GENESIS THREE
Verses 1-5 The Temptation
Verses 6-13 The Fall
Verses 14-24 The Judgment
Verse 1-5 The Temptation
Verse one
1. Now the serpent: nAchAsh
A. From a verb (nAchash) that means to hiss or whisper
as one meaning
(Thus the noun, sorcerer, who "whispers" his enchantments),
and then to be bright as a second meaning
(Thus, the noun, copper or brass, which is bright and shiny).
B. The "serpent" could reflect both meanings,
however, if "hissing" is in view then it is certain the serpent
was not a "talker" prior to the Satanic possession.
C. It is more likely that the idea of bright and shiny
is in view since the original name that Adam gave to the serpent (Genesis
2:19) would then describe its general appearance as beautiful and pleasant
to be around.
D. For this reason the serpent made a good pet and was
probably constantly around Adam and Ishah.
E. In fact, it is also probable, that for this reason,
Satan chose to use the serpent as his disguise to deceive Ishah.
F. At this time the serpent did not crawl on the ground,
but walked.
This is determined by the nature of the curse at verse 14.
2. was: qal perfect of hAyAh, to indicate becoming something
that it was not before. Should read, "became."
A. At this point, Satan has indwelled the serpent for
a disguise.
Not because he needs the serpent in order to speak.
B. In view of the instructions at Genesis 2:15, to "guard"
the garden, it is probable that Adam and Eve were warned about the nature
and appearance of Satan.
C. The talking must be viewed as Satanic control, since
there is no basis for teaching that the animal could speak.
D. This could only have taken place through the permissive
will of God. Job 1-2 and Matthew 8:28-34
E. This indwelling is the basis for one of the titles
Satan carries throughout the history of mankind. Revelation 12:9
F. This then is the very first, although indirect, mention
of Satan as the great adversary of God and God's plan.
G. See Topic: Satan
3. More crafty: Arum means clever, crafty, cunning, deceptive.
The animal did not have these characteristics, but "became" more
crafty by Satan working through it.
This word then, describes the viewpoint and purpose of Satan, which he
expresses using the serpent as an involuntary agent.
4. Than any beast of the field: Satan chose that which
was familiar and probably dear to the woman in order to disguise his own
presence.
5. And he said to the woman:
It has long been suggested that the woman has begun to drift away from
devotion and dedication to God; that she has become "lukewarm"
concerning the truths of God and has even forgotten what she has been taught.
It is further suggested that this is the reason that she is chosen by Satan
as his victim and the reason that she fails. However, such an attitude
and expression from the woman would constitute rebellion against God and
place her "in sin" long before the temptation from Satan. I suggest
therefore, that Ishah is not in rebellion, not indifferent to God's word
and not forgetful of what she has been taught. She is caught off guard
by the attack of Satan in the guise of the serpent, and truly deceived
(1Timothy 2:14) by the presentation of "new" information and
concepts about what God had told her.
A. This is something new and different from what God had
designed.
B. The animal speaking is a reversal of the roles designed by God in verse
1:28. Adam and Ishah are to rule over the animals.
C. As soon as the serpent starts talking, the woman should
recognize the departure from Divine design and reject it.
D. But this is the whole purpose for the disguise. To
trick the woman into considering something different than what God has
taught.
E. This is indeed a "new" phenomenon for
Ishah,
but nothing that she does not have the capacity to deal with.
F. All she needs to do is apply what she has learned and
keep her eyes focused on God's demonstrated love.
G. But instead of rebuking the animal for its departure
and calling Adam in for spiritual assistance, she listens to it.
6. To the woman:
A. Her first mistake was to listen to teaching that did
not come from a divinely authorized source. Ie, God or Adam.
B. Her second mistake was to listen to teaching that was
contrary to God's previous instructions.
C. Satan's attack was not physical but an attack on the
soul.
D. The attack came on the woman because she was a "natural"
responder and more likely to be receptive to new ideas.
E. Ishah placed herself in a vulnerable position by accepting
"dialog" with the serpent, but this was not sin.
F. Sin did not happen until she placed spiritual value
on the false teaching and acted upon it by eating from the tree.
