God-Man Run to God

By Dr . Tony G. Minyard

I have to ask you a question: Have you ever needed someone to help you? The answer to this simple question is for a person to overcome any obstacle, they have to believe in someone or something bigger than themselves in the spiritual realm. The source of supernatural power that I write about in this book called The God-Man, Run to God is a supernatural God, Whom you need. The purpose of my book is to persuade you, the reader, to "run to God" in times of need. This is the reason He created us in His image. God does understand you because He loves you. The chapters in this book are "Why? We Need God"; "Why? Uncharted Waters"; "Why? Job"; "The God of Your Fathers: I Am"; "Why? Moses"; "Why? Samson"; "Why Can't You? Jesus Did"; and lastly "Why? Heart Transplant." Ever since the garden of Eden, man went from the glory of God covered with His light from the darkness from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This is why we need God. He sent Jesus to become that Lamb to die on the Cross so we then now can accept that gift and have a supernatural heart transplant. The author hopes that you, the reader, can have an open mind with the understanding that God wants you to run into His arms again in fellowship. This was His plan from the beginning of time. One day all of us are going to die, and this earthly tent we call our body will decay. However, our spirit will live in a place called either heaven or hell. The author is praying that you, the reader, will make the right choice, and no person can rightly make anyone choose it. God has given everything that has breath on earth free will. This book was written with a purpose and a God-given purpose that guides you to make the right decision.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685265977

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Mercy Seat

Introduction

1: Why Do We Need? God

His Prized Creation: Man

Eden's Delight

The First Gardener

Guard Eden

Life or Death

The Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

Breathed

The Soul

Our Image

Missing One Rib

God Said

Chapter One Questions

2: Why? Uncharted Waters

Tada! Pick Any Card

What Is Mentalism?

Every Tree

Eve Knew

Eye's Will Be Opened

Lucifer Didn't Die

Eve, Please Run to God

Real Deal or Not

Yes, I Ate It. So What?

Adam Didn't Run to God

Adam Was Beguiled by Eve

Lamb of God

What Did Lucifer Really Want?

It Is Written

Dominion and Power

A Public Spectacle

You Are What?

They Were Light

Eden's Delight Erased

You Were in Eden

For the Sake of Your Splendor

Day Star

Be Like God

Theory (Not a Doctrine)

Lucifer Ate It

Lucifer Wants Eden

Fork in the Road

Flaming Sword

Daniel Needed God

Michael

Other Angels

Satan's Resentment

Satan in Cuffs

A Thousand-Year Reign of Jesus Christ

Millennialism

Parole for a While

Lake of Fire

We Win

Chapter Two Questions

Please Pray

3: Why? Job

Land of Uz

There Was a Day

Sons of God

God Did It

Spare His Life

All Gone

Satan's Vengeance

Job Confessions

Job: Hello, God, It's Me

Repentance and Restoration

Have You Ever Taken God for Granted?

Chapter Three Questions

4: The God of Your Fathers: IAM

What is His name?

Holy Ground

I Am the God of Your Fathers

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Seventy-Five Years Old

Count the Stars

Lord, How Would I Know?

God Can't Do It, Honey?

Conflict

Here's Ishmael

Hagar

Return and Submit

Father of Multitudes

The He Factor

Abraham's Descendants

My Covenant Circumcision

Game Changer

Great I Am Visits Abraham and Sarah

You Did Laugh, Sarah

Can't Con God

I Have to Tell Abraham

How Many?

Lot at the Gate

Unleavened Bread

Sin of Lust

Run to God

Rained Fire and Brimstone

Pillar of Salt

Lot's Wife Disobeyed

Remember Lot's Wife

Reap What You Sow

The Son: Laughter

Hit the Road Jack

Ishmael

But, Lord

I'm Listening

Trust

My Lord, I Give It All

We Will Be Back

The Fourth Cup

The Pig and the Chicken

Where Is the Lamb?

I Have Sworn

Find a Wife

Servant's Prayer

It Happened

Her Reward

Honor and Respect

The Stage Is Set

The Curtain Opens

Their Eyes Have Met

Passing the Baton

Isaac Pleads to God

Esau and Jacob

I Want Your Birthright

Esau Rejected God

Isaac's Hand

Rebekah's Plan

I Am Esau, Father

Who Are You?

Esau Hates Jacob

Don't Be Like Esau

Jacob's on the Road

Misery Loves Misery

Jacob's Dream

Jacob Awakes

Rachel's Coming

Jacob Kisses Rachel

The Meeting

Give Me My Wife

Not Rachel

7 + 7 = Rachel

Déjà Vu

God Remembered

Jacob, God Is with You

Streaked, Spotted, Speckled

Go Back Home

Eyes Were Opened

Why Did You Run Off?

