Adam to Christ Part 1 - Des Walter

Part 1 of 3


ADAM TO CHRIST Part 1 - Des Walter


The Bible begins with the creation of man being in the "likeness and image of God." This man is totally complete in himself being male and female, having no need of anything external to himself, to fulfill the divine will and purpose of God. This is in fact a God-man, created with the unique ability to reproduce that original likeness and image in which he was first created. This he did using the dust of the earth to give him form, and then put this man into a "garden."
This garden represents the life center in every man, out of which all the issues of life emerge. Here is where our decisions and choices are made and also this is where the consequences of those decisions become apparent. This is the only place we can meet with God, and is guarded by the cherubim with the flaming sword. The cherubim are the protectors of God’s holiness, and dispense the cleansing fire of God that fits us for His presence.
Every tree that grew in the garden within man was made available from the heavenly realm and supplied everything that he needed. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil however, was outside the scope of all the other trees, and could only be activated by the carnal or natural mind in man. This is the "mind" that functions without any input or control from the spirit, using its own intelligence based upon the five natural senses. It is in this "garden" that we face the death of "reality" when we partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This results in our "garden" suddenly becoming a "wilderness" in which we seek to find an existence, but never find lasting fulfillment and satisfaction.
This garden is an analogy, together with the trees, animals, birds, fish and every other thing God created, constituting the man who was given dominion over all the works of God’s hands. The physical universe about us, with all its creatures great and small, is but a visible manifestation of this inward reality that we call man. However, the true reality that man represents can only be known and understood by the Spirit and not by the five natural senses. The natural mind has no ability to comprehend the magnitude of the universe that we represent. What is apparent to the natural eye is deemed by most to be all that we are.
But Adam (man) was specifically given dominion over all the works of God’s hands. These works are represented by the complex nature of man’s being. This "specific dominion" has not been exercised by most people today with the result that our "universe" has spun out of control, bringing sin, sickness and death into our lives. This has destroyed the peace and harmony of our individual lives, and brought a flood of evil not only upon us, but also upon society generally. The world is now filled with wars, fighting, violence, rape, abuse, greed, murder and death. However, mankind believes they are not responsible for all these evil things, being convinced that these things have their origin outside of us as individuals.
The whole picture of the Garden of Eden reveals to us the complex nature of man who was given abilities that would enable him to walk in fellowship with God, who is Spirit, and declare the nature and character of that God to the world around us. Man was designed to be God’s dwelling place, as Paul declared, "Your body is the Temple of God." It is no wonder that the psalmist said, "We are fearfully and wonderfully made."
Our anatomy and physiology are still yielding secrets to the scientists of our day, and our psychological make-up has never been fully understood. With this equipment we have the power to create our own world. Some live in a very negative world that seems to be set against them, but very few people realize, that they created it themselves.
Every word we speak has the power to affect our lives, physically, emotionally or spiritually. A lie detector machine has the ability to detect the subtle changes in our pulse, respiration, and body temperature when we fail to tell the truth, so closely is the body linked to the mind. The medical profession has conceded that the greater percentage of all sickness is psychosomatic. In view of these things we need to consider seriously the responsibility placed upon each of us, to take dominion over all the works of God’s hands. This involves taking authority over our thoughts, emotions, feelings, and desires, for they all gravitate towards free expression unless we bring them under the dominion we were given in creation
The Works of God’s Hands
The first thing that we must understand about creation in Genesis 1, is that God created it out of Himself, i.e. it was spiritual and therefore invisible. Nothing in that spiritual creation had at that time any physical manifestation. This was to come later. It was the "Word" or Logos who was in the beginning with God that made, or brought into manifestation all of the spiritual creation. Genesis 1:26-27. Part of his instruction from God was that he should be fruitful and fill the earth. In this role he began in Genesis 2:7 to bring forth a physical manifestation of himself, for God called him man. (aw-dawm or Adam). Being male and female (Gen. 1:27) he needed no assistance to bring forth out of himself.
This "man" was given a form made out of the dust, which is simply earth. But after 6000 years of orientation in a physical, material world, we have almost lost our true sense of identity, declaring ourselves to be mortal human beings, who were born and are going to die. We believe that we came from the dust and we are going to return to the dust. But that form that the Lord God made was just a lifeless empty shell, such as we would bury in a cemetery today, until he breathed into his nostrils the breath of his own, God-life.
As this man, who is also known as Adam, rises up to express the life that was breathed into his nostrils, he becomes the companion of God being one with Him, exercising dominion over all the works of God’s hands. Adam represents all that the Lord God is, functioning out of His life, even though his "form" is dust.
Beloved we are walking here on holy ground and the childish babble of the carnal mind instilled into us concerning these tremendous issues that relate to our true origin must be discarded and our ears open to hear the voice of God. To know the ways of God is part of the secret of life. None of God’s actions are negative, even though to the natural mind they may seem to be so. However in the Garden of Eden God caused a deep sleep to come on Adam and separated from him the female part of his being. This is not simply a physical issue, although life today is but a parable of the spiritual issues that confront us inwardly.
This divine mystery is expressed by Paul in Romans 8:20-21, "for the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
What is the "creature" mentioned here? It comes from a Greek word "ktisis" and involves the act of founding, establishing, or creating. So it involves man’s beginning or creation, and says that he was made subject to "vanity." This word is also very instructive for it means that which is devoid of truth and appropriateness, (Strong’s). So for a time man was deceived by a lie but the one that allowed this deception also guaranteed that those so deceived shall be delivered from slavery to corruption, into the glorious liberty of our original identity as the children of God.
