The Pentateuch: Volume 1

The Complete Portrait of the Messiah

The Pentateuch Volume

1

Other volumes in e Complete Portrait of the Messiah series

Volume 1: e Pentateuch

Volume 2: e Gospels

Volume 3: e Historical Books

Volume 4: Acts

Volume 5: e Wisdom Books

Volume 6: Paul’s Letters

Volume 7: e Major Prophets

Volume 8: General Letters

Volume 9: e Minor Prophets

Volume 10: Revelation

Also available from Time to Revive and Laura Kim Martin

reviveDAILY: A Devotional Journey from Genesis to Revelation, Year 1

reviveDAILY: A Devotional Journey from Genesis to Revelation, Year 2

The Pentateuch Volume 1

The Complete Portrait of the Messiah

Kyle Lance Martin

e Pentateuch

Published in conjunction with Iron Stream Media 100 Missionary Ridge Birmingham, AL 35242 IronStreamMedia.com

Copyright © 2022 by Time to Revive

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Iron Stream Media serves its authors as they express their views, which may not express the views of the publisher.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022939215

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible ( e Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by e Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org

Quotations taken from Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary edited by Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, and H. Wayne House. Copyright © 1999 by Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, and H. Wayne House. Used by permission of omas Nelson. www.thomasnelson.com

Quotations taken from Genesis: A Commentary by Bruce K. Waltke and Cathi J. Fredricks. Copyright © 2001 by Bruce K. Waltke. Used by permission of Zondervan. www.zondervan.com

Quotations from e Bible Exposition Commentary Old Testament © 2001 by Warren W. Wiersbe. Used by permission of David C Cook. May not be further reproduced. All rights reserved.

Quotations from Be Delivered © 1998 by Warren W. Wiersbe. Used by permission of David C Cook. May not be further reproduced. All rights reserved.

978-1-63204-094-7 (hardback) 978-1-63204-095-4 (ebook)

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Dedication

Greetings friends and colaborers of the Lord Jesus Christ!

I am writing to you with an excitement that is beyond words. For I would like to dedicate this book to individuals like yourselves whose desire to grow closer to Jesus and go deeper in the Word of God brings such JOY to my heart. And my prayer for each one of you is that the Holy Spirit will reveal more of Him self to you in this in-depth time of studying the Word of God daily. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satis fied” (Matthew 5:6 NASB). So as you embark on this journey of studying each book of the Bible, may you experience a freshness and a fulfillment that can only come from the Spirit of God. You will have days that you won’t want to wake up early and read. ere will be moments when life throws you a situation that delays your personal devotional time with Him. But please press in and allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen your every step. is will allow you to exercise your faith muscles and walk out what you are learning in this. From my experience, obedience will bring education to life!

It will be quite a strenuous commitment, yet it’s a part of an intentional strategy to equip the saints for His return. And your participation with reviveSCHOOL is a unique part of this preparation.

May the Lord receive all the glory, honor, and fame in this pursuit of righteousness.

Praying, Dr. Kyle Lance Martin

ReviveSCHOOL History and Introduction .................................................. xi How to Use is Bible Study Series ............................................................. xiv About the Cover ........................................................................................... xv

WEEK 1

Lesson 1: Genesis 1—3: e Seed of the Woman Is Jesus! ............................... 1

Lesson 2: Genesis 4—6: e Gift of the Firstborn .......................................... 5

Lesson 3: Genesis 7—9: God’s Judgment and Redemption: e Flood .......... 9

Lesson 4: Genesis 10—12: God’s Promises to Abraham ............................... 14

Lesson 5: Genesis 13—15: e Promise of Offspring ................................... 19

Lesson 6: Genesis 16—17: God Provided the Offspring ............................... 24

Lesson 7: Genesis 18: Abraham’s Divine Visitors .......................................... 29

WEEK 2

Lesson 8: Genesis 19: Problems with Being in the World ............................. 34

Lesson 9: Genesis 20—21: e Birth of Isaac ............................................... 39

Lesson 10: Genesis 22: God’s Command to Sacrifice Isaac ........................... 44

Lesson 11: Genesis 23—24: Finding a Wife for Isaac 49

Lesson 12: Genesis 25—26: e Birth of Jacob and Esau 54

Lesson 13: Genesis 27—28: How Jacob Stole Esau’s Birthright 59

Lesson 14: Genesis 29: e Line of Judah Came rough Leah ................... 64

WEEK 3

Lesson 15: Genesis 30: e Twelve Tribes of Israel ........................................ 69

Lesson 16: Genesis 31: Jacob Considers Returning to His Homeland........... 74

Lesson 17: Genesis 32—33: Jacob Wrestling with God ................................ 78

Lesson 18: Genesis 34—35: Jacob’s Delay in Following God’s Instructions .. 83

Lesson 19: Genesis 36—37: Joseph Sold into Slavery ................................... 87

Lesson 20: Genesis 38: e Sons of Jacob ..................................................... 92

Lesson 21: Genesis 39—40: God Blesses Joseph in Everything He Does ...... 97

WEEK 4

Lesson 22: Genesis 41—42: Joseph’s Brothers in Egypt 102

Lesson 23: Genesis 43—44: Joseph’s Brothers Return to Egypt 107

Lesson 24: Genesis 45—46: Joseph Reveals His Identity ............................ 112

Lesson 25: Genesis 47—48: Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh ............. 117

Lesson 26: Genesis 49—50: Jacob Blesses His Sons .................................... 121

Lesson 27: Exodus 1: Pharaoh Oppresses Israel .......................................... 126

Lesson 28: Exodus 2—3: Moses and the Burning Bush .............................. 130

WEEK 5

Lesson 29: Exodus 4—5: Moses Given Powerful Signs ............................... 135

Lesson 30: Exodus 6: God Promises Deliverance ........................................ 140

Lesson 31: Exodus 7—8: Plagues 1–4 ........................................................ 145

Lesson 32: Exodus 9—10: Plagues 5–9 ...................................................... 150

Lesson 33: Exodus 11: e Final Plague reatened ................................... 155

Lesson 34: Exodus 12—13: e Passover ................................................... 160 Lesson 35: Exodus 14—15: Crossing the Red Sea ...................................... 166

WEEK 6

Lesson 36: Exodus 16—18: Water from the Rock and Amalekite Defeat.... 171 Lesson 37: Exodus 19—20: Israel at Mt. Sinai: God’s Treasure, Kingdom of Priests, and Holy Nation ....................................... 175

Lesson 38: Exodus 21: Ordinances Regarding Slaves and Personal Injury ... 180

Lesson 39: Exodus 22: Ordinances Regarding eft, Crops, and Personal Property ...................................................................... 185

Lesson 40: Exodus 23—24: Festivals of Unleavened Bread, Harvest, and Ingathering ............................................................................... 190

Lesson 41: Exodus 25: Directions for the Tabernacle: Ark, Mercy Seat, Table, and Lampstand ............................................................... 194

Lesson 42: Exodus 26: Directions for the Tabernacle: Curtains, Planks, Bars, Veil, and Screen ................................................................ 198

WEEK 7

Lesson 43: Exodus 27—28: e Priestly Garments 202

Lesson 44: Exodus 29: e Instructions of the Holy Priests ........................ 207

Lesson 45: Exodus 30—31: Skilled Workers and the Sabbath .................... 212

Lesson 46: Exodus 32—33: Moses Intercedes for the People ...................... 217

Lesson 47: Exodus 34—35: New Stone Tablets .......................................... 222

Lesson 48: Exodus 36: Building the Tabernacle .......................................... 227

Lesson 49: Exodus 37—38: Constructing the Tabernacle ........................... 231

WEEK 8

Lesson 50: Exodus 39: Making the Priestly Garments ................................ 236

Lesson 51: Exodus 40: Setting Up the Tabernacle ....................................... 240

Lesson 52: Leviticus 1—3: e Burnt Offering .......................................... 244

Lesson 53: Leviticus 4—5: Sin Offering ..................................................... 248

Lesson 54: Leviticus 6: e Guilt Offering and Continual Fire................... 253

Lesson 55: Leviticus 7: e Fellowship Offering ......................................... 257

Lesson 56: Leviticus 8—9: e Priestly Ministry Inaugurated .................... 261

WEEK 9

Lesson 57: Leviticus 10: Unauthorized Offering ......................................... 265

Lesson 58: Leviticus 11—12: Clean and Unclean Animals ......................... 269

Lesson 59: Leviticus 13: Skin Diseases ........................................................ 273

Lesson 60: Leviticus 14: Cleansing of Skin Diseases ................................... 278

