Connecting Scriptures: Revelation 12:9, John 8:44, Psalm 139:1-12, Isaiah 7:14, Galatians 4:4, Hebrews 2:14, Romans 8:20-22, Psalm 103:14, Romans 5:12, Isaiah 61:10

I woke up this morning and got the coffee maker going.  As I made my way to my seat of bible study, I opened my spiral-bound journaling bible (perfect for notes and lightbulb moments) and I groaned when I saw chapter 3 staring at my face.  It’s not like I didn’t know it was coming.  I guess I am always shocked at how soon in the serenity and perfection of Eden, we see this first, staggering heartbreak enter the world.  I don’t want to look it in the eye because I see the failings and blind reason of Adam and Eve.  It is the chasing of temptation I see in myself.  We have the origin of sin before us today, and if you’ve lived more than two seconds on this place called earth, you don’t need someone to tell you that something is horribly broken here.  It’s palpable.  Mostly, as it’s all we’ve known, we have grown accustomed to the weight of its flesh-grip and shame.  I am left to think of the shock and spiritual pain Adam and Eve must have felt so quickly as the fruit dripped down their chins.  Knowing good and evil, holding that truth is a death blow to the finite.  Only our Good God can know what’s in the darkness and live.

“Did God actually say…”.  Famous beginning words of our enemy, the serpent Satan.  Every lie he has ever told always sounds like this first one.  Lies that question God’s word and authority.  Ones that make the hearer question his eternal character and goodness.  Since they were created in Gods image, this means that Adam and Eve where rational and thoughtful.  The enticement of the serpent made since to Eve, even truthful.  That’s what happens when Gods word is manipulated for personal gain.  Satan spoke half truths to her (your eyes will be opened) and then  like a dangling carrot—you’ll be like God.  What Satan was weaving here was a thread of doubt in her heart.  Does God really love me?  Is He holding out on us?  Is ALL OF EDEN really enough?  Can I trust that what God withholds is for my best?  

Notice the escalation from eating the fruit to hiding in the garden.  As their eyes opened, what they saw was a nightmare.  They took in shame and fear and instantly the stain of sin caused them to see the world differently.  Not in a way that made them smarter, stronger or anything like God.  In a way that caused them to see God as a punisher and each other as enemies.  Can you hear the heaviness of God’s heart in His question and response after finding them cowering among the trees?  I am weeping as I know that while consequences and judgment come, right here we see what sin does to a relationship with God.  He is broken for us.

Here in the curses of sin, we have the first promise.  Verse 15 is the light of hope that all of Israel will hold onto with the birth of every son.  Jesus’ redemption begins right here, as Adam and Eve hang their heads in shame and regret.  Satan and mankind would be at war under the oppression of sin until the coming of the Messiah.  A crushing and wounding is coming, the light at the end of what will be a very long, dark tunnel.

As I ponder Adam and Eves curses, I can see that sin took the joy of their complementary purposes away from them.  Because Eve chased desire and delight, her glorious purpose of motherhood and help meet to Adam would be marred with pain and disunity.  She would pass on to every woman after her an un-satisfaction with her lot—when it was Gods original purpose to have her satisfied in Him forever.  Adam can no longer work and tend creation with worship and fulfillment.  Now he must endure the pressure to perform and keep his family alive.  Labor and achievement will forever be bearing down on every man after him. 

What I want to catch here and to hold onto is God’s actions at the end of the chapter.  Along with the promise of One who will crush the enemy in verse 15, God does two remarkable things for Adam and Eve as they have to leave Eden.  It says in verse 21 that The LORD God made them clothes to wear.  These garments were made of animal skins.  This means God had to kill an animal (first actual death) and cover them in this sacrifice.  In verses 22-24, we see that although Adam and Eve believed God was holding out on them, God mercifully gives them a chance to be free from a sinful world by preventing them from living forever in it.  By barring the way back to Eden and it’s tree of life, they were given a chance to look forward and believe in the promise of Messiah.

Questions for Reflection:

1.  How has this first sin, passed down to you through Adam (Romans 5:12), caused you to question the purposes God has for you?  Have you wondered if God is enough?

2.  What can you know about Gods character in the way He made provision for Adam and Eve at the end of Chapter 3?

3.  How does seeing the prophecy of Jesus in vs. 15 impact you?