Verse 1. "Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast
of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Indeed, has
God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?’"
“Serpent” in this verse is from a word that means,
“shining one.” And since we know that snakes are
really NOT more “crafty,” more
intelligent than all other land creatures, it is probable that a snake as we
think of it is not being discussed here. Whatever it was, it is something more
than one of today’s
snake-like creatures. For one thing, it talked, which may indicate that certain animals
previously had the ability to speak, and that is how they may again be after the end
of this age. Notice that Eve did not shout “Eek, a talking snake!” and then run
away when it spoke to her. It seems likely that many animals more effectively
communicated at that time in the Garden than they do today.
It is very likely that the enemy of God and man who is called
“Satan,” indwelt some great animal in the Garden. Hints about that moment are
found in Scripture, in places like Revelation 12:9, where it says, “the great
dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan,
who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to earth, and his angels were
thrown down with him.” This “serpent” in Genesis 3 was a manifestation of Satan
himself. Notice in this verse his verbal attack on the woman. He asked a
question designed to lead her into a state of mind where she would lose her
faith in the Word of God.
Verse 2. "The woman said to the serpent, 'From the fruit
of the trees of the garden we may eat;’”
The woman is quoting God in her response to the
serpent’s question, but there is no record that she actually heard those words
firsthand. The words were given to Adam, as reflected in Genesis 2:16-17, and at
that precise moment in time, Eve did not yet exist. As we will see in the next verse,
she did not quote God perfectly in her reply, but she (and likely Adam, as well) added
something to God’s command. How often in humanity do WE add to the Word of God?
One item we all might wonder about: How long did Adam and Eve
live in the Garden of Eden before this encounter with the “serpent?” A quick
scan of these verses might suggest that they hadn’t been around for very long, but we
really do not know. It could have been part of a day, or it might have been a
million years. It is sure there would be no fossil record based on decaying
matter up to that time, for there was as yet no death anywhere on earth. They
were young in their way of looking at things because they were innocent, but
they might also have been far older than we can imagine.
Verse 3. "but from the fruit of the tree which is in the
middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or
you will die.'"
The command given by God that they should not eat of the
“tree of knowledge of good and evil” had been given to Adam alone. Eve was not
present at that moment because she had not yet been created. This verse suggests that the two
of them had discussed the tree, probably more than once in great seriousness because
Eve quoted God’s statement here – but with a difference. In Genesis 2:17, Adam
was told he “shall not eat” from that tree. Eve’s statement to the “serpent” in
this verse included the extra admonition that they were not even to “touch it”
as well. They had decided to not even go near that dangerous tree.
Adam and Eve wanted to be good in their own estimation
and in the sight of God. They had added to His Word and wouldn’t even “touch”
that tree, lest they “die” (whatever death might be). It’s likely they didn’t
even look in that direction in fear that they might be tempted. What they didn’t
expect was that a supernatural creature like the one inhabiting this “serpent”
at the moment would directly tempt them to do what God had told them NOT to do.
The law of God, even just this one law, did not give them the strength to resist
temptation. It took the intervention of “Christ Jesus” into human history,
enabling us who trust in Him to become those “who do not walk according to the
flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1 – read also Romans 7).
Verse 4. “The serpent said to the woman, ‘You surely
will not die!’”
This verse (and the next one) present great examples of
the lies that have been so often presented to the world. God had given the first
humans one simple command, and when you consider the history of the world since
that time, it was a simple and straightforward command. Note that if humanity had obeyed the Word of God,
His Law, there would have been no wars, divorce, gossip, theft, disease, pain,
heartache, death or any other problem we might face.
The “serpent,” who was the “devil” also known as “Satan”
and the “great dragon” as described in Revelation 12:9, now directly LIED to Eve. Actually,
his response, as it is so often the case, was a mixture of the truth and a lie.
Indeed they would not drop dead or explode right after they ate of the fruit,
but physically they would continue to live for 900-plus years. There are two
kinds of death in Scripture; the death of the body, but much worse, the death of
the soul, in which men and women are separated from God. Satan knew of both kinds of death,
but only mentioned one of them.
