1/3/2012
Chapter 3-
-The fall of man narrative is given as the crafty serpent filled with the spirit of Satan deceives Adam and Eve in the garden at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
-Satan uses three tactics that he still uses today in his deceptions and temptations: 1) He attempts to get us to question what God has said, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2) He lies about what God has said, “You surely will not die?” 3) He tries to put in our minds that we can be equal with God, “…your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God…”
-In response we should be aware and know the wicked schemes of the devil (2 Corinthians 2:11). We need to realize that only God can really be trusted with His Word to us. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 4:16). God is the One who opens the eyes of the blind and helps us see. We could never be more enlightened by anything else. He is God and He is holy; there is no one like Him and we need to understand that we can commune with Him but never be equal with Him in His glory and power.
-Adam and Eve take a bite from the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They were together in the drama of the deception. Adam should have taken his place as the head of the family and stopped the wife from taking of the fruit. But he did not; he stood by and let her be deceived and he was deceived himself at the same time. This is the first sin of mankind, which does indeed open their eyes to knowing disobedience to their Creator. For they now know they are naked and feel shame for the first time ever. They sew fig leaves together and hide from God, which is only a temporary covering that would no doubt shrivel up and decay in a very short time.
-God has every knowledge of their sin, but comes in the cool of the day to walk with them, and finds that they are hiding from Him for the first time. He wisely calls out to them asking where they are. Adam and Eve admit their fear. A wall of separation has been erected in the union between man and God. There is now a broken relationship as sin has entered the world. Mankind has lost his paradise through the corruption of sin. Adam and Eve are hiding from God, scared of the consequences of their actions.
-As God communicates with them He wisely gets them see the futility of their disobedience. With one simple question, “What is this you have done?” He cuts to the heart of where they are now at and seeks for them to admit their mistake.
-Consequences for the serpent are given: a curse above all cattle and beast of the field, he will be on his belly and dust he will eat all his life, he will have enmity with the woman forever, between his seed and her seed (descendents). This is called the proto evangelium, the first prophecy of a coming Messiah who will bruise the serpent’s (Satan’s) head (a fatal wound), although the serpent will bruise His heel (crucifixion of Christ).
-Consequences for the woman are given: pain multiplied in childbirth, her desire will be for her husband (This is not a fond affection described, but a longing for power and authority over her husband and men in general, the first feminist movement), and man will rule over her from now on.
-Consequences for the man are given: the ground is cursed and he will have to work it with toil and sweat, the ground will grow thorns and thistles, he will return to the dust of this cursed ground now through death.
-God makes the man and woman a covering of animal skin. This is a more permanent covering than the fig leaves, and it shows the mercy of God in the situation. Blood must be spilt for the first time; an innocent life is lost for the good of mankind, which points us to the cross of Jesus, who would later die for the sins of all mankind.
-The plural form of Deity is again used as they discuss the fact that man has become like one of them in knowing good and evil and the possibility exists for mankind to eat of the tree of life in order to live forever. Therefore the LORD God sends them out of the Garden of Eden to the east and He stationed the cherubim (angels) and the flaming sword, which turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
Verse to Memorize: Genesis 3:15
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