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Welcome to Worship the Lord Bible Study Lesson 3 in the book of Genesis Chapter 3. We now
get a detailed look at man and woman in the Garden of Eden and the big question people
asked is why God put a tree in the middle of a garden and why did he allow man to even
choose anything evil? As we discussed before, God didn’t make us robots. He gave us a
free will, a choice to choose him or to choose what we think is best for us, that are going
to be a conflict that happens in this chapter, and we’ll see the man’s choice and the
strategy of Satan that he uses today that he used then are all the same.
Chapter 3: Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God
had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat from any tree
in the garden?”
Satan questions the word of God suggesting that Eve heard it wrong and that what God
says is not absolutory correct and many people look at the bible, and get confused, and say,
“I’m not sure what that means.” The bible is simple. You read it, you ask God
do you understand it and there are many resources. But don’t worry about what you don’t know,
just do what you know. At this point, God gave the one rule; do not eat from the tree
in the middle of the Garden. Satan is questioning Eve, “Are you sure you heard it right?”
So now, the woman thinks, and gives an answer. Remember, you don’t know what’s good or
evil without inquiring with God. Before Eve was made, Adam walked with God daily asking
him what is this and that. Now the serpent did not always crawl on the ground like we
see snakes today. This is part of the curse where he’ll eat the dust. It was a creature
in the garden that was beautiful. I think of my daughter who used to watch Dragon Tales.
It may have been something of that nature. It could have stood up and had wings. Whatever
it was, it was very alluring and was the most beautiful creature in the garden. Remember
that Adam and Eve did not know what is good or evil unless they asked God. The serpent
speaking to Eve doesn’t inquire to God first, about what they’re hearing and that’s
the number one lesson. Whom do you listen to? From what is your basis and rule book
for living?
And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden but
God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that’s in the middle of the garden
and you must not touch it or you will die.”
Now Eve is interpreting or adding to what God said. God didn’t say anything about
touching the tree. God just said, the day that you eat of it you shall die. He didn’t
say anything about touching it. There are two things going on here. She is adding to
the word of God and Satan is taking away from his word. Both are no good. It seems okay
for protection. You figure if you don’t touch it then you won’t get near it. It
causes rules and regulations like the Pharisees did. This put a burden on the people, this
is called religion, and the word religion means bind and constrict. And people lose
the meaning of relationship with God. They get burdened which caused bitterness and they
walk away. Where did Eve get the idea of not touching the tree? We don’t know. She is
forming her own rules. This is also known as doctrine. She believes that if she doesn’t
touch the tree, then she won’t get near it but it causes a problem because the serpent
is around the tree and possibly birds fly in the tree, touching the tree and she sees
they don’t die so she’s one-step closer. I saw this in action as we had raccoons in
our backyard. A man came to set traps and put in the bait. The next morning one raccoon
and then it proceeded with more traps. The same bait, putting something around it like
garbage bags and another raccoon, and then it got up to three. You would think they would
learn, they smell or see the food, they go in and then they taste it and then they’re
trapped and the man came, picked them up, took them away to a State forest. So they
get another chance. That is the same thing that happens to us. We fall into the same
trap. We have curiosity about something, whatever it is. When we look at it, it doesn’t look
dangerous and then we try it whatever it is and then were hooked. It’s over and over
we make the same mistakes. We, with God when we confess our sins. We get another chance
to do the right thing. God’s word and his spirit must come from inside. If you listen
to God then that’s how real change comes.
Verse 4: “You will not surely die.” The serpent said to the woman.
He says you will not die. The first thing Satan does is questions the word of God and
he’s constantly trying to create that question. Did God really say? Is that really Gods word?
And then contradicts it saying you won’t die and he begins his lie. When Jesus was
in the temple being challenged by the Pharisees of who he was, he said, “Because you are
unable to hear what I say, you belong to your father the devil, and you want to carry out
your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning not holding to the truth
but there is no truth in him. When he lies he speaks his native language for he is a
liar and the father of lies.”