Rachel Stole Laban's Idols

Jacob Was Angry

Jacob and Laban: Covenant

Jacob Scared

Jacob Prays

Gifts for Esau

God's Face

Jacob and Esau Meet

Mighty Is the God of Israel

Isaac Dies

Twelve Tribes of Israel

Jacob Dies

Jesus Christ

Chapter Four Questions

5: Why? Moses

Moses Has Horns

Michelangelo's Moses

Shone

God Buries Moses

Struck the Rock

Why Did This Anger God?

God Provides, Not Moses

Have You Ever Acted Like Moses?

My Rock Is Anger

What about the Next Verse?

Caterpillar with Wings

Is Your Rock Refreshing?

What Is Your Rock?

Exodus: The Meaning

Hard Bondage

There Is Hope

Midwives, Run to God

In the Ark: The Deliverer Sleeps

The Gift from the River

Supernatural Event

Out of the Water

Moses, the Egyptian

Land of Midian

Eat Bread

Preparation

God Remembers

Burning Bush

I Am Who I Am

Holy, Holy, Holy

I Am the God of Your Father

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

What's That in Your Hand?

But, Lord, I Am Slow of Speech

This Is for the Teacher

Aaron Will Be with You

Moses Returns to Egypt

God: Kill Moses?

Aaron Meets Moses

Who Is This God?

I Will Rescue Them

I Am the Lord

Take Your Rod

The Ten Plagues

First Plague: Water into Blood

Second Plague: Frogs

Third Plague: Lice

Fourth Plague: Flies

Fifth Plague: Murrain

Sixth Plague: Boils

Seventh Plague: Hail

I Have Sinned

Eighth Plague: Locusts

Same Old, Same Old

Ninth Plague: Darkness

Tenth Plague: Firstborn Death

Blood on the Two Doorposts

Feast of the Passover

Memorial Day

Mr. Death Has Come

The Pillar of Cloud

Pharaoh: I'm Back

God Will Fight the Battle

Stand Still: See the Salvation of the Lord

Run from Israel

Israel Singing

Manna

Helped: Lift Moses's Arms

Moses Needed Help

Oral Giving of the Law

Book of the Covenant

Forty Days and Forty Nights

How Did They Forget?

Aaron Didn't Do His Job

Stiff-Necked People

Your People, Moses

I Will Make You a Great Nation

Moses Pleads with God

Whoever Is on God's Side, Join Me!

God's Orders

Let Me See Your Glory

Cut Out Two Tablets of Stone

Made a Covenant with You and Israel

Chapter Five Questions

6: Why? Samson

The Nazirite

No Razor upon His Head

Manoah Runs to God

Not a Praying Man

Always Be Teachable

Ascended in the Flame

A Wife

Young Lion

The Riddle

Straight through the Heart

Dead Men's Clothes

Red-hot Foxes

Samson's Wrath

Judah: What Have You Done?

The Jawbone

Samson Cried Out

The Harlot

Delilah Is Her Name

Night Overcomes the Sun

Trick or Treat

Kryptonite Revealed

You're the Devil in Disguise

The Barber from Hell

Bound and Blind

Praise Dagon

Joke Was on Them

Samson Runs Back to God

Samson Gets the Oscar

What Are Your Two Pillars?

Chapter Six Questions

7: Why Can't You? Jesus Did

Without Sin, Cast the Stone

Judgment

The Verdict Is

People Who Live in Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones

Holier-than-Thou

The Parable

Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables?

What's Your Plank?

Spiritual Adultery

Methodist Church

Southside Baptist

Tilden Tech High School

Marquette Manor Baptist High School

Salvation

Get Off the Bus, Gus

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

Saint Mary of Perpetual Help High School

Drinking TJ Swan Wine

Granny Dies

Smoking Pot

The Band

Now You're a Father

The Club

I Saw the Light

Hello, This Is God

Worship

Flaming Arrow

The Test

I Love You

Moody Bible College

Searching for My Church

Plant Yourself

Chapter Seven Questions

8: Why? Heart Transplant

The Two Wolves

Which Wolf Are You?

My Black Wolf

Sin Is Sin

Your Choice: Good or Evil

King David Broken

Normal Day

He Forgot

There She Is

He Took Her

The Rabbit Died

180-Degree Turn

Wait

Shema

The Reaper

Why? Uriah

What Sin? The Big Cover-Up

The God Zone

You Are the Man!

I've Sinned Against God

Too Late!

I Will Worship

Solomon

Tragedy and Crisis

The Necessity of Praise and Worship

This Is Who You Are

The Romans 5:1–11 Factor

Snapshots

My Mother's Bible

Mom's First Miracle

God's Wrecking Ball

What's in Your Heart?

We Need Our Heart

Is Your Heart Evil or Good?

Difficult Times Ahead

Supernatural Heart

Our God Is Supernatural

What about Coram Deo?

Reprobate Heart Transplant

Who Are These People?

