GODLY RELATIONSHIPS

A study by Glen Marshall

When God created man, He tried to develop a relationship with him that was personal and close. Adam was formed out of physical matter and then God gave him the equivalent of mouth to mouth resuscitation to get him started living (Gen2:7). Then God planted and created a garden for Adam to live and work in and then asked Adam to name all the animals as God brought them before him. So Adam had to take the time with God to go from Ants to Elephants and Bees to Buzzards. God next anesthetized Adam and removed a rib to create a women from, so they would feel a closeness to each other (Gen2:21-25). God would then take a walk in the garden in the late afternoon and talk with Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve did what they were told not to do, and hid from God, so God took them out of the garden so they could go ahead and make decisions and do their own thing and yet die at the end of life. God tried to talk with Cain and help him learn to over come his sinful nature (Gen4:5-7). He punished Cain for the first murder and then protected him so He would not have the same thing happen to him (Gen4:15). Early man began to pray and call on God (Gen4:26) regularly. After 1600 years, mankind’s intention, thoughts and actions were always on evil, violence and in strife with God. This grieved God, so He decided to start over with the Noah family.

 Here is a little sidelight before we continue on with Godly relationships. Scientists, Anthropologists and Historians would have us believe that early mankind was primitive, lived in caves and only used sticks and stones to hunt with. Here is what God taught, trained and imparted to early man as we look at the details of the first 1600 years. Adam and Eve knew about needles and thread and how to sew (Gen3:7). They knew how to harvest grain, grind it, make and add other ingredients and bake bread (Gen3:19). They learned how to skin animals, tan the hides and cut and sew the leather to make clothes (Gen3:22). They knew how to be shepherds and farmers (Gen4:2). They had to have sharp knives and knew how to butcher animals for food (Gen4:4). Early mankind knew all about the construction trades and the development of building materials, even to the point that they could build whole cities (Gen4:17). They could also make and live in tents (Gen4:20). They could also make and play various musical instruments, so they had to understand about music (Gen 4:21). Tubal-Cain (Gen4:22) was the instructor of bronze and iron craftsmen, which would mean that iron, copper and tin had to be mined, smelted, cast and forged into various implements. Trees could also be cut and sawed into beams and lumber for ship building (Gen6:14-16) and the boat was water proofed. I see God setting man up early with all these physical helps and there would not be any need to ever be a caveman.

 Just three generations after the flood mankind has an inclination to follow a charismatic human leader rather then God and to do their own thing (Gen10:8-9)(Gen11:1-6). God decides to focus only on one person or a family to develop a direct, personal relationship (Gen12:1-7). God even promises great ongoing blessings based on this personal relationship (Gen17). God works with Abraham’s family over the years and finally delivers them from bondage to live in the land that He promised to them. He wanted Israel to be a small model nation and an example to all other nations of a personal relationship with God (Ex19:3-8) (Deu7:1-9). Israel had a problem with Gods relationship which frustrated God greatly (Ex32:7-14) (Num14:11-12). God even considers starting all over again with Moses and his family (Num14:11-20). God entered into an agreement (Ex24:1-8) with Israel that He considered a marriage (Ezek16:1-32) which He had created for close personal relationships (Gen2:24). We are to use Israel as a not so good relationship example (I Corth10:1-11). God finally suffers and dies for that relationship to end it (Isa53:3-8) and also dies for the relationship that will be ongoing with future people (Eph5:1-2).

 God is now working at this relationship with a small (Luke2:32) but diverse mix of people that He is the Shepard of (John10:1-18). Flocks of sheep in the middle east always have a few goats mixed in with them too. The flock should follow the Shepard, except once in a while some of the sheep follow a goat as it wanders off (Matt25:31-40). God is still looking for a close personal relationship with each person. He has given us human analogies to identify with in developing this relationship. We are to be the children of God (John1:12-13) (I John3:1-2). We should even address God very personally as “abba” (Rom8:14-16)(Gal4:6). We are the fiancé of Jesus Christ that will marry him at His return to earth (Rev19:7-9) (Matt9:15). God even shares Himself with us (John14:15-21)(Eph4:6). We are the temple of God and He will dwell and walk with us and be our Father (II Corth6:16-17). God wants each person to be a member of His household (Eph2:19). God wants to be there for people if they let Him (Heb13:5-6). God wants people to be His sons (Rom9:26). How much closer can somebody be to you, that they come and make their home with you? That is what both Jesus and the Father are desirous of doing (John14:23).

 Religious organizations are always trying to get people to join in and be a part of them. It usually has to do with a growing membership that brings with it prestige, power and money. Jesus Christ did not join with the religious groups of His day, and in fact had many things to say against them (Matt23:1-39). The only thing He said to do, was to use them as access to the written words from God (Matt23:3). We now have available to us this inspired library as the most widely published book in the world. Christians are the body of Christ, but every body is made up of many different parts (Rom12:4-5)(I Corth12:12-27) which means that each individual on their own, is still a part of the body. God would like for each individual to be an ambassador of Christ, which is a singular position (II Corth5:20) and a living sacrifice in the conduct of their lives (Rom12:1). There are profound blessings and promises that will happen in the future (II Peter1:10-11)(Rev21:1-27) for each individual who does this.