Devotional Short Note to Genesis 2


Dr. SookYoung Kim and Koot van Wyk English Bible Readings for Genesis

This sample is just to illustrate how we are using this chapter in Korea to teach English to university students interested [one baptized praise the Lord].


Genesis 2:1-3 King James Version (KJV)
Day Six A (Friday morning) .................................Act 1................human instantly
Day Six B (Friday afternoon)................................Act 2,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,garden, vegetation instantly 
..............................................................................Act 3 ................animals named.................Act 4................Eve created instantly
..............................................................................Act 5................Commandment time


1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 
Voca: finish ____________
host __________
Question: How were they finished?
a. in infancy 
b. in maturity
c. both 
Voca: infancy ___________
maturity ___________
Q. Was there anything that still needed to be done?
__________________________
Q. When was this completion? 
a. After six days 
b. After seven days 
c. We do not know

2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 
Voca: end___________ 
rested ____________
Question: Did God work on the seventh-day? 
a. Yes, because it says that “on the seventh-day He finished the work.”
b. No. He cannot work and rest on the same day and it still says that He rested on the whole day.
Question: God does not get tired, so why did He rest? 
a. to enjoy His new creation
b. to show humans what they also should do 
c. we do not know.
Question: When is the seventh day in today’s term? (Look at your calendar.)
a. Friday
b. Saturday
c. Sunday

3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. 
Voca: bless __________
sanctify ______________
Question: How did He make the seventh day holy? 
a. by blessing 
b. by resting 
c. by blessing and resting 
Question: How long did He rest on this seventh day? 
a. 1000 years for "One day is for the Lord a thousand years" 
b. partially on the seventh because He was still completing on the seventh
c. a full 24 hours since completion was at the seam of the sixth day just before it became seven
Voca: seam _____________ 
Question: Does this seventh day have a name in the Bible?
___________________

창세기 2

1 천지와 만물이 이루니라
질문: 이룬 것은 어떻게 이루셨나요
a. 유아기로서 ________ 
b. 성숙하게 _______ 
c. ________
질문. 창조와 관련하여 아직도 무언가 하실 일이 남아 있었나요
a.  
b. 아니요
질문. 언제 이루셨나요
a. 6 ________ b. 7 ________ c. 없음_________

2 하나님의 지으시던 일이 일곱째 날이 이를 때에 마치니 지으시던 일이 다하므로 일곱째 날에 안식하시니라
질문. 하나님이 일곱째 날에 지으시던 일을 계속하셨나요?
a. , 일곱째 날이 이를 때에 마치셨다고 했으니까요
b. 아니요. 하나님께서 일곱째 날에 안식하셨다고 했는데 쉬시면서 동시에 일하실 수는 없습니다.
질문. 하나님은 피곤해 지시지 않는데, 그렇다면 쉬셨을까요
a. 그의 창조를 즐겁게 누리시기 위해
b. 인간들에게 어떻게 해야 할지를 보여 주시기 위해 
c. 모르겠음.
질문. 일곱째 날은 오늘날 언제에 해당하나요? (달력을 보세요.)
a. 금요일
b. 토요일
c. 일요일

3 하나님이 일곱째 날을 주사 거룩하게 하셨으니 이는 하나님이 창조하시며 만드시던 모든 일을 마치시고 날에 안식하셨음이더라
질문. 하나님께서 어떻게 일곱째 날을 거룩하게 하셨나요?
a. 주심으로 b. 쉬심으로 c. 주심과 쉬심으로____________
질문. 하나님께서 일곱째 얼마나 오랫동안 쉬셨나요
a. 하나님께는 하루가 같다고 했으므로 1000 년간 쉬셨다
b. 하나님께서 일곱째 날이 이를 때에 아직 마치시지 
못하셨으므로 일곱째 일부를 쉬셨다
c. 일곱째 날이 시작되기 바로 직전 여섯째 날과 일곱째 날의 경계에 마치셨으므로 일곱째 24 시간 전체를 쉬셨다.
질문. 성경에서 일곱째 날을 무엇이라 부릅니까?

GUIDE English Bible Reading 109/2015 
Genesis 2:4-8 King James Version (KJV)

4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heaven
Voca: generation ________
heaven _____________
Question: Is creating the earth the same as making the earth here? 
a. Yes b. No 
c. We cannot know 
d. God started the explosion millions of years ago with a big bang

5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
Voca: plant _________

 

 

Devotional Short Notes on Genesis 3
Ellen White explored the Biblical theme with great care, as one can see by comparing her ideas to that of dramatists like Grotius, Vondel and Milton and other traditions like Augustine and Sallianus. Archaeology actually confirms Genesis 3 and the view Ellen White portrays in Patriarchs and Prophets. This diagram was compiled when I was 20 years old. Hope you find it useful. See the attached document which is a comparative diagram.