The Wrath of God

God Gave Them Over

Bad Place to Be

Chapter Eight Questions

Bibliography

About the Author

cover.jpg

God-Man Run to God

Dr. Tony G. Minyard

ISBN 978-1-68526-596-0 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88644-639-5 (Hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-68526-597-7 (Digital)

Copyright © 2022 Dr. Tony G. Minyard

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

OTHER WORKS

BY

THE AUTHOR

THE GOD-MAN

THE GOSPEL

2/25/2021

Covenant Books

I am so glad that you picked up my book to read. I hope you buy it and give this book to a friend in time of need.My purpose is that who ever reads my book will have an open mind to God and has a spiritual heart transplant and have God open your eyes of understanding. Please pray this prayer even if you don't believe in God give it a try.

Please Lord help me understand the purpose of me reading this book and I want to changed and be a better person in life. Thank you and I praise the Father, Son and you the Holy Sprirt Amen

Also please read the lyrics to the song Mercy Seat if you want to hear this beautiful song listen to it on your smart phone.

THANKS

BECAUSE ETERNITY IS ONLY

FOREVER

PLEASE

RUN TO GOD

BEFORE ITS TOO LATE

Mercy Seat

Vicki Yohe

In the darkness

Where everything is unknown

I face the power of sin on my own

I did not know

Of a place I could go

Where I could find a way

To heal my wounded soul

He said that I could come into

His presence without fear

Into the holy place

Where His mercy hovers near

I'm runnin' I'm runnin'

I'm runnin' to the mercy seat

Where Jesus is callin'

He said, His grace would cover me

His blood will flow freely

It will provide the healin'

I'm runnin' to the mercy seat

I'm runnin' to the mercy sea...

Are you livin' where hope has not been?

You're lost in the curse

Of a lifetime of sin

Lovely illusions, they never come true

I know where there's a place

Of mercy for you

He said that you could come into

His presence without fear

Into this holy place

Where His mercy hovers near

Come runnin', come runnin'

Come runnin' to the mercy seat

Where Jesus is callin'

He said, His grace would cover you

His blood will flow freely

It will provide the healin'

Come runnin' to the mercy seat

I'm runnin' to the mercy seat

He said that you could come into

His presence without fear

Into this holy place

Where His mercy hovers near

Come runnin', come runnin'

Come runnin' to the mercy seat

Where Jesus is callin'

He said, His grace would cover you

His blood will flow freely

It will provide the healin'

Come runnin' to the mercy seat

Come runnin' to the mercy

Come runnin', come runnin'

Come runnin' to the mercy seat

Where Jesus is callin'

He said, His grace would cover you

His blood will flow freely

It will provide the healin'

Come runnin' to the mercy seat

I'm runnin' to the mercy seat

I'm runnin' to the mercy seat

Thank You for the mercy seat

Thank You for the mercy seat

Somebody thank Him for the mercy seat

Thank You Lord

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Richardson Stephen L / Carouthers Mark K / Harpole Jeffrey Carleton

Introduction

When I first got the idea for the title of my manuscript, God-Man "Run to God , " I had this picture in my mind that people were running to the altars for forgiveness. Then I started to think about when churches would have tent meetings outside of towns, in the farm fields. Then I started to think about Billy Graham and watched his crusades and saw many people come to give their lives to Christ. We need that again, my friend, especially in our day and age. It seems that wickedness has gotten worse, right? Remember this, my friend, good always overcomes evil.

Then I was thinking about George Whitefield (1714–1770). If you have ever taken a class of church history and you come across the chapter about the Reformation. George Whitefield's name would come up with a blazing fire. George will always emerge as one of the most famous religious figures of the eighteen century. The newspapers called him the marvel of the age. In his lifetime, George preached at least eighteen thousand times to perhaps ten million hearers. You, the reader, might be thinking, what does this have to do with The God-Man Run to God?

My friend, I am so grateful that you asked that question. In his day, before there were TVs and radios, George Whitefield was like Billy Graham. Mr. Whitefield preached anywhere, and most of his meetings were in the open farm fields.

The word of God has to be preached so that people will give their hearts to the Lord. The Bible clearly states, Today is the day of salvation. Praise the Lord for authors because it was a book that George read that the Holy Spirit used to have this man saved from the pits of a fiery hell! Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley, gave him this book: The Life of God in the Soul of Man by Henry Scougal. See, I hope that my books have the same anointing in Jesus's name.

This book heavily emphasizes that a person must be born again and declares that religious works are nothing apart from this experience. Whitefield later wrote,

God showed me that I must be born again or be damned! I learned that a man may go to church, say his prayers, receive the sacrament, and yet not be a Christian. How did my heart rise and shudder, like a poor man that is afraid to look into his account-books, lest he should find himself bankrupt.

Whitefield was searching for the truth; he was trying to gain righteousness for salvation by doing good works. Then finally, he threw himself upon the mercy of Jesus. He trusted in Jesus alone for the forgiveness of sins and the salvation of his soul. Whitefield didn't quit; he kept pressing on. He had a hunger for God. Then it happened in an instant, and God gave him an overflowing of the Holy Spirit. It was a total transformation. George was saved, and he knew he was saved. No more doubting, finally, George had assurance.

