V 1. Now the serpent was more subtle and crafty than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And he (Satan) said to the woman,. ‘Can it really be that God has said you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’ 

See also (Revelation 12:9-12)

Satan has been stripped of power except the power of deception. 1 John 3:8 Isaiah 14:12 KJV Satan came to Eve and said, Say Eve, I heard a piece of news. Is it true that God said you can't eat of any of the trees in the garden? Satan wants to cause doubt in the word, because it leads to denial. He had a two fold purpose for the temptation. He wanted his power back and he wanted to turn man away from God and towards himself. He has always wanted the worship that belongs to God. Worship is the one thing that God reserves for Himself.

Please note that Satan is not a serpent, he borrowed the body of the serpent. He is an angel of light, one of God’s beautiful creations. Ezekiel 28:18

The serpent put the emphasis on the "thou shalt not." He is still trying to put a spotlight on the thou shalt not aspect of Christianity. Many churches have a long list of don’ts and a very short list of do’s. When churches start talking about how long your hair is and if you can wear jewelry or not, evangelism dies. The Israelites took ten commandments and turned them into six hundred and thirteen and then quit trying to reach the world with the message of God. Eve tried to put the emphasis on what they could do, but she in her innocence was dealing with an expert in deception. Never, never try to out talk with the tempter,  say "No! Go in the name of Jesus!" is enough

DO NOT.....DO NOT ENTER A DISCUSSION OF RIGHT AND WRONG WITH SATAN. Especially, if you cannot quote God's word better than Eve did. God did not say that they could not touch the tree. Proverbs 30:16 tells us not to add to God’s word. And when we are confronted by evil, Proverbs 18:10 tells us to run to the safety of the Lord’s name. Get into the word, study to show thyself approved. Hosea 4:6 says we are destroyed by a lack of knowledge.

This was a half truth, he implied physical but it was spiritual. Since there does not seem to be any indication that Eve was startled by a serpent speaking to her, I have often wondered if in the beginning, all animals had a language to communicate with us.

Satan first put doubt into Eve's mind about the goodness and truthfulness of God. Next he denied there would be unpleasant results for disobedience.

Sin according to many, came because there is an inherent nature in man that is evil and prideful. The world says the more you have, the more you want. In this case they are saying it was greed that motivated man.

Satan implied God was not good, that He was a tyrant who wanted to keep good things from man. This is refuted over and over in the word. Romans 8:32, Romans 2:4 and Psalms 136.

Man wanted to be more like God. There are still people who convince themselves, with the devils help, that they are God. Koresh in Waco Texas, Sun Moon, Jim Jones of Jonestown and in the distant past the Caesars of Rome.  Occasionally doctor or military persons of high rank are known to develop this problem. Satan says we become more like God by doing what Satan wants. God tells us to be imitators of Him. Satan always desires us to follow in his footsteps and do the exact opposite of God’s commandments.

Adam and Eve were innocent, and were already the rulers of all they surveyed. The only thing they lacked was knowledge of good and evil. The first sin in the garden, was doubt of God's word. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin Romans 14:23  Adam and Eve, who knew so much. Did not know that they knew enough. Ever notice how easily we slip into doubt? We take someone else’s word, but question God’s. When the weather forecaster, whose record is not to good, says rain, we grab our umbrellas. A friend mentