Genesis 3

Even when given everything, man is still susceptible to temptation. Genesis 3 teaches a lot of very important lessons about the result of sin and the impact that it has on our relationship with God and with each other. 

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SPEAKER_01 0:06

Thank you for listening to Cultivating Growth. We have been spending time this month, the very beginning of your Bibles, Genesis chapters 1, 2, and 3. In the last couple of weeks, we've covered Genesis chapter 1 and 2, the beginnings of many, many things. And now we'll spend some time in conversation about Genesis chapter 3, also the beginnings of several important uh things and key component components. So I'm looking forward to this conversation. So let's get to it.

SPEAKER_00 0:41

Well, you mentioned all three of these chapters we've been talking about this month speak to beginnings, and uh sadly, here in Genesis chapter 3, we see the beginning of sin and temptation, and that that really is going to dominate our discussion today. We we left off last week with uh the joyous occasion of the completion of creation and God resting on the seventh day and his establishment of the marriage relationship after creating Eve for Adam. And we really left everything in this beautiful, harmonious place where man and woman were together with God in this beautiful creation that he has given them dominion over. Everything was everything was good. And that's where God left man. He created it all for him, handed it over to him, and desired for man and woman to live in harmony with him. That that was God's design, and that was God's desire for his creation. And sadly, what we see in Genesis chapter three, and sadly what we see in the continuation of mankind's story, is that we're really good at messing all that up. And that's really what ends up happening here in Genesis chapter three, but it begins with this interaction that Eve has with the serpent. And it's a story that when you read it, it's very visual, it challenges the imagination a little bit to kind of conjure in your head what exactly is transpiring here as this serpent begins speaking. Uh it certainly uh is an odd story, but it is one that really highlights how Satan goes about tempting man, and it is something that uh we certainly see continuing throughout the biblical story and throughout w the world as Satan lies and Satan tries to convince man and woman alike that they need something other than God to fulfill their life and to make them happy.

SPEAKER_01 2:47

Yeah, you know, if you didn't know that Satan was the serpent here in Genesis chapter three, uh the entirety of the biblical narrative certainly points to that many, many times. Even in the uh kind of the curses that will be dropped upon the certain will pop up multiple times throughout scripture. But I do think it's interesting as we kind of look back, you know, we talked about a couple of weeks ago as Genesis chapter one in a lot of ways introduces us to God. And we talked about that and and what we learn in that introduction. We learn of his love, we learn of his order, we certainly learn of his power, uh, we see those things as we're introduced to God, we learn some things about him. Well, here in Genesis chapter three, we're introduced to Satan, and we immediately learn really important things about him. And I think one of the most important things that we can learn from Genesis chapter three when we're introduced to Satan is that the literal first recorded words that we have in Genesis chapter three from the serpent, from Satan is a lie. And so that established teaches us in a lot of ways, I mean, again, the Bible will make that point over and over and over that that he operates with deception, he operates in deceiving, he operates as a liar. That that's how he operates. And as we're introduced to him here in Genesis chapter 3, we are introduced to him as a liar from the get-go.

SPEAKER_00 4:15

And and you see that what he says right out of the gate. You know, did God tell you you can't eat of every tree in the garden? And Eve explains to him what God has said about the one tree that they're not to eat of. And then essentially Satan goes on to say, Yeah, that that's not true. You know, God told you you die if you eat that. That's just not true. He literally is just lying. I mean, that that is what he's doing here. It's not even necessarily all that convincing. He's just saying, believe me instead of God. That's essentially what he's asking Eve to do. But but then he goes on and he starts to build on this, and I think as as you read through this interaction that Satan has with Eve, she is trying to convince them that they need something other than what God has provided for them. And that is at the root of every temptation that mankind has ever faced. Satan tries to convince mankind that you need something else, that God is not enough, that he hasn't given you all that you need, or that he's holding you back in some way. He's trying to convince them, and this is a situation with Adam and Eve, God's literally given them everything. Like quite literally, he's given them everything. He's created the world and he's handed it over to them. But Satan is still trying to convince them that there's something else, you need something more, this isn't enough, you can have more. And that it's just such a a micros a microcosm of what Sinim temptation is still today. Because anytime we're tempted, it essentially is coming from the same origins that there is something more that we need or that we desire, something that God Himself cannot or will not or has not provided for us.

