{"id":19596,"date":"2021-10-02T12:48:42","date_gmt":"2021-10-02T19:48:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/?p=19596"},"modified":"2021-10-02T12:48:50","modified_gmt":"2021-10-02T19:48:50","slug":"commentary-on-genesis-11-to-68","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/2021\/10\/02\/commentary-on-genesis-11-to-68\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary on Genesis 1:1 to 6:8"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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My commentary on the first five chapters of Genesis is 67 pages. There is no way this can be shared in a blog. So I will give you some hopefully salient snippets from my commentary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 1:1, Elohim created the heavens and the earth. <\/em><\/strong>The process of creation lasted for a literal six days as stated in Exodus 20:11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Heavens. <\/em><\/strong>The Bible reveals that there are at least three heavens: the heaven of earth\u2019s atmosphere, the heaven of the sun, moon, planets and stars, and the heaven of YHVH Elohim\u2019s abode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 1:16, Greater light\u2026lesser light. <\/em><\/strong>Elohim made two great lights to shine in the darkness\u2014the sun (the greater light) and the moon (the lesser light). The sun is a spiritual picture of Yeshua whom the Bible calls the Light of the world (John 1:9; 8:12), the Sun of Righteousness (Mal 4:2), whose face shines like the sun (Rev 1:16), and who will be the light of the New Jerusalem replacing the physical sun (Rev 21:23). But who does the moon represent in this spiritual picture? If the sun is a picture of Yeshua, the Light of the World, then who has been tasked with the responsibility of reflecting Yeshua\u2019s light into the spiritual darkness of this world? Of course, this is the job of the saints who Yeshua called to be a like light on a hill (Matt 5:14), or a menorah lamp stand (Rev 2:1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now think about this. Although the moon is a quarter of a million miles from the earth, and because it has no atmosphere to absorb the sun\u2019s light, it is able to reflect the sun\u2019s light to this earth, so that a person is able to see in the darkness of night. The amazing thing is that the moon\u2019s surface isn\u2019t a polished mirror. Rather, it\u2019s a dull rocky surface. Not only that, it\u2019s not even flat. It\u2019s pockmarked\u2014covered with huge craters, mountains, valleys and canyons. With such an uneven, gray and nondescript surface, it seems miraculous that it\u2019s even able to reflect any light at all, much less all the way to the earth! This speaks to the unimaginable power of the sun to throw its light such a great distance through space and then to ricochet it off the moon earthward even though the moon\u2019s surface is anything but reflective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moon is a perfect picture of each of us. We are nondescript in appearance, possess rough natures, stoney hearts, gray dispositions, barren of spiritual fruit, possessing no power of our own, pockmarked by sin, covered by mountains of human pride, and etched with canyons of guilt and shame. In truth, YHVH has not chosen many wise or noble people to reflect the light of his Son, Yeshua, the Sun of Righteousness, but instead he has chosen the weak, foolish, despised and base things of this world to put to shame the things that are wise (1 Cor 1:26\u201328). As the lesser light, like the moon is to the sun, YHVH has called the saints to be his sons of light (Luke 16:8; John 12:36; Eph 5:8; 1 Pet 2:9) to shine the Light of Yeshua into the midst of crooked and perverse world (Phil 2:15). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Yeshua has called us out of spiritual darkness into his marvellous light, let us embrace and demonstrate the fact that he calls us a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and his own special people by being ready and quick to proclaim his praises to everyone everywhere every time (1 Pet 2:9)!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sun, Moon, the Feasts and the Saints.<\/strong> Genesis 1:14\u201316 reveals that the sun is the greater light and the moon is the lesser light. The Bible reveals that the sun is a spiritual metaphor for Yeshua who is the Sun of Righteousness (Mal 4:2), the Light of the World (John 8:12) and whose face shines like the sun (Rev 1:16). The saints, like the moon, are the lesser light that reflects the light of Yeshua into this dark world. One of the ways the saints do this is through observing and teaching about the seven biblical feasts, which are the seven steps of YHVH\u2019s plan of salvation. Seeing the visible new moon is how we determine the beginning of the months and hence the dates of the feasts. In other words, by the light of the moon we determine the feasts. The visible new moon is a visible sign (Heb. owt<\/em>, Gen 1:14) to point us toward YHVH\u2019s seasons or moedim (i.e. the biblical feasts). In the same way, by our reflecting the light of Yeshua and the truth of his feasts into this dark world, we bring the light of the gospel to the world. This analogy breaks down if the month starts when the moon is dark in its conjunction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 1:28, Dominion over the fish\u2026birds\u2026[the land animals]. <\/em><\/strong>Elohim gave man dominion over the animals. Elohim, however, never, however, gave man the authority to take dominion over other people, which is what Cain, Nimrod and their descendants did when they started cities, states and kingdoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

YHVH\u2019s government is patriarchal and tribal in nature and is built on the foundation of the family, which is something the devil and his servants have been attacking from time immemorial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeshua echoes this same divine prohibition of man ruling other men in Matt 20:25\u201326 where he tells his disciples that the Gentiles rule each other through oppression, but that was not how the kingdom of Elohim was to operate. Government was to be based on servant-leadership. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elohim created man to work the land and to live free, and he designed humans to be more or less self-sufficient and to help each other in loving service to one another when and where needed. The Scriptures decry and even pronounce woe upon those who form urban communities as they \u201cjoin house to house,\u201d so that people no longer \u201cdwell alone in the midst of the land\u201d on ten acre farms (Isa 5:8\u201310). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Men\u2019s cities and the hierarchial Babylonian system of government they require to operate is opposed to Elohim\u2019s system of family farms and patriarchal servant-leadership. This is because the urbanization of men results in the collectivization of humans by other humans ostensibly for the purpose of making life easier, but in reality, it enslave them to oppressive human-led governmental systems where humans are forced to look to human leaders for their sustenance and for handouts instead of relying on the Creator. This bondage is forcibly financed through legalized extortion called taxation, and enforced through draconian government regulations that control nearly every aspect of a person\u2019s life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This transferral from a rural to an urban-based society model not only reduces man\u2019s freedom and self-sufficiency as he becomes increasingly dependent on government for his sustenance, but it also tends to facilitate spiritual apostasy, the breakdown of the family and the stratification or splitting apart of society. In other words, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, class distinctions occur, which further divide and separate people causing racism and prejudice as men slide downward morally and spiritually away from Elohim. The family on the micro and macro levels fall apart and disintegrate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, such a system promotes institutionalized religious systems and personally enriches those who are at the pinnacle of those systems. Out of this false, non-biblical system, religious construction projects such as temples, cathedrals and educational institutions abound allegedly to enhance the worship of Elohim, but in reality, they\u2019re usually monuments, not unlike the ziggurat Tower of Babel, of men\u2019s achievements as men are attempting to reach Elohim through their own humanistic efforts and turn themselves into their own self-promoting and self-adulating demigods. Elohim doesn\u2019t require the construction of such projects for men to have a personal, spiritual relationship with him, as Paul states in his epistle to the Romans, which is a rephrasing of a passage from Deut 30, \u201cBut the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, \u2018Do not say in your heart, \u201cWho will ascend into heaven?