Lesson 61: Leviticus 15: Bodily Discharges................................................. 282

Lesson 62: Leviticus 16: Day of Atonement ............................................... 286

Lesson 63: Leviticus 17: Two Warnings ...................................................... 291

WEEK 10

Lesson 64: Leviticus 18: Unlawful Sexual Relations .................................... 295

Lesson 65: Leviticus 19: Laws of Holiness .................................................. 300

Lesson 66: Leviticus 20: Punishment for Molech Worship and Sexual Offenses ......................................................................... 304

Lesson 67: Leviticus 21: Holy Conduct of Priests ....................................... 309

Lesson 68: Leviticus 22: Separation of the Priests ....................................... 313

Lesson 69: Leviticus 23—24: e Sabbath and e Feasts ......................... 317

Lesson 70: Leviticus 25: Sabbath Years and Jubilee ..................................... 322

WEEK 11

Lesson 71: Leviticus 26: Covenant Blessings and Discipline ....................... 327 Lesson 72: Leviticus 27: Dedicating Persons and ings............................. 332

Lesson 73: Numbers 1—2: e Census of Israel 337

Lesson 74: Numbers 3: e Levitical Census 342

Lesson 75: Numbers 4: Duties of the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites ............................................................................ 347

Lesson 76: Numbers 5—6: e Nazirite Vow ............................................. 352

Lesson 77: Numbers 7: Offerings from the Leaders .................................... 357

WEEK 12

Lesson 78: Numbers:8—9: e Second Passover and Guidance by Cloud .. 362

Lesson 79: Numbers 10—11: Trumpets and Complaints ........................... 367

Lesson 80: Numbers 12—13: Scouting Out Canaan .................................. 372

Lesson 81: Numbers 14: e People Rebel ................................................. 377

Lesson 82: Numbers 15—16: Korah’s Rebellion ......................................... 382

Lesson 83: Numbers 17—18: Aaron’s Staff at Budded ........................... 387

Lesson 84: Numbers 19—20: Years of Wandering: Purification Rituals ...... 392

WEEK 13

Lesson 85: Numbers 21—22: March of Israel: e Bronze Snake ............... 397

Lesson 86: Numbers 23—24: Balaam Blesses Israel .................................... 402

Lesson 87: Numbers 25—26: e Doctrine of Balaam 407

Lesson 88: Numbers 27—28: Laws of Inheritance 412

Lesson 89: Numbers 29—30: Calendar of Public Sacrifices ........................ 416

Lesson 90: Numbers 31: War with Midian ................................................. 420

Lesson 91: Numbers 32: Transjordan Tribe Request ................................... 424

WEEK 14

Lesson 92: Numbers 33: From Egypt to Jordan .......................................... 428

Lesson 93: Numbers 34: Boundaries of the Promised Land ........................ 432

Lesson 94: Numbers 35—36: Towns for the Levites ................................... 436

Lesson 95: Deuteronomy 1—3: Journey to the Promised Land .................. 440

Lesson 96: Deuteronomy 4—6: Instructions Before Entering the Promised Land .................................................................... 444

Lesson 97: Deuteronomy 7—9: Remember What You Have Been Taught 448

Lesson 98: Deuteronomy 10—12: Covenant—Remember and Obey 452

WEEK 15

Lesson 99: Deuteronomy 13—14: False Prophets ...................................... 457

Lesson 100: Deuteronomy 15—16: Celebrating Freedom from Bondage ... 461

Lesson 101: Deuteronomy 17—18: Priests and Prophets ........................... 465

Lesson 102: Deuteronomy 19—20: Preparing for Battle ............................ 469

Lesson 103: Deuteronomy 21—22: Unsolved Murders, Captured Women, and Rebellious Sons .................................. 474

Lesson 104: Deuteronomy 23—24: Lists to Live By................................... 478

WEEK 16

Lesson 105: Deuteronomy 25—26: Firstfruits, Tithe, and Covenant Summary ................................................................ 482

Lesson 106: Deuteronomy 27: Living Under the Law 486

Lesson 107: Deuteronomy 28: Receiving God’s Blessings 490

Lesson 108: Deuteronomy 29—30: Choose Life 495

Lesson 109: Deuteronomy 31: Moses’ Song for the People ......................... 500

Lesson 110: Deuteronomy 32—34: Give Back to the Jews ......................... 505

