When God Speaks- Part 2

Introduction- Genesis 2:15-17 & Genesis 3:1-24

Last week we started a new sermons series entitled “When God Speaks”—throughout history God has spoken to man in various ways, sometimes in an audible voice, at other times through visions and dreams, sometimes through a still small voice, and today through the combination of His Word and His Spirit.

Throughout this series we will consider how men have responded to the voice of God so that we may learn how we ought to respond.

In the first message of the series we considered the challenge to listen for God’s voice, and that we must not harden our hearts but ever remain tender and receptive to Him no only listening but obeying what He has said if we are to experience what He has planned for our lives.

The children of Israel failed in this and spent their lives aimlessly wondering in the wilderness when they could have been dwelling in the promised land experiencing the bounties and blessings it held.

The same is true for you and I—if we are to experience the abundant life that Christ has promised, we must listen for His voice and we must have a heart that is tender and receptive to it such that we will respond in obedience to what He has said.

Today we will go all the way back to the beginning at the time of creation where God first spoke to man to consider the response of Adam and Eve to His voice.

God Speaks (Ch. 2 Vs. 15-17)

In order to consider the lesson to be learned from Adam and Eve we must first consider what God has said to them.

The Lord had placed Adam into the garden of Eden and tasked him with dressing and keeping it (maintaining the garden).

The Lord God then commanded him very plainly that he had the right to eat of any tree of the garden except for one—a tree called “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

There is no mistaking the nature of God’s commandment to Adam—he is to have liberty to eat of any tree except for this one.

God also warns Adam that to break this commandment will mean certain death—severe consequences will follow disobedience.

It is immediately after this when God brings forth Eve from the rib of Adam and places her alongside him in the garden as a help meet for him—a fitting companion.

Though Eve was not present when God spoke to Adam—it is evident by Eve’s response to the serpent that she has been made aware of God’s commandment to abstain from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Both Adam and Eve are well aware of God’s command and there can be no doubt that they fully understood what God had said to them.

In almost every instance even still today where God has spoken, He has spoken plainly and there is no reason that men cannot comprehend His commandments to them.

God has spoken to us plainly through His Word and speaks just as plainly to believers through His Spirit such that we do not lack understanding as to what God has said to us and what He expects of us.

Most of our struggle with God and His Word is not because we do not understand but rather because we do understand and we simply do not want to obey.

Another Voice (Ch. 3 Vs. 1-5)

Even at the very beginning it was not only God who spoke to men—the serpent now approaches Eve and begins to speak to her.

The serpent is described as being “more subtil (cunning/clever) than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.”

The serpent does not come with a command that Eve must eat the fruit of the forbidden tree—rather he simply questions her with regard to what God has said sowing doubt in her mind and causing her to question the truth of what God has said.

The first question the serpent poses is essentially—Didn’t God tell you that you could eat from any tree in the garden?

Eve then replies that God has indeed given them liberty to eat of any tree only He has forbidden them to eat of one tree—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—and that if they were to partake of the fruit of this tree they would surely die.

Again this shows that Eve has received—either from God Himself of through conversation with Adam—the clear command to abstain from eating of the tree.

The serpent then tells Eve that he is sure that she will not die if she were to eat of the fruit and that in actuality God has forbidden them from eating the fruit because He knows that were they to do so their eyes would be opened and they would become like Him—knowing good and evil.

Notice that the serpent never actually instructs Eve to eat of the tree—he only suggests that doing so would not result in death but in a new wisdom and understanding.

The serpent’s speech is designed to simply cause Eve to question God and to wonder if He is being wholly truthful with them.

In our world today there are an untold number of voices which are calling for our attention and which want to influence you to make choices which align with their perspective.

God still speaks to men through His Word and His Spirit, but there are so many other voices vying for our attention.

There are many voices which aim at something very similar to that which the serpent aimed to do—to cause you to question what God has said.

There are many who would call the Word of God into question—saying like the serpent “Yea hath God said”—they sow seeds of doubt which cause many to ignore the plain teaching of scripture.

They will often suggest that God didn’t really mean what He said and that we are simply misinterpreting His Words—when in reality God has spoken plainly on the subject.

Others question the severity of the consequences of disobedience and even suggest that there is something to be gained through disobedience to God.

These will insist that breaking God’s commandments is not really all that big a deal and that the pleasure you gain through doing so is far greater than any consequences you will face for disobedience.

The one thing that we must learn is that any voice which conflicts with or questions the voice of God in our lives is a voice that must be ignored.

God always and only speaks the truth and He will never mislead or deceive us—if He has spoken we can be confident that what He says is right.

