Fulfill your week
Scripture Gen 2:18-24
Scripture Gen 2:18-24
2:18 And the LORD God said, [It is] not good
that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
2:19 And
out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl
of the air; and brought [them] unto Adam to see what he would call them: and
whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that [was] the name thereof.
2:20 And
Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast
of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
2:21 And
the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took
one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
2:22 And
the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought
her unto the man.
2:23 And
Adam said, This [is] now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be
called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
2:24 Therefore
shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife:
and they shall be one flesh.
Introduction
Although
not very vivid, what our scripture reading is speaking about is the first
marriage
performed
on Earth.
Most of us will
brag that we know the story very well. However, if we take another look at Gen 2:24, this time likening the man to
Christ and the woman to the church we will begin to understand why it is that
we will be clothed with immortality in the hereafter and why it is that Christ
had to take on flesh for eternity.
Let us pray
Who is the bride and who is the groom?
In Scripture the church is often referred to
as the bride of Christ. Before moving on, let
me
momentarily address this fact that Christ is the groom and the church is his
bride.
2Cor 11:2 "...I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present
you as a chaste virgin to Christ.", Rom 7:4...."ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead..."
Eph 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church... ",
Matt 22:2-14
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage
for his son,
Matt 25: 1-13 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened
unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the
bridegroom.
Rev. 19:9
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed [are] they which are called unto
the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true
sayings of God.
Rev 21:2
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Luke 12:36
And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will
return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto
him immediately.
The announcement
There is a lot
more to be understood from these texts, but it is only to be revealed to the
honest enquiring mind. You’ll be surprised at the answers you will find when
you question scripture.
Zeroing in on our
scripture reading we can also glean much by asking questions. For example, let’s
consider the question “why did Adam make the declaration that he did in verse Gen 2:23.
I think it is common
knowledge that this announcement made by Adam on Earth, was also made by Christ
in heaven.
This idea is also
supported by Stephen Bohr. He says that – heavenly announcements are made and
then Earth catches up to them. As in the case of the great disappointment
(Second Advent) and the day of Pentecost (installed as King- Judah installed as
King over all nations) Heavenly announcement were made, they were
mis-interpreted at first but then they were interpreted correctly later.
As it relates to the announcement
made by Adam, the explanation can be derived by comparing what takes place in a
Jewish wedding.
Jewish Wedding
A special ceremony
(Ufruf) is arranged for the groom. This involves him going to the synagogue and
taking an active part in the service, as well as announcing the impending
wedding to the congregation. Often when the groom is playing his part in the
service, members of the congregation will shower him with sweets. (which
emphasizes their wish for children and sweetness in the marriage)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/rites/weddings_1.shtml
Do you see the
parallel?
Do you
understand why there would be such a service in heaven?
As a result, “Who
are the members of the congregation?”
I believe that
what we are witnessing now is the separation for a week which is typical of the
Jewish wedding.
As I read about
the Jewish wedding, I found it very interesting that in the Jewish wedding the
bride was supposed to have a ceremonial bath and strip herself of any jewelry.
I have not made
any application of this event other than what it physically represents. Being
clean. Some might understand that the bath is symbolic of baptism and the
stripping of Jewelry and nail polish, represents the putting away of falsehood.
No Jewelry
In order to properly fulfill the requirements
of the mikveh, the woman/bride removed all jewellery and even nail polish
before entering the bath and must fully immerse herself in the water while
reciting a special prayer. She was usually supervised and assisted during the
ritual to ensure it was done correctly.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/rites/weddings_1.shtml
Fulfil/week
explained
We can
deduce that before the marriage of Adam or Christ could be consummated, both
brides had to fulfil their week. Consequently, there
was something that each bride had to do/accomplish before they could have
intimate relations with their husband. The period that was set aside was one
week. This too was consistent with Jewish custom.
One week before the
wedding the bride and groom, the chosson and kallah, stop seeing each other, in
order to enhance the joy of their wedding through their separation.
This week is an
exciting time.
I first stumbled into the phrase “fulfill your week” one day
while reading Gen29: 21-28. The
bible students present here know that this is referring to the time when Laban
tricked Jacob into marrying his elder daughter Leah in place of Rachel which
Jacob truly loved.
At the time I read this statement I was bewildered, and it
did not make sense to me. “What could this ‘fulfill her week’ mean?” So I set
in search of the history of Weddings, particularly the Jewish wedding to gain
the answer to my question.
Fulfil/week
explained
The word "week", or shavuah in Hebrew, simply
means seven. It has been represented in scripture in different ways. You first
have a literal 7 day period but it can also be used to apply to periods
covering 10’s of years 100’s of years even 1000’s years.
Let us look at a an example of these.