Contributing Authors ................................................................................ 510

reviveSCHOOL History and Introduction

In January of 2015, our ministry, Time to Revive, was invited from our home base in Richardson, Texas, to Goshen, Indiana, to help equip the local church to learn how to go out and share the gospel in their community. We called it reviveINDIANA. During this frigid first trip in January, our intention was to help facilitate a week of prayer and outreach as a form of training, which we hoped would lead to an intentional week of outreach later that year. Little did we know that God had other plans.

e week of prayer and outreach started with about 450 people from various churches in the community and, to our surprise, quickly swelled to over 3,000. And by the end of that first week, the Holy Spirit confirmed to a group of us, including local pastors, that the Time to Revive team should stay for 52 straight days! Imagine the phone calls we had to make to our spouses telling them we were going to stay a “little” longer.

Over the course of these seven weeks, the local church witnessed God move in mighty ways, and each person involved could tell you miraculous testimonies of how they witnessed, firsthand, how God was moving. e 52 days culminated on March 4 of that year where an estimated 10,000 people showed up to brave the cold temperatures and go out and share the love of Jesus Christ.

All the while, word of this was spreading throughout the state, and it led to the Time to Revive team being invited to seven different cities in Indiana over the course of the next seven months. We continued to witness the local body of believers in these various communities encouraged and equipped to continue to take out their faith and share with others. e gospel wasn’t intended to stay only in the church building. Jesus commissioned each one of us to go and make disciples in our own Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Back in Goshen, the local body continued to go out regularly after those initial 52 days while keeping track of the days since that first amazing week. A couple of years later in 2017, the local believers invited our team to celebrate their 1,000th day of outreach in their community. It was during that time when a local man shared with us a dream he had, which led us to start a two-year Bible study in the community. Similar to the Apostle Paul as he taught 12 disciples in Ephesus to study the Word of God on a daily basis, Time to Revive’s desire was to also pro vide in-depth teaching that would focus on where the Messiah is found in every book of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. We knew this would deepen their commitment to sharing the gospel as well as deepen their relationship with the Lord and with those whom they were discipling.

But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from them and met separately with the disciples, conducting discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. —Acts 19:9

is local Bible study started with 12 men who signed up and committed to study the Word of God in a barn on a county road in Goshen, Indiana. And on January 1, 2018, we launched reviveSCHOOL with 54 men in this initial group. ey studied the Scriptures daily, using the online resources, then gath ered in the barn to discuss them in person. Each student studied the Bible daily using these resources:

• a Scripture reading plan to stay on track,

• a 29-minute teaching video (by Kyle Lance Martin, Indiana pastors, and TTR teachers),

• a devotion (written by Laura Kim Martin),

• reading guide questions to help facilitate discussion and critical thinking,

• lesson plans to summarize the daily teaching, and

• a painting of each book of the Bible by Mindi Oaten.

Upon the completion of the two-year study in the Word, Time to Revive celebrated over 200 students who had joined reviveSCHOOL with a gradua tion ceremony in January 2020. Plans were made for these individuals to take the Word and launch reviveSCHOOL groups not only in the United States but also throughout various nations. However, with worldwide travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this travel didn’t happen. ankfully, God had another plan, His plan was “above and beyond” all that Time to Revive could ask or think of (Ephesians 3:20–21).

With all the reviveSCHOOL materials already available online, the Holy Spirit spread the word to pastors and leaders of nations all throughout the world. Believers were hungry for biblically sound teaching and resources to grow closer to the Lord. As exemplified in Acts 19 with Paul and the disciples, and all the people of Asia, the Word of God through reviveSCHOOL truly spread—from a barn in Indiana to the nations.

And this went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the message about the Lord. —Acts 19:10

By God’s grace, reviveSCHOOL has become an outlet for individuals to gain fresh insight into the Messiah all throughout the Scriptures, as well as to develop an understanding of the role of Israel from a biblical perspective.

I am humbled and honored that you would select reviveSCHOOL for your learning. When we started with 12 guys in a Bible study, we had no idea that reviveSCHOOL would be as far reaching as it has become. Our team would delight in knowing that you are studying the Word of God and using the resources with reviveSCHOOL. We pray that through these resources you will grow closer to the Lord and that you are inspired to walk out the plans that God has for your life by exposing others to the love of Christ.

