Lesson 5: The Nations, Part 2

5.1 The First Commandment
Humanity’s First Test of Obedience

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Introduction

In a world that celebrates knowledge and curiosity as the highest virtues, it’s almost provocative to suggest that not all knowledge is good for us. Yet this was the lesson God intended for the first humans in Eden: true freedom is not found in limitless insight, but in trust and obedience. In this lesson we discover why the first commandment—to abstain from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil—was not a restriction but a protection.

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Bible Study

Question 1: What was the first commandment, and why was it so important?

In Genesis 2:9–17, God gave Adam and Eve a clear instruction: they could eat freely of every tree in the garden—except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. That command wasn’t an arbitrary obstacle but an act of love. God sought to shield them from knowledge that would lead not to wisdom but to suffering, mistrust, and death. True wisdom begins with trusting God’s judgment, not grasping at whatever piques our curiosity.

Question 2: How does the Eden prohibition help us understand why some insights can be dangerous?

Today many have encountered knowledge they wish they’d never had: violent images, harmful gossip, manipulative tactics. Such “knowledge” wounds others and subtly wounds our own hearts in ways that can’t be undone. Eden reminds us: not everything we could know should be pursued.

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Spiritual Principles

• Obedience preserves life. God’s commands are not burdens but guardrails for our souls.

• Not all curiosity is healthy. Some doors, once opened, cannot be closed again.

• True freedom means trusting God’s wisdom more than our own desires.

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Practical Application

• Be mindful of what you consume—online, in conversation, in reading. Not every piece of “information” serves your soul.

• When faced with a tough decision, ask: “Does this knowledge help me serve God, or just feed my pride?”

• Practice saying “no” to content that threatens your purity, your peace, or your trust in God.

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Conclusion

Eden isn’t lost. Even today God invites us to walk in the “garden” of our lives—guided by trust and obedience, not unchecked curiosity. Each time we choose to trust His wisdom, we rebuild a piece of Eden in our hearts.

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Thought of the Day

Some doors remain closed out of love. True freedom begins not where everything is allowed, but where God protects our hearts.

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Illustration – “The Forbidden Door”

Title: The Forbidden Door — Learning Trust in the Digital Age

Munich, Spring 2023.
A light rain pattered against the university library’s windows long after the lecture hall had emptied. In a dusty study carrel, two students remained: Lisa, a computer science major, nervously scrolling on her laptop, and Elias, a theology student, absorbed in a worn Bible.

Lisa leaned forward, whispering, “You won’t believe what I found.” She slid the laptop toward Elias.
He peered at the screen. “What is it?”
“A hidden file on our university network,” she said, excitement in her voice. “It’s encrypted, but I cracked the code. It supposedly contains explosive info about professors and secret research.”

Elias frowned. “And you want to open it?”
Lisa shrugged. “Just out of curiosity. Knowledge is power, right?”

Elias closed his Bible and turned to Genesis 2: “ ‘…but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you must not eat, for on the day you eat of it you shall surely die.’ ”

Lisa gave a wry smile. “You’re comparing a file to Eden’s tree?”
“Maybe it’s not so different,” Elias replied calmly. “Some knowledge changes not only what you know, but who you become.”

Outside, the rain intensified as Lisa quietly shut her laptop.
“I never want to be part of something I’ll regret,” she murmured.

Two weeks later, the university was in turmoil. Someone had opened that “secret” file and leaked details that sparked scandal—but also destroyed innocent lives. Careers were ruined. Friendships shattered. Trust evaporated.

Lisa stood with Elias on the library steps.
“I’m glad I didn’t click,” she said softly.
Elias nodded. “Sometimes trusting God’s protection is better than any information.”

That day, Lisa truly understood why God set a boundary in Eden: it wasn’t about withholding knowledge, but about safeguarding the heart from harm.

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Story Takeaway:

True freedom isn’t the absence of rules, but trust in God’s wisdom. Sometimes obedience spares us scars we can never heal.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/lesson-5-the-nations-part-2-5-1-the-very-first-commandment-allusions-images-symbols-living-faith/

April 27, 2025

DAILY BIBLE READING

Genesis 11 – The Tower of Babel, the Confusion of Languages, and the Genealogy from Shem to Abram

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Bible Text – Genesis 11 (King James Version)

1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
3 And they said one to another, “Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.
4 And they said, “Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.”
5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
6 And the Lord said, “Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
9 Therefore is the name thereof called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

10 These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:
11 And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.
12 And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah:
13 And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.
14 And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:
15 And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years.
16 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.
17 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,
18 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,
19 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
20 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.
21 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.
22 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
23 And these are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

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Explanation & Context

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Introduction

Genesis 11 tells how, in pride and self-sufficiency after the Flood, humanity built the Tower of Babel. Instead of obeying God’s command to fill the earth, they clamored to make a name for themselves. God intervened, confusing their language and scattering them, bringing diversity and dispersion. The second half of the chapter traces the line of Shem down to Abram—setting the stage for God’s unfolding plan of salvation.

