The Kingdom Study : Lesson 2 From Adam to Noah

In the previous lesson we saw that Lucifer had both the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God and through sin he lost them both and God destroyed the original earth. Lucifer then becomes Satan which means an adversary.

In Genesis 1:3 – 2:3 we see that God recreates the earth and on the sixth day of the recreation he creates man. Adam is created on the sixth day and he is given both the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God.

Kingdom of Heaven – Note in Genesis 1:26 Adam has dominion over all the earth and the creatures on it. In Genesis 1:28 he is told to replenish the earth remember that something was on it in the original creation, and to subdue it. The kingdom of Heaven deals with the physical earth                  and Adam has taken Lucifer’s place. (See also Hebrews 2:6-8)

Kingdom of God – Note in Genesis 1:26 that Adam is created in the image of God. This will connect him with the kingdom of God as we will show later. In Genesis 2:7 we see that when Adam is created he is created as a 3 part being, a body, a soul, and a spirit. And this spirit is alive and Adam has no sin and is not a sinner. He is created perfect. Therefore he has the Kingdom of God as well as the kingdom of Heaven.

It is easy to see how Adam has the Kingdom of Heaven, but the kingdom of God is not quite as clear. The key is to understand what the image of God is. The image of God is Jesus Christ according to the word of God (2 Corinthians 4:4 ; Colossians 1:13-19 ; Hebrews 1:3). This is why Adam is called the son of God in Luke 3:38. After Adam sins the only ones referred to as the sons of God in the Old Testament are angels (Genesis 6:1 ; Job 1:6 ; 2:1 ; 38:7). Therefore Adam is spiritually alive and has the Kingdom of God and this is also why Jesus is referred to as the last Adam in 1 Corinthians 15:45-49.

Adam has the image of God because he is created sinless, but when he sins he loses the image of God and he also dies spiritually. This is why we have to be born again as Jesus said in John 3:3-7 to see the Kingdom of God. Remember the Kingdom of God is spiritual kingdom and we get into it by the new birth and as a result of sin we are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1). The new birth was not possible until after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:3), so when Adam loses the kingdom of God through sin, the kingdom of God goes back to heaven and it does not return unto the earth until the image of God which is the Lord Jesus Christ shows up on this earth. This is why in the gospels one place it says the kingdom of Heaven is at Hand and in another gospel it says that the kingdom of God is at hand. The truth is when Jesus Christ was on earth both of the kingdoms were at hand.

Getting way ahead for a moment this is why now in the church age when we are born again we receive the kingdom of God. We are spiritually born again and spiritually placed into the body of the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore we are called the sons of God (John 1:12-13 ; 1 John 3:1) just like Adam. Even though physically speaking we are not in the image of God we will one day be (1 Corinthians 15:49).

In the Garden of Eden man had it all, he had both kingdoms and was living in paradise, but then the adversary showed up and he lost them both. We know that Satan tempted Eve and she did eat and then she gave to Adam and he ate also. They both spiritually died and became sinners. They lost the image of God and this is why in Genesis 5:3 Seth is said to be in the image of Adam not the image of God. So Satan does battle with the one who took his place and wins. Adam loses both the Kingdom of Heaven and the earth is cursed as a result of sin. He also loses the kingdom of God and it goes back to God until the Jesus Christ shows up around 4000 years later.

Satan does not become the new king but he does take over so to speak as concerning the earth. In Genesis Chapter 6 we see that the angels come down and take wives and man becomes so wicked that God says he is going to destroy him with a flood. God sends the flood but he preserves the earth this time unlike the time before and saves the animals and Noah’s family in the ark.

In Genesis 9:1-19 we see that when Noah gets off of the ark he is given a charge concerning the earth that was very similar to the one God gave Adam. Note that he was told to replenish the earth and all the animals were delivered into his hand. Therefore Noah receives the Kingdom of Heaven.

Of course man’s adversary shows up and Noah winds up drunk and one of his son’s commits sin with him and God curses one of Noah’s grandsons. Therefore Noah loses the kingdom of Heaven and we see that Satan is back in control and by Genesis 11 he has mankind trying to build tower to get to heaven instead of going God’s way. Then God comes down and confounds the people by changing all their languages and the tower goes nowhere.

So we have seen so far that Adam was given both kingdoms and lost them, and then Noah was given the Kingdom of Heaven and lost it. Leaving Satan to have control all though is not the king. In the next lesson we will see that God does something different with this kingdom of Heaven and it changes everything.

The Kingdom Study Lesson 2

From Adam to Noah : Handout

1)  What kingdoms were given unto Adam? Give a reference for each one.

2)  What is the image of God? Give references.

3)  Why is the image of God important to the Kingdom of God?

4)  List some of the results of Adam’s fall.

5)  What happens to the Kingdom of God when Adam falls?

6)  What is Satan’s next attack to destroy God’s plan and what is the result of this action?

7)  Which Kingdom is given to Noah? Give References

8)  What happens after Noah’s Sin?