\u2019\u2019\u2019 (that is, to bring Messiah down from above) or,\u201d, \u201cWho will descend into the abyss?\u201d\u2019 (that is, to bring Messiah up from the dead). But what does it say? \u2018The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart\u2019 (that is, the word of faith which we preach)\u201d (Rom 30:6\u20138). The construction of denominations and buildings are primarily for the benefit of the ruling elite who have found a way to insert themselves as middlemen between man and his Creator largely for the purposes of money and power. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of these things are a result of the man\u2019s move from a rural to an urban living environment and taking dominion over one another instead of stewarding the earth and its animals and serving one another in love as Elohim originally instructed him to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 2:2, The seventh day.<\/em> <\/strong>Sabbath. Though this is not a direct command to keep the Sabbath (Heb. Shabbat<\/em>), YHVH was leading his people by example when he sanctified the Sabbath and then rested from his work on this day. In Hebraic thought, one leads by example, without necessarily stating the command to do so. YHVH blessed the family first (Gen 1:28), then Sabbath next. Sabbath keeps the family together that keeps the Sabbath. The imperative command to keep the Sabbath is first found in Exodus 16\u201330 and then repeated in 20:8\u201311.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 2:4,<\/strong> The LORD\/YHVH.<\/em><\/strong> This is the first mention in the Scriptures of the name of Elohim. He wants us to use his Hebrew names (YHVH, Elohim, Adonai and Yeshua). If not, then why is \u201cYHVH\u201d found in the Tanakh nearly 7000 times? True, we are not to use his Hebrew name carelessly as the third commandments teaches us (Exod 20:7). YHVH\u2019s people have forgotten his name (Ps 44:20; Jer 23:27). His name will be restored and used again (Jer 23:6; 31:23; Ezek 39:7). His name was so precious to his people in ancient times that it was used in common greeting (Ruth 2:4; Ps 129:8; Jer 31:23). The Hebrew name YHVH will be applied to Yeshua at his second coming (Ps 118:26; Matt 23:39). The prohibition of the rabbinic Jews about using God\u2019s Hebrew names is not supported biblically, but is a more recent man-made tradition. Therefore, I believe and teach that the sacred names are to be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Genesis 2:5,<\/strong> Till.<\/em><\/strong> Heb. abad <\/em>meaning \u201cto labor, work, serve, work or till the land.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 2:8, A garden.<\/em> <\/strong>The Hebrew word gan<\/em> meaning \u201cgarden or enclosure protected by a wall\u201d is related to the word magen<\/em> meaning \u201cshield\u201d in that they share the common root word ganan<\/em>, a verb meaning \u201cto defend, to protect, to put a shield about\u201d (TWOT 267). The etymological connection between garden<\/em> and shield<\/em> imbues the biblical concept of a garden with a whole new meaning and purpose. A garden in the biblical view is an enclosed place of protection (for plants, animals and humans) as well as a place to for a husband and wife to live and commune with each other (Gen 2:128\u201325), and for them both to relax and commune face to face with Elohim (Gen 3:8). Add to gan<\/em> the name Eden<\/em> meaning \u201cpleasure, delight, finery, luxury\u201d and the whole idea of a garden takes on an even higher physical and spiritual significance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Garden of Eden was Elohim\u2019s throne room, temple or habitation on earth and was a picture of heaven on earth patterned after his heavenly temple or dwelling place. For example, as Elohim has cheruvim<\/em>  (cherubs) around his heavenly throne, so, he had cheruvim<\/em> guarding Eden. This further points us to the holy of holies in the Tabernacle of Moses, which also was Elohim\u2019s dwelling place among his people on earth (Exod 25:8), which contained the ark of the covenant guarded by the cheruvim<\/em> with the glory cloud hovering above. Eden and the holy of holies both point to the garden city of the New Jerusalem, which is coming down from heaven, and which Scripture calls the temple of Elohim and is filled with his glory (Rev 21:22\u201323).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elohim placed man in the midst of the garden, which is another way of saying that man was made in the image of Elohim to dwell in the presence, holy of holies or throne room of Elohim (Gen 2:8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assuredly, there is a connection between the Garden of Eden and the New Jerusalem. Both are gardens with the latter being a city garden (not unlike Babylon\u2019s counterfeit Hanging Gardens of Babylon of the ancient world) full of redeemed Israelites, as opposed to merely the two people of the original garden. These Redeemed Israelites are descendants of Adam and Eve through our father Abraham (Gal 3:29) by way of Yeshua, the Second Adam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word till in Genesis 2:5 is abad<\/em>, is the generic Hebrew word meaning \u201cto serve or to work.\u201d The work of the Levitical priests was described as such, and a cognate of avad<\/em> is the noun avodah<\/em> meaning \u201cservice\u201d and can also refer to the \u201cworship service of the Levites\u201d (i.e. worship is an act of service, as opposed to just throwing one\u2019s emotions at Elohim as is often the case in the church world; e.g. Num 4:19; 2 Chron 8:14). It may not be too much of a logical stretch to assert the idea that when man works a garden for the glory of Elohim and is communing with his Creator while doing so, and getting married and raising a family to do the same, he is fulfilling his Elohim-ordained priestly responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shows that YHVH\u2019s patterns of redemption for sinners including the need for a Redeemer originates from the very beginning of man\u2019s tenure on this earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also interesting to note that in the old city of Jerusalem to this day, the only gate that is permanently sealed and not currently in use is the Eastern Gate. When Yeshua returns, he\u2019ll enter the city by way of that gate, thus ushering in his kingdom on earth culminating in the New Jerusalem. This points to Jerusalem as prophetically representing Eden, the east entrance to which was guarded by cheruvim with flaming swords after the fall of man (Gen 3:24).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eden.<\/em><\/strong> In Heb. Eden<\/em> means \u201cpleasure, delight.\u201d Eden was the mountain of Elohim\u2014the place of his abode on this earth (see notes at Ezek 28:13\u201314).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 2:9,<\/strong> The tree life<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tree knowledge<\/em>.