2. FIRST FALLEN MAN AND HIS DESCENDANTS (GENESIS 3:1 - 4:16)

In the creation statement declared in Genesis 1:1, there was the creation of angels. God only is Creator of all, both great and small. Christ the Lord created angels and the different order of angels.

Colossians 1:16 "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. Lucifer was a created angel who fell into sin when he desired to be above all and equal with God."

Ezekiel 28:12-15 "You were the seal of perfection ... You were the anointed cherub who covers ... You were perfect in your ways ... till iniquity was found in you."

In Genesis 3 he appears to Eve as a serpent more subtle than any other creature. This serpent was no snake - he is identified in the last book of the Bible with the devil, and Satan, (Revelation 12:9; 20:2 , where the expression 'old serpent' (AV) means in Greek, 'the original serpent'). As a created being he is subject to divine sovereignty. As the enemy of God he tries to dishonour the Lord Jesus Christ by leading men into sin. (Ephesians 2:2; John 8:44 ) How he could appear as a snake so as to tempt, is answered in (2 Corinthians 11:14 ).

Genesis 3:1 "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"

Placing doubts in the mind, inferring - if God loved He would not withhold. We can end such doubts with - I know God really loves me - He gave His Son to die for my sin. Eve correctly pointed out - every tree except one, (Genesis 3:2,3 ).

Genesis 3:4 "Then the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die'".

Comparing what he said with God's word to Adam in Genesis 2:17, it is clear that Satan is lying and contradicting. Satan further suggested that God would be unwilling for them to be like Himself by knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5 ). The devil in his conversation uses ELOHIM, not the divine name YAHWEH. This is because Satan is not, and never will be, in the realm of redemption. Adam knew the difference between good and evil. It would be good to obey God and evil to disobey Him. Satan's suggestion was that man would be better if he knew evil in the sense of committing sin. God knows evil as that which is abhorrent to His holy nature.

1 John 2:16 "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."

The three areas of temptation are the same as in 1 John 2:16.

	She saw that the tree was good for food - this is the "lust of the flesh."
	She saw that it was pleasant to the eyes - this is the "lust of the eyes."
	She saw that it was a tree to be desired to make one wise - this is the "pride of life."

"She took"

James 1:15 "Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full- grown, brings forth death."

"She also gave to her husband and he ate".

1 Timothy 2:14 "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression."

Adam was first in creation - Eve was first in transgression. In Adam all fall. Satan promised their eyes would be opened - but it was only to realise their own embarrassment and shame. (Genesis 3:7 ).

They tried to cover their shame with fig leaves. Before he fell, Adam enjoyed fellowship with God - after, he was afraid to meet God. Differences of temperature did not affect God - He came in the cool of the day, in goodness and grace meeting man when it would be comfortable for him. (Genesis 3:8 ). Guilt makes man hide from God - but ...

Jeremiah 23:24 "'Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?' says the LORD; 'Do I not fill heaven and earth?' says the LORD."

What a picture Genesis 3:9 gives of the hiding sinner, and the seeking Saviour. (Ezekiel 34:11; Luke 19:10; Matthew 9:36 ). God set before Adam the real issue - the sin lay in breaking God's commandment. (Genesis 3:11 ). Adam, like every frightened, guilty sinner, sought to lay the blame on another. (Genesis 3:12 ). He did ultimately confess, 'I did eat'. Confession is the bridge for mercy. (1 John 1:9 ). Eve was made to face the fact of what she had done. (Genesis 3:13 ). Sin shows itself in acts in everyday life.

1 John 3:7,8 " ... He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning ..."

She passed on the blame to the tempter, rightly saying he had 'deceived' her - but confessed her sin. No question is asked of the serpent because redemption and restoration are impossible, and Satan was already a fallen being. The serpent is cursed (Genesis 3:14 ). The devil was degraded - sin always degrades - the devil eats dust, picturing his humiliation and defeat.

Genesis 3:15 contains the first promise and prophecy of redemption, outlining two main features - the suffering Christ and the glory that would follow. (1 Peter 1:11 ). Verse 15 was spoken to the devil. Man truly benefits and redemption has repercussions and consequences beyond the human race. The cross meant defeat of the devil, and deliverance of creation from his deadly grip and blighting power. (1 John 3:8; Romans 8:20:21; Colossians 2:15. ) The promise of redemption was made immediately upon the fall of man. The Friend of sinners stood in Eden that day.

