Thursday: The Consequences
We may be well into eternity before we understand fully how much damage was caused by that one incident at the tree. All that God did during Creation week started to unravel. Relationships that God established were fractured:
Image © Rolf Jansson from GoodSalt.com
between people and God (they hid from Him) , between each other (Adam blamed Eve for his trouble) , and between humans and the environment (the serpent became an enemy, the ground would now produce thorns and thistles, and would only provide food after much human sweat) .
Read Genesis 3:10-19. What did Adam’s and Eve’s excuses reveal about how damaged they had already become?
Notice how God dealt with these excuses. Before God could redeem them, Adam and Eve had to admit responsibility for what they had done; so, God carefully explained to them the results of their individual actions. First, though, the serpent was cursed and would eat dust, be loathed by the woman, and have its head bruised (Gen. 3:14, Gen. 3:15) .
Then the Lord told Eve that she was to experience great pain in childbirth (Gen. 3:16) . Adam, meanwhile, was to toil and sweat for food rather than live as a king (Gen. 3:17-19) .
Adam and Eve were now faced with the choice of either continuing in rebellion or returning to God. Accepting responsibility for their wrong was their first step in returning to God, but even that acknowledgment was not enough to solve the problem caused humanity by sin.
There had to be another way to ensure the future of the human race. So, God provided an animal sacrifice to point to a Savior (Gen. 3:21) . It was a creature, a snake, that had introduced them to sin, loss, and fractured relationships; it would be a creature, a lamb, that would point forward to the Deliverer, who would ensure restoration, reconciliation, and a future (see Gen. 3:15) . However, rather than being regents ruling over the earth, Adam and Eve were now dependent on the earth and each other as never before. “Among the lower creatures Adam had stood as king, and so long as he remained loyal to God, all nature acknowledged his rule; but when he transgressed, this dominion was forfeited.”-Ellen G. White, Education, p. 26.
Immediately after the Fall, we were given hope of salvation. See Genesis 3:15. How can you make that hope your own? How can you learn to rejoice in it, knowing that it applies to you, regardless of your past choices?
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Our confession of heaven's faithfulness, even though our 1st parents fell away: Will be our science and song thru out all. Eternity-so-if we are faithful:-)
Right from the fall of man, God had a redemption plan for us. What a loving and caring God we have.
The questions asked by God in Genesis 3:10-13 are wonderful things!
When Adam and Eve heard Jesus in the garden, they fled and hid themselves. Christ asks His first question as He comes walking, "looking", for His lost children. (It is very much a rescue mission.) He calls out, "Where are you? (Gen 3:9) Let's listen for the tone of His voice. Was it angry? No, it was not angry. Adam finally comes out from his hiding place!
He asks another question of Adam. "Who told you that you were naked?" (Gen 3:11.) [Again, let's be careful to listen for the tone of His voice!] Adam and Eve had both lost the garments of light that had formerly covered them, and they could see that they were naked/exposed. But Christ's question related to something more than their physical exposure. Who told them that they were naked? It was not "flesh and blood" that had revealed to them their true nakedness, but rather, it was the Spirit of God had shown them.
"Have you eaten of the tree..?" (Gen 3:11.) Did God know? Of course. Now it was Adam's opportunity to say something like, "Yes, I have sinned against you, and against heaven... I am no longer worthy to be called your son. I have done what you told me not to do." But no, the first opportunity is missed. Does he say, "I was wrong"? No... he cannot bring himself to say it. "The woman that You gave to be with me," she caused it. How sad! How sad God must have been. Did Jesus weep? Perhaps not in front of them, but yes, I think Jesus wept that day.
Stewart, this is beautiful. I am greatly encouraged.
Of the several consequences or effects which followed from the fall in sin in the Beautiful garden perhaps the most notable was God’s reaction. The Creator commenced a chase of unfaithful humans, which would take the Savior through the garden of agony called Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-39), and lift Him onto a cross at a place called Calvary (John 12:32-33).
That the Supreme Potentate of the universe, One to whom angels bow and cry holy, holy, holy, should fix His affection on fallen humans and pursue the unruly race we may never be able to explain (Isaiah 6:3). Still, of this we may be sure, our Maker and lover wants us back (Jeremiah 31:3). The record of scripture from Genesis 3 through Revelation 20 is an account of recovery and a story of love.
Many on this battered planet called earth are sick and tired of war, hunger, disease, suffering and more. The Creator does not enjoy all this misery, but puts up with it for the time being as the all wise One deems best.
The distressed people yearn for a break from the evil consequences of the fall. Yet none long for the end as much as the Redeemer whose purpose is the restoration of the broken relationship with His beloved. This is realized as His image is restored in mankind (Genesis 1:26-27).
How much do you long to be perfectly whole? How much do you really love Jesus? (John 14:15; 21:15)
It's so good to know that God had put a plan in place as he knew Adam and Eve were going to fall. What a wonderful God we serve.He could have gotten rid of both of them, but the love he had for us is so much greater than anything else. He send His only Son to die for us.All we have to do is obey his commandments and follow him and we shall be resttore when he comes again.What a day that will be.
I cannot wait to sing and praise my Lord face to face through the eternity. Glory, glory to him!
Why was Adman and Eve banished from the Garden of Eden? We are told from the story, lest they eat from the tree of life. But it would seem that the curse that was placed on nature (thorns, bad soil etc.) did not apply to Eden.
