The Fall

Genesis 3 The Fall (Paradise Lost and found) Introduction: As we read the account of Genesis Chapter 2 we see God’s goodness intended for His creation. God is taking care of the Man, giving him a Home (the Garden of Eden), a Job (Caretaker or steward of God’s kingdom) Food (every tree that was good for food), and companionship (woman, a helper for the man). God had fully provided all of the needs of his image bearers, not only are man and woman enjoying the ease and blessedness of life together but they are in harmony with creation around them and with God himself. God gives the man and woman full freedom and access in the garden yet requires one thing, “that (they) do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that is in the midst of the garden”. The Bible describes this peaceful state as “Shalom” meaning peace. Shalom is the positive present peace of God. It is the ease and blessedness (that we spoke of last week), in regards to everything. Genesis chapter 3 provides for us an account of what happened to God’s harmonious peaceful creation. For the world we experience, the world of hatred, murder, incest, rape, adultery, sexual immorality, exploitation, greed, pride, fear, theft, lying, jealousy, suffering, tragedy, uncertainty, misery, annoyances, evil, sickness, pain, and death is not the world that God created. The Bible makes it very clear that God created the world good, without sin and evil. What happened? The Fall. The Fall is the greatest tragedy in human history. It is through the fall of Mankind that sin has come into the world bringing sickness, pain, and death. Genesis chapter 3 was written not only to tell us what happened to God’s good creation but what God has done and is doing about it. 1. The Question of Evil. a. Why does evil exist? b. “Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to… If he wants to, but cannot he is impotent. If he can, and does not want to, he is wicked. But, if God both can and wants to abolish evil, why is there still evil in the world?” Epicurus c. The first thing we see from this chapter is that evil had a beginning and was not part of God’s original plan, and that the pain, suffering and misery that we experience in the world are a direct result of the fall. i. Evil is not created by God, evil is simply a deviation from goodness. d. “A loving God could not possibly be the author of the horrors that go on daily, and have gone on since time began, and will continue as long as life exist. It is an inconceivable tale of suffering and death, and because the tale is fact- is, in truth, the history of the world- it is obvious that there cannot be a loving God.” Charles Templeton 1. Charles Templeton is correct. Man brought evil into the world by deviating from God’s command. 2. Why would God place the tree in the garden in the first place? God endowed man with the power of choice which enabled him to choose contrary to the known will of God, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil gave man the opportunity to exercise that freedom of choice. Man was not made an automaton, i.e. a robot... If man’s relationship with God was to be meaningful and one of genuine love it must be based on the exercising of man’s free choice. 3. How could so great a penalty be attached to so small a sin? a. The sin seems insignificant to us, but a closer look reveals that this is cosmic treason. This is God’s creation desiring to usurp God’s authority by mutiny to rule over themselves. b. Besides it does not necessarily require some great act to prove or disprove one’s loyalty to another. c. The tree was nothing more than a restraint on Adam and Eve. It reminded them that they were not God, that God had a legitimate claim on their obedience, and that they were responsible to Him. God had clearly told Adam in advance of the dire consequences of disobedience. 4. What is Sin? a. Sin is anything, whether in thoughts, actions, or attitudes, that does not express or conform to the holy character of God as expressed in his moral law b. The Bible speaks of sin in two ways: i. First sin is a failure to live up to the standard of God’s righteousness. This is known as sin of omission. ii. This is where we understand that sin means to miss the mark. iii. Secondly sin is a transgression of God’s commandment. This is known as sin of commission. 5. The Results of the Fall into Sin. a. The loss of childlike innocence - they are no longer unashamed of their nakedness. They make coverings to hide their shame. i. The man blames his wife, Their perfect marriage has broken down. b. Separation from God - Fear of God - they hide themselves for fear of God, their innocence has been replaced by guilt and fear. c. Access to the tree of life is barred - Death! i. Man is cut off from the tree of life. Mighty Cherubim block the way with a flaming sword. ii. Not only that but mankind is sent back to the ground from which they came. 1. “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” d. The Curse. i. The Serpent: 1. Cursed to roam on it’s belly. 2. To eat the dust. 3. And finally one day to be crushed. ii. The woman: 1. increased pain in child bearing 2. Desire to rule over her husband - discord and struggle in marriage. iii. The Man: 1. The earth is cursed -dominion lost. Thorns and thistles - No longer will the earth yield to the Man, but now in sweat and toil shall he cultivate the earth in order to survive. 2. Death. Romans 5:12“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” a. Death the thing we fear and hate so much is a direct result of the sin of Adam. 6. The Promised Seed of the woman. a. The woman does not possess the seed, the man does. God is already showing us the divine aspect of this heal crusher. b. He would bruise the head of the Serpent, and in doing so his heal would be bruised. - The Cross. c. Speaking of this same promised redeemer Colossians 1:15-23 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.” 7. God is restoring his kingdom and one day the Shalom of God will be present on earth again. a. The restoration of God’s peaceful harmonious creation i. The Tree of life - Revelation 22:1-5 “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” ii. Isaiah 32:16-18 “Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” iii. Isaiah 65:17-25 Turn and read! 1. Shalom restored! 2.