FALL OF MAN PARALLELS AND ELLEN WHITE

 

1. Question: How long after Creation was the Fall?

7years

OT Pseudepigrapha

R. Charles [1983]: 451

5 + half hours

Talmud Sanhedrin 38b

very few hours

Henry King Two Sermons preached at White Hall [1627]: 4

Luther Table Talks 364

few days

Laurentius Codomanus Chronographia 3rd ed. [1596]: 90

 

Thomas Mouton, The three-fold state [1629]: 8

short time

William Perkins, Works [Cambridge 1605]: 11; also John Milton

less than 1 day

Donne, Sermons, x 48

John Gaude, Practique Theories [1629]: 17

Quarles, Divine Francis [1632]: 181

John Lightfoot, The Harmony of the Old Testament [1647]: 4

Petrus de Witte, Catechizíng [1664]: 50

Montaque, De Jus Divinum [1652]: 17

2. Question: What was the appearance of the snake?

Wings and legs

Genesis 3:14

[implied]

 

ICONOGRAPHY

See Tomb of Thutmosis III, pharaoh of Exodus in 1450 BCE for talking snakes with wings and four legs

See also AS 4=AUCT 1:492 dating to AmarSin 7th year ca. 2069 BCE;

A. Mazar, page 167 Ain-Samiya goblet, MB I 2050-2000 BCE [idem also Dever, BASOR 237: 35-64]; AS 7=AUCT IV Sigrist, OB Text 62, p. 98 ca. 1900 BCE; ibid. Text 72 in 1st year of Samsuiluna ca. 1749 or 1727 BCE; Der alte Orient 19: 12 for Nabu-aplam-iddina, 15 for Nazi-Marutash [1422-1396 BCE (but Brinkman, 1307-1282 BCE)]; 17 for Nebuchadnezar I; 19 for Meli-Schipat [Brinkman 1186-1172 BCE]

Wings and legs

Josephus: lost it as punishment

Beautiful

John Milton, Paradise Lost ix 496-505  and lovely, never sinne of Serpent kind lovelier 

Wings +

beautiful

Joost van den Vondel, [1664]: l. 618-619  schoone vlercken  and  een geschubde draeck voorzien van schoone vlercken//Hy is in vliegen en omzwerven uitgeleert 

Wings +

beautiful

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 53

 The serpent was then one of the wisest and most beautiful creatures on the earth. It had wings, and while flying through the air presented an appearance of dazzling brightness, having the color and brilliancy of burnished gold.  

 

 

 

3. Question: Half of the crime was already there when she took the fruit?

Hippolitus

Phaedra

Senecca

Phaedra lines 594b-595a

Grotius, Adamus Exul [1601] lines 1247b-1298a

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664] line 1197

Half-reluctant

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 55-56

 The serpent plucked the fruit of the forbidden tree and placed it in the hands of the half-reluctant Eve. Then he reminded her of her own words, that God had forbidden them to touch it, lest they die. She would receive no more harm from eating the fruit, he declared, than from touching it.  they die. She would receive no more harm from eating the fruit, he declared, than from touching it. 

4. Question: Why did Satan select the snake for a medium?

Salianus, Annales I p. 147 point 6  Welk dier? Ant de slang 

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664] lines 616-618

 Unperceived 

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 53

 In order to accomplish his work unperceived, Satan chose to employ as his medium the serpent--a disguise well adapted for his purpose of deception.  

5. Question: Was Satan using a smiling mask?

Salianus, Annales I p. 147 point 5  Moest de verleider hun in eigen gestalte verschynen of in de gedaante van een ander? He laaste 

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664] line 599

 men trecke een grijns aen van het een of ander dier 

 Disguise 

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 53

 In order to accomplish his work unperceived, Satan chose to employ as his medium the serpent--a disguise well adapted for his purpose of deception.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Question: What was Satan s focus in their fall? That humans fall as they did.

Salianus, Annales I p. 147 point 3  Tot welke zonde moet zij worden verleid? Ant Tot die van hoogmoed 

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664] lines 671-673

 Into the same misery 

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 52

 Thus he would not only plunge these innocent beings into the same misery which he was himself enduring, but would cast dishonor upon God, and cause grief in heaven. 

7. Question: What was the role of the quest for knowledge without God?

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664] line 670

 Curiosity 

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 55

 He is constantly seeking to excite a spirit of irreverent curiosity, a restless, inquisitive desire to penetrate the secrets of divine wisdom and power. 

8. Question: Many sins one deed?

Prof. Johan Japp of Helderberg College listed the sins of Eve in 1979 as follows:

Eva

1. pride

2. unbelief

3. desire for illegal fruit

4. disobedience

5. tempting Adam

6. self-excuse

7. corruption of mankind

Prof. Johan Japp of Helderberg College listed the sins of Eve in 1979 as follows:

Adam

1. pride

2. disbelief in God s word

3. inquisitive

4. disobedience

5. love for his wife

6. self-excuse

7. corruption of mankind

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664] line 57

wantrou =disbelief

twijfel=doubt

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903],

Eve

55 curiosity

55 disbelief in words of God

55 disobedient to God

56 ruin of her husband

Adam:

56 love for Eve

57 self-excuse

9. Question: Did they have sex before the Fall?

Too short time

Augustinus

13th day Fall

Salianus, Annales I 137-140

Too short time

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664] lines 446b-448a

zero info

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903]

 

 

