v.1-13
1. In v.1, the relationship between the serpent and God is clear. The serpent was made by God, but out of the other creatures God had made, the serpent was shrewder. It showed a negative characteristic unlike the others. Sin was not created but came from ourselves.
The relationship between man/woman and God is clearly stated in Genesis. God is our authority and He loves mankind and think of every need that we need and provide us. However, in Genesis, the temptation was surprisingly short and simple and both man and woman fell into it. We easily forget God and ignores His goodness to us.
Why?
2:6 When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it
2. The result of the eating was obviously the focus.
A. God said, "eat...you will surely die" 2:17.
B. Eve said, "must not eat...or else you will die" 3:4 (NET By stating the warning in this way, the woman omits the emphatic infinitive used by God (“you shall surely die,” see 2:17).
C. The serpent said, "Surely you will not die...for God knows that when you eat...your eyes will open...you will be like God." 3:5 (NET-The serpent raises doubts about the integrity of God. He implies that the only reason for the prohibition was that God was protecting the divine domain. If the man and woman were to eat, they would enter into that domain. The temptation is to overstep divinely established boundaries
Eve followed what the serpent said and thought that the fruit was desirable for making one wise (like God).
D. The fact:
v.7-8 Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves...they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the orchard...I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.
(NET-[before the fall, about being naked in 2:25] There is no fear of exploitation, no sense of vulnerability. But after the entrance of sin into the race, nakedness takes on a negative sense. It is then usually connected with the sense of vulnerability, shame, exploitation, and exposure (such as the idea of “uncovering nakedness” either in sexual exploitation or in captivity in war).
Compared with what the serpent said, "Surely you will not die...for God knows that when you eat...your eyes will open...you will be like God."
Compared with what God said, "God said, "eat...you will surely die" 2:17.
When their eyes were open, (1) they felt ashamed, and (2) hid from each other and from God, (3) they blamed God and other party for their own decision, which was not mentioned or different than what the serpent said, but like what God said.
3. Summary and reflection: Serpent lies and not for our good. God is very good to us and tells us the truth that reflects the reality. The choice should not be too hard of whom shall I trust. However, the reality is I also love wisdom like Eve, and took action too quick without consulting my husband or God. Forgetting the good of God to me.
Questions from This morning with God
1/ Characterize the serpent.
Shrewder, telling half truth, a liar. It lies about the integrity of God and the consequences of sins.
2/ How does Eve fall? What is the progression?
She entertained to have a conversation with a creature that was shrewder than others. She was not sure about the truth (re the eating from the tree of the k of g/e), and she added her own opinion about the truth. She received what the serpent said and wanted to be wise. She took action without consulting God or her husband. She forgot all the goodness God has made for them.
3/ How do you respond or react to what God says? Why?
I need to have no doubt of what God said and refuses to listen to lies, because I am also vulnerable as Adam and Eve or more so than they did, because I have a sinful nature and they did not.
4/ What are Adam and Eve's responses to God's sound? How are their responses the normal reaction of all men?
They hid from God. We will all afraid of God from that time on because of our sins.
5/ What difference does this knowledge make in how you witness?
I need to understand the unbeliever that they will be afraid of God and want to hid their sins. I need to pray for them in order to continue to share the Gospel with them, not expecting them will come to church regularly unless the H.S. works in their hearts.
6/ What are their responses to a discovered sin?
Blame others.
7/ What do you blame your sins and problems on?
My background, my ignorance, my parents, and other people.
v.14-24
1. Punishment usually reflects the crime.
To the serpent, its punishment was
(1) to being brought low (v.14b On your belly you will crawl and dust you will eat all the days of your life)
(2) ongoing hostility for generations between the serpent and the woman, and resulting in attacks to each other (strike x2 v.15b,c)
What were the corresponding crimes/sins of the serpent?
(1') When it tempted woman to sin and negated God's command it put itself above God. It was the sin of pride and blasphemy;
(2') The approaching of the serpent to the woman and lead her to have doubt with God's integrity was to separate the relationship of mankind and God. It was the sin of instilling hate between others.
Reflection: Do I like the prideful serpent and try to instill hate between others?
2. Punishments to woman: (1) Pain related to bearing a child, and (2) lost in the power struggle with husband.
Reasons: (1')When woman rejected God's command, she rejected God, Who gave her a blessing to procreate. Now she would face painful child-bearing.
(2')When she gave the fruit to her husband (Adam obeyed her v.17), she rejected her position as a helper made by God to man. She was more like a helper came from the serpent.
Reflection: Do I turn upside the authority status in my family? Am I a helper from the serpent and lead my husband to disobey God?
3. The only one that the crime was stated was Adam: v.17 Because you obeyed your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
Punishment to man: lifelong painful toil to have food to eat (eat x3 v.17, 18, 19) until they die physically. Adam ate the fruit out of obedience to His wife, and disobedience to God Who gave him the abundance out of the ground. The obedience to wife is no laughing matter when it is in opposition to what God said.
Death is the sure consequence of sin, including the sin of disobedience.
4. Extra notes v.15 he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel
NET-"and" a construction that is sometimes used to indicate synchronic action.
Many Christian theologians (going back to Irenaeus) understand v. 15 as the so-called protevangelium, supposedly prophesying Christ’s victory over Satan...In this allegorical approach, the woman’s offspring is initially Cain, then the whole human race, and ultimately Jesus Christ, the offspring (Heb “seed”) of the woman (see Gal 4:4). The offspring of the serpent includes the evil powers and demons of the spirit world, as well as those humans who are in the kingdom of darkness (see John 8:44). According to this view, the passage gives the first hint of the gospel. Satan delivers a crippling blow to the Seed of the woman (Jesus), who in turn delivers a fatal blow to the Serpent (first defeating him through the death and resurrection [1 Cor 15:55–57] and then destroying him in the judgment [Rev 12:7–9; 20:7–10]). However, the grammatical structure of Gen 3:15b does not suggest this view. The repetition of the verb “attack,” as well as the word order, suggests mutual hostility is being depicted, not the defeat of the serpent. If the serpent’s defeat were being portrayed, it is odd that the alleged description of his death comes first in the sentence. If he has already been crushed by the woman’s “Seed,” how can he bruise his heel? To sustain the allegorical view, v. 15b must be translated in one of the following ways: “he will crush your head, even though you attack his heel” (in which case the second clause is concessive) or “he will crush your head as you attack his heel” (the clauses, both of which place the subject before the verb, may indicate synchronic action).
Questions from This morning with God
8/ What is significant about God's words to the serpent, Adam, and Eve?
Punishment and sin corresponded to each other. Because of what they had done God gave them the appropriate punishment (see above)
9/ How is the attitude toward work changed?
It is now a lifelong painful toil
10/ What do you learn here about God's character for which to praise him?
God is righteous. What He said He will do. He knows what we do very well.
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