The Fall of Man, Part I I. Introduction and review A. Now that everything is perfect and wonderful, who should you expect to enter the scene 1. It happened at the very start 2. And it has happened ever since then B. Are these events related in the third chapter history symbolically told or are they related to us in a literal sense? 1. Referenced in other locatioons [Matt. 19:4-5; Romans 5:12] 2. This is one of the most pivotal chapters in the Bible a. It is key to understanding the rest of Scripture b. Think where we would be if it were missing c. It provides us with the answer for the social, psychological and economic problems which we face today C. D. Satan and sin 1. The concept of throwing a fast ball until they can hit it 2. See 1 John 2:15-16 5 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. a. All of sin can be characterized in three different ways b. Desires of flesh Page 1 of 9
(1) lust implies wrong (2) desire is more neutral (3) this category involves wrongfully indulging fleshly desires (a) (b) sexual immorality gluttony c. Desires of the eyes (1) greed (2) envy (3) covetousness d. Pride of the heart (1) I should be... (2) I should have... 3. These three were the ones Satan used on Jesus in the wilderness 4. These are the three modes of attack that he will use on Eve E. The name for God used throughout Chapter 2 of Genesis is Yahweh Elohim F. Why would he use the two part name Yahweh Elohim 1. Elohim the strong faithful covenant keeping God, who created and is triune 2. Yahweh the God of being and existence, who makes a special covenant with man, and the God of sin, righteousness and judgment 3. When you come to chapter 3, the serpent only uses Elohim a. Why? b. What does he not want Eve to focus on Page 2 of 9
II. Genesis 3:1-7 A. The serpent was the shrewdest or most cunning of all of the animals 1. This was not a bad thing, there was no wrong in the world at this time 2. This was a characteristic of the serpent 3. The serpent was later cursed, that is the animal, and from then on had to crawl on its belly 4. That tells us that before that the serpent did not crawl on its belly 5. It more than likely was a very alluring creature, Eve appears to have no fear of it 6. It is for these reasons that Satan chose it B. Satan approaches the woman and asks her a question 1. Indeed, has God said, You shall not eat from any tree of the garden? 2. Why is Eve not surprised that a serpent is talking with her a. If this was highly unusual, it would put her on the alert b. That would be the opposite of what Satan wanted, because he wants to deceive her (1) see 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. c. Could it be that this was not out of the ordinary d. Or something that had at least happened before 3. Notice how Satan totally misquotes God s command almost 180 Page 3 of 9
a. He actually states the exact opposite for the most part b. God told them to eat of all of the trees in the garden, even the tree of life c. Why did he do that? (1) he wanted to get Eve agreeing with him (2) he wanted to put doubts in Eve s mind (3) he was saying: do you really mean that you can t eat from every tree (4) Satan wanted to start seeds of doubt growing in her mind and promote a feeling of confusion (5) it is clear from the start that Satan s target was Eve s mind and his weapon was deception C. Consider Eve s response: 1. Genesis 3:2-3 From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die. a. Is that correct as to what God said b. Who told her that? c. Consider 2:15-17 (1) at that point Eve did not exist (2) Adam must have told her the command God had given to him (3) he would have then added the part about not touching Page 4 of 9
(4) but she should have been told the distinction between Adam s rule and God s rule d. Satan uses this same trick on us today (1) we believe his lie that we can sin and get away with it (2) that nothing bad will really happen to us (3) that s a lie consider Heb. 12:1-11 D. To which the serpent replied: You surely will not die! 1. What is he doing now 2. He has called God a liar 3. He is telling her that you can t trust God 4. God wants to keep good things from you 5. What happens when she touches the fruit of this tree nothing 6. Now why would God misinform her like that? a. Satan s answer is if you eat you will be like Him knowing good and evil b. Adam and Eve are in a way, supreme rulers (1) this whole planet is theirs (2) all of its creatures obey them and maybe even communicate with them 7. What s the real deal? a. Eve already knew good b. Good had not been withheld from her c. So all she was really getting out of this deal is evil Page 5 of 9
E. Now we see the three prong attack that Satan has set up to trap or deceive Eve 1. It was good to eat the desire of the flesh 2. It was a delight to the eyes (I want it) the desire of the eyes 3. It would make one wise the pride of the heart 4. She took it a. xq;l' laqach {law-kakh'} Meaning: 1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, that is to take, capture, seize F. In verse 6 there is the phrase with her 1. Its meaning is very important in understanding this passage 2. It means either: a. Adam was there beside her, watching this entire scene play out b. Or with as in the sense of in common with, that is Adam was her mate and with her in the sense of in this together or in the garden with her 3. If you accept the first meaning that means that Adam witnessed this entire transaction and neither did or said anything 4. I adopt the second meaning why? 5. Eve was deceived, Adam was not a. 2 Corinthians 11:3 b. Gen. 3:13 Eve admits she was deceived c. I Timothy 2:14 d. Was Adam in a position of leadership before the fall Page 6 of 9
(1) consider I Tim. 2:13 6. Satan evidently determined that he was not going to be able to deceive Adam, so he went after Eve a. Why? b. Once he had deceived her, he could use her to get to the man c. Any woman who has a relationship with a man, has no choice, she will be used to influence and effect his life d. Her only choice will be on whose behalf she influences him, God s or Satan s 7. If Adam was not deceived, then that means that he made a knowing choice to sin a. Why did he do that b. He chose the women which God had made for him over God c. Did God know that before He made the woman? d. Then why did He make her in the first place, or at least make her so appealing e. Man had to have a choice as to: (1) who he would follow and (2) who he would love the most (3) men should want a woman who wants to be number 2 in his heart (4) women should want a man who is committed to making her his second love, behind Almighty God Page 7 of 9
8. What effect did their sin have and when a. The effect took place after Adam sinned, not until b. We can know that because Eve didn t look at Adam before he ate and say: Adam put some clothes on c. Why? Answer next week, if I don t remind me d. When it came to evil, the first thing they recognized was that they were naked (1) the first feelings of shame (2) general principle being naked in front of others of the opposite sex should bring shame (3) exception: a man and his wife [2:25] e. Did they die as God had said or was Satan accurate that they wouldn t die (1) that argument has been used in relation to errors in the Bible (2) man is three parts, a body soul and spirit (3) his soul is eternal and will never die (4) his spirit is his means for communication and existing in the spiritual world (5) it died then and there (6) spiritual death is separation from God (7) Immediate death (8) for the first time Adam and Eve were separated from God Page 8 of 9
(9) each of now is born spiritually dead (10) the body is our means of communicating and existing in the physical world (11) it died also, a slow death but death nonetheless (12) from then on our bodies slowly die over time (13) ultimate death (14) the second death hell G. Why did God let this happen? 1. He did not create man to be a robot 2. He was given a choice 3. He could choose to obey God or to disobey Him 4. To love his God or to reject his God 5. There is no love or obedience without a real choice, the ability to freely choose one or the other H. Eve s choices 1. To listen 2. To look 3. To take 4. To eat 5. To give to her husband Page 9 of 9