7. Satan uses the generic title for God, elohim. And
Ishah,
when replying uses the same designation. Since neither one uses the "personal"
name of God (Yahweh) which has been used since Gen. 2:4, it has been suggested
that neither one is really focused on relationship with God. Granted, Satan
has no rapport with God, but there is no reason to suggest that Ishah is
out of rapport simply because she uses elohim instead of Yahweh. There
is no indication anywhere that such vocabulary implies loss of "personal"
focus. In fact, at Genesis 5:24 and 6:9, when speaking about the consistent
fellowship that Enoch and Noah had with God, the phrase is, "walked
with elohim" and NOT "walked with Yahweh."
8. Indeed has God said: Is it really true?
A. The attack questions God's word.
B. The attack, in the form of a question, invites the
woman to dialog about something of which there should be no doubt.
C. The attack then brings into question the truth of what
she has been learning from God and Adam.
9. You shall not eat of every (or any) tree of the garden?
A. The attack implies that God, who has forbidden one
tree has forbidden them all.
B. The attack implies that God is unfair.
C. The attack questions the authority of Divine prohibitions.
D. The attack implies that God is withholding something good from man.
Verse 2
1. And the woman said to the serpent.
A. She at first, resists the role reversal and the implication
that comes from the serpent's words.
B. She attempts to instruct this creature in the truth
she has been taught.
2. We may eat of the trees
A. She answers the question with information learned in
Bible class from her husband and from the Lord, about Divine provision
in the garden.
B. This part is easy: she eats daily from that Divine
provision.
Verse 3
1. But from the tree in the middle
A. This is the subject Satan wants to talk about.
B. He has maneuvered the conversation and the woman, so
that she brings it up.
2. God has said -
A. Concerning the woman's use of elohim instead of Yahweh
Elohim, refer to verse one, point 7 above.
B. She attempts to represent Divine viewpoint in a very
confusing situation.
3. You shall not eat from it or touch it:
A. Review Genesis 2:16-17
B. The addition of "not touch it" can be explained as an over
zealousness on her part, rather than a disoriented abuse of what she had
been taught.
C. Instead of viewing it as "adding to God's word,"
perhaps it is her personal "application" of the injunction to
the garden environment.
D. Is it reasonable to imagine that God would not want
them "playing" around with the fruit if He did not want them
to eat it?
E. At any rate, there is no justification for assuming
that she is disoriented or misinformed. It is pure speculation to take
this as a "negative" rather than her own logical application
and not certain enough to render a "judgment" on Ishah.
4. Lest you die:
A. Even though she uses the non-intensive construction
of the phrase, it does not detract from the penalty assigned by God.
B. There is no reason to think that she does not understand
either the severity of disobedience or the nature of the penalty.
Verse 4 The serpent said, you shall not surely die.
1. Satan denies the penalty for sin.
2. Satan calls God a liar and in verse 5, gives God's
motivation for lying.
Verse 5
1. For God knows: this is God's motivation He knows something
that you don't know.
2. Your eyes will be open: a new sphere of soul perception
that God wants to withhold from you.
3. And you will be like God:
A. Be or become: qal perfect of hAyAh
B. Like Elohiym: This is a brand new concept for Ishah
and would naturally be attractive because of her love and devotion to God.
4. Knowing good and evil: YAda + tobh and ra
A. This refers to the perception and experience of good
and evil.
B. Adam and Ishah knew "in principle" about
the existence and dangers of evil. That is why they were instructed to
"guard" the garden in Genesis 2:15.
C. But they did not know from experience the expression
of evil and knew nothing of "pseudo-good."
(creature policy elevated above Creator policy)
D. However, even though they had been taught these things,
this statement suggests that there is much more to learn and God is holding
it back from them.
E. Ishah did not understand what Satan was saying but
instead of "sticking to her guns," she now considers this "new"
information as attractive.
F. Ishah was deceived into thinking that she could be
like God. 1 Timothy 2:14
G. Her reaction takes her soul's EGO (self awareness)
and inflates it into pride and self-centeredness.
