Battle For The Truth (Part 32)

Genesis 3:20–24 KJV 1900

20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Introduction

Well, the damage has been done. Adam and Eve have failed the test in the exercising of their freewill to obey God or not. I find it interesting that the only outcome God mentioned to Adam for disobedience was that he would “surely die.” However, the pronouncement of judgment reveals that disobedience was pregnant with multiple judgments, the last of which was death. And just when it seemed that things could not get any worse, they got worse. For unbeknownst to Adam and Eve was another tragic outcome linked to their disobedience [like ticks on a dog] was the forfeiting of their paradisiacal garden home. Surprise, surprise, surprise, today is eviction day! The other proverbial shoe as it has now dropped. Certainly, this was bad news. Can you imagine the shocked look on their faces? In my sanctified imagination, I believe the weather was cold outside the Garden, and for the first time Adam and Eve discovered what being cold felt like. Now they needed shelter from the elements and wild animals that were afraid and hostile towards them. Indeed, this is Paradise Lost.

One of the outcomes revealed in this portion of the Genesis narrative which deals with the tragic results of man’s fall from grace is that since then, contrary to what some may believe, man has been moving away from God and not towards Him. To this point, Paul writes in Romans 3:10-12, “As it is written, “There is none righteous, no, not one: (11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Amen somebody.

V. 20 – “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”

Although she had not yet conceived, Adam, believing God’s promise that his wife would bear children, named his wife Eve. The Hebrew word for Eve is Chavvah (khav-vaw’), which means “life” or “life-giver.” Also, many scholars believe that embedded in the name Eve was Adam’s eager anticipation of her bearing the promised Seed that would crush the head of the Serpent and redeem fallen man back to God.

Side note: Adam could have given his wife a derogatory name befitting her lapse in judgment and success in seducing him to sin along with her. Because it would not be helpful, I will resist the temptation to speculate on the names Adam could have given her. That said, naming her Eve suggests that despite her error and flaws, he still loved and remained committed to his wife. Amen somebody.

V.21, “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.”

Here on display is the love, mercy, grace, and compassion of God for man. God knowing that they were not equipped to face the harsh road ahead made coats of skins, and clothed them. There are some interesting things going on in this verse that should be pointed out:

The material [skins] came from animals, which means that the animals were killed because of their sin.

It is believed that Adam and Eve stood there and observed the first death that should have been their own but was a sacrificial substitute on their behalf.

In the making of the coats or tunics, God showed them how to make clothes for themselves.

God clothing them suggests that He lovingly put the clothes on them. This not only showed that God would supply their needs, but that He was not their enemy.

God knows best what man needs. Adam and Eve’s solution for covering their shame was fig leaves, whereas God’s solution was animal skins, which was far superior. Because, where they were about to go and what they were about to encounter, fig leaves were not going to work.

Most scholars agree that this clothing act of with animal skins is the precursor to the animal sacrificial system alluded to with Abram and fully implemented under Moses. Both of which were shadows of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. Amen somebody.

V.22 – “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:”

Again, we are given insight into the thinking of the Triune God. These words are words of compassion for what man has become. These words are an observation of a sad and potentially more disastrous position without God’s merciful intervention. Man, through his disobedience has entered a realm for which he was not created.

Unlike the other lower animals, man has become like one of us in that he now knows or is aware of good and evil; however, unlike us he is not equipped to seek the good and overcome the evil. Paul writes of this dilemma in Romans 7:14-23:

“For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. (15) For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (16) If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. (17) Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (19) For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (20) Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (21) I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (22) For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

Man has lost his holiness and righteousness with God. Now, spiritually dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1), his mortal soul is destined for eternal wrath—the second death. Thus, if he were to eat of the tree of life, he would be in the position of Satan and the other angels who followed him in rebellion—condemned, and destined for eternal damnation in hell and the lake of fire. To this point, John writes in the Book of Revelation the following:

Rev. 19:20 – “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

Rev. 20:10 – “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

Rev. 20:14-15, “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

V.23 – “Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.”

Here we find the Yahweh Elohim’s decision to the matter at hand. The man was sent forth from the garden of Eden, to till or work the ground that was now cursed. Notice two things in v.23:

In addition to being burdened with working the ground for food, he had to figure out how to make tools to aid him in his work. In other words, batteries were not included; and

Although not mentioned specifically, it is assumed that Eve’s fate is tied to Adam’s. I imagine that from this point forward, she clung rather close to Adam for provision and protection.

V.24 – “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

“So” or “Therefore” “He drove out the man…” The implication being, from the Garden of Eden. To drive out means to force to go away or go out. To get a sense of how “drove out” is used elsewhere in the OT we could look at just two of many references: Genesis 4:14, where Cain complains about being driven out for killing his brother Abel; and Genesis 15:11, where Abram drove away the birds that came down upon the sacrifice he had prepared.

So, this was no casual recommendation to leave the Garden. Neither was there any negotiation or discussion on the matter. There was no three-day notice to pay or quit—they were forced to immediately vacate the premises, something for which I am convinced they were not prepared. As mentioned earlier, this was the other shoe dropping.

Side note: Because we are finite creatures with limited knowledge and understanding we never fully comprehend the commingled consequences of our decisions. We not only reap what we sow, we always reap more than we sow—whether good or bad. Disobedience results in worse results, and obedience is results in better results. This speaks to the law of the harvest. One seed will yield a tree of fruit. Paul writes in Galatians 6:7-8 – “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (8) For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Amen somebody.

Furthermore, to prevent man from trying to re-enter the garden, God placed at the east end of the garden, Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. Notice God did not destroy the garden or the tree of life, He simply evicted man whom He had appointed its caretaker.

Side note: God created the Garden of Eden as a gracious gift to Adam. God put him in it and charged him to take care of it. Now, God is putting them both out of it. In other words, “Get out, stay out, and don’t come back.” God had every right to do this because the garden belonged to Him. This is true of everything and everybody. David writes in Psalm 24:1 – “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” People and nations like to claim ownership of land, but the true Owner of this world and everything contained within it is the Lord. The enemies of God like to accuse God’s chosen people Israel of stealing the land of Israel. However, God gave the land as a gift to Abraham and his promised seed [Isaac and Jacob] after him. So, anyone that has a problem with what God gave to Abraham’s seed should address their issue to the true landowner not the recipient and beneficiary of the gift. Amen somebody.

Finally, we see that God knows exactly what to do to prevent, protect, and preserve whatsoever and whosoever He desires, so He assigned a couple Cherubims with flaming swords as security guards to prevent entrance back into the garden and access to the tree of life.

Interestingly, there would later be symbols of two Cherubims atop the Ark of the Covenant. Between the cherubim’s wings was God’s Mercy Seat where He met and communed with Moses and later the High Priest, who offered the atoning blood sacrifices for sin.

Although Scripture does not tell us as to when or how, but the next mention of the tree of life is in the Book of Revelation where the redeemed of the Lord, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, will have access to it. The Apostle John informs us of this in the Revelation 2:7; 22:2; and 22:14:

2:7 – “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

22:2 – “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

22:14 – “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, as tragic as man’s fall into sin was, what we have just witnessed is the great love and mercy God displayed on man’s behalf. Although God cast man out of the garden, He did not forsake him. God provided a way for man to return Him. God’s plan for fallen man is redemption and salvation. However, only those who believe and receive the gift of salvation provided through the promised Seed of the woman, who is none other than Jesus Christ, will partake of this great salvation. Jesus said in John 3:16-19, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (19) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Amen goes right there. So, until next time, may the Lord richly bless you, my beloved.