Introduction:

In Holy Writ we are told that the earth has its origin. The story of creation of every creeping things, and the master piece of creation which comes from the dust as it was molded by God's own hands, a perfect symmetrical size human being. Yet, the story goes until it was marred with sin and resulted to degeneration, degradation and distortion of God's original creation. This SSLesson will disclose some factual and spiritual insights, what happened and what is God's plan of restoration.

EGWhite's says, The central theme of the Bible, the theme about which every other in the whole book clusters, is the redemption plan, the restoration in the human soul of the image of God. From the first intimation of hope in the sentence pronounced in Eden to that last glorious promise of the Revelation, "They shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads" (Revelation 22:4), the burden of every book and every passage of the Bible is the unfolding of this wondrous theme,--man's uplifting,--the power of God, "which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57. {Ed 125.2}

Outline of the Study:

The Creation of the World

The Creation of Human Beings

God and Humanity

The Loyalty Test

Breakup and Hope

Memory Verse:

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. {Genesis 1:26}

Prayer Thought:

While God's Word speaks of the humanity of Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decidedly regarding His pre-existence. The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with His Father. From everlasting He was the Mediator of the covenant, the one in whom all nations of the earth, both Jews and Gentiles, if they accepted Him, were to be blessed. "The Word was with God, and the Word was God." Before men or angels were created, the Word was with God, and was God.--Review and Herald, April 5, 1906. {Ev 615.4}

God calls upon all who will to come and drink of the waters of life freely. The power of God is the one element of efficiency in the grand work of obtaining the victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. It is in accordance with the divine plan that we follow every ray of light given of God. Man can accomplish nothing without God, and God has arranged His plans so as to accomplish nothing in the restoration of the human race without the cooperation of the human with the divine. The part man is required to sustain is immeasurably small, yet in the plan of God it is just that part that is needed to make the work a success. {AG 319.3}

The Creation of the World

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

Bible: The Authentic History of the Origin of the World

We are dependent on the Bible for a knowledge of the early history of our world, of the creation of man, and of his fall. Remove the Word of God, and what can we expect but to be left to fables and conjectures, and to that enfeebling of the intellect which is the sure result of entertaining error. We need the authentic history of the origin of the earth, of the fall of Lucifer, and of the introduction of sin into the world. Without the Bible, we should be bewildered by false theories. The mind would be subjected to the tyranny of superstition and falsehood. But, having in our possession an authentic history of the beginning of the world, we need not hamper ourselves with human conjectures and unreliable theories. {RH, November 10, 1904 par. 7}

The Purpose of Creation and the Gospel is Manifestations of His Glorious Character

The creation of the worlds, the mystery of the gospel, are for one purpose, to make manifest to all created intelligences, through nature and through Christ, the glories of the divine character. By the marvelous display of his love in giving "his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," the glory of God is revealed to lost humanity and to the intelligences of other worlds. The Lord of heaven and earth revealed his glory to Moses, when he offered his prayer to Jehovah in behalf of idolatrous Israel, and pleaded, "Show me thy glory." And the Lord said: "I will make all my goodness to pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. . . {ST, April 25, 1892 par. 2}

Evidences for Us to Believe in His Power

God gave the Jewish people wonderful light, wonderful evidence of his majesty, his power, his truth. It was not long since Christ had given them a crowning evidence of his divinity. He had raised from the grave a man who had been dead four days. Lazarus came forth from the tomb to testify to the mighty power of Jesus of Nazareth. {RH, November 13, 1900 par. 13}

Additional thoughts of study:

In the account of Creation in Genesis 1:1-2:3, God is not trying to prove that He created Earth or how He made life begin on it. He just states that He did it.

Obviously, no human being saw it, so believing that God did it is a matter of faith (Hebrews 11:3).

God does not request blind faith from us. He has left proof of an intelligent design in Creation, so that we have evidence to believe if we want to.

The Creation of Human Beings

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

Bible History and Geology

Without Bible history, geology can prove nothing. . . . When human beings leave the Word of God, and seek to account for His creative works upon natural principles, they are upon a boundless ocean of uncertainty. Just how God accomplished the work of Creation in six literal days, He has never revealed to mortals. His creative works are as incomprehensible as His existence.—Signs of the Times, March 20, 1879. {BLJ 154.4}

The Word of God: Creative Power that gives Life

The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature and re-creates the soul in the image of God. {Ed 126.4}

Man: The Crowning Act of Creation

The life of Christ is to be revealed in humanity. Man was the crowning act of the creation of God, made in the image of God, and designed to be a counterpart of God; but Satan has labored to obliterate the image of God in man, and to imprint upon him his own image. Man is very dear to God, because he was formed in His own image. This fact should impress us with the importance of teaching by precept and example the sin of defiling, by the indulgence of appetite, or by any other sinful practice, the body which is designed to represent God to the world. . . . {LHU 48.2}

“Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him.” {PP 46}

Greatness of the Lord: The Creator

"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable." {3SG 93.2}

"Which doeth great things, past finding out; yea, and wonders without number." {3SG 93.3}

"Which doeth great things, and unsearchable; marvelous things without number." {3SG 93.4}

God thundereth marvelously with his voice. Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend." {3SG 93.5}

"O, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor?" {3SG 93.6}

Consider the thoughts below:

Once our home was ready, God molded the first man with His own hands. Then, He also molded the first woman (Genesis 2:7, 22).

Human beings are unique. They were created in a different way, and they were the only beings created “in the image of God.” What does that mean?

Our Creator is reflected in our physical, mental, and spiritual nature.

We are able to have a relationship with God and to make moral decisions.

Both men and women share that divine image. They are equal before God (1 Corinthians 11:12).

God and Humanity

“Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28)

Christ Humanity Enable Us to Become Sons of God

Christ made it possible when He laid aside His royal robes, His royal crown, stepped down from His royal throne, clothed His divinity with humanity that humanity might touch humanity. He could not with His glory and majesty take His position among men. The glory must be laid aside He must take the rude garments of humanity that He might be afflicted with all the afflictions of humanity, that He might understand their temptations. He would become a faithful judge of how much they had to contend with in the conflict with satanic agencies. Through this experience Christ was enabled to give power to His people, for to "as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." See where our power is. It is not in ourselves. {RH, January 7, 1902 par. 2}

The Object of Christ's Sacrifice

Christ was sent to represent God in humanity. When he came to our world, his divinity was clothed with humanity, that humanity might touch humanity, and divinity lay hold of the throne of divinity. Thus moral power was brought to man. When God's Word is understood by us, we shall better understand the work and mission of Christ, and shall be able to trace out his working in behalf of humanity. {ST, July 15, 1897 par. 1}

Man Shall Live By His Words

The life thus imparted is in like manner sustained. "By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4) shall man live. {Ed 126.5}

Science and Experiences of Life

Rightly understood, both the revelations of science and the experiences of life are in harmony with the testimony of Scripture to the constant working of God in nature. {Ed 130.3}

Restoration of the Divine Image in Humanity

The work that Christ did on this earth his followers are to do. With the power and efficacy brought by the Holy Spirit they are to carry forward his plan for the restoration of the divine image in humanity. The Lord will do great things for them when they work under the Holy Spirit's guidance. But they must place their entire dependence on God. {RH, February 18, 1904 par. 18}

Let’s Think them Thoroughly!

What do God’s blessing and instructions for Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28-30 involve?

They were able to reproduce as a species.

They were assigned a task: to take care of Creation.

They were given a suitable diet.

They depended on God’s blessing and care.

They had everything they needed. They didn’t have to do anything to deserve it.

God took the first step to have a relationship with humankind. He blessed them, and He also entrusted them with everything He had created.

Covenant of God for Humanity

The rainbow spanning the heavens with its arch of light is a token of "the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature." Genesis 9:16. And the rainbow encircling the throne on high is also a token to God's children of His covenant of peace. {Ed 115.1}

How wonderful is the plan of redemption in its simplicity and fullness. It not only provides for the full pardon of the sinner but also for the restoration of the transgressor, making a way whereby he may be accepted as a son of God. Through obedience he may be the possessor of love and peace and joy. His faith may unite him in his weakness to Christ, the source of divine strength, and through the merits of Christ he may find the approval of God, because Christ has satisfied the demands of the law, and He imputes His righteousness to the penitent, believing soul. . . . {OFC 122.2}

The Loyalty Test

“but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)

The Ground of Loyalty

In the Garden of Eden was the "tree of knowledge of good and evil. . . . And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat." Genesis 2:9-17. It was the will of God that Adam and Eve should not know evil. The knowledge of good had been freely given them; but the knowledge of evil,--of sin and its results, of wearing toil, of anxious care, of disappointment and grief, of pain and death,--this was in love withheld. {Ed 23.2}

Adam's Venture to Transgress

Adam ventured to transgress one prohibition of God which was the test that God gave to man to try his loyalty and obedience. There was nothing in the fruit of the tree of knowledge that was dangerous in itself, but the danger was in Adam and Eve listening to Satan and venturing to transgress. Here was Eve listening to the voice of the tempter. His words were contradicting the words of God that death was the penalty of transgression. Satan says, "Ye shall not die." God says, "If ye eat of it ye shall die." Whom shall we believe?

