Genesis 3
Genesis 3:1-8
- The Lord God finished making all the wild animals, and the snake was the most clever. One day the snake said to the woman, "Did God really say that you must not eat fruit from any tree in the garden?"
- The woman answered, "We can eat fruit from the trees in the garden.
- But God told us, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not touch it. If you do, you will die.' "
- But the snake said to the woman, "You will not die.
- God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree, you will know good and evil and you will become same as God!"
- The woman saw that tree was beautiful, that its fruit was good to eat, and that the fruit will make her wise. So she took that fruit and ate it. Then she gave that fruit to her husband with her, and he ate it.
- Then, their eyes opened. They understood they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and made something to cover themselves.
- Then they heard the Lord God walking in the garden during the cool part of the day, and the man and his wife hid from the Lord God among the trees in the garden.
You know that story.
Maybe you first learned that story in Sunday School.
Maybe you taught that story in Sunday School.
And maybe you know jokes about
Adam and Eve and "the apple."
(You know that the Bible doesn't say "apple." It says "fruit." Period.)
But what you learned about that story in Sunday School
doesn't touch the deep information God has for us here.
Now is a good time to look again,
and learn important lessons about life,
learn lessons about our relationship with family,
and our relationship with God.
During the next five weeks
we will study Genesis chapter 3,
from beginning to end,
with new understanding for that old story.
Genesis chapter 3, verse 1...
Maybe you first learned that story in Sunday School.
Maybe you taught that story in Sunday School.
And maybe you know jokes about
Adam and Eve and "the apple."
(You know that the Bible doesn't say "apple." It says "fruit." Period.)
But what you learned about that story in Sunday School
doesn't touch the deep information God has for us here.
Now is a good time to look again,
and learn important lessons about life,
learn lessons about our relationship with family,
and our relationship with God.
During the next five weeks
we will study Genesis chapter 3,
from beginning to end,
with new understanding for that old story.
Genesis chapter 3, verse 1...
The Lord God finished making all the wild animals, and the snake was the most clever. One day the snake said to the woman, "Did God really say that you must not eat fruit from any tree in the garden?" (Genesis 3:1)
If you teach this lesson to children, they will tell you,
"Snakes can't talk!"
Who is really speaking here?
Yes, the Devil. SATAN.
Next week we will analyze[examine] more deeply what that snake picture means.
But, question: What does the Devil really look like?
Bible says that the Devil has power
to make himself look as a variety of shapes,
for fooling people.
The Bible says,
the Devil can make himself seem as "an angel of light."
The Devil really is an angel that rebelled against God.
Angels in the Bible sometimes appeared[seem] as humans.
Sometimes angels appeared as fire.
We also find angel horses in the Bible.
We can guess that if the Devil wants to appear as a snake,
he can.
What the Devil looks like here is not important.
The things the Devil said, that's important.
The Devil said,
"Did God really say that you must not eat fruit from any tree in the garden?"
That's a lie.
God forbid Adam & Eve to eat fruit from only one tree.
All other trees, they can eat.
But in the Devil's lie, he is trying make Eve begin doubting God.
The Devil wants us to doubt that God is good and wise.
The Devil wants us to suspect that
God is holding back something good from us.
Today the Devil's lie says,
"Did God say you can’t have any fun?"
Sometimes we Christians live that way.
If something is fun, that must be sinful, right?
Wrong.
Eve answers the snake:
"We can eat fruit from the trees in the garden.
But God told us,
'You must not eat fruit from the tree
that is in the middle of the garden.
You must not touch it.
If you do, you will die.' " (Genesis 3:2,3)
It seems that Eve didn't quote God exactly right.
We can read what God really said in chapter 2:
"Snakes can't talk!"
Who is really speaking here?
Yes, the Devil. SATAN.
Next week we will analyze[examine] more deeply what that snake picture means.
But, question: What does the Devil really look like?
Bible says that the Devil has power
to make himself look as a variety of shapes,
for fooling people.
The Bible says,
the Devil can make himself seem as "an angel of light."
The Devil really is an angel that rebelled against God.
Angels in the Bible sometimes appeared[seem] as humans.
Sometimes angels appeared as fire.
We also find angel horses in the Bible.
We can guess that if the Devil wants to appear as a snake,
he can.
What the Devil looks like here is not important.
The things the Devil said, that's important.
The Devil said,
"Did God really say that you must not eat fruit from any tree in the garden?"
That's a lie.
God forbid Adam & Eve to eat fruit from only one tree.
All other trees, they can eat.
But in the Devil's lie, he is trying make Eve begin doubting God.
