19 Lamech took two wives for himself; the name of the first was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the first of those who live in tents and keep livestock. 21 The name of his brother was Jubal; he was the first of all who play the harp and the flute. 22 Now Zillah also gave birth to Tubal-Cain, who heated metal and shaped all kinds of tools made of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah! Listen to me!
You wives of Lamech, hear my words!
I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for hurting me.
24 If Cain is to be avenged seven times as much,
then Lamech seventy-seven times!”

Just because something is in the Bible does not mean it is being advocated. With regard to this Lamech, mention is made that he took two wives. Polygamy is not as widespread in the Old Testament as many seem to imagine. When it is mentioned, there is usually some sort of trouble associated with that choice. Polygamy is not being explicitly criticized here, but neither is it being condoned or recommended.

Even more noteworthy is Lamech’s attitude toward others. He has a high opinion of himself and declares that he deserves to be avenged many times over for any harm done to him.

Perhaps it is God’s way of commenting on Lamech that the scripture passage makes no further mention of his descendants, beyond his children.

25 And Adam had marital relations with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth, saying, “God has given me another child in place of Abel because Cain killed him.” 26 And a son was also born to Seth, whom he named Enosh. At that time people began to worship the LORD.

It is not clear what, exactly, the end of verse 26 is referring to. Abel worshiped God when he brought his offering to Him, so worship of God goes back at least to Abel. But Cain killed him, and Cain’s family, as a whole, may have given God short-shrift. Perhaps the arrival of Seth and his family represented a shift toward greater reverence for God, but this is speculation. “Worship” is, in the Hebrew, “call in the name.” For references to Abraham calling on the name of the LORD see Gen. 12:8, 13:4 and 21:33.

Cain and Abel made offerings to the LORD of some of what they had received from Him. What could be the purpose of such offerings, since their was no church which had expenses that needed to be paid? The only purpose could be to worship God — to express love, gratitude and trust toward Him.

And Abel was worshiping. He offered the best portions of the first-born from his flock. Before he knew what the future held for his flock he offered his first and best to God.

The passage does not go into detail about what was wrong with Cain’s offering or how God’s regard or lack of regard for the offerings was communicated to the two men. But Hebrews 11:4 says, “By faith Abel offered God a greater sacrifice than Cain, and through his faith he was commended as righteous, because God commended him for his offerings.” God knows our thoughts and even the motives behind our thoughts. There is a difference between truly worshiping God and merely discharging what one may view as an obligation.

6 The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” (ESV)

Everyone has a choice about whether they will submit to God’s lordship or whether they will — like Cain — resent it and rebel against it.

8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” (ESV)

Cain’s defiant and insolent reply to God’s rhetorical question implies no responsibility for his brother. But of course he is directly responsible for what he has done to Abel.

10 But the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! 11 So now, you are banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you try to cultivate the ground it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

Cain’s crime testified against him. God could not and would not ignore that crime. He made it clear to Cain that Cain had done wrong and would be held accountable.

At the same time, it is fair to say that Cain got off relatively lightly. God did not demand Cain’s life for Abel’s. Cain is instead condemned to a life as a restless wanderer on the earth. It is not that God would be unjust in ending Cain’s life then and there (see Genesis 9:5,6). He apparently had something else in mind for Cain.

However, all of this seemed to be lost on Cain:

13 Then Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is too great to endure! 14 Look! You are driving me off the land today, and I must hide from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth; whoever finds me will kill me.”

Cain, curiously, seemed to understand that because of what he had done his life was forfeit (“whoever finds me will kill me”), yet at the same time felt no remorse, as indicated by his suggestion in verse 13 that God was being unfair to him.

15 But the LORD said to him, “All right then, if anyone kills Cain, Cain will be avenged seven times as much.” Then the LORD put a special mark on Cain so that no one who found him would strike him down. 16 So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

In verse 15 the Hebrew term lakhen (“therefore”, translated here as “All right then”) has the sense of “Okay” or “in that case then I will do so-and-so.” The Lord put some sort of mark on Cain to protect him from retribution. Again, it was not that Cain did not deserve death for his murder, but rather that God was taking responsibility upon Himself for ensuring that Cain was held accountable for his crime.

1 Now the serpent was more shrewd than any of the wild animals that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Is it really true that God said, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit from the trees of the orchard; 3 but concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard God said, ‘You must not eat from it, and you must not touch it, or else you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like divine beings who know good and evil.”

God had told Adam, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17, NIV) Now Satan, speaking through the serpent, tempts the woman to disobey this command. Actually the text does not mention Satan but simply says “the serpent” spoke to the woman. But we may safely assume that Satan was behind whatever exactly was going on here. In verse 1 the serpent “spoke as though an incredible rumour had reached it” (H. L. Ellison).

Of course, God had said no such thing. But this ‘big lie’ seems to have put the woman on the defensive. In answering the serpent she adds the prohibition, “you must not touch it”. God did not say that either. Where the woman got this from is unknown. Regardless of where it came from, there is a lesson for us here. Whenever God gives us a command — such as to not eat from a certain tree — it is understandable and even commendable for us to go above and beyond strict obedience out of our love for Him and our desire to please Him. In this case, we might decide that not only will we not even touch the tree, we will not even go near it. The problem with what the woman does here — and with what we sometimes do — is that she is creating a new command all by herself and then attributing it to God. Perhaps Adam told her this.  Either way, this is problematic because — whether in the Garden of Eden or in our world today — adding to God’s requirements betrays a lack of understanding of what God has said to us and doubt as to God’s perfect goodness. There is a world of difference between, on the one hand, voluntarily going beyond strict obedience out of love, and on the other hand, forcing ourselves and others to follow more rules out of a misguided desire to appease God or earn His favor.