"Adam and Eve had chosen the knowledge of evil, and if they ever regained the position they had lost they must regain it under the unfavorable conditions they had brought upon themselves. No longer were they to dwell in Eden, for in its perfection it could not teach them the lessons which it was now essential for them to learn. In unutterable sadness they bade farewell to their beautiful surroundings and went forth to dwell upon the earth, where rested the curse of sin." -Education p. 25/26
Good point Ray, I was glad to read that. It fits with the idea that Eden (in its original purity) was physically, literally, removed from the earth, during the period of Noah's preaching before the flood.
"The pure and lovely garden of Eden, from which our first parents were driven, remained until God purposed to destroy the earth by a flood. God had planted that garden, and especially blessed it; and in His wonderful providence HE WITHDREW IT FROM THE EARTH, and will return it to the earth again, more gloriously adorned than before it was removed from the earth. God purposed to preserve a specimen of His perfect work of creation FREE FROM THE CURSE wherewith He had cursed the earth." (1Spirit of Prophecy p.61, see also Patriarchs & Prophets p.62)
Yes, Eden remained "free from the curse"!
Thank you again for the post.
When i read and think about what caused our first parents to lose out on eden it really pains my heart. Sin is definitely no respecter of persons, what it set out to do it will do. I recognize as Humans we must never lingerie, but keep our stronghold towards Jesus so we can walk on by. When we lingerie we are most likely to get lead astray. Thank you lord for dying on the cross, help me to always listen and to stay at your side. Let me never blame others for my wrong doing.
We have sinned and fallen short to the glory of GOD
May the almighty good Lord forgive us
How can we make the hope Adam and Eve were given of salvation our own?
The leaven—something wholly from without—must be put into the meal before the desired change can be wrought in it. So the grace of God must be received by the sinner before he can be fitted for the kingdom of glory. Check. Matthew 13:33. Give your heart to Christ, surrender to Him your bad habits, believe on Him. Pray, study His Word. He says, "I'm the way,truth and life," believe it. John 14:6.
I'm a little confused. How does the verse Genesis 3:15 give us hope of salvation. Is that supposed to be a different verse there? Someone explain please.
This passage (Genesis 3:15) seems to indicate two aspects of salvation. First, the bruising of Christ`s heal (the ultimate offspring of the woman) would save us from our sins as the Saviour would die a substitutionary death on the cross (Isaiah 53:4-5).
Second, inspite of Chrit`s death on he cross, sin still exists in this world until the head of the serpent is crushed on the final day of judgement (Romans 16:20). Genesis 3:15 is the gospel in a nutshell to be further developed as further revelation has been going on, enfolded in the sanctuary service and the utterances of the prophets.
Regards
Winfried Stolpmann
Praise God for knowing me before being FORMED in my mums womb. Jer.1.5.I am on His mind.so is every1.
God created us to enjoy the works of creation together eternally in eden but he knew man would sin but he himself jesus the creator will come to redeem the world and show the way back to the new jerusalem. We are no longer slaves of sin, we are free to follow the lamb wherever he goes.lets keep praying hard not to fall in temptation.
This may be of interest for some people. It is a thought that relates to God having "placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims", after Adam was driven from the garden. (Gen 3:24)
The angels that God stationed at the entrance to the Garden, were not unknown to Adam and Eve. In fact, of all the angels that had formerly visited and talked with the holy pair, these angelic guards were closest to Adam and his wife. (I think it's something of an understatement to say that they were close friends to Adam and Eve.) And it is a striking concept, for me at least, to think that these angels had tried hardest [of all the angels!] to protect their 'young charges'. Did they feel the tragedy of their fall any more deeply than the other angels? I have no doubt they did - MUCH MORE! (For a reason that will soon become apparent.)
The very ones that were given the responsibility for ensuring that neither Adam, nor Eve, nor any of their children, could go back to their former, beloved, home, had been the SAME ONES appointed as personal guardians for the former, holy pair.
This thought is drawn from (among other things,) this idea :
"The angels who had been appointed to GUARD Adam in his Eden home before his transgression and expulsion from paradise were now appointed to GUARD the gates of paradise and the way of the tree of life, lest he should return and gain access to the tree of life and sin be immortalized." (RH February 24, 1874, par. 16)
Of course Adam could no longer enter the Garden, but I do wonder - was Adam always afraid of the angelic guards? Or could he visit them? I think they (the faithful angels stationed at the entrance to the garden) would have been grateful for such visits!
(I hope I don't offend any of you by saying things like this.)
The first animal offerings are indirectly mentioned in Gen 3:21 where "...the LORD God made coats of skins, and clothed them."
Coats, plural. And skins, plural. An offering was made for both Adam, and for Eve. But who was it that killed the animals? Yes, it was God that "made [the] coats" - the coverings to hide their nakedness, but who was it that KILLED the animals?
It appears that it was Adam himself. The first time he witnessed death, it was his own hand that had brought it. (Years later when the Sanctuary system was instituted in the wilderness, when a person brought an animal to offer, it was not [usually] the priest that killed it on their behalf... it was the person themselves that did the deed.)
"When Adam, according to God's special directions, made an offering for sin, it was to him a most painful ceremony. HIS HAND must be raised to take life, which God alone could give. It was THE FIRST TIME HE HAD WITNESSED DEATH. As he looked upon the bleeding victim, writhing in the agonies of death, he was to look forward by faith to the Son of God, whom the victim prefigured, who was to die man's sacrifice. ... As he was slaying the innocent victim, it seemed to him that he was shedding the blood of the Son of God by his own hand." (EGW)
Humans are masters of the blame game. How many times have we heard someone say, "I am just a product of my environment." I see that society is always looking for an "out" when it comes to personal accountability AND responsibility. The media and marketing industries are only too happy to assist with this. Any negative trait or characteristic is attributed to some syndrome or genetic flaw...you name it.