H. Her EGO was distorted into trying to compete with God
rather than to simply enjoy His perfect blessings.
I. Satan's distorted EGO is in competition with God and
seeks to put Ishah on the same level.
Verses 6-13 The Fall
Verse 6
1. And Ishah saw:
A. The woman took the bait and was hooked.
B. She listened to Satan and actually entertained the
idea that he might be right.
2. That the tree was good for food:
A. Physical attraction, just like all the food-trees in
the garden.
B. She can't tell any difference overtly.
C. God's viewpoint is absolute. His instructions are absolute.
D. Darkness viewpoint and false doctrine oftentimes digress
from truth in very subtle ways.
E. Sometimes it is difficult to truly "understand"
the reasons for God's viewpoint on things, but man is responsible for following
the "absolutes" of God's word regardless of how attractive other
views may be.
3. and that it was a delight to the eyes:
A. aesthetic value, soul attraction
B. She accepted the physical and soulish desirability
of this tree above the desirability of the other trees which were God's
provision.
C. This subtle attack gains potency because there is no
"apparent" contradiction to what the serpent is saying, except
that God had already given His own instructions. Thus, she could not understand
why God said "no" to this beautiful tree.
D. This of course left the door wide open for her to believe
the words of the serpent which accused God of selfish and fearful motives.
4. And that the tree was desirable to make one wise:
A. She accepted the words of the serpent as truth.
B. This means that she thinks that God has lied and has
been unfair to them.
C. To make one wise: as God is wise. cf. verse 5, "like
God, knowing good and evil."
D. Wisdom is not "knowledge of good and evil."
Wisdom is knowledge of Divine viewpoint.
And Its only source throughout all of history is God himself and those
whom he has authorized to communicate truth.
E. Today, in the church age, of course, it is found only
in the 66 books of the Bible.
5. These three things represent the "darkness"
viewpoint of the world as described at 1 John 2:16
A. The lust of the flesh (body): good for food.
B. The lust of the eyes: attractive to look at
C. The arrogance of life: holds promise of superior knowledge.
6. She took from its fruit and ate:
A. The woman was exposed to false teaching.
B. She encountered something contrary to divine design,
and teaching contrary to Divine viewpoint.
C. She was deceived by the subtlety of Satan's lies and
then acted on the false information that had deceived her.
D. At that moment she died spiritually.
1. She lost her relationship with God.
2. She acquired a distorted, corrupt nature (sin nature),
which craved by nature to be independent from the things of God.
E. Then in her distorted thinking, and her false sense
of accomplishment, she took it to Adam.
7. And she gave also to her husband:
A. The next step in the woman's failure - failure to be
the "helper" to her husband
B. When Ishah brought the fruit to Adam, she was acting
contrary to the "helper" principle.
C. Instead of benefiting and aiding Adam, she is contributing
to his downfall.
D. She is actually inviting him and pressuring to him
to accept that which is contrary to Divine viewpoint.
8. And he ate:
A. Now the man faces the same issue. But not from conversation
with the serpent, but from the serpents tool, the woman.
B. He sees and hears her in a fallen condition, spiritually
dead and different, and having all the facts, he must decide to embrace
her or to embrace God.
C. With all the facts, Adam rejected his relationship
with God and embraced Ishah.
D. He said no to the creator of all his blessings, and
said "yes" to a created one.
E He turned down the Divine design of Genesis 1:28 and
turned it over to Satan.
F. He rejected spiritual life and relationship with God
for what he knew would be spiritual death and judgment.
G. 1 Timothy 2:13-l4 explains the two acts of negative
volition.
H. There is a common, but seriously flawed and erroneous
belief that the sin of Adam and Ishah was the act of sex. This is so ludicrous
that I find it humorous that I even need to address it. However, because
of the prevalence of the view, it is important to clarify the issues. Sexual
activity was not sinful. God gave this gift to mankind and specifically
to Adam and Ishah as recorded at Genesis 2:24 and indicated by the phrase,
"shall cleave to his wife and they shall become ONE flesh." There
is no recorded HINT that sexual activity between one man and one woman
in the marriage relationship is anything other than normal, wonderful,
and GOD-BLESSED. See Topics: MARRIAGE:
Summary 7 principles and Marriage:
The provision
Verse 7
1. Then their eyes were opened: a new sphere of perception
based on loss of spiritual life and the addition of a sin nature.