Later, George wrote this:

I know the place… Whenever I go to Oxford I cannot help running to that place where Jesus Christ first revealed himself to me and gave me the new birth.

I had to share this with you because I prayed that you, the reader, would experience what George Whitefield did. I really believe in miracles, and you might not believe in God, but He believes in you. Notice what Whitefield said, I cannot help running to that place where Jesus first revealed himself to me and gave me the new birth.

Do you believe in God? If your answer is yes, that is great news. Do you have a relationship with Him? For example, do you pray every day and read His Word? Is your heart right with Him? Maybe your heart is far from God right now. The purpose of this book is to provide a simple answer to this question. Are you running from God? If you are running from Him, why? Please give your life, heart, body, mind, and soul back to your Creator. The main purpose of this book is to persuade you, the reader, to run back to God and ask Him to forgive you. You might think there is no hope, but there is, my friend. His name is Jesus Christ.

I know this to be true, because I was like you, running from God, for fourteen years. Then I was at a place in my life when I wanted to die but wanted to live. I was drowning in the spiral of drugs and alcohol. I was drowning in the pain of my addictions, and on a personal note, my relationships were not that good either. I was a failure.

Jesus threw out the life preserver that said, I love you. The big emptiness that I had in my soul was filled with a love that words can't describe, my friend. I was spiritually bankrupt, and even though Jesus threw out that life preserver, I had to make that choice, and I accepted His gift of salvation. My friend, once you have an experience with Jesus and let Him into your heart, your life will be transformed. I know how George felt, because I was doing what he did, trying to do good works for my salvation. The reality is I knew one thing: I was a sinner. My friend, if I had died before my conversion, I would have gone straight to hell on a one-way ticket.

Like I said, I know about the running part. I remember that God would send people to witness to me. I wasn't ready to run back to God, because I loved my sin—what I thought was cool and fun and the life of the party. Then the time came that I was addicted, and I knew it. My friend, there is always a payday, right?

When I gave my life to Jesus, I not only ran back to Him but also crawled back and fell into His arms; and I knew freedom. The Bible says, The wages of sin is death. Jesus paid the wages of every sin I committed.

I want to point out how precious life is, and I truly believe life is a gift from God. Wouldn't you agree with me on that note? God's will will go on whether you believe in Him or not. God did not send His only Son to pay the price for our rebellion or sin in vain.

The purpose of this book is to bring awareness that God is a Holy God and hates sin. There I said it, and that's it. We like to put God in a box and form doctrines and false beliefs to make God in our puppet strings.

The church needs to get back to the basics. I have been to some services where the pastor didn't give an altar call. I hate to say this, but as long as the pews are full and the offerings are in, they are happy and content. God forbid if the pastor offends anyone by preaching sin.

Now this pandemic has risen its ugly vicious head and has the world flipped upside down. People are sickly and dying. As I am writing this book, it breaks my heart, and just for a moment, I wonder if out of all those people, how many of those accepted Jesus? My friends, we are in the last of the last days. The stage is set, and the curtain is almost ready to pull open for the Antichrist to rule. Are you ready? Do you know where you would spend eternity? The Bible only speaks of two places: heaven and hell.

I pray that everyone chooses the door of heaven. The Bible clearly states that hell was not prepared for you. It was for the devil and the fallen angels. God is love.

I hope that when you have read this book, your heart is right with the Lord; and if you have never made Jesus your Lord, hopefully you might just make that decision. The Bible clearly states this is the new birth or a new creation. Think about this for a moment. If more people run back to God and have a new spiritual heart transplant and turn evil to good, the world would be a better place to live, right?

Again, most authors write a book with a purpose to either express their beliefs or motivate or inspire the readers. Then purpose may be to share their experiences that resulted in spiritual awakening. This might be that the author has overcome some personal struggles and they feel they have to help those with the same obstacles in their life, right?

I've mentioned my intent when I write my books in the earlier paragraph. However, in my opinion, the author gets the awakening firsthand because you can't help someone else unless you've been there first, or in other words, the person has to go through something, and they call that, my friend, experience.

I hope that you, the reader, enjoy my book, and I hope that you reap the full benefits of a changed life for the good. This is why when a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior, in theology, this is called the great exchange. Well, again I hope that we all come to a place where we are always changing to become a better person in life, right?

Welcome aboard and get ready for your roller coaster ride. However, in this book, I will explain in depth the magnitude of how man needs to run back to God. I will disclose in these upcoming eight chapters: (1) Why? We Need God; (2) Why? Uncharted Waters; (3) Why? Job; (4) The God of Your Fathers: I Am; (5) Why? Moses; (6) Why? Samson; (7) Why Can't You? Jesus Did; and lastly (8) Why? Heart Transplant. It is necessary to justify these studies into the real deal that God desires to have His creation come back to the realization that a supernatural God wants His heart in the heart of man. This book has a different format from my other book. In this book, I have at the end of every chapter questions that you can answer if you want to.

I really have a heart for people and care about what happens to their souls. I have been through the school of hard knocks. I have been through the fire, hurts, and whatever. One thing I do know is that my life is better than before, because I made the choice that enough is enough. Do I still struggle with things? Yes, and I am comfortable in my own skin. I am still a WIP, meaning a work in progress. God is not looking for perfect people. He is looking for people because He loves us!

I have to ask you, the reader, a question. If you were walking by a burning building and you heard or saw a person with a baby in their arms, yelling, Help me, what would you do? I hope you will help that person. Or would you just walk away, saying, Oh, well? According to the Bible, those who reject God and His Son will burn in the lake of fire forever and ever! On earth right now, man has to make the choice to either run to God or simply reject Him. Please come back and make room for God in your heart. This is why I wrote this book, so that people won't be in that burning building called hell. God loves you very much. Eternity is only forever.

Please say this prayer before you read my book:

Father God, I pray that you open my eyes, the window to my soul. Please help me, Lord. I need You in every aspect of my life. May Your will be done, not mine, Lord. Amen!

1

Why Do We Need? God

God

His Prized Creation: Man

He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures (James 1:18 NKJV). This is so true. The God of the universe decided to create man to be a part of His plan, and the New Living Translation uses the word prized, instead of crown. We need God more now because, for one, He loves us and wants us to be part of His creation in the present and the future, right? The title of my book is God-Man Run to God. In this chapter, we will travel back in time into the book of Genesis where this event first began. This is the stage when the curtain is pulled back to unfold the plan of God.

Why do we need God? The main reason is we are His prized creation. God had this all planned out from the beginning of time. He wanted man to live on planet earth forever. Yes, I said forever.

You, the reader, might ask, How does the story of Adam and Eve relate to our times in the twentieth-first century? Well, in essence, because it is where it all began, if you believe that the Bible is the true Word of God. Please have an open mind in these first two chapters. This is the most ancient story in the world. It has survived because it embodies the basics of human life, right? What remains: is the constant conflict between good and evil, the struggle between man and the devil. There is a huge gap between God and man because of this seemingly perpetual struggle of human nature against sin.

It's true that today man is still conflicted when it comes to good and evil. This is of utmost importance when it comes to knowing why we still need God in our troubled, chaotic world. An inner peace can only come from a supreme being called God. Man still has a longing to either obey or disobey God, right? I will ask you a question on who wrote the Bible. If man had written it, he would have put himself as god. He would have never needed restoration back to God. Sure, man did write the scriptures, but Christians believe man was inspired by the Holy Spirit. That's another topic to be discussed.

Without God, man lives in fear or maybe fears nothing. Perhaps he is an atheist. I hope and pray that you, the reader, will examine your heart and pray that God opens your eyes to the truth.

Life, in essence, is only, in reality, very short, right? Maybe you might live for a hundred years, right? The truth is, where are you going to spend eternity? My friend, the Bible clearly explains throughout the Old and New Testament the answer. I hope and pray that you, the reader, open your heart, mind, and soul.

God's plan was for Adam and Eve to live in the garden of delight forever in perfect harmony and communion with Him as their God. Ever since that happened, God's plan has not changed. He still loves us and wants that relationship back. This was His perfect plan from the beginning, right? This is why He sent Jesus Christ to come to redeem man back to the Father of lights (God). Adam and Eve had the garments of light to cover them and were made already in the image of the Father of lights. Jesus was that light in the New Testament, sinless, and was God in the flesh. He was 100-percent man and 100-percent God. Therefore, for us, we are in sin and not perfect like Adam and Eve were in the garden of delight, right? However, God had the plan for Jesus to become that light. and if we accept His gift of eternal life, we will have the same garment of light that the first Adam had. Jesus was the second Adam. They were both perfect, sinless. They lived in paradise in perfect holy communion with each other.

Let's look at 1 Corinthians 15:20 (NKJV):

But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Let's also look at 1 Corinthians 15:42–45 (NKJV):

So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.

It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

And so it is written, The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

This is our hope to believe what the Scriptures say, right?

There was no fear or sickness. They didn't age and were happy with living life on God's terms. This is why we need God—to start a path to something like Eden; but the difference is we are not perfect and our world is not. God wants to restore all that in due time.

Well, let's get back to the garden of Eden, and I pray that your heart will want to be in God's perfect will for your life. Man is God's prized creation, and still is.

Sure, God's throne is in the third heaven; but He wanted Adam and Eve to reign as the king and queen on earth, and have fellowship in a perfect state or, for that matter, sinless. It all began in the garden of Eden's Delight.

Eden's Delight

The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.

And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:8–9 NKJV)

This had to be paradise on earth. Where would you like to live here on earth if money wasn't an option and you could easily afford everything? If you're from the Midwest, like I am, which sometimes gets ten to eighteen inches of snow, then the brutal below-zero temperatures, like −60, with the windchill. If it was me, I would say Hawaii because it's beautiful; and my second place would be Florida but only during the winter months because of the hurricane season.

But Eden was better than any place on earth. It was perfect. Yes, I said perfect. Adam and Eve lived in a place that was made just for them to live forever. It couldn't get better than this setup, right? I can't even imagine how they looked, felt, and the fact that they had communion with God on the cool of the day. One thing is for sure: even with our born-again experience, we can't touch what Adam and Eve experienced or had before the fall. In essence, we are close, but no cigar, honey.

This was heaven's resort, the Hilt. God was the hotel CEO of Eden's Delight. Adam and Eve were His creative guests that were co-owners with God to enjoy the pleasures of angelic wings and the best fruit from the tree of life.

They became immortal, and they worshipped God with praise and awe and were grateful to be in paradise because they were one with God. Boy, I still can't imagine and my brain can't comprehend it, because it is so good to be true; it was. God was their God, and everything was good.

The First Gardener

God was the first gardener in the universe. Genesis 2:8 states, The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden. Praise the Lord for how wonderful and creative He is.

God had a plan to have Adam and Eve live in Eden's Delight forever and ever. Notice that every tree was pleasant to their eyes and good for food.

Take note that there were two trees that were very important to Adam and Eve. They were the tree of life and tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve had to look at both of these trees in the duration of their time in Eden. I know that they had to eat of the tree of life every day to stay immortal.

Just think about this for a moment. Imagine waking up to see the most beautiful flowers outside the deck of your home. Every flower of the universe is praising God because He is the first gardener, right? I love to buy flowers and give them away. It makes me happy. Eden made God happy because He knew that Adam and Eve and everyone who was in Eden loved the garden also.

Most women love flowers, and some love to plant them. I have a friend who loves flowers, and I will tell you that I watch her. It takes a lot of work to keep the garden beautiful. Now this is after the fall of Adam and Eve. They didn't have to water Eden; a mist came from the earth's soil. Adam didn't have to work hard at all. His job was to guard it, and Eve was to wander around and to enjoy the garden, right? God is a good God. He loves to create because He is love.

Guard Eden

Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. (Genesis 2:15–17 NKJV)

Every time I read this passage, I smile because I remember when I watch TV or hear people talking about the afterlife, they would say, Yea, when I die and enter the pearly gates, I can't wait to sit on a cloud and play a harp.

I will rephrase Genesis 2:15: The Lord God took man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend to and keep it.

Work is not a dirty word in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, right? Adam was told to keep it, the garden. This phrase to keep actually means to guard it. Adam had the best 401(k) and pension plan called Eden Forever Delight.

Adam's boss was the God of the universe. Imagine what Adam's résumé would look like. The fact is that Adam was more of an owner than a steward. God was pleased that Adam was doing His will in the garden of delight.

Whether we get to heaven or live here on earth for eternity, we will have jobs to do. This was the plan of God in the beginning. True love is based on trust. The biggest question would be, Would Adam trust and obey his God? Even today, man has to work, or he doesn't eat, right?

Life or Death

The Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

Therefore, Adam and Eve could eat of every tree in the garden of delight, but what did God say about that other tree? In Genesis 2:17, God said, But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in that day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

Now God was very implicit in His words on that subject matter concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God did not stutter; this was the commandment in Eden. I want to be very clear that Adam and Eve had in theology what we call free will.

Now did God love Adam and Eve? Yes, He did, and they were His prized creation. The purpose of this was for God and Adam and Eve to have communion in a relationship format. This was, in essence, the beginning of another term in a theological setting called covenant.

I would like to talk about how God created Adam and Eve. This is very vital and will play a pivotal compass in the future of man.

Keep in mind that everything God does has a purpose and we might not understand it at the given moment. This was the heart of God within His love and moral attributes of why He created Man. God had to give Adam and Eve to make a choice to obey Him or not. Isn't this relevant today? We still have that choice, right?

Except we are under grace to either accept Jesus or not. Even though the tree of life is not here, Jesus is the tree of salvation. Man can reject or freely accept Jesus. Of course, we have that tree of the knowledge of good and evil within our sinful nature. We will deeply explore those topics in the next chapters. God's prized creation—Man, who was made in His image—is still beyond our grasp. Just look in the mirror.

That's why the scriptures say we are made in the image of Jesus, the second Adam. God knows that we need Him. We do, right?

Breathed

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" (Genesis 2:7 NKJV). What is so amazing about this event is in the fact that life can only come from life, right? There is an interesting observation in the divine names of God.

Genesis 1:1 states, In the beginning (H7225) God (H430) created (H1254) the heaven (H8064) and the earth (H776).

According to the Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary of the Bible, in Genesis 1:1, the name God: H430 אֱלֹהִים ʼĕlôhı̂ym el-o-heem' Plural of H433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:—angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty. Also in Genesis 2:7, "And the Lord (H3068) God (H430) formed (H3335) man (H120) of the dust (H6083) of the ground (H127), and breathed (H5301) into his nostrils (H639) the breath (H5397) of life (H2416); and man (H120) became (H1961) a living (H2416) soul (H5315). H3068 יְהֹוָה yehôvâh yeh-ho-vaw' From H1961; (the) self-Existent or eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050, H3069."

