Walking With Christ

Exodus 22:1-4 (1)“If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. (2)If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, (3)but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. (4)If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.(ESV)

Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.(ESV)

Genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.(ESV)

Genesis 3:18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.(ESV)

Genesis 15:17-18 (17)When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. (18)On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,(ESV)

Let’s talk in circles for a minute. Some threads woven throughout the bible are extremely long and difficult to follow. Think back to the beginning of the creation story. Read Genesis and look for the point where God gave the garden or earth to Adam and Eve. You won’t find it. God created the heavens and earth. They are His and His alone. He created mankind (Adam) and placed him in the garden to work it and keep it. He gave mankind dominion over the earth and all of it’s inhabitants. This does not in any way imply ownership. God still owns all of creation.

God took Eve, woman, from the side of man as a sign of her role and importance in his life.

In the garden were two trees. There was the Tree of Knowledge (of good and evil) and the Tree of Life. Adam was told not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge. There was no prohibition against eating from the Tree of Life.

When Eve ate the apple (fruit from the Tree of Knowledge that probably was not a literal apple), she took something that didn’t belong to her. She stole that fruit. Because of his part in the fall, the serpent was also cursed. Some translations say “He will crush your head, and you shall pierce His heel”. The earth became unfriendly and unreceptive to the workings of man in the soil.

Later, in Genesis 15, we see God making a covenant with Abram and taking the part of the lesser king to say that when the covenant was broken that God would pay the price rather than the descendants of Abraham.

Where is all of this going?

In the laws given later in the bible, we see that anything stolen must be replaced with extra given in return. The fruit that Eve stole from the tree needed to be paid for. Stealing from God has no statute of limitations. The fruit was taken from a tree. This broke the covenant between God and man before it had even been made.

Because the fruit was stolen from a tree, Jesus was hung on a cross made from one. His hands were pierced to pay for the theft. His feet were pierced to fulfill the early prophecy about the serpent piercing the feet of her offspring. His side was pierced where Eve was taken from His side. The crown of thorns placed on His head was Him taking on the curse of the soil.

The cost of the fall was fully explained in the book of Genesis. Jesus paid the full price and answered for every part of the original sin.

Tell me again that God isn’t in control?