The Lord placed our first parents in the garden of Eden. He surrounded them with everything that could minister to their happiness, and He bade them acknowledge Him as the possessor of all things. In the garden He caused to grow every tree that was pleasant to the eye or good for food; but among them He made one reserve. Of all else, Adam and Eve might freely eat; but of this one tree God said, "Thou shalt not eat of it." Here was the test of their gratitude and loyalty to God. {RH, February 4, 1902 par. 3}

Step to Step Away from the Light

The first step in resistance of light leads to the second, and the second to the third, until no light, however strong, no evidence, however plain, has any effect. If a man is humble and teachable, his opposition will melt away, and his heart will be softened. Christ shows him the threshold of heaven, flushed with living glory. But his glory, which softens the contrite heart, only hardens the heart that will not yield to its rays. Truth shining upon a heart determined to resist, only leads to further resistance. {RH, November 13, 1900 par. 15}

Need to Follow the RULE and GUIDE of the LIFE: The BIBLE

If you do not individually have divine enlightenment, you will certainly make great mistakes; you will call good evil, and evil good. I have been shown that you should have less burden of form and a greater burden to see deep heart work in the Sabbath-school. Every teacher in the school should feel that he is a missionary for God. He must improve his moments and his ability to obtain a knowledge of the word of God, that he may impart the same to his scholars. Teachers will become disqualified for their position if they are not learners. They need freshness of ideas, fresh, wise plans, life, tact, and spirit in their work. The Bible is the rule and guide of the life. Sound doctrine must be brought into actual contact with the minds and hearts of your scholars; then it will produce fruit, for sound practice will be seen as the result of your labors. {SSW, April 1, 1886 par. 7}

Take Some Consideration:

Successful relationships must be based on mutual trust. Therefore, God chose a simple loyalty test: “You may eat from every tree, but this one belongs to me, do not eat its fruit.”

God gave humans the ability to freely make moral decisions, and an innate desire to obey Him. So that test was not difficult to pass.

After humans betrayed God’s trust, they knew what evil is. As a result, they succumbed to alienation, loneliness, frustration, and death.

Our relationship with God will be effective and long-lasting only if we choose to accept His will.

Breakup and Hope

“And the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’” (Genesis 3:13)

The Science of All Sciences

The science of redemption is the science of all sciences; the science that is the study of the angels and of all the intelligences of the unfallen worlds; the science that engages the attention of our Lord and Saviour; the science that enters into the purpose brooded in the mind of the Infinite--"kept in silence through times eternal" (Romans 16:25, R.V.); the science that will be the study of God's redeemed throughout endless ages. This is the highest study in which it is possible for man to engage. As no other study can, it will quicken the mind and uplift the soul. {Ed 126.2}

Restoration of the Human Race

Man can accomplish nothing without God, and God has arranged His plans so far as to accomplish nothing in the restoration of the human race without the cooperation of the human with the divine. The part man is required to sustain is immeasurably small, yet in the plan of God it is just that part that is needed to make the work a success. {4MR 113.3}

Cooperation: A Necessity in Restoration

We are laborers together with God. This is the Lord's own wise arrangement. The cooperation of the human will and endeavor with divine energy is the link that binds men up with one another and with God.--Ms 113, 1898, pp. 1, 2.

Foundation of Our Hope

The foundation of our hope in Christ is the fact that we recognize ourselves as sinners in need of restoration and redemption. It is because we are sinners that we have courage to claim Him as our Saviour. Then let us take heed lest we deal with the erring in a way that would say to others that we have no need of redemption. Let us not denounce, condemn, and destroy as though we were faultless. It is the work of Christ to mend, to heal, to restore. God is love. . . . He . . . gives Satan no occasion for triumphing by making the worst appear or by exposing our weaknesses to our enemies. {HP 291.3}

Things to be Considered, Think it Through!

Satan used a serpent to deceive Eve (Genesis 3:1). However, Adam was not deceived; he consciously make his decision to eat from the fruit (Genesis 3:6; 1 Timothy 2:14). What were the consequences of this?

They lost communion with God and avoided Him (Genesis 3:8).

Mutual trust was lost (Genesis 3:12).

The horrible consequences of sin appeared (Genesis 3:16-21).

Although the relationship was broken, God gave them hope: one of Eve’s descendants would defeat sin and restore their broken relationship with Him (Genesis 3:15).

From the Pen of Inspiration:

“To man the first intimation of redemption was communicated in the sentence pronounced upon Satan in the garden (Genesis 3:15). This sentence, uttered in the hearing of our first parents, was to them a promise. While it foretold war between man and Satan, it declared that the power of the great adversary would finally be broken […] Though they must suffer from the power of their mighty foe, they could look forward to final victory.” {PP 65}