This name of the Lord God (self-existence or eternal Jehovah) denotes simply how powerful the Lord God was in creating His prized creation, Man. The God of the universe, the beginning and the end, in the garden of Eden demonstrated His love in action and formed man in His image. God breathed life into man and became a living soul in an eternal moment of time where God and man united together.

To make it clear, during the creation of man, it was the self-existence eternal supreme God Who breathed a living soul into this earthly man.

Therefore, God is a Spirit, according to the Bible in John 4:24: God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration (TSMG).

The Soul

I like what Spiros states in his notes on the subject matter the soul.

The term soul has been used in a variety of ways by different writers in the Bible. The OT Hebrew word is nephesh (5315), which means that which breathes. It corresponds to the Greek word psuche (5590) in the NT, which is usually translated soul or life. See the lexical aid sections for further definition. Here, it is used synonymously with spirit. Both spirit and soul refer to the emotional life and correspond to the heart in a sense, which is the seat of all thinking, feeling, and purpose. Soul and spirit are frequently used interchangeably, and it is not easy to define the difference.

Hebrew culture tended to view man as being composed of only two parts—soul (spirit) and body. The Greek concept of man was tripartite (see 1 Thess. 5:23).

Broadly defined, the soul stood for the higher elements by which we comprehend spiritual truths; and the body was, of course, the physical, material body (Zodhiates 1990).

The author of Hebrews implied that there is a very fine line of distinction between soul and spirit (Heb. 4:12).

I think Spiros defines that very well. He says that which breathes is an understatement in and of itself. Without being breathed into, we are dead, right? Let's look at these two scriptures that Spiros says in 1 Thess. 5:23, Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (NKJV). This passage really explains itself very well, right?

So God breathes into man the spirit of life; and Adam was a perfect or, in essence, sinless man. He was the first human. This breath was life and gave God's His creation a soul. This was breathed from a divine supernatural being, right? We take for granted the way we breathe. Why? Because it happens naturally. We don't tell our body, Let's breathe, right? Think about this for a moment, my friend. When God breathed into man, it was a creation without sin. Adam and Eve had God from heaven breathe life into their mortal bodies. My friends, this is awesome.

See, we don't see it that way, because we have the sin nature. We were not made perfect in this world. We will never be like Adam in this fashion on earth in our redeemed body, because one day, we will ultimately die.

Our spirit man will not die, because we have been born again. But Adam was created perfect with the ability to sin or disobey God after he was created.

We will get into another segment called the second Adam, but for now, we are in the creation part of the first and only Adam. The purpose of this book is to explain the importance of why man needs God and whatever happens in the garden of delight, God still loves His prized creation. The whole manifestation in awe in heaven on earth has now been a wonderful presentation of God-Man in fellowship in a perfect sinless union.

Therefore, I will explain that even though Adam had that, he had the freedom to choose right from wrong; and that really, in essence, consisted of either to obey or to disobey the commandment of God.

Our Image

Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. (Genesis 1:26–28 NKJV)

What makes this passage jump out to me is the term Let US. Now we can make an argument that when God said this, He could have been speaking to His angels, right?

The answer to that argument is, for one, angels can't create, because they are created by God. The Trinity is not mentioned anywhere in the Holy Bible. However, the biblical concept of the Trinity has been used in the Scriptures, I mean, in both testaments.

In 2 Corinthians 13:14, the apostle Paul writes this: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (NKJV). Amen. He doesn't mention the wording trinity but speaks of the three together in the end of his epistle he writes to the Corinthian Church. Another passage is found in 1 John 5:6–8 (NKJV):

This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.

For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

I like the Message Bible version:

Jesus—the Divine Christ! He experienced a life-giving birth and a death-killing death. Not only birth from the womb, but baptismal birth of his ministry and sacrificial death. And all the while the Spirit is confirming the truth, the reality of God's presence at Jesus' baptism and crucifixion, bringing those occasions alive for us.

A triple testimony: the Spirit, the Baptism, the Crucifixion. And the three in perfect agreement.

John 1:1 (NKJV) states,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

I like what Miethe says about the Trinity:

The word Trinity never appears in the Bible, though the doctrine clearly does. The Bible states that there is but one God (Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29); there are no others (Zech. 14:9) The unity of God is undeniable. Yet the teaching is not inconsistent with the doctrine of the Trinity, which states that there is indeed one essence, yet three persons of the Trinity share this divine essence: (God the Father, the First Person of the Trinity; God the Son (Jesus), the Second Person; and God the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity.

The three Persons of the Trinity are equal, having only a functional subordination, that is Jesus was subordinate—in function—to the Father while on earth. (Miethe 1998)

That explains it in depth pretty good. Yes, I believe that was happening in the creation of Adam when the Scriptures clearly says, Let us, make man in our image and likeness. I like the word dominion, why did the Trinity mention this? Well, let's look at the Hebrew meaning or concept of that word dominion.