 

10. Question: Did Satan try to tempt Adam first?

Yes

The Caedmonian Genesis 8-9th centuries CE op.cit Watson Kirkcornell, The Celestial Cycle 31-33

Yes

Hugo Grotius, Adamus Exul [1601]

zero info

Vondel

zero info

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903]

11. Question: Did Satan decide carefully how he must design the complot?

Yes

Salianus, Annales I point 6 page 147

Yes

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664] Third Play

 Plotting 

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 52

 Satan's enmity against God found a new field in plotting the ruin of the human race 

12. Question: What role did superstition play?

Yes

Hugo Grotius, Adamus Exul [1601] lines 1227-1228

Yes

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664] line 1136

zero info

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903]

13. Question: Did Adam fell due to Salomonic love for his wife?

Yes

Augustinus

Yes

Salianus, Annales I 144 and 150

 Part of himself 

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 56

 Love, gratitude, loyalty to the Creator--all were overborne by love to Eve. She was a part of himself, and he could not endure the thought of separation. 

14. Question: Was Lucifer first praising Eve?

Yes

Augustinus

Yes

Salianus, Annales I 148

Yes

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664]

zero info

Genesis 3:1

 Part of himself 

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 54

 in a musical voice, with subtle praise of her surpassing loveliness 

 

 

 

15. Question: Was the snake’s home in Paradise?

Yes

Augustinus

Yes

Salianus, Annales I 148

No

Hugo Grotius, Adamus Exul [1601] lines 1035-1036

Yes

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664]

Yes

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 53

 Resting in the rich-laden branches of the forbidden tree and regaling itself with the delicious fruit, it was an object to arrest the attention and delight the eye of the beholder 

16. Question: Did the absence of Adam give Satan an opportunity?

Yes

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664]

See especially W.A.P. Smit, Van Pascha to Noah Part II [Zwolle: N.V. Uitgevers-maatschappij, 1962]

Yes

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 53

 The angels had cautioned Eve to beware of separating herself from her husband while occupied in their daily labor in the garden; with him she would be in less danger from temptation than if she were alone 

17. Question: Did Adam and Eve argue and blame before or after the Fall?

After

The Caedmonian Genesis 8-9th centuries CE op.cit Watson Kirkcornell, The Celestial Cycle 31-33

After

John Milton, Paradise Lost

Before

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664]

After

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 57

 After his transgression Adam... 

18. Question: Was there a Paradise fire?

Flaming sword

Genesis 3:24

Yes

Hugo Grotius, Adamus Exul [1601] lines 2007-2019 especially 2015-2016

zero info

Vondel

No

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 60

 Around these angels flashed beams of light having the appearance of a glittering sword. 

 

 

 

 

19. Question: Was the end fatalistic and without hope?

Yes

Hugo Grotius, Adamus Exul [1601]

Yes

Vondel, Adam in Ballingschap [1664]

No, the plan of salvation

Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets [1903], 63

 it is to be restored more gloriously adorned than at the beginning. 

 

 

VAN WYK NOTES:

1. It is remarkable how close Ellen White is following the Scripture and these earlier Fall researchers and dramatists could not keep straight on their views.

2. Only Ellen White and Josephus had a complete list of a walking, talking flying snake. The motifs from the Tomb of Thutmosis III at the book of the Dead entries are very relevant displaying also a walking, talking and flying snake. He was the pharaoh of the Exodus in 1450 BCE and Moses performed some signs of snakes in front of him.

3. The dramatists end their drama with bad news, but Ellen White has good news.

4. The above diagram was compiled when this researcher was 20 years old and is the result of conflating the lectures of prof. Johan Japp of Helderberg College who just retired this October 2006 and that of the pastor of Helderberg College prof. Gustav van Niekerk, who is in the process of completing his doctoral but who was the Afrikaans-Dutch lecturer on campus in the 70s.

5. Did Moses borrow his motif of the walking, talking and flying snake from the tomb of Thutmosis III or his scribes? No, Moses wrote Genesis ca. 1460 BCE, while he was hiding in Midian, predating the Exodus in 1450 BCE, before he performed any wonder with the snake. It is rather that the book Genesis was popular among the Hebrews in captivity and that they knew about the content just the same as Jochebed knew it, and thus the common mental lexicon through intermarriage and interaction of the Hebrews with the Egyptian tomb artisans gave rise to the similarity of motif as in Genesis 3. There is no need for parallelomania.

6. The examples from 2050 BCE and the others until the first millennium [Kassite examples of walking snakes, see point 2. above], are walking snakes without wings! Only in Thutmosis III s tomb do you have this close parallel. Thus, Moses again did not borrow this motif from earlier examples, since they were wingless. If they do find the walking, talking and flying snake motif earlier, it will not disproof the point, since the truth about Creation and Fall was transmitted since Adam and Eve from father to son.

7. The historical event of the Creation and Fall became diluted with additions, reworkings and ended up as myths and legends in outside biblical material.

 

Dear God

People so easily fall into the fallacy of doubting inspiration whether the Bible or Ellen White. We want to live for you though the heavens fall. In Jesus Name. Amen.