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INTRODUCTION
1. The first three chapters of Genesis tell us the
beginning of many things.
The beginning of the universe, time, life and family;
and also the cause of all the problems of this world.
2. But Satan came and tempted Adam and Eve, and led them
to sin. How did he do it?
I. THE TEMPTATION
1. Satan appeared to Eve in the form of a serpent.
2. At that time, Eve was alone.
a. We know that she was standing by the
forbidden tree.
b. What makes me say this?
(1) Genesis 3:6 suggests that the woman was standing
by the forbidden tree and looking at the fruit.
(2) At that moment, while she was looking at the
fruit, Satan came to tempt her.
3. Notice the steps that led Eve into sin.
a. Satan injected doubt about the Word of God.
(1) “Yea, hath God said?”
(2) Satan said to her “Yea”
Yes (how good it looks) – has God said, “Ye shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?”
(3) He misrepresented God as forbidding Adam and Eve
to eat of every tree in the garden.
(4) Note what Satan injected in Eve’s mind.
He suggested that Eve was missing out something that was
very good. God has kept it away from her.
b. Eve said that they were not to eat or touch the
fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the
garden (v. 3).
(1) Why did Eve identify the tree as being in the
midst of the garden, and not as the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil?
God had prohibited her and her husband from eating the fruit
of that particular tree.
(2) Eve said, “God hath said, Ye shall not eat of
it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die” (v. 3b).
(a) Evidently, Eve fully understood God’s command,
but she added something which God did not say –
“neither shall ye touch it.”
(b) Eve began to feel that God’s command was too
strict, and restrictive.
(c) Then she began to think about the consequence of
the sin.
[1] She lightened the consequences by saying,
“lest ye die” (v. 3c).
[2] This is a very serious offence to God.
We are not to add, change, or subtract God’s
Word (Deut 4:2, 12:32; Prov 30:6; Rev 22:16).
(3) Why did Eve do this?
(a) Her exaggeration revealed what was in her heart.
(b) Her exaggeration revealed her feeling that God’s
prohibition was too stringent.
(c) She had forgotten the goodness of God.
c. Satan flatly contradicted the Word of God.
He told Eve, “Ye shall not surely die” (3:4).
This is a direct contradiction of God’s Word.
d. Satan added to his lie.
(1)
He said, “ye shall be as gods” (3:5c).
That is, by eating of the fruit from the forbidden tree will
bring them into equity with gods.
(2) His point is to oppose the God of goodness.
(3) He would make it appear to Eve that God in
reality is not good at all.
II. THE FALL
Genesis 3:6 says, Eve saw, she took
and ate!
Through the eating of the forbidden fruit, their
eyes would be opened to know the good and evil, that was
true.
But Satan did not reveal that they have no power
to do good.
Eve took the fruit and ate it.
III. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE FALL
1. Adam and Eve died spiritually.
They were separated from God.
a.
God had warned that they would die on the very day
they ate the forbidden fruit, and they did.
b.
The spiritual death took effect immediately.
2. Their conscience and heart became corrupted
(3:7).
a. Satan told Eve “…the day ye eat thereof, then
your eyes shall be opened…” (3:5)
Their eyes were indeed opened.
b. Satan also told Eve that “ye shall be as gods”
(3:5b).
That was a lie.
3. They were afraid, and tried to hide from God.
a. Sin produces both guilt and shame.
b. Adam and Eve felt ashamed because they were
guilty of what they had done.
c. Guilt and fear usually go together.
(1) This explains why they did not want to have
fellowship with God.
Adam said, “I was afraid”
(3:10b).
(2) Man has been doing this ever since.
d. Adam and Eve ran away and hid themselves from
God.
(1) It was God’s habit to appear to Adam and Eve and
have fellowship with them.
(2) But now, Adam and Eve had turned away from God.
IV. THE CALL OF GOD
1. God’s heart was broken.
2. The Call of God.
Genesis 3:9 says “And the LORD God called
unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”
a. Adam did not seek after God.
b. Where art thou?
(1) This was not the call of God seeking
information of Adam.
(2) This was the call of God to stir Adam to
think about where he was.
(3) This was a call of God to salvation.
(a) God called Adam not only to convict him of his
sin but also promised him salvation.
(b) He announced to him the salvation in Genesis
3:15.
CONCLUSION
(1) How is your relationship with God?
(2) God is calling you: “Where art thou?” |
