GENESIS 3

VERSES 9-15

Verse 9 – And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

I.        Not asking to find out where Adam is, but so that Adam will know where he is.

II.     God begins by speaking to Adam first.  He is the head of the family.  I Corinthians 11:3

A.     E. R. A. people probably won't like that statement, but it's still true.

B.     When God saves one partner, he will always save the other.  (Genesis 2:24 - they are one flesh.)  This is not talking about saved people who marry lost people and then expect God to save that lost partner.

III.   God asked the man and woman what they had done, but didn't ask Satan.

A.     There is no redemption for Satan or serpent.

1.      Jude 6 - the judgment for fallen angels is already set.

2.      Isaiah 14:15 - no chance for redemption, but only for judgment.

B.     Shows us there is redemption for Adam and woman, therefore for all mankind.

Verse 10 – And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

I.        The question is not answered.

A.     None of God's questions are answered (verses 9-10; 11-12; 13)

B.     Sinners will stand before God with no answer.

II.     Adam doesn't tell God he has eaten of the forbidden fruit, but instead tells a half-truth (He's following his new father, the Devil).

A.     Says he hid because he was naked, but didn't mention his disobedience.

B.     This is an attempted deception.  This is what lost people try to do.  They just "half" admit that something is wrong, but fail, in their heart, to admit they are disobedient. 

III.   Possible to have a sense of shame about a sinful condition without guilt about the sinful condition. {Like the crook that is ashamed (sorry) he got caught, but not sorry (guilty) about the crime.}

Verse 11 – And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

I.        Who told thee thou wast naked?

A.     Verse 7 - they knew they were naked.  Nobody "told" them.

B.     This is to be compared to Verse 9 - God desiring Adam to admit his sin.

II.     Hast thou eaten of the tree?

A.     A question, not a statement, not an accusation.

B.     Desiring Adam to face his disobedience.

Verse 12 – And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.  Adam's answer -  didn't answer "yes or no" but with an excuse.  (This is admitting guilt!)

I.        Blamed the woman

A.     Genesis 2:18 - God said "not good for man to be alone."

B.     Genesis 2:23-25 - evidently Adam liked the gift God gave to him.

C.     "Passing the buck" - the custom of sinners.

II.     Blamed God - Verse 13, part "B" is same

Verse 13 – And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.  Woman's answer - She didn’t answer yes or no, even though the answer was obvious, but blamed the serpent.  (This is admitting guilt!)

I.        Blamed the serpent. "Passing the buck" - the custom of sinners.

II.     Blamed God

A.     Didn't God create the woman and the serpent?

B.     Didn't God make the Devil and wasn't God aware of his disobedience and judgment?

C.     Didn't God know the devil was in the body of the serpent and was deceiving Adam and the woman?  NOTE: All these things God knows, but this does not lessen man's responsibility.

III.   Learn

A.     Never be brought to sin by those that will not bring us to judgment.

B.     Satan's temptations (which always appear so grand and glittery) are all fallacies, and cheats.  Never believe him!!

C.     James 1:14 - It is our own lusts that cause us to sin.  It does not matter that it is Satan that draws us.

THE CURSE

Genesis 3:14-19 – And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

NOTE: Blessing and Curse equal to responsibility (one verse to the serpent, one to Satan, one to woman and three to Adam.)

CURSING:

1.   Luke 12:48 - (41-48) - much given, much required.

2.   Matthew 11:20-24 - Judgment will be according to witness.

BLESSING  - II Timothy 2:11-13 - God blesses those that suffer for Him (not just suffer).

I.    Cursing:

A.  Serpent - go on belly in dust

B.   Woman - submit to husband (her natural desire)

C.  Man - Hard work because of sin

II.   Blessing:

A.  Serpent

1.   Reveals glory God is trying to give to man.

2.   Shows God's judgment ends only at appointed time (some judgment never ends)

B.   Woman - through the woman - the redeemer will come

C.  Man - Verse 17 - ground cursed "for thy sake" - hard work makes a man tired so they don't have the time or energy to get in trouble.

God questioned Adam and woman, but not the serpent, or Satan.  (No chance for their salvation.)

I.        Verse 14 - The curse upon the serpent

A.     Condemnation for the serpent greater than all other creatures because he played a greater part in the sin.

B.     It is at this point that it is revealed that all the earth is under a curse - even those who didn't sin after the similitude of Adam's transgression.  Romans 5:14.