The Devil wants us to doubt that God is good and wise.
The Devil wants us to suspect that
God is holding back something good from us.
Today the Devil's lie says,
"Did God say you can’t have any fun?"
Sometimes we Christians live that way.
If something is fun, that must be sinful, right?
Wrong.
Eve answers the snake:
"We can eat fruit from the trees in the garden.
But God told us,
'You must not eat fruit from the tree
that is in the middle of the garden.
You must not touch it.
If you do, you will die.' " (Genesis 3:2,3)
It seems that Eve didn't quote God exactly right.
We can read what God really said in chapter 2:
The Lord God made every beautiful tree and every tree good for food, growing from the ground. In the middle of the garden, God put the tree that gives life and also the tree that gives the knowledge about good and evil. (Genesis 2:9)
The Lord God commanded man, "You can eat fruit from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat fruit from that tree giving knowledge about good and evil. If you eat fruit from that tree, you will die!" (Genesis 2:16,17)
God said, "Don't eat that fruit."
Eve said, "Don't eat and don't touch that fruit."
Is that wrong?
You know some things tempt you strongly.
You feel that you can't resist that temptation.
So what do you do?
You avoid that temptation.
You build a fence around the thing that tempts you.
You make a rule for yourself: Don't go near that temptation.
Example: A person addicted to alcohol
maybe must find a different way for driving home from work.
If he sees the bar, he knows that he will stop for a drink...
and drink... and drink.
If he drives home a different way, then he will not see the bar.
Eve does the same.
If she won't touch that fruit,
then she can't eat that fruit, right?
But sometimes two problems happen
with fences around our temptations.
[1] We make rules for ourselves.
Then we think other people must follow those same rules.
And if they break our rules,
we blame them for breaking God's rules. (See end notes for an example.)
[2] Eve's new rule, "Don't touch" became same as a sign that says, "WET PAINT."
If people see that "WET PAINT" sign, what do they naturally do?
They touch the paint to see if it is really wet.
Silly, yes. But true.
Curiosity is strong.
And that's what the Devil did to Eve with his question.
He made Eve curious about that fruit.
Again, Eve answers:
Eve said, "Don't eat and don't touch that fruit."
Is that wrong?
You know some things tempt you strongly.
You feel that you can't resist that temptation.
So what do you do?
You avoid that temptation.
You build a fence around the thing that tempts you.
You make a rule for yourself: Don't go near that temptation.
Example: A person addicted to alcohol
maybe must find a different way for driving home from work.
If he sees the bar, he knows that he will stop for a drink...
and drink... and drink.
If he drives home a different way, then he will not see the bar.
Eve does the same.
If she won't touch that fruit,
then she can't eat that fruit, right?
But sometimes two problems happen
with fences around our temptations.
[1] We make rules for ourselves.
Then we think other people must follow those same rules.
And if they break our rules,
we blame them for breaking God's rules. (See end notes for an example.)
[2] Eve's new rule, "Don't touch" became same as a sign that says, "WET PAINT."
If people see that "WET PAINT" sign, what do they naturally do?
They touch the paint to see if it is really wet.
Silly, yes. But true.
Curiosity is strong.
And that's what the Devil did to Eve with his question.
He made Eve curious about that fruit.
Again, Eve answers:
"We can eat fruit from the trees in the garden. But God told us, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not touch it. If you do, you will die.' "
But the snake said to the woman, "You will not die. God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree, you will know good and evil and you will become same as God!" (Genesis 3:2-5)
You know the Devil tried that himself.
God first made the Devil good and holy,
the Number One top angel.
But that angel was not satisfied.
He wanted to be same as God.
He rebelled against God.
Then he encouraged other angels to join his rebellion.
And now the Devil also encourages us to rebel against God.
The Devil says,
"YOU can become same as God.
YOU can decide yourself
what is right and what is wrong."
And if that lie fails, the Devil feeds us another big lie.
"You think that activity is sin?
No no, you are wrong. God wants you to do that.
Eve, God wants you to eat that fruit.
God wants you to become wise same as Him."
Today we see that many lies from the Devil:
"God wants you to enjoy sex without responsibility.
You don't need marriage."
Maybe the Devil tells you,
"God doesn't want you to stay sad.
God gives you permission for adultery."
Now the Devil's new lie:
"Same sex marriage is God's idea."
One big question pops up every time we study this story:
The Devil says, "Eat that fruit, and you will know Good and Evil."
What is wrong about that?
We should understanding good and evil, right?
The Bible is clear:
We don't understand evil by studying things that are evil.