Jesus said he is the father of all lies and this is the first lie. Eve didn’t know evil
and she was deceived. The knowledge of good and evil didn’t come until she ate the fruit.
At this point, all she knew is God said don’t eat it. She adds don’t touch it. It’s
the same thing here. Adam only knows what’s good, unless he asks God so many commentaries
have called Adam weak. What was he doing? He was a wimp but we’ll find out more in
verse 5.
The serpent said to the woman, “For God knows that when you eat it your eyes will
be opened and you will be like God knowing good and evil.”
He’s questioning Gods way. He’s keeping something good from you. He’s challenging
Gods fairness. God, his word and his justice is under attack. He’s saying God is lying,
he doesn’t want you to eat it because he knows when you do, you’re going to be wise
and you’re going to be like God. He’s saying he isn’t fair with you. He’s holding
back something good, or fun, or desirable. In everyone’s life, there are things that
we want to do and we know that God doesn’t want us to do and before we do that thing,
or eat from the forbidden fruit from the tree, we need to look at the cross or the tree on
Calvary. Both at the pain, ugliness that Jesus had to go through but also his love. This
is 2011 the Saturday before Easter Sunday. Jesus is in the tomb and will be resurrected.
God wants the best for you. He shows us by giving us instructions on how to live and
he loves you, as he became sin through his son. He died on the cross for you. We should
trust God and what he says. This attack is the same things as the new age or the emerging
church. It is the oldest lie. You’ll find the common denominator in these types of religion
to movements.
Number one you’re not going to die. It’s based on your karma or you’re going to be
reincarnated or how you do on earth you move ahead or you get sent back. Number two your
eyes will be opened and there’s no absolutes. You can experience everything and enjoy yourself,
all that for nothing. Number three you will be your own God. You determine right and wrong.
Many people say to each his own; it comes back to the question who determines right
and wrong? I’ve asked that question to people and some have said, “Well I determine right
and wrong.” They are basically saying I am God.
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye
and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to
her husband who was with her and he ate it.
So now we have the great debate of whose fault was it. Who was the one who sinned? Was it
mans fault for not protecting Eve? Was it Eve’s fault? Was it the serpent? We see
that Eve was deceived by the serpent suggesting things, and she would think upon them, acted
upon them, and she was deceived. She didn’t know evil and she didn’t consult her husband
or God. Women are better spiritually in devotion and seeking God. That spiritual closeness
but it can go too far. Men, it’s harder for them and I believe that this is what God
took from the man, these feelings, and the other side and women, to know were different
so we would be attracted and we would try to become one together and one flesh and one
mind.
First Timothy Chapter 2 Verse 13 and 14: For Adam was born fist then Eve and Adam was not
the one deceived. It was a woman who was deceived and became a sinner. Now Adam makes a greater
mistake. What is Adam’s responsibility or role in the fall? It is the three main suggestions
that he would perish with his wife. He ate the fruit to be with Eve or to try and fix
the situation and he figures, I’m going to be with her, and if I eat it will fix it
and I love her more than God and we see that in our lives today. Men, how many times have
you heard your girlfriend or your wife, I just want you to listen. Don’t fix it. We
want to fix things and right here Adam should have turned to God. Eve should have turned
to Adam or God. Number two; it may be that Adam was curious and wanted to try the fruit
as well and he wondered what the result would be. Satan knew that if he could get Eve to
eat of the fruit that the woman would have influence on Adam and help him make that next
step and the third see it in a different way. Saying that Adam was not deceived first. Either
way it was Adams choice to go against the clear word of God. The responsibility was
certainly his and his alone and that is why Adam is charged with the sin of the world
and not Eve.
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin and in this
way death came to all men because all sin.
