Genesis: Chapter Three: The Fall of Man

This chapter provides us with more questions than answers – but the answers are clear. This month, we will dig into the fall of mankind, specifically the fall of Adam. I will note that before we dig into the Scriptures, we clearly see God holding Adam accountable for his sins and, thus, the fall of all mankind is laid at his feet and not at Eve’s feet. This is the first clear indication that God holds the husband accountable for the family (remember in Chapter 2 God declared them husband and wife?).

Genesis 3:1-5:

Now the serpent was more subtle 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? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

The trap is set! Satan notices that Eve has been observing the forbidden fruit with too much interest. God will, later in Scripture, warn us to flee youthful lusts, because He knows how very hard it is for us to walk away from temptation. Eve, in her innocence, is attracted to what is forbidden by God, perhaps her curiosity is piqued. I speculate that she may be asking herself questions like:

Why did God forbid such a beautiful fruit? After all, we can eat of everything else.

I wonder what it tastes like?

What exactly is the difference between good and evil? (Remember, so far, all Adam and Eve have known is good.)

Why had God denied us this fruit – does He want it for Himself?

Perhaps if I just smelled the fruit, that would be all right?

These sorts of things and others may have been going through her mind as she stood there admiring the forbidden tree. All Satan needed to do is push her curiosity into the realm of lust, and he would have her. But she needs a little push: “Hath God said?”

I will note that Eve added some additional warning to her explanation of what God had said, perhaps because Adam had told her in his own words what God had said, “neither shall ye touch it . . .”. I assume Adam was the only one present when God have the command, and, therefore, Adam conveyed the commandment to Eve after she was created. Perhaps in a typical act of protection, Adam added, “and don’t even touch it” as a way to enforce God’s edict. He may have been better off telling Eve to don’t even look at it or go near it, but I wildly speculate. That may have only piqued her curiosity even further.

Genesis 3:6-8: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And 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.”

Some Observations:

1. God walked in the garden. This seemed to be a regular activity, and I assume that God communed with Adam regularly.

2. Once they knew they were naked, they immediately sought to cover themselves. Adam and Eve understood that “public” human nakedness is wrong and sought to correct their situation.

3. Unfortunately, they did so in their own strength, by their own means, which we will see shortly is not acceptable to God. Proper modesty must be done God’s way, not man’s way.

4. With their new knowledge of evil added to their innocence, they instinctively ran for cover when they heard God come walking in the garden that evening. Why? Because they knew they had seriously violated God’s command, and that He would be displeased with them. I also think that they now feared the unknown sentence of death: “in the day you eat, you will surely die.” They had not yet seen death (that we know of), and so they now feared this sentence upon them.

The Gig Is Up!

Genesis 3:9-13: “And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.”

I assume that in past days, whenever God walked in the garden, Adam would readily seek Him out and fellowship with Him. I can see God and Adam discussing the garden, Adam’s work of tending it, what activities Adam and Eve did that day, what new things they discovered, and questions they may have had. I see Eve walking along side and occasionally asking or answering some query by God as they discussed things.

But not today. Adam and Eve hid themselves. God calls out, “Hey, Adam, where are you?” (paraphrased). Then, perhaps, from behind some bush Adam answers back, “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Adam is ashamed and guilty. The first recorded guilt due to sin in the Bible. He is fully aware of his failure and, perhaps, fears that God will now strike him dead on the spot.

However, God asks, “Who told you?” Adam now does what man has been doing ever since the garden incident; he blames someone else for his sin. There is only one other in the garden to blame, so he blames Eve. Not that Adam is lying, for he is not. But is he telling the whole truth? He knew God’s commandment, and I suspect that whereas Eve was deceived, Adam knew exactly what he was doing when he ate the fruit.

Eve does the same thing as Adam: “the serpent made me do it!” Humans have been placing the blame on others ever since that day!

Judgement Is Pronounced

Genesis 3:14-19:

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Now God pronounces His judgement for their sin. He goes to the root cause first. The serpent is judged, then Eve, and finally Adam. He walked the blame “chain” in reverse. Now when man works the ground, it will fight him, and he will toil instead of enjoy it. Life will now be hard for him. As for Eve, she and all women after her will have pain and difficulty in childbrith. And all serpents shall crawl on their bellies henceforth.

These are not cruel punishments by God. They serve as a reminder to each generation that God demands holiness and justice. They are the daily reminders that sin has consequences, and that it is better to obey than to sacrifice.

But there is hidden within the judgment a blessing – hope and redemption. One day the seed of the woman will crush the serpent and all of his “spiritual children” (those who are lost and follow satanic and sinful ways). One day the Redeemer will rise and crush Satan and redeem mankind through His blood and finished sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.

I also observe that all the earth was cursed as well as Adam and Eve judged. Indeed, all of creation was cursed and started its decay process. Stars now die. The “heat death” process that scientists talk about began and continues until this day. The earth literally groans with earthquakes, fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and other disasters.

Some Closing Remarks by God on the Fall of Man

Genesis 3:20-24: “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth form the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

God now gives them both proper coverings for their nakedness. Note that God slew (killed and, therefore, the first recorded physical death occurred) animals for their hides and fashioned coverings (clothing) for them. God took a personal interest in their clothing. He made them Himself. Modesty is a big deal for mankind because God knows how quickly we fall into hurtful lusts (look at the porn industry today!). Man’s sin has now caused the death of some animals in the gardens. I can see the shock waves reverberating throughout the Garden of Eden at the death. The cries of the animals as God prepared them for their hides.

God must also prevent Adam and Eve from accessing the tree of life. Now in their sinful fallen state, the cannot be allowed to live forever in their fallen bodies. Imagine the sin they would eventually get into if they knew they could still live forever. They might come to think that God’s judgement was false, and they didn’t need to die after all. God would be a liar, and they would lose any sense of holiness.

God drives Adam and Eve out of the garden which is filled with food and fruits and grains and herbs, etc. and sends them into what seems to be harder conditions where from now on Adam must till the soil to get food. I assume that the whole earth was not like the garden, and therefore, required Adam and all mankind after him to work the ground in order to sustain themselves. God places two powerful angels to block their entrance back into the garden. I will note, no one else could enter there as well.

We lost the Garden of Eden in the flood of Noah, but until that time (some 1500 years later) I assume that the garden still existed, and the cherubims continued to guard the entrance.

I will also note another example of Elohim being associated with “the man is become as one of us” which implies plural again. Is He talking to the angels, the other celestial beings (Elohim can refer to other celestial being other than God Himself), or talking to Himself via the trinity?

Closing Observations from Genesis, Chapter Three

Adam and Eve may have been together when the serpent spoke to her (3:6).

If so, Adam had to hear the lie that was spoken and did nothing to correct it.

If not, then he came soon on the scene for the description implies that he was with her (3:6) “. . . husband with her . . .”

“Pleasant to the eyes” implies a strong longing for caused by a fixation on the item. Did Eve spend some time around the tree of good and evil staring longingly at it? Did she wonder what the restriction was all about? Did Adam tell her not to touch it and, thus, convey a greater restriction to Eve than he had received from God?

If some of these things were true, then Adam failed in his assignment to “guard-keep” the garden as commanded.

Serpent was more subtle – cunning – does not imply a beautiful creature as some have implied, but very crafty. So why take the form of a serpent? Was Satan wrapped up in the tree somewhere and spoke to her from the tree in such a way that she did not see him? Did she, perhaps, think the tree spoke to her?

Note the lie: “can’t touch it” was added. So Satan, by this time, knew he had her and was able to extend the lie, “You shall not die”.

You will be like “Elohim” – translated as little “G” gods but might have been a reference to Elohim Himself. He could have been saying that they will be like God Himself. Did they desire to be like God? Had they seen God many times as He walked in the garden?

How long were they in the garden before this took place? Was Eve often at the tree wondering what the restriction meant? They knew about good for all around them was God’s goodness. But what was evil? The tree of knowledge of good and evil must have been an enigma to her.

God walked in the cool of the day – implies a physical presence and a habitual activity. Did God often walk with Adam and Eve in the garden? This statement implies what we call a Christophany: an appearance of Christ in the Old Testament before he was born was a man some four thousand years later. What does that mean?

- He was in the image of a man since man was made in His image
- He still had His glory about Him since He had not set it aside
- Remember that God also walked and had fellowship and Enoch before God simply took him
- God seemed to have regular fellowship with Adam and Eve

How long in the garden? Days? Weeks? Months? Years?

Their eyes were open – became observant, saw what they hadn’t seen before . . . Now they see each other in a totally different aspect/light. Innocence had been stripped from them. They no longer had either a physical covering or a spiritual covering that kept them from seeing their nakedness.

The serpent kept hanging around since, when God showed up, he was still there to be cursed/judged. I believe that Satan hoped that God would strike them dead on the spot and stop this crazy experiment of God having new image bearers of His image on the earth and get back to letting angels rule things. I think he stayed around to watch their destruction. But that is not what God did. They did die that day, but in the spirit. Physically, they began the death process that would take nearly one thousand years.

What are we missing?

Adam blames Eve – but where was he all along? What did he not confess?

Eve blames the serpent – what did she not confess?

God starts His judgement/curses at the sources – all of His judgements are true and right (Psalm 19).

What else was cursed besides Adam and Eve and the serpent? All of creation from which we get the 2nd law of thermodynamics – all towards entropy.

God must correct their attempt to cover themselves

So, man created aprons – fig leaf “skirts” to cover the lower half of their bodies.

God had to create better coverings for them – I imagine that Adam and Eve, perhaps still hiding behind the bushes, watch Jesus find, kill, skin, and sew hides for clothing for them. What were they thinking during this time?

Man’s attempt at righteousness will always fall short of God’s demand.

Adam was to till the ground from now on by sweat and toil. The garden freely provided food, but outside he had to work for it.

Eve and all women would now have painful/difficult child births.

Enmity between the serpent and the woman: their seeds will war one day, and her seed will prevail – referring to Christ one day defeating Satan at the cross and resurrection.

Now man will die and return to the earth.

Tree of life denied to mankind for now, but one day restored in the new Heaven and Earth.

“Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” was not as much of a curse as a protection. He still has the assignment to “keep” (guard) her and what he is responsible for.

They were kicked out to the east of the garden, for to the east the angels were placed to keep them from coming back – Iran?

This event has provided the doctrine of original sin. What does that mean? Does iniquity flow now down to all through the fathers?

Doctrine that God Initiated in Genesis

God – creator of all things (Ch. 1 (all))

God as ultimate ruler/sovereign (Ch. 1)

Spirit of God introduced (1:2)

Trinity (1:26)

All that God created is good (1:31)

Concept of the week (2:2)

Concept of a sabbath (day of rest) (2:2)

Concept of seasons, months (moon) and years (as constellations change and then return – cycles) (1:14)

Day/night cycles

Concept of “kinds” that differ from others and cannot breed together (1:21, 1:24-25)

Concept of procreation: “multiply/increase” (1:22)

Concept of man’s stewardship over the earth (1:28)

Creation – not evolution (Ch. 1-3)

Marriage (1:26-27; 2:20-22; 3:20)

Family unit: first unit designed by God (1:26-27; 2:20-22; 3:20)

Marriage bed (which is not shameful but holy) (2:25)

Man and woman complement each other: “helpmeet” (2:20)

God as ultimate lawgiver (2:17)

God as judge (Ch. 3 (all))

Christ would one day be a man (3:15)

Implied virgin birth of Christ (3:15)

God as Savior (3:15)

Concept of salvation (3:15)

Sacrifice must be made for sin (3:21)

Clothing/modesty (3:21)

Authority structures (3:16)

Sin violates God’s law (3:6-11)

Sin and guilt (3:8)

Sin must be judged (3:14-19)

Sin passes down to each generation (4:8)

Knowledge of another species on the earth (angels and fallen angels) (3:1; 3:24; Job 38:4-7)

Satan as God’s and our enemy (3:1)

Concept of water cycles (rain/mist) (2:5-6)

Concept of work is not part of the curse – it was given before the curse (2:15)

Work and labor would now be hard (3:16-19)

That there is a definite division and distinction between good and evil (Ch. 1, 2, 3)

God does not intend for us to have a knowledge of evil (study money as example)

The curse God placed on the universe due to man’s sin

Death (Ch. 3 (all))

Concept of fellowship with God – speaking with Him, walking with Him, etc.

Concept and importance of obedience vs rebellion

The Nature of Man

Created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27)

We are a unique reflection of God

We are utterly reliant upon God

We are ultimately responsible to God

Created for the purpose of God (Genesis 1:26-30)

To enjoy a relationship with God

To rule over all creation

To reproduce God’s glory to the ends of the earth

The Nature of Creation

Fashioned by the word of God (Genesis 1)

Sustained by the power of God (Genesis 1)

Evidence of the goodness of God (Genesis 1)

The Nature of Satan

God is Creator; Satan is a creature. (Genesis 3:1)

God is sovereign; Satan is subordinate. (Genesis 3:15)

This is not dualism; this is domination. [Note: Dualism would be the view that God and Satan are equal, but opposite, powers. This is not dualism, because God is greater than Satan. While He has given Satan the power to have some authority on the earth for a time, God is greater than Satan and will ultimately defeat him.] (Genesis 3:15)

Satan can speak and is smart. (Genesis 3:1-5)

Satan is a malicious liar and an evil murderer. ((Genesis 3:1-5) Jesus referred to Satan as both a liar and a “murderer from the beginning” in John 8:44)

The Nature of Sin

Rejecting God’s Word: whose voice will we listen to? (For example, Genesis 2:17 or Genesis 3:4)

Spurning God’s authority: who will rule our hearts? (Genesis 3:5-6)

Denying God’s character: who will we trust and obey? (Genesis 3:5-6)

Conflict between man and God (Genesis 3:8-13)

Guilt, shame, fear

Conflict between man and woman (Genesis 3:16)

Conflict between man and creation (Genesis 3:17-19)

The consequences of sin: immediate spiritual death (Genesis 3:7-13)

Eventual physical death (Genesis 5)

The Need for Redemption

Genesis 1-11 gives us glimpses of grace.

The promise of Christ. (Genesis 3:15)

Genesis 1-11 leaves us holding onto hope.

Satan will be defeated. (Genesis 3:15)

Sin will be destroyed. (Genesis 3:15)

God seeks the guilty. (Genesis 3:8-9)

God covers the shameful. (Genesis 3:21)

God protects the fearful. (Genesis 4:13-16)

God name will be praised. (Genesis 11:1-9)

Chapter 3 of Genesis is one of the most, if not the most, tragic picture within Scripture. Adam falls from grace into sin and causes all of mankind to suffer the consequences. We all have a sin nature and must learn to guard ourselves from sin. But, frankly, we cannot do it without Christ. We don’t have the inner moral compass and fortitude to live without sin. That’s why God first gave us the Mosaic Law and then Christ to die for our sins.

Those who accept Christ as Savior receive a new internal strength that they didn’t have before – the Holy Spirit. The promise of the Holy Spirit is what we were missing before we became Christians. With Him dwelling within us, the struggle is winnable as we yield to Him and let God rule and reign in our lives.

Maranatha!

Bro. Joe

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