<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you Feeding from the Tree of Knowledge?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you addicted to your smart phone (and computer)?<\/strong> Think about it for a minute. Maybe, in reality, you\u2019re addicted to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Even one of our most popular electronic devices has as its symbol an apple with a bite out of it. Interesting! Symbols are often carefully designed symbolic representations of the ideas and philosophies behind them. The masses of people are usually oblivious to their meanings, but the enlightened initiates understand full well what they mean. This is one of the means by which those of the dark side communicate with each other\u2014through arcane and mystical symbols.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everywhere I go I see it\u2026and so do you. People walking down sidewalks, smart phone in hand, hunched over their device. Just the other day, I saw four mom\u2019s crossing a busy street on their way to pick up their kids from school. The eyes of three of the four were glued to their smart phones. They didn\u2019t even look up see if traffic was coming!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSmart phone\u201d may be the oxymoronic label of the day\u2026don\u2019t you think?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At our finger tips, we have all the knowledge of the world\u2014both good and evil. Sounds like the biblical tree of the knowledge of good and evil to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember the tree in the Garden of Eden that Elohim told Adam and Eve not to eat from? The same tree that the serpent hid in and lured the first humans into eating from?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We don\u2019t know what kind of fruit it was. The Bible doesn\u2019t tell us. Tradition tells us, however, that it was an apple. Hmm. Apple. The most popular \u201csmart\u201d phone on the planet has as its logo an apple with a bite out of it. Now connect the dots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look, I love my Apple I-Phone, my Apple I-Pad and my Apple computer. I don\u2019t exactly live in a cave and grunt my way through life. But do these things master us or do we master them? Do you spend time with your electronic devices that you should be spending with YHVH? Are you spending more time feeding from the tree of knowledge or the tree of life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know, no one reading this is guilty of the concerns I\u2019m positing. Each of us has a myriad justifications why the shoe doesn\u2019t fit me. We\u2019re all right in our own eyes. But what does YHVH thing about it? We can\u2019t fool him. He sees through our human machinations and excuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Adam and Eve disobeyed YHVH and ate from the tree of knowledge instead of being faithful to his instructions in righteousness, they sinned. This was their first step on the proverbial downward spiral, slippery slope away from the Creator. Do you really think the devil has stopped attempting to deceive humans away from Elohim? Do you really think that in these modern times he\u2019s going to take you to an actual tree that is labeled \u201cTree of Knowledge of Good and Evil\u201d? Get real. He\u2019s smarter than that. But I can\u2019t think of anything that fits the bill better than a beautiful device you can hold in your hand, that you can get in any color you want, and that has an apple logo on it (or whatever logo it may be) that more qualifies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Adam and Eve ate from the wrong tree, they fell into idolatry. Anything we put above Elohim becomes an idol to us. When our phone or laptop becomes more important to us than our Bible\u2014there\u2019s a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 2:15,<\/strong> Took\u2026put.<\/em><\/strong> Took<\/em> is the Hebrew word laqach<\/em> meaning \u201cto take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.\u201d Put <\/em>is the Hebrew word yanach <\/em>meaning \u201cto rest, settle down and remain, to repose, have rest, be quiet, to cause to rest, give rest to, make quiet, to cause to rest, cause to alight, set down, to lay or set down, deposit, let lie, place.\u201d The implication here is that Elohim created man somewhere else and then brought him to and settled him in the Garden of Eden where he settled down in quiet rest.\u201d Perhaps Elohim briefly allowed the first man to experience life outside the garden first before \u201cplanting\u201d them therein, so that they would better appreciate the beauty, rest and peacefulness of the garden. In this way, Adam, the first father, head and priest of his family would have some personal experience out the garden and be able to accurately communicate to both his wife and children that life was better in the garden than outside the garden, thus encouraging them to stay obedient to YHVH and to walk in his ways, so that they could continue to enjoy the privileges thereof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tend\/dress and keep it<\/em>.<\/strong> Tend <\/em>is the Hebrew word avad<\/em> meaning \u201cto work or serve.\u201d Being a gardener was Adam\u2019s occupation. Yeshua was the second Adam. After Yeshua\u2019s resurrection, interestingly, he was mistaken as the gardener (John 20:15). See Gen 2:8\u2014YHVH planted a garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Torah teaches sustainable living and stewardship of the earth. <\/strong>The terms sustainability<\/em> or sustainable<\/em> living along with green<\/em>, eco-friendly<\/em>, etc. are currently fad concepts that are bandied about by those seeking to be politically correct\u2014whatever that is supposed to mean. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, defines sustainability<\/em> as follows: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of responsibility, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of stewardship, the responsible management of resource use. In ecology, sustainability describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time, a necessary precondition for the well-being of humans and other organisms.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As the writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes said, there is nothing new under the sun. In the beginning, Elohim placed man in the idyllic paradise called the Garden of Eden instructing him \u201cto tend\u201d (serve, work, till, dress) and \u201cto keep\u201d (guard, observe, protect) the garden (Gen 2:15). Man was commanded to become the steward of what Elohim had created\u2014to preserve, maintain and to care for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To this day, YHVH has never rescinded these instructions to man even though modern environmentalists and conservationists may think they originated the idea of responsible stewardship of the environment. Long before Rosseau, Thoreau, the Sierra Club, Earth First, Nature Conservancy, Germany\u2019s Green Party, and the Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA) in America the Torah was preaching sustainable living and responsibly caring for the environment\u2014YHVH\u2019s creation. Let\u2019s note how:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • For the overall health and vigor of fruit trees, they were to be allowed to become established for three years before commercially harvesting their fruit (Lev 19:23\u201325).<\/li>
  • So as not to deplete the soil\u2019s fertility, agricultural land was to lay fallow every seventh year (Lev 25:2).<\/li>
  • Fruit trees were to be preserved in times of war (Deut 20:19).<\/li>
  • So as not to mongrelize similar types of fruits and vegetables through cross pollination, mixed seeds were not to be sowed together (Lev 19:19; Deut 22:9).<\/li>
  • Interbreeding of diverse kinds of livestock was prohibited (Lev 19:19).<\/li>
