T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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The W ho le Bible Sunday School Lesson Course Recommended by World’s Fundamental Association :
EXPOSITION and PERTINENT QUESTIONS COMMENTS FROM THE COMMENTARIES ELEMENTARY -
T. C. Horton V. V. Morgan Kate H. Haus
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OCTOBER 14, 1923 THE PASSING OF THE SCEPTRE FROM ADAM TO SATAN —Genesis Chapter 3
Golden Text: “And I will pu t enm ity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and h er seed; It shall bruise thy head, and thou sh alt bruise his heel.” Gen. 3:15. NO T E : In fo llo w in g th is s e rie s of le sso n s (w h ic h a re d e sig n e d to g iv e a ra p id s u rv e y of th e Old T e s ta m e n t as. a w h o le) th e te a c h e r sh o u ld b e a r in m in d t h a t th e p ro g ra m is p la n n e d to p ro v id e fo r a g e n e ra l re a d in g of th e B ib le a s w e g o -a lo n g , a t th e sa m e tim e c o m m ittin g to m em o ry th e T en P e rio d s of Old T e s ta m e n t H isto ry , a s o u tlin e d in th e “B ird 's -E y e V iew .” O ur le sso n to d a y is th e se cond in th e first p e rio d (fro m A dam to N o ah ), th e firs t le sso n of th e s e rie s h a v in g b een g iv e n in th e S ep tem b er issu e, a s u su a l. P ro m th e a b u n d a n c e of m a te ria l p ro v id ed , th e te a c h e r sh o u ld ch o o se th e o u ts ta n d in g le sso n b e s t a d a p te d to th e a g e of th e p u p ils, a t th e sam e tim e u r g in g th em to re a d se v e ra l tim e s th e e n tire p o rtio n of S c rip tu re assig n e d , so th a t th e y m ay h a v e a d efin ite v iew of th e p la n s a n d p u rp o se of G od in H is d e a lin g w ith th e h u m a n race. Outline of Chapter: (1 ) The Serpent, v. 1. (2) The Seduction, vs. 2-5. (3) The Shame of Sin, vs. 6, 7. (4) The Seeking God, vs. 8-13. (5) The Sentence upon th e Serpent, vs. 14, 15. (6) The Sentence upon Eve, v. 16. (7) The Sentence upon Adam and the E arth , vs. 17-19. (8) The Substitution, vs. 20, 21. (9) The Separation, vs. 22-24. Introduction: How long the peace and purity of P aradise continued, we do not know. Adam and Eve, made in the image of God—!?; made fcfr each other— in full enjoyment of God’s fellow ship, and w ith au tho rity over all created m atter, were not long left to the enjoyment of th is felicity. Our lesson for today relates to th e trag ic incident which culm inated th e life of man in Paradise, and relegated him to a life of sin and suffering in a world burdened w ith God’s curse. Subjected to tem ptation, he voluntarily fell, and in th a t fall involved th e race. This is the foundation of P au l’s argum ent in the epistle to th e Romans, and in other epistles. The story of th e F all is au th en ticated by th e histo ry of nations. Serpent worship was universal in olden times. Three things are invariably connected w ith th e history of the F all,— a tree, a woman, a serpent,— and these th ree are found in the mythology of heathen nations. The devil has succeeded in getting him self worshipped, and his cursed form is found in trad ition in mythology, on medals and monuments. (1) THE SERPENT, v. 1 “Now the serp en t was more subtle th a n any beast of th e field.” The clear sky of P aradise was one day darkened by the presence of th a t mysterious person whose m alignant power has brought all the wretchedness and woe th a t this poor world has known.
We are not told who he is, or from whence he comes. F o r some good reason, God did not see fit to unfold th e whole tru th concerning him un til th e appearance of Christ who was to become his Master. Satan used a serpent as his agent, and is afterw ards himself called “ the old serpent.” W hat form th e serpent originally had, we do not know, bu t he was evidently a fascinating and attractiv e creature. Eve was no t affrighted by his presence, nor alarm ed a t his voice. The devil is not, as popularly pictured, cloven-footed and horned, arm ed w ith a pitchfork. He does no t make his abode in dens of infamy. He is the prince of this world,— an angel of light, educated, refined, cultured, esthetic,— and by his sub tilty has succeeded in blinding the eyes of almost all m ankind to th e tru th and making them believe a lie. The devil is the dom inant sp irit in all form s of error, and the au tho r of all th e old and new “ ism s” which have prevailed from Adam to Mrs. Eddy. The story of Satan, next to th a t of Christ, is most wonderful. Looking down th e ages, we find th e black line and the questions “How?” and “W hy?" To these ques tions, the philosophers have never given any answer. The Bible is the only book th a t ever gives any solution. We find in operation a g reat law— the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2) “F o r th e la w o f th e Sp irit o f lif e in C h ri st J e su s h a th m ade m e fr e e fr om th e la w o f sin an d d eath .” How was this law introduced? (1 John 3:8) “He th a t c om m itte th sin is o f th e d e v il; fo r th e d ev il sin n eth from th e b e g in n in g . F o r th is pu rp ose w a s th e So n o f God m a n ife sted th a t he m ig h t d e str o y th e w o r k s o f th e d e v il.” We find, then, th a t Satan sinned, and in sinning, he introduced th e law of sin and death. Christ was mani fested to destroy him. Satan was the au tho r of sin, sorrow, sobs and sighs. In th is th ird chapter of Genesis' we find the seed plot of the B ible,^-generation, degeneration, regeneration. We find the seven g reat doctrines set fo rth : (1) God,— T riune, C reator, P reserver, Redeemer,— in fellowship w ith unfallen man. (•2) Man,—made in the image of God, male and female, a ruler. A t first, innocent, bu t falling under temptation. (3 ) S atan ,— a personality, w ith g rea t power, having a definite relation to th is earth , w ith a reason for tem pting man. (4) Sin,— its natu re, its power, its penalty. (5) Gr p ee ,— God caring for sinful man, calling him, com forting him, providing him w ith th e means of de liverance. (6) Redemption,— through substitution. (7) Judgm ent,— the curse pronounced upon Satan, up on man and upon th e earth , in fulfillment' of th e Word.
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