We become sensitive to understand evil
in learning what is good.
Many deaf people work in banks. All day they count money.
Thousands, thousands of dollars are in their hands every day.
If they touch false (counterfeit) money, they know immediately.
Why? ?Because they studied about fake money?
No! They easily recognize fake money
because they know real money.
They know how real money looks and feels.
When they see or touch money that doesn't match,
they know, and reject it.
The same is true for us.
We can recognize the Devil's lies,
not by researching the Devil's ways,
but by learning truth in God's Word, the Bible.
Now, a question:
While Eve was talking about fruit with the snake,
Adam was where?
?Out working some other place in the garden?
No. See what the story says
God first made the Devil good and holy,
the Number One top angel.
But that angel was not satisfied.
He wanted to be same as God.
He rebelled against God.
Then he encouraged other angels to join his rebellion.
And now the Devil also encourages us to rebel against God.
The Devil says,
"YOU can become same as God.
YOU can decide yourself
what is right and what is wrong."
And if that lie fails, the Devil feeds us another big lie.
"You think that activity is sin?
No no, you are wrong. God wants you to do that.
Eve, God wants you to eat that fruit.
God wants you to become wise same as Him."
Today we see that many lies from the Devil:
"God wants you to enjoy sex without responsibility.
You don't need marriage."
Maybe the Devil tells you,
"God doesn't want you to stay sad.
God gives you permission for adultery."
Now the Devil's new lie:
"Same sex marriage is God's idea."
One big question pops up every time we study this story:
The Devil says, "Eat that fruit, and you will know Good and Evil."
What is wrong about that?
We should understanding good and evil, right?
The Bible is clear:
We don't understand evil by studying things that are evil.
We become sensitive to understand evil
in learning what is good.
Many deaf people work in banks. All day they count money.
Thousands, thousands of dollars are in their hands every day.
If they touch false (counterfeit) money, they know immediately.
Why? ?Because they studied about fake money?
No! They easily recognize fake money
because they know real money.
They know how real money looks and feels.
When they see or touch money that doesn't match,
they know, and reject it.
The same is true for us.
We can recognize the Devil's lies,
not by researching the Devil's ways,
but by learning truth in God's Word, the Bible.
Now, a question:
While Eve was talking about fruit with the snake,
Adam was where?
?Out working some other place in the garden?
No. See what the story says
The woman saw that tree was beautiful, that its fruit was good to eat, and that the fruit will make her wise. So she took that fruit and ate it. Then she gave that fruit to her husband with her, and he ate it. (Genesis 3:6)
Adam was where?
He stood there with Eve, while she discussed with the snake!
How many times we tell the story about Adam & Eve,
and we miss that!?
Very sad, that many English Bible translations miss that, also.
But the Hebrew sentence in the Bible is clear:
Adam and Eve were together during their temptation.
Adam must protect his wife!
Why didn't he interrupt the Devil and tell him, "Go away!"?
He became lazy.
If his wife wants to take care of that business, fine for him.
Adam doesn't care.
If Eve wants to make that decision,
Adam feels free, zero responsibility.
Big mistake!
And we husbands still make that same mistake today.
And what about Eve?
When the Devil started talking to her
about breaking God's commandment,
what should she do?
When temptation comes, the best thing we can do is leave, fast.
Eve's first mistake was trying to argue with the Devil.
She should step back and tell the snake,
"Talk to my husband. (My hands-off!)"
Eve wrongly took responsibility and authority
that belonged to her husband.
That relationship of love and protection
that God planned for husbands and wives,
here begins to collapse [break-down].
And the Devil wins.
Adam & Eve ate that fruit...
He stood there with Eve, while she discussed with the snake!
How many times we tell the story about Adam & Eve,
and we miss that!?
Very sad, that many English Bible translations miss that, also.
But the Hebrew sentence in the Bible is clear:
Adam and Eve were together during their temptation.
Adam must protect his wife!
Why didn't he interrupt the Devil and tell him, "Go away!"?
He became lazy.
If his wife wants to take care of that business, fine for him.
Adam doesn't care.
If Eve wants to make that decision,
Adam feels free, zero responsibility.
Big mistake!
And we husbands still make that same mistake today.
And what about Eve?
When the Devil started talking to her
about breaking God's commandment,
what should she do?
When temptation comes, the best thing we can do is leave, fast.
Eve's first mistake was trying to argue with the Devil.
She should step back and tell the snake,
"Talk to my husband. (My hands-off!)"
Eve wrongly took responsibility and authority
that belonged to her husband.
