“So 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 to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6).
God created the world and also a special garden for Adam. God created all the vegetation in the garden. He created bushes, flowers, grass, and several specific and very special trees. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Along with the creation of these trees came a very explicit set of instructions. God told Adam, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). This was no recommendation, suggestion, or a wish, but a command. I’m sure that Adam was happy at this point because He was enjoying God’s presence and God’s place called Eden. At this point, as content as Adam was, he was lonely and God knew it.
Adam was in the garden alone and God gave him Eve. She was more than suitable for Adam. She was perfect for him. God made her specifically for Adam to be his partner and helpmate. When Adam had a need, Eve supplied help and when Eve had a need, Adam helped. They were perfect for each other. I’m sure as they spent more and more time together they loved each other more and more. But, their love for each other wouldn’t change what was about to happen.
Adam and Eve were about to have an encounter in the middle of the garden that would change mankind forever. A cunning and crafty serpent had a conversation with Eve that would test her ability to withstand very significant temptations.
The Setup (Satan’s way of getting into our mind)
Doubt our Memory of God’s Word
First, the serpent questioned the very words of God. The serpent said, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” The serpent actually knew God told Adam and Eve, but wanted to cause doubt in Eve’s mind. Eve responded, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Eve understood God’s instructions.
Doubt the Integrity of God
Second, the serpent attacked the integrity of God. Would God lie? He said, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” And by the way, who doesn’t want to be like God?
So first, the serpent tried to question Eve’s memory of God’s words. Then he went after the integrity of God. It was enough to get Eve at least thinking about eating from the tree. She thought, she pondered, and “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Let’s look at the process.
The Simmer (This is when we begin to think about it)
We begin to rationalize our sin
She saw that it was good for food. I mean, why would God withhold food from mankind? Surely He knew that man needed food to survive. It was about survival and Eve saw that it was good for food!
It was good to the eyes
We generally want things that are appealing to us. No one wants an ugly car. No one wants an ugly house. No one wants an ugly purse. However, I have seen some purses that cause me to question the decision-making of some. Most things we want are actually “eye-appealing” to us. Have you ever noticed that things we don’t have look much better to us than things we do have? I’ve noticed that in my own life and it is a tough thing to overcome. It is a constant struggle to maintain a life of being satisfied with what I have.
It was good to the mind
Knowledge is power! You’ve heard it. I’ve heard it. She wanted to be like God. She saw that the tree might actually make her wise like God.
The Sin (This is when we mess it up)
Here it goes…“she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” The deed was done. Satan set her up, she began to rationalize and ponder, and then she and Adam sinned. The future of mankind was forever changed.
The Exclusion (This is what we forget)
We all tend forget something when we ponder sin. Guess what Eve forgot? She forgot the “neither shall you touch it, lest you die” part. We all want to leave out the consequence part of any instruction. It is much better that way. If you don’t have to think about the consequences, it makes the deed much easier. But wait, just because we block consequences from our minds doesn’t mean that consequences disappear. It’s just the opposite. Consequences happen whether we think about them or not.
Our Problem
Neither Adam nor Eve inherited sin. They were the first among mankind to sin, so there was no inheritance issue. But, as we saw yesterday, we are the ones with an inheritance issue.
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).
Regardless of where the blame lies (of course with Adam), it is still now our problem. We have inherited sin and are primarily sinners because that is our nature. For this reason, apart from regeneration mankind is predisposed to sin. This is our problem. And because we are sinners, our only hope is reconciliation with God. You see, sin separates us from God, and that separation lasts for eternity.
“but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear” (Isaiah 59:2).
We need help. We need hope. Someone sound the alarm! Someone send out the S.O.S. The ship is going down. There is nothing we can do to provide ourselves hope. We can’t plug the holes in our own ship. The good news is God has provided hope for us through His Son, Christ. It is an amazing hope. It is an eternal hope. It is a secured hope. We’ll talk more about that hope tomorrow.