The devil's seed is all unrepentant, unconverted humanity - the first was Cain (John 8:44. 1 John 3:8 ). The seed of the woman in its first meaning is Christ (Galatians 3:16, 4:4 ), and the second meaning is redeemed humanity, the family of God. (Psalm 24:6 ) accounted to the Lord for a generation. (Psalm 22:30 ). It should not surprise the regenerate that they are hated of the world. (John 15:18 ).

Judgment fell on what was uniquely hers as a woman as a suitable helper (Genesis 2:20 ). Pains in child-bearing - and dependence on her husband for fulfilment of her desire. Man's dominance is a result of the Fall. The good news of Jesus brings to the family, mutual submission.

Ephesians 5:21 "Submitting to one another in the fear of God."

Relationships in the Christian household are based on mutual submission and reverence for God. Such submission is one of the evidences of the Spirit-filled life. (Ephesians 5:18-21. )

Work before the Fall was truly pleasurable and rewarding. As a consequence of the Fall man was condemned to exhausting labour because of the curse on the ground (Genesis 3:17 ). Now anxiety, pressure, lack of respite, physical tiredness, came into Adam's work.

Proverbs 13:15 "Good understanding gains favour, but the way of the unfaithful is hard."

Weeds in the garden and weeds in the heart all provide evidence of the fall of man. (Hebrews 6:7,8 ).

Death of the body is a universal evidence of the Fall (Romans 6:23 ). It would seem the proper place for burial is the ground - lack of burial of course, does not affect resurrection (Revelation 20:13 ). The Bible regards refusal to bury as lack of reverence. (Jeremiah 22:19; 36:30. )

The naming of Eve is significant, and is in contrast to death (Genesis 3:20 ) in verse 19. It is obviously she who is the ancestress of the human race - in her lay the hope of her children, living through the coming seed Christ - she was the mother of all living.

God not only killed the animal, wove the coats and presented them to Adam and Eve - He actually clothed them. Gone were the threadbare fig-leaf aprons of self-effort. They were clothed with God's provision (Hebrews 9:22 ). God's provision for our salvation was the precious blood of Christ. (1 Peter 1:18-20 ).

Barring fallen man from the tree of life was a decision of the Godhead. The believer may eat of it now by faith, (John 6:54 ). And one day in his glorified body, will enjoy its fruit forever. (Revelation 2:7 ).

It is important to study Genesis biographically - the book is so rich in character studies. Typical means people and things in the Old Testament are referred to again and again in the New Testament. For example:

ADAM who is a type of Him who was to come (Romans 5:14 ).

The first TABERNACLE. It was symbolic for the present time (Hebrews 9:8,9 ).

NOAH. There is also an anti-type which now saves us (1 Peter 3:20,21 ).

Received him [ISAAC] in a figurative sense [from the dead] (Hebrews 11:19 ).

Baxter lays down two important rules of interpretation: "First: No doctrine or theory should ever be built upon a type or types independently of direct teaching elsewhere in Scripture - their purpose is to illustrate, not formulate. Second: The parallelism between type and anti-type should not be pressed to fanciful extremes. Types are not meant to be exact replicas of those things they typify."

QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

1. Do you know who the tempter was? He appeared as a snake so as to tempt. Can he take on other deceptive appearances and so deceive you?
2. In the light of 1 John 2:16 would you say the three areas of temptation in Eden are the areas in which Satan appeals today?
3. What makes man hide from God?
4. Is hiding from God really possible?
5. Man as a sinner hides, but God as a Saviour seeks. When did Jesus find you, and where?
6. Why do you think God chose the cool of the day to meet with man? What do you learn about God from this?
7. What do you see about yourself in the responses of Adam and Eve to God's questions?
8. How would you explain "your seed" (the devil's), and her seed (Eve's), and the significance for you?
9. What were the consequences of the fall for the woman? For the man? And for all outside Christ?
10. God provided clothing for the sinning pair. What provision has God made for your sin?
11. Who made the decision to keep rebellious man from the tree of life? Who gives you life? (John 3:14, 15).
12. Will the fruit of the tree of life be available in the future? (Revelation 22:2).
13. Upon whom do you feed now in faith?