2. And they knew that they were naked:
A. Nakedness between Adam and lshah was a thing of great
beauty and enjoyment (verse 2:25).
B. Sexual activity was enhanced by spiritual life and
Divine provision in the perfect environment of the garden.
C. When spiritual life was lost, they became disoriented
to Divine provision and disoriented toward each other.
D. When spiritual life was lost, the new sinful nature
immediately began distorting the soul and distorting everything around
it. This distorted thinking of the soul made the bona fide activity of sex,
something shocking and offensive.
E. They related first to each other and all they could
orient on was their physical bodies.
They didn't even think of God until He "showed up."
F. Man In spiritual neutralization Is always man-centered.
He can't relate to God and can only relate to himself in a distorted manner.
G. He thinks that if he gets right with himself and his
fellow man, he will be right with God.
3. And they made loin coverings: "Operation Fig Leaves"
A. When they became disoriented to God and each other,
all they could see was their physical bodies.
B. It was the only thing they could relate to, and that
is what became distorted In their eyes
C. Therefore, they attempted to reorient to each other
by removing what they thought was the source of that disorientation - the
nakedness.
D. This human view point cover up worked because it appealed
to their distorted soul. They were now "right with each other"
and no longer felt the "shame" of being disoriented to physical
reality.
E. But it was only a physical, overt and temporary solution.
Soon their distorted souls would begin reacting to each other on a mental
level, and they would experience constant antagonism between them.
F. They thought everything was O.K. and that they were
right with each other, not even thinking of God until they heard Him coming.
Verse 8
1. And they heard the sound of the Lord God . . .in the
cool of the day:
A. This was a normal daily event, when the Lord would
have fellowship with them and teach them Divine truth.
B. The sound of God represents the grace of God reaching
out to man in a crisis situation.
C. God could have broken His routine for the cool of the
day, but grace, operating through perfect love, has always been available
to man.
D. The pattern of the sound of God's grace throughout
history.
1. Adam at the fall: Genesis 3:8
2. Noah at the flood: Genesis 6
3. The world in unbelief: Psalm 19:1-4; Romans 10:18
4. Israel: Romans 10:19-21
5. Believer in fellowship: Hebrews 3:15; 2 Peter 1:3-4
2. And they hid themselves:
A. Immediately when they heard the sound of God, they
remembered about their relationship with Him and realized that it was gone.
B. Now the issue was no longer getting right with each
other but getting right with God.
C. But they also realized that they could do nothing about
it.
Therefore, fear and hiding.
D. The sound of God's grace then, just as throughout all
of history, demands a response. First a mental response and then overt.
1. Man either responds in recognition of his need and
therefore acceptance of God's grace
2. Or he responds in fear and attempts to appease God
through some type of overt activity. Religion, philosophy, etc.
Verse 9
1. Then the Lord God called to the man:
He is the one in authority, the one first created.
He is responsible for where they are and why.
2. Where are you: The word carries the force of "why"
are you there.
A. God asked, What's the problem? what's going on?
B. He knows, but is demanding that man give an account of his actions.
C. He wants Adam to take personal responsibility for his actions.
Verse 10 Adam answers the question "why."
1. heard you: the sound of grace
2. and I was afraid: the truth of God produces a response
of fear because Adam has lost his ability to relate to God on a spiritual
level.
3. because I was naked:
A. As soon as Adam heard God's presence, he remembered
about spiritual life and relationship with God.
B. He now realized that the attempt to cover up his disorientation
to lshah had been in vain.
C. He realized that it was the loss of spiritual life
that was the cause of his disorientation to Ishah and that there was nothing
he could do about either.
D. That's why he still viewed himself as naked even after
covering up. And that's why he was afraid.
It was "spiritual" nakedness that was the real issue.
E. The only solution he could devise was denial and avoidance.
He hid himself, but of course it didn't work.