So being subject to vanity is only to be a temporary state as a kind of test. For the truth of our identity and origin remain within us even while we are the slaves of corruption. The reason why so many remain in bondage, is because man loves "darkness" (ignorance of truth) rather than the "light" of spiritual understanding, because his deeds are evil. However, some 4000 years later, that first man of Genesis 1:26 came into this world in the same form that he made for Adam from the dust in the Garden of Eden.
This was the word made flesh. The apostle Paul referred to him as the second man, who is the Lord from heaven, as distinct from the first man who is of the earth, earthy. How could there be such a difference between these two who shared creation together? As the Word made flesh, he now was clothed with the same body as ours, being born of a woman. He was tested against the same lie that could deceive him, and bring him down into vanity just as happened to the first man, but he never sinned.
He did not rebel against being clothed with a body of dust, nor being lowered into this physical world, but functioned out of the reality of his true identity as a Son of God. Therefore he became the reality that was represented by the Tabernacle and then the Temple in Jerusalem, as the dwelling place of God. He yielded his body to his heavenly Father who used it, as an expression of his own will and purpose. He declared his identity as one with the Father, and testified that everything he did was in fact the works of the Father who dwelt in him.
Everything he claimed for himself is applicable to us. His identity is our identity and his origin is also our origin. But he never saw corruption because he never believed the lies the snake told Eve, for he knew who he was. How few Christians really know who they are even today, considering Jesus Christ to be someone quite separate from us, and therefore they reject the testimony of his life on the earth.
Most Christians believe they are mortal human beings that are born and that they will die, but hope that after death God will one day dig up their graves and give them a new body, and transport them to some ethereal "heaven" in the sky. But Paul tells us; "If any man be in Christ he is already a new creation!" We are already perfect or complete in Christ, and in God’s likeness and image. In Christ we are the righteousness of God and sons of the Living God, "being partakers of the divine nature and escaping the corruption that is in this world," 2 Peter 1:4.

The Pathway of Adam
The "heavens" represent that spiritual part of man that is unseen, and we call it soul and spirit. It is dual in character within us today, but in the beginning it was united and functioned as one, for God called them Adam. When the redemptive work of the spirit is complete our soul and spirit will again be united as one, and then we will be able to express the reality, that this "I" and my Father are one.
The separation of the soul and spirit took place when man was put to sleep in the garden, and the female part was separated from the male. Now Adam represented the spirit and Eve the soul. From that moment, it became possible for life to be expressed through the soul without reference to the spirit. The "earth" represents the physical being of man in union with the soul that becomes an expression of the soulish man.
Most people have little understanding of the true nature of things, even though the material world is a reflection of the spiritual world. Only the Spirit can reveal reality to us, and not the five natural senses by which most people live. For this reason most Christians see the account of creation as simply applying to the physical world. However I would like to take you on a journey into the spiritual world that constitutes your being.
We are told in the creation account that the "earth" that forms mankind became empty and void. This means that the real reason for its existence was not being fulfilled. Also a condition known as "darkness" now prevailed in which man could no longer access the realm of spirit. Darkness, which speaks to us of an "undeveloped spiritual capacity," had now invaded the consciousness of man. Light is divine wisdom and intelligence, and is a spiritual quality that results in understanding the things of the spirit. So God begins the new creation by awakening man again to spiritual consciousness. This results in the perception of truth, through the quickening of his spirit.
James says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights." John also says, "He is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world." The first thing that was necessary was for God to bring forth light that was an emanation from him to displace the darkness. It was then necessary for God to divide the light from the darkness, so "day" represents our state of mind in which spiritual understanding dominates our being and is in control, while "night" is the time when ignorance of spiritual things dominates our life.
The second step in the creation of the new man concerns the formation of a "firmament" in the midst of the waters, which represents faith. Faith must have substance and so in the midst of the "waters" of fluid ideas and thoughts a new firmament is formed called heaven. In the midst of man’s being, the light brings forth thoughts and ideas that begin to form a foundation of faith upon which to build. How many people think about spiritual things but they never allow them to unite to become a foundation upon which they can build spiritual reality? This "faith" or firmament will then divide between the waters that are above and the waters below. Some of these thoughts and ideas have a spiritual origin (above) and some are from below, being carnal or fleshly. It is essential we are clear in this distinction, or we will never have a true foundation that cannot be moved.
So on the first "day" of this creative process, the light of God produces within us a true understanding of things spiritual. On the second "day" those thoughts that were illuminated by the divine light, have now begun to unite to produce an inner "knowing." This is the substance or faith upon which we consider the possibility that we can also bring forth the invisible. These "days" mentioned in this analogy do not represent 24 hours but are periods of spiritual activity within us.
It is interesting that this "firmament" is called Heaven with a capital "H." This relates directly to the divine mind that was expressed in Jesus Christ. Therefore this faith (firmament) establishes in our consciousness a state of permanent harmony and peace called heaven. Out of the divine activity in these two days, we now see the dry land appearing, instead of all being covered in water. Water is fluid and becomes for us, like the palette of the artist who can use the many colors to form any shape or idea that is in his mind. Only his imagination or perception restricts such unlimited scope.
This then is the picture here revealed to us as the dry land appears. The "waters" represents for us the potential inherent in us to develop thoughts that can be brought into manifestation. Every activity begins with a thought, that when acted upon produces an effect. The ideas come before the fulfillment, and the voice of the Spirit within saying, "Let there be….." represents the perfect confidence necessary to bring it to pass. The seed is within the thought and is then established in its form as the spirit gives us understanding. How many people are afraid of the dark because they have created a "thought form" that now haunts them every time the lights go out. Many Christian people are convinced they have a problem with demons that are producing certain effects in their bodies. Where did they come from? They created them through the thought process and their imagination, giving them form and authority to function.
The next step in the development of man is the formation of the "two great lights," that we see as the will and the understanding. These lights are the sun (the spiritual I AM) and the moon or the intellect, (the natural self or ego.) Genesis speaks of the sun, moon and stars as "reflectors" of the true Light, because God had already said, "Let there be light, and there was light," long before the sun and the moon were created. The Hebrew word for "light" used here is "owr" and means luminosity itself, but concerning the two great lights, the Bible speaks of them as "reflectors," and the Hebrew word used for them is "maowr" meaning a luminous body. Modern critics have questioned the accuracy of the Bible on this issue, stating that there could be no light before the sun and the moon were created, and so life could not exist. But this denies the truth that, "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."
The next stage of development is the bringing forth of creatures to inhabit the "heavens" and the waters above and below. These creatures all represent our thoughts, with the birds in the open firmament speaking of our spiritual ideas and thoughts that are based upon spiritual understanding. We bring these into manifestation by the activity of faith.
How wonderful it is to embrace a truth that becomes like an eagle that allows us to soar into the heavens and gain a heavenly perspective on life. To call upon the mighty Christ within, to still the storm, and release the "dove" bringing peace into our heavens. How beautiful it is to fill our heavens with thoughts of love, joy and peace that bring forth the sweet songs of the nightingale, lark and a myriad other "birds," providing moments of ecstasy. It is time to understand that the manifestation of all nature is a reflection of an inward reality we are living out every day. Just think of the joy many people get from keeping a songbird in a cage. Even though it is in a "prison" yet it will sing and chirp all day bringing joy and gladness to all. What we are saying here is not related just to the physical universe but to the spiritual universe that is within every man.
The water speaks to us of the unformed substance of life, that are ideas birthed in our mind (the living creatures) that increase and multiply as our thought processes function day by day. It is interesting in this context that our body contains about 80% water, which is necessary for the correct function of our organs.
However, this responsibility presents us with a problem, because for many we have not brought our mind under control and so we bring forth thoughts that are filling the "waters" of our life with all kinds of creatures. Most people never consider that thoughts have the power to create in our spiritual universe, and that these "life forms" so created often become the very things we have to fight against in our daily life. Consider with me how God has set nature before us as a reflection of the inward function of our being.
In the ocean there is a myriad of beautiful fish with all the colors of the rainbow. But there are also great sharks that can kill, and small stonefish that can poison the body. Much food can be harvested from the waters of the oceans and rivers, but there are also some creatures that can cause death to man. If we could only take heed to what the spirit is saying to us today we would live differently and be more careful of what we allow our minds to think, and so produce only that which gives life.
There is a constant spiritual activity going on inside each of us, all of which is having a vital effect on our physical, emotional and spiritual life. This aspect of life has been largely ignored by Christians, who live in a kind of dream world in which the only reality that exists for them is what they see, touch, hear, feel and taste. It is only as we tap into the Christ- mind that we can discriminate correctly and produce that which is in accord with the purposes of God.
The creation of man has always been a puzzle to those who want to take everything in the Bible as being literal. For the literalists the first chapter of Genesis will have very little relevance at all if it is taken literally, and we may even question why it was inserted in the Bible. But there is another issue we must consider, and that is that "man" created in the likeness and image of God seems to be totally at odds with the man in the Garden of Eden. Many have failed to understand that God still sees man as he was in the day of creation, which is perfect, complete and unalterable down through the ages. However his divine plan is dependent for its fulfillment upon man himself believing the truth about his origin and identity, and then bringing that perfection into manifestation.
This responsibility has only rarely been understood, and most Christians believe that God is the one who will transform us, in what is called the resurrection, after death. However, the precedent was set in the beginning when the "man" of Genesis 1:26, who is now called the Lord God in chapter two of Genesis, brings a manifestation of himself into being out of the dust of the earth. When complete this man had no life until the Lord God breathes His own life into him. The body has no life to sustain itself, for its life is in the spirit. This man is now called a living soul.
"And the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living," Genesis 3:20. The name "Eve" means elemental life or Living. Eve represents the soul region of man and is the mother principle of God in expression, through which life is evolved. Adam and Eve symbolize the "I AM" expressed in life and substance. They are the primal elemental forces of "being," itself. The Hebrew word "hoh" means absolute life, which forms the basis of the name "Ihoh" (Jehovah), and is also the basis of the word "Eve". However due to a slight change in characters and a hardening of the vowels, it no longer represents absolute life, but the struggle of elementary existence on the part of the soul to regain its perfect state.
Adam was a manifestation of the Christ living in fellowship with God and fulfilling the divine mind in everything. But a day came when the soul of this man began to wander and seek for reality outside itself. But be-warned beloved, there is no reality outside yourself. But the "soul" (eve) in her seeking, stirred up thoughts that would lead to her downfall. The development of ideas and thoughts outside of God, is the work of the snake that is "more subtle than any beast of the field," Genesis 3:1.
Now most people only see Adam in the garden as a sinner who rebels against God. However, Adam in his original state was a spiritually illuminated creation. Remember the Lord God breathed into his nostrils the breath of lives giving him the necessary inspiration, knowledge, wisdom and understanding to be a companion of God. However, the time came when he began to appropriate thoughts of two powers, one which was "good" and the other power called "evil." This is symbolized by the eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Having accepted or appropriated this "false" knowledge, the true spiritual dimension of his life faded to be replaced by a new consciousness in which all the realities now open to him were found in the physical world he had created.