  • Work animals were allowed to eat the grain that they helped to thresh (Deut 25:4).<\/li>
  • If a farm animal was injured or in danger, one was obligated to help the animal even if it belonged to someone else (Deut 22:4).<\/li>
  • For the safety and well-being of work animals, an ox and donkey were not to be yoked together when plowing (Deut 22:10).<\/li>
  • Work animals were to be allowed to rest on the Sabbath (Exod 20:8\u201311; Deut 5:14).<\/li>
  • Humans are to rescue animals that are hurt, lost or that have fallen into a pit, even on the Sabbath (Matt 12:11, 12; Exod 23:4).<\/li>
  • Bird\u2019s nests and young hatchlings were to be cared for (Deut 22:6\u20137).<\/li>
  • Humans were to care for the earth (and prevent diseases) by burying their excrement (Deut 23:13).<\/li>
  • The establishment of toxic waste dumps for disease-contaminated materials (Lev 14:43\u201347).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Genesis 2:16,<\/strong> YHVH Elohim commanded<\/em>.<\/strong>This was the Torah (YHVH\u2019s instructions, teachings, precepts and laws) that Eohim was giving to Adam and Eve. It was a one commandment Torah. Once they sinned, man needed many more Torah-instructions and laws to regulate a fallen world so that men would know how to treat each properly other instead of destroying the human race. In addition, man needed Torah-instructions to bring man into a right spiritual relationship with Elohim through the process of redemption eventually leading to the Messiah, to which the Levitical and sacrificial systems pointed along with the Sabbaths and feasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Genesis 2:17,<\/strong> In the day [Heb. yom]. <\/em><\/strong>Yom<\/em> means \u201cday, time, year.\u201d The context in which yom <\/em>is used determines its exact meaning. In this verse, man died spiritually (his spirit become estranged from Elohim) the moment he sinned (partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge) and died physically before the end the first 1000 years of his physical existence, for \u201ca thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night\u201d (Ps 90:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Shall surely die. <\/em>The Law of Sin and Death. <\/strong>In Gen 2:17 Elohim gave man his first law: Don\u2019t eat of the tree of knowledge. He pronounced upon man a curse of death if he violated this law. Man broke the law and ate from the forbidden tree. To go against the law of Elohim is sin (1 John 3:4). The wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). The soul that sins shall die (Ezek 18:4). This is the law of sin and death that Paul talks about in Rom 8:2. When man obeys the laws Elohim, he will neither sin nor bring upon himself the wages of that sin which is death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Genesis 2:24,<\/strong> A man shall leave his father and mother. <\/em><\/strong>Adam\u2019s father and mother were YHVH the Father and the Spirit or Ruach of Elohim. Adam was created to become a separate entity from his Heavenly Parents and to reproduce himself by becoming one with his wife. However, Adam leaving his parents and creating his own family in no way implies or suggests that Adam was being instructed to leave the wise counsel and righteous ways of his Heavenly Parents\u2014the Father and the Ruach anymore than a young man should forsake the righteous upbringing of his godly parents when marrying his wife. Sadly, though, this is exactly what Adam did when he listened to his wife and sinned at the tree of knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Genesis 3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Genesis 3:1,<\/strong> The serpent .<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Activities of Satan the Devil<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • He has a false trinity\/godhead (i.e. the beast, false prophet and whore). Rev 13:2\u201310; 16:13; 17:1\u20132<\/li>
    • He is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44<\/li>
    • He comes to kill, steal and destroy. John 10:10<\/li>
    • He has his own synagogue. Rev 2:9<\/li>
    • He has his doctrines. 1 Tim 4:1<\/li>
    • He has his mysteries. Rev 2:24<\/li>
    • He has his throne. Rev 2:13<\/li>
    • He has his kingdom. Luke 4:6<\/li>
    • He has his worshipers. Rev 13:4<\/li>
    • He has his miracles. 2 Thess 2:9<\/li>
    • He has his angles. Rev 12:7<\/li>
    • He has his ministers. 2 Cor 11:15<\/li>
    • He has his sacrifices. 1 Cor 10:20<\/li>
    • He has his fellowship. 1 Cor 10:20<\/li>
    • He has his armies. Isa 24:21<\/li>
    • He sows his tares (workers) among Elohim\u2019s wheat (people). Matt 13:24\u201330<\/li>
    • He instigates false doctrine. 1 Tim 4:1\u20133<\/li>
    • He perverts the word of Elohim. Gen 3:1\u20134<\/li>
    • He hinders the work of Elohim\u2019s servants. 1 Thess 2:18<\/li>
    • He resists the prayer of the Elohim\u2019s servants. Dan 10:12\u201313<\/li>
    • He blinds men to the truth. 2 Cor 4:4<\/li>
    • He steals the word of Elohim from human hearts. Matt 13:19<\/li>
    • He accuses the saints before Elohim. Job 1:7\u201312<\/li>
    • He lays snares for men. 2 Tim 2:26<\/li>
    • He tempts people to sin. Matt 4:1<\/li>
    • He afflicts people with pain and suffering. Job 2:7<\/li>
    • He deceives. Rev 12:9<\/li>
    • He undermines the sanctity of the home. 1 Cor 7:3\u20135<\/li>
    • He prompts both saints and sinners to transgress against the holiness of Elohim. Matt 16:22\u201323<\/li>
    • He lurks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. 1 Pet 5:8<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      The Origins of the Religion of Secular Humanism<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Genesis 3:1,<\/strong> Serpent<\/em><\/strong>. <\/em>Heb. nachash<\/em>; found 31 times in the Tanakh and translated as serpent<\/em> in the KJV in all cases. The Hebrew root means\u201d to practice divination, divine, observe signs, learn by experience, diligently observe, practice fortune-telling, take as an omen.\u201d Nachash<\/em> is almost identical to the Hebrew word for copper or bronze, and some scholars think the words are related because of the color, since some snakes are copper in color (i.e. our copperheads). A cognate of these two words is n\u2019hushtan, <\/em>which is the bronze serpent that Moses made. The LXX translated nachash<\/em> as ophis<\/em>, the Greek word for snake<\/em>, in all instances (see The TWOT<\/em>). Although this passage doesn\u2019t relate the serpent to Satan, the adversary, John makes this connection twice in Revelation (Rev 12:9; 20:2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      But there is more to the word nachash <\/em>than what we have described above as Michael Heiser points out. The meaning of nachash<\/em> is both plain and elastic. The most literal meaning is \u201cserpent.\u201d When the Hebrew root letters n-ch-sh<\/em> are a noun, the meaning is \u201cserpent.\u201d But n-ch-sh <\/em>can also be a verb when different vowels are added (i.e. nochesh<\/em>) to mean \u201cdiviner.\u201d \u201cDivination refers to communication with the supernatural world. A diviner in the ancient world was one who foretold omens or gave out divine information (oracles)\u201d (The Unseen Realm<\/em>, p. 87). The consonants n-ch-sh <\/em>can also form an alternate noun meaning referring to copper\/bronze smiths. Nechosheth<\/em> is the Hebrew word for bronze and copper, which are shiny when polished, and which can be used to describe divine beings (Dan 10:6; ibid.). In the case of the use of n-ch-sh<\/em> in Gen 3:1, Heiser believes that the writer wants to the reader to think of all possible meanings and nuances of the word. As such, he suggests that there are immediate clues in the story that the serpent is more than a mere snake, that he may be a divine adversary, and that the term nachash <\/em>may be a triple entendre. Elsewhere, Scripture refers to the serpent as a cherub, a divine being who was a guardian of Elohim\u2019s throne (Ezek 28:16 cp. Exod 15:18\u201322). Moreover, the serpent-cherub dispenses divine information used to lure Eve into sin, when he gave her the oman that she if she ate of the fruit that she wouldn\u2019t really die, that her eyes would be opened and that she would be like Elohim. Moreover, the serpent-cherub\u2019s shiny appearance conveyed a divine nature, making the serpent more credible and believable. All of these meanings of n-ch-sh<\/em> are consistent with what Gen 3, Isa 14 and Ezek 28 reveal to us about the serpent (ibid, pp. 87\u201388).