Study 3 – Genesis 2:1-25

Getting Started…

“I just want to graduate, get a good job, get married, go on holidays and enjoy life”. How common do you think these goals are amongst people today? Why do people desire these things?

Pray

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Read Genesis 2:1-3: Rest

What is the ‘end point’ of Creation?

How does this inform the way Israel thought about rest? Read Deut 5:12-15, Deut 12:7-11

How does this inform the way we think about rest? Read Hebrews 3:7-4:11.  (Heb 3:5-4:16)

What does the writer of Hebrews say about how rest plays out for Israel and 

What does he say about rest now?

How do we enter this rest?  see also Matthew 11:28, Heb 6:9-12

Putting it together, is the goal of life work and/or rest? 

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Read Genesis 2:4-25: Work and Marriage

The ‘rewind’ button seems to be hit in Gen 2:4-25 going back over the details of Day 6 in Gen 1. How does the writer begin this account?

How are we to understand the timing/events of Gen 2:4-25? 

God creates man, and he’s placed inside the garden to work (2:15). This garden is the ‘Garden of Eden’ a ‘delightful’ (literally in the original) place. Why is this place so delightful? vs8-14

Is work sinful, or a result of the fall? 

What is ‘not good’ vs18-24? Why? How is it fixed?

What do we learn about God’s plans for people? vs21-25 

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Responding to the truth…

What is the hierarchy that is set up here in the Garden of God?

How might you describe the ‘Kingdom of God’ in these verses?

The Genesis 1-2 picture of work and marriage is not the full story because of sin (the rest of the OT and NT has more to add on how we understand these things!) However, what can we say about how God’s created purposes for work, rest and marriage are different to the way the world thinks about these things?

Go back to the list of Goals we wrote in the beginning- what things have you been chasing after or are tempted to chase as ultimate goals in life and need to let go of and seek God’s bigger and better purposes and offer of rest? 

What changes can we make to strive to make Jesus Lord and rest in him? 

(include ways of thinking, affections and how we act/what we do)

How does your attitude and life need to change in regards to work, rest and marriage? 

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BONUS Extra time questions

• In Rev 21:10-22:21 there is another picture of a Garden, but this time it is a Garden City. Compare and Contrast the picture of Eden with this new vision of ‘Delight’.
• How might Eph 5:22-32, Rev 19:7-9 and Mark 12:24-25 have an impact on how we view marriage and singleness?
• How should you as a Christian respond to the broad Western societal views of sexuality?