Verse 5. "For God knows that in the day you eat from it
your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
This verse reveals more of the lie that the enemy has
presented to this world. Satan presented God as holding something BACK from Adam
and Eve; from mankind, from you and me. The lie is that God was deliberately
reducing their perspective, interfering with their understanding, limiting their
freedom. Sound familiar? Yes it does - much sin has come from incomplete
information. The truth is that God does NOT withhold from us – His
intention is to give us so much more than mere information. He wants to give us
– Himself.
This lie of Satan is the reason why so many religions
exist that appeal to humanity’s need to KNOW! This is why the names and/or
teachings of religious entities include pseudo-scientific ideas in some form or
another. The encounter of Eve with Satan at the tree of knowledge of good and
evil was an opportunity for humanity’s representatives to respond in FAITH,
trusting in the character of the Lord. Instead she was tempted to believe this
lie about the nature of God.
Father God, most of us have been very curious,
wanting to know everything possible there is to know. We give You our
heart and life right now, for instead of knowing everything, we choose to place
our faith in the Lord. We trust in You now. In Jesus Name.
Amen.
Audio Bible Study – Genesis 3:6-10
Verse 6. "When the woman saw that the
tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree
was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave
also to her husband with her, and he ate.”
This “opening of the eyes,” this “knowledge
of good and evil” has certainly been a trap that many have fallen into.
People everywhere have preferred knowledge over faith in the God who created
them. Religions exist that don’t even believe in God as a conscious being, but
rather present religious experience as an end in itself. And indeed life can
offer a “delight to the eyes,” that can also be “the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Eve, like the rest of
us, was curious. She wanted to KNOW! How do we know what others are thinking?
How do we know that God knows what is best for us? Perhaps Eve thought she
should gain God’s perspective, approach Him as an “equal,” and then surely He
would receive her. Perhaps He would even be amused at her cleverness!
Her embrace of the lie of the creature in these verses
does imply a readiness in her heart. It suggests that she had already been
thinking about such things. And here was confirmation, authentication; another
being was telling her what she wanted to hear. The tree itself wasn’t the point.
She wanted to be in on the decision-making process, to be like God. And then she
not only “ate,” but she also infected another
person, her husband, Adam. And note that his sin was not like hers. In 1 Timothy
2:13-14, we see that “Adam was not deceived, but the woman
being deceived, fell into transgression.” He chose the woman over the
will of God.
Verse 7. "Then the eyes of both of them
were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves
together and made themselves loin coverings.”
As we saw in Genesis 2:25, they “were
both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” And now in this
verse, we find that the two of them were deeply ashamed. The difference between
the earlier moment and the time of this verse was simply that they had disobeyed
the clear will of God. And it’s interesting that they expressed their shame by
immediately covering their reproductive organs. Their crime was against God, but
it was also against all in humanity who would follow them in the future - and they
knew it!
They understood that they had damaged every human who
would ever be born and they were ashamed. Eating the fruit of a tree seems
minor, but it was really about the will of God. They preferred their own
judgment to His. Is there such thing as
a minor sin? If you sin, you cheapen yourself, bringing guilt and a weakened
conscience into your life. You are changed, which permanently affects how you
treat others, and they are affected by your behavior. We damage ourselves and our
children by what we do.
Verse 8. "They heard the sound of the
Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife
hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”
It would be a mistake to conclude that because the “sound” of the Lord God’s footsteps were heard by Adam and
Eve, that God is merely like a man. Jesus, when He took the form of a man and
literally walked this earth, seemed to be like every other man. His disciples
could hear the “sound” of His steps. But His words,
His understanding, His miracles and His faith, set Him apart. He looked like us
and had human feelings, but He was actually the "Word"
of God (John 1:1, 14).
This verse contains the impression of TIME. "The Lord God" had come to them “in
the cool of the day” – how many times? For days, decades, centuries? They
expected His arrival. And what was their response? – they “hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God...”
because they were guilty of sinning against Him. Denial is one of the great
characteristics of humanity. We pretend that God does not exist, or, given that
He exists, we pretend we do not know what He wants. That’s what Paul the Apostle
observed: we “suppress the truth in unrighteousness”
(Romans 1:18). Underneath it all, we all understand that God exists and that He
wants us to give our lives over to Him. Nothing less will satisfy Him - or will
satisfy our souls.
Verse 9. "Then the Lord God called to
the man, and said to him, 'Where are you?'"