That relationship of love and protection
that God planned for husbands and wives,
here begins to collapse [break-down].
And the Devil wins.
Adam & Eve ate that fruit...
Then, their eyes opened. They understood they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and made something to cover themselves. (Genesis 3:7)
Before Adam & Eve sinned,
they didn't think about themselves.
They focused on each other,
and they focused on God.
Back in Genesis chapter 2
Adam was thrilled to see Eve.
But now his eyes looked away from his wife.
His heart looked away from God.
Adam sees himself.
He feels ashamed.
And the same happens in Eve.
They try to cover their shame for their sin with fig leaves.
They try to hide from God.
Only one thing can cover our sin.
Only one thing can remove our shame:
Jesus Christ,
His blood offered on the cross for our sins.
Next week we will see God's promise
to Adam & Eve, and His promise to us.
Already in that garden,
God made plans for Jesus to remove our sin,
and then cover us in His holy life.
they didn't think about themselves.
They focused on each other,
and they focused on God.
Back in Genesis chapter 2
Adam was thrilled to see Eve.
But now his eyes looked away from his wife.
His heart looked away from God.
Adam sees himself.
He feels ashamed.
And the same happens in Eve.
They try to cover their shame for their sin with fig leaves.
They try to hide from God.
Only one thing can cover our sin.
Only one thing can remove our shame:
Jesus Christ,
His blood offered on the cross for our sins.
Next week we will see God's promise
to Adam & Eve, and His promise to us.
Already in that garden,
God made plans for Jesus to remove our sin,
and then cover us in His holy life.
We pray:
Father in heaven,
We are sinners.
We like to blame Adam & Eve for sinning first.
But we also are guilty for rebelling against you.
We are ashamed.
Thank You for sending Jesus.
Thank You for removing our guilt,
and removing our shame,
Thank You for covering us in Your pure love.
Please make our eyes open,
not for seeing evil,
but for seeing only You.
Amen
Father in heaven,
We are sinners.
We like to blame Adam & Eve for sinning first.
But we also are guilty for rebelling against you.
We are ashamed.
Thank You for sending Jesus.
Thank You for removing our guilt,
and removing our shame,
Thank You for covering us in Your pure love.
Please make our eyes open,
not for seeing evil,
but for seeing only You.
Amen
END NOTES
People tend to invent helpful rules for themselves, rules not directed in God's Law, and then impose those rules on other people. A good example comes from the late Paul E. Little, How to Give Away Your Faith, © 1966 by Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of the United States of America, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. pp. 100-101.
People tend to invent helpful rules for themselves, rules not directed in God's Law, and then impose those rules on other people. A good example comes from the late Paul E. Little, How to Give Away Your Faith, © 1966 by Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of the United States of America, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. pp. 100-101.
I got some practical firsthand experience with this problem at a student conference in New Jersey some years ago. There I met a fellow, a salesman, who literally worshipped baseball before he became a Christian. He would slave away all winter long so that he could be completely free for his god in the summer months. For something like twelve years he hadn't missed a single game in Philadelphia. He knew every batting average since 1910. He slept, ate, drank, and breathed baseball. Then he met the Savior and gave up his idol, leaving it at Jesus' feet.
Toward the end of our rugged and somewhat exhausting conference, this fellow overheard me suggest to another staff member, 'Say, after the conference let's go to Connie Mack Stadium and see the Phillies. They're playing the St. Louis Cards.' The salesman was staggered. Incredulous, he stared at me and demanded, 'How can you as a Christian go to a baseball game?' Now, I've heard a lot of taboos in Christian circles, but this was the first time I'd heard baseball banned! I was flabbergasted and didn't know what to say. When he asked a second time, 'How can you and Fred claim to be Christians and then go out to a ball game?' Fred and I starting thinking and discussing the situation. As we talked to the salesman we uncovered his problem. Here was a man like the Christians in Rome, a former idol worshiper. Baseball had been a big thing to him; now he assumed that anybody who saw a game (ate meat), however removed from idolatrous intents, was worshipping baseball as an idol.
Fred and I canceled our baseball date since our going would have needlessly disturbed our friend at a sensitive stage in his Christian life. But we also talked and counseled with him, and he gradually realized that not all Christians find baseball a problem. With his background, baseball will probably be a dangerous temptation to him for the rest of his life; this he knows. But later he also saw that he couldn't legislate for Christians who have no problem with the sport. It heartened us to see him begin to mature in his attitudes.
Next Lesson: Part 2 - God's judgment on the Satan and salvation promised for the human race (Gen. 3:9-15).
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