The word dominion has a meaning in the Hebrew in the Strong's Hebrew and Greek Concordance as to tread and to rule. The name of God means Supreme God.

The word said means to boast, charge, and declare. The wording Let US make means to accomplish and bring forth. The word man means mankind, the word image means to resemble like, and likeness means to fashion like.

I want to paraphrase this passage in what the Hebrew lingo is Genesis 1:26 (paraphrase version):

Then God (Supreme God) said, (Boast, charge, declare), Let US make, (accomplished, bring forth), man (mankind) in Our image (resemblance), according to our likeness (fashioned like); let them have dominion (to tread, rule, reign) over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all earth and over every creeping thing (reptile) that creeps on the earth (nations)."

Missing One Rib

And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."

Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.

So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.

Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:18–25 NKJV)

I am so grateful that God made the woman (Eve). In my opinion, I think the woman was the best creation of the Lord in the garden of delight. The first verse explains in context of why the Lord God created the woman. He says, It is not good that man should be alone.

That does make sense, doesn't it? Because in that garden were all the creations of God and the Godhead, right? But God knew because He is God.

The other part of that first verse is I will make him a helper comparable to him. The reason behind all of this was Adam named all the animals which were male and female. Because everything God makes has a seed that reproduces itself, right? In our society, since the seventies, the women's lib was a movement that went viral.

Women wanted the same rights as men. In the garden, this was not that way. The woman was a helpmate. I don't want to emphasize a slave. Adam and Eve were two separate beings, and the word helpmate means in the Hebrew is part opposite, a counterpart, or mate.

I have to ask a $64,000 question. God took a rib from Adam to make Eve, right? Does man have one less rib today? The answer is male and female don't have an equal number of ribs. However, my conviction is that Adam did have one less rib, but his DNA produced the same ribs when God first created him.

This is the true essence of what a woman should be for her husband. Now I will be perfectly clear: a woman is not a doormat or treated with any domestic violence of any sort. Because a woman is a gift from God to make man complete, and they should walk in harmony in raising a family. This union pleases the Lord God because, for one, God hates divorce because it breaks up the unit.

God has Adam in a deep sleep, and He performs another creative act that would complete His prized creation package. Eve (woman) was made from one of Adam's ribs. Just like a marriage ceremony made in heaven. Adam says something like a wedding vow:

This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Now Adam was complete. He has a helpmate, animals he named, a kingdom called Eden, and most importantly his God. I like the last verse in Genesis 2: And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Now when God created Adam a helpmate, this was the first marriage in Eden. Marriage is a very important sacrament, if I can use this word in this context. God simply hates divorce because it breaks up the unit in the household. What is so sad today is that a husband and wife can get a divorce for no reason whatsoever. Usually, the grounds for divorce is adultery.

What did Jesus say about divorce?

The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"

And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,' and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate."

They said to Him, Why then did Moses' command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?

He said to them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery. (Matthew 19:3–9 NKJV)

The Pharisees were always testing Jesus on the laws of God. They asked a simple question, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason? Jesus responded, Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So, then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate.

The Pharisees said to Jesus Why then Moses's command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away? Jesus responded with this: Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.

Regardless, the fact of the matter is that couples divorce because of an affair with another man or woman. Usually, they fall in love with the other person, and then they have to make a choice to either stay married or divorce. I heard a preacher say this, and it is very true. He said, The devil will use these two to destroy someone, and they are money, and sexual temptation. What makes divorce common or people not getting married until they know for sure it will work. The sad part is they might not be committing adultery, but fornication for that matter. Malachi 2:14–16 clearly states that God hates divorce.

Yet you say, For what reason? Because the Lord has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant.

But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.

For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence, Says the Lord of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously. (Malachi 2:14–16 NKJV)

Why do we need God? Because He loves us very much and wants us to bring forth good fruit in our lives. Right? I went back to the book of Genesis to paint a picture of what God's perfect will was for us in the beginning. Even if it is different now, God is still God back then and now.

This is one main reason we need to run to God, and that is for couples to take their vows more seriously. Marriage is a sacred covenant that is considered a top priority in the kingdom of heaven, right? Especially in America, divorce cases are increasing at a skyrocket pace.

On another note, couples are living together more now. What is sad is that I know for sure that the elderly just live together for financial reasons. Someone said, They would lose their social security benefits from their deceased husband.

Just think about this for a moment: if couples would stay together and not divorced, the family ties would be stronger. I can see why God hates divorce; I do understand that some couples may have to divorce. Please run to God, and ask for His help in these matters.

God Said

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. (Genesis 2:16–27 NKJV)

I know that Adam and Eve knew that they were in a wonderful situation. Adam and Eve never knew evil, just plain old-fashioned goodness, right? God states in the first chapter of Genesis that everything He created was good, right? Now would you agree that God is good and loves everything He created? God even blesses the seventh day.