6 When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (NET Bible)

8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (ESV)

God was not asking those questions because He did not know where the man and woman were or did not know what was going on. He asked them rhetorically, the way any parent might ask a child something in order to get him or her to acknowledge wrongdoing.

But the man and woman each simply attempted to transfer responsibility to someone else. The man tried to kill two birds with one stone, blaming God and the woman at the same time (“The woman whom you gave to be with me…”)! The woman blamed the serpent. No doubt it played a role, but she had to cooperate with what the serpent was trying to do to her.

That was it. No acceptance of responsibility, no admission of wrongdoing. There is an almost defiant tone to their response to God. There is no indication that they are sorry about what has happened, that they won’t do it again, that they want another chance, that they desire reconciliation or would like things to return to the way they were before they disobeyed God.

14 The LORD God said to the serpent,

“because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
15 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.”

16 To the woman he said,

“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be for your husband,
and he shall rule over you.”

17 And to Adam he said,

“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,
‘You shall not eat of it,’
cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.” (ESV)

Verse 15 alludes to the long conflict between the people of God and the evil one which was to be recounted through the Old Testament and which has gone on up to the present day as the Church has born witness to Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

The man’s and woman’s rebellion against a righteous God could not be without consequences. The fellowship — the close relationship — which they had enjoyed with God, was broken. Death — spiritual separation from God as well as physical demise — sprang into the picture. In addition, God’s judgments appear to have been designed to strike at the pride of the man and woman. To the degree that the man took pride in his domination over the natural world, he would be humiliated by the rebellion of the soil; it is now only with great work and effort that a living can be extracted from the earth. The woman may have taken pride in the fact that children had to come through her and in her ability to bear them and nurture them, but childbearing would now be painful.

In addition, she would have a desire for her husband which he would exploit to dominate her. Sin brought about a power struggle between men and women which has resulted in the relegation of women to a subordinate status in society through most of history. It has also resulted in many broken marriages. But husbands and wives who are believers in Christ are called and enabled to set this conflict aside and live in harmony and mutual self-sacrifice.

20 The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. 21 The LORD God made garments from skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said, “Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the LORD God expelled him from the orchard in Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken. 24 When he drove the man out, he placed on the eastern side of the orchard in Eden angelic sentries who used the flame of a whirling sword to guard the way to the tree of life.

Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden of Eden, but all of us, their descendants, have experienced the consequences of that first rebellion against God. Our fellowship with Him was broken, we became like God in terms of knowing good and evil, and we came under a death sentence. Since we had become unfit to be with God, and had already taken from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God made sure to bar us from the tree of life. We cannot escape death or be with God. At least, not without a miracle from Him.

In verse 21 it says God clothed them. God still cared for them. Things could never again be the same as they were before between them and God. But God still loved them, would still provide for them. He was not about to turn His back on them and forget them. God was not finished with His creation yet. He already knew what He was going to do to make it possible for them and their descendants to someday be saved from death, eat from the tree of life, and become what He originally intended.

What follows is the text or lyrics of Part III of Messiah with references to where in the Bible the relevant scripture verses can be found, along with YouTube videos for each section. After that is a modern English translation of the same scriptures, along with some commentary and explanation of the meaning and significance of those scriptures.

With multiple videos on this page, things can sometimes get slow, particularly if starting a video before another video has finished buffering. If this happens, refresh the page, then start the video you want to watch.

AIR (Soprano)
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though worms destroy this body yet, in my flesh shall I see God. For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep. (Job 19:25,26; 1 Corinthians 15:20)

CHORUS
Since by man came death,

CHORUS
By man came also the resurrection of the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:21)

CHORUS
For as in Adam all die,

CHORUS
Even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22)

RECITATIVE (Accompanied – Bass)
Behold, I tell you a mystery; We shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. (1 Corinthians 15:51,52)

AIR (Bass)
The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:52,53)

RECITATIVE
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written; Death is swallowed up in victory! (1 Corinthians 15:54; Isaiah 25:8)

DUET (Alto and Tenor)
O death, where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:55-56; Hosea 13:14)

CHORUS
But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)

AIR (Soprano)
If God be for us, who can be against us? who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us. (Romans 8:31,33,34)

CHORUS
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory and blessing. Blessing and honour, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.

__ Amen. (Revelation 5:12,13)

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God… (Job 19:25,26, ESV) But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20)

Job was a man of God whom God allowed to suffer terribly at the hands of Satan and who was tormented by his friends. He did not understand what was happening to him or why it was happening. Yet he somehow had a sense — he somehow believed — that someday he would be vindicated and would have fellowship with God. Job’s words testify to the saving grace of God, His love for us, and the fact that death does not have the last word. God has the last word — through the Redeemer He sent for all of us. And we know — as the apostle Paul wrote to believers in Corinth, Greece — that that Redeemer, Jesus Christ, has indeed come, given His life for us and been raised from the dead! Christ is our trailblazer. He has gone ahead of us so we can follow. What He has gone through we will also, generally speaking, go through. Where He has gone we will also go. He is the first-fruits of God’s plan for our salvation. He has been raised from the dead, and so have we. He has entered heaven, and so will we. Our bodies may die before He returns, but spiritually we are only sleeping; we will meet Him when He returns and will be given new, imperishable bodies.

For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:21, 22)

Adam’s rebellion ushered sin and death into the world; Christ’s sacrifice conquered sin and death. Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, because sin leads to death. It separates us from God and extinguishes our spiritual life. The result of one trespass (Adam’s wrongdoing) was condemnation for all people by a holy, righteous and just God. In this way death came to all humanity. But just as through the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man (Jesus) the many will be made righteous. God intervened in human history through His Son, Jesus. The result of Jesus’ act of righteousness — His sacrifice of Himself on the cross — was justification that brings life for all who will believe in Him (see Romans 5:12-21). Our sins are wiped out and we are given a clean slate. Our separation from God is overcome. The blood of Jesus covers us and God remembers our sin no more. Our spiritual death is changed to life as God breathes His own spirit, the Holy Spirit, into us.

Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. (1 Corinthians 15:51, 52)

We have hope for new life in this world, and hope for eternal life with our Lord and Savior in the next world. As Jesus was resurrected from the dead, so will we be — unless Jesus comes back before we physically die. The Bible sometimes refers to physical death as ‘falling asleep’, because life and death is not just about physical existence, but also about spiritual communion with or separation from God, a spiritual being who is the creator and sustainer of the universe and all life. That which is spiritual created, encompasses and supercedes that which is physical. That which is eternal created, encompasses and supercedes that which is temporal. That which is imperishable created, encompasses and supercedes that which is perishable. We are a combination of a body from the dust of the earth and a spirit from God. Our bodies are physical and perishable. The body which is buried is perishable but it will be resurrected imperishable. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable (verse 50). That is why we will all be changed. And when we are changed, it will happen in a flash, in the blink of an eye, when Jesus returns.

For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:52, 53)

We who are still alive, who are left until Jesus’ return, will not precede into heaven those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first (see 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16). And with what body will the dead be raised? With the new body that God will give both them and those who are alive at the time. The body that is buried is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body (see 1 Corinthians 15:42-44). We don’t know all the details but we know that much. After the dead in Christ are raised, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18).

Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen, “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54)

Paul quotes from Isaiah 25:8 which speaks of the salvation the LORD will bring to His people all over the world.

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

Paul quotes from Hosea 13:14 with a view to the victory which Jesus won for us on the cross, a miraculous intervention by God on our behalf. Such an intervention was, for God’s people in Hosea’s time as well as for us and for all people, the only hope which exists. The law only made us aware of sin, but when our faith is in Christ we receive power to rise above sin. Sin leads to death, but faith in Christ brings life. God robs the grave; death is robbed of its victory and life wins over death!

What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us. (Romans 8:31, 33, 34)

We can have peace, joy, love and supreme confidence as we approach life because of what God has done for us. If he did not spare His Son, but gave him up for our sake, will he not also freely give us all things? (verse 32) And we don’t have to defend ourselves against the accusations of the world, nor do we have to keep beating ourselves up about wrongs we have commited in the past. Knowing that the Son of God died for you and me, that He was raised from the dead, and that He is now interceding with God on our behalf should make all the difference in the world in how we see ourselves. As a friend of mine has pointed out, since Jesus died for my forgiveness, if I refuse to forgive myself I’m saying that I’m bigger than Christ!

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:11-13, ESV)

In the vision revealed to John, he saw a throne with one seated on it who “had the appearance of jasper and carnelian” (4:3). The scene he recorded in Revelation had many fantastic elements, including twenty-four elders and four “living creatures” which defied description. The one seated on the throne had a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals (5:1). An angel asked who was worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. John wrote that he wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside (5:4). Then one of the elders said, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then John saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne. The Lamb came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne (5:7). When the Lamb did this the elders and the living creatures fell down before him and worshiped him saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” (5:9-10)

And then all of heaven and all of creation praised the Lamb, Christ, who alone could free us from death, from our own rebellion, and bring us into life — the life which comes from God, the life which He created us to experience and the life He enables us to share.

What follows is the text or lyrics of Part II with references to where in the Bible the relevant scripture verses can be found, along with YouTube videos for each section. After that is a modern English translation of the same scriptures, along with some commentary and explanation of the meaning and significance of those scriptures.

With multiple videos on this page, things can sometimes get slow, particularly if starting a video before another video has finished buffering. If this happens, refresh the page, then start the video you want to watch.

CHORUS
Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)

AIR (Alto)
He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not His face from shame and spitting. (Isaiah 53:3; 50:6)

CHORUS
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.  (Isaiah 53:4,5)

And with His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

CHORUS
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way. And the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

All they that see [him] laugh [him] to scorn: they shoot out their lips, they shake their heads, saying: (Psalm 22:7)

He trusted [in God] that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, if he delight in him. (Psalm 22:8; Matthew 27:43)

RECITATIVE. (Accompanied – Tenor)
Thy rebuke hath broken His heart; He is full
of heaviness. He looked for some to have pity on Him, but there was no man, neither found He any to comfort Him. (Psalm 69:20)

AIR. (Tenor)
Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow. (Lamentations 1:12)

RECITATIVE. (Accompanied – Soprano)
He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of Thy people was He stricken. (Isaiah 53:8)

AIR (Soprano)
But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell; nor didst Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27)

CHORUS
Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory. (Psalm 24:7-10)

RECITATIVE. (Tenor)
Unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? (Hebrews 1:5; Psalm 2:7)

CHORUS
Let all the angels of God worship Him. (Hebrews 1:6)

AIR. (Bass)
Thou art gone up on high; Thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, yea, even for Thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them. (Psalm 68:18; Ephesians 4:8)

CHORUS
The Lord gave the word, great was the company of the preachers. (Psalm 68:11)

AIR. (Soprano)
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. (Romans 10:15; Isaiah 52:7)

CHORUS
Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world. (Romans 10:18; Psalm 19:4)

AIR (Bass)
Why do the nations so furiously rage together, and why do the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His Anointed. (Psalm 2:1,2; Acts 4:25-26)

CHORUS
Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us. (Psalm 2:3)

RECITATIVE (Tenor)
He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. (Psalm 2:4)

AIR (Tenor)
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. (Psalm 2:9)

CHORUS
Hallelujah: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah! (Revelation 19:6; 11:15; 19:16)

On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

John the Baptist was the messenger prophesied about in Malachi who would prepare people for the coming of the Lord. At this time he was baptizing people in the Jordan River who wanted to repent of their sin and rededicate themselves to God. In the religious life of ancient Israel the sacrificial lamb had played a prominent role in depicting God’s saving of His people from death and the taking away of sin. The prophet Isaiah had referred to a suffering servant who God would send who would die for the sin of many people, someone who would be “led like a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7, NIV). John identifies Jesus as this one.