The Lord God again exhibited the characteristics of a
human being when He “called to the man.” God will
appear to you in a manner that you can accept and understand. You may be in
denial and pretend that He doesn't know about you, like it was observed in Verse 8,
but He is real and He is reaching out to us all. The Word of God, the Bible is a form of
communication, and so are the events allowed in our lives. Because of the Holy Spirit of
God, we have a conscience even when we refuse to listen to it. The shame of Adam
and Eve was revealed in a voice that was calling out to them, and they
hid out of shame.
Interestingly, God spoke to "the
man" and not to the woman. The command of God had been addressed to the
man before the woman even existed and so he would be held accountable. God
asked, “Where are you?” knowing perfectly well
where they both were and He already knew what they had done. It is like all the
cookies are gone from the cookie jar; you have cookie crumbs on your face, and
your parent asks, “Did you eat the cookies?” knowing that you did. It’s
important to see how OBVIOUS we are to God.
Verse 10. "He said, 'I heard the sound
of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.’"
In his sin, Adam performed three very predictable, human actions: 1)
He became afraid of God, 2) he felt naked before Him, and 3)
he hid from God. As he did in this verse, do you hear the “sound” of God in your heart and life? Have you listened
to the words of a book or a preacher about faith in the Lord, and have you felt
a tug in your heart to respond by trusting in God? Have you regretted certain
things you have done and feel the need to change? If so, you have “heard” the “sound” of God.
He is calling – to you.
Adam felt guilty because he was guilty. He FELT naked
because he WAS naked before an all-seeing, all-knowing God. As David would
observe to God, millennia in the future, “You have
searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You
understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and
are acquainted with all my ways… there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O
Lord, You know it altogether” (Psalm 139:1-4). God knew everything about
David and Adam, and He knows everything about you and me.
Father, I see that you know me in every way. I
am tired from hiding from You, so I confess my sins, knowing that You
offer forgiveness through the sacrifice, the blood of Christ. Please forgive
my sin. I trust in You now. Please fill me with Your Spirit and with the peace
of God. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study – Genesis 3:11-15
Verse 11. "And He said, 'Who told you that you were
naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’"
In this verse, God asked questions, but
He already knew the answers. He asked in mercy, giving the man an opportunity to
confess and become open to God’s forgiveness. That aspect of God is shown to us
in a variety of ways in Scripture, but a good example is given by the Apostle
John, who walked with the Lord for three years and then listened to the Holy
Spirit all of his life. John observed:
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).
Right before that comment, John gave us the reason, the ground for our
forgiveness: “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all
sin” (1 John 1:7). The cross of Jesus Christ reaches backward in time to Adam
and Eve, and it reaches ahead to John's life, to your life, to mine and to the end of time.
Verse 12. "The man said, 'The woman whom You gave to be
with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.’"
The man Adam now did what can be recognized as very
common behavior among humans everywhere; he blamed someone else for what he had done. In
English usage, it’s often called, “passing the buck.” What came from Adam was a
half-truth, which was interestingly like the half-truth statements that the
“serpent” had given to the woman. Yes, Eve did give to him “from the tree,” and
yes he did eat what she offered, but what he omitted was that he knew what he
was doing and he deliberately sinned against the revealed will of God.
As it was mentioned previously, Paul the Apostle,
recognized that “Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into
transgression” (1 Timothy 2:13-14). In other words, the woman, Adam’s wife, did
become confused by the Serpent’s incessant arguments, which are presented to us
in abbreviated form and may have gone on for a long time. She was “deceived,”
but Adam was not. As stated in the commentary on Genesis 3:6, he knew what he
was doing and CHOSE to fall into sin, in hope that he could somehow remain with
Eve. He would rather die, whatever death might be; than lose her.
Verse 13. "Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is
this you have done?" And the woman said, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate.'"
The man, Adam, had just answered the Lord’s question. He
dodged it by blaming his conduct on Eve, his wife, which is a favorite response of many,
when they get into difficult circumstances. He did not avoid blame, but he did
manage to shift attention away from himself for a moment. Notice in Verse 11
that God asked HIM if he had “eaten of the tree?” rather than addressing the
question to both of them. But now He asked the woman, giving her the same
opportunity as Adam, to come clean, to confess, trusting in the mercy of God.
Right from the start, it seems to have been God’s
intention that the two in a marriage would be one, but the man would have
leadership. He would be like the president of a small corporation and she would
be the Executive Vice President. The problem with this, as it has been since the
beginning, is that men have not proven to be effective leaders in marriage. Eve
looked at the deceitfulness of her husband in blaming her, and repeated what he
did. She blamed the serpent. And that’s the problem in marriage today. When we
do something wrong, it’s time to openly confess, trusting in the mercy of God
and the love of our spouse. But all too often, each of the partners has a basic mistrust
of the other, and people being what they are, marriages do not last.
Verse 14. "The Lord God said to the serpent, 'Because
you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every
beast of the field; on your belly you will go, and dust you will eat all the
days of your life;'"
The man had blamed the woman, who accused the serpent,
who did not respond at all, because he was simply – guilty. And there was no
remedy for him. Snakes, serpents are peculiar creatures. Their means of
locomotion is more like an amoeba than an animal. They are widespread over the
earth, a reminder almost everywhere that God’s judgment is upon this world. The
serpent is a symbol of medicine and also has been the representation of many
non-Christian religions.
The power behind this animal was judged in the manner
described in this verse. Satan, who had walked in the heavenly places, who had
seen God with unveiled face, was somehow cast down, reduced in his abilities. He
was limited to this earth, which to us is a large place, and to this universe,
with seems limitless to us, but for Satan, who had known so much more,
possession of this place is like an insult.
Verse 15. "And I will put enmity between you and the
woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and
you shall bruise him on the heel."
Those who deny the existence of the supernatural, make a
great mistake. There is a great war that has been in progress for millennia. A
fierce battle raged at the time of this verse. God fires “bullets” of faith and the
enemy counterattacks with unbelief. We are like persons who lived in Europe
or on many Pacific islands during World War II. It would have been impossible for residents to deny that a
war was going on. It’s also extremely difficult to deny that a supernatural war is
occurring all around us today, but many try.
The Lord Himself is the “Seed” of the woman, which is
singular, not "seeds." He is the One called the Messiah or Christ, the anointed
One of God. Those who have faith in Him are on one side; the enemy is on the
other. The Lord was to be bruised “on the heel” on the cross, and it is certain
that the enemy will be utterly defeated (bruised “on the head”). In this war, we are on
one side or the other. Like civilians in Europe, during World War II, neutrality
is not possible, and God will not bless our attempts to be neutral in this
centuries-old battle for the people of planet earth.
Lord, You have come to earth and triumphed over evil. The
enemy often seems to be doing well, but his doom is sure and You are the Victor, now and
forever. Thank You for sharing Your victory with those who place their faith
in You. Forgive us our sins - we trust in You now, and PRAISE Your Holy Name. In Jesus
Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study – Genesis 3:16-20
Verse 16. “To the woman He said, 'I will greatly
multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you will bring forth children; yet
your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.'"
We do not know what childbirth would have been like if
Adam and Eve had not sinned as they did just moments in time before this verse. The whole process
of procreation and generation suddenly acquired very negative overtones. To have
a child would bring her great pain, and yet she would contribute to the process
by desiring her husband. It is likely, however, that humanity in its sinful
state, would have somehow disobeyed
God’s command that they “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28), except for
the powerful urgency God placed into the human race, as reflected in this verse.
No matter how much the women of humanity have tried to
escape this process, most have lived lives of pain and subordination. The great
majority of
husbands have been unable to effectively lead, and yet it says in this verse,
“he will rule over you.” Eve took the lead by giving the fruit to Adam (Genesis
3:6), and now he would be commanded to lead, but there is only one way he could
do the job – he was shown to be insufficient as a leader, and so the husband must look to
the Lord for help. The
woman needs to look to the Lord also, for both leadership and submission require
great strength. Both men and women must look to the Creator and let Him be the true
Leader of us all.
Verse 17. "Then to Adam He said, "Because you have
listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I
commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; cursed is the ground because
of you; in toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.”
Adam was supposed to lead his wife in God’s will,
effectively, justly, in utter love, and for the benefit of all. Instead, he
“listened to the voice of (his)
wife” as is so typical for many men today. She
SHOULD be listened to, but in this instance, she advocated a course of action
that led them and the rest of us into a terrible fate – we would die. It was
the worst possible time for him to follow, but he did follow his wife. And he knew better. Paul, in 1 Timothy 2:14,
reports about this event that “Adam was not deceived.” The woman was, but he
was not. He knew better and he made a poor, deadly choice.