SPEAKER_01 6:10

Yeah, something he's holding uh back from us, and he's doing so in some nefarious way almost. That, hey, you could take part in this, and God knows it's gonna be great, but he just doesn't want you because he doesn't want you to. Or it's gonna be super fun, or it's gonna be super enjoyable, or you're gonna get incredible happiness, or people are gonna really, really like you. I mean, you can go on and on about all of those things, and it it really comes down to deception and lies, bold face, right to right to you lies, like we have here in Genesis chapter three, and and all of it is going to center around God is keeping you from something, or God is holding back something from you. And so you have that, you know, really great verse that really teaches us what temptation is in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 6, when it has the woman saw that the tree was good for food, it was pleasant to the eyes, it was desirable to make one wise, and so she takes it and she eats it. And so you you have Satan pointing her in this direction. Man, that stuff looks good. Yeah. And God knows it looks good, but he was keeping it all for himself or whatever reason you know it is, it's gonna it's gonna cause you incredible joy, and you're gonna love it, and God knows that you're gonna love it, but he's gonna he's just keeping you from it for whatever reason, and and you start to you start to feed on those kinds of things, no pun intended, and then and and then you're you're diving in. Yeah. And that's exactly what happens to to Eve and then to Adam, uh, almost immediately they fall for the deception. Yeah. And they dive right in.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

I've heard I've heard the question posed many times over the years. Why why did God put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden? Wasn't he just setting them up for failure? Why even put that there as an option for them? Was he placing temptation in front of them? And though those questions are are interesting ones to ponder, and obviously we can't get necessarily into God's head to to determine all of his reasons. But one thing that we see from the beginning in Genesis three and what we see continue on throughout the rest of mankind's history, is that God has always wanted mankind to choose him. And in order for us to be able to choose God, then there has to be something else to also choose between.

SPEAKER_01 8:38

Yeah, there has to be a choice to be made.

SPEAKER_00 8:40

There has to be a choice. And that's what God has always wanted from and that's what he still wants from every single person that walks the earth today. He wants us to choose him. And Adam and Eve needed to make that decision as well. It wasn't enough that God created them and gave them this garden. He needed them to want a relationship with him. He needed them to choose him, and so the tree of the knowledge of good and evil presented the opportunity for Adam and Eve to choose God and to say, I trust my creator, and I want the relationship with him that he's offering me. And Satan came along and said, Okay, I want to give you another choice. And now mankind is faced with a decision, and it's the same decision that we all are faced with. And we see how Adam and Eve respond to that, and again, sadly, it's how all mankind has responded at some point or another, where we choose the the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes over God, and and that's exactly what they did. But that choice is really what God desires for his creation, is to see that choice being made, to choose him over these fleshly desires.

SPEAKER_01 9:55

Yeah, and what is going to then happen in Genesis chapter 3 is you're going to you're going to see a foundational point be made about what sin is all about, is that when sin occurs, there is shame, there is separation, and there is punishment. And you'll see those same things play out, you know, throughout uh the rest of the Bible. I think there's an interesting kind of contrast between chapter two and verse 25 and chapter three and verse seven. I think sometimes you read chapter two and verse twenty-five, and it just seems almost out of place. I mean, he's made mention of marriage, and you know, certainly verse 24 of chapter two makes good sense. But then you have verse 25, and they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. And sometimes you might be like, Well, that what is what does that have to do with a weird detail? What does that have to do with anything? Well, it's setting up this baseline because of what happens in chapter 3 and verse 7, where you now the eyes of both of them are open, they knew that they were naked, and now they're covering themselves up. Ultimately, verse 8, they're hiding from God. Well, now what has occurred, you had no shame before, but now there is shame, and what has happened in between? Well, sin. Sin brings about shame. And so you have this foundational principle that then is added to in this chapter that sin brings about punishment. Sin brings about separation, and that is the exact same lesson I think about sin really outset, and God is teaching us that literally from the very beginning.