(1)
A literal 7 day period – gen 1
Gen 2:4 These are the
generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created. (this is
the entire story)
God gives us the productions of
his work at the close of each literal day. Each day was accounted of him a
generation because every day he generated or produced some new portion of his
work. On the seventh day of the first week, God rested from his work, and then
blessed the day of his rest, and set it apart for the use of man. The weekly
cycle of seven literal days, six for labor, and the seventh for rest, which has
been preserved and brought down through Bible history, originated in the great
facts of the first seven days (volume 3-spiritual gifts page 9)
(2)
A day for a year - gen 29:28, numb 14:34, ezek 4:6
This should need no explanation, as it is this principle
that is commonly used to explain the 2300 days prophecy mentioned in Daniel.
(3)
A day for a decade - Jer 29:10(fulfill a week), psal 90:10 (our
years)
Although this is not commonly understood, from the scripture
text given we can deduce that this was a principle advanced.
(4)
A day for a
hundred years - acts 7:22-25 (Moses thinks he is the chosen
one)
This one is not so clear. However, there was an
understanding among the Israelites that according to creation, day 4 was the
day of the sun i.e the day of the deliverer. Where did they get that idea? By applying
the day for a hundred years principle, they understood that on the 400th year of slavery a messiah/deliverer would
come. It was a similar principle at work when they understood that 4000 years after
sin the messiah would come?
(5)
A day for a thousand years - psalm 90:4, 2 Pet 3:8
2 peter 3:8-9
3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one
thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand
years as one day.
This is fully developed in day 7 of this study. If you have any doubts
about this one you can revisit that study.
To fulfill
Now that we understand the time frame, let me just say what
it means to fulfil something. To fulfil means to accomplish something that is
assigned. Consequently, when Jacob used the phrase fulfill her week, he simply
meant that he would be comfortable working an additional “week” or seven years
for Rachel. The event was working and the time frame was a week, seven literal
years.
Although Gen 29 is the only place in which the phrase
“fulfil her week” is used in the bible, there is an abundant reference to the
concept of fulfilling a particular event during a specific time period, all
through scripture.
Our week which
need be fulfilled
The church/we also have a week to fulfill. The event is to
achieve Christ-like-ness and the time frame given is 7000 literal years to
complete it.
Where did I get this concept?
You’ll remember that I said that a day is sometimes
represented as a 1000 years. Well in our case this is the exact application.
Let us revisit the scripture that makes this point.
Turn with me to
2 peter 3:8-9
3:8 But, beloved, be not
ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand
years, and a thousand years as one day.
3:9 The Lord is not slack
concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to
us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance.
The Lord
gave us 7000 years because He is not willing that any should perish. This is
the
longest
possible period God could give us before putting an end to sin.
Now we
have a problem!!
We know that God has a representative type
of government and as a result, gets input from His subjects when enforcing a
law.
We find an example of this in the book of Job
chapter 1 verses 6 & 7. You’ll remember that this was the time when the
sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD. Adam was supposed to be
in this meeting, but could not attend and Satan came in his place.
Job 1:7
The LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered
the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking
up and down on it."
So the
representative of the various worlds came before God and Satan went to
represent the earth. Not Adam but Satan.
Since Adam
had yielded to temptation he could no longer represent us before the father,
Consequently,
the need arose for a new representative, a new Adam if you will.
When Jesus
came then he needed to be both our genetic father as well as our representative/
ambassador before the Father.
This
explains the need for a rebirth. The first Adam is condemned to death because
of Sin
and that is
the nature in which we are born. Unless we are born again under the banner of
Christ we
are all subject to death.
Let us look
at the scripture that tells us that you must be born again under the banner of
Christ. Rom 5:15-19
Romans 5:18-19
18 Therefore as by the
offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the
righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of
life.
19 For as by one man's
disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be
made righteous.
There
is only one of two paradigms in which you can live.
You are
either living in the world of the first Adam, i.e. in the world of
carnality/the
world of
condemnation and the world that is condemned to death because of his sin...
or
You are living in the world of the second
Adam/ the new representative of the world Jesus Christ where there is no
condemnation. Romans chapter 8:1.
2 Adams
Remember I had said previously that Christ
is the groom and we/the church are His bride.
In the bible, there are two Adams. The first
Adam that we are introduced to is Adam in Eden; the second Adam is Jesus
Christ.
Adam in Eden was
two things to the human race; number one he was our genetic father and
Secondly: He was our representative ambassador before God.
The entire human race was genetically
constituted in Adam, he is our genetic father, we are all the legitimate
genealogical descendants of Adam.
Although it seemed like a precursor to what
the second Adam was going to do, “What did the first Adam do when his bride
stepped out of line?”
He laid down his life along with hers. We
know that Adam was not deceived, (1Tim 2:14) it was a conscious decision on his
part to eat of the fruit with his wife….we don’t know what was the mindset….but
whatever it was, him also partaking of the fruit could not save Eve.