Reading about this incident, it’s no wonder that women
have difficulty responding to the leadership of husbands. He subtly looks to her to
make all the decisions and then he takes the credit if things work out. He comes
home from work, takes off his shoes and watches television. These days, the wife
works all day, too, but then she prepares dinner and helps the children with
homework. Just like Adam, men have shirked compassionate leadership, and like
the Lord says, “Cursed is the ground,” cursed is life
on earth, “because of you.”
Verse 18. "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for
you; and you will eat the plants of the field;”
These “thorns and thistles” should sound familiar to us
all. It’s true in the farmer’s field, but it is also true of every other kind of
work as well. Governments, corporations, the military, businesses, religions,
organizations, hospitals, fraternal groups, sports groups; every human activity
on earth contains the “thorns and thistles” of this verse. “Whatever can go
wrong will go wrong” is an old saying that is real for every one of us.
As Genesis 1:26 and its context reveals, mankind was
destined to “have dominion,” to RULE over creation. Also it was God’s intention
that every kind of need, including food and nutrition was to be met without any
effort or failures on our part. As it says in places like Genesis 2:9, “the Lord God made
every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” We
needed - nothing! But now, all
of a sudden, mankind would have to plant crops and WORK for everything,
and the more creatively technological we become, the more frustrating life gets,
producing these “thorns and thistles” that corrupt our best efforts.
Verse 19. "by the sweat of your face you will eat bread,
till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return."
A major preoccupation of people everywhere has been to
achieve a condition called the “leisure life.” Money was invented as a tool of
exchange to make life easier, replacing the older barter system that had proved
to be cumbersome. The answer to the question, how does the miner swap his metal
for a fair amount of the farmer’s food? was partially first solved by the
invention of money and then another method was brought into being through the
extension of credit. But somehow, every new idea contains more problems.
Most people live lives of quiet desperation, going
moment-to-moment “by the sweat of (their) face.” Some acquire enough money to
feel somewhat safe in certain areas, but other problems emerge in life and the
“safe” places in life are illusory and don’t last. We are “dust,” which makes
physical death possible, and it is both a judgment and a blessing, redeeming us
from earthly frustration and opening the way to eternal rescue through trust in the Lord. Jesus said, “Come unto Me, all who labor and are
heavy laden and I will give you rest” – forever (Matthew 11:28).
Verse 20. "Now the man called his wife's name Eve,
because she was the mother of all the living.
There is a curse upon all mankind that came about
because Adam became a milquetoast, accepting bad advice from his wife, instead
of responding to the Lord and trusting in His Word. Therefore it is ironic that
he called his wife’s name “Eve,” a name which means “life,” because she was a
direct cause of the death that came to all mankind. And yet, as it says in this
verse, Eve indeed “was the mother” of everyone who has ever lived. Note though
that Adam’s choice of the name “Eve” also shows that he indeed did have FAITH in
God’s promise that she would bear children, including the “Seed” who would
defeat Satan (Genesis 3:16).
Many people have feelings of a lack of identity. The
death of a loved one, the loss of a job, and poor health can lead to such
feelings, and many orphans long to find the identity of their blood parents.
“Who am I” is a cry of the heart. This verse is intended as a comfort to those
who feel alienated, for it tells us who we are. The truth is that all of us in
humanity are one people. You have one set of ultimate ancestors and their names
are Adam and Eve. No matter how different we may seem to be, we are all humans
descended from those two people. And you have an even better identity in Christ
- "The first man, Adam, became a living being; the last Adam became a
life-giving Spirit" (1 Corinthians 15:45-49). You become an integral part of the
God’s
family when you trust in the Lord.
Father, we entrust ourselves to You. Our
efforts to find safety and purpose in life through our own efforts have failed.
Only You can save us. Forgive us our sins and fill us with Your Spirit.
Enable us to receive Your Son, Your Word, now and forever. We thank You
and praise Your Holy Name. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study – Genesis 3:21-24
Verse 21. "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam
and his wife, and clothed them.”
In Genesis 3:7-8, we saw Adam and Eve sewing fig leaves
together in an attempt to make loincloths so they might hide themselves from one
another and from God. Notice that it was the reproductive parts of their bodies
that they attempted to conceal. They did not hide their faces in shame as we might
expect, but instead they hid the parts of their bodies that would be used to
bring the rest of humanity into life on this earth.