Now the world in which God dwelt became but a fading memory, and Adam found himself in a wilderness. Man was created as spirit, but now he sees himself as a separate entity from God and naked before Him, causing him to hide from God among the trees. In this state he establishes a new consciousness suitable to the condition he perceives himself to be in. This consciousness then produces a manifestation of what he perceived himself to be, and breathes into it his soulish life, out of which Adam now lives. He is no longer conscious of being spirit, and "death" begins to assert its influence over him.
Here we discover the basis of all our problems, both in terms of our relationship with God, and our false sense of identity. Instead of seeing our origin as coming out of God, we now believe we came from the dust and will return to the dust. We are now unable to exercise the dominion God gave to man in the beginning, and so our universe spins out of control. It is now impossible to take control of what we do, as another power opposes everything we want to do.
Paul expressed our dilemma very well when he said, "For that which I do I allow not, and what I want to do, I don’t do, but what I hate that is what I do."
When Paul comes to the end of relating his problems, he declares that he is living in a body that is controlled by death. What is it that is using our faculties to produce death in our bodies? Is it God who is punishing us for our sins? No, a thousand times no, for God has nothing to do with punishment or death as we understand it in the natural! It is our carnal mind that has risen up within each of us taking authority over "the works of God’s hands," our powers of reason, our emotions, our spiritual authority, our drives etc. Remember the carnal mind is death. Romans 8:6-7. When Jesus spoke about "death" he was not referring to those buried in the cemetery, but to those who believed that they are a separate entity from God.
God is the life force in everything that has life on this planet and life can only flow if it is connected to its source. Anything that is separate from God is dead. Cut a branch off a tree and the branch will die. Any person who believes God is up in the sky while they live on the earth is separated from the only source of life there is, and so must be dead. The truth is that God has never been separated from His creation, for He is the life in everything that lives. This thing called death has imprisoned everyone who has not discovered God within. We begin to live when we see and understand that in these earthen vessels there is a treasure more valuable and precious than anything on earth, (see 2 Cor. 4:7).
We have lived as slaves for so long under this corrupt alien government of the carnal mind, being convinced that God has condemned all of mankind to die. This is the second great lie that has robbed God's people of their immortality, and kept us out of the Kingdom of God. The first lie of the snake deceived Eve into believing that the knowledge of good and evil would allow them to become "as gods." But instead of lifting them up it killed them.
Beloved we have all been deceived, and in that deception we have given away the power God invested in us that would allow us to have dominion over all the works of God’s hands. We have forgotten, and in most cases we have denied, our true identity and origin, and allowed the enemy to control our minds instilling in us a false idea that we are mortal and so are subject to death.
Having handed control of our mind to this false identity, we are now unable to exercise the dominion that was given to us in the beginning. However the power God gave us remains the same, but it can only be exercised in the consciousness of our true identity and origin. So today the spirit is opening our eyes to discover that when Christ came into the world he declared by his life and testimony that he is the reality of all mankind. He was tempted in all points just as we are yet he did not sin. He demonstrated dominion over all things, as his power over the external elements mirrored his power over all that he was. There was no unrest in him, for he stilled the storm, he could walk in the ways of God because he healed the lame man. He could see into the realm of God because he made the blind to see. He could not be sick for he healed the sick. He said, "No man takes my life from me, for I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again," and he arose from the dead alive for evermore.
Jesus questioned the disciples to see if the people had discovered his true identity. But it was obvious they lacked the ability to see beyond the realm of appearance. From the natural point of view he differed little for any other flesh and blood man. So he put the question of his identity to the disciples themselves, and Peter was the one to answer. He looked into the eyes of Jesus and said, "Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God."
Jesus told Peter that what he discerned concerning his true identity was not revealed to him by his own humanity, but it was revealed to him by his heavenly Father. The vision of the natural mind does not extend into the realm of Spirit. Only Spirit can access that realm. This is the reason why so many fail to recognize their own identity, even though it has been revealed to us in God’s pattern man, Jesus Christ.
When we look into the face of Jesus Christ it becomes a mirror in which we see ourselves reflected in him, for "as He is so are we in this world," 1John 4:17. When that becomes our reality, we also will do everything he did, just as he promised, for we will take dominion over all the works of God’s hands, and in our garden there will be peace and harmony as the lion lays down with the lamb!
Jesus revealed the truth when he said. "Every plant (thought) growing in your garden, which my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up." Jesus also said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Therefore those thoughts that do not originate with God can never produce life in us.
But he went on to say, "Do you not yet understand that whatever enters in at the mouth goes into the belly and is cast out into the draught? But those things, which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and these defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, stealing, false witness, blasphemies, and these are the things that defile the man and consequently all of humanity." We must learn to accept responsibility for our thoughts, words and actions, and understand we were given dominion over everything that constitutes our being, all of which is the work of God’s hands.
We were given the power to reason and to make decisions, the ability to choose to love and to desire to be a blessing to others. We have been given a will and the ability that can allow us to manifest the likeness and image of God. But because we have all eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, every positive attribute that is resident in us now has an opposite negative force that we find impossible to control. If we do not bring them under control they will dominate our lives, thus producing sin and death.
Here we are discovering the reason for the increase of evil in the world, for it is not being generated external to mankind as many think, considering there is some "evil power" out there, who is to blame for all the terrible things that plague society today. I want you to know that such a notion is a "cop out," seeking to divert our thoughts from the truth and the reality that evil has its origin in the heart of mankind, and not in some fictitious character generated in the imagination of carnal men.