For further information about how to sign up for this two-year study in the Word of God or if you would like to launch a reviveSCHOOL group in your commu nity, state/province, or country, please go online to www.reviveSCHOOL.org.

To God be the glory!

Dr. Kyle Lance Martin

How to Use This Bible Study Series

e Complete Portrait of the Messiah Bible study series contains multiple com ponents for each lesson. ese components work together to provide an in-depth study of how Jesus is revealed throughout the whole of Scripture. Below is a description of each component and how you can use each one to maximize your study experience.

Teaching Notes & Video Lessons

e teaching notes summarize the main points of each video lesson and include a QR code to access the video teaching. If you have access to the internet via your phone or tablet, you can scan the QR code to watch the video lesson.

e Daily Word Devotional Dig deeper into personal application for each lesson through “ e Daily Word” devotion. is day-by-day devotion encourages you with thoughts for applica tion and further Scripture readings.

Reading Guide Questions

ese questions will guide you into a more detailed exploration of each lesson’s content. Examine the concepts of the daily Scripture readings in more detail.

e Bible Art Collection is Bible study series is augmented by a one-of-a-kind, especially inspired series of original artwork created by artist Mindi Oaten. ese 66 acrylic paintings creatively depict the revelation of Christ in each book of the Bible. Viewing each of these original art pieces will inspire and further enrich your understanding of Jesus throughout all of the Scriptures. ese can be found at https://www.mindioaten.com/pages/mindi-oaten-art-bible-art-collection or https://www.reviveschool.org/

About the Cover Genesis “ e Promised Seed”

Artist Notes: Mindi Oaten

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. —Genesis 1:1

In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we see the beginning of the Seed.* Yet, I chose to focus on the Garden and the fall of man to begin this painting series. We entered God’s plan in the Garden, walking with Him in the cool of the day. en something went terribly wrong as man yielded to temptation, choosing to sin, which separated us from God. Mankind was expelled from the Garden and so began our life’s journey apart from communion with God. Despite this dis obedience, God had a plan to return us to that place of intimacy through Jesus Christ, the Promised Seed to come. Jesus, the Seed, was there in the beginning.

The Apples

e woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’”

“No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman. “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” en the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. en the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. —Genesis 3:2–7

Not really thinking about it, I chose to paint two apples, one whole and one bit ten. Prophetically, the whole apple represents first love, relationship, and union, whereas the bitten apple represents division and the nature of sin. In Scripture, the number two is symbolic of union. God designed union when He created us to have an intimate relationship with Him in the Garden of Eden. e relational and physical union created between a man and a woman symbolizes the spiritual union of Christ and His bride, the Church. e number two can also

represent separation or division, as well as good and evil. In Genesis, Adam and Eve were forced to leave the Garden, separating us from intimacy with God when they chose to eat the forbidden fruit. Here, division entered the world. By going deeper, we see the “first” Adam brought separation and division into the world, while the “second” Adam, Jesus Christ the Messiah, reestablished intimate union by bringing us back into a right relationship with God through redemption and eternal life. e number two is used with prophetic representation throughout the Scriptures. Even the entirety of God’s testimony is divided into two sections, the Old and the New Testament.

The Garden Below

So the LORD God sent him away from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life. —Genesis 3:23–24

As I was praying about what to paint, God showed me a picture of the Garden below the surface. He spoke to me about the Garden still being with us; it’s just not in plain sight. ere’s been a separation, but it’s still accessible through Christ, the Promised Seed. In the painting, the flowers below the surface represent this sepa ration from God after Eve and Adam ate of the fruit from the tree of life. Walking with the Lord gives us daily access to the Garden until Jesus returns, establishing His kingdom, a new heaven and new earth. As a symbol that He is always with us, God instructed me to paint an aspect of the Garden in each painting of the Bible.

The Seed and New Sprout: Hope

I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.

—Genesis 3:15

I painted a seed that fell into soil from the core of the apple. Spiritually, the seed represents Christ. As a physical seed is planted in the woman to bear a child, God’s plan for redemption is the Seed that will come through chosen generations. is Seed, the Messiah, was foretold in Isaiah 7:14: “ erefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (ESV).

*In reviveSCHOOL, the theme name for Jesus in Genesis is Seed.

Lesson 1: Genesis 1—3

Seed: e Seed of the Woman Is Jesus!