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The serpent was more subtle\u2026has Elohim said<\/em><\/strong>? <\/em>This passage reveals that Satan is the originator of the great counterfeit religious system to the truth of Elohim. All religions (except for the truth of the Scriptures) fall under the power and influence of this satanic system that originated at the tree of knowledge. The false system can broadly be defined as secular humanism<\/em>, which I will now define and explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      What is secular humanism<\/em> and how does the devil use it to further his rebellion against Elohim? Secular humanism (as defined by Francis Schaeffer in his book The Great Evangelical Disaster<\/em>, p. 32) is freedom from all restraint and especially rebellion against Elohim\u2019s truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      When Satan rebelled against Elohim, he attempted to dethrone the Creator and lift himself up in Elohim\u2019s place (Isa 14:12\u201314). Here in the garden, Satan attempted to subvert the purposes of Elohim by calling into question the character of Elohim before Adam and Eve. The serpent successfully lowered man\u2019s esteem for Elohim, and at the same time elevated man\u2019s esteem for himself at Elohim\u2019s expense. The biblical record reveals that Satan continually pits the forces of his kingdom behind anything that will compromise the authority of Elohim. The most notable example of this is found in Revelation 13 where we find described a end times worldwide system, which John sees in vision as a series of monster-like creatures, empowered by Satan, which stand in defiant opposition to the purposes of Elohim. Similarly, in the end times, Satanic forces will infiltrate the Christian church and plant doctrines of demons therein in an attempt to plant seeds of rebellion against the Word and will of Elohim (1 Tim 4:1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Secular humanism at its most fundamental level seeks to dethrone Elohim as the Creator, Ruler, Lawgiver and Judge if not to eliminate him all together from at least having any influence in the affairs of men, and if possible, to relegate his memory to the trash can of failed human philosophies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      With Elohim supposedly dethroned, and man having supposedly replaced Elohim on the throne of his life, man now usurps Elohim\u2019s authority under the power and influence of Satan, of course, whether man is aware of this or not. Satan cares little if man sees his hands on the wheel, just as long Satan is in charge. At the core of humanistic philosophy is the assumption that man is innately good and sinless, instead of sinful and morally depraved as the Bible teaches. If man is the paragon of goodness and not evil, then he is now qualified to be the sole determiner of what is good and evil. Who needs an Elohim to tell man these things? Elohim is no longer needed, for man can choose for himself what is good and evil. Schaeffer describes secular humanism this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      [It is] a consensus that stands in total antithesis to the Christian truth at every point \u2014 including the denial of the supernatural; belief in the all-sufficiency of human reason; the rejection of the fall [of man into sin]; denial of the deity of Christ and his resurrection; belief in the perfectibility of Man; and the destruction of the Bible and with this has come a total moral breakdown\u201d (Evangelical Disaster<\/em>, pp. 35\u201336).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Schaeffer calls humanism \u201ca fundamental conflict between \u2018the wisdom of this world\u2019 and the \u2018wisdom of Elohim. As previously noted, Satan is the originator and prime instigator behind the anti-Elohim religious philosophy of secular humanism. Satan\u2019s rebellion against his Creator is characterized by the five \u201cI will\u201d statements of Isaiah 14:13\u201314, and which are summarized by his final assertion: \u201cI will be like the Most High.\u201d At the tree of knowledge, Satan disguised as a serpent successfully conned man into buying into this same idea that man can be like Elohim by rebelliously disregarding the Word of his Creator (Gen 3:4). To this day, the proponents of the secular humanist philosophy adhere to the idea that man is god, and that Elohim is either non-existent or, if he does exist, is irrelevant. Either way, man is his own god, is at the center of the universe, is the sole determiner of what is right and wrong, and in no way needs Elohim for anything, nor is man answerable to any Supreme Being for his actions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Broadly speaking, humanism emphasizes the deity of preeminence of man over Elohim; the rebellion of man against his Creator, and the dethroning (at most or the diminishing at least) of Elohim\u2019s influence in man\u2019s life. The will and mind of man take precedence over that of Elohim. This facilitates the rise of mind or soul-centered religious systems where the mind, will and the emotions of man reign supreme. Man charts his own course without the outside influence of his Creator. This is the direct antithesis to the Spirit-centered religious system of the Bible where the Spirit and Word of Elohim directs the soul of man what to do, say and think. Humanism, therefore, places man on the throne of his life and replaces the worship of Elohim with the worship of man. Humanism is a self-deifying philosophy where the created is worshiped instead of the Creator. This path sets man on the downward moral and spiritual spiral described in Romans 1:18\u201332 resulting in a morally debased and spiritually bankrupt civilization ending in the Creator\u2019s judgment on man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Humanism places a heavy emphasis on insuring that matter supersedes or excludes the spirit (the realm of Elohim). If humanism is the deification of self or matter (i.e. that which exists in the physical realm), and encourages the worship of matter. This gives rise to religious philosophy of evolutionism, earth worship, radical environmentalism, totalitarian and fascist forms of government, socialistic government entitlement programs, narcissism, homosexuality and a society\u2019s preoccupation with hedonistic pleasures, instant gratification (which leads to public and private indebtedness), entertainment and sports. All these can be summed up the one word: materialism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      With materialism dominating the spirit, materialistic pleasures, instant gratification becomes paramount. As Paul states, if the promises and realities of Elohim are a lie, then let\u2019s eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die (1 Cor 15:32)! In the humanist\u2019s psyche, it makes sense that since there is no Creator, there is no life after death, and there is no future accountability to a Higher Power for one\u2019s actions on earth, then the humanist mantra of \u201cif it feels good, do it\u201d becomes the rule of life. For the Satanists the rule is, \u201cdo what thou wilt,\u201d which is a rephrasing of the same statement. With such a philosophy as one\u2019s modus operandi<\/em>, then absolutes values of any kind (especially the absolute truths of the Bible) are out, and moral relativism (or situation ethics) are the rule of the day. After all, if follows, in the humanists\u2019 mind since their is no sovereign Creator-Lawgiver, it is impossible for there to be immutable or unchanging values or laws, and hence the justification for man\u2019s doing what is right in his own eyes and whatever pleases him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Since common sense and the Bible show that man innately is depraved, lustful, greedy, hedonistic, selfish, proud and rebellious, when the philosophy of secular humanism dominates a society, then these traits characterize that society. If such a society dominated by these traits is left to its own devices, what\u2019s to stop anarchy from ruling and society from being destroyed? Most societies have enough common sense to realize this can\u2019t happen, so they devise governments to enforce a humanistic form of twisted morality. Examples of this would be the legalization of abortion and the killing of spotted owls and whales made illegal. Paul describes such a society in 2 Timothy 3:1\u20134.