But in First John Chapter 2, it says that all sin falls into three categories. The ***
of the flesh meaning something tastes good or it’s going to feel good or be a good
experience. We can see that in today’s world. The *** of the eyes, it looks good. Well
we see that everywhere. People worried about their face, their body, their toes, how they
look, how they dress, how they appear, and then the pride of life by doing things it
will make you wise or it will make you important. I love the bible translation “The Message”
puts it don’t love the worlds ways, don’t love the worlds goods, love of the world squeezes
out love for the father. Practically everything that goes on in the world, wanting your own
way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important has nothing to do with
the father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting is
on the way out but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.
The new living translation says in Verse 16; for the world offers only a craving for physical
pleasure, a craving for everything we see and pride in our achievements and possessions.
These are not from the father but from the world and this world are fading away along
with everything that people crave. We see God in the trinity. God the father, the son
and the spirit. Man was made an inferior trinity. Spirit, soul, and body and man met God at
the spiritual level. Our spirit was most important. They were in daily communion and talking with
God. This will become upside down. Our body was first, our soul and our spirit will be
last.
And the eyes of both of them were opened and then they realized they were naked so they
sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife
heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day
and they hid from the Lord God, hid among the trees of the garden but the Lord God called
to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid
because I was naked so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have
you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
It was by the tree that man looses fellowship with God and choice. Free will choice that
he chose. It’s also still the choice that you can have. There are still two trees; the
tree of life, the tree of knowledge, of good and evil and we are always blaming Adam for
making the wrong choice but what about us? Whom can we blame? God provided another tree.
By Jesus going to the cross, with a tree. He took away the sins of the world and everyone
has free choice, by choosing Jesus Christ, to come back into fellowship with God. Notice
in Verse 10 that God doesn’t hide himself from man, he’s looking for him.
God said in Isaiah Chapter 59 Verse 1 and 2 my hand is not heavy, I cannot save, my
ear is not heavy, I cannot hear. Your sins are separated between you and God and here’s
the beginning of it. Man knew he had done something wrong by trying to hide himself
from God. Now the fig tree is the only tree that’s mentioned specifically from the garden
and they try to take leaves and sew them around and cover themselves up. This is the picture,
us trying to do good things, to cover up when we’ve done things wrong and these fig leaves
are fuzzy and itchy, they’re not comfortable to wear. They put them on and Jesus in the
New Testament, he curses the fig tree where it doesn’t bear any fruit and it doesn’t
pointing many connecting leaves as a picture and the fig tree is also the national tree
of Israel and that parable speaks about the Jewish nation so it all comes together.
The man said, “The woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and
I ate it.”
God knew what was going on. He now wants man to recognize and confess it. In this book
we have the first excuse, he blamed his wife saying it’s a woman you gave me and in a
way is blaming God. You’re the one who gave her or it’s your fault. I wouldn’t have
done it.
Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said,
“The serpent deceived me and I ate.”
Now having the knowledge, good and evil, she knows that she was deceived. Adam knows that
he made the wrong choice. Choosing Eve over God and he’s trying to get out of it by
saying that it’s the woman’s fault but the Bible says that Adam is the one charged
with the sins of the world.
When Adam became a living being. The last Adam, a life giving spirit. The spiritual
did not come first but the natural and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the
dust of the earth. The second man from heaven. So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because
you have done this, cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals. You
will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life and I will
put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers. You will crush your
head and you will strike his heal.”
So now, this creature whatever it was is now going to become a snake and we see here the
first promise God of salvation to come. He hints it that it will come to a *** born
child who God is speaking of the woman’s seed that she doesn’t have. The woman has
an egg later. God speaks it more clearly in Isaiah Chapter 7 Verse 14; behold I shall
give you a sign. A *** shall conceive and bring forth a son called Emanuel, which means
God is with us and he shall be great, and speaks about his people. So God’s promise
back at the beginning of the sorrow and sin and that day has shown and saying I will bruise
the serpents head. The head always being a spiritual, a symbol of power and authority.
