Genesis 3

The Fall of Man ● Most important chapter of Bible? ● Pivot of the Bible ● Signficant event between Gen 1-2 and Gen 4-11

Genesis 3 The Fall of Man Gen 1-2 ● Man in innocence ● Perfect creation ● Fellowship between God & man

The Fall of Man Gen 4-11 Jealousy, Anger, Murder, Lying, Wickedness, Corruption, Rebellion, Judgement Genesis 3

Serpent Casts Doubt Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" Genesis 3

Why Temptation? ● Man was created innocent ● Man was not created righteous Genesis 3

Righteousness Innocence maintained in the presence of temptation Genesis 3

Temptation ● Either develops you ● Or destroys you ● It will do one of the two ● Character must be developed ● It is developed facing temptation Genesis 3

Temptation ● Man was created a responsible being ● To glorify, obey, serve ● To be subject to divine government Genesis 3

Temptation ● God was not arbitrary ● Condition was not limiting ● God did not plan on man starving ● He gave man plenty of food ● Did not need to eat forbidden fruit Genesis 3

Serpent ● Where did he come from? ● How did he get into the garden? Genesis 3

Serpent ● Perhaps not a slithering creature ● Not told how he got there ● Just told that he got there Genesis 3

Serpent ● Creature used of Satan ● Satan used him ● 2 Cor 11:14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. Genesis 3

Satan ● Revelation says most about him ● Rev 12:9 The great dragon was hurled down— that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Genesis 3

Satan ● Isaiah 14 & Ezekiel 28 ● Origin & motive ● How he became creature that he is Genesis 3

Woman's Response Gen 3:2-3 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " Genesis 3

Why the Woman? ● Why did Satan approach the woman? ● Why not the man? ● God gave Adam the condition ● Eve got it from Adam, second hand Genesis 3

Why the Woman? ● Woman was created finer than man ● More compassion & sympathy ● Probably more open to suggestion ● Nature more inquisitive than man Genesis 3

Why the Woman? ● Satan knew what he was doing ● Very subtle technique ● Casting doubt on the Word of God ● “Did God really say...?”

Genesis 3 Why the Woman? ● Raises a doubt in her mind ● Excites her curiosity ● Appeals to her inquisitiveness

Genesis 3 Woman's Response ● Notice what she adds ● God did not say do not touch ● He said only do not eat

Genesis 3 Serpent Denies Word Gen 3:4-5 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Genesis 3 Serpent Denies Word ● Questions love of God: “If God is good, why this restriction?” ● Implies that God is not righteous “You will not die...”

Genesis 3 Serpent Denies Word ● Questions holiness of God: “You're going to be gods yourselves, so you will only gain from eating the fruit ”

Genesis 3 Eve Added to the Word ● Liberals and atheists subtract ● Cultists add to the Word ● “By faith plus works”

Genesis 3 Faith Plus Works? John 6:29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

Genesis 3 Serpent's Craftiness ● Subtly contradicts God ● Substitute his word for God's ● Romans: obedience of faith ● Faith leads to obedience ● Doubt leads to disobedience

Genesis 3 Disobedience Gen 3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Genesis 3 Serpent's Appeal ● Good for food: Appeal to flesh ● Pleasing to the eye: Appeal to mind ● It will make you wise: Appeal to spirit

Genesis 3 Temptation of Christ ● Matthew 4 ● Mark 1 ● Luke 4

Genesis 3 Temptation of Christ ● Make these stones into bread: Appeal to flesh ● Showed all kingdoms of world: Appeal to mind ● Throw yourself down from temple: Appeal to spirit

Genesis 3 Devil's Tactics ● Have not changed ● Still work well ● We all seem to fall for it

Genesis 3 Devil's Tactics 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Genesis 3 Devil's Tactics ● Lust of the flesh Appeal to flesh ● Lust of the eyes Appeal to mind ● Pride of life Appeal to spirit

Genesis 3 Devil's Tactics Jesus said that these sins of the flesh come out of the heart of man, way down deep. This is where Satan is making his appeal.

Genesis 3 Devil's Tactics This is the method that Satan uses to lead mankind astray. And he succeeded. They were told that they would know good and evil... and what happened?

Genesis 3 References ● J. Vernon McGee Commentary