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Elohim has given man two choices to make or two paths to follow in his life: one that leads upward to eternal life involving a spiritual relationship with his Creator, and one that leads downward and to death and separation from his Creator. The two trees in the Garden of Eden characterized these two paths: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:17) and the tree of life (Gen 2:9; 3:22, 24).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The tree of life represents the way of the cross of Yeshua the Messiah and the eternal life that is available to those who will submit to and obey the Word of Elohim, who will trust and believe in him. Such people don\u2019t rely on or idolize their own minds to figure life out, but they realize that they are sinful, can\u2019t deliver themselves from their own sinful condition resulting in death by their own good deeds. Their lives are totally dependent upon Elohim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The tree of the knowledge of good and evil symbolizes the basic humanist philosophy we have already discussed. It is the path of self-exaltation, pride and rebellion against Elohim. It represents the mind and will of man pitted in opposition to that of Elohim. It is the path of rebellion, which leads to witchcraft and Satan (1 Sam 15:23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Man is a tripartite being: body, soul and spirit (1 Thess 5:23). The soul is the mind, will and emotions of an individual, while the spirit is the part of man that is \u201cthe candle of YHVH\u201d (Prov 20:27) deep within him that has the capability to connect to YHVH spiritually. To enter into a life-giving relationship with Elohim, man must worship him in spirit and in truth who is a Spirit (John 4:24). The spirit of man remains latent or inactive until it is activated by the Set-Apart Spirit of Elohim at the time of the time of man\u2019s spiritual regeneration (called being born again<\/em> in John 3:3), at which time it is able to become a spiritual channel Elohim\u2019s truth (1 or 2:9\u201316; 1 John 4:2; Eph 3:16; Rom 8:16; Prov 20:27; Job 32:8). Man can choose to gain spiritual wisdom, knowledge and understanding through his spirit as it is connected to the Spirit of Elohim (pictured by the tree of life), or he can bypass the spirit route and can gain spiritual insight (which will be a mixture of both good and evil) through his soul (based on intellectual reasonings, emotions, desires and feelings, and his own will), which is symbolized by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The path of the soul is the way that the Scriptures reveal to us that is of great interest to Satan to draw men away from the spirit path that leads to Elohim. Satan does everything possible to diminish the power and influence of the kingdom of Elohim, to promote rebellion against Elohim, and to usurp the throne of Elohim for himself. How does the devil accomplish this? The Bible teaches that Satan is the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4), and that \u201call that is in the world, the lusts of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world\u201d (1 John 2:16). We see here that all that is in the world comprises of three domains, which coincidentally corresponds with the three part division of man\u201d body, soul and spirit. \u201cThe lusts of the flesh\u201d refers to the body of man with its carnal appetites and weaknesses toward evil. \u201cThe \u201clust of the eyes\u201d refers to that which appeals to the soul of man (his mind, will and emotions). Finally, \u201cthe pride of life\u201d attempts to subvert the spirit within man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      These three areas through which Satan attempts to subvert man seem to promise man so much including meaning and understanding of the purposes of life and spiritual enlightenment, yet they bring emptiness and despair, or leanness of soul<\/em> or scanty fulfillment as the psalmist proclaims (Ps 106:15). All of the non-biblical religious systems of the world fall into this category and are tools of the devil to lead man away from Elohim. It is the deep hunger in man\u2019s heart to understand the meaning of life, to know the future, and to discover if there is a future hope for him, and Satan attempts to satiate this thirst for understanding through soulish means \u2014 again, by bypassing the spirit, which is man\u2019s link to Elohim and to true spiritual enlightenment. This attempt by Satan to subvert man to gain spiritual enlightenment through his soul without having to resist and to conquer sin (Gen 4:7) actually makes man a slave to sin, to the devil resulting in the damnation of man because of sin and rebellion against Elohim. By appealing to man\u2019s soul, Satan cunningly diverts man away from the only spiritual path by which he can be redeemed from sin and be reconciled to Elohim and thus receive eternal life, and by sleight of hand, short changes man and heads him down the path of rebellion and eternal death and separation from Elohim. Man get\u2019s what he wants (the lust of the eyes and flesh, and the pride of life), yet in the long run ends up with nothing having been shortchanged of true spiritual enlightenment and eternal life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In Genesis 3, it is all laid out for us to see. The serpent (Satan) is called \u201cmore subtle [cunning or crafty] than any other beast of the field with YHVH had made\u201d (verse 1). In verse six, we see that the devil sets the scene so that all three parts of man\u2019s makeup (body, soul and spirit) are tempted to sin. First, when \u201cthe woman saw that the tree was good for food,\u201d her physical senses, the lust of the flesh or body was put to the test. Second, when Eve saw that the fruit \u201cwas pleasant [desirable] to the eyes,\u201d her soul was tempted. Finally, she saw that the could make one wise or mentally enlightened. This was Satan\u2019s attack on the spirit that is within man, and which is the candle of YHVH, but in reality, Satan\u2019s pitch appealed to the soul of man or the pride of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      At the point when Eve ate the fruit, she yielded dominion of her spirit to her soul and unregenerate men have been under control of their souls (their natural mind or understanding, will and emotions, or \u201cevery man doing what is right in his own eyes\u201d) ever since. As already stated, all of the philosophical, religious, political, economic, social, cultural and educational systems that men have devised since our parents ate from the tree of knowledge derive their impetus from the soul, and not the spirit (tree of life) realm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Satan had such an overwhelming success in subverting the first Adam, that he tried the very same tactic with Yeshua, the Second Adam (Rom 5:12\u201321) when the devil tempted him in his body, soul and spirit in the wilderness (Matt 4:1\u201311). Also, in the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13, we see the devil using the same battle tactics again when he wages war against the body and soul (through tribulation and persecution, verse 21) and in the pride of life realm (the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, verse 22). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Genesis 3:3,<\/strong> Touch<\/em><\/strong>. <\/em>Not only were they not to eat of the forbidden fruit, but they were not to even touch it. The path that leads to sin often starts in a seemingly innocent and innocuous manner, yet, in reality, it is the first step down the proverbial slippery slope. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Genesis 3:4,<\/strong> Your eyes will be opened<\/em><\/strong>. <\/em>How is it possible that eating a piece of fruit could open their eyes to knowing good and evil? The fruit tree of itself didn\u2019t have this power. The violation of YHVH\u2019s command not to eat of it is what did it. When Adam and Eve crossed the boundary line YHVH had set for them, and they sinned by violating YHVH\u2019s command, they now became experientially acquainted with the knowledge of sin, which is evil. For the first time, they experienced guilt, shame and the penalty for violating YHVH\u2019s Word. They had known only good before they sinned. Now they had a knowledge of good and evil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Genesis 3:6\u20137,<\/strong> Satan\u2019s temptation of man\u2014soul over spirit.<\/strong>See notes at 1 John 2:15 on how the devil-serpent tempted Adam and Eve in the area of the lust of the flesh (the body of man), the lust of the eyes (the soul of man) and the pride of life (the spirit of man) in his attempt to lure humans into sinful rebellion against Elohim, that is, to subvert the soul of man to dominate man\u2019s spirit by feeding from the tree of knowledge instead of the tree of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Genesis 3:6,<\/strong> Wise<\/em><\/strong>. <\/em>Heb. sakal<\/em> (Strong\u2019s 7919; TWOT 2263) meaning \u201cto be prudent, be circumspect, wisely understand, prosper.\u201d There is good understanding and bad understanding. For example, too much understanding about something can lead to pride. Similarly, too much understanding about sin and evil can tempt or lure a person into sin. Sometimes it is best not to know certain things to protect one\u2019s innocence and to reduce sin\u2019s allurement. Too much bad understanding can taint our conscience or our spirit man therefore affecting our walk with Elohim. Let the wise man ponder this. The eargate, eyegate and mindgate must be guarded at all times. May we be those who feed from the tree of life rather than the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Genesis 3:7,<\/strong> Naked\u2026fig leaves.<\/em><\/strong>Guilt and shame. <\/strong>Guilt and shame are different. Guilt is a result of sin and brings conviction of sin leading to confession, forgiveness and cleansing from sin. Shame, on the other hand, drives us to hide and tells us that we can\u2019t truly be forgiven\u2014that we need to hide. We have to hide behind something. Usually it\u2019s a religious mask to make people think we\u2019re different than we really are\u2014to hide our true identity, who we really are. Adam and Eve used fig leaves. There was no church to hide in where they could play childish religious games of pretend. Religious people are especially adept at play-acting with masks. This is often fueled by a sincere but misguided desire to please Elohim and others. In reality, we\u2019re hiding our guilt, shame, scars, imperfections, hurts and sins without dealing with them. The reality is that the shame and condemnation of sin doesn\u2019t lift until one confesses sin and trusts Elohim to forgive them and then let him provide them with his own sin-covering. Elohim covered Adam and Eve in skins\u2014probably a sheep skin, which was a picture of Yeshua\u2014YHVH\u2019s Lamb\u2014dying for them at the cross. Likewise, our sin must be covered in the atoning blood of Yeshua. Wearing masks instead of dealing with sin causes us to become smug, self-sufficient, dishonest, self-righteous and arrogant. This was the spiritual state of the Laodiceans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The first sin.<\/em><\/strong>Sin has results. When we sin or someone sins against us, YHVH has programmed in us to respond automatically and involuntarily. If we sin, our automatic response is guilt (a guilty conscience). (Covering over that guilt results in shame, while confessing the sin and trusting YHVH leads to forgiveness.) If were sinned against, the result is hurt. Elohim designed these to automatic responses in us to let us know that we\u2019re broken\u2014that something is wrong or sick in us and needs fixing or healing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Genesis 3:10,<\/strong> I was afraid.<\/em><\/strong> Adam and Eve hid from Elohim because they were afraid of him due to their having sinned and the shame and guilt that sin brought upon them. This is an unhealthy fear of Elohim, and not the fear of YHVH that brings wisdom. This is the fear of 1 Timothy 1:8 that is the opposite of love, power and a sound mind. When we sin, we should go running to our loving Heavenly Father to seek his forgiveness instead of running away from in shame and fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Genesis 3:9\u201313,<\/strong> Where are you?<\/em><\/strong> Elohim asks Adam and Eve direct and specific questions, but instead of taking personal responsibility and answering the questions, they defend themselves, make excuses, justify themselves, blame shifting, and accuse others including blaming Elohim. When confronted with their sin, humans have been doing this ever since\u2014defending self and ego at all expenses. This is the result of the taint of sin and this behavior has been passed on from one generation to the next. The Spirit-led person must counter this proclivity of the soul to justify, excuse and obfuscate one\u2019s sin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Furthermore, when YHVH asked the first humans where they were after they had sinned, he wasn\u2019t asking them where they were physically. Being omniscient, he knew this already. Instead, he was asking them them, \u201cWhere are you spiritually in your relationship with me in regards to obedience to the instructions in righteousness I gave you to obey?\u201d This is the same questions the Creator is still asking men to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Genesis 3:14, On your belly.<\/em><\/strong> This phrase doesn\u2019t confine itself that snakes had either wings or legs previous to the fall, but now were cursed to have slither on the ground. Figuratively, this could refer to the fall of Satan the serpent who was cast down from heaven as a member of Elohim\u2019s divine council to the earth or ground as a divine judgment (Isa 14:11\u201312, 15; Ezek 28:8, 16\u201317). The idea that this curse is more figurative than literal is revealed by the fact that snakes don\u2019t literally eat dust as a part of their natural diet, as this verse states if a literal interpretation is taken. The fact that snakes are the lowest of creature\u2014even lower than the beasts of the field\u2014suggests the ultimate judgment of Satan, which is to be cast into the bottomless pit or abyss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Genesis 3:14\u201315,<\/strong> Enmity between. <\/em><\/strong>The genesis of spiritual warfare goes back to this prophecy Elohim made about the enmity that would occur between the serpent and the woman, and between their offspring. This spiritual conflict between Satan, the Serpent, and his seed or offspring and that of the woman would continue down through the ages. Who are the seed or offspring of the devil to which Elohim makes reference here? Today, redeemed Israelite saints are in battle with these people whose spiritual father is the devil (he is not their biological