It is for this reason that we have the Genesis record of man’s origin and beginning. We see him functioning in the role of a gardener whose only responsibility is to care for and guard this one garden. As God’s dwelling place, man is designed to live as the companion of God to share His glory and to bring Him joy as they walk together through this garden. There is probably no more beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God, than God and man walking in harmony, enjoying the glory and perfection of creation together. How different is the present reality of life for most of mankind today who have chosen a very different path.
We cannot simply blame Adam for our problems today, for there was a man that came into this world about 2000 years ago born of a woman, who so ordered his "garden" that he walked through life on this earth in beautiful fellowship and harmony with his heavenly Father. When he began his ministry, he declared to everyone that the Kingdom of God had come, and is within us, (Luke 17:21). All his choices were made to please the Father, and he only did that which was compatible with what the Father was doing, and he only said that which agreed with what Father was saying. He took dominion over all the works of God’s hands that constituted his being, not allowing anything to exert authority over him that would cause his life to deviate from that which he saw in his heavenly Father.
They called his name Jesus, for he blazed the trail for every man through the veil of the Adamic consciousness that had dominated mankind for 6000 years. He showed us how to restore our fellowship with God, and exercise the dominion over all the works of his hands that we were given in creation.
This was accomplished in two ways; the first was by bringing to us the revelation of truth. Over the centuries, man had forgotten truth, and replaced it with the product of men’s minds with what we call religion. Secondly, Jesus Christ demonstrated truth as a way of living and not just as a doctrine, so that today we have no more excuse, because he said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." This is a declaration of our true identity and origin, as well as the revelation of a God who dwells within every man.
As we progress into chapter three of Genesis, we find that paradise was lost to man, as Eve is seduced by the serpent to believe that which was a lie. Adam could not have been more like God than he was, but Eve became convinced that there was a "knowledge" beyond that which God had already given them. She began to reason within herself that this knowledge of good and evil would be of great benefit to them, enabling them to be "as gods" in their own right. So this desire rose up within Eve, until it overpowered her now weakened resolve to obey God’s clear direction. The result of that action changed the course of humanity from that time forward. Adam now found himself in a wilderness where the thorns and thistles were in control, choking out the good plants, restricting their fruitfulness, causing pain and suffering.
Two Ways and Two Races of People
The story of mankind now centers on the first two children born to Adam outside the Garden. It is obvious that these two are not the only children Adam had, but the Bible is not written as a history book covering every small detail, but is simply following the spiritual history of man as it relates to the Kingdom of God. At this time it involved two boys, Cain and Abel, who were the offspring of Adam and Eve.
The problem of hearing what God is saying to us in these early chapters in the Bible, is because we see Adam simply as a single man who lived in the Garden of Eden. The truth is, that Adam represents the whole of mankind. Even more than this, he also is a figure or type of one who was to come, see Romans 5:14. In this light Adam’s offspring therefore represents for us the birthing of the various manifestations of what we believe ourselves to be, so we must consider them in that light.
You may be shocked to realize that we have all brought forth our "Cain," who overcame the good seed that was the evidence that we were seeking after God. We are being called to face reality today and not to settle for the veneer of religious platitudes with which we have all covered ourselves.
Cain was the first son and his name means, "gotten or acquired." Eve proudly considered she had acquired a man from Jehovah, and probably thought that he may well be the one God promised in the garden, that would bruise the serpent’s head. On the other hand the second child was called Abel, whose name means "breath or fading away." These two boys provide both a contrast and indeed two races of people who would inhabit the whole earth.
The contrast between these two children is given in these simple words, "Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground." Hidden within these words are some very profound thoughts that will always allow us to distinguish between the two streams of humanity and the two different races of people they represent. They differ both in culture, and the way in which they express life. The Garden of Eden represented the glory of creation as it came from the hand of God and was manifested "in man," who was "crowned with glory and honor, and given dominion over all the works of God’s hands."
We need to remember that Adam never had to "till the ground" in order to meet his own need in the Garden of Eden! Everything that man could possibly need to sustain himself and provide for his complete satisfaction was growing in the garden. This is a beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God that is within us today, with all its infinite supply.
So Adam did not come out of Eden as one who had learned to meet his own need, having now to "till the ground," that before had produced without effort all that was necessary to satisfy his every need. However this once fruitful inner garden now produced thorns and thistles that were of no value to him. It was these undesirable plants (thoughts) that now restricted the development of that which could sustain life.
Cain obviously considered that his blood, sweat and tears was the way life was meant to be, so he never even considered that God could or would meet his need. As a result he developed a kind of mental independence of God. But before you point the finger at him, is this not the general consensus of opinion among God’s people today? How many slave away just to make ends meet, as if what we have is being put into bags that are full of holes? How many today believe that in Father’s house there is enough of whatever we need and to spare, without all the stress, strain, and nervous breakdowns we are burdened with? Why do so many Christians live like the prodigal son on the dregs? Who can believe what the Father said to his son, "Son all that I have is yours?" Many of us would have to admit that we also have produced a "Cain" exactly like Adam did.
Apart from growing the food he needed, Cain had a mindset that would prove that he could handle life alone without God’s help. Of course this idea is not new, as the general consensus even today among Christians is that, "God helps those who help themselves." Of course if we really get stuck then we can call on God for help. David’s concept that, "the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want," are lovely words to read but contain no sense of reality for most people.
Independence from God is now considered the "norm" and to succeed in life on our own is considered proof of our "spiritual maturity." The allegory of the Garden of Eden with the man, the woman and the serpent reveal the development of individual consciousness. All the factors involved in this allegory are constantly active in all of mankind. But as we shall see, a large portion of humanity discovered an allegiance with the earth rather than with the higher realm of spirit.