He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness… (Isaiah 53:3) I offered my back to those who attacked, my jaws to those who tore out my beard; I did not hide my face from insults and spitting. (Isaiah 50:6)

Jesus, in His earthly ministry and His self-sacrifice on the cross, bore an uncanny resemblance to the suffering servant prophesied about in Isaiah. He was rejected by those He came to save. Because He was rejected, He was sacrificed. And because He was sacrificed, we were saved. He went into all this with His eyes wide open; He knowingly, willingly and intentionally carried out the mission given to Him by His heavenly Father.

But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well… (Isaiah 53:4,5)

He was wounded because of our wrongdoing, not His. His mission was to die for the sins of the world — to take on Himself the punishment meant for you and me.

…because of his wounds we have been healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

We who have put our faith in Jesus have been saved. Saved from what? Saved from anything and everything we need to be saved from.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned — every one — to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6, ESV)

God laid on His Son the wrongdoing of all of us. Jesus — a man without sin — endured having the sins of the world being laid on Him.

All who see me taunt me; they mock me and shake their heads. They say, “Commit yourself to the LORD! Let the LORD rescue him! Let the LORD deliver him, for he delights in him.” (Psalm 22:7,8)

King David expressed his discouragement over the things he was suffering at the hands of his enemies as he wrote Psalm 22 a thousand years before Christ. What he wrote had prophetic significance; it applied even more to the taunts and insults Jesus endured for our sake.

Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. (Psalm 69:20, ESV)

Like David, Jesus endured scorn and humiliation. And like David, He accepted it as a price to be paid in His service to God the Father.

“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the LORD inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.” (Lamentations 1:12 ESV)

Here is a passage from the Old Testament referring to the plight of Jerusalem following its conquest by the Babylonians. In a way, it foreshadows what Jesus had to go through. Was there any suffering like His suffering?

He was led away after an unjust trial — but who even cared? Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded. (Isaiah 53:8)

Jesus was given a sentence He did not deserve so that we could be spared from what we do deserve.

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. (Psalm 16:10, ESV)

Peter and Paul both referred to this passage in their preaching of the good news of Jesus Christ (see Acts 2 and 13), saying that David was not talking about himself but was speaking prophetically about Jesus. God the Father did not leave Him in the grave (“Sheol”) to decay, but instead raised Him from the dead!

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! (Psalm 24:7-10, ESV)

The words of this psalm by David may have been used in the ceremonies accompanying the bringing of the ark of the LORD into Jerusalem and, later, into the temple constructed by Solomon. They foreshadow the triumph and entry into heaven of Christ following His resurrection. And they have a significance for each of us today, alluded to by the Christian rock band Petra in a song they recorded years ago, “The King Of Glory Shall Come In”. The last verse of it says:

Now we are the temple, He dwells in our hearts
The priesthood of faith that His Spirit imparts
This King is the One who can save from sin
He stands at the door and He wants to come in

For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? (Hebrews 1:5, ESV)

In these last days God has spoken to us through Christ, who is the radiance of and the very image of God. Through Christ the universe was made, and He sustains all things by His powerful word. He Himself provided purification for sins and then sat down at the right hand of God. Therefore we should not think that we can pay lip service to God and ignore His Son, the Christ. We should not revere God, or revere angels, and not revere the Christ. The writer of Hebrews made it clear that Christ has “become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs” (Hebrews 1:4, ESV). He then quoted Psalm 2 and 2 Samuel 7 to prove his point.

And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” (Hebrews 1:6, ESV)

The quotation is taken from Deuteronomy 32:43. The angels are to worship the Son; it cannot be otherwise since angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14).

You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there. (Psalm 68:18, ESV)

Psalm 68 emphasizes the greatness of God’s power and compassion and His worthiness to be praised. The apostle Paul, in Ephesians, quoted this scripture as he discussed the ascension of Christ and the bestowing of spiritual gifts on those who will believe.

The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a great host… (Psalm 68:11, ESV)

Great is the company of those who proclaim how the Lord has triumphed over His enemies and scattered His foes.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7, NIV)

Isaiah prophesied about how the Jews would someday be restored to their native land after being taken into captivity, and how wonderful that would be. Centuries later, Paul quoted this scripture to emphasize how amazing is salvation through Jesus Christ — and how beautiful are the feet of those who bear the message of that salvation.

Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world… (Psalm 19:4, ESV)

God’s glory has been revealed throughout the earth, and the good news — of His kingdom and of the forgiveness of sins through faith in His Son — has gone out and is going out to the ends of the world.

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. (Psalm 2:1-2, NIV)

Why does this world tend to rebel against God? This was a question being asked in David’s time. The phrase “anointed one” (Hebrew masiah) probably originally referred to the Davidic king. As none of the kings of Judah (not even David) ever came close to meeting the description of this ‘anointed one’ found in Psalm 2, and especially after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians and the end of the Davidic monarchy, Psalm 2 and others like it came to be seen more and more as referring to the Messiah, the promised Savior. The early church in Jerusalem quoted this scripture as they prayed to God to sustain them through the persecution they were experiencing at the hands of the religious authorities (see Acts 4). They knew God was doing amazing things through them, which must have made the world’s hostility to the message of Jesus seem that much more incredible. Jesus, the Lord’s Anointed One, seems to usually bring about a strong reaction from people, whether positive or negative. He is a polarizing figure, and the world, generally speaking, tends to resist Him, to oppose Him. “He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him.” (John 1:10-11) There is a foreshadowing here of something discussed in Revelation — how, when Jesus returns, He will not be welcomed by the world, its governments and its people as a liberator, but will rather be treated as an intruder to be resisted (see Revelation 19 and 20).

