be easy and he will have to work hard for everything, “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life” (Genesis 3:17). Once Adam and Eve acquire the knowledge of good and evil God believes they can no longer exist in Eden. For now they have gone against God’s word and are like the all-knowing God in their wisdom. For this, they are banned from Eden.2. Salvation, Election and the Covenanta.) God performs many amazing acts for Israel against the Egyptians. These acts give distinction to Israel and show the power and might of God (Exodus 14:21). The Israelites witness these acts and realize their election as a distinct nation of God. God creates an agreement with the people so that He can test them and so that their fear of God will protect them from sinning, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possessions” (Exodus 19:5). With this, God provides a mechanism for the agreement, called the Torah. God states that if this covenant (the agreement between God and Israel) is obeyed; “Although the whole earth is mine, you, will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5) the people of Israel will be a separate, special nation.b.) The explicit contents of the Torah covenant state that if the Israelites obey the Lord by His words, “ love the Lord God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and commands always,” (Deuteronomy 11:1) they will be positioned, “ high above all the nations on earth,” (Deuteronomy 28:1). If the Israelites follow the covenant of God they will be blessed through living healthy lives for themselves and their offspring and protection from enemies wherever they travel (Deuteronomy 28: 3-7). This covenant is with all generations of the Israelites and the facts must be passed down through their children. The people o...