It probably never entered into Cain’s head that the "life" in every seed that he sowed, was God, and without Him there would never be any kind of harvest. As a tiller of the ground Cain became a servant to the earth, yielding his labor and strength to that end, sustaining himself by the sweat of his brow. The seed of death Adam sowed in the Garden of Eden would bear fruit in his first generation, as his firstborn son chose the lower realms of life in which to express himself.
However Abel followed a different path by becoming a shepherd, and devoted his life to caring for the sheep. Could it be that he saw something of the spiritual relationship that must have existed between God and his creation that instilled in him a desire to tend the sheep? Sheep cannot exist apart from a shepherd, so there are no "wild sheep" in the world, as there are wild dogs or wild pigs. If a sheep has a full coat of wool and rolls over on its side it cannot get up on its own. Sheep are totally defenseless and can be killed without them hardly making a sound. They do not bite or kick and can be restrained with just a little pressure.
There was something in Abel’s heart that made him realize that man was not intended to exist on his own, but in order to be complete he needed God in his life to fulfill his will and purpose. Let us remember that Cain was the first child born of a woman, not just for Adam but also for all humanity. What a sad reminder this eldest boy must have been to Adam to discover that his children were birthed in the natural sense, in "his (Adam’s) likeness and image," Genesis 5:3. This was in contrast to the fact that Adam was created in the likeness and image of God.
The history of these two boys begins when they bring an offering to the Lord. The idea of bringing an offering to the Lord is symbolic of the refining process that is constantly going on within our consciousness. Man craves acceptance in all spheres of his life, and this includes even unconsciously, his relationship with God.
The way in which we establish our relationship with God is by bringing an offering to Him for His acceptance. If we bring an offering produced out of the ground or "dust" of our natural being, it will inevitably be rejected just as Cain’s was. The only offering that is acceptable unto God is the yielding of our bodies as a living sacrifice unto Him to fulfill His divine will and purpose in us.
The offering we speak of here has nothing to do with sin, or the shedding of blood, but the offering of ourselves as a living sacrifice on the altar of burnt offering, to discover if the development of our spiritual consciousness has achieved the divine standard, (see Romans 12:1-2.)
This pattern was established in Abraham who had his first child Ishmael rejected, because he was the product of his own flesh. In the same way we waste our time bringing to God our "Ishmaels," i.e. the flesh dressed up in a religious suit. But all of us have tried, only to face the feeling of rejection that follows. The sense of loss that results from a lack of acceptance of what we offer to God contributes to a sense of depression that is so common in the world today. Many become resigned to the corruption they encounter in their lives, believing they do not deserve any better from God, even though God is not involved as they are just reaping the seeds they have sown.
We have the example in Jesus Christ who said, "Lo I come to do thy will, O God." His body became an instrument through which God manifested Himself. What Father did through Jesus Christ on the earth he can do through anyone who gives back to God what He formed for Himself to be His habitation, and that is our body.
We are all presenting something to God everyday, even though we may do so "unconsciously." Of course we are not speaking now of some offering for sin to appease an angry God. The word "offering" used in regard to Cain and Abel, means a gift, present or an oblation. The very same word is used of the offering or "present" Jacob gave to appease Esau, Genesis 32:18.
Cain brings an offering of the "fruit of the ground," while Abel brings the "firstling of the flock and the fat thereof." Let us not dwell on the literalness of the offerings but what they represented as a present unto the Lord. Remember the offering we present to the Lord is representative of the person giving it. So Cain brought the fruit of the ground.
The "ground" represented the natural humanity of Cain that no longer was under divine control. What could the "ground," now under alien authority, produce that would be acceptable to the Lord? When Adam was formed out of the dust of the ground, complete in every external detail, there was no life until the Lord God breathed into his nostrils the divine breath of life. The ground cannot produce life out of itself, for that must come from the only source of all life, and that is God.
Cain had no sense of his true being, or of his origin out of God, and this was expressed in the offering that he brought. Because he had no awareness that God was his life, he could plant the seed and then take all the credit for the harvest. As far as he was concerned the harvest was the product of his own effort, having no understanding that God was the source of the life that was in the seed. We are told that God had respect unto Abel’s offering but unto Cain and his offering he had no respect, so He turned His face away. This is the desolation into which humanity has fallen where man has become the center of his own life. The prophet said, "Cursed is man that puts his trust in man." When man lives his life apart from God, a sense of futility leaves an empty void within that cannot be filled.
The scriptures continue this sad commentary on the life of Adam’s two children by saying, "Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him." However, it does not matter how far the lust of the "flesh" drives a man into transgression, he still bears the stamp of God and that cannot be removed.
The body ego that is represented by Cain, can kill the life consciousness (Abel) plunging himself into mere material living, while his brother’s blood cries from his earthly consciousness to God for expression. Once the higher aspirations of life have been killed, there is no longer any pleasure in living. For this reason many that reach this point in their lives see suicide as the only answer.
We see in all this, the activity of the serpent that is "more subtle than all the beasts of the field" Cain was asked, "Where is Abel thy brother?" To which he replied, "Am I my brother’s keeper?" Cain was to discover that in destroying Abel, representing his spiritual consciousness, there was a voice raised from the earthiness of his being, crying out to God for expression. However the vehicle of its manifestation no longer was free to function, for the baser thoughts and desires of the body had destroyed the spiritual mind.
Cain now became a vagabond and a wanderer and subject to the ravages and destructive forces that he had unleashed within himself. Cain may have blamed God for his situation considering it as a form of punishment but the truth is, he had planted the seeds of his own destruction himself, and now would reap that which he had sowed. These things have been recorded in scripture for us that we might understand that the same complexities of life function within us also.