They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us! Let’s free ourselves from their ropes!” (Psalm 2:3)

This verse reflects the view prevalent in this world that living in obedience and submission to God is an intolerable imposition, and it expresses the desire we tend to have to be free of God and His Word. We are so unknowing — or self-deceived — as to think we can live without either.

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. (Psalm 2:4, ESV)

Those who decide to oppose the kingdom of God have set for themselves a ridiculously hopeless task, and God scoffs at them.

“You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” (Psalm 2:9, ESV)

This is God speaking to His Annointed One. Resistance to the kingdom of God will be swept away, and Christ will ultimately be both the real and the universally acknowledged ruler of this world.

Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns!” (Revelation 19:6) Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15) He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:16)

These are things seen and heard by John in a vision revealed to him by God. This revelation shows — at the time of Jesus’ return to earth — heaven resounding with countless voices praising the Father and the Son and celebrating the fact that the triumph of good over evil is finally consummated and that the One who is Ruler over all is at last showing His full power and taking back the world that He made.

Messiah deals with God’s plan for the salvation of the world, the coming of Jesus Christ, His ministry in this world, His death, resurrection and the victory over death that He won on our behalf, and the eventual triumph of the kingdom of God over evil. The libretto (text) of Messiah was written by Charles Jennens and completely consists of Bible quotations. The King James Version of the Bible, the prevalent translation at the time, was used.

What follows is the text or lyrics of Messiah with references to where in the Bible the relevant scripture verses can be found, along with YouTube videos for each section. After that is a modern English translation of the same scriptures, along with some commentary and explanation of the meaning and significance of those scriptures.

This page has Part I, which focuses on Christ’s coming to earth as a man and much of His earthly ministry. There are also pages for Part II and Part III.

With multiple videos on this page, things can sometimes get slow, particularly if starting a video before another video has finished buffering. If this happens, refresh the page, then start the video you want to watch.

OVERTURE

RECITATIVE. (Accompanied – Tenor) Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness:-Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:1-3)

AIR (Tenor)
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain. (Isaiah 40:4)

CHORUS And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40:5)

RECITATIVE. (Accompanied – Bass)
Thus saith the Lord of Hosts:-Yet once a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land; and
I will shake all nations; and the desire of all nations shall come. The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. (Haggai 2:6,7; Malachi 3:1)

AIR (Bass) But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire. (Malachi 3:2)

CHORUS
And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. (Malachi 3:3)

RECITATIVE. (Alto)
Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)

AIR (Alto)
and CHORUS O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain: O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold you God! Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (Isaiah 40:9; 60:1)

RECITATIVE. (Accompanied – Bass)
For Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall rise upon thee, and His glory
shall be seen upon thee, and the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to
the brightness of thy rising. (Isaiah 60:2,3)

AIR (Bass) The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:16)

CHORUS
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

PASTORAL SYMPHONY

RECITATIVE. (Soprano) There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. (Luke 2:8)

RECITATIVE. (Accompanied – Soprano) And lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. (Luke 2:9)

RECITATIVE. (Soprano)
And the angel said unto the, Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you is
born this day in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10,11)

RECITATIVE. (Accompanied – Soprano) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:- (Luke 2:13)

CHORUS
Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, goodwill towards men. (Luke 2:14)

AIR. (Soprano)
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! behold, thy King cometh unto thee! He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen. (Zechariah 9:9,10; Matthew 21:5)

RECITATIVE. (Alto)
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. (Isaiah 35:5,6)

AIR (Alto)
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11)

AIR (Alto)
Come unto Him, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:28,29)

CHORUS
His yoke is easy and His burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)

*****

“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. “Speak kindly to Jerusalem, and tell her that her time of warfare is over, that her punishment is completed. For the LORD has made her pay double for all her sins.” A voice cries out, “In the wilderness clear a way for the LORD; construct in the desert a road for our God.” (Isaiah 40:1-3)

Over 100 years before ancient Israel would be conquered by Babylon and her people sent into exile, and 700 years before Christ would come to earth, the prophet Isaiah foretold of God restoring and healing His chosen people, and told Israel to begin to prepare for the coming of the LORD.

“Every valley must be elevated, and every mountain and hill leveled. The rough terrain will become a level plain, the rugged landscape a wide valley.” (Isaiah 40:4)

The coming of the LORD was of such significance and importance that any and every obstacle to it would be removed.

“The splendor of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it at the same time. For the LORD has decreed it.” (Isaiah 40:5)

“Moreover, the LORD who rules over all says: ‘In just a little while I will once again shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry ground. I will also shake up all the nations, and they will offer their treasures; then I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD who rules over all.” (Haggai 2:6,7) “I am about to send my messenger, who will clear the way before me. Indeed, the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, whom you long for, is certainly coming,” says the LORD who rules over all. (Malachi 3:1)

The prophet Haggai, speaking to the Jews after they had been restored to their land from exile and as they were rebuilding the temple, encouraged them with the LORD’s promise that “in just a little while” He would “fill this temple with glory”. The prophet Malachi spoke of a “messenger who will clear the way” for the “Lord you are seeking” who “will suddenly come to his temple”.

Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can keep standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap. (Malachi 3:2)

The “refiner’s fire” refered to a process used to purify and refine metal by melting it and allowing the impurities, which floated to the surface, to be removed.

