CANDLEGLOW LESSON B’RESHEET (House of Creation)
(Genesis 1:1-6:8) Week 1
Dear Seekers:
The lesson we must learn from the Garden of Eden (Gan Eden) is a spiritual lesson. Eden in Hebrew means delight. The great Architect was Adonai. His design was pleasing, life- sustaining, and eternally holy. This was the garden of life, where the Creator walked with Adam and Eve in the cool, evening breeze.
“ADONAI, God, planted a garden toward the east in ‘Eden, and there he put the person whom he had formed. Out of the ground ADONAI, God, caused to grow every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 2:8-9 CJB)
This is the Lesson of the Two Trees, which teaches the very first boundary lesson to Adam. ADONAI, God, gave the person this order: “You may freely eat from every tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die.” (Genesis 2: 16-17 CJB)
This is the Lesson of the Two Trees, which illuminates the gift of free will for all mankind. This is the spiritual lesson from Adonai, revealing that without the law, there is no trespass. In other words, without a boundary in the perfect garden of delight, Adam and Eve would never intimately know and understand free will, nor the magnanimity of their Creator who crafted this freedom of choice inside their eternal souls. Without the experience of a boundary between holy and unholy, they also could never fully know the extent of the character and the holiness of Adonai, who walked with them in the cool, evening breeze. With His boundary set now in the midst of the garden of delight, there would be an experience for Adam and Eve of personal faith, accountability, and a deep, abiding relationship with Adonai.
“And without trusting, it is impossible to be well pleasing to God, because whoever approaches him must trust that he does exist and that he becomes a Rewarder to those who seek him out.” (Hebrews 11:6 CJB)
This is the Lesson of the Two Trees, which illuminates Parashah B’RESHEET, meaning House of Creation. Where there is darkness, chaos, and a void lack of life, the force of God’s presence must break through with a boundary of searing light, for the miracle of life to begin.
Read B’RESHEET 1:1-5 aloud, dear seeker. These verses point the way into the womb, as His spirit calls forth life! These verses illuminate the truth in our hearts. Without His command of Yehi ‘Or, to send forth His light into our hearts, we are all children of the darkness. We are void of faith and void of living a prescriptive life under His canopy (Chuppah) of grace; under the shade and pleasantness of the branches of the Tree of Life.
CANDLEGLOW LESSON FOR SHABBAT ~
“Happy the person who finds wisdom, the person who acquires understanding; for her profit exceeds that of silver, gaining her is better than gold, she is more precious than pearls –nothing you want can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand, riches and honor in her left. Her ways are pleasant ways, and her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who grasp her; whoever holds fast to her will be made happy.” (Proverbs 3:13-18 CJB)
As we immerse in the Lord’s house of creation this week, and approach His Shabbat with the enthralling verses of B’RESHEET lighting up our thoughts, we must distill this eternal reminder of creation and of the Creator, down to one powerful thought; we must respond to this Tree of Life; to this House of Creation.
We must not only read and understand the words in this very first portion of the Bible, but we must make our claim on what is being offered by the God of the Universe. Take hold of the branches of the Tree of Life, offered to you right now!
This is a choice.
As image bearers of the Most-High, we have free will, which we must exercise, in order to continue to bear His image as His child.
This step of faith is the very basis for celebrating the Sabbath Rest.
We must cross over.
We must take our stand.
We must take hold of the branches of the Tree of Life, the truth about God, the truth about who we are in His creation, and the truth of His plan of redemption, offered freely, but not without the highest cost paid for our freedom!
This is the first step toward finding our rest in a God who can be trusted to support us in the branches of His eternal love.
Shabbat Shalom!
Sydney