The Fall
Reading: Genesis chapter 3 verses 1-24.
ill:
Naughty kids and smelly cheese story.
• We live in a world that has gone wrong:
• Some would say it stinks;
• I.e. More wars today than at any other time in history.
• Many people live in poverty & will die of hunger or illness before the end of the meeting.
• In our own country crime figures seem to be constantly rising;
• Are prisons are full to overflowing.
• Drunkenness, immorality and violence
• Will take place all over your city this evening!
• Watch the news or pick up a newspaper;
• And you will see that we live in a world gone wrong!
Question: The question people often ask is Why?
• Why did God allow evil to enter into his perfect world?
• Why did God allow it to spoil his beautiful creation?
Answer:
• That is found in Genesis chapter 3 is not WHY but HOW!
• We are not told why God allowed evil to enter the world,
• But we are told how,
• We are given the events, the circumstances of how evil entered the world.
Note:
• The way I am going to look at Genesis chapter 3;
• Is as a true historical story.
• Some people believe Geneses chapter 3 is merely a fable or myth or ledged,
• Others believe it is just an allegorical story.
• ill: Aesops fables.
• A story with a true or a wise message.
I believe Genesis chapter 3:
• Is a real story, a real event, a real incident,
• We are dealing with historical facts here and not fiction.
• I believe this narrative is true if for no other reason,
• Jesus Christ himself believed it and taught from it.
• On various occasions he used Adam & Eve in his sermons;
• To teach from people them, and he taught them as fact.
Ill:
• The Apostle Paul who wrote 13 of the 21 New Testament books called letters/epistles,
• Also believed in a literal interpretation of Genesis chapter 3.
Now at the same time as saying that this story is physically true:
• This chapter is also full of spiritual truths,
• And just to take it with strict literalness is to deny its fullest value.
Ill:
• The promise made in verse 15 about bruising the heel of man and the head of the snake;
• Is obviously symbolic and not literal.
Ill:
• The narrative is like two sides of a coin,
• Not heads & tails but physical and spiritual truths.
Quote G. Campbell Morgan:
“The fact is that this is the story of actual events in physical life, of a spiritual nature”.
(1). The tempter (verses 1-5):
(1). A Serpent (Verse 1):
"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made".
Of all the creatures in the Garden of Eden:
• One is brought to our attention:
• A serpent or snake.
Ill:
• This serpent was a reptile with legs,
• It may have looked more like a lizard, than a snake.
• Science agrees with the Bible that snakes once had legs
• But it disagrees on how they lost them.
• Theory of evolution says it happened over millions of years.
• The Bible tells us in verse 14 that it was in an instant.
Now what made this reptile very unusual:
• Was not so much the fact it had legs,
• But that it had a voice it could talk.
There are probably three possibilities that explain this:
(a). A disguised devil:
• Some people have suggested that this serpent was not an ordinary snake,
• But the devil disguised as a snake.
• Throughout the Bible, the devil is pictured as a masquerader and a deceiver.
• And is called on Revelation chapter 20 verse 2 “ancient serpent”.
The Bible clearly teaches the existence of a spiritual being called the devil:
• Jesus encounted him in Matthew chapter 4 verses 1 to 11.
• And he warned his disciples about him on numerous occasions.
• So one explanation of this talking snake;
• Is that the devil came in the disguise of a serpent.
(b). An abnormal creature.
• Another explanation for this talking creature is that it was abnormal;
• Abnormal means; “Unusual, deviating from the norm”,
• Some have suggested that this snake was a ‘one off’ creature.
• Ill: Jonah and the large fish (“The Lord prepared a fish” – one off?)
This may have been a ‘one off’ creature:
• Speaking animals have been known;
• Today some animals can speak,
• ill: Parrots and Mina birds etc.
• Although their tongues were obviously not made for this they are able to talk.
ill:
Numbers chapter 22 verse 28;
• God performed a supernatural miracle,
• He caused a donkey to talk.
• Apostle Peter (2 Peter chapter 2 verse 16),
• Assures us this really happened.
Ill:
• Hebrew word translated as “serpent”;
• Has another signification; it literally means “a shining one”.
• Although the word is translated as snake;
• It could have another application.
Eve encountered a creature of beauty:
• Beautiful to look at (shining one),
• And extremely intelligent and crafty (able to deceive her).
(c). The serpent was possessed by the devil.
• That is the devil occupied the body of an ordinary snake.
• He took control of it.
ill:
• There is an incident in the New Testament (Mark chapter 5).
• Where Jesus heals a man who is possessed by a demon.
• He healed him by sending the demons into large heard of pigs;
• The pigs went wild, out of control and they ran over the edge of a cliff,
• So according to this story,
• Animals can be possessed by demonic forces.
(2). The target (verses 1-7).
• Is twofold.
• 1st the woman, and then the man.
It's worth noting that the devil went for Eve, two reasons:
(1). Unsuspecting.
• Generally speaking, this is not a proven statement by statistics;
• But women are more trusting than men.
• In our household I am the cynical one,
• Where as my wife has a more unsuspecting nature, an open heart.
Ill:
• Probably why when the telephone or doorbell rings,
• It is usually someone for her rather than me.
The New Testament does pick up on this idea:
• It points out that it was the woman who was deceived not the man,
• As we will see in a minute.
• When he sinned, he did so with his eyes wide open.
• But Eve was deceived.
To come as an animal, was a very clever ploy:
• For the devil would have disguised himself,
• As one of God's own creatures, something she was familiar with.
• In the order of creation a snake was a creature that was below in subjection to Eve.
• She would have been very comfortable in the presence of this creature.
(2). Under authority.
• More importantly the devil was subverting / reversing God's order in creation.
• That’s why I believe he went for Eve first.
• Genesis chapter 2 tells us that God created the man first and then the woman;
• Elsewhere the Bible emphasises headship or leadership in a marriage.
• Headship does not teach that the man is superior to his wife;
• But it does teach that a man is responsible for his wife and family.
Note:
• Devil was treating Eve,
• As if she was the head of the house and not Adam.
• Although Adam (to his shame) was right by her side;
• According to verse 6.
“She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it”.
• Adam was right next to her and allowed all this to happen,
• He never opened his mouth once! He remained silent while all this took place!
(3). The tactic.
• Satan knows his Bible very well.
• ill: (Mis)Quoted it at Jesus in the wilderness.
• And he seeks to get us to doubt God's word, or change it to fit our circumstances.
• That was what his strategy with Eve and it was pretty effective.
Verse 1b:
"He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden?"
There are three ways to misquote the word of God:
• Add something to it.
• Take something away.
• Change what's there.
• And if you read carefully, all three things take place:
Ill:
• Eve takes away from God' word by omitting;
• The word "Freely" from verse 2.
• Eve then adds the words;
• "Touch it" verse 3.
• Eve then changed the words "You will surely die"
• To "You will die" Verse 3.
Instead of taking God at his word:
• She allows Satan to bring doubt into her mind (vs 5).
• Suggesting to her that God was "holding out on them".
• That he was not wanting the best for her,
• Because he was keeping things from her.
The devils threefold plan:
Quote: There is a saying in football:
"Never change a winning team / strategy".
• And the way that Satan caused Adam & Eve to sin,
• Is the same way he comes at you and me:
• He gets you to doubt with the mind.
• To desire with the heart.
• Then he gets you to disobey with the will.
Look at that tactic / strategy in action:
(a). He gets you to doubt with the mind.
• The devil appeals to Eve’s intellect:
• He gets her to doubt God's trustworthiness;
• Verse 1b: "Did God say? Are you sure?"
• Then he cast doubt on the truth of his word;
• Verse 4: "You will not surely die?"
The devil causes a conflict for the woman:
• Between her faith and trust in God,
• And her common sense,
• And forces a wedge between them.
• He gets the woman to act independent of God.
(b). To desire with the heart (Verse 6a):
"When the woman SAW that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the EYE,
and also DESIRABLE for gaining wisdom".
• The devil appeals to her emotions:
• He temps through the eye gate,
• Jesus said (Matthew chapter 6 verse 22):
• "The eye is the lamp of the body".
(c). Then he gets you to disobey with the will (Verse 6b):
"She saw........ she took some and……… she ate.
She also gave some to her husband".
• There is no subtlety here,
• This is straight forward disobedience!
Note: Satan will come to us in exactly the same way:
• (a). He gets you to doubt with the mind.
• The advice and instructions of God.
• (b). To desire with the heart.
• He wants us to set our hearts on things that are wrong.
• (c). Then he gets you to disobey with the will.
• Ill: Having dropped the bait and attracted the fish over, he waits for it to bite!
(4). The tragedy.
Two principles are seen in these verses:
(1). Sin involves others (vs 6-7):
Not only does Eve disobey God and sin,
But look at verse 6b:
"She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he eat it".
Quote:
“We never sin in a vacuum”.
• One of the tragedies of sin,
• Is that it will in some way affect other people.
Notice: Where as Eve was deceived Adam is without excuse:
• He deliberately "Takes and eats the fruit".
• He is fully aware of what he was doing!
• This is blatant, deliberate disobedience.
• He knew it was wrong but did it anyway.
(b). Sin cannot be ignored (vs 8-13):
8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
11And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
12The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
• For the first time in the book of Genesis,
• We see another side to God's character:
• A side that has not needed to have been revealed before
• The side of his character that must judge sin.
• It is the holy side of his character:
• Because God is truly good, and therefore he has to judge badness.
Now notice that God's judgement (verses 14-19) is written in poetry:
• I hope you have a Bible that distinguishes,
• Poetry from prose (most modern versions do).
• Ill: Prose is when it looks like a newspaper,
• Straight columns.
• Ill: Poetry is when it is written in a lot more space,
• It is very spread out, with much shorter lines.
The different styles of writing conveys to us important truths:
• In prose: God is communicating his thoughts (mind).
• In poetry: God is communicating his feelings (heart).
ill:
When you write to a loved one:
• A letter,
• Paragraph upon paragraph - your thoughts.
• Send a valentine card (Inside of a ???card),
• Rhyme or a verse - your feelings.
Note: Actually this is the third poem in Genesis:
• Chapter 1 verse 28-31.
• God's delight in man.
• Chapter 2 verse 23:
• Man's delight in woman (Wow!).
But sadly here in Genesis chapter 3 the emotion is not delight but anger:
• As God views his creation,
• And sees that Eden has been spoiled.
(6). The trial (verses 8-24).
(1). Accountability (verse 9):
“But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”
Quote G. Campbell Morgan:
“This is not the call of a policeman arresting the criminal.
It was rather the wail of a father, who had lost his child”
• God is about to confront Adam & Eve,
• Concerning their disobeying him, by eating the fruit.
• Notice that God addresses the man, Adam first,
• He is responsible, because he is the head of the marriage.
So a question is asked in (Verse 9):
"The Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?""
• Don't take that geographically,
• God knew exactly where he was (he knows all things).
The answer to that question in verse 9:
• Is not geographical,
• “I am in the Garden of Eden” or even “I am hiding in a garden”.
• But spiritual;
• “Adam where are you! We were so close and know you are so far away from me!”
The Lord God is looking for Adam to confess his disobedience:
• To admit his folly, to confess his sin,
• So that he bring forgiveness.
(2). Fear (verse 10):
10He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
• But instead of confession of sin;
• We only read about fear from Adam.
Ill:
• I think the expression in verse 10: "I was afraid because I was naked":
• Denotes the difference between children & adults.
• Children often run around the house or garden naked (innocent)
• Whereas adults we clothe themselves (we have awareness).
When their eyes were opened and they saw their nakedness they realised that:
• They were no longer innocent "children",
• But guilty and responsible "adults".
So feeling embarrassed and ashamed they do what adults do:
• They covered their nakedness (vs 7):
• "Sewed fig leaves together" made an apron, a covering.
(3). Excuse (verse 12).
• And instead of admitting his guilt and looking too God for mercy & forgiveness,
• Adam plays games with God, and tries to excuse his sin.
• As soon as he is out of touch with God,
• Notice he is mean towards his fellow being.
"The woman you put here with me - she gave me some fruit of the tree, and I ate it".
Adam does two things here:
• 1st: He blames the woman; "SHE gave me some fruit".
• 2nd: He blames God; "The woman YOU put here".
Ill; To paraphrase exactly what he's saying:
"You set me up God!
Here I was, enjoying all the good things in this place,
and along came this woman that YOU brought into my life.
And if it hadn't been for her giving me the fruit,
I wouldn't be in this mess now".
(4). Punishment (verse 14-19):
Because Adam refuses to admit his sin and seek forgiveness:
• God does what any earthly parent does,
• When their child is very bad and not at all sorry.
• He punishes them,
• He is left with no other option. A Good God must punish badness.
Notice that the punishment is very significant:
• Adam was punished in relation to his work.
• Eve in relation to the family.
After any trial comes the sentences, pronounced on each of the guilty in turn:
• Verses 14-15.
• The serpent is punished with a curse & the reptile becomes a snake.
• Verse 16. Eve is punished.
• But her sentence also contained hope, a promise from God.
• Verses 17-19. Adam is punished,
• His sentence is tempered with mercy.
In all this the perfect justice of God is revealed:
• He listened to their excuses,
• He was patient in his dealings with them.
(7). The transition (verses 21-24):
• Now in verses 21-24:
• We see more of the consequences of sin:
(1). Death (vs 21-24):
• In chapter two verse 17 God had warned them,
• "When you eat of it you will surely die".
We need to note in what sense man died:
• Obviously he didn't fall down physically dead,
• In fact he kept going for sometime.
• Death here means more than a cessation of life:
• It denotes a transition, a shift, a change:
• Here we see that change;
• i.e. death in progress:
A two-fold change.
(a). Change of place:
• From with in the garden (verses 1-22),
• To outside the garden (verse 23).
(b). Change of situation before God:
• From an intimate friendship,
• Verse 8: "The Lord walking and talking with them".
• To alienation / cut off from God.
• Verse 24: "He drove the man out".
Ill:
Death is those two things for every person:
• One we leave earth for a different place (heaven or hell).
• Two we enter into a different situation before God (closeness or separation).
Death for Adam meant a change:
• From the blessing, freedom, vitality,
• And fellowship of the Garden.
• To curse, bondage, toil and alienation,
• Outside the gate on the East of the Garden.
(2). Life (Romans ch 5 vs 14-21):
• If we just read Genesis chapter 3, we will probably go home depressed,
• It is a catastrophic tragedy that has affected the history of the world.
• The message of the Bible deals with how God has solved the problem of sin,
• So that you and I can find forgiveness and know God once again.
Quote: Romans chapter 5 verses 14b-21 (Living Bible):
“What a contrast between Adam and Christ who was yet to come! (15) And what a difference between man's sin and God's forgiveness!
For this one man, Adam, brought death to many through his sin. But this one man, Jesus Christ, brought forgiveness to many through God's mercy.
(16) Adam's one sin brought the penalty of death to many, while Christ freely takes away many sins and gives glorious life instead.
(17) The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to be king over all, but all who will take God's gift of forgiveness and acquittal are kings of life because of this one man, Jesus Christ.
(18) Yes, Adam's sin brought punishment to all, but Christ's righteousness makes men right with God, so they can live.
(19) Adam caused many to be sinners because they disobeyed God, and Christ caused many to be made acceptable to God because he obeyed”.
ill:
All of us are subject to the law of gravity.
• Sir Isaac Newton discovered it; "What goes up must come down".
• And the law of gravity holds every human being down.
Now if you look in the air on your way home (careful if your driving):
• You will see birds actually denying the law of gravity,
• You can also see planes defying the law of gravity.
Question: Why?
Answer:
• Is because there is another law,
• The law of aerodynamics,
• And by adapting that law,
• Men have been able to create aircraft,
There is another law which comes into operation when the bird or the plane takes off:
• And the law of gravity is defeated,
• By the law of aerodynamics.
Do you see what I'm trying to say, in connection with Jesus and Adam:
• The law of gravity;
• i.e. sin & death,
• Which has held captive every man, woman and child throughout history:
• Every human being has been subjected to it.
• But that law can be broken by the law of aerodynamics,
• i.e. The forgiveness attained by Jesus Christ.
• We can rise above this situation,
• And find forgiveness and freedom in Jesus Christ.
Verse 21:
"The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them".
God himself killed an innocent creature:
• To cover Adam & Eve's shame!
• To make clothing.
• Picture of what would happen at the cross,
• The innocent would die for the guilty.