He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the LORD a proper offering. (Malachi 3:3)

At one time the tribe of Levi had been, among the twelve tribes of Israel, the one tribe to be occupied entirely with ministering before God and offering Him sacrifices on behalf of all the people. They and the rest of Israel had turned away from God long ago. But God, through the one He would send, would cleanse His people from their wrongdoing, and then they would be able to worship God properly.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14, ESV)

This prophecy alludes to the Messiah and the way He would come into this world. Immanuel means God with us. According to Matthew 1:23 the prophecy was fulfilled 700 years later when the virgin Mary was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit, and an angel of the Lord told Joseph to name the child Jesus, which is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the LORD saves.

Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” (Isaiah 40:9) Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1, ESV)

Here is more prophecy, emphatic and insistent, to the effect that God would come to His people in a way that would be readily apparent to the “cities of Judah.”

For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah 60:2,3, ESV)

This prophecy offered hope to God’s people in the centuries before the birth of Jesus. At the same time it looks to the more distant future and the coming of the kingdom of God, particularly the time when the LORD would come in power and glory to establish His everlasting reign — a time which is still in the future even for us today.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. (Isaiah 9:2, ESV)

Isaiah refers to the coming of the Messiah; here he talks about this future event as if it has happened. He speaks for all people; all of us have been or are in darkness, but Light has come and we can be delivered from that darkness.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, ESV)

It is hard to put into words what this passage means to us believers in Christ. According to Isaiah, the coming Savior would be a ruler who could be looked up to far more than any mortal leader who had come before (or has come since).

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. (Luke 2:8,9)

Two thousand years ago, some shepherds near Bethlehem in Judea were about to be the recipients of the greatest announcement God has ever made in the history of the world.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10,11, ESV)

The “city of David” here refers to Bethlehem. “Christ” is Greek for “the anointed one”; “Messiah” means the same thing in Hebrew. By this time, the Jews reserved this phrase for the great ruler who was fortold by Isaiah and the other prophets. We who follow Him understand Him to be the Son of God who came to deliver us from sin and death and to show us what God is like.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:13,14, ESV)

“A multitude of the heavenly host” is literally, in the original Greek, “a multitude of the armies of heaven.” We can only imagine what the shepherds were experiencing at this point! This “heavenly host” praised God and proclaimed peace among those with whom He is pleased. This peace originates from God and is available to all who will turn to Him.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:9,10, ESV)

Zechariah was a prophet in Judah around 500 years before Christ, during the period after the Jews’ return from exile. His prophecy looks ahead to the time when the Messiah will come in power and glory, abolishing warfare and establishing His reign and authority “to the ends of the earth.” And yet He is also pictured as coming to Jerusalem on a donkey. The gospel of Matthew quotes this scripture as it describes the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem during His earthly ministry — Jesus, who through His teachings and sacrifice on the cross, has spoken peace to everyone as the Way by which we can be reconciled to God and each other. This same Jesus will someday come again in power and glory to establish His everlasting reign.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert… (Isaiah 35:5,6, ESV)

This prophetic passage echoes the one from Isaiah 61 that Jesus read in the synagogue at the beginning of His earthly ministry (see Luke 4:16-21). Jesus went around bringing physical healing and renewal to people. Even more importantly, he brought spiritual healing, renewal and awareness to all those willing to believe in Him.

He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11, ESV)

A recurring theme in the Bible is how God’s people are sheep, and religious leaders — those in positions of responsibility for their spiritual well-being — are shepherds. Sheep are very dependent on shepherds to guide, protect and direct them. Those called to be shepherds of the people of God bear a heavy responsibility for looking after those entrusted to them, rather than looking to their own gain — something they have sometimes failed to do through history. Jesus, during His earthly ministry, described Himself as the “good shepherd” (see John 10). He went around helping people and ministering to their spiritual and physical needs. More importantly, He, through His sacrifice for us, established the church — which includes all those who will believe in Him and be reconciled to God. He is the head of the church and a shepherd we can always rely on to look after us and take care of us.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28,29)

This is something Jesus said to everyone, including us. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Whatever oppresses us in this world, we will find relief from if we follow Him. And the Way which Jesus personifies for us and offers to us is not a Way in which we trade one oppressor for another; rather, it is a Way of life, love, peace, kindness, gentleness, humility and giving.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30, ESV)

A yoke is a wooden bar or frame used to join two animals together to pull something such as a wagon or plow. Here it is used figuratively to describe the things which are required of someone who follows Jesus. No matter who or what we decide to follow, there is a cost, there are requirements that come with it. Jesus is a benevolent King. Unlike others who would have our allegience, He does not lord His authority over us. And unlike with the others, faith in Him gives us power and purpose in our lives that makes the burdens worthwhile, easy and even a joy to bear.

We know from chapter 1 (v. 28) that God wanted the people He had created to increase in number and rule over the earth and its creatures. Chapter 2 goes into more detail about God’s creation of man and woman. The Genesis account suggests some time where man had been created, but woman had not yet been created. “The man” named the creatures, at which point it may have been obvious to him that they always had two sexes, but that he was alone. In verse 18 God makes it clear that humans are social creatures, meant to be with others. Besides, how could God’s purpose for humanity be carried out without giving Adam a “companion who corresponded to him”? “Companion” in verses 18 and 20 is the Hebrew word ‘ezer, sometimes translated “helper”. The sense is not of a subordinate person, but rather a partner who complements the other and contributes equally to the relationship (equally in extent, not necessarily equally in manner).

The second part of verse 20 is the first time the Hebrew word ‘adam appears without the article, suggesting it might now mean the proper name “Adam” rather than referring generically to a male human.