C.     Go upon thy belly - where he formerly walked upright, (or flew) - in disgrace.

D.     "Eat" dust - not food, but to show defeat to everybody.

Why would God judge an innocent animal?

1.      Not so much punishment as emphasis upon God defeating Satan.

a.       Genesis 9:5, 6 - God requires punishment for all who hurt man, because men are made in the image and likeness of God.

b.      Genesis 6:5-7 - Genesis 7:21-23 - God destroying animals for man's sake, during the flood.

c.       Exodus 21:28 - kill the ox that kills a man.

2.      If God requires us to kill a "dumb" ox that kills a man, should we do any less with a "dumb" man?  Isn't capital punishment correct?

3.      Similar to the man who destroyed the gun his son was shot with and also seeking to destroy the murderer.

II.     Verse 15 - The declaration of what God will do as a result of what Satan did.

A.     Not a curse upon Satan because Satan has already received condemnation and judgment of God.

B.     First gospel proclamation.

C.     Doesn't fully reveal all the particulars of the coming Saviour, but reveals enough to show them the Saviour.

1.      Don't need to understand all details of Bible and Christ to be saved.

2.      Like Old Testament and New Testament people, we'll learn more as we go along.  Note:  Genesis 4:1 - Eve said that Cain was "a man from the Lord."

D.     "I will put" - a sure thing because God does it.

E.      Enmity - hatred

F.      Seed

1.      Generally speaking:  Genesis 6:2 - Sons of God and daughters of men,

a.       Thy seed - all that belongs to Satan.

1)      John 8:44 - ye are of your father the devil.

2)      Matthew 13:24-30 - (verse 38) - Parable of Tares.

b.      Her seed - all that belong to God

1)      Matthew 13:24-30 - (verse 38) - Parable of Tares

2)      John 6:37 - all the Father giveth to me shall come to me.

3)      John 17:9 - Jesus praying for those the Father has given Him.

4)      John 17:20, 21 - Jesus praying for others that will believe (in the future).

2.      Particularity speaking:

a.       Thy seed - the anti-Christ.

1)      Luke 4:6 - Satan given his kingdom to whomsoever he will.

2)      Revelation 13:4-6 - worshipping dragon that gives power to beast.

3)      Revelation 19:19 - beast (anti-Christ) cast into the Lake of Fire.

b.      Her seed - Jesus Christ.

1)      God didn't tell which woman, therefore Satan couldn't have known until God revealed it to His prophet.  This was not clearly understood at the beginning.  Genesis 4:1 - Eve was mistaken.  She was not a virgin, yet she expected the child to be the Saviour.  I believe Adam and Eve was looking for the promised child to come from the woman, but it was not yet revealed that a man would not be involved in the birth.  Therefore, it wasn’t wrong for Adam to expect Cain to be the promised child.  It wasn’t wrong for Abraham to believe that God would cause Isaac to rise from the dead after Abraham killed him and offered him as a sacrifice.

2)      Isaiah 7:14 - A sign given to Ahaz that a virgin shall conceive Immanuel.

3)      Matthew 1:18, 25 - Mary is the virgin that conceived ("Before they came together")

4)      Luke 1:34, 35 - The method of conception was by the Holy Spirit.

c.       The woman shall have a genealogy that goes back to Adam.

1)      Compare Luke 3:23-38 - the genealogy of Mary and Matt. 1:1-16 - the genealogy of Joseph.

2)      Luke 3:31 and Matthew 1:6 - the genealogy takes a difference after King David.  Matthew follows Solomon to Joseph and Luke follows Nathan (brother of Solomon and son of King David) to Mary.

d.      Genesis 17:1-8 - (Galatians 3:16, 4:4) - the message of the coming Saviour continues through Abraham.

e.       Devil fighting against God (Son - Jesus Christ) began in Eden, continues to Cain, then:

1)      Age of Abraham and Sarah when son born. Genesis 21:5 - compare Galatians 4:13

2)      Type of anti-Christ in Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 17:20 -- 12 princes)

3)      Genesis 41:53-57 - 42:1, 2 - Reason for the famine in the land.

4)      Exodus 1:15-22 - Reason for killing all boy babies by Pharaoh.

5)      Matthew 2:16-18 - Reason for killing all boy babies by Herod.

6)      Revelation 12:13 - When Satan saw that he hadn't succeeded in killing Christ, he attempted to destroy Israel, who brought forth Christ.  Look at all the men (Stalin, Hitler, etc.,) that tried to destroy Israel.  This is Satan using men to accomplish his purposes.