SPEAKER_00 11:31

Yeah, you're you're so right. This is such an important passage to establish what sin is and the consequences and really the devastation of sin. It not only brings about shame, it brings about separation between us and God, it also begins to sow discord between man and woman. Because when God confronts them about this, what does Adam say? Verse 12, the woman you who you gave me to be with, she gave me of the tree and I ate. There is now discord between Adam and Eve. And so not only has sin created shame between them, not only has sin separated them from them from God, but sin also has brought about separation, animosity between the husband and his wife. And so we can see just that theme of sin separating. That's what it does. It destroys, it separates, it brings distance between entities and people that were supposed to be the closest uh of individuals. And so th we begin to see these consequences of sin that again we're gonna see throughout the biblical narrative, and we still see that today, but it is such a stark reminder of just how devastating sin is spiritually and physically, because both of those are seen in this text.

SPEAKER_01 12:54

And when you get to the middle part of this chapter towards the end, you you start to see these punishments now doled out. And there's a couple of interesting things that stand out. I want to start kind of with the serpent, because there's something said that is very messianic. Certainly much, much later. But you know, Adam and Eve, they're gonna receive their punishment, but the serpent as well, and I think that is going to showcase here from the very outset of who really is in control, or who really has the power. I think you you see the same point being made at the very beginning of books like Job, when there's a literal conversation between God and Satan, and Satan taking all of his cues from God and in no way going against anything that God says. He understands who really has the power, and that's what's happening right here. God is the one laying out the punishment, and guess what? Satan can do nothing about it. Right. And that now we're learning as well. Listen, Satan's got some power, he's got influence for sure, but ultimately God holds all of the power because he's the one who doles out the punishment.

SPEAKER_00 14:05

Yeah, and we we see these consequences that are laid out, uh, both as you mentioned to the serpent and then to woman uh in verse uh what is that, verse 16, uh about the pain that she'll experience during childbirth, and then in verses 17 and following as he speaks to man about the ground being cursed and the hardship that will come as a result of that. Again, the consequences of sin that are still resonate even with us today. There was one other aspect of this that somebody pointed this out to me a little while ago, years ago now, probably, but I found it really interesting. In verse 21, there's another consequence to sin that we see, and it's one that I hadn't necessarily thought of before until this individual kind of pointed it out to me. Verse 21, also for Adam and his wife, uh also for Adam and his wife, the Lord made tunics of skin and clothed them. And so you mentioned earlier the shame that came as a result of sin and their nakedness. Well, there's something else that happened here. It certainly seems as if the way that it reads, an animal had to die here in order to cover man. And perhaps there is even some foreshadowing then that's going to take place here as we think about the sacrifices that uh the Israelites would offer as atonement for their sin. And then ultimately the sacrifice that Jesus made, where his blood covers us and forgives us of our sins. And so there's perhaps even some foreshadowing that takes place here about the death of an animal. I don't know how else they would have gotten this tunic of skin. And so that had to take place because of man's sin, so that they could be, in this case, physically covered, but certainly perhaps some foreshadowing that's taking place here about the spiritual nature of sin and sacrifice as well.

SPEAKER_01 15:56

And then, of course, the devastation of sin at the very end of this chapter, you have complete separation now. That this incredible relationship that they had with God in the garden, walking among him, you know, in this very beautiful place, now has been ruined. And they've been cast out to never be able to go back. And all of that comes from sin, and that's what sin does.

SPEAKER_00 16:21

Yeah. As we were talking before we began, I was thinking, and I even referenced it a few minutes ago in 1 John chapter 2. We'll close here for the day, but as we I was reading Genesis chapter 3, uh, the words that John will pin thousands of years later are certainly uh very important and instructive to what we just read about in Genesis chapter three, and so we'll wrap up our conversation in 1 John chapter 2, beginning in verse number 15, and see if you can hear the connection, perhaps, uh, to what we've been discussing today. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

Thank you for listening this week. If you haven't already done so, we'd appreciate it if you would take just a second to subscribe to the podcast, whatever platform you're listening to, rate and review the show so we can continue to spread the good news of Jesus as widely and effectively as possible. Thanks again for joining us this week, and we'll talk again next week.