Chapter 12 of 1163

GENESIS 3

The voice of deception (1–6). Up to this point, God’s word is the only word that has been at work, creating and commanding. Now another “word” enters the scene, the word of Satan, the deceiver. He is a serpent that deceives (2 Cor. 11:1–3), a liar, and a murderer (John 8:44). He questioned God’s word and God’s goodness (v. 1), denied God’s warning (v. 4), and then substituted a lie for God’s truth (v. 5). “You will be like God” is his master lie (Isa. 14:12–14; Rom. 1:21–25), and people still believe it.

Eve was deceived when she ate, but Adam was not; he sinned with his eyes wide open (1 Tim. 2:14). He would rather forfeit his dominion than be separated from his wife.

The voice of love (7–13). Guilt produces fear, and fear makes us want to run and hide. Ordinarily, Adam and Eve would have run to meet God, but they had become sinners (Rom. 3:10–12). Sinners cannot cover their sins by their own works, nor can they hide from God.

The Father sought the lost sinners, as Jesus did when He was on earth (Luke 19:10), and as the Holy Spirit does today through His people (Acts 8:29ff.). God wants to use us to call men and women to salvation (Acts 1:8).

The voice of judgment (14, 16–19). God cursed the serpent and the ground, but He did not curse Adam and Eve. The consequences of man’s fall are all around us, and we suffer because of them. The ultimate judgment is death. Man can overcome a difficult environment to some extent, but he can do nothing about “the last enemy,” death (1 Cor. 15:26). His only victory over death is through faith in Jesus Christ (John 11:25–26; 1 Cor. 15:57–58).

The voice of grace (15, 20–24). In verse 15, God declared war on Satan and gave the first promise of the Redeemer. Satan would bruise Christ’s heel, but Christ would bruise Satan’s head and defeat him (John 12:31; Col. 2:15).

Adam believed the promise that his wife would bear children, and his faith saved him. He called her Eve, which means “life-giver.” In response to their faith, God shed innocent blood and clothed them. The only way sinners can be saved is by faith in the shed blood of Christ (Heb. 9:22; see also Isa. 61:10; Eph. 2:8–9).

Jesus Christ is “the last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45–49). The first Adam’s disobedience plunged us into sin, but the Last Adam’s obedience brought salvation (Rom. 5:12–21). The first Adam was a thief and was cast out of Paradise. The Last Adam told a thief he would enter paradise (Luke 23:43). In Adam we die; in Christ we have eternal life.

Overcoming Temptation

God tests us to bring out the best in us, but Satan tempts us to bring out the worst in us (James 1:1–15). Satan “baits the hook” with what seems good, and we take the bait and end up doing something bad. We can overcome the tempter by having faith and putting on the armor God provides (Eph. 6:10–18), by using the Word of God, by praying, by trusting God for the way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13), and by depending on the power of the Spirit.

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