Gen
3 - The Fall
Adam
and Eve had everything. Personal
fellowship with God ... a perfect marriage with each other ... complete rule, under
God, over the entire creation ... nourishment ... beauty ... security ...
everlasting life. Why would they exchange all of that for a taste of the
forbidden fruit? Would we have done any differently?
How
is this sin unique? How is like all others?
Choices and Consequences
The
crafty serpent. The first question and lie.
What’s
the first question in the Bible? “Has
God indeed said …?”
What’s
the first lie in the Bible? “You will
not surely die!”
The
beginning of sin is the raising of doubt regarding the validity of God and
His Word.
The
heart of the matter: challenge to God’s authority, rule.
Remember,
man’s role is only subordinate ruler over creation.
Because
man is over creation, he can easily forget that he is under God
and accountable to God.
Satan
is the Father of Lies (John 8:44). He attempts to picture God as the liar and
himself as the truth teller.
Why
would anyone ever take Satan’s word over God’s?
Does
Satan still operate in this same way? 2 Cor 11:3, 14; 1 Thess 3:5; 1 Pet 5:8-9
2
Co 11:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent
deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the
simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
2
Co 11:14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises
himself as an angel of light.
1
Th 3:5 For this reason, when I could endure
it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the
tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.
1
Pe 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.
Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone
to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith,
knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your
brethren who are in the world.
What
would you do if you saw a snake? Ignore it and hope it goes away? Run? Get your
shovel or gun? Look at it up close to determine if it is poisonous or not?
Where
did it come from? Why was it crafty?
As
the Bible unfolds it identifies the serpent as the devil.
Why
would it desire to tempt the woman?
If
you have ever watched a snake interact with a mouse, you know how sneaky,
alluring, misleading, and predatory the snake is. And the little mouse, who
could easily run and hide, sits there, mesmerized and hypnotized, fooled into a
false sense of security.
Eve
knew from Adam (2:16-17), but …
“In
the middle of the garden?” “Cannot touch?”
“You
can be like God, know good / evil, not die!”
God-type
independence, equality, and wisdom.
God
knows! (Why won’t He share?)
The
serpent’s words lies – distorted truth.
Who
was at fault? Everyone! Discuss.
Adam
– Rom 5:12-21; Eve – 1 Tim 2:11-15
The
serpent – Rev 12:9; 20:2
Re
12:9 And 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 the earth, and his angels were thrown down with
him.
Re
20:2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the
serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
Eve’s
steps: she listened, responded, considered, saw, rationalized, took, ate,
shared, hid, “died.” Every time one sins, there is some kind of death that
results. Rom 6:23
Adam
did not lead (3:6) but listened (3:17).
Compare
1 Jn 2:15-17; Mt 4:1-11.
Three
areas of temptation: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride
of life.
1
Jn 2:15 Do not love the world nor the things
in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and
the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father,
but is from the world. 17 The
world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God
lives forever.
Consequences:
awareness of nakedness; desire to hide from God; fear of God; shifting blame.
Why
does God ask, “Where are you?”
Gen
3:15 – first promise of the Savior.
Serpent
– Gal 4:4; Rom 16:20; Rev 12:9; 20:2.
Woman
– 1 Tim 2; 1 Cor 11, 14.
Man
– Rom 8:18-25.
NT
– 2 Cor 11:3, 14; 1 Th 3:5
The
tempter, not God, tempts. Mt 4:3; Jas 1:13
But
he only wins if we want what he offers!
Jas
1:13-17
How
can we resist temptation before it comes?
Rom
13:14
Continuing
grace:
Life
continues. “Eve” = “life, living.” Cain, etc.
Note
– all human life descended from Eve.
God
Himself clothes naked sinners.
Continuing
consequences:
Expulsion
from Garden, tree, God’s presence.
Gen
4 - Cain and Abel
Marriage
relationship – still blessed and holy.
“Cain”
= “gotten one.” Conception – God’s gift.
“Abel”
= “Breath, vapor.”
Opposite
in occupation, character, temperament.
Cain:
“of the evil one” by choice. 1 Jn 3:12
No
Calvinism. Neither was born depraved, in sin.
Abel’s
sacrifice: better because he offered it by faith, as God instructed (Heb 11:4).
Faith involves trust, dependence, and allegiance.
Cain,
of the evil one, did not act “by faith.”
Why
was Cain angry, and with whom? How should he deal with his anger? “Do well!”
Again,
no Calvinism. Cain was free to choose.
What
if he refuses to change?
Sin:
person crouching at the door, desiring you!
Master
it, or it will master and destroy you.
Cain
killed Abel because … (multiple answers).
Again,
why does God ask these questions?
“Am
I my brother’s keeper?” Discuss.
Abel’s
blood crying out to God. Heb 12:24
Consequences
for Cain: cursed from the ground; not able to cultivate it; banished as a
vagrant and a wanderer (Heb., nod).
Irony:
the murderer fears being murdered!
Who
might kill Cain? Gen 5:4
Continuing
grace: a mark to protect Cain.
Banished,
yet may live. “Land of Nod” (of Cain).
Marriage.
A son Enoch (“initiation”).
City-building.
Lineage.
Lamech
– two wives, Adah and Zillah.
First
recorded instance of bigamy.
Technological
development.
Jabal:
invented tents, nomadic life of herdsmen.
Jubal:
invented stringed and wind instruments.
Tubal-cain:
invented metallurgy.
Naamah:
sister. Why noted? Reason unstated.
Growing
violence. “77-times vengeance.”
Cain’s
family developed materially, economically … but spiritually? Lamech knew – and
shared – re: Cain’s life. But would he be less violent?
Seth
– “to put in place of” Abel. A fresh start?
First
time since Eden: calling on the LORD.
Through
Seth (Gen 5:1-3) to Christ (Luke 3:38).
The Line of Cain
1. Restlessness apart from God - 4:16
2. Common Grace, Apparent Security - 4:17
3. Cities Dedicated to Man - 4:17
4. Self-reliance, Techn’l Advance - 4:20-22
5. Emphasis on Beauty, Youth, Pleasure -
4:23
6. Success: Aggression, Revenge - 4:23-24