21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was asleep, he took part of the man’s side and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

In verse 22, “made” is the Hebrew verb banah, “to make, to build, to construct.” The account does not describe exactly how God made the woman.

23 Then the man said,”This one at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one will be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.”

24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and unites with his wife, and they become a new family. 25 The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed.

The Hebrew in verse 23 has a wordplay which carries over into English between “woman” (‘ishah) and “man” (‘ish). While it may appear that the word for woman is the feminine form of the word for man, the two words are not etymologically related.

As Jesus made clear when discussing this scripture with Jewish religious leaders (see Mark 10:2-10), God’s intention for intimate relationships between men and women has always been that once they join together, “they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Mark 10:8-9) They give up the right to separate, even by mutual consent, for they have, according to verse 24, “become a new family.” The Hebrew here means much more than just a sexual union. A bond is formed which is as unbreakable as that of a blood relationship. We call this the “institution of marriage”, and that is all well and good. But regardless of what we call it, it is God’s plan for intimate relationships between men and women. We are blessed if we follow it.

Verse 25 says “the man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed.” It is not entirely clear, at least not here, what the significance is of being naked or not naked. They felt no need to cover their bodies. A time was coming, however, when they would feel the need to do just that. Some have suggested that the lack of shame over their bodies was a reflection of their inward state of mind — in other words, they were innocent and had nothing to hide. They were not trying to hide anything from God, from each other, or even from themselves.

The government and international groups are providing emergency rescue personnel, food, shelter and medical care.

Let us, Christian brothers and sisters, pray for people in Indonesia who are in danger or in affected areas. We can pray that the church there will be strengthened and encouraged during this time, and that families who have lost loved ones will be comforted.

We can also help with material assistance. World Vision is accepting monetary donations. DirectRelief International is providing assistance to its partners in Indonesia who provide medical relief; it is also accepting donations.

2:4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created — when the LORD God made the earth and heavens.

5 Now no shrub of the field had yet grown on the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. 6 Springs would well up from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground. 7 The LORD God formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

In verse 5 the first term (Hebrew siakh) probably refers to wild, uncultivated plants while the second (‘esev) refers to cultivated grains. The second part of the verse explains the lack of these two things: there was no rain and no man. It is hard to say for sure whether no rain had yet fallen on the earth or it’s just that there was little or no rain in a particular region being referred to here. “Man” is the Hebrew word ‘adam which here refers to all humanity, though it can also refer to an individual male or be used as a proper name, depending on the context.

In verse 7, “formed” is the Hebrew verb yatsar which means “to form” or “to fashion,” usually by plan or design. The man was a combination of a body (the soil of the ground), which linked him to creation, and a spirit (the breath of life). “Breath” is the Hebrew nyshamah, used for God and the life imparted to humans, but not animals. These two things together made man a “living being” (Hebrew nephes hayyah). This is the same term used in 1:20 for the “living creatures” that God created in the sea and the sky. Humans, like the animals, are a combination of the material and immaterial. But humans have a likeness to God and an ability to relate to Him that animals do not have.

8 The LORD God planted an orchard in the east, in Eden; and there he placed the man he had formed. 9 The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow from the soil, every tree that was pleasing to look at and good for food. (Now the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were in the middle of the orchard.)

10 Now a river flows from Eden to water the orchard, and from there it divides into four headstreams. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it runs through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is pure; pearls and lapis lazuli are also there). 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it runs through the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it runs along the east side of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.

The Genesis account has God planting an orchard (traditionally translated ‘garden’) where the man He has created is placed. This garden is in Eden, an unspecified and mysterious location. Verses 10-14 are little help but the reference to “east” (east of Israel?) and the Euphrates suggest somewhere in the Middle East.

15 The LORD God took the man and placed him in the orchard in Eden to care for it and to maintain it. 16 Then the LORD God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.”

Verses 15-17 offer some clues about man’s spiritual state and relationship with God at this point. For one thing, he was put to work (verse 15). This work may not have been very difficult, but even so, man was involved in gainful activity; he was not just lounging around. So work preceeded the rebellion of humans against God; it was not a result of the fall of humanity and is not an inherently bad thing.

Also, man had the capacity to make moral choices — to choose between right and wrong. “Commanded” in verse 16 is the first appearance in the Bible of the Hebrew verb tsavah (“to command”). God commanded the man to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It would be unwise to assume that man did not yet have any understanding of good and evil. He must have had enough moral understanding to comprehend that obeying this command would be a good idea and disobeying it would not; otherwise why would God have given that command? Also, while we today tend to view the terms ‘good’ and ‘evil’ as pertaining to whether something is morally right or wrong, this is not always the case in the Bible. ‘Good’ is sometimes used in scripture to describe something as being in conformity with God’s will (for example throughout the creation narrative in chapter one). The Hebrew word ra’ (“evil”) has a very broad range of meanings in the Bible, depending on the context. It can refer to difficulty or misfortune in a practical sense (for example, Isaiah 45.7) or intrinsic moral and spiritual evil, with many variations and gradations for both of those senses.

It also appears that man knew what death was; at least it seems reasonable to assume that God’s warning at the end of verse 17 would mean something to him.

Choosing the way of life, God’s way, does not come naturally to us, because of our sinful nature. Yet we can sense that this way is better — better for us and for others around us. At times when we are more successful in following this way, we can see the difference it makes.

God, through His Word, encourages us to follow His way and assures us that it is better than the way of sin.

Proverbs 2

This chapter is worth quoting in its entirety:

My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
guarding the paths of justice
and watching over the way of his saints.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
discretion will watch over you,
understanding will guard you,
delivering you from the way of evil,
from men of perverted speech,
who forsake the paths of uprightness
to walk in the ways of darkness,
who rejoice in doing evil
and delight in the perverseness of evil,
men whose paths are crooked,
and who are devious in their ways.

