Gênesis 3
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gênesis 3
Spurgeon on crafty - Satan has abundant craft, and is able to overcome us, for several reasons. Methinks it would be a sufficient reason that Satan should be cunning because he is malicious; for malice is of all things the most productive of cunning. When a man is determined on revenge, it is strange how cunning he is to find out opportunities to vent his spite. Let a man have enmity against another, and let that enmity thoroughly possess his soul, and pour venom, as it were, into his very blood, and he will become exceedingly crafty in the means he uses to annoy and injure his adversary. Now, nobody can be more full of malice against man than Satan is, as he proveth every day; and that malice sharpeneth his inherent wisdom, so that he becometh exceedingly subtle. Besides, Satan is an angel, though a fallen one. We doubt not, from certain hints in Scripture, that he occupied a very high place in the hierarchy of angels before he fell; and we know that those mighty beings are endowed with vast intellectual powers, far surpassing any that has ever been given to beings of human mould. Therefore, we must not expect that a man, unaided from above, should ever be a match for an angel, especially an angel whose native intellect has been sharpened by a most spiteful malice against us. Again, Satan may well be cunning now,—I may truthfully say, more cunning than he was in the days of Adam,—for he has had long dealings with the human race. This was his first occasion of dealing with mankind, when he tempted Eve; but he was even then “more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.” Since then, he has exercised all his diabolical thought and mighty powers to annoy and ruin men. There is not a saint whom he has not beset, and not a sinner whom he has not misled. Together with his troops of evil spirits, he hath been continually exercising a terrible control over the sons of men; he is therefore well skilled in all the arts of temptation. Never anatomist so well understood the human body as Satan does the human soul. He has not been “tempted in all points,” but he has tempted others in all points. He has tried to assail our manhood from the crown of our head to the sole of our foot; and he has explored every outwork of our nature, and even the most secret caverns of our souls. He has climbed into the citadel of our heart, and he has lived there; he has searched its inmost recesses, and dived into its profoundest depths. I suppose there is nothing of human nature that Satan cannot unravel; and though, doubtless, he is the biggest fool that ever hath existed, as time continually proveth, yet, beyond all doubt, he is the craftiest of fools, and I may add, that is no great paradox, for craft is always folly, and craftiness is but another shape of departure from wisdom. And now, brethren, I shall for a few minutes first occupy your time by noticing the craft and subtlety of Satan, and the modes in which he attacks our souls; and, secondly, I shall give you a few words of admonition with regard to the wisdom that we must exercise against him, and the only means that we can use effectually to prevent his subtlety from being the instrument of our destruction. (Read full sermon AN ANTIDOTE TO SATAN'S DEVICES) QUESTION - Was Satan the serpent in Genesis chapter 3? ANSWER - Yes, the serpent in Genesis chapter 3 was Satan. Satan was either appearing as a serpent, possessing the serpent, or deceiving Adam and Eve into believing that it was the serpent who was talking to them. Serpents / snakes do not possess the ability to speak. Revelation 12:9 and 20:2 both describe Satan as a serpent. "He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:2). "The great dragon was hurled down, that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him" (Revelation 12:9). While the Bible is not clear as to whether or not the serpent stood up or walked before the curse, it appears likely that, like other reptiles, it probably did walk on four legs. That would seem to be the best explanation of Genesis 3:14, "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.'" The fact that the serpent was cursed to crawl on his belly and eat the dust of the earth forever is also a way of indicating that the serpent would be forever despised and looked upon as a vile and despicable creature and an object of scorn and contempt. Why did God curse the serpent when He knew that it was actually Satan who had led Adam and Eve into sin? The fate of the serpent is an illustration. The curse of the serpent will one day be the fate of Satan himself (Revelation 20:10; Ezekiel 28:18-19).GotQuestions.org QUESTION - Why didn’t Adam and Eve find it strange that a serpent was talking to them? ANSWER - Interestingly, the serpent/snake speaking to Adam and Eve is not the only instance in the Bible where an animal speaks. The prophet Balaam was rebuked by his donkey (see Numbers 22:21-35). We have to remember that while animals are not capable of speaking, there are powerful beings out there (God, the angels, Satan, the demons) who are capable of the impossible, including enabling animals to speak. Most scholars hold that it was Satan in the Garden of Eden who was speaking through the snake, not the snake itself speaking on its own. Thus, the Genesis 3 account it is not suggesting that snakes were of an intellect that would have enabled them to speak coherently. Still, why didn’t Adam and Eve find it strange that an animal was speaking to them? It is unlikely that Adam and Eve had the same perspective we do on animals. In our era, we know from experience that animals are incapable of speech on the same level as humans. Adam and Eve did not have a childhood, nor did they have other humans to learn from. Given that Adam and Eve had probably only been alive a matter of days, it is not unreasonable for them to believe that animals were capable of speech. It is also possible that this was not the first talking animal Adam and Eve had encountered. Perhaps Satan or even God Himself had used animals to communicate with Adam and Eve before. There are so few details given in the account that much is left to speculation and presumption. Lastly, it was not unreasonable for Eve to answer the snake. After all, the snake was evidently speaking in a language that she understood and asking an intelligible question. It is also likely that Adam was nearby and could verify that she was not imagining things. It was not the serpent speaking that should have alarmed them. Rather, it was the fact that he was causing them to doubt God’s instructions (Genesis 3:1), contradicting God (Genesis 3:4), and calling God’s motives into question (Genesis 3:5). That should have been enough to cause both Eve and Adam to stop talking to the serpent. GotQuestions.org QUESTION - Did Adam and Eve know what death was when God commanded them not to eat from the tree of knowledge? ANSWER - When God created the first man and first woman, He placed them in the Garden of Eden where they lived in a state of innocence, without sin. God freely gave them the fruit of every tree in the garden but one: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Do not partake of that tree, God said, “for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). Some people reason that Adam and Eve’s punishment for disobedience was overly harsh, because, before they ate the forbidden fruit, they could not have had knowledge of good and evil; not having that knowledge, they couldn’t really tell right from wrong. In response, we would first point out that the Bible never says that Adam and Eve did not know right from wrong. In fact, Genesis 3:2–3 is clear that they did understand the difference between right and wrong; Eve knew God had instructed her and Adam not to eat the forbidden fruit (cf. Genesis 2:16–17). To take the name of the forbidden tree, “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9), to mean that Adam and Eve had no understanding of good and evil is a misunderstanding. In the Bible, the word knowledge often means “experience.” It is true that, prior to the fall, Adam and Eve had no experience of evil. But they understood the concept of good and evil perfectly well, or they would not have known what obedience to God’s instructions meant. The point is that Adam and Eve had not yet sinned until they ate from the tree, and their sin was the gateway to firsthand, experiential knowledge of the difference between good and evil. Adam and Eve knew the difference between right and wrong, because they were created with that understanding; it’s just that they hadn’t experienced it personally until they sinned. Their lack of experience doesn’t excuse their actions. God gave a simple, straightforward instruction to Adam and Eve. They both had the understanding and the ability to obey, but they disobeyed anyway. Second, it could be that God gave Adam and Eve an explanation of why they weren’t supposed to eat from the tree, other than “you will certainly die.” There is no such explanation recorded in Scripture, but we should not assume that one was never given. Of course, even if God never fully explained why eating from the tree was wrong, Adam and Eve could still know that it was wrong. The extra information was not necessary to make a moral decision. We can know with great confidence that murder is wrong, without necessarily being able to explain why it is wrong. And even if we can’t explain why murder is wrong, we should still be held accountable for an act of murder we commit. Adam and Eve’s not knowing the exact reason they were forbidden to eat the tree’s fruit has nothing to do with the fact that they clearly knew and understood eating it was wrong. Third, death exists in the world today because of sin, not because of Adam and Eve’s lack of knowledge (cf. Romans 5:12). In other words, God did not punish Adam and Eve with death for simply “not knowing” something but for acting against what they already knew to be right. Death was a consequence of their disobedience, not their ignorance. Likewise, Adam and Eve did not need to have seen death or experienced death