F. Because the human race is naked, there is no end to
their attempts to avoid the truth of God's grace. Denial and substitution
has been the evidence of man's nakedness all throughout history.
Verse 11
1. Who told you that you were naked?
Why do you have a distorted view of my provisions for you?
2. Have you eaten . . ?
A. God answers for him in the form of a question.
B. God is being specific to make certain they understand
exactly what happened.
C. Eating was the only way they could become alienated
to God and to each other.
3. Of which I commanded you not to eat?
God is making It perfectly clear that the failure was in not obeying the
Word of God.
Verse 12
1. The woman: Adam perpetuates his attitude of denial
and avoidance of the issue by "passing the buck" and blaming
others; anyone and everyone around him.
2. whom you gave to me: It's your fault God
A. The sin nature is self-centered and thinks totally
independently of God.
B. Therefore it is natural to blame God for the crisis of life and accuse
him of unfairness.
3. she gave to me: It's the woman's fault.
A. the sin nature will even reject and attack loved ones
in order to protect self.
B. But all of this is just a human viewpoint smokescreen.
In the end, Adam cannot deny his own personal responsibility.
4. And I ate:
A. I made a decision based on all the facts.
B. I acted in negative volition and violated Your command.
Verse 13
1. And God said to the woman what have you done?
God does not accept Adam's line of defense, but since the woman too made
her own volitional decision, He demands of her an accounting.
2. The serpent deceived me and I ate.
A. Ishah is now fully aware of what the serpent did to
her.
B. She does not deny the Incident, but admits her weakness in being deceived.
C. And admits to her personal decision to reject God's word and accept
the serpent's word.
Verses 14-24 The Judgment
Verse 14
1. And Yahweh Elohim said to the serpent:
A. He judges the serpent as the instrument of Satan.
B. The animal had no volitional choice in being used so the judgment is
symbolic rather than punitive.
C. Throughout the history of the human race, the status
of the serpent will be a symbol of the consequences of fraternizing with
Satan.
2. Cursed: On your belly and dust you will eat. Suggests
removal of legs.
Verse 15, God goes beyond the serpent and addresses Satan,
the one who possessed the animal.
1. And I will put enmity: aybhAh, hostility and antagonism
2. Between you and the woman:
A. The woman is the source of the savior who will offset
Satan's victory in the garden and will expose and neutralize Satan's overall
rebellion against God.
B. Accordingly, throughout all of history up to the birth
of Christ, Satan's strategy was to attack the woman in order to prevent
her from fulfilling God's plan.
3. And between your seed: zera, The progeny of Satan.
There is a hint here that the word "seed" refers to the PLURAL "descendants"
of the woman and of Satan.
Zera is a masculine noun that does not have a plural form. The singular form
is used for both singular and plural usages. The singular or plural use must
be determined by context.
However, one could say that it usually has a plural focus. But at Genesis
4:25, it is definitely singular in focus.
And of course, one could debate whether either Abe and/or Paul understood
that the seed promise spoken to Abraham, looked at BOTH the plural progeny
and the singular promised redeemer. Gal. 3:16.
A. Not "direct" progeny, but progeny through
spiritual association and influence.
B. Fallen angels:
C. Unbelievers: John 8:44, "you are of your father, the devil."
D. Might also refer to the Satan-indwelled man of lawlessness during the
tribulation.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-9; Revelation 13:3-8
4. And her seed: The progeny of the woman
A. This further amplifies the conflict between Satan and
the woman.
It will actually be directed to her and her seed, in two categories.
1. The human race in general as the progeny of the woman.
Since the human race was created and designed by God to resolve the conflict
between Himself and Satan, Satan will constantly be attacking mankind in
order to hinder God's plan.
2. The specific HE and HIM as the One who will come
into the world and reverse the damage done by Adam. Romans 5:19
B. The seed of the woman is the first indication in the
Bible that the savior will be virgin born. It is the seed of the "woman,"
not the seed of "man."
C. As the promise continues, the focus is grammatically focused on one
individual.
He shall bruise: The Hebrew reads, "he, he shall bruise," or "he himself
shall bruise."