So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman,
from the adulteress with her smooth words,
who forsakes the companion of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God;
for her house sinks down to death,
and her paths to the departed;
none who go to her come back,
nor do they regain the paths of life.

So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.
For the upright will inhabit the land,
and those with integrity will remain in it,
but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the treacherous will be rooted out of it. (Proverbs 2, ESV)

“Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path…” The wisdom that comes from God enables us to understand what is right, just and fair. It enables us to understand what is good — what is good to do and the way it is good to be — in our relationships with people, at our job, in handling finances, in what we do in our community, in everything.

The wisdom of God’s way helps us avoid the way of evil and people who love to walk in darkness, “who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil…and who are devious in their ways”. It is apparent in our society, at least in America, that much entertainment glorifies evil; there is an attitude that has infiltrated society so insidiously that we have barely realized it, an attitude which commends or nods approvingly at the very perverseness of things which we all know are wrong. There is more ‘coolness’ or ‘street-cred’ or ‘relevance’ or ‘you-fill-in-the-blank’ ascribed to things which are wrong or at least hint at wrong. And many will use any and every trick to get what they want. No one actually says, “You should be a devious person.” Yet that is what someone is really saying when they tell you, “If you aren’t cheating you aren’t trying.”

God’s advice: Don’t give in to this; be different. Distance yourself from it. Instead seek what is good and right and true. You will be better off. You may lose out on some of the world’s goodies. But remember, real life, the life which is really worth having, is not about having the world’s goodies.

Those who trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins receive the Holy Spirit, which gives us wisdom from God and guides us into the way of truth. The Spirit and the Word, together, teach and guide us into the good life.

The way of the wicked

Don’t the following verses contain a perfect description of the life of one who does wrong and doesn’t care?

Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
protect it, because it is your life.
Do not enter the path of the wicked,
or walk in the way of those who are evil.
Avoid it, do not go on it;
turn away from it, and go on.
For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm;
they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble.
For they eat bread gained from wickedness
and drink wine obtained from violence.

But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light,
growing brighter and brighter until full day.
The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness;
they do not know what causes them to stumble. (Proverbs 4:13-19)

“…they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble.” It is sometimes said that you are not “really living” unless you do something morally questionable. Do not be someone who thinks this is true, because it is not really true for anyone.

“…they do not know what causes them to stumble.” How many people (and I have done this) have done what is wrong and then wondered why things in life are not going very well? There is no mystery as to why that is. The Word of God suggests that living in darkness obscures our vision so that we cannot even understand what is really going on.

Perhaps for some people, such a situation might be a kind of escape from things that have happened in their life that they want to run from. But there is a better way to escape and a better life to escape to. The Bible calls it The Way. Let Jesus introduce you to it. He says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV)

A warning against adultery

No discussion of the difference between having a life where you are actually alive, and a “life” where you are really little more than the walking dead, would be complete without talking about something that is a serious problem even among believers: sexual immorality. Many pastors seem to be afraid to address it. We will not shy away from it here.

Though this passage deals mainly with adultery, it is applicable to all situations where people are doing sexual acts with each other in situations outside of marriage.

For these commands are a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and the corrections of discipline
are the way to life,
keeping you from the immoral woman,
from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.
Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
or let her captivate you with her eyes,
for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread,
and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
Can a man scoop fire into his lap
without his clothes being burned?
Can a man walk on hot coals
without his feet being scorched?
So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife;
no one who touches her will go unpunished. (Proverbs 6:23-29, NIV)

Many houses have fireplaces in which to set a fire. Fire, if kept in its place, can give warmth and be very enjoyable. But if it is not kept in its place, but is, for example, set in the middle of the room, just because we don’t want to be limited to the fireplace and want to try something different, the results can be disastrous.

Sex, in the same way, is a gift from God that can, if not kept in its place, leave a trail of spiritual, relational, emotional and physical devastation through our lives and our families. We see a lot of this in many areas of the world, including America. Part of the problem often is the breakdown of the family and particularly the lack of a morally credible father figure and male leader.

Perhaps you have made your share of mistakes in the past. It is not too late to make a change, if you’ll let God do the changing by the power of His Spirit. It is not too late to start really living.

Perhaps you are a young person with your whole life ahead of you. Perhaps you have struggled with this, and part of the reason has been the chaotic situation you have had to grow up in — the lack of a strong, stable family. Well, if we are going to have strong, loving families, it has to start somewhere. It could start with you. Take God’s commands, His teaching, His guidance to heart. Line your life up with it and build your life on it.

Perhaps you are a committed Christian who has tasted the good life, the abundant life in Christ Jesus. But you have stumbled badly and wonder what it means for your relationship with God and your future as His child. Be encouraged that God finishes what He starts. He started a work in you when you put your faith in Christ. And “those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30) The first step is to take the remorse and discouragement you feel and channel it toward repentance to God. “But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

*****

If you haven’t already done so, put your faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Let the Holy Spirit have room to move in your heart and in your life. Let it teach you wisdom.

Ask God for wisdom. Seek it as you would seek hidden treasure. Build your life on God’s Word. Seek to walk in the light and shun the darkness. Be dead to the world but alive to God. Avoid the world’s way of death — the love of darkness, the glorification of might over right, the glamorization of the very perversness of evil, the self-centeredness and predatory opportunism — which clatters noisily like so many skeletons.

Seek to be as God is — loving, righteous, just, merciful. Seek to do what is good, right, fair and true. Express, in attitudes and actions, the love of Christ toward family, friends, coworkers and strangers. Let the Word guide you and the Holy Spirit empower you in this.

And as you do, may

The LORD bless you and protect you;
The LORD make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up his countenance upon you
and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)