GENESIS 3

SIN ENTERS THE WORLD + GOD OFFERS A GLIMPSE OF HIS PLAN FOR RESTORATION

In the garden is a serpent, who is crafty and wicked. The serpent appears to Eve and questions God’s words, asking her “Did God actually say you shall not eat of any tree in the garden?” The serpent tests Eve’s knowledge of God’s word and wants to cause confusion. 

Eve is intrigued by the fruit because it is beautiful in appearance and the serpent tells her the fruit will make her like God, knowing what is good and what is evil. 

Eve believes God is holding out on her, questions His goodness, and decides she would make a better god than God. Unfortunately, we will see this happen in the lives of many humans at various times throughout scripture. 

Eve eats the fruit, giving some to Adam as well. After eating the fruit, their eyes are opened to the sin that entered the world. They become aware of their own nakedness, and they are ashamed. They cover their nakedness with fig leaves and hide from God in the garden. 

God calls out to them, asking them “Where are you?” God asks this question not because He doesn’t know, but because He wants to be near them, even in their sin. This is a beautiful display of God’s character and response to us in sin.

Adam and Eve tell God that they hid because of their nakedness. Because there was no shame before sin, we can be confident that shame does not come from God. As creations made in God’s image, we were not designed to know shame or carry the weight of sin. 

God asks, “Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” Adam blames Eve for the sin, and Eve blames the serpent. God curses the serpent, saying “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall crush your head and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). This verse is the very first prophecy of Jesus, spoken from God Himself. God knows that the serpent and the sin in the world will bruise our heels, but Jesus will ultimately come and defeat sin and death! We will suffer a bruise to the heel, but the enemy will suffer a strike to the head. The battle is already won—the cross was the plan from the beginning!

Adam and Eve are also cursed, making their lives more difficult. God makes Adam and Eve leave the garden, causing separation from Himself. Even in this consequence, God’s kindness is on display. God did not want Adam and Eve to eat from the other tree, the tree of life, and stay in their fallen, sinful state forever. When He sent them out from the Garden of Eden, He was protecting them from spending eternity in sin.

Genesis 3:15 - I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.