Genesis 3

Genesis 3

Sunday Morning Bible Study

November 19, 2006

Introduction

The book of Genesis is the book of “beginnings”. It was the beginning of the universe. It was the beginning of mankind. It was the beginning of marriage.

It is also the beginning of sin and temptation.

Illustration

A woman was married to a miserly man. She had to fight for everything she got. One day, she told him she was going window shopping. He said, “Look, but don’t buy.” A few hours later she came home with a new dress. “What is this?” her husband fumed. “I thought I told you to look but not buy.” “Well,” she explained, “I saw this lovely dress and thought I’d try it on, and when I did the devil said, ‘It sure looks good on you.’” “Right then you should have told him, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan,’” her husband exclaimed. “I did,” she answered, “but when he got behind me he said, ‘It sure looks good from the back, too.’”

-- Bernard Brunsting, "The Lord’s Laughter,"

Sometimes we can find temptation amusing. Until it destroys us.

Illustration

The mighty Niagara River plummets some 180 feet at the American and Horseshoe Falls. Before the falls, there are violent, turbulent rapids. Farther upstream, however, where the river’s current flows more gently, boats are able to navigate. Just before the Welland River empties into the Niagara, a pedestrian walkway spans the river. Posted on this bridge’s pylons is a warning sign for all boaters: “Do you have an anchor?” followed by, “Do you know how to use it?”

Giving in to temptation is a little like going over Niagara Falls. You don’t really want to go over the falls do you? We’re going to look at the first time someone went over the falls, and perhaps we might learn better how to use our anchors.

Genesis 3

:1-6 The first sin

:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, ’You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?"

the serpent – We don’t know if this creature looked similar to our snakes today. Some have suggested this might have been a creature that looked more like what we call a “dragon”. Also pay attention that Eve doesn’t seem surprised that this creature is speaking with her. She doesn’t respond with, “Eek, a snake that talks!”

The prophet Ezekiel speaks of Satan, the “king of Tyre”:

(Ezek 28:12b-13 NKJV) …"You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. {13} You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering …

When temptation comes, it doesn’t come in a form of ugliness. Otherwise it wouldn’t be tempting. Satan disguises himself as an “angel of light” (2Cor. 11:14).

As we look at the first temptation, we see a picture of how most temptation seems to work.

It starts with Satan questioning God’s Word.

The question was designed to suggest that God was not good and fair because He restricted the eating of the fruit of one of the trees.

When you have ideas or people suggesting to you that there is something wrong or unfair with God’s Word, be careful!

For example, there are folks in the world today who would tell you that there is nothing wrong with taking drugs, having sex before marriage, homosexuality, or even something “small” like cheating on a math test.

Danger Will Robinson!

:2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;

:3 "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ’You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’"

Eve’s response is close to what God said, but not quite accurate (Gen. 2:16-17)

God did not say anything about touching, only about eating.

Why was there a tree of forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden?

Why give man the ability to sin?

It’s all about love. Love demands a choice.

The greatest command is to love God.

(Mat 22:37-38 NKJV) Jesus said to him, " ’You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ {38} "This is the first and great commandment.

Love is demonstrated by obedience.

(John 14:15 NKJV) "If you love Me, keep My commandments.

How can we love God if we don’t have a choice not to love Him? How can we love God if there is no choice available to disobey God?

:4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.

:5 "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."