As the Bible begins, in Genesis, we are told that after God created a beautiful, bountiful, and perfect world, He created a man, Adam, and a woman, Eve, in His image. God placed this first family, man and woman, husband and wife, in a garden that He had prepared for them. The couple were commissioned as God’s vice regents on the earth. They are shown living in a close relationship with their Creator, walking with Him in the garden. Exploring and enjoying the creation. They were to be stewards of this new creation. Their assigned task was twofold.
First, they were to fill the earth with godly offspring; fellow image bearers. They were to have children, raise families and share the knowledge of their Creator God from generation to generation. They were to cultivate the good earth. They explore and discover the mysteries of this world and, with the exuberance of a child, share their discoveries with their Creator.
Second, Adam was to guard the creation. Although Adam did not know it, there had been a rebellion in heaven and an angel named Lucifer, portrayed as a snake in Genesis, and his confederates, had come to the new earth intent on disrupting God’s plan by having Adam and Eve join in his rebellion against God. And that is just what happened. Adam and Eve were tempted by Lucifer. They convinced themselves that they would be much better off listening to Lucifer and joining the rebellion than obeying their Creator.
Immediately after following Lucifer’s advice they realized their mistake. Lucifer’s promise of life and advanced knowledge turned out to be a lie. Instead they were rewarded with death and alienation. Seeing what had happened God visited Adam and Eve and rather than disowning them because of their rebellion God did something remarkable. God countered Lucifer’s false promise to Adam and Eve.
God made a true Promise. God Promised that one day a Son born to a woman would reverse the damage that Adam and Eve had brought on the world by their sin and rebellion. God said that this future Son and Lucifer would enter into mortal combat. Lucifer, the snake, would fatally strike the Son, however, the Son would end Lucifer’s power over mankind by defeating death once and for all time, crushing the snake’s head.
To perpetually remind men of the Promise to Adam and Eve, to remind them of the coming of a Son who would defeat death and alienation from God by His sacrifice, God instituted a sacrificial system. Throughout history, prior to the coming of the Promised Son, men were to sacrifice an unblemished lamb. This taught men two things. First, it taught them that their actions always carried with them consequences. Their sins and rebellion against God deserved death. And second, it reminded them of the Promise that one day, God would, send a Son to Eve to defeat death.
The story of the fulfillment of that Promise, as it was revealed in the history of the world, is the story unfolded in the Bible.
Keeping this backstory in mind, we are ready to understand Zephaniah’s message.
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