tree. But again, in verse 9 helps
us more further. It says the tree of life is
introduced another tree, which is a tree of life.
And then you also acknowledge the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil. So if you look at
the A part, and again, this is another thing
that if you are reading Genesis, you have to
be very careful because it's a slippery place.
In the sense that there are all kinds of mixture
between literal and figurative expression. Are
we together? Are we together? Yes. So that's
why you have to also pay attention. So if you
look at that verse, there is something here in
my Bible here, when he says the tree of life
was also in the middle of the garden. Actually,
translators added some of these words and make
it a little bit more confusing also. which I
want to clarify. For example, that word was is
not there because it is in italics. So it means
it was inserted by the translators. So there
is no word was there. So it was inserted. And
then if you look at also, that word also is one
word together. There is no also. You understand
what I'm trying to say? So it means just... the
tree of life because the tree of life also is
one word in the sense so that um also so if you
remove walls and also it becomes just the tree
of life are we together the tree of life in the
midst of the garden and the three of the knowledge
of good and evil so we can clearly see that that
the focus of this place and genesis is on two
trees you know sir on two trees which is the
the tree of life and the three of the knowledge
of good and evil and clearly when verse 16 says
and the lord commanded the man and saying of
every tree of the garden you may freely eat are
we together But he said, no, do not eat the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil. Because if
you do, you will die. Which means that the man
can partake from the tree of life which gives
life. But he is not to partake from the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil. Because when
he does that, The consequences is death. The
consequences is death. Now, I will refer us to
what Pastor Imad did with us again in a few weeks
message when he used that word command. You understand?
If you look at how Moses used the word command,
Pastor Imad taught us. Now, that word when you
hear commanded, it is not talking about something
you should do. You understand? It's talking about
something you should believe. And he took us
through a lot of scriptures, through Genesis.
In fact, he took us to what we call the Ten Commandments.
You understand? He took us to other scriptures
and shows to us that when the Bible says, and
God commanded or Moses commanded Israel. What
he is saying is that it means a call to obedience
or a call to believe the word of the Lord. And
the word of the Lord is the gospel. The word
of the Lord is the gospel. The word of the Lord
is the gospel. And again, which I will refer
to because we did that teaching also both in...
That, although when I come next, I will start
from there. But we did that teaching equally,
both in the cell meeting as well also in the
church. And we saw that because there is no fruit
on earth that when you eat, you will die. Do
you understand? There's no fruit like that on
earth. So God is speaking figuratively. Again,
from what Kaseyma taught us. Command talks about
obedience or believing. A call to faith. A call
to believing the word of the Lord. And what is
the word of the Lord? The word of the Lord is
the gospel. So when Moses gave them the Ten Commandments,
he was not expecting them to practice, so to
say. Because Jesus summarized the entire law
and the prophet. And said is love the Lord your
God. And love your neighbor as yourself. And
he said even the second is as the first. And
loving the Lord. Means believing in him. That's
what it means. So if you sing and say. I love
you Lord. I love you. Don't be thinking of works.
Be thinking that. I believe in you. Do you understand
what I'm trying to say. That's actually what
should be in your head. So. That is what that
means. So that's one clue to give us what God
was saying when he said, and the Lord God commanded
the man. In other way, God is demanding faith
from the man. In other words, God was preaching
the gospel to man. That's what he was doing.
And again, we note it because it helps us to
know that What goes into the man of God does
not defile him. So there is no how God will be
referring of the literal fruit. You understand?
That when man eats, he will die. No. No. We did
that teaching. And Jesus helped us to know that
not everything that goes into a man, you understand,
defiles him, but that which comes from his heart.
And we saw also he taught in John chapter 6.
You understand? And in John chapter 6, he shows
to them what eating is. So eating talks about
faith. When he said, eat my flesh. If you do
not eat my flesh, you understand? He said, what
you have on your mind is this one. How can you
say we should eat your flesh? Is this one okay?
But you see, they are carnal men. They do not
understand. But as you read down, even though
I know it's not just only that, we have many
of our brothers and sisters who think that that
one is the Holy Communion. Once you take the
communion, it literally changes the body of Jesus.
I mean, how can you not read the context and
see what Jesus is talking about now? That means
you are like the Pharisees who do not even understand.
Because in that very scripture, I mean, that
very, this is the Jew. We are arguing, how can
we eat? In fact, that's the reason why many of
them left him. They left him. All of them left
him. And including, so I said, Kai, this teaching
is hard. And then he turned to his disciples
and said, are you also going? They said, to who
shall we go? You have the word of life. So, When
you read John 6, from the beginning to the end,
there is no how you can ever miss that Jesus
is talking about you should eat his flesh. But
now, you have gone to school. Don't look as if
the suffering, your parents have been paying
money and then you are not doing anything. So,
what we are trying to say is that Jesus defines
that eating talks about believing. So, when God
is talking about here, That in the day you eat,
you shall die. He was talking about believing,
not actually literal eating. That's figurative
expression. So when we come, we will see. But
what I'm trying to say here is that, is to understand
that what God spoke to man, concerning the trees
was the gospel. And he was commanding man, meaning
he was calling on man to believe that he should
eat from the tree of life, but not to eat from
the tree. You understand? The other tree, which
is a tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Because he said, in the day you did it, you would
die. And immediately, verse 17 ends. He now says,
and the Lord God said, it is not good. Oh, that
is, I do not want man to be separate from me.
That's what he said. I will rescue him from the
dead. Because there was already death, verse
17. That's why he said, and God said that it
was not good that man should be alone. I will
be his help. I will be his exile. Meaning I will
be his savior. I will be his rescuer. Who will
rescue him from death? That is the message of
the gospel. Are we together? That's the message
of the gospel. And that's the same message that
was also preached. We will see the message even
from Genesis 1. So, when you understand it this
way, then you will know that this place is not
talking about women. He's talking about the salvation
plan of God. He's talking about the gospel. In
the sand. Are we together? So when we come. We
will continue. To study. And come to a place.
To that place. Verse 24. Where he said therefore.
Now if you understand this very well. When we
come. To the verse. Therefore. You will see.
That there is no different from this Genesis
and the scripture that I read to you last time
in 2 Corinthians. You see that there is no different.
That scripture I read to you. You understand?
Because the ministry work is for both men and
women. You understand? Not for some certain people.
And understanding that, that the same value a
man has, that's the same value a woman has before
God. Both are of the same value. Both have the
spirit of God. Both are sons. Both, you understand,
they are the image of God. Then you will treat
the woman with respect. with honor she will not
become like a commodity that she's only good
you understand for children she's only good for
for for sex you understand she's only good because
that means her value is always attached either
to marriage either to children i mean that's
a confusion You understand? It's a big confusion.
That's the reason why we are suffering what we
are suffering. You understand? Because so many,
many of the breakup we have in marriage in homes,
if the woman, you understand, in those days,
that's the reason even why our great -great -father
married many women because they want more children.
You understand? And we have some men whose village
they are still following them. If it is not a
male child, you understand, that means something
is wrong fundamentally with you. Because you
think that you are here to build a name. He said,
who will carry the name of my family? I mean,
what sort of smelling information is that? Who
will carry the name? Did you think that you were
here to do with the name of your family? Did
you remember? Did you know the name of your great
-great -great -great -grandfather? How many people
do you remember their name? Are those people
who do something in life, something that is...
What nothing. There are people that are remembered,
not people who give back to male children. Glory
to Jesus. We appreciate you being here today.
We hope you carry this word with you throughout
your week. Don't forget to check the show notes
for additional insights. Stay connected with
us through our website or follow us on social
media. If you are encouraged, share this message
with someone you care about. Until next time,
stay blessed.