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Commentary

1. Building Babel and the Confusion of Languages (vv. 1–9)

• Humanity unites to build a monument to their own glory.

• God sees the danger of collective pride and confounds their speech.

• The scattering that follows is both judgment and a protective measure against greater evil.

2. The Genealogy from Shem to Abram (vv. 10–26)

• Each descendant is listed until the line reaches Abram.

• This prepares the reader for God’s special covenant with Abraham and Israel.

3. Abram’s Origin and Journey (vv. 27–32)

• Abram is introduced as from Ur of the Chaldees.

• Hints of his calling appear: a move toward Canaan under his father Terah’s leadership.

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Summary

Genesis 11 exposes the pride of humanity seeking autonomy from God. God’s intervention brings both judgment and a new order. The genealogy underscores that despite human rebellion, God’s plan presses on through a faithful line culminating in Abraham.

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Message for Us Today

What can we learn from Genesis 11?

• Pride leads to dispersion: When we glorify ourselves, we lose our unity and direction.

• God ordains diversity: The variety of languages and cultures stems from God’s sovereign action and is part of His design.

• God’s redemptive plan prevails: Even in human rebellion, God advances His story of salvation.

• Walk by faith: Like Abram, we are called to follow God’s voice, even when the way ahead is unclear.

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

Today, God invites us to glorify His name—not Babylon’s—by living in faith and obedience.

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April 27 – May 3, 2025

WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING

Ellen G. White │ Patriarchs and Prophets – Chapter 2

The Creation

Read online here

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Introduction

Chapter 2 unfolds the wonder of Creation in all its beauty:
The earth was formed in perfect harmony, and humanity is God’s crowning work—created in the image of the Creator.
This chapter not only describes the origin of the earth and of Adam and Eve, but also emphasizes the special blessing of the Sabbath and God’s institution of marriage.

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Commentary

1. The Beauty of the Created World

• The earth came from God’s hand without swamps, deserts, or jagged mountains.

• Every plant, animal, and landscape reflected God’s love and wisdom in harmonious unity.

2. Humanity as the Crown of Creation

• Adam and Eve were made in God’s image, endowed with high intelligence, free will, and noble character.

• There was no process of evolution—humanity sprang directly from God’s creative act.

• Humans were appointed stewards of creation, embodying God’s glory in both form and function.

3. The Institution of Marriage

• Eve was given to Adam as an equal helper—not subordinate, but a partner of equal worth.

• Marriage was instituted by God Himself as a sacred, lifelong union.

4. The Garden of Eden

• Eden was a specially prepared dwelling place—a glorious natural sanctuary.

• At its center stood the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

5. The Institution of the Sabbath

• After six days of creation, God rested on the seventh day, blessing and sanctifying it.

• The Sabbath was given to humanity as an eternal memorial of Creation.

• This day of rest was meant for reflecting on God’s work and renewing our relationship with Him.

6. Humanity as a Moral Being

• God tested Adam and Eve’s loyalty with the command regarding the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

• Obedience was to be voluntary and motivated by love, not compulsion.

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Summary

Chapter 2 reveals how perfect and beautiful God’s original creation was:
Adam and Eve lived in a world without death, pain, or suffering, surrounded by divine abundance.
The Sabbath and marriage were instituted as special gifts for humanity.
God sought a voluntary, loving relationship with His creatures, founded on trust, obedience, and shared delight in His work.

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Application for Today

What can we learn from Chapter 2 for our lives?

• Stewardship of Creation: The world around us testifies to God’s love—we are called to preserve it.

• Our Identity in God: We are not accidents; we are intentionally created and deeply loved by our Maker.

• Value of Work and Community: Labor, marriage, and Sabbath rest are divine gifts intended for our well-being.

• Freedom through Obedience: True life and joy are found in willingly following God’s good commands.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20:8)

Today God invites us to marvel at His works, honor His wisdom, and find true fulfillment in communion with Him.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/27-04-2025-genesis-chapter-11-believe-his-prophets/