Never allow the voice of men or the voice of Satan to cause you to question what God has said—if you are sure that God has spoken, you must act to obey what He has said.

A Tragic Mistake (Vs. 6-11)

Tragically Eve entertained the voice of the serpent and the questions and doubts that were planted in her mind as a result were sufficient to cause her to disobey the voice of God.

Eve looked upon the tree and saw that it’s fruit was good for food and that it was very attractive and appealing to her eyes.

On the advice of the serpent she also concluded that the fruit of the tree was to be desired to make on wise—that what she would gain through partaking of it would outweigh any consequences she faced as a result.

It is at this point that Eve decides to take of the fruit and to eat it and also to give of the fruit to her husband Adam that he may eat it as well.

This decision can and will be traced directly to the voice of the serpent which caused her to doubt the truth of God’s Word and to imagine that God was withholding something of value from them.

There are many people today who make this same mistake—they listen to voices which plant seeds of doubt and cause them to question what God has said.

Many allow themselves to become convinced that God is withholding some good thing from them and that what He has forbidden would actually not hurt them but would be to their benefit.

Eve became convinced along with Adam that partaking of the fruit was a thing to be desired and that they would gain much in doing so—when in reality they would lose everything.

Who’s to Blame (Vs. 12-13)

Once Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree, their eyes were instantly opened—this indicates their awareness of sin and the guilt and shame which followed as a result of their disobedience.

At this point they became aware of their nakedness and attempted to cover themselves with leaves they had sewn together.

It is then that they again hear the voice of God speaking, but this time His voice provokes fear in them because they know that they have disobeyed.

Adam and Eve attempt to hide themselves from God but then He calls to Adam asking where he was.

Adam’s response is telling—he tells the Lord that he hid himself because he was naked and then the Lord asks him who told him that he was naked.

The Lord then questions whether he had eaten of the tree which he had been commanded not to eat from.

It is at this point that Adam attempts to shift the blame for his actions onto Eve and then Eve does the same and attempts to blame the serpent for her disobedience.

In reality both Adam and Eve and the serpent were all to blame for each had a part in the disobedience and rebellion.

Many who disobey the Lord attempt to excuse their disobedience by shifting the blame to others or insisting that it was their circumstances which cause them to sin against God.

In reality, when we disobey the Lord there is no one else to blame—we must take personal responsibility for our actions.

There will be many voices which call to us in this life and there will be those whose intent it is to cause us to question, to doubt, and to sin against God.

It is vitally important that you and I understand that it is the voice of God which we must listen to above all others.

Irrevocable Consequences (Vs. 14-24)

The closing verses of this passage chronicle the consequences which come as a result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience.

Both Adam and Eve, as well as the serpent suffer the consequences of their failure to follow God’s commandment.

The serpent is cursed to spend its days slithering in the dust and God indicates that it will be henceforward considered an enemy of man and then speaks of a day when the serpent would bruise the heel of the seed of the woman but that the serpents head will be bruised.

The curse upon Eve and ultimately on all women was that they should experience pain and sorrow in conception and the bringing forth of children and that their husband would rule over them.

The curse upon Adam and ultimately all men from this moment forward was that the ground would be cursed and it would now produce thorns and thistles.

From this day forward he would have to labor and toil to provide food for himself and his family.

In addition to all of this Adam and Eve were removed from the garden and barred from reentry.

They did not immediately die as a result of their disobedience but it was at this point that death entered and they would eventually experience it.

The consequences of their disobedience were severe—the choice to disobey the voice of God was obviously a serious mistake that they would greatly regret.

God did mercifully provide them with coats of skins to clothe themselves with but their lives would never be the same.

Conclusion

How many times in our lives have we heard God plainly speak through His Word or through the still small voice of His Spirit?

When He speaks we must listen and obey, but there are many other voices which would attempt to convince us to question what God has said or would cause us to doubt whether God has been wholly truthful with us.

We must reject these competing voices—understanding that God cannot lie and that what He says is always true and that what He has commanded is always best.

There are serious consequences when we choose to disobey the Lord and His Word and we will always come to regret the decision to disobey.

Tragically there are many believers today who have allowed other voices to convince them that God’s Word does not mean what it says or that God is withholding good from them.

When God speaks we will be held personally accountable for our response to His voice and there is no excuse for disobedience that will shield us from its consequences.

If God has spoken to us—we must do what He has said, if we are to enjoy His presence and experience ongoing fellowship with Him.

Whatever the other voices in our life may say—you and I must listen for the voice of God and simply trust and obey Him.