firsthand to know that disobeying God’s command was wrong. It’s easy for us today to look at the ugly, horrific nature of sin and death and conclude that such a perspective might have made Adam and Eve more reluctant to disobey God than they were. But that’s speculation. Whether or not such firsthand knowledge might have affected their choice, there is no denying that Adam and Eve directly, intentionally disobeyed a command of God. And, as we read in Romans 6:23, “the wages of sin is death.” Another observation. When people ask how God could punish Adam and Eve (and the rest of us) so harshly for doing something they could hardly have been expected to know was wrong, they seem to assume that Adam and Eve had no more moral intelligence than the average toddler. Thinking of Adam and Eve as harmless, totally naive children certainly makes God’s response seem overblown, like a father who has lost all patience with his kids. Wouldn’t a reasonable God have at least given His beloved children a second chance? Or at least rid the garden of the tree before they could encounter that danger? Why sentence your own creation to death for one “innocent mistake”? Thinking about the sin of Adam and Eve as a naive mistake is off base. Innocence is not the same as ignorance. Consider what we actually know about the first couple: they were created in a perfect world and given dominion and freedom over the entire earth; they knew and spoke face to face with their perfect, loving, and good Creator God (Genesis 2:22). It is difficult to imagine the goodness and benevolence of God being any more fully on display for Adam and Eve to behold. Yet, in spite of all of their blessings—in spite of God’s creating them and providing for them and loving them—Adam and Eve listened instead to the serpent, who directly contradicted what God had told them (Genesis 3:4–5). The serpent had done nothing to provide for Adam and Eve and nothing to love or care for them, and his words only contradicted the goodness of God they had experienced up to that point. Adam and Eve had no reason at all, as far as we know, to trust what the serpent said. Yet trust him they did, even though it meant rejecting what they did know about God’s provision and loving care. Indeed, their reason for rejecting God’s command was not an innocent mistake: Genesis 3:5–6 demonstrates that Adam and Eve saw the fruit as an opportunity to become “like God.” This is truly shocking. Adam and Eve—grown adults, rulers of the earth, perfectly capable of understanding what it meant to obey or disobey the loving God who had given them everything they could possibly need—rejected that same God, in favor of the false promise of a serpent, who had given them not a single reason to trust him over God. This is not the mistake of a child in ignorance; this is the willful, intentional rebellion of the created against the Creator, a mutiny against the rightful Ruler of the universe. Adam and Eve were not artless babes misled into a regrettable choice; they were God’s own intelligent, morally accountable creation committing treason against Him. They knew what they were doing was wrong, and they did it anyway. It is hard to imagine an offense against a holy God that would be more deserving of death than this. In the end, we must come to think of Adam and Eve the way Scripture portrays them: as responsible, comprehending adults who rebelled against the authority of their Maker. They knew and understood that they were disobeying God, yet they ate of the fruit that was “a delight to the eyes, and . . . desirable to make one wise” (Genesis 3:6, NASB). This was not an accident or a mistake; it was a choice. And that is the reason that God was justified in sentencing them—and us—to death. What is even more amazing is that, in spite of the defiance displayed by His own creation, God responded to their disobedience with a promise to redeem them. Genesis 3:15 contains the first expression of the gospel in the Bible, and it comes during the sentencing of the guilty in the garden: to the serpent, God said, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” The good news of the gospel is that God has made a way for us to be restored through the work of Christ on the cross. Despite the tremendous evil displayed by Adam and Eve—and that which all of us have displayed ever since—God has reached out to us in love. That is very good news indeed. GotQuestions.org W H Griffith-Thomas - (Genesis 3 The Fall) The chapter is so full of spiritual truths that it is impossible to deal with everything in detail. It must suffice to call attention to four great realities of the spiritual life which are here brought before us for the first time in the Word of God. I. Temptation.— Consider its source. The practical character of the narrative is clearly seen in the reference to the serpent as the immediate cause of human sin. Inasmuch as Satan is not actually mentioned in the chapter, we are surely right in regarding this reference to the serpent as a pictorial and symbolical reference to Satan himself, a view which is confirmed by later passages of Scripture, such as 2 Cor. 11:14; Rev. 12:9 and Rev 20:2. There is no reference to the problem of how and when Satan sinned. The one point of stress is laid upon sin in relation to man, and we are taught very unmistakably two great truths: (1) That God is not the author of sin, and (2) that sin came to man from without, and was due to a power of evil suggestion and influence other than that which came from man's own nature. Even though we fall short of identifying the serpent of this chapter with the personal Satan of later Scripture, we may still regard the teaching of the Fall story as suggesting the personification of an evil principle from without, which in later times is seen to be more than a personification, and nothing less than an actual being (Orr, Image of God in Man, pp. 219 ff.). Mark its subtilty. The stages of the temptation should be carefully noticed: (a) The serpent first of all excites the woman's curiosity by speaking to her; (b) then he raises a suspicion of God by the question that he puts to her (Ge 3:1); (c) then he proceeds to inject a threefold doubt of God—of His goodness, by reason of the restriction (Ge 3:1); of His righteousness, in the assurance that they shall not die (Ge 3:4); and of His holiness, in the assurance that, so far from dying, they 'shall be as gods' (Ge 3:5). (See Candlish's Lectures on Genesis, in loc.) (d) Thus he incites the woman to unbelief, and (e) leads her eventually to disobedience. It is very noteworthy that the temptation is associated entirely with doubt of God's Word: 'Hath God said?' This is characteristic of sin at all times; the doubt, the denial, and the disbelief of God's Word. First Satan distorts the Word, then he leads the woman to doubt it, and last of all he denies it. It is also significant that Satan and the woman in their conversation use the term 'God,' and not 'Lord God.' This inadequate and defective reference to God was doubtless part of the explanation of the temptation and the Fall. It would not have served Satan's purposes to have introduced the specific covenant term 'Jehovah' when raising questions about the veracity and faithfulness of God's Word. Observe its success. The stages of the woman's attitude have often been pointed out: (a) She heeded the temptation, and listened to Satan's questioning of God's Word and his new interpretation of that Divine utterance. In her reply to his question, she perverted and misquoted three times the divine law to which she and Adam were subject: (1) She disparaged her privileges by misquoting the terms of the Divine permission as to the other trees. (2) She overstated the restrictions by misquoting the Divine prohibition. (3) She underrated her obligations by misquoting the Divine penalty. And thus she was easily exposed to the temptation to question, doubt, and deny God. (b) Her curiosity was roused, perhaps, by Satan demonstrating before her the apparent futility of heeding God, for we are told that she saw that the tree was good for food as well as pleasant to the eyes. (c) Then sprang up physical craving, and she desired to disobey, with the result that (d) she took and ate, and 'gave also unto her husband and he did eat.' Her fall was consequently due to dalliance with temptation. She did not repel, but yielded to it. Had she resisted at the very outset she would not have fallen; for it is a universal law that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us. Nothing is more remarkable in the whole history of man's moral life than the powerlessness of the devil to overcome us apart from our own assent and consent. If we resist, he flees; if we yield, he wins. It is this simple fact that constitutes man's ultimate responsibility for his actions. He never can say, 'I was overpowered in spite of myself.' All that he can say is, 'I was overpowered because of myself.' II. Sin.— The reality of sin is undoubted. The chapter is clear as to the fact of a Fall. There is such a thing as moral evil in the world. Human nature, with its constant tendency to retrogression and degeneration, clearly proves this. However and whenever it has come about, we know the universality and persistence of evil to-day, and the world has never had any other adequate explanation than that which is afforded by this chapter. Traditions of the Fall are almost as numerous as those of creation (Pulpit Commentary, p. 59). There is scarcely any part of God's Word which is more in accord with the known facts of history and science than the story of this chapter. We have recently been told that the doctrine of a Fall from original righteousness is only found in this chapter and in the theology of St Paul, and yet it is surely obvious that the facts of sin and its universality are presupposed in every part of the Old Testament. 'If a Fall were not narrated in the opening chapters of Genesis, we should still have to postulate something of the kind for the Bible's own representations of the state of man' (Orr, ut supra, p. 201). We may also add that the same postulate is necessary to account for the tendencies to evil seen in the natures of little children throughout the whole world. The root of sin should be understood. The foundation of all sin lies in man's desire for self-assertion and his determination to be independent of God. Adam and Eve chafed under the restriction laid upon them by the command of God, and it was in opposition to this that they asserted themselves, and thereby fell. Man does not like to be dependent upon another, and subject to commands from without. He desires to go his own way, to be his own master; and as a consequence he sins, and becomes 'lord of himself, that heritage of woe.' The responsibility of sin needs constant emphasis. The possibility of sin is involved in the fact of personality. Unless man was to be an automaton, with no opportunity for character, there must be granted the possibility of sin. It is at this point we realise the solemn fact of personal accountability. Whatever may be true of environment and heredity, they never can blot out the distinction between right and wrong, or rob man of his responsibility. Nor must we for a moment suppose that sin was any inherent tendency or primal necessity of human life. Adam had liability, but not a tendency, to sin. Our Lord had neither liability nor tendency, though of course His temptation was real, all the more so because of His sinless nature (Heb. 4:15 E.V., not A.V.). We today, as fallen, have both liability and tendency. Any modern theories of evolution which make sin a necessity of human development tend thereby to blot out the eternal distinction between good and evil. In view of certain aspects of modern evolutionary thought, man had no alternative but to fall; and to add to the confusion of thought and morals, we are also told that this failure was not a fall, but a rise—a fall upwards—so that we must now, it is said, speak of the ascent, not of the fall, of man. In opposition to all this the Bible teaches us that sin was not a necessity, and there never will be any clear Christian thinking until this necessitarian theory is entirely banished from our minds (Orr, ut supra, pp. 158 and 298). III. Punishment.— 'Be sure your sin will find you out' (Nu 32:23) is the great principle written clearly and deeply on this record of the first sin, as, indeed, of every other since that time. What was the punishment associated with the sin of Adam and Eve? The narrative shows this plainly. They soon had a sense of guilt. At once their eyes were opened, and they became conscious of the shame associated with their wrong-doing. The reference to nakedness and clothing indicates the profound shame that actuated them, and at once they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. Fear was the result of their guilt; the old experiences of innocence and fellowship were at an end, and now they were guilty before God. Conscience, that element of the Divine image and likeness, was already at work, and their sin was indeed finding them out. Then followed a sentence of condemnation. God soon dealt with this wrong-doing, and there was a threefold condemnation. All subterfuges (Ge 3:10) and all cowardly attempts to blame others (Ge 3:12) were unavailing, and man stood face to face with the holy God, conscious of guilt and unspeakable shame. (a) The serpent was first dealt with, and judgment passed upon him (Ge 3:14, 15); (b) the woman was next judged, and condemned to sorrow and subjection (Ge 3:16); (c) the man last of all was dealt with, and sorrow, hardship, toil, and death were made his portion (Ge 3:17-19). Last of all came an act of separation. It was impossible for man to remain in the garden, and in a state of fellowship with God. Sin and Paradise were incompatible, and so the Lord sent them forth, driving them out, and placing the guard with the sword that turned every way. Mark the significance of this phrase. There was no possibility of a return to the old life. Paradise was lost, and by no human effort could it ever be regained. Separation is always the result of sin. 'Your iniquities have separated between you and your God' (Isa. 59:2). And thus the threefold punishment of guilt, condemnation, and separation accrued to man because of his sin. EDITORIAL COMMENT: Death ultimately speaks of separation. Notice the effect of Adam's spiritual death is separation from God. Christ came to bridge that gap on the Cross. But for those who refuse to receive His gift of eternal life by grace through faith, the Second Death will finalize forever the separation of God and man, Paul writing "These (2 Th 1:8 " those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus") will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." (2 Th 1:9) This final separation is the saddest of all for there is no bridging this final gap! Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (TODAY) and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). See Study of Eternal Punishment. The chapter, however, does not end with sin and its punishment, and we pass on to consider the fourth great reality. IV. Redemption.—The announcement of enmity between the serpent and the woman, and between her seed and his seed, is the first message of Divine redemption in its antagonism to, and victory over, sin. This is indeed the Protevangelium, and is the primeval promise which is taken up again and again henceforward in Scripture, until He comes Who destroys him that has the power of death, and casts him into the lake of fire. Redemption is not only promised in word, it is also pictured in deed. Man attempted to cover his shame by the leaves of the fig-tree, but this was far too slight a covering for so deep a shame. No human covering could suffice, and so we are told with profound significance that the 'Lord God made coats of skins and clothed them.' This Divine clothing took the place of their own self-made clothing, and now they are clothed indeed. The mention of skins suggests the fact and necessity of death of the animal before they could be used as clothing, and it is more than probable that in this fact we have the primal revelation of sacrifice, and of the way in which the robe of righteousness was to be provided for them. 'Jesu, Thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress.' Looking on to the New Testament, we cannot but associate with this chapter the great Pauline chapter, Romans 8, which ends very significantly with three questions triumphantly asked by the Apostle, and it should be carefully noticed that these questions exactly correspond to the three aspects of punishment mentioned above. (a) 'Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?' (Ro 8:33). That is, 'There is no guilt.' (b) 'Who is he that condemneth?' (Ro 8:34). That is, 'There is no condemnation.' (c) 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?' (Ro 8:35). That is, 'There is no separation.' Thus, where sin abounded grace did super-abound, and 'as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin, so now grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.' God's question to Adam still sounds in the ear of every sinner, 'Where art thou?' It is the call of Divine justice, which cannot overlook sin. It is the call of Divine sorrow, which grieves over the sinner. It is the call of Divine love, which offers redemption for sin. To each and to every one of us the call is reiterated, 'Where art thou? The answer to the question must be either: ' in Adam' or 'in Christ.' These are the only two places where we can be. If we are still 'in Adam,' we are still in sin, and therefore in guilt, condemnation, and in danger of eternal separation. If we are 'in Christ,' we are already pardoned, accounted righteous; subjects of His grace, and heirs of eternal glory. Note.—For all modern evolutionary and philosophical questions connected with this chapter attention is earnestly called to the very able and scholarly book by Dr Orr, already quoted and referred to. (Genesis 3 The Fall) The Tempter Genesis 3:1 - John Butler "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Genesis 3:1). The Tempter to sin, Satan, employs much the same tactics today as he did back in the Garden of Eden. Our text exposes the Tempter and warns us of how sin attacks mankind. FIRST—THE DECEIT IN THE ATTACK "Subtil." The meaning of the word is cunning, crafty with the context determines the exact word. 'Deceit' is the meaning in this context. Sin always appears in a deceitful form. If it appeared as it really is, no one in their right mind would bite. Satan "deceived." Eve (I Timothy 2:14) and many have been deceived by sin since then. It looks so appealing and it looks like it will help you enjoy life more. Sin emphasizes happiness before holiness. But without holiness there will be no happiness. SECOND—THE DOUBT IN THE ATTACK "Yea, hath God said?" Doubt slays many, and sin and Satan often gain a foothold on a person by casting doubt. To counter this vicious attack, know the Word of God well, failure to know the Word well will open the door to much unnecessary doubt which can lead you into much sin. Our secular schools often instill doubt about God's word in the minds of their students. No one grows strong spiritually though doubting the Word of God. Doubt leads to damnation. It is faith that gives us the victory (I John 5:4). THIRD—THE DISCONTENT IN THE ATTACK "Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Satan's attack is to make us discontent with what we have. He will major on the minors and minor on the majors to cause this discontent. Adam and Eve were permitted to eat of all the trees of the garden (Genesis 2:16), but Satan would concentrate on the one tree of which they were not to eat and from that cause much discontent in their hearts, and led them to sin. If we were more grateful we would be more holy. But, alas, so few are grateful for what they have but focus on what they do not have and this often leads to great sin. The business world is not innocent here for they emphasize your lack in order to sell their product. Sin is that which is more concerned about its wants than its needs. FOURTH—THE DIET IN THE ATTACK "Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Some 17 times the Hebrew word, translated "eat" 15 times and "eaten 2 times, is found in this chapter of the fall of man. All of this says sin likes to focus on the physical, not the spiritual. Often sin enters a life through the physical appetite. Booze and gluttony and illicit sex make fools of men. Satan habitually perverts the physical appetite to lead men into sin, and he is still destroying many lives through the physical appetite. Pamper your physical appetite and you will ruin your life with sin. (Sermon Starters) STRATEGY OF SATAN Warren Wiersbe from his excellent book which can be borrowed - THE STRATEGY OF SATAN See also in depth discussion in article on Schemes of the Devil It is important that you notice the steps Satan took in getting Eve to believe his lie. (1) He questioned God’s Word. Ge 3:1 Indeed, has God said? He did not deny that God had spoken; he simply questioned whether God had really said what Eve thought he had said. Perhaps you misunderstood what God spoke, is Satan’s suggestion. You owe it to yourself to rethink what he said. It is worth noting that in this suggestion Satan is also questioning God’s goodness. ''If God really loved you, he wouldn’t keep something from you.'' He tried the same approach with our Lord in the wilderness: ''If you are God’s beloved Son, why are you hungry?'' (2) He denied God’s Word. Ge 3:4,5 "'You surely shall not die!'' It is but a short step from questioning God’s Word to denying it. Of course, neither Adam nor Eve had ever seen death. All they had to go on was the Word of God, but this was all they needed. If Eve had not listened to Satan questioning God’s Word, she would never have fallen into his trap when he denied God’s Word. (3) He substituted his own lie. ''You will be like God!'' Adam and Eve were already made in the image of God, but Satan tempted them with an even greater privilege: to be like God! This was, of course, Satan’s great ambition when he was Lucifer, God’s angelic servant. ''How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, ’I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of the assembly, in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’'' Isa 14:12-14 Satan is a created being, a creature; but he wanted to be worshiped and served like the Creator. It was this attitude that led him to rebel against God and seek to establish his own kingdom. ''You will be like God'' is the one gigantic lie that has controlled civilization since the fall of man. [Ro 1:25-note] Satan desires worship and service, and Jesus Christ would give him neither! Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Begone, Satan! For it is written, ’You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” Mt 4:8-10 (cp Luke 4:6-8-note) Satan’s lie ''You will be like God'' motivates and controls much of our civilization today. Man is seeking to pull himself up by his own bootstraps. He is working to build a utopia on earth and possibly take it to outer space. Through education, psychiatry, religions of one kind or another (most of which ignore Jesus Christ, sin, and salvation), and better environment, men are defying God and deifying themselves. They are playing right into the hands of Satan. How did Eve respond to Satan’s approach? by making three mistakes that led her into sin. (1) She took away from God’s Word. In Ge 3:2, Eve omitted the word FREELY. God’s original word in Ge 2:16 was, ''From any tree of the garden you may eat freely.'' We get the impression that Eve caught Satan’s subtle suggestion, ''God is holding out on you!'' When you start to question or FORGET the grace of God and the goodness of God, you will find it much easier to disobey the will of God." (2) She added to God’s Word. We do not find the words OR TOUCH IT in God’s original command. They may have been there, but they are not in the record. Not only did Eve make God’s original word less gracious by omitting the word FREELY but she also made the commandment more grievous by adding OR TOUCH IT. His commandments are not burdensome” [1Jn 5:3-note] Satan wants us to believe they are burdensome, and that he has something better to offer. (3) She changed God’s Word. God did not say, ''Lest you die.'' He said, ''For in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die'' (Ge 2:17). The penalty for disobedience as presented by the enemy did not seem as harsh; therefore, Eve could consider forsaking God’s will and obeying Satan’s will. Once you have treated God’s Word in this fashion, you are wide open for the devil’s final trick. He merely permitted Eve to consider the tree apart from God’s Word. ''Get a good look at it! See it as it really is!'' It was ''good for food, a delight to the eyes, desirable to make one wise (Ge 3:6). She had to make a choice: God’s Word or Satan’s word? She rejected God’s Word, believed Satan, and sinned. You and I have been suffering from the consequences of her decision, as has the whole human race. God accomplishes His will on earth through truth; Satan accomplishes his purposes through lies. When the child of God believes God’s truth, then the Spirit of God can work in power; for the Holy Spirit is “the Spirit of truth (Jn 16:13). But when a person believes a lie, then Satan goes to work in that life; for he is a liar, and the father of lies (Jn 8:44). Faith in God’s truth leads to victory; Faith in Satan’s lies leads to defeat. However, Satan never advertises, ''This is a lie!'' He is the serpent, the deceiver, and he always masquerades his lies as God’s truth. Apart from the Word of God, we have no sure understanding of the will of God. The will of God is the expression of God’s love for us. Ps 33:11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart from generation to generation. God’s will comes from God’s heart. It is not an impersonal thing, but a very personal matter with the Lord. He has a personal understanding of each of his children, their natures, their names, their needs and he tailors his plans accordingly. God wants us to know his will. Acts 22:14+ The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will. He also wants us to understand his will. Ep 5:17+ So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, He wants this understanding of his will to fill us and control us. Colossians 1:9+ We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. The result of all this is the believer doing the will of God from the heart. Ep 6:6+ not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. God’s will is not a duty; it is a delight. The Christian delights to discover the will of God and then obey from the heart. Ps 40:8 I delight to do Thy will, O my God; Thy Law is within my heart." The will of God is his nourishment. Jn 4:34+ My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work. You and I must pray (as did Epaphras) that we may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. Col 4:12+ If Satan can make you ignorant of God’s will, he will rob you of all the glorious blessings God has planned for your life. You will make bad decisions, get involved in sinful activities, and build the wrong kind of life. And, sad to say, you will influence others to go wrong! In my ministry of the Word in many places, I have seen the tragic consequences of lives out of the will of God. Christians who are ignorant of God’s will lose the enjoyment of God’s peace and power. They cannot grow into their full potential, nor can they accomplish what God has planned for them. Instead of traveling first-class, they travel second or third-class, complaining all the way. They live like paupers because they have cut themselves off from God’s great wealth. They spend their lives even worse, they waste their lives when they could be investing their lives. 1 Jn 2:17+ And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever. 4. your defense: the inspired word of god Only the inspired Word of God can reveal and defeat the devil’s lies. You cannot reason with Satan, nor (as Eve discovered) can you even safely converse with him. Man’s wisdom is no match for Satan’s cunning. Our only defense is the inspired Word of God. It was this weapon that our Lord used when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Mt 4:1-11+ (Lk 4:1-13+) Our Lord did not use his divine power to defeat Satan. He used the same weapon that is available to us today: the Word of God. Jesus was led by the Spirit of God and filled with the Word of God. As we shall see in a later chapter, the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Ep 6:17+); and the Holy Spirit can enable us to wield that sword effectively. If you and I are going to defeat Satan’s lies, we must depend on the Word of God. This fact lays several responsibilities upon us. (1) We must know God’s Word. There is no reason why any believer should be ignorant of his Bible. We have the Holy Spirit within us to teach us the truths of the Word (Jn16:13-15). If an intelligent believer today does not know his Bible, it is his or her own fault! We must make time, not ''find time,'' to read and study the Word of God. Just as a machinist studies the shop manual, and the surgeon studies his medical texts, so the Christian must study the Word of God. Bible study is not a luxury; it is a necessity. (2) We must memorize God’s Word. Our Lord did not have a concordance with him in the wilderness! He reached back into the Books of Moses, selected Deuteronomy, and quoted three verses from that book to silence Satan. Most adults think that Bible memorization is for children in Sunday school, when actually it is for every believer. Adult Christians need the Word far more than the children do, although it is good for children to memorize God’s Word. Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee. Ps 119:11 The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. Ps 37:31 I delight to do Thy will, O my God; Thy Law is within my heart. Ps 40:8 (3) We must meditate on God’s Word. Meditation is to the inner man what digestion is to the outer man. If you did not digest your food, you would sicken and die. Joshua 1:8-note This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. Ps 1:2+ (Ed addition - Job's "secret" of success was similar - "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured [tsapan/sapan] the words of His mouth more than my necessary food." - Job 23:12+) Do you sincerely delight in the Word of God, or do you read it only out of duty? Do you rush through your morning devotions,or take time to feed on God’s truth? Measure yourself by these statements by the psalmist: How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Ps 119:103 I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Thy words. My eyes anticipate the night watches, that I may meditate on Thy Word. Ps 119:147, 148 I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. Ps 119:114 The law of Thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Ps 119:72 Therefore I love Thy commandments above gold, yes, above fine gold. Ps 119:127 Here is a saint who would rather have God’s Word than food, sleep, or money! Early in the morning and late at night he meditated on the Word of God and enriched his soul. It is this kind of a Christian who is able to use the Word of God to defeat Satan and his lies. (4) We must use God’s Word. The believer’s mind should become like a spiritual computer. It should be so saturated with Scripture that when he faces a decision or a temptation, he automatically remembers the Scriptures that relate to that particular situation. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to bring God’s Word to our minds when we need it. [Jn 14:26] But the Spirit of God cannot remind you of something that you have not learned! You must first let him teach you the Word. You must memorize the Scripture that he opens up to you. Then the Spirit of God will be able to remind you of what you have learned, and you can use that truth to battle Satan. Please keep in mind that Satan knows the Bible far better than we do! And he is able to quote it! The Spirit of God will enable you to use the Word of God in the battle against the devil. The Spirit will show you when Satan is “using” the Bible to promote his own lies, as he did with Jesus in the wilderness. Satan quoted Ps 91:11, 12, but he adapted it for his own purposes by omitting ''in all your ways.'' God promises to protect us only when we are in his ways. If we foolishly go our own way, God is not obligated to care for us. This explains why Jesus replied, ''On the other hand, it is written'' (Mt 4:7). Jesus was comparing Scripture with Scripture. He was taking into consideration the total message (THE WHOLE CONTEXT) of the Bible and not stopping (as did Satan) with one isolated passage. Satan enjoys taking verses out of context and using them to PROVE his false claims. You and I must have a grasp of all Scripture if we are to detect Satan’s lies and defeat them.It is important, too, that we look at the world around us through the“eyes of the Bible. We must ''walk by faith, not by sight.'' (2 Co 5:7) If we try to evaluate things around us on the basis of our own thinking and knowledge, we will get into trouble. We must believe that what God says about things in his Word is true. Therefore I esteem right all Thy precepts concerning everything. I hate every false way. Ps 119:128 A business proposition may LOOK RIGHT to the natural mind, but if it is not based on the truths of God’s Word, it will fail. A marriage may seem like JUST RIGHT from the human perspective, but if it contradicts the Word of God, it is wrong. In my pastoral ministry, I have seen business deals fail and marriages collapse because they were not done according to the will of God. Somebody believed Satan’s lie. Taking Inventory Do I spend time daily reading God’s Word and meditating on it? Do I systematically seek to memorize Scripture? Do I find myself automatically “thinking Bible” when I am tempted or when I face decisions, or must I telephone my Christian friends to get spiritual guidance? Do I find myself better able to detect Satan’s lies? Are there any lies in my mind right now that I am believing? Do I know God’s will for my life? Do I really want to know? Am I delighting in God’s will and doing it from my heart? Am I guilty of telling lies? Why do I do it? Am I willing to take as true everything God’s Word says about everything in my life? Or do I occasionally ask, “Has God really said that?” Do I argue with God’s Word? Is the Word of God becoming more wonderful to me? Do I enjoy it more than the natural pleasures of life, including eating and sleeping? (from Warren Wiersbe's book which I highly recommend - borrow a copy of THE STRATEGY OF SATAN) You Knew What I Was Iron Eyes Cody is a native American actor who once did a TV spot for the Keep America Beautiful campaign. He was an Indian drifting alone in a canoe. As he saw how our waters are being polluted, a single tear rolled down his cheek, telling the whole story. This powerful public service commercial still shows up on TV screens after 17 years. In 1988 Cody repeated an old Indian legend in Guideposts magazine. Here it is: Many years ago, Indian youths would go away in solitude to prepare for manhood. One such youth hiked into a beautiful valley, green with trees, bright with flowers. There he fasted. But on the third day, as he looked up at the surrounding mountains, he noticed one tall rugged peak, capped with dazzling snow. I will test myself against that mountain, he thought. He put on his buffalo-hide shirt, threw his blanket over his shoulders and set off to climb the peak. When he reached the top he stood on the rim of the world. He could see forever, and his heart swelled with pride. Then he heard a rustle at his feet, and looking down, he saw a snake. Before he could move, the snake spoke. “I am about to die,” said the snake. “It is too cold for me up here and I am freezing. There is no food and I am starving. Put me under your shirt and take me down to the valley.” “No,” said the youth. “I am forewarned. I know your kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you will bite, and your bite will kill me.” “Not so,” said the snake. “I will treat you differently. If you do this for me, you will be special. I will not harm you.” The youth resisted awhile, but this was a very persuasive snake with beautiful markings. At last the youth tucked it under his shirt and carried it down to the valley. There he laid it gently on the grass, when suddenly the snake coiled, rattled, and leapt, biting him on the leg. “But you promised...” cried the youth. “You knew what I was when you picked me up.” said the snake as it slithered away.” Bits and Pieces, June, 1990, pp. 5-7 Too Strict Read: Genesis 3:1-6; Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 | God . . . gives us richly all things to enjoy. —1 Timothy 6:17 The tempter knows his craft. After all, he has been practicing it since the world began. He tries to get us to forfeit God’s blessing by urging us to ignore God’s laws or by slyly getting us to add to them. He knows we can fall into a ditch on either side of the road. In his chat with Eve, he first suggested that God didn’t want her to enjoy any of the trees in the garden (Gen. 3:1). Eve jumped to God’s defense, explaining that it was only the fruit of the middle tree that was off limits (vv.2-3). But then she added that even touching the tree would bring death (v.3). God, though, hadn’t said anything about touching it. Some of us try to defend God by being more strict than He is. We believe we are holier if we go beyond His commands. As a result, we miss out on the orchard because we are denied a single piece of poisoned fruit. Not only will we not touch that tree, but we also will not touch the tree next to it or a tree that looks like it. By doing so we dishonor God. God has given us all good things to enjoy (1 Tim. 6:17). He’s not pleased when we focus on what is prohibited and fail to enjoy all His blessings. It is not only a shame but also a sin not to enjoy life. For Further Study What do these verses say about enjoying life? Genesis 1:28-31; Psalm 36:7-9; Ecclesiastes 2; Acts 14:17; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 2:20-23 The joy of living comes from a heart of thanksgiving. Watchful and Alert Read: Genesis 3:1–7 | Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith. 1 Corinthians 16:13 My desk sits close to a window that opens into our neighborhood. From that vantage point I’m privileged to watch birds perch on the trees nearby. Some come to the window to eat insects trapped in the screen. The birds check their immediate surroundings for any danger, listening attentively as they look about them. Only when they are satisfied that there is no danger do they settle down to feed. Even then, they pause every few seconds to scan the area. The best way to escape temptation is to run to God. The vigilance these birds demonstrate reminds me that the Bible teaches us to practice vigilance as Christians. Our world is full of temptations, and we need to remain constantly alert and not forget about the dangers. Like Adam and Eve, we easily get entangled in attractions that make the things of this world seem “good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom” (Gen. 3:6). “Be on your guard,” Paul admonished, “stand firm in the faith” (1 Cor. 16:13). And Peter cautioned, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). As we work for our own daily bread, are we alert to what could start consuming us? Are we watching for any hint of self-confidence or willfulness that could leave us wishing we had trusted our God? Lord, keep us from the secret sins and selfish reactions we’re so naturally inclined toward. By Your grace, turn our temptations into moments of growth in Christlikeness. The best way to escape temptation is to run to God. INSIGHT: In Genesis 3, the serpent twists what God has said to Adam and Eve about the fruit in the garden. Rather than directly challenge what God has said, the serpent exaggerates the claim by asking if God commanded no eating from any tree (v. 1). This distortion on the part of the serpent elicits a similar response from Eve. Instead of responding with God’s own words (see the example of Jesus’s confrontation with Satan in the wilderness in Matthew 4), Eve adds to His words. After rightly correcting that it is only from the tree in the middle of the garden that they may not eat, she adds the prohibition that they may not “touch” the tree (Gen. 3:3). Beware Of What You Want Read: Exodus 20:1-17 | You shall not covet. —Exodus 20:17 Sometimes I wonder why God didn’t list the Ten Commandments in reverse order, since the 10th commandment correlates to the first sin—desire. Eve’s sin wasn’t simply her desire for a piece of fruit; it was the desire for knowledge that Satan told her would make her like God (Gen. 3:5). Eve’s covetousness caused her to violate both the first and tenth commands that God later gave to Moses. When we don’t covet, we pretty much eliminate our reasons to disobey the other commands. Wanting what isn’t ours causes us to lie, steal, commit adultery, murder, and refuse to honor our parents. We refuse to rest because we can’t get what we want in 6 days of work. We misuse God’s name when we use it to justify something that we want to do. We make gods out of wealth and relationships because we don’t want to have to put all our trust in God. I have a hard time coming up with sins that don’t involve some form of covetousness. Yet because it’s the last in the list, we tend to think of it as being the least important. But it’s not. When we stop sin while it is still in our hearts and heads, we avoid making others the victim of our sin, and we avoid many of the serious consequences of sin. When you covet someone else’s things, Thinking that they’re better than your own, Just remember that God’s gifts to you Were designed for you and you alone. —Hess Contentment is realizing that God has already given me all I need. Drifting Away - Joe Stowell “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” Genesis 3:1 On a recent vacation, Tom was casually bobbing around on a raft just offshore. He closed his eyes, basking in the warm sun. Before he realized it, he had drifted too far from shore. He hopped off the raft to get back to the security of the sand, but the water was now over his head. He didn’t know how to swim. The drift of our lives away from God is just as subtle. And just as dangerous. We drift one thought at a time, one small choice at a time, and often one damaging doubt at a time. In fact, our adversary is delighted to help our rafts drift from the protection and presence of God by casting doubt on God’s goodness to us. If you sense that your life has been set adrift—that God is not as close and precious as He used to be—then you may have just been in the riptide of an old trick of the enemy of your soul. The same trick he used to sever Eve’s heart from the joy of her relationship with her Creator. Satan’s opening volley was not a blistering attack on God; it was a simply a question that he wanted Eve to think about. “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” (Genesis 3:1). Actually, God had said that she could eat of every tree but one. But Satan twisted the facts to suit his purposes and to lead Eve’s mind to the conclusion that God was not the generous God she had known Him to be, but rather a stingy, restrictive, joy killer. Once she had let her heart drift to the wrong conclusion, it was easy for her to believe Satan’s lie that God just wanted to keep her from being as knowledgeable as He is and that the threat of them dying was just God’s way of scaring them into compliance with His stingy ways. Satan still sets us adrift by planting doubt about God’s Word and spinning the facts to his own evil advantage. Once we begin to suspect God instead of trusting Him, we inevitably drift away from Him. So, beware! Your life is full of scenarios where Satan can put his deceitful twist on your experiences. He is the spin-doctor of hell, and as Jesus said, “When [Satan] lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). With that in mind, keep a lookout for some of Satan’s favorite spins: Lie #1: God is to blame for the evil that Satan has inflicted on our lives. Lie #2: God has not rewarded me for being good. I’ve been used, not blessed! Lie #3: God’s rules are restrictive and oppressive. He just wants to take the fun out of my life. Lie #4: God is good to others but not to me. He must not love me! And there are many other lies, all custom-made for your head and heart. If you believe them, you have begun to drift away from the safe shores of God’s love and protecting provision. You’ll soon discover that you are adrift in the middle of nowhere, bobbing dangerously over your head. And count on it, as Eve was soon to learn, Satan won’t stay around to make you happy and fulfilled. He’ll be slithering off to more interesting company, leaving you in the deep waters of shame and regret. YOUR JOURNEY… Are you drifting in a sea of doubt? Make an appointment to talk to a trusted pastor or friend and ask that person to help you find your way back to God. Pray and ask God to reveal the lies that Satan is using in your life. Find Bible verses that contradict the lies and recite them when you are tempted to believe what is not true. Do you suspect God, or do you trust Him? How can faith shield you from the pitfall of suspecting and doubting God? Read Jeremiah 29:11; Ephesians 6:16; Galatians 2:20; 1 Timothy 6:12; and Hebrews 11:1-40. In Disguise Read: 1 John 2:15-29 | I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve . . . , so your minds may be corrupted. —2 Corinthians 11:3 It’s often difficult to understand why people give in to certain temptations. From our vantage point, their problem should be easy to handle. We may even wonder how Adam and Eve could have been so foolish as to have thrown aside all that God had given them in the dawn of their existence. We wouldn’t have fallen so easily—or would we? Part of the problem is that Satan wears a disguise when he slithers into our lives. As Mephistopheles says in the drama Faust, “People do not know the devil is there even when he has them by the throat.” The Bible tells us that the serpent was “more cunning than any beast of the field” (Genesis 3:1). No ominous hissing or rattling warned of danger. He didn’t ask, “Pardon me, may I have 20 minutes to destroy your life?” Public Enemy No. 1 uses the same tactics today as he did back then. He appeals to our sinful desires (1 John 2:15-16). Satan even disguises himself as an angel of light, and his cohorts appear as ministers of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:14-15; 1 John 2:18-19). To resist temptation and to detect Satan’s deceptions, we must live in close fellowship with Christ (1 John 2:28). Then we won’t be fooled by Satan’s disguises. —HWR When sin entices and allures, Its lies must be ignored; The strength to gain the victory Comes when we trust the Lord. —Sper You need to know God's truth to see through Satan's lies. James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose - THE FALL OF MAN Genesis 3 The first sin was like Elijah’s cloud, it was little at the beginning, but it blackened the whole heavens. By one man sin entered, and death came upon all. By Man (Christ) came also resurrection and life (1 Cor. 15:21, 22). We have here the revelation of some root principles. There are: I. Satanic Teaching. “Ye shall not surely die.” The personality of the devil is clearly implied. He does not say “There is no God,” but suggests that God does not mean what He says, or if He does He is not a God of mercy. His great purpose is ever to mar the design of God toward man. Wiles of the devil. II. Carnal Reasoning (v. 6). She saw, because she looked, and, judging by appearance, she desired, and when the desire was nourished it grew into a deliberate act, she took. Then, not satisfied with taking for herself, she gave. The process may have been something like this: 1, Giving heed to the tempter; 2, forgetting God’s mercies; 3, looking at the forbidden thing; 4, wishing God had not forbidden it; 5, doubting the Word of God; 6, believing Satan’s lie; 7, yielding to taste. III. Presumptuous Working. “They sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons” (v. 7). Their eyes were opened. Sin opens the eyes of the saints to see their own weakness, while it blinds the eyes of the ungodly. This is a vain attempt to cover sinful self. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper” (Prov. 28:13). Why not confess and receive forgiveness (1 John 1:9). IV. Guilty Concealing. “They hid themselves” (v. 8). Hid among the trees of the garden, among the very blessings God had given them. Many still hide behind the gifts of God while they live in sin. The “voice of the Lord” is always a terror to evil-doers. It is in vain for man to hide anywhere away from God. “I flee to Thee to hide me.” Sin always separates from God. V. Divine Seeking. “Where art thou?” (v. 9). This is the call of Grace. God is always the first seeker. When would Adam have sought God? This divine question (1) Reveals great compassion; this is the Good Shepherd seeking the lost sheep. (2) It awakens conviction by leading to deep heart-searching. (3) It demands confession; yield, and unburden all to God. (4) It suggests judgment, “Where art thou?” There is no escape from Him. VI. Vain Excusing. “The woman Thou gavest, she gave me” (v. 12). His mouth has not yet been stopped (Rom. 3:19). God justifies the believer, not the boaster. If men don’t now lay the blame of sin on God, they go as near as possible when they blame circumstances. There is no excuse for doubting God. VII. Merciful Covering. “God made coats of skin and clothed them” (v. 21). Man’s best will never cover his nakedness in the sight of God. These coats of skin suggest sacrifice. It is significant to remember that atonement means covering. Adam’s covering was the covering of another, substitution. It was of God’s making and giving, the righteousness of God, which is unto all and upon all them that believe. Genesis 3:2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; serpent: Ps 58:4 Genesis 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries War on the Word audio by Steven Lawson - excellent exposition of Genesis 3 EVE MISQUOTES THE LORD GOD Compare WHAT GOD SAID (Ge 2:16–17) From any tree of the garden you may eat freely but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die. With HOW EVE QUOTED GOD (Ge 3:2–3) From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat (SUBTRACTED "FREELY") but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden (SUBTRACTED THE NAME "KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL") God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it (ADDED "OR TOUCH IT") lest you die.’(SUBTRACTED "IN THE DAY THAT YOU EAT FROM IT" AND "SURELY") The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; - It is incredibly revealing when we look closely at the subtle but significant differences in how Eve quotes God compared to what He actually said. God had actually instructed that they could eat “From any tree . . .” and that they “may eat freely.” Both statements emphasize the liberty of the Garden. Eve, by leaving these out, seems to be minimizing or making light of her liberties. God’s sole restriction in the Garden was specific—they were not to eat “from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Eve doesn’t focus on what the tree is, but on where it is. She avoids the reminder that the tree is associated with evil. In restricting them, God had only said, “you shall not eat.” Eve adds the phrase, “or touch it,” and in so doing, seems to maximize the restrictions or limitations God had placed on them in the Garden. Finally, Eve quotes the consequence as “lest you die.” She leaves out the term “surely,” and the phrase “in the day that you eat from it,” apparently making light of the certainty and immediacy of the consequences. THOUGHT - When we shade God’s truth just a little, it can have disastrous impact. One antidote is to Memorize Word Perfect. If you are not memorizing God's Word as an active discipline, you are selling yourself short spiritually. Remember that Jesus did not open up His iphone and find Deuteronomy 8:3 and then quote it to the devil! He was fully Man and He had memorized God's Word of Truth. Imitate Jesus and memorize God's Word! Your life depends on it! (Don't know what to memorize? See Memory Verses by Topic) If we stray from the truth of God's Word there are always consequences. We often treat our own temptations with equal disregard. We fail to realize that sin has consequences that reach for generations. Every time I sin someone else is affected. They may be affected directly through some consequence of the sin, or they may be affected indirectly through the loss of the ministry and life I would have given if I had continued walking with God (Read Paul's sobering warning regarding "Disqualification" in 1 Cor 9:24-27+). We learn painfully from Eve that talking with the devil and walking with the Lord do not go hand in hand. The sin in the Garden was more than eating forbidden fruit, it was disobeying the revealed Word of God, believing the lies of the enemy, and Adam and Eve placing their own will above God's will. Every time I sin, someone else is affected. Either they share in the bad that results, or they are robbed of the good that would have come if I had not sinned. . . .my sins may be personal but they are not private!!! They will affect others. To parley with the tempter is always dangerous. -- Kyle Yates NET NOTE on we may eat - There is a notable change between what the LORD God had said and what the woman says. God said “you may freely eat” (the imperfect with the infinitive absolute, see 2:16), but the woman omits the emphatic infinitive, saying simply “we may eat.” Her words do not reflect the sense of eating to her heart’s content. Genesis 3:3 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.’” But: Ge 2:16-17 touch: Ge 20:6 Ex 19:12,13 1Ch 16:22 Job 1:11 2:5 19:21 1Co 7:1 2Co 6:17 Col 2:21 Genesis 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries War on the Word audio by Steven Lawson - excellent exposition of Genesis 3 Related Passages: Genesis 2:16-17+ The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” EVE ADDS TO THE SCRIPTURES 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: She did not call it what God did but remember God gave the command to ADAM not to Eve. Could it be that in his role as spiritual leader he had failed to tell her the whole counsel of God's Word. (''the tree of the knowledge of good and evil''). Furthermore God had not said anything about TOUCHING the tree (cp Col 2:21), but twice had said don't EAT of it. So what is happening to Eve? She is being deceived (Ge 3:13) -- being led astray from the Truth of God's Word. Deception always causing one to go away from the Word of God, either add to it or take away. We see this deception growing as the interchange continues.
Gênesis 3
Spurgeon - "The voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." - Genesis 3:8 My soul, now that the cool of the day has come, retire awhile and hearken to the voice of thy God. He is always ready to speak with thee when thou art prepared to hear. If there be any slowness to commune it is not on his part, but altogether on thine own, for he stands at the door and knocks, and if his people will but open he rejoices to enter. But in what state is my heart, which is my Lord's garden? May I venture to hope that it is well trimmed and watered, and is bringing forth fruit fit for him? If not, he will have much to reprove, but still I pray him to come unto me, for nothing can so certainly bring my heart into a right condition as the presence of the Sun of Righteousness, who brings healing in his wings. Come, therefore, O Lord, my God, my soul invites thee earnestly, and waits for thee eagerly. Come to me, O Jesus, my well-beloved, and plant fresh flowers in my garden, such as I see blooming in such perfection in thy matchless character! Come, O my Father, who art the Husbandman, and deal with me in thy tenderness and prudence! Come, O Holy Spirit, and bedew my whole nature, as the herbs are now moistened with the evening dews. O that God would speak to me. Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth! O that he would walk with me; I am ready to give up my whole heart and mind to him, and every other thought is hushed. I am only asking what he delights to give. I am sure that he will condescend to have fellowship with me, for he has given me his Holy Spirit to abide with me for ever. Sweet is the cool twilight, when every star seems like the eye of heaven, and the cool wind is as the breath of celestial love. My Father, my elder Brother, my sweet Comforter, speak now in lovingkindness, for thou hast opened mine ear and I am not rebellious. Listening to God Read: Genesis 3:8–17 | The Lord God called . . . “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9 My young son loves to hear my voice, except when I call his name loudly and sternly, followed by the question, “Where are you?” When I do that, I am usually calling for him because he has been into some mischief and is trying to hide from me. I want my son to listen to my voice because I’m concerned about his well-being and do not want him to get hurt. Adam and Eve were used to hearing God’s voice in the garden. However, after they disobeyed Him by eating the forbidden fruit, they hid from Him when they heard Him calling, “Where are you?” (Gen. 3:9). They didn’t want to face God because they knew they had done something wrong—something He had told them not to do (v. 11). Thank You, Lord, for Your love and care. When God called for Adam and Eve and found them in the garden, His words did include correction and consequence (vv. 13–19). But God also showed them kindness and gave them hope for mankind in the promise of the Savior (v. 15). God doesn’t have to look for us. He knows where we are and what we are trying to hide. But as a loving Father, He wants to speak to our hearts and bring us forgiveness and restoration. He longs for us to hear His voice—and to listen. Thank You, Lord, for Your love and care. Thank You for sending Your Son, our Savior, to fulfill Your promise of forgiveness and restoration. When God calls, we need to answer. Buyer’s Remorse Read: Genesis 3:1-8 | He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness. —Isaiah 61:10 Have you ever experienced buyer’s remorse? I have. Just prior to making a purchase, I feel the surge of excitement that comes with getting something new. After buying the item, however, a wave of remorse sometimes crashes over me. Did I really need this? Should I have spent the money? In Genesis 3, we find the first record of a buyer’s remorse. The whole thing began with the crafty serpent and his sales pitch. He persuaded Eve to doubt God’s Word (v.1). He then capitalized on her uncertainty by casting doubt on God’s character (vv.4-5). He promised that her eyes would “be opened” and she would become “like God” (v.5). So Eve ate. Adam ate. And sin entered the world. But the first man and woman got more than they bargained for. Their eyes were opened all right, but they didn’t become like God. In fact, their first act was to hide from God (vv.7-8). Sin has dire consequences. It always keeps us from God’s best. But God in His mercy and grace clothed Adam and Eve in garments made from animal skins (v.21)—foreshadowing what Jesus Christ would do for us by dying on the cross for our sins. His blood was shed so that we might be clothed with His righteousness—with no remorse! Then will I set my heart to find Inward adornings of the mind: Knowledge and virtue, truth and grace, These are the robes of richest dress. —Watts The cross, which reveals the righteousness of God, provides that righteousness for mankind. INSIGHT: Satan misapplied God’s words in today’s passage. God’s prohibition against eating applied only to the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen. 2:16-17), not to every tree (3:1). Satan’s phrase “You will not surely die” (v.4) was a direct challenge to God’s declaration, “You shall surely die” (2:17). In turn, Eve also modified God’s clear instruction: “nor shall you touch it” (3:3). The story of the fall is a clear warning to us to study and know God’s Word so that we will not be led astray. Seeking By God Genesis 3:8 - John Butler "They heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden" (Genesis 3:8). God's gracious reaction to the sin of Adam and Eve is recorded in our text. FIRST—THE MOUTH OF GOD "They heard the voice of God." The voice of the of the Lord refers to the Word of God. The Word pursues us in our sin to convict us and to bring us back into fellowship with God. That is one good reason why churches need to have a strong pulpit. It is that which convicts and calls men back to the Lord. The de-emphasis on the Word of God in our churches today is the work of Satan, for it keeps men from God, and it keeps men from being convicted of sin. SECOND—THE MERCY OF GOD "Walking in the garden in the cool of the day." This speaks of the mercy of God. Both the "walking" and the "cool of the day" show Divine mercy. • The pace in the mercy. "Walking." When man sinned God did not run after man. He waited and sought man in walking. Sometimes we are not cut down the moment we sin. Men often pervert this mercy of God into thinking that they got away with their sin. But it is just God walking after them. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil" (Ecclesiastes 8:11). This text expresses the habit of men. If God demonstrates mercy, men will pervert it to do more evil. If the courts delay to execute punishment for evil, crime increases. • The patience in the mercy. "The cool of the day." God did not seek Adam and Even in an holy rage in the heat of the day to condemn and annihilate. It came in the cool of the day which showed the patience of God towards sinful men. God would first give man a time to consider his sin and turn from it. If men refuses the mercy of God, other Scripture tells us that God will cease to demonstrate patience but will bring judgment swift and severely upon man for their evil. But such judgment does not come before the mercy of God has had opportunity to try and rectify the situation. THIRD—THE MESSAGE OF GOD "Hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." What caused men to hid from God. The answer is sin. The decreased interest in fellowship with God and the things that have to do with God, is caused by sin against God. When people decline in their church attendance it is because of the presence of sin in their lives. When you read your Bible less and pray less it is because of sin in your life. Sin kills interest in Divine things. Sin encourages us to avoid the presence of God. Sin will keep you from sweet fellowship with God. (Sermon Starters) Genesis 3:9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” Ge 4:9 Ge 11:5 Ge 16:8 Ge 18:20,21 Jos 7:17-19 Rev 20:12,13 Genesis 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ADAM WHERE ARE YOU? Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” - LORD - In the NAS "LORD" in all capital letters is always the Hebrew Name YHWH, Yahweh, Jehovah. See study of Jehovah and Jehovah = Jesus God Study this great Hebrew Name Elohim The question was God’s way of bringing man to explain why he was hiding, rather than expressing ignorance about man’s location. Shame, remorse, confusion, guilt, and fear all led to their clandestine behavior. There was no place to hide; there never is. [Ps 139:1-12]. Note that THOUGHT- Don't miss the fact that both Adam and Eve were present, but the LORD God addressed the man! Adam failed in his role as head of the household. He failed to lead and guard Eve! Men we have a higher accountability as leaders of our families! When God looks at your family, He first looks for the man of the house! God created Adam with a DESIGN IN VIEW. He placed mankind in the center of His work with a CLEARLY DEFINED PURPOSE. But it is important to realize that Adam COULD NOT FULFILL GOD'S PURPOSE for his life APART FROM GOD. God's intent for mankind first and foremost is that they REFLECT HIS IMAGE on planet earth. EVERYTHING ELSE FLOWS OUT OF THAT PREEMINENT PURPOSE. Consider by way of analogy the moon-it lights up the night sky. When the moon is full it gives enough light so that one can travel freely at night with no other source of illumination. But the moon has no real light of its own, it merely reflects the light of the sun. If the sun stopped shining, the moon would be black. In fact, unless the moon is facing the sun, it has no light at all to give to us. When something stands between the moon and the sun it ceases to give light. We call this an eclipse. The moon cannot FULFILL ITS PURPOSE apart from the sun. In the same way, MAN DERIVES HIS PURPOSE FROM GOD, and is DEPENDENT ON GOD to FULFILL HIS PURPOSE. If man CEASES TO WALK IN RELATIONSHIP with God, he ceases to REFLECT THE LIFE OF GOD. The IMAGE OF GOD is eclipsed-it can no longer be seen. Not only that, but if man is not facing God, walking in fellowship with Him, and reflecting Him, then it is impossible for man to reproduce what God desires and designed. Without the LIGHT OF GOD, his darkness bears CHILDREN OF DARKNESS (cp Ge 4:7-8). Without oneness with the Creator it is also impossible for man to reign in life in a way that reflects God. Ge 3 illustrates INTERRUPTED ONENESS and its disastrous effect on God's DESIGN being fulfilled. Guzik on where are you? - This is not the interrogation of an angry commanding officer, but the heartfelt cry of an anguished father. God obviously knew where they were but He also knew a gulf had been made between Himself and man, a gulf that He Himself would have to bridge Adrian Rogers - Adam, when he sinned, ran off into the bushes and hid. God came looking for Adam. "Adam, where are you?" Because sin had separated God and man. Now it's not God that needs to be reconciled. God didn't do anything wrong; we're the ones who are reconciled. The Bible never talks about God being reconciled; we're reconciled to God. But we are, have much more in Jesus than we ever lost in Adam. In the Garden of Eden, Adam walked with God, but Jesus lives in us. In the Garden, Adam walked with God, but Jesus lives in us. Folks, we gain much more in Christ than we ever lost in Adam. "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Ro 5:10+) (CLICK for his sermons on Genesis 3) Where are you? - Perhaps the most profound lesson here is that God comes to man calling out to Adam asking, “Where are you?” Of course, God knows where Adam is, but He wants Adam to admit where he is (lost, dead in sin - Ro 5:12+) and why he is there. It is an invitation to repent (See Repent = metanoeo; Repentance = metanoia). God comes “in the cool of the day.” He waits until the sin is done and the sinners have time to be convicted of their sin. He comes personally (“Where are you?”). He also comes with accountability. He will not let Adam and Eve futile fleshly efforts hide their sin. He comes in judgment, but with it there is a mingling of mercy, for in Genesis 3:15+ He promises to send a victorious Deliverer, a Sin Bearer to serve as their Substitute (and receive the just penalty of sin = death - Ro 6:23+). It is clear that God holds Adam more accountable than Eve even though she was the first to eat of the forbidden fruit. While the text does not state it specifically, it is reasonable to place Adam standing (passively) at the scene of the crime (so to speak). Without question Adam was a poor leader and either he had not spoken the warning clearly to Eve (Ge 2:17+) or she had failed to memorize it word perfect. Either way, he is guilty. Failing to lead rightly is sin. The Father (immediately) sought the lost sinners, as Jesus did when He was on earth (Lu 19:10+, Mk 10:45+, 2Pe 3:9+), and as the Holy Spirit does today through His people (Acts 8:29-39+). Now as a manifestation of His amazing forgiveness and grace, the Father desires to use saved sinners to call lost men and women to salvation (Acts 1:8+). THOUGHT Where are you? - Beloved the Lord still seeks His wayward children. I get letters frequently from those who have once enjoyed sweet fellowship with God but have walked away for extended periods of time. To them and to all who are in the desert of spiritual darkness I call you to remember Adam after he sinned and to know that the LORD God is calling out to you today "_______, where are you?" PLAY DON FRANCISCO'S sad song "Adam Where Are You?" NET NOTE - Where are you? The question is probably rhetorical (a figure of speech called erotesis) rather than literal, because it was spoken to the man, who answers it with an explanation of why he was hiding rather than a location. The question has more the force of “Why are you hiding?” Adrian Rogers - Now, notice, it was not Adam who was seeking God. It was God who was seeking Adam. You would have thought that after Adam realized the terrible, awful, thing that he had done, after Adam had seemed the sense of shame, and guilt that Adam conscious smitten would have said, oh, God, oh my God, where art thou? Come God, have mercy on me, but he didn't do that. Rather than seeking God, he runs from God, he hides from God. You put it down straight and put it down big, God sought Adam, not Adam seeking God. Now, you say, what does that have to do with me today? Friend, we need to learn something about salvation. We love Him because He first loved us. Just remember this, You say, well, no, no, no, no, it was my idea. I saw my need of God. I sought God out. The only reason that you sought Him is because He first sought you. The Bible says in Romans 3:11, "There is none that seeketh after God, no not one." None that seek after God. Where out of your old sinful depraved heart is going to come a desire to know God? It cannot. Man is sinful and I thank God for the grace of our salvation that the mighty God was moved into mercy by the pitiful plight of sinful man and God himself took the initiative. And God would have been perfectly just to have flung them into Hell, right then. But, He didn't do it. And when God comes into the Garden of Eden, He does not come in there as a detective. He does not come in there as a policeman saying where are you? It is a heart of compassionate love, a broken heart, Adam, Adam, where are you? God is seeking. I want to tell you something, dear friend, God is seeking you today. Did you know that? He still seeks. He still calls. He still searches. (CLICK for his sermons on Genesis 3) “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” -- Luke 19:10+ F B