The third person pronoun is used emphatically WITH the singular 3rd person
masculine of the verb, shuph.
The LXX uses autos (masculine), NOT the neuter (it).
You on the head: The head blow is a fatal wound to indicate ultimate
victory.
D. And you shall bruise him: The verb is shuph with the 3rd person singluar
masculine pronominal suffix = him.
On the heel: This is a minor blow, a wound of little damage.
E. See Topic: Virgin
Birth
5. He shall bruise you on the head: shuph rōsh
The head blow is a fatal wound to indicate ultimate victory.
6. And you shall bruise him on the heel: shuph Aqābh
This is a minor blow, a wound of little damage.
7. The last two statements in verse 15, summarize the
ultimate victory Christ shall gain on the cross. And the administration
of that victory at the second advent and at the end of the Millennium.
A. All throughout history Satan has attacked the woman
as the source of the Messiah. Summary is found at Revelation 12:1-4
B. Satan was the instigator of the crucifixion of Christ,
thinking that his death in this manner would defeat the plan of God.
John 13:27 + Luke 22:3-6
C. The forces of Satan did not realize that the plan of
God would actually be promoted and fulfilled by the death of Christ.
I Corinthians 2:8 (The "rulers of this world"
does not refer to human rulers but to the "spiritual" rulers
of the darkness system, who would not have instigated the crucifixion if
they had known God's plan. If a human ruler had TRULY understood God's
plan, he would have accommodated that plan and continued with the crucifixion.)
D. He was of course unable to understand and correlate
the Old Testament scriptures in order to know and anticipate the thinking
of God, concerning the death of the Messiah, and the resurrection.
E. Therefore, he actually participated in the strike that
guaranteed his destiny with judgment.
John 12:31; 16:11
F. The crucifixion was the wounding of the heel of Christ,
but at the same time it was the blow that crushed Satan's head. Colossians
2:15
G. This should be viewed as a "strategical"
victory (or spiritual) over Satan, rather than a "tactical" victory,
in that he is still "prowling about as a roaring lion," (1 Peter
5:8).
H. The tactical victory (his physical defeat) will take
place much later in history in two separate stages.
1. His defeat at Armageddon: Revelation 20:1-3
2. His defeat at the end of the 1000 year kingdom: Revelation 20:7-10
Verse 16 Judgment on the woman
1. to the woman: Areas of failure
A. She failed to apply "absolutely" the Divine
viewpoint she knew.
B. She failed to reject viewpoint contrary to God.
C. She failed to adhere to Divine design for authority over the animals.
D. She failed to follow Divine design as a helper to Adam and actually
dictated to him to accept false viewpoint.
E. So the judgment on the woman will address itself to
these areas of failure.
2. The first area of judgment: Physical reminder of God's
policy
A. I will greatly multiply: the verb is doubled for intensity
and emphasis. This refers to the addition of something new - the mechanics
of reproduction
B. your pain: itstsAbōn, physical pain and toil
C. in childbirth: the whole reproductive cycle becomes
a source of great discomfort and pain.
D. In pain: etsebh, intensity of the discomfort
E. You will bring forth children: The birth of children
not only provides great happiness beyond the physical pain, but also speaks
of God's Grace in providing a savior via the birth of children.
This spiritual principle looks back to verse 15, the seed of the woman.
F. The woman who failed to cling "absolutely"
to the divine value system as she had been taught, becomes the source of
spiritual life for fallen man through her seed.
G. The bearing of children in itself is a promise of the
future savior and therefore represents the principle of God's grace and
viewpoint.
H. The pain involved represents the severity of the failure
to apply Divine viewpoint and represents acceptance of the divine value
system.
I. The pain should be a reminder to the woman:
1. of her natural tendency to rely on her own feelings
and intuition rather than the absolutes of Divine viewpoint.
2. of the consequences of not relying on Divine viewpoint.
J. The birth of the child should be a reminder:
1. That God's grace has provided salvation and forgiveness
through Christ.
2. That the grace blessings that come from God are beyond
compare and greater than any crisis.
K. The whole reproductive process teaches the principle
that God's grace turns cursing into blessing.