From this point we see that the main stream of humanity followed this same path, birthing a people who lived just to satisfy the lusts and desires of the flesh. The floodgates of evil had now been opened and the whole world would finally cry out unto the Lord to discover meaning and purpose to life, beyond living for self-gratification. However an unrepentant Cain goes out from the presence of the Lord. This statement is most significant because it indicates that Cain began life in the presence of the Lord, and then by his own choice left that position, just as Adam did in the Garden of Eden. This was true also of the prodigal son who began life in Father’s house before he left for the far country.
In reality, it means that Cain’s consciousness was no longer connected to its spiritual source, causing him to live in the Land of Nod. The word "Nod" means to "wander with uncertainty," living without any true spiritual direction. This seems to be the experience of so many people in the world today who have no purpose in life except to satisfy the natural desires of the body.
Even in the Christian world there are very few who have grasped the meaning of life, and our reason for being on the earth in this our day. Without God as the center of our life from which everything derives its existence, life is meaningless. Man seeks to find fulfillment by making money and acquiring wealth and "status" in order to get the things with which to fill his life and find satisfaction.
This is the condition described in Genesis 1 as, "without form (formless) and void." In the Garden of Eden we see the development of individuality having lost the consciousness of the divine unity of creation, with the "all" coming out of the "one." We must also consider the fact that God created man potentially perfect, allowing him the opportunity of proving it to be so, as he walks the pathway of discovery seeking his true identity and origin. Man has the capacity to manifest what he believes himself to be, but will never be satisfied until he arrives at the pattern that was in the heart of the Creator in the beginning, and that is Christ. The problem we face is still the "snake," which is sense consciousness, and remains "more subtle than any beast of the field." It was this realm of "sense consciousness" that attracted Eve and lured her by its promise of pleasure and self-gratification. To her the Tree of Knowledge was a delight to the eyes, good for food, and to be desired to make one wise. The same desires created by the flesh still govern the lives of most of humanity.
The third son of Adam and Eve was born after the death of Abel, and was named Seth. This name means "substituted," taking the place of Abel, who was overcome by Cain. Man is spirit and not simply flesh and blood, so he will continue to seek for an evolution that will ultimately bring him towards such an expression. Mankind all over the world has fostered religious convictions, which is evidence that he aspires to a spiritual expression. From the animistic concepts and idolatry of Africa and India, to the Christian aspirations in all of its myriad forms, man seeks to touch reality.
Here in Genesis we see this expressed in a clear way, in the offspring recorded in the godly line through Adam. There is an "image and likeness" that has been stamped upon all humanity but it is distorted to varying degrees by the carnal mind so that the majority has little idea of their true identity. Culture and religion contribute to this distortion making it more difficult to discern the true form we seek to become.
We would consider that Adam should have had a very clear definition of that "image and likeness," having walked and talked with God in the Garden. But the carnal mind that he fostered in eating of the forbidden tree has sealed the truth from him, replacing it with a lie just as it has for each one of us. Looking at this picture in Genesis from a spiritual point of view, we see Adam breathing life into this new manifestation of himself in the form of Seth.
In this way we are unmasking the process in man, seeking to discover our original and true identity and giving it living form. This spiritual process is not to be understood as some human activity, but involves inspiration by the Spirit producing thoughts capable of being processed in the mind, and then giving them expression.
The key in this process is to have dominion over the carnal mind that is set in opposition to God. We have the example expressed for us in Jesus Christ, who overcame the enemy within, destroying the snake that deceived Eve in the garden. It is recorded for us that "he was tested in all points just as we are, yet he never sinned."
Sadly most people love to state these facts, but never consider that if he could overcome the carnal mind as a man of flesh and blood, then so can we. For this reason Paul challenges us by saying, "Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus." He was able to free his mind from the domination of the snake, leaving it open to receive truth from the Father and give them form.
Scripture declares, "As a man thinks in his heart, that is what he is." Thinking is a process of the mind, and the information presented to the mind is the basis for the thoughts that result. When the carnal mind is in control it will contradict truth and produce thoughts which minister death to us. In the Garden of Eden, Eve listened to the snake (the symbol of the carnal mind), which contradicted the Word of God telling Eve, "You shall not surely die…. But your eyes shall be opened and you will be as Gods, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4-5.
With the worldwide expansion of knowledge and information, man has become proud of his achievements. But from the spiritual point of view the knowledge gained has not reduced the influence death has over him. The prophet Isaiah said, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee." It is most evident that the power of death lies in the mind even as Paul declares, "The carnal mind is DEATH."
The mind of man is constantly at work, resulting in the production of thought forms. These thought forms assume individual manifestation taking on personality as we have discovered in the life of Adam. If the mind receives a new idea it will disturb the personality and this in turn affects the consciousness. This process is what Jesus calls the "regeneration," and those who become involved receive Spirit inspired ideas and overcome the resistance of the carnal mind, just as Jesus did, saying, "Not my will but thine be done." In this way the Christ consciousness is being elevated and the sense consciousness is being suppressed. At the same time the new man is being formed and the old man begins to pass away.
There should be no doubt in our mind about the one that is the "apple of his Father’s eye," and that is His beloved. It is that one who was created in God’s likeness and image, the only begotten son of the living God. In creation man was given dominion over all the works of God’s hands and was instructed to "be fruitful and fill the earth." All mankind came out of that one son, according to Ephesians 2:10, and the responsibility to fulfill our obligation as a Son of God has passed on to all mankind. It should therefore be a priority for us to have dominion over all the works of God’s hands.
