After
Adam and Eve sinned, they tried to cover their shame with fig leaves. The
serpent promised that their eyes would be opened but they did not like what
they saw. History very seldom takes sharp left turns, but in this case it took
a sharp U-turn. Instead of having dominion, they were dominated by shame and
guilt, hiding and afraid.
They heard the voice of the LORD
walking in the garden in the cool of the day. The Hebrew word for “cool” is roo-ahk
and is also translated breath or gentle breeze. The gentle voice of God was
calling to them, walking through the garden. But Adam and Eve were afraid
because they followed the lie of not having wisdom, afraid that God was
withholding something from them. Their fears led them to hide from the presence
of the Lord.
God called out, “Adam, where are you?” Genesis
3:9. This question would continue to ring throughout the generations to come as
God continued to reach out to sinful, lost, and hiding man. A similar question
was asked in Luke 2:41 – 50 when Joseph and Mary finally found Jesus at the age
of twelve in the Temple discussing God’s word with the teachers of Israel. They
asked him, “Where have you been?” Jesus answered with a question, “Why
were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
What a contrast between Adam hiding from the presence of God and Jesus
remaining in the presence of the Father completely unaware of his absence from
his parents.
When Adam was confronted with his sin,
he immediately blamed God, “…the woman whom you gave to be with me, she
gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” Genesis 3:12. Blaming others
for what you are responsible for is an example of a total lack of personal
leadership. It reveals fear, insecurity, shame, and an unwillingness to own it,
learn from it, and correct it. Eve followed Adam’s poor leadership example by
doing the same thing. She blamed the serpent.
The conversation that God had with the
serpent at this point it the first declaration of the gospel in the Bible; “I
will put enmity between your seed and her Seed; he shall bruise your head and
you shall bruise his heel.” The word “seed” is the Hebrew word zehrah.
Of the 229 times it is used in the Old Testament, 221 times it is translated
“seed.” The word “seed” is the best translation of this word. Man has seed, but
woman does not have seed, until the virgin Mary conceived and gave birth to our
Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN.
Adam and Eve overheard the good news
that God would one day crush the head of the serpent, by a Child to be born to
the woman. They believed and began having children. The fifth chapter of
Genesis records the faith and hope in the line of Seth to this word from God.
Compare the achievements of Cain and his offspring in Genesis chapter four to
the activities of Seth and his offspring in chapter five. Here is a hint:
according to Genesis 5:4 – 32 all they did was …lived, had a son, named him…had
other sons and daughters, then died…” They were waiting and looking for
the promised Seed of the woman who would conquer and prevail over Satan.
From this lesson, take note of your
urge to blame others for the things you are responsible for and know that this
must be corrected. According to God’s word, confess your sins by apologizing to
God, thanking him for the forgiveness purchased by the blood of Jesus, and
asking the Holy Spirit to teach you to overcome that temptation and learn to
follow God’s word in his way, his truth, and his life.
Memorize and chew on this word today, “Teach
me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your
name.” Psalm 86:11
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