The woman therefore has a constant reminder of God's grace built right
into her body. But only the believer can experience the blessing that represents.
1 Timothy 2:15
L. During her monthly cycle and during the discomfort
and pain of pregnancy, the believer should find great encouragement and
comfort in God's character and plan which used the woman to provide the
savior of mankind.
M. She has a choice to either fatalistically "put
up" with the physical disruption of her life, while sometimes expressing
bitterness and anger,
OR she can apply God's character and plan and live in "the fear of
the Lord" in peace, joy and confidence.
3. The second area of judgment: authority oriented.
A. And your desire: teshuqAh, intense impelling desire
B. This word describes a new desire in the woman's soul
which gives her an intense soulish desire to be with and to please her
man.
C. the word also describes the "emotional" dependence
and subordination of the woman to the man.
D. This relates to her failure in the area of "helper."
Now teshuqAh becomes the natural response in her soul
E. to your man:
1. for this new design to be operative and successful,
the woman's man must operate on moral integrity.
2. If the man is not honorable in character and behavior,
he neutralizes the design in the woman's soul and destroys
the capacity for blessing for them both.
F. And he shall rule over you:
1. This relates to her failure in the area of authority.
2. She rejected her rulership over animals and dictated
to the man false doctrine.
3. Therefore, God's design now establishes the man as
the authority in the marriage relationship. He is the one responsible for
all decisions in the home.
4. For the unbeliever, the success of the relationship
depends on principles of moral integrity.
5. For the believer, the guidelines for both partners
are found in Ephesians 5:22-23.
Verse 17 Judgment on the man
1. To Adam He said:
A. The judgment on Adam is given last because as the one
who sinned without being deceived, having all the facts, he bears the greater
responsibility.
B. Adam's failure is in making a simple knowledgeable
decision to reject divine design and accept that which he knew to be contrary
to God's will.
C. The woman's judgment was personal, limited to herself
and her life (although certainly extending to ALL women).
The man's judgment goes beyond himself (and men) and extends to all creation.
D. So in verses 17-18, there are 2 aspects of judgment
given because of Adam's sin.
1. Judgment on creation because Adam was the ruler who
rejected that rulership.
2. judgment on him personally as the one who is now subject
to that creation and through him, to the entire human race.
E. There is also one area of judgment extended to the
human race through Adam based on Genesis 2:17, and that is inherent sin
- The sin nature, Psalm 51:5
(see Topic: sin nature) (see Topic: The
Sin Nature
2. Because you have listened to the voice of your woman:
A. Adam's acceptance of false spiritual information from
Ishah.
B. It was not wrong to listen to her, but it was wrong to condone and accept
information contrary to divine viewpoint.
C. As a "helper," the woman was designed to
support and build up the man, not to contribute to his downfall.
3. And have eaten:
A. The fact of man's failure: He accepted false teaching
from Ishah and acted contrary to divine design.
B. God is being specific to make certain the issue of
disobedience is understood.
4. Cursed is the ground:
A. Ground refers to all of nature.
B. Cursed is the word Arar, as a qal passive participle, and is used to
indicate that something or someone is under the effects of some kind of
negative influence. In this case it refers to the removal of perfect environment
and the transformation into an antagonistic environment.
1. Thorns and thistles: all pests
2. Subject to vanity: Romans 8:20, the law of entropy.
The second law of thermodynamics demonstrates that there is an innate tendency
towards decay and disorder in the universe.
C. Because of you:
1. Adam is the one responsible for the curse on creation
because he was the one not deceived.
He acted while knowing exactly what he was doing.
2. Because Adam spurned the authority given to him over
all of nature, he must now be subject to the authority of the creation
which has become a distorted task master under the curse.
5. In toil you shall eat of it: itstsAbōn, the same
word used with Ishah.
It indicates physical pain and discomfort through the process of "making
a living." The pressures and hardships of surviving in an aggressive,
antagonistic environment as the protector and care-provider for wife and
children.
Verse 18
1. Thorns and thistles: This is the term for the aggressive
environment.
It includes all the pests of nature that make it difficult for man to work
the land.
