The Discovery in Paradise

Genesis 3:9–13 ESV

9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

As we continue with our series The Perils in Paradise today we will focus our attention on the discovery in Paradise. In the previous scriptures of the 3rd chapter of Genesis we see God’s precious creation, Adam and Eve in the Paradise with all of their needs met. They were living in the lap of luxury. In the midst of this perfection a adversary of God’s creation was slithering in the midst.

Adam and Eve didn’t recognize the enemy for what he was. They were unaware of Satan’s strategy to cause them to mistrust God. If you recall the first strategy if for Satan to Disguise Himself. Then he questioned God’s Word. Following the questioning of God’s word he denied God’s Word. When you don’t know the strategy of the enemy there will be...

Tragedy in Paradise

The tragedy in Paradise was the ultimate disobedience of Adam and Eve when they took the fruit and ate it. Disobedience separates us from God.

The Knowledge that came as a result of their disobedience was the tragic fulfillment that Adam and Eve would be like God and know good and evil. This promise unfortunately was true. As a result of them obtaining knowledge their innocence was lost.

Following the gaining of knowledge Shame entered Paradise. The realization their nakedness made them quickly make coverings for their bodies.

Where there is shame fear is not far behind. Sin produces both shame and guilt, and both make sinners want to run and hide. Shame, fear, and guilt so transform the inner person that Adam and Eve could no longer enjoy their garden home (Paradise).

This brings us to today’s text. The manner in which God appeared to Adam and Eve when they fellowshipped with Him in the garden isn’t really explained to us. In my sanctified imagination I can only assume God probably assumed a temporary body that veiled His glory, as he would do when He visited Abraham many years later.

The Discovery in Paradise is substantially shorter in context. There are only two major discoveries during this time but these discoveries will lead to a penalty that will be passed down from generation to generation.

The first discovery is seeking. Vs 8

English Standard Version Chapter 3

made themselves loincloths.

8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Adam and Eve should have been running to God, confessing their sin, and asking for His forgiveness, but instead, they were hiding from God, and He had to find them. says

10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;

11  no one understands;

no one seeks for God.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

An evangelist Billy Sunday put it this way “sinners can’t find God for the same reason criminals cant find the police: they aren’t looking!”

God went to find Adam and Eve, those of creation that he chose to create in his very image. God was seeking them before they got lost. Jesus many many years later would say “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (). The same way Jesus was seeking the lost to save them from their sins, today we are witnesses to the Holy spirit seeking the lost and bringing them to the Savior.

Not only was there seeking in paradise there was also speaking

Vs. 9-13 outlines how God doesn’t ask questions because He needs information. Being God (alpha and omega) knows everything. Rather, He asks questions for our good, to give us the opportunity to face facts, be honest, and confess our sins. However, we must not think of God speaking to Adam and Eve the way of a cruel master would speak to a disobedient slaver or an angry judge to a convicted criminal. It was more like a brokenhearted father speaking in love to his wayward children.

First God called to Adam to give him the opportunity to answer and come out into the open. That God called him at all was an act of grace, for God could have spoken the word of judgement justly destroyed Adam and Eve. Another gracious wonder was that Adam could hear God’ voice and respond, for his inner nature had be so polluted by sin that he didn’t want to face God.

Once Adam and Eve came out of hiding Adam confessed their shame (they were naked) and their fear (they were guilty. Without saying it openly, Adam was admitting that they had eaten from the forbidden tree. However when God asked him pointblank, Adam did you eat from the forbidden tree, Adam never said, “Yes, I did”! Instead, he blamed both God and his wife! When God questioned Eve, she blamed the serpent. There were excuses but no confession.

To quote Billy Sunday again, “An excuse is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.” Yes, Eve gave Adam the fruit because the serpent deceived her, but that was no reason for Adam had to disobey God. When people start making excuses, it’s evidence that they don’t sense the enormity of their sins or want to confess them and repent. If sinners can find some loophole they’ll run through it as fas as they can.

I want to put a pin at this point in the series. Because so often we allow our sin to separate us from God. It causes such a wedge in the relationship that we don’t even look for him. But thanks Be to God that He is a loving and forgiving savior that has made provisions for use. We may not be seeking him but he is seeking us. During Jesus’ ministry He was seeking the lost! Today the Holy Spirit is seeking us in our broken state.

When God speaks to our hearts in the form of questions it’s his grace at work. The grace providing the opportunity for confession, not blame cloaked in lies. God has given us his best! God provided the one perfect and sufficient sacrifice. The Word became flesh so that we could once again have a relationship with God!

Today is the day of Salvation. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us. Don’t make empty excuses or place the blame for your actions on anyone else.