Also note in Genesis 2:1-2, that God “rested… from all His
work that He had done,” but here He is, WORKING by providing more durable
coverings for the man and his wife. Actually, when God “rested” in Genesis 2:1,
it simply meant that all creation was complete. At that moment there was nothing
more to do. In this verse, God announced that He was preparing a new work that
would result in our salvation. And what is our part in this? – “This is the work
of God, that you BELIEVE in Him whom He has sent” (John 6:29). We
are to receive the work God has done for us and "believe"
in the Lord.
Verse 22. "Then the Lord God said, 'Behold, the man has
become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his
hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever –”
One of the Persons that together are God now spoke to
another. We can wonder if Moses, the man who later wrote down these words,
thought about the nature of the word “Us” in this verse.
Did God give him
understanding that God is One and yet is also even more? Who and what do YOU
think God is? Our correct answer to that question will help us understand a lot
more about God and His Word.
The perceptions of humanity had changed as the result of
our sin. I say “our sin” because a basic flaw in us all was revealed by the
actions of our earliest ancestors. We as a people grew in information at the
moment when we fell as a people, but even
though our perceptions were enlarged, our understanding became distorted. We
were changed from gentle, trusting people into suspicious, judgmental creatures.
The “tree of life” was taken from us so that 1) we would not wretchedly live
forever in our sin, and 2) we would, in our limited existence, see our need of
God.
Verse 23. "therefore the Lord God sent him out from the
garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.”
Because of the reasons stated in Verse 22, mankind (as
represented by the man, Adam, and the woman, Eve), was cast out of the wonderful
place that God made for us. You may be interested that a group of 72-Jewish
scholars in Egypt set about to translate the Old Testament from the Hebrew,
a dying language at the time, into the modern Greek of 200 BC. Their
work was called the “Septuagint” (Greek for “Seventy”). They came to the Garden
of Eden in Genesis and struggled to translate “Eden,” ultimately choosing “Paradiso,”
the Greek word we translate as “paradise.” Later in time, when Jesus spoke to
the repentant thief on the next cross to Him, He said, “This day you will be
with Me in ‘Paradiso,’" which is Paradise, the Garden of Eden. Through
God's grace, we will return to
the place that was lost to us - our true home.
Our ancestors were now cast out into the blood, sweat
and tears of the world as we know it. Adam was originally built from the 14-or
so elements of the "dust of the ground" of the
planet we live on (Genesis 2:7), and now he
would scratch out an existence from the very dust from which he was formed.
And instead of fruit trees everywhere that provided all the enjoyable food and
nutrition needed, he must now “cultivate the ground” and drag from it the crops
that provided merely partial nutrition; won only after great and
frustrating effort.
Verse 24. "So He drove the man out; and at the east of
the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned
every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.”
Once you’ve had something pleasant like high income,
good health, a fine home, a great family or an excellent reputation, it’s hard
to lose it and go back to something less. Adam and Eve lost more than we
will ever know until we meet them in eternity. They had been eternally young,
enjoyed effortless work, had all the wonderful free food they wanted without
having to prepare it, and perhaps best of all, they had no guilt or any fear.
They also didn’t even know that such a thing as disease or death could exist,
and for them it did not. When they sinned and were driven out, they did indeed
lose more than any of us can understand.
The word “cherubim” in this verse is in the plural. An
unknown number of these awesome, dangerous creatures stand guard at the entrance
to the Garden of Eden, faithfully defending it to this very day. One description
of these large beings is found in Ezekiel 10. We see in that place that they have multiple wings, locomotion by wheels
within wheels that change direction without turning, four faces each and something
like human hands.
In Ezekiel 28:11 & forward, Satan, the power behind the
king of Tyre and other tyrants of history, was addressed by the prophet and we
learn what he did before he became the enemy of all that is good – he was a
“guardian cherub” at the “mountain of God” (Ezekiel 28:16). He had been part of
the “cherubim” of God until he rebelled. In Revelation 22:2 & context, by the
way, we learn that the Garden of Eden is open to us through Christ Jesus, and
the "trees of life" (plural) will be returned to those who trust in Him.
Father, we trust in You now, through Your Son, Jesus
Christ. Forgive us our sins and fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Open
Your Word to us that we may grow in faith and understanding. We love You,
Lord, and praise Your Holy Name. In Jesus Name. Amen.