Remember the visible kingdom of nature is but a reflection of the world that is represented within us. The birds, animals, fish and other creatures are reflections of the universe that constitutes our being. The powers of thought, emotions and desires all of which are invisible, are presented to us in Genesis as the darkness, birds, animals and fish so we can better understand what it is that we must have dominion over.
Listen to James, "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man and is able to control the whole body. Behold we put bits in horse’s mouths, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships which though they be great and driven by fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a very small helm wherever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, so is the tongue among our members, for it defiles the whole body and setteth on fire the wheel of nature and it is set on fire of hell…. Therewith we bless God even the Father and therewith we curse men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not to be," James 3:2-13.
So today we can control the direction of great ships, our powerful vehicles and the planes that traverse the sky, but we seem to have little or no control over our lusts, desires, thoughts and tongue. The truth is that dominion has been given to us but we do not have the power to exercise it over the forces that rage within us. Beloved you are responsible for what you believe!! You have power over every thought that enters your mind just as Eve had the power to silence the voice of the snake if she had desired to do so.
The word of God was clear and unmistakable, "The day you eat the fruit of that tree you will die." What was there to reason about, or question in such a statement? It was the authority that she attached to the author of those words. She decided that her knowledge of the situation was more perfect than that of God.
Within you today dwells the Christ of God, who knows the deep things of God. There is nothing that he does not know and you do not need to go anywhere to consult with him on any given matter, for he dwells within you so you can have instant response. But it seems that the one that tempted Eve, the snake or the carnal mind, is just as effective today as it was in the Garden of Eden.
Christians believe what their friends tell them, or what their pastor says, or what some book says, without a single reference to the divine teacher God has given to everyone of us, the Holy Spirit. I do not think Christians have understood that every thought conceived in the mind has an effect upon our life. What you think affects what you are and how you will behave, and it will also affect your health and well being.
Jesus made a very simple statement regarding those who desire to follow him. He said, "My sheep hear my voice and they follow me." This word is so simple it cannot be misunderstood. But for so many Christians what someone else tells them seems to be more important than what Christ is saying in our hearts today. Do you realize that ten righteous or spiritually enlightened people, can save a whole city? (Genesis 18:32.) The measure of Christ raised up in a person is the same measure of Christ that is loosed in consciousness to rise up others.
In this world there is an ocean of evil that is contaminating the lives of many, causing misery and suffering, and it is being added to everyday by the evil that is being generated even in the thoughts and minds of Christians. But at the same time there is a river of life that is flowing out to the four corners of this world, lifting up and inspiring people who touch it as it flows from the hearts and minds of those whose mind is stayed on Christ.
Your relationship to God has to do with an activity of your own consciousness in which you realize that "I and my Father are one." "I am an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ." "I am the Temple of God and his dwelling place." In acknowledging these things as an individual I am bringing life to this whole world. If we want to reach this generation for Christ we must start within ourselves. Otherwise we will have to wait for every man individually to seek unto the Lord and there is no time for that.
So instead of trying to reach all mankind for Christ, let each of us determine to reach ourselves. Then if we rise up Christ in ourselves, and realize the Christ in each other, we will establish the reign of Christ on the earth. Remember every degree of Christ consciousness that you reach will bring a spiritual influence unto hundreds or even thousands of people and you will be hastening the day when Christ will be the consciousness of all mankind.
Think of the many whose lives were influenced by the evil in Cain during his lifetime. But consider the hundreds and even thousands that were touched by God’s grace through the life of Abraham. Moses revealed to us the true identity of man as he heard from God, "I AM THAT I AM." So although he considered he was a shepherd, suddenly he realized, "I am that….. I am." With that sense of spiritual identity he was able to lead the whole nation of Israel out of bondage under Pharaoh into the Promised Land.
God breathed His life into man, not man’s life, and therefore the life of man is God. God did not impart to man, the mind of a man, but He gave him the mind of God that is capable of creating, and producing inventions that have not even been thought of. A true artist does not look at another picture to know what to draw, the picture is within him.
The way of Cain continues to lead men by their natural senses and causes them to wander like a ship without a rudder, without hope and without God in this world. But the Seth line walk a pathway involving the will and purposes of God bringing healing and wholeness along life’s pathway. To remain satisfied with what we perceive ourselves to be and our vision of God cuts us off from going on from faith to faith.
We must see our spiritual life developing as we journey through the realm of flesh until we break through the darkness and despair of this "lower realm of living," into which Adam fell as he over-stepped the boundary of his heavenly estate. Paul spoke much about the "veil" that is upon the heart of mankind, limiting his vision and experience of God.
However, that limitation is removed as we "turn to the Lord," for in him we can see beyond the "veil" (flesh) into the reality of things and discover God. This is our journey, from darkness to light, from death to life, from law to grace, from flesh to spirit, and also from Egypt to Canaan.
In the gospel according to Moses, the book of Genesis, we see the various stages of this journey expressed in the lives of those who are the offspring of Adam. We also see the development of that race of people who in its ultimate fulfillment would produce Christ. Beloved, this is our goal.
"But that which is first is not spiritual, but natural, and afterward that which is spiritual." It is very humbling to know everyone of us on the journey of life have produced "Cain," who overcomes at that time our spiritual desire (Abel) to ascend and know God. Always remember it is not recorded that any of Cain’s offspring died. However, God’s grace is poured out on us and we bring forth Seth to replace Abel and our journey continues to the Promised Land. We will continue these thoughts in the next study, when Adam dies, which he must do, before we can overcome the corruption of this world.
May we learn the ways of God and how to bring Christ to the groaning creation that is suffering as a result of man not fulfilling the role for which he was created?
May the Spirit give you understanding of these things.
Des Walter