The First Command Genesis 2:16-17

The First Command

What can we learn about The Lawgiver from the laws He gives?

What are the characteristics of His Person found in His laws?

Are there patterns in His laws that reveal His character?

Genesis 1 Genesis 2Panoramic View Small, Selective View1:1-2:3 overviews six days of creation & one day of “rest”

2:4-25 focuses solely upon latter part of Day Six

Commands Adam and Eve as a couple in 1:26-31

Commands only Adam in 2:16-17 (pre-Eve)

Creation of Adam and Eve together

Creation of Adam first, then Eve

The Garden (Genesis 2:7-15)

Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food;

The Garden (Genesis 2:7-15)

the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four rivers. The name of the first is Pishon; it flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. The gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there.

The Garden (Genesis 2:7-15)

The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Tigris; it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. Then the Lord God took the man and placed him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

The First Command (Genesis 2:16-17)

And the Lord God commanded the man saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die”.

The First Command (Genesis 2:16-17)

From any tree of the garden you may eat freely Provision: lavishBut from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat Prohibition: smallFor in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die Penalty: strong

One Flesh Formed (Genesis 2:18-25)

Perfect unity designed to keep God’s commands

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh”… they shall become one flesh... the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

What Could Go Wrong?

Enter: The Crafty One

And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.

God in Genesis 2:16-17 Serpent in Genesis 3:1

From any tree of the garden you may eat freely

Provision: lavish

Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?

Provision: reducedProhibition: increased

God’s gracious provision for His creatures

The tempter negates the lavish provision and refocuses attention to the “unfair” prohibition

God in Genesis 2:16-17 Eve in Genesis 3:2-3From any tree of the garden you may eat freely Provision: lavish

From the fruit of the trees in the garden we may eatProvision: reduced

But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat

Prohibition: small

But from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it’Prohibition: increased

For in the day that you eat from it you shall surely diePenalty: strong

Lest we die

Penalty: weakened

God Mankind

Provision: lavish Provision: reduced

Prohibition: small Prohibition: increased

Penalty: strong Penalty: weakened

Principles to Ponder

Lavish in His ProvisionConsider the ways of God:

Fair in His Prohibition

Strong in His Penalty

Principles to Ponder

Do I fully appreciate His lavish provision?Consider my relationship with God:

Do I overemphasize His prohibitions?

Do I soften His right to discipline?

Do I know His word precisely so to obey it carefully and correctly?

Principles to Ponder

Am I a lavish provider?

Consider my patterns with others at

Am I fair in what I prohibit?

Are my penalties clearly stated & strong?

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The Spankin’ Spoon

The First Command Genesis 2:16-17