MAKE MY BARN, MY JOY, A BARN OF SALVATION
03-17-13
(Gen 3:1-5) Now the serpent [an
animal that Satan had taken possession of] was more subtle
[Heb: cunning (usually in a bad sense):--crafty] than any beast
[“they themselves are beasts” Eccl 3:18] of the field [Heb:
wild] [i.e., a wild animal] which the LORD God had made. And he
said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every
tree of the garden [of Eden (Heb: delight), the archetype of heaven]?
And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the
trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree [“of knowledge
of good and evil” Gen 2:17] which is in the midst of the garden, God
hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it [this
last phrase was not part of God’s recorded warning. Consequences = Deut 4:2;
Rev 22:19], lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman,
Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat
thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as
gods, knowing good and evil.
1.
Commentary:
“the serpent” = refers to a snake which symbolizes the
twisting winding path of men filled with cunning and craftyness
(i.e., the aphorism “he is a snake in the grass”). Some animals other than
the serpent (snake) that Satan himself and his demons, fallen angels,
unclean spirits, have taken possession of in the Bible are men (the
wild man living in the tombs – Mark 5:2, & Judas Iscariot – Luke 22:3),
and swine (Mark 5:11-13) that are commonly called pigs. Pigs symbolize
the pinnacle height of selfishness (i.e., the aphorism “he is a
greedy pig”) which is manifested in greediness and gluttony, i.e., being
self-centered (inward oriented) rather than God-centered (outward oriented).
The latter personality traits are characterized by evil unclean spirits
called fallen angels who, upon “entering in” men (Mark 4:19), possess to
a strong degree and characterize those men; however, total
demonic possession has never been illustrated in the Bible, even in the
extreme case of the herd of swine who, once possessed by the demons, “ran
violently [indicating conflict] down a steep place into the sea,
and perished in the waters” (Mat 8:32), showing that the responsibility
is ours, we always have a choice.
a.
(1 Cor 10:13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as
is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer [Gk:
permit] you to be tempted above that ye are able [to bear];
but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye
may be able to bear it.
i.
temptation = Gk: a putting to proof (by experiment [of good],
by experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by impl.
adversity: X try /// to test (obj.) i.e. scrutinize,
entice:--examine, prove, tempt (-er), try.
2.
Commentary:
“Ye shall not surely die” = said Satan to Woman, but God had
previously said “in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die” (Gen 2:17) which makes Satan’s statement a direct contradiction of
God’s Word, and a direct lie. Moreover, Satan strongly infers God Himself to
be “a liar.” Actually Satan’s statement in Genesis 3:4 is the first lie
in the Bible, and thus Satan is indeed “the father of it” (John 8:44) –
lies, that is. Please secondarily note how Satan projects the faults
in his own character upon God, as we also most commonly project
our own faults upon others.
a.
(John 8:44) Ye are of your father the devil [Gk: Satan],
and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the
beginning [Satan orchestrated the first murder, that of Adam and Eve: Gen
3:4,5], and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the
father of it.
b.
(Mat 25:24,25) Then he which had received the one talent
[symbolic of understanding/doing the Lord’s will] came and said,
Lord [speaking to the mirror-image of himself for he is his own
Lord], I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping
[stealing (in context)] where thou hast not sown, and gathering
[stealing (in context)] where thou hast not strowed [Gk:
scattered]: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the
earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
3.
Commentary:
“knowing good and evil” = Many different levels of understanding may
be connoted or suggested by the word “knowing” (syn: understanding).
For example, our “knowing” recent acquaintances Jim and Jane through a brief
introduction at a party has established a superficial relationship
with them. Thus, when we are questioned by someone else about knowing them,
we may rightfully be enabled to respond “Yes, I know Jim and Jane.” However,
that level of “knowing” understanding is not at all the same as “knowing”
understanding Jim and Jane intimately through having experienced an
in-depth relationship with them over several years (compare “knowing God”).
4.
Commentary:
Adam and Woman experienced an introductory superficial relationship with
the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good (Lucifer) and evil
(Satan) simply by ingesting it; but, having no prior education nor
experience relating to this fruit, they were completely unable to “discern”
the difference between the mingled seeds of “good,” and the
mingled seeds of “evil” resident within the fruit, or by analogy,
resident within the field of the world as in Matthew 13:24-30:
a.
(Mat 13:24-30) Another parable put he forth unto them, saying,
The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man [Jesus Christ] which
sowed good seed [“the good seed are the children of the
kingdom” Mat 13:38, herein designated as “wheat”] in his field
[“the field is the world” Mat 13:38]: But while men slept
[i.e., did not pay attention to both the world and the crop; lack of
inward and outward awareness], his enemy [Satan] came and
sowed tares [Gk: darnel or false grain] [a poisonous grass
resembling wheat] [“the tares are the children of the wicked one” Mat 13:38]
among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade [stalk]
was sprung up, and brought forth fruit [black heads and gold
heads: “then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun” Mat 13:43],
then appeared the tares also. So the servants [disciples] of
the householder [Jesus Christ] came and said unto him, Sir, didst
not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence [from
where] then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy
hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go
and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the
tares, ye root up also the wheat with them [“(for thou
[God], even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)” 1
Kings 8:39 & 2 Chron 6:30]. Let both grow together until the
harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers
[“the reapers are the angels” Mat 13:39], Gather
[Gk: sullego; collect] ye together first the tares,
and bind them in bundles [associations, alliances, organizations:
e.g., homosexuals, feminists, abortionists] [(in preparation)] to
burn them: but gather [Gk: sunago; assemble:
convene; spec. to entertain (hospitably)] the wheat into my barn.
i.
Commentary:
“barn” = a barn, much like the archetype Garden of Eden (Heb:
delight), is assembled as a barrier to protect that which is
inside from the outer natural elements and the wild beasts of the field. A
barn is, on the outside of itself, much like a seed pod. A barn on the
inside, much like the Garden of Eden, is a safe residence for seed,
and is employed for the feeding, breeding, and comfortable growth of the
domesticated (tamed) animals (seeds) dwelling within.
1.
Commentary:
an interesting type and shadow = Our Lord Jesus Christ
was born and then laid “in a manger; because
there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). In the dictionary, a
manger is “a box or trough, as in a stable, from which horses or
cattle eat.” Conventional religious wisdom assumes that Jesus’ place of
birth was a stable located within either a cave or a wooden barn
wherein other domesticated (tamed) animals such as horses, cattle,
dogs, cats, chickens, goats, etc., (and Mary and Joseph) harmoniously
lived together in peace and safety. That being
the case, there exists an extremely high probability that this “stable” was
indeed a type and shadow of Heaven, and if so, although it is not
mentioned in the Bible, will we soon be reunited with the
dear animals that we have loved and lost? My joy. Food for thought.
ii.
Commentary:
Make my barn a barn of salvation that is assembled together in
this world with wooden boards (formerly wild trees, but now domesticated
boards) through the great carpentry work of Jesus Christ, “as one man” (Judg
6:16). Examples of biblical barns of this world are the boards
of the ark (Gen 6:14), the boards of the tabernacle (Exo 25:9), and
the boards of the ship (Mark 6:45). Soon, these earthly works of God
shall become a transformed (Rom 12:2) heavenly
barn (Rev 21:9-27) composed of the “gold, silver,
precious stones” (1 Cor 3:12) of all saved born-again peoples.
Hallelujah!
Amen
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