Audio Tape # None (Technical failure) - May 21, 2000         
(Updated & corrected June 1, 2002 - See below . . . )

Zoo Creation Tours available on request for Homeschool groups, churches, etc..

Review: (Gen 1-3:1) Creation See the notes on the Web

Genesis 3 Previous Outline points:
I. The Serpent (Gen 3:1 a)    
II. The Seducer's First Ploy (Gen 3:1 b)
III. The Woman's Deception (Gen 3:2-3)
IV. Denying God & His God's Word
      A. Denying Death (Gen 3:4) "You will not_______"
      B. Denying the Only Deity (Gen 3:5) "You will be _______"
V. Temptation in 3-D (Gen 3:6)
VI. Disordered Families Become Dysfunctional (Gen 3:7-8)
VII. The Father's Parenting Principles: Raising Godly Children (Gen 3:9-19)

The Text: Genesis 3:14 - 19 (Strong's #'s in parentheses)

"14 So the Lord God said to the serpent: “ Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
16 To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.”
17Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

Exposition and Commentary - (Gen 14 - 19)

VII. God the Father's Corrective Curse:
                   The Disease of Terminal Entropy (Punishment with a positive purpose)

- The core at the heart of man's sin was choosing to love self above God and neighbor, which is the very opposite of Jesus' self-sacrificial character (Mat 22:36-40).
[see the article on "God's Simple A.B.C.'s for J.O.Y."]
- God is Love and He is Holy. His Holiness will not, cannot tolerate the unrighteousness and ungodliness that distorts His image in the world.

Romans 1:18-25 [Emphasis added]
18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man . . . ."
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

- God's Fatherly response was corrective discipline (punishment with a purpose).

Hebrews 12:3-11
3 "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

- The First Wilderness (Wild Kingdom), The Curse of Corruption (Rom 8)

Romans 8:18-25
18 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

- Terminal Entropy, is the consequence man and the whole of creation must endure. The LORD has been gradually withdrawing His hand from this sinful world, increasing separation from God who holds all things together (Heb 1). He alone is self-existent. As soon as man sinned, and our Holy God started His withdrawal, the creation began to "naturally" fall apart. The creation is not naturally self-existent. It is dependent upon God for its existence.

  (Correction, June 1, 2002 - thanks to the scientists at Answers in Genesis) Please remember, that God's primary punishment in Gen 3, in fact all throughout History (His Story), is that He partially withdraws His Hand of protective provision (1 Peter 5:5-9), which holds all things in order (Heb 1:3). The wages of sin is Devolution: that is, death, decay, entropy/disorder (allowing the second law of thermodynamics to go beyond its original function, becoming a cosmic cancer).  

    *  The second law of thermodynamics was functional before Adam sinned, such as in the process of digestion, chemical processes, etc., but death and disease were not. 

For example, the harmony of Eden degenerated into violent dysfunction, as Adam's sin began a separation of the world from God.  Noah's flood resulted from God letting go of the waters above the earth (in the vapor canopy, Gen 2:6), also releasing the subterranian rivers that had previously rushed through caverns beneath the earth's surface.  When Israel sinned, God withdrew His hand of protective provision, and allowed the locusts and enemy armies to invade.  Then, in order for the penalty for our sin to be fully paid, God the Father withdrew His Hand from "the Lamb of God", and allowed men to kill Him.  Finally, the ultimate consequence for this sinful world will involve an exponential escalation of entropy/disorder (Luk 21:25-28; 2 Peter 3; Rev 6-18), when even the forces that hold the cosmic and atomic structures together will be allowed to degrade into chaos (terminal entropy).  Then God will, as He promised, recreate new heavens and a new earth, in which the lion, the wolf, and the lamb will once again lay down together in peace and harmony (Isa 11 & 65; Romans 8).  And who knows, maybe then I'll get to go back to my favorite job, a zookeeper!