2. The plants of the field: Man's food source at this
time. If he wants to eat, he will have to work for it.
Verse 19
1. By the sweat of your face shall you eat bread: repeats
and amplifies verse 18.
2. Until you return to the ground: Amplifies "all
the days of your life." ie, until physical death.
3. Because from it you were taken: Creation of the physical
body. Genesis 2:7, from the chemicals of the soil.
4. And to dust you shall return: physical death, Ecclesiastes
12:7
5. See Topic: DEATH:
Physical
Verse 20, Eve the mother of all living
This name change by Adam is an expression of his faith
that God will allow them to live.
Verse 21 God's provision for their sin
1. Garments of skin:
A. From animals. This is the institution of animal sacrifices
as a teaching aid concerning the coming of the savior. cf. Genesis 4:3-7
B. The salvation promise was given in verse 15 and Adam
and Eve accepted the promise in order to reestablish their relationship
with God.
C. The death of the animal teaches the severity of sin
and the need for a judgment on sin.
D. "Garments of skin," is set up in contrast
to the fig leaves.
1. Fig leaves = man's attempt to make himself right with
God from his own human viewpoint (religion and philosophy).
2. Man's solution tries to cover and minimize the severity
of the offense and the severity of the penalty.
3. garments of skin = God's solution which recognizes
the severity of both the offense and the penalty.
4. Garments indicates that the penalty of sin is death,
and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22
5. The animal sacrifice teaches that the savior must give
his life for the sins of mankind. Hebrews 9:1-15; 10:1-10
6. All the "fig leaves" of history deny both
the need for the death of the savior and deny the benefits of the death
that occurred.
2. And clothed them:
A. Covering was still necessary because of the presence
of the sin nature in Adam and Eve, which continued to distort their souls
and their view of God's grace provisions.
B. Clothing represents the presence of the sin nature
and the distorted thinking that it causes in mankind.
C. Clothing of fig leaves is man's sin nature trying to
cover the effects of sin; trying to do what only God can do.
D. Clothing from the animal sacrifice represents victory
over the sin nature and control of its distorted desires based on the work
of the savior on the cross. Romans 6:1-13
3. The animal sacrificed was not utilized for food at
this time.
Genesis 9:3 indicates that meat was not authorized for food until after
the flood.
Verse 22
1. The man has become like one of us:
A. Recognizes the half-truth of Satan.
Satan said, you would become like God, implying that they would become
equal to God.
B. In actuality, they became like God in the sense of
coming to know something they did not know before.
2. Knowing good and evil:
A. God's perfect knowledge includes total comprehension
of the evil and pseudo goodness of the universe (creature policy).
B. Man now participated in that knowledge.
1. He experienced evil by choosing it over divine viewpoint.
2. He experienced pseudo-good through his human viewpoint
attempt to cover-up and remedy his sin.
C. The phrase, knowledge of good and evil, is simply a
statement to indicate man's possession of a sin nature and the acquisition
of spiritual death.
D. And it is because of man's fallen condition that he
must now be denied further access to the tree of life in the garden.
3. And now, lest he take from the tree of life and live
forever -
A. The tree of life perpetuated physical life in the perfect
environment of the garden.
B. When man acquired a sin nature in the physical body,
he started the process of physical deterioration which would lead ultimately
to physical death.
C. If he were to eat of the tree of life at this time,
it would perpetuate his physical life forever - with the presence of the
sin nature.
D. And even though man is now back in relationship with
God, through faith in the promise of a coming savior, perpetuation of physical
life with the sin nature, would perpetuate soul distortion and deny access
to the fullness of fellowship with God.
E. Therefore, God forbade man to eat from the tree of
life and removed him from its presence.
Verse 23
1. Therefore Yahweh God sent him out
2. To cultivate the ground: (Lit: to serve the ground)
Refers to making a living in an agricultural economy.
Verse 24
1. The cherubim: to guard the tree prior to the flood.
Angels assigned to keep any people from finding and using the tree.
2. After the flood, the tree of life is no longer present
on the earth.
It was transferred to heaven to be utilized in the "eternal"
state (Revelation 22:2).
