Genesis 3:1-24

Background

Last week we finished looking at a zoomed-in view of the creation of man and woman, and we saw the instructions given to them. Genesis was given to show us the past, the beginning, and to show us the God who created it all. History is His story.

Gen. 3:1-5

The story begins immediately following 2:25, where Adam and Eve were naked and knew no shame. An observation was made about the craftiness of the serpent, and this is quite interesting. It is well-understood by many that the serpent represents, and is in fact possessed, by the devil (Rev. 12:9).

Possessed is important, because serpents (snakes) cannot talk. And it says THE serpent was more crafty than any beast, because they too could not talk. This serpent was different because of the influence of the devil.

The serpent doesn’t just speak, it asks a question. And a question based in falsehood.

The ploy of the devil is to deceive by using truth.

2 things of note: the context here is pitting the innocence of Eve against the craftiness of the devil.

The devil is the father of lies and deception (John 8:44).

Some overemphasize Eve not reacting oddly to speaking with a snake. Scripture is silent on this, but there are plausible explanations, including her having an unrecorded reaction.

The snake improperly asks if God said they could not eat from any (every) tree in the garden.

Eve corrects the snake, but improperly adds to God’s command - they cannot eat or touch the fruit from the tree of knowledge.

Again the devil deceives by using truth. Death will not be immediate, and they will indeed become like God, knowing good and evil (this was one way that man was not like God).

But the consequences are also ignored - they will surely die, as will the rest of creation (as will be seen).

The desire to be like God is the foundation of sin, beginning with the devil: Eze. 28:11-18; Isa. 14:12-14.

The world is now under the power of the devil: 1 John 5:19; 2:16.

Gen. 3:6-8

Eve fell for the pattern of sin (James 1:14-15).

She sought wisdom from gaining knowledge, thinking it would make her more like God. On one hand, it did through the gaining of knowledge. On the other, it separated mankind from God through sin.

Notice now that Adam was with her, and based on the wording it is most likely that he was with her the entire time, but it was not Adam who was deceived (2 Cor. 11:3).

However, it is Adam who is assigned responsibility for sin (Hos. 6:7; Rom. 5:12-19).

Their eyes were opened from eating of the fruit. There is much debate regarding this, but it doesn’t need to be overcomplicated.

Mankind learned how to disobey in the eating of the fruit. They had fallen in their hearts even before they ate.

While the fruit may have in fact had special properties to reveal wisdom, the decision to eat taught much more.

Their eyes were opened to their nakedness, and the shame and fear that comes with it.

They felt the need to cover their nakedness and did so by using fig leaves.

They heard God coming as He walked in the garden, and they hid because of their guilt and shame, which turned into fear.

None can hide what they do from God: Jer. 23:24.

Gen. 3:9-13

God knew exactly what was going on, but His interaction with Adam echoes how He interacts with us today.

Adam blaming Eve is archetypal of mankind in sin: 1 Sam. 15:13-26.

Gen. 3:14-19

God deals first with the serpent, cursing it to slither on the ground without legs.

This punishment is symbolic of the battle between the serpent of old and the second Adam (Rom. 16:20).

Even though God loves us, and created us in His image, He is still a holy and just God, and punishes unrighteousness.

Though it sometimes seems harsh, God’s discipline is for our best (Heb. 12:5-7, 11).

God punishes Eve by making childbirth painful. Yet, in spite of the pain, women will still desire their husbands.

Husbands will rule over their wives; the original intent was teamwork and synergy, but the relationship between the two is now damaged.

The consequences for Adam are much more widespread and dramatic:

The ground and earth were cursed because of Adam’s fall. Toil will now be necessary to grow food, and harmful plants will begin to grow among the plants of the field.

Mankind will now die and return to the dust of the earth. There is a reminder that, while we are made in the image of God, we come from the dust of the earth.

Death entered the world at this point; it did not exist previously.

Gen. 3:20-24

CHAWWAH

God made garments for Adam and Eve since they were naked.

It is presumed by some that God killed animals to make this happen, but the text doesn’t say it and it is unnecessary for God to do so; He can simply create them.

God recognizes that mankind now knows both good and evil, but this is not a good thing, it is a curse.

In His love for us, He would not allow mankind to live forever in this state, so He removed Adam and Eve from Eden so they could not eat from the tree of life.

God had a plan to create an opportunity for redemption, so that one day man might freely eat of the tree of life without the curse of sin (1 Pet. 1:17-21).

2 Cor. 5:17-21.

So man was driven from the garden of Eden and made to cultivate the cursed ground in order to grow plants of the field for food.

God also set up guard for the tree of life to prevent any man from taking of the fruit and living forever in their curse.

APPLICATION

The devil is your enemy and wants to deceive you through any means necessary.

God’s justice and love for us caused Him to have a plan for our redemption: sending His Son to die in our place.

Next week, we will witness the consequences of the Fall of Man in the children of Adam and Eve.