father). Yeshua, in rebuking the Antichrist Jewish leaders of his day, referred to the devil as \u201cyour father\u201d (John 8:44). Perhaps Yeshua\u2019s statement may shed some light on who the sons of the devil are today; namely, hypocritical religious leaders. Furthermore, Yeshua referred to Judas as \u201ca devil\u201d (John 6:70), and Paul called Simon the magician \u201cyou child of the devil\u201d (Acts 13:10), and John refers to those who commit sin (the violation of the Torah, 1 John 3:4) as \u201cof the devil\u201d (1 John 3:8). The Scriptures teach that there are those who are spiritual children of the devil and those who are children of Elohim (1 John 3:10). Abraham has children that are his spiritual seed or offspring (Gal 3:29), as does Elohim (1 John 3:9). The demarcation between these two spiritual families is that the children of Elohim practice righteousness (i.e. Torah-obedience, Ps 119:172) and love their neighbors (the Torah defines what love is; see Mark 12:29\u201331), and are therefore not sinning, which is the opposite of Torah and love, while the children of the devil do not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Your seed. <\/em><\/strong>What is the serpent\u2019s seed? Some Bible teachers believe that this substantiates that Satan would have literal children that would inhabit the earth along with humans. From this comes the idea that the fallen angels or demons copulated with the daughters of men or humans in Gen 6 producing a fallen race of half-men half-demon hybrids called the nephilim<\/em> or anikim<\/em>. This idea is based on a literal interpretation of the Hebrew word for seed<\/em> which is zera<\/em>. However, according to The TWOT<\/em>, zera<\/em> also has figurative or metaphorical meanings as well (e.g. Isa 17:11). It has other meanings than that of literal, biological offspring. If seed<\/em> in this verse is metaphorical, rather than literal, then the literal offspring of Satan, nephilim <\/em>argument crumbles. In this verse, the difference between a literal and a metaphorical application of zera<\/em> would be the difference between the literal biological descendants of Satan versus his spiritual descendants (those who follow him spiritually).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Her seed<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>Seed <\/em>is the Hebrew word zera <\/em>(Strong\u2019s <\/em>H2233) meaning \u201cseed\u201d and figuratively means \u201c<\/em>posterity (offspring), fruit, plant, sowing time.\u201d <\/em>In the KJV <\/em>it is translated as seed<\/em> 221 times of its 229 usages. The word zera<\/em> is used to denote planting seed, the product of a plant, an entire harvest, semen or a man\u2019s seed (Lev 15:16) or an animal\u2019s seed (Jer 31:27), a specific offspring (Gen. 4:25), or one\u2019s entire family of descendants (Gen 46:6), or YHVH\u2019s spiritual offspring (Isa 65:23; 53:10; Prov 11:22; Jer 2:21). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Though certain main rabbinical commentaries (e.g. The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash, The<\/em> ArtScroll Beresheis\/Genesis <\/em>Torah Commentary, <\/em>Samson Raphael Hirsch\u2019s Torah commentary and others) fail to link this passage with a prophetic Messianic theme, Santala says the Jewish Aramaic Targums find a central Messianic prophecy in this verse (Messiah In the Old Testament In Light of Rabbinical Writings<\/em>, by Risto Santala, pp. 37-38, Keren Ahava Meshihit, Jerusalem, 1992). He quotes the Targum of Jonathan Ben Uzziel: \u201c[I]f the woman\u2019s offspring observes the Law they will be in a position to crush the serpent\u2019s head: \u2018And they will finally make peace in the days of the Messiah-King\u2019. The Targum plays on the words aquev, <\/em>or heel<\/em>, and iqvah<\/em>, end.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      We see then that the term seed<\/em> can refer to offspring<\/em> and that certain rabbinical scholars of the past did see a Messianic theme in Gen. 3:15. Now what about the virgin birth? In our verse YHVH makes reference to \u201cher (Eve\u2019s) seed\u201d or offspring. The first point to observe about this short phrase is that the seed specifically belongs to the woman, and not to the man (Adam) who was standing next to her at that very moment. In other words, YHVH specified that this seed or offspring would come from her and would not originate from a physical male.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Secondly, some virgin birth proponents will note that our text says, her seed<\/em>, as opposed to a man\u2019s seed (semen)<\/em>. We know that women do not possess seed or semen, only men do. Therefore, it is reasoned, if her offspring had no earthly father, then who was the father, or the source of the seed? Could this not be referring to an offspring of Eve whose mother was a woman and whose father was Elohim? A miracle to be sure, but no less hard to believe than any one of a number of other miracles we find recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures which defy human understanding. We agree that this text is a prophetic reference to the virgin, but only because the text refers to the offspring as uniquely hers<\/em> and not Adam\u2019s, and not because of the fact that women do not possess seed or semen. Indeed, they can not generate semen, however, the word zera<\/em>, as noted above, is not limited in its meaning to just semen<\/em>, but can mean offspring<\/em>, as well. So our verse could just as easily read, her offspring<\/em> which is exactly how the Stone Edition Tanach <\/em>renders this passage. Likewise, The Complete Jewish Bible<\/em> by David Stern reads, her descendant.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      It is interesting to note that the ancient Babylonians have a story about a virgin (Semiramis) giving birth to a son (Tamuz) who was supposed to be deity or the son of Elohim, as well, as do other ancient pagan religions (The Two Babylons<\/em>, by Alexander Hislop, p. 58ff). Some anti-virgin birth proponents have used this historical evidence to discredit the Christian belief in the virgin birth as relating to Miriam (Mary) and Yeshua (Jesus) saying that the Christians simply borrowed the story from the ancients and Christianized it. They claim there is no reference to be found in the Hebrew Scriptures to the Messiah being born of a virgin \u2014 a point this paper hopes to refute. But if we believe the biblical account of Gen. 3:14-15, then we find YHVH speaking to the serpent, who is generally recognized to be Satan. If Satan were the inspiration and instigator behind Nimrod (the founder of Babylon) who led a revolt against YHVH in constructing the Tower of Bavel, then it should not be too difficult to see the serpent taking the virgin birth idea and attempting to prevent the future crushing of his own head by introducing a counterfeit religious system whose purpose it would be to oppose YHVH\u2019s Messianic and redemptive plan\u2019s and purposes on this earth. This is certainly what the serpent attempted to do in nailing the Messiah to a cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In conclusion, we maintain that the virgin birth was foretold in Gen. 3:15 and that the serpent stole the idea, perverted it and when the time came for this divine prophecy to be fulfilled the religious waters were already muddied and many Jews then failed (and still do fail) to recognize the Messiah, born of a virgin, in the person of Yeshua of Natzeret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Her seed. <\/em><\/strong>This is the first Messianic prophecy in Scripture and it specifically predicts the coming of Yeshua the Messiah who will reverse the evil curse of sin that Satan the serpent brought upon man at the tree of knowledge. Encrypted in this verse is the gospel message of redemption through the Messiah. Though this is one verse, it gives us some specific details about the Messiah, that only Yeshua ever fulfilled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n