Teaching Notes

Intro

Over the course of 730 days, we’re going to give you a picture of what Christ looks like in all 66 books of the Bible. We’re not going to go over everything in the Scriptures . . . it’s too much. We’re going to focus on where we see the Messiah in these passages. It will be like a puzzle. What I’m after is that you actually get the picture, one piece at a time, of who the Messiah really is. How does all the stuff in the Old Testament point to Christ in the New Testament? You’ve got the pre-incarnate Christ (when Jesus showed up in the Old Testament), the type and antitypes (such as when Jesus is compared to the light), and the foreshadowed Christ (such as Adam in Genesis, the first Adam, who was a foreshadow of the second Adam—Jesus).

We want to focus in on the image of Jesus throughout the Scriptures. For each book, we’re going to give you one word. And at the end of the study, you’re going to have 66 words that paint a picture of the Messiah throughout the entire Bible.

Teaching

For the entire book of Genesis, as we focus on Jesus, we’re going to see Him as the Seed. When the fall of man took place, God still had an answer. It is the Seed, Christ.

Genesis 1—3: In Genesis 1, the details of the seven days of creation are given. In Genesis 2, both man and woman are created. In Genesis 3, we’ll take the discussion a little deeper. After the woman had eaten from the fruit of the tree and given it to the man to eat, “So the Lord God asked the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’” (v. 13). And she blamed the serpent (v. 14).

God cursed the serpent. Some people believe that before the curse, snakes had arms and legs.1 Whether God took away arms and legs or a voice or not, the

1 See the interesting discussion “Did the Serpent Originally Have Legs” by Bodie Hodge, Answers in Genesis, January 26, 2010, https://answersingenesis.org/genesis/garden-of-eden/ did-the-serpent-originally-have-legs/.

serpent was forced to move on its belly and eat dust all the days of its life. en God moved on to curse the others who followed the seed of the serpent (v. 15). God created enmity, which means a state of feeling actively opposed and hostile toward someone or something, between the woman and the serpent. ere is always strife—it doesn’t stop!

Why? Why was there hostility? Because the woman and the man had taken a bite of the fruit that God told them not to. Because they disobeyed God, there’s going to be hostility. Hostility would therefore exist between the serpent and the woman, and between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. e Seed of the woman will strike the serpent’s head, and the serpent will strike His heel. ere’s going to be a battle between Satan and the Seed of the woman, who is Jesus. ere’s always going to be a battle.

Ephesians 6:10-14: “Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil” (vv. 10-11). e whole goal of Satan was to deceive the woman and attack everything Jesus stands for. “For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. is is why you must take up the full armor of God” (vv. 12–14). As we go through this school, when you understand that every day is a battle, you’ve already won half of it. So, what does this mean, the whole idea that the Seed of the woman will crush the serpent?

Hebrews 2:14: “Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the Devil.” Jesus totally trumped Satan by dying on the cross. Even though the battle began with a bite of fruit in the garden, God had already put in the Seed, Christ, for His answer!

Romans 16:20a: “ e God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” In this battle that is raging, eventually Jesus will defeat Satan and—boom—it will be over. But we’re not there yet. Even though Jesus died, was buried, and rose again, it isn’t until Jesus comes back again that Satan will be ultimately finished. Right now, he functions as god of this air. e question is, “Will we give in to the seed of the serpent, or will we function in the Seed, Christ?”

Galatians 3:19: is verse talks about the Seed. Why was the Law—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy—given? Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, we needed the Law. It’s the parameters that we need to function within. Pastor Tony Evans describes the Law as a football field. God sets the parameters. He creates the boundaries of the field. But we have the free will. e Law was given until the Seed would come. So, has the Seed come? Or are we still waiting?

In Paul’s context, Jesus had already come, so we’re not under the Law anymore. Since He’s come, the Law is no longer our driving force. So how do we know the Seed was Jesus?

Galatians 3:16: e “Seed of the Woman” is Jesus! When we believe in the death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus, we have the Seed, Christ. I have to tell you, that’s the only way we get through life. When you have the Seed, Christ, you can overcome the seed of the serpent anytime. In fact, when you have the Seed, Christ, you’ve already won!

1 Corinthians 15:56-57: Paul explained how the seed of the serpent, death, no longer has a sting. Now the sting of death is sin, the power of sin is Law. But thanks be to God who gives the victory through Jesus Christ. He is our Seed!

Closing

e Seed that is deposited in Genesis 3:15 will become our thread all the way through Genesis. We want to talk about Christ in the Scriptures so that we can overcome the temptation and the sin that was set in place because of the seed of the serpent with Adam and Eve. John Walvoord, the late president of Dallas eological Seminary, said: “A ray of light is provided in the Adamic Covenant because God promised a Redeemer that would come.” at Redeemer is the Seed, Christ, in Genesis 3:15.

The Daily Word

Every day is a battle between the two seeds—Satan and Jesus. How does this battle between Satan and Jesus affect your walk with Christ today? e enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

As you walk with Jesus through the everyday battles, remember the victory belongs to the Lord Jesus; He is our God of peace.

e LORD God said, “Since man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil.” —Genesis 3:22

Further Scripture: John 10:10; Ephesians 6:10–11; 1 Corinthians 15:54–57

Questions

1. What was Jesus’ role in creation? (John 1:1, 3; Colossians 1:16)

2. How is “light” in creation (Genesis 1:3) a foreshadowing of Christ? (Psalm 27:1; John 1:5-10; 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:6)

3. How is Christ the second Adam? (Romans 5:14–19; 1 Corinthians 15:45–47)

4. What/Who is the “seed” in Genesis 3:15? (Galatians 3:16,19; 4:4; Hebrews 2:14)

5. In Genesis 3:21, what did God cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness with? How does this foreshadow Christ? (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22; 10:1–18)

6. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Genesis 1—3 through the reading or the teaching?

Lesson 2: Genesis 4—6

Seed: e Gift of the Firstborn

Teaching Notes Review

Yesterday, in Genesis 1—3, we saw Jesus in Genesis as the Seed. Genesis 3:15 states, “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” e first Messianic prophecy was found in the fall of man.

Teaching

For the entire book of Genesis, as we focus on Jesus, we’re going to see Him as the Seed. When the fall of man took place, God still had an answer. It is the Seed

Genesis 4:1–2: Eve conceived and gave birth to Cain. Some of us get stuck in sin, and we don’t move forward; but Adam and Eve knew there was hope, so they moved forward and had a child. Eve gave birth to a second son, Abel, who became a shepherd of the flock. Cain cultivated the land; he became a farmer. Since names are important in Scripture, we should note that “Cain” means to acquire or to possess. A literal English translation would be “got.” “Abel” can be translated as “breath,” meaning short-lived.

Genesis 4:3–4: In Genesis 3:15, we first noted two different seeds. In this passage, there are two different types of seeds functioning here. Cain as a farmer presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord, but he held back. Abel on his part gave the firstborn. He did not hold back. God saw the heart behind what they presented; He saw their motives. In his offering, Cain personified Isaiah 29:13: “ e Lord said: Because these people approach Me with their mouths to honor Me with lip-service—yet their hearts are far from Me, and their worship consists of man-made rules learned by rote.” Cain asked, “What can I get by with?” So you have the seed of the serpent functioning with Cain. He was reproducing that spiritual enmity with God. And in Abel, you see the Seed of the woman (the Messiah), the love of God.

is is constantly the tension we have to go against: Do we want to function as a seed of the woman, knowing we have the Seed, Christ? Or do we function as the seed of the serpent, always trying to go against God and get away with whatever we can?

In Scripture, the firstborn is important. Exodus 34:19 says, “ e firstborn male from every womb belongs to Me, including all your male livestock, the firstborn of cattle or sheep.” Deuteronomy 12:6 says, “You are to bring there your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tenths and personal contributions, your vow offerings and freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.” You are supposed to give the best to the Lord, not what you can get away with.

Abel was willing to give everything he could to his Father because he realized it was an offering to the Lord. Your life is not yours if you have the Seed, Christ, in you. Yet for some reason we think that each day we can choose whether we live for ourselves or the Lord. Walter Kaiser Jr. said, “God always inspects the giver and the worshiper before He inspects the gift, service, or worship.”1 I want us to have pure motives as we do everything in the reviveSCHOOL. When we do that, God will honor that!

1 Corinthians 15:20: “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Abel was presenting a foreshadowing of Christ as he offered the firstfruits.

1 Corinthians 15:21–22: “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” When you function in the spirit of the seed of the serpent, you die; but when you function in the spirit of the Seed, Christ, you live!