However, when the second Adam lays down his
life, when this second Adam springs into action, his bride is saved.
So the first
Adam was Adam in Eden, the second Adam was Christ. Let us read one more text that puts this idea
to rest.
1st
Corinthians 15:45-47
45 Thus
it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last
Adam became a life-giving spirit.
1Co 15:46
But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the
spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second
man is from heaven.
The Bride of Adam how was she
prepared?
Now consider with me the following question:
“How did God prepare a bride for the first Adam? Turn with me to
Gen 2:21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep
to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its
place with flesh.
Verse 22 And the rib that the LORD God had
taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
Verse
23 Then the man said, "This, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my
flesh; she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man."
Adam was put
into a deep sleep and God removed from his side the raw materials necessary to
make a bride for Adam.
Had the
couple passed the test of obedience they would have been made to dwell in
eternity with God. Since they sinned they forfeited that promise and were
condemned to death. But we should be thankful that we have such a loving God
that he did not leave his creatures in that hopeless state, but laid out a plan
that Adam’s race could receive that promise again.
He restored
the covenant if you will.
Let us read Hebrews
chapter 4 to have a clearer
understanding.
Q. How
did he restore the covenant?
A. By
creating a second Adam/Jesus Christ that stood in the gap.
Now with
that in mind consider this question: How would God prepare a bride for the
second Adam?
We find a
remarkable parallel in the gospel of John Chapter 19:32 – 34
32 So the
soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been
crucified with him.
33
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did
not break his legs.
34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with
a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.
Now you
would agree with me that this is a strange phenomenon – if someone is pierced
in the side you expect blood to come out but here John records that when Jesus’
side was pierced out flowed blood and water.
And John
makes it quite clear that he is not recording this because he was interested in
this little medical nuance, he is recording this because to him it had
significant theological importance. John Chapter 19:35
And so just
in case you missed it, he re-records it again in 1st John 5:5-6.
1Jn 5:5
Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son
of God?
1Jn 5:6
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water
only, but by water and blood.
God prepared a wife for the first Adam by
putting him into a REGULAR sleep right?
No, the scripture is emphatic and descriptive.
God prepared a wife for the first Adam by putting him into a DEEP sleep then removed
from his SIDE the raw materials necessary to prepare a bride.
Now the second Adam had gone into a DEEP
sleep (the bible teaches that death is but a sleep – acts 7:58-60) and
here is this interesting detail recorded in the gospel of John.
While Jesus
was in this DEEP sleep, the soldier pierced His side and out flowed these two
distinct elements, blood and water.
But you say how is blood and water going to serve as the raw material
to prepare a bride for the second Adam?
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as
Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Verse 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse
it with the washing of water by the word,
Verse 27 That he might present it to himself
a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it
should be holy and without blemish.
In order for the church to be without
blemish, without spot or wrinkle it needs the washing of water but that will do
no good unless the blood, the cleansing agent is applied.
You will recall in Revelation 19:1-7
that the saints were dressed in white robes.
Q. Well how pray tell did they get this way?
Two well-known songs say it best…
A. Because there is a fountain filled with
blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose
all their guilty stains.
Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing
bold, are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless, are
they whiter than snow, are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Isa 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are
like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
Ladies and
Gentlemen God is preparing a bride for his son Jesus the second Adam and the
songwriter catches a glimpse of the process and pens the words: O now I see
that crimson wave, the fountain deep and wide, Jesus my Lord mighty to save
points to his wounded side. The cleansing stream I see, I see, I plunge and O he cleanseth me, O
praise the Lord he cleanseth me, he cleanseth me, yes cleanseth me.
It’s no
wonder then why the bible says in
Hebrews chapter 9:22 And almost all things
are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no
remission.
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and
the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto
him, that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Appeal - Significance of the events Post-fall
After the sin of Adam, we had lost the ability to choose and
to do right. However, God has restored our ability to choose/do and has said to
us again…..fulfill your week. Toil till I come.
While the evidence is still lacking
God has declared us to be his sons and has given us a week to fulfill. Let us
not like our forefather, Adam forfeit eternity for some fleeting moments of
pleasure.
What is it that you can’t give up? What on Earth is worth
eternity? Is it Sex, lying, stealing, gambling, Sabbath-breaking…what is it?
Sister white advises us in steps to Christ the sin that you
fail to overcome will eventually overcome you and work out your destiny.
Adam's test was not to eat the fruit…I don’t know what is
your test...but the big question is “Will we be found to be obedient or disobedient?
No doubt we have been given the very same opportunity that the first Adam was
given. Let us not make the same mistake that he did.
Seeing then that we have been appointed a certain amount of time to qualify for eternity, let us then run the race that
is set before us with patience and fulfill our purpose in the time that we have
been allotted whether it be days or years because our God of Love has paid the
price so that we can fulfill our week and gain Heaven.
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