The Devolution of God's Creation 
(The Downward Socialization Sindrome)

Deception > 
    Doubt >
        Disloyalty >
            Disrespect > 
                Disobedience > 
                    Disorder > 
                        Dysfunction > 
                            Destruction > 
                                Dishonor of God's Image

Yet God's sovereign mercy and grace always makes a way to fulfill His plan and its promise (Rom 8:28-29)! God will bring out of this dying world, a remnant of followers, by grace alone through faith alone in the person and sufficient work of Messiah, Jesus, the prophesied seed of a woman, the root of Jesse (Gen 3; Isa 52-53).

After sin, separation from God, and the flood (Gen 9), God then gave provisional permission for man to kill and eat the animals. The flood destroyed most of the existing plant fauna, which are merely organic machines without soul life (nephesh chayee). So God gave provisional permission to eat the physical flesh of animals (without their blood, which represents their soul life - Gen 9; Lev 17).
** See "Commentary on the Old Testament", by Keil and Delitzsch.

Even then, God commanded that man respectfully honor the animal's soul life (nephesh chayee), represented by its blood, by draining it out and either bringing it to the altar if it was a sacrifice, or burying it if it was the result of hunting for food (Lev 17). Satan the great deceiver has conned many Christians into hardening their hearts to the reality of God's concern for animal life that thinks, feels, and suffers pain, fear, terror, and even despair. Then Lucifer encourages cult groups, and pagan cultures to recognize this truth to the shame of Christians. Just as the feminist movement is a reaction against the failure of men (even some Christian men) to love their wives as Christ does the church, so also the environmental movement is in part a reaction against the failure of man (yes even Christians) to be a good steward of God's earth and a shepherd - rather than a fallen wolf - to God's thinking, feeling creatures.

God hates violence, pain, suffering, and death, even of the animals. Isaiah 11 and 65 foretell of the day when He will end the current state of the wild kingdom, and return it to its Edenic character of peaceful, harmonious cooperation without competition and survival of the strongest and meanest.
Remember that Gen 1 uses the term "bara" (to create a new thing out of nothing) at three points:
* at the creation of space/time/matter/energy
* at the creation of animal soul life (nephesh chayee)
* at the personal creation of human soul life (nephesh chayee)

The curse also parallels these three categories of bara creation:
* the ground and plants with thorns and thistles
* the serpent and collaterally all of animal life
* mankind

- The Bible says a day is coming, The Day of Judgment, when absolute entropy will occur, and the very elements of the universe will decay into a massive radioactive flame-out:

2 Peter 3:1-13
"Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “ Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

- The Bible even says that during the seven year tribulation ("Jacob's Trouble"), God will withdraw His hand more than ever before. During this final time when God says: "Have your own way", both social and even physical-chemical entropy will increase at an exponential rate. The very fabric of the universe that is held together by His hand will began to become unstable in such a frightening manner that men will look at the heavens with terror. Some will even collapse in heart failure.

Luke 21:11
" . . . and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven."
Luke 21:25-28
25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 “ men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. 27 “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

- The New Age philosophical infection that is spreading like an epidemic throughout the global village today is pushing "THE LIE" of self-deifying evolution.
- But remember my seven year old son, Michael's, answers to: "Why does God allow so much suffering?" (after six heart surgeries). See the outline from the Southern Medical Association Prayer Breakfast.

1. So that we would know how much we need Him.
2. So we can have opportunities to tell more people about Him.

- From God's initial corrective Word to arrogant Adam, to the culmination of His/story, He has allowed us to learn through experience how weak we really are. God is our Creator and we are mere creatures.
- God's only way home is the way of His Son, Jesus the Messiah. He is the very embodiment of God's way home: humble, submissive faith (John 14:6; James 2:19).

Application:

Do you thankfully and gratefully respond to trials and suffering in life with humble submissive faith in God?
Or do you react with the Adamic attitudes that weep in self-pity crying, "This is not fair, I deserve better."?
Or do you lash out in prideful bitterness, hissing through gnashed teeth, "I can take care of myself."?

Take your pick folks. It's either God's Way or the WILDerness.
Please learn from this ex-zookeeper of lions, tigers, and bears
(who once fell part-way into the lion's den):
. . . repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand, and your enemy the Devil prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.

God's Way Home
Submissive Faith
The Way of the Son