1 Corinthians 15:23–25: “But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; after ward, at His coming, those who belong to Christ. en comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when He abolishes all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He puts all His enemies under His feet.” It starts with the firstfruits.

1 Corinthians 15:26–29: “ e last enemy to be abolished is death. For God has put everything under [Jesus’] feet. But then it says ‘everything’ is put under [Jesus] it is obvious that [God] who puts everything under [Jesus] is the exception. And everything is subject to Christ, then the Son Himself will also be subject to [God]

1 Walter C. Kaiser Jr. et al., Hard Sayings of the Bible (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1996), 101.

who subjected everything to [Jesus], so that God may be all in all.” It starts with Christ as the Seed. When we consider the picture of Abel, then Christ, all of a sudden, is the first fruit.

Genesis 4:5–7: God didn’t have regard for Cain and his offering. But God effec tively told Cain, “If you do what is right, you will be accepted” (v. 7). Here’s what I love about how God works. Even though Cain messed up, God gave him a second chance! If you do what is right, you will be accepted. God gave Cain a way out. All we have to do is humble ourselves and admit we are wrong. According to Isaiah 66:2, “My hand made all these things, and so they all came into being. is is the L’s declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble, submissive in spirit, and trembles at My word.” God accepts those who are humble and submissive in spirit.

Cain murdered his brother because he functioned in the seed of the serpent. Proverbs 28:13 states: “ e one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but who ever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.” Praise the Lord for second chances (James 4:8)! Seasons of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19). Do you know how that happens? It happens through the firstfruits. God sent Jesus Christ as our firstfruits. And how is He the firstfruits? Because He is the Seed that we know was the answer to overcome all of this.

Closing

It wasn’t about what Cain gave; it was about his heart condition. Cain was still giving something, but he was thinking more about himself. Jude 1:11–13 warns, “Woe to them! For they have traveled in the way of Cain . . . these are the ones who are like dangerous reefs at your love feasts . . . nurturing only themselves without fear. ey are like waterless clouds carried along by winds; trees in late autumn—fruitless, twice dead, pulled out by the roots,” ese are the ones who are dangerous . . . they are fruitless.

We have to start being careful of people in the Church. If we want to change culture, we can’t be about ourselves. We have to be about Him! We have to bring the best to the table. e whole book of Jude is about warning people that it’s not going to get better. We have to contend for the faith. According to 1 John 3:11–13, “For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another, unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s works were righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.” We should love one another, unlike Cain, who was of the evil one.

When you have the Seed, Christ, you have love for God and love for others. When you have the seed of the serpent, like Cain, you think of yourself.

Don’t be surprised if the world hates you. What I really believe is happening is that as the Lord is coming, if you function in righteousness and bring the firstfruits, the world will hate you. If you bring the firstfruits, which is Christ, to the table, then you’ve got nothing to lose because your life isn’t yours anyway. Abel brought his best. It was a foreshadowing of Christ being the best. Don’t bring the leftovers. It’s an interesting picture in Genesis 1—6: the seed and the firstfruits all point to Christ.

The Daily Word

e Lord calls believers to check their hearts. Ask yourself, “Am I walking with a seed of Cain, having evil motives, or am I walking with a seed of Abel, having righteous motives?” e Lord longs for you to live with a pure heart. en you will see Him. May you hold nothing back from the Lord so you may see all God has for you!

e L had regard for Abel and his offering, but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. —Genesis 4:4–5

Further Scripture: Psalm 26:2; Psalm 51:10; Matthew 5:8

Questions

1. In Genesis 4:3–4, what is the difference between Cain and Abel’s offerings to the Lord? Knowing that the Lord looks at the heart (Isaiah 29:13), what would an offering like Abel’s look like in your life?

2. In Genesis 4:1–12, how is Abel and his offering a foreshadowing of Christ? (Hebrews 11:4; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23)

3. Whose seed does Cain carry, and whose seed does Abel carry? (1 John 3:12; Jude 11–13)

4. e Lord gave Cain a second chance in Genesis 4:6 and kept him from death in Genesis 4:13–15. What does this reveal about God’s character?

5. In what ways does Jesus’ blood surpass that of Abel’s? (Hebrews 12:24; Ephe sians 5:2)

6. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Genesis 4—6 through the reading or the teaching?