G.     Bruise thy head.  Completely destroy.  Acts 2:35 - a looking forward to the actual defeat of Satan.

1.      The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ set the stage for the actual final defeat of Satan.

a.       John 12:30, 31 - Satan cast out at death of Christ.  This doesn't mean Satan is being cast out of heaven, but the destruction of the “head ship” of his kingdom.  (Satan still has his kingdom and he will reign 42 months, but is already determined that he and his kingdom will fall.)

1)      Luke 10:18 - Christ talking to the 70 who were rejoicing because the devils were subject to them.  Christ said he saw Satan fall from heaven (Seems to indicate a time period of Satan falling from heaven before the devils were subject to the 70.)

2)      Ephesians 2:2 - Satan is now (according to Paul) the Prince and power of the air.

3)      I Peter 5:8 - The devil, is our adversary, as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  (This is taking place now.)

4)      Colossians 1:18-20 - Christ will have the preeminence because of the blood He shed on Calvary's cross.  Satan caused death to come upon the earth.  Christ defeats Satan by shedding His blood and raising from the dead on the third day.

5)      Acts 26:18 - Christ death and resurrection made it possible to turn from Satan to the living God.

6)      I Corinthians 15:25,26 - Christ will conquer death on the cross.  The actual destruction of death comes in Revelations 20:14, when death is cast into the Lake of Fire.

b.      John 14:30 - Christ looking to the cross and battle with Satan.

c.       Hebrews 2:14 - Christ, through death, will destroy Satan.

d.      I John 3:8 - Son of God manifested to destroy the devil.

2.      Christ actually overcoming Satan.

a.       Romans 16:20 - Satan shall be bruised shortly.  Paul realized that Satan wasn't completely bruised at that time, even though all the preparations had been made.

b.      II Thessalonians 2:8 - when Satan is revealed as himself, then Christ will destroy him.

1)      Revelation 19:11 - Christ is coming in judgment

2)      Revelation 19:16 - Christ declared King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

3)      Revelation 19:17 - then the angel comes and declares a feast from the Battle of Armageddon.

4)      Revelation 19:19 - then the beast and false prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire.

5)      Revelation 20:1, 2 - Devil is cast into bottomless pit for 1,000 years.

6)      Revelation 20:7 - out of bottomless pit.

7)      Revelation 20:10 - Devil destroyed forever in Lake of Fire.

H.     Bruise His heel: His human nature.  (Talking about the death of Christ on the cross.)

1.      Compare the crushing of Satan's head (total defeat) with the crushing of the heel of Christ (minor set back which actually results in more glory to God.)

2.      Christ is bruised

a.       Isaiah 53:5 - Bruised for our iniquities.

b.      Isaiah 53:10 - It pleased the Lord to bruise Him.

3.      Purpose of bruising Christ - to take our place - to heal our bruising.

a.       Israel

1)       Isaiah 1:6 - nothing but wounds, bruises and putrefying sores.

2)      Jeremiah 30:12 - Incurable bruises (verse 17 - healed by God)

b.      Gentiles (Ninevah) - Nahum 3:19 - no healing of bruise of Ninevah.  This prophecy is written about 150 years after Jonah preached to Ninevah and they repented.  They went back into idolatry and God doesn't call them back.

c.       All - Luke 4:18 (16-19) - Christ came to heal those that are bruised-Compare to Luke 19:10 - Christ came to seek and save (only) the lost.

4.      Some of the sufferings of Christ.

a.       In the Garden

1)      Matthew 26:36-46 - Christ prayer and agony

2)      Luke 22:39-46 - Christ sweating great drops of blood.

b.      At the trial - John 19:1-5 - Behold the man!

c.       On the Cross – Matthew 27:45, 46 - The tree hours of darkness (Christ being bruised by His Father.)

5.      Compare bruising of Satan and bruising of Christ

a.       John 19:30 - Christ gave up ghost voluntary.  Revelation 20:1-3 - Satan is bound because he can't do anything else.

b.      John 2:19 - Christ will raise Himself from the dead.  Matthew 16:21 - Christ will be raised the third day.  Revelation 20:7 - Somebody else looses Satan out of his prison.

c.       I Corinthians 15:51-57 - We have victory over death through Christ.  Revelation 20:15 - all followers of Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever.