Alpha and Omega, Part 9
God’s Grace displayed through Mankind’s sin
Genesis 3:14-24
Introduction
- We’ve begun 2023 with “one purpose”: Knowing there is a God!
-- Continuing our series, “Alpha and Omega”; examining the beginning to the end
- Key things to remember … man was:
• Created deliberately; He received life by the ‘breath of God’
• Was given dominion over everything God created
• He was also innocent of sin (there was nothing to keep him from God)
- It is the “appeal” of disobedience that Satan uses to offer forbidden fruit
-- Satan says: “the tree is good” – which agrees with our natural rebellion
-- Yet, what we try to do is overcome evil with good religious things … but …
- “Religion” misses main thing: We need a Savior and must repent of our sin
-- This is what Adam and Eve (us) miss: don’t realize their depravity (natural)
-- It is what the Gospel reveals: there is ‘good news’ for our disobedience!
- If you hear nothing else - get this about the fall of man …
-- It is not about being religious; it never was … Christianity is not about religion
-- Christianity is about a relationship with a God who would willingly die for you
- APP: God desires for us to want to grow closer to Him, through our obedience
- Let’s dive into our passage for today … Read Genesis 3:14-24 / Pray
Point 1 – God’s punishment towards Satan
- When man sinned, he suffered some immediate consequences … get this:
-- With sin comes judgment because God’s righteousness is always before us
- But God first has to deal with Satan first; with the chaos he has caused
-- We know that Satan is a created being, and there’s lots of questions around him
-- Did he transform into a snake? Was he originally walking upright?
-- Was he perhaps a wonderful creature and that is how he got close to them?
-- Did he appear to be beautiful, and “serpent” was a reference to his craftiness?
- Much to ponder about, and not much that is not revealed for us … but …
-- Scripture tells us that his actions are what brought judgment from God
-- And that judgment never ends: Romans 16:20, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”
- He is so wicked, that he is now cursed above all creatures (v14)
-- True, all of creation was affected by sin, however, the serpent was cursed more
-- He is so cursed that salvation isn’t even offered to him
- FACT: Satan is to be despised, detested, hated, repulsive, scorned, miserable
-- Interesting: one name given to Satan is Beelzebub means god of flies or filthy
-- He is defeated and humiliated for eternity … destined to suffer
- He is known as the god of unclean spirits / father of lies / the enemy (ref Peter)
-- To eat dust is to experience defeat – this is what God’s judgment brings to him
-- It is an eternal punishment – which further fuels Satan’s anger towards God
- TR: But there is even more judgment to be revealed …
Point 2 – God establishes hostility between Satan and Woman
- The tempter (Satan) is to be the object of hostility with all creation
-- Hebrew: ebah; enmity, war, aggression, strife (specific of who he is)
-- Think of it: war was to be waged between the woman and Satan for all eternity
- Why? She was to hate all the things he represents; all the negativity he brings
-- EX: Divorce, illness, accidents, drugs, war, death … it is parental nature here
-- A nature bent on protecting her family – all opposed to the things Satan brings
- From this moment on – the devil would be pitted against woman’s happiness
-- He will curse her, fight against her, and will promote destruction
-- APP: Satan makes this personal … get this … it is his war against us
- Why? Because it is through woman that salvation will come (v15)
-- “He will strike your head”. Who? One who will come through woman
-- Through the line of woman a redeemer will come that will rescue humanity
-- FACT: This is a glorious promise … it is the first revelation of Christ
- Interesting: God hints at the virgin birth … the incarnation of Christ … “he”
-- Our redeemer is a promised seed to come from woman (not from the man)
-- DRAW: Without the involvement of the man, one will come to crush his head
- But get this: Satan is never told WHEN the Messiah would come
-- He is not able to wait for the exact moment to pounce and destroy Him
-- EX: Satan is not at the manger, but he certainly raged against Jesus (ex: Herod)
-- RE: Every two-year-old and under was to be killed (ref Matt 2:16-18)
- FOR US: The aggression of our enemy needs to be known and understood
-- It is not a new thing; it truly is as old as time – but there is hope for us!
- The serpent might strike the heel of this man, but he will crush his head
-- Re last week: Jesus refuted the enemy’s temptations (3 of them)
-- Think: At the cross, I’m sure Satan marveled at the death of Jesus
-- But at the tomb … the final victory was the crushing blow to Satan
- At that moment, Satan was no longer able to charge men with sin
-- Romans 8:33, “Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one - for God himself has given us right standing with himself.”
- Satan also lost his ability to cause mankind to be separated from God
-- 1 Peter 3:18, “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.”
- TR: Unfortunately woman had dear price to pay for her actions …
Point 3 – God’s sentence towards woman
- Tenderly approach this because I want you to see God’s mercy (3 things to see)
1. She was to experience many forms of pain (v16)
-- Hebrew word: itstsabon; sorrow She turned away from God, led man also
-- Yes, she has sorrow … but this stirs a call upon God – to seek hope in God
-- APP: In her judgment, she would be given a unique ability to lean on God
-- This shows the mercy of God at work … Have suffering? Call on Him!
2. She was to have a yearning for her husband (v16)
-- Hebrew: teshugah; yearning or desire
-- The desire that women feel for men is deeper than just physical
-- It actually lends to pain on her part; for she desires to be wanted, cared for, etc.
-- It is in this that she feels pain when it is not fulfilled, like when man sins
3. She was to live in subjection to her husband (v16)
-- Hebrew: mashal; to rule over
-- She was not devalued here, nor considered to have less worth or competency
-- Because of sin, there now had to be an order in the family: with husband at head
-- Yes, she is the partner to man, but ‘ruling’ of the family is not an equal task
- In submissiveness there’s mercy: she honors her husband & she depends on him
-- Her willingness to submit is actually attractive: soft, tender, warm place to land
-- It is where man finds comfort and belonging (ex: values words of affirmation)
- TR: Now, when man’s sin was judged, the depth of his fault is on full display
Point 4 – God’s penalty towards man
- FACT: Instead of repenting – he completely blew it! Last week we saw:
• First thing he does is try to hide from God
• Second, he tries to excuse his behavior by blaming Eve
• Third, (v13) he tries to pass the buck to deflect admitting sin
- Now … look at the results of these actions:
1. He does not try to lead his wife back to God (has opportunity to repent)
2. He chooses to follow his wife’s sinful suggestion (and in this sins himself)
3. And he makes a willing to choice to disobey God and rebel (affirms sin)
- It is a miserable picture of humanity’s condition – church, we need to see this!
- Therefore, he was to be judged … and judged HARSHLY by God’s standards:
• He was condemned (or destined) to live in a cursed world (v17)
• He was condemned (or convicted) to struggle for survival (v18)
• He was condemned (or doomed) to eventually die (v19)
- But it’s even bigger … ALL of creation is forced to suffer as well!
-- Wed night get to this soon – but need to see this: turn & read Romans 8:19-22
• Creation is subject to corruption (8:20)
• Creation will one day be delivered (8:21)
• Creation groans in labor for deliverance (8:22); pretty sad existence for us!
- However, there is good news to preach about!!
- Need to see that Adam and Eve are even given clothes: animal skins (v21)
-- How do you get animal skins? You have to end the life of an animal ... period
-- LESSON: There is no way to get a covering for sin but for something to die
- God rejected the fig leaf outfits they made (v7); provided them with animal skin
-- He met their needs, knowing that the created (fallen) world would be harsh
-- He knew how their sin would forever change how they lived - so He provided
- Consider this: some of these perfect creatures had to die, and they watched it
-- They had never seen death before, never knew suffering, and now they saw
-- APP: It was at this moment they learned the terrible price for sin (shed blood)
-- RE: God tells them what would be coming (“He” v15): promising redemption
- The animal sacrifice in the garden is a foretelling of what will happen at Calvary
-- Hebrews 9:11-14, “So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood - not the blood of goats and calves - he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.”
- CHALL: There is a harsh judgment for man & woman, but God still loved them
-- Parents: Don’t you punish your children but still love them? Same thing!
-- God provided a way, and gave them knowledge of this way, to help them (us)
- RE: God said if they sinned, they would die … but physical death didn’t occur
-- They were able to continue living – to be provided for – to be shown compassion
-- Yes, they died a spiritual death, but their lives were not instantly ended
-- 1 Peter 5:7, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
- In this they learned what mercy meant – even as they were cast out of paradise
-- They learned what grace was – even as they had to fend for themselves
-- God provided a way for them to survive – and in that he delayed their death
- Isn’t that what we have today? YES!
-- You have the same opportunity to know God and receive from Him!
- If blood has already been shed – if forgiveness of sins is already offered …
-- What is keeping you from coming to receive the same grace and mercy?
-- What is holding you back from realizing our sin and coming to Jesus?
-- It is the righteousness & blood of Christ that covers sin; like the animal skins did
- God says: This will now make you acceptable – will you receive it?
-- God says, “My Son’s blood had to be provided for you to live”
- Pray for:
• Salvation – understanding of who we are – we needed a Savior
• A, B, C’s of salvation are not complicated – they are on display