He bruises the heal of Jesus Christ. Satan is crushed.
To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase you pains in childbearing and with pain you
will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over
you.”
Notice that God associates with sorrow and pain with sin. Satan had done the opposite.
Saying you have pleasure, of being more intelligent and never die and this he still does today.
The fruit was there. It looked good, it was something desirable. He helped telling a lie
so Eve was deceived. Now in Verse 17 we see what happens to Adam.
To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree upon which
I commanded you must not eat of it, cursed is the ground because of you. Through painful
toil, you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles
for you and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow, you will
eat your food until you return to the ground since from it you were taken. For dust you
are to dust you will return.”
Adam, all he had to do was trim the garden and it was not hard labor. That’s what we
all, but the thorns and thistles. Now this is a picture of sin and how it stops our relationship
with God. It’s very significant. Jesus who came in a crown of thorns and thistles on
his head. So all three, the serpent, the woman, the man get a curse and in Romans Chapter
8 Verse 22 and 23 it says all creation is groaning and traveling together until then
wait for the manifestation of the sons of God for redemption of our body. Now we see
after this a change in Adams attitude towards his wife.
Adam named his wife Eve because she would become the mother of all the living.
Now Adam changes his wife’s name to Eve, which means life giver. So he’s realizing
this message from God saying that they will be redeemed through her child bearing. So
now he understands. Probably when they had their first child then thought this was a
promise. He now sees his wife in a different light. Not like hey she came from me, I can
do and tell her what I want but I need to nurture her and be kind to her. We see this
curse of the woman wanting to rule over the man and be with the man. Wanting to spend
time with him. Most women want quality time and attention just to sit and talk and watch
a movie, to do fun things but the man has a curse to work and toil and to keep busy.
God put in Adam so he wouldn’t get in trouble again by being idle. Man has to fight that
natural nature to work and provide for his family. This is why during the courtship and
dating period men put the effort in to spend time and do extra things and women also change
and do things they normally wouldn’t do or go to be with that man but ultimately neither
one can keep up that energy. That basic instinct is there and hard to fight so if we just focus
on Jesus rather than try and change our wife or husband, then we can enjoy each other more,
for our rest is in Jesus Christ and knowing this, then was not always trying to change
the other and we can enjoy our differences.
The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
They had sewn fig leaves together showing their own works, trying to cover guilt. It
wasn’t good enough. God gave them coats of skin and later on God says in Hebrews Chapter
9 Verse 22; for without the shedding of blood, there’s no remission of sins.
And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil.
He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat
and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground
from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of
the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the
way to the tree of life.
So curse has come, sorrow from sin. Now man has to get food by hard work and they want
to protect him from going back into the garden and grabbing the fruit form the tree of life
because if he did he would just live in this condition forever. So man saves God from himself
and puts him out of the garden and puts two cherubim to guard so they will not get back
in. This is mercy of God, not punishment. They would live forever with their bodies
wasting away. God will transplant the tree of life in the paradise. Jesus said Revelation
Chapter 2 Verse 7: To him that overcomes, will I grant to be with men in my Kingdom.
He shall eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. We’re
told that the tree grows on either side of the river and that there are all different
types of fruit and leaves on the tree. With the healing of the nations. Where else do
you see cherubim’s? We see them now in the garden protecting the tree of life. Cherubim’s
are those fashioned on the mercy seat with wings, gold too and we see two angels at the
resurrection of Christ on the place where he lay appearing as Cherubim so it all is
a nice picture of how God has his plan. It is the same way we see the picture in the
garden. It begins with the tree of life and the knowledge of good and evil and man has
the choice and then we see Jesus on the cross redeeming our sins on the tree. We have a
choice to accept that gift and then in heaven we see the tree of life that we would eat
from by believing on him and we just thank God and Jesus that he did this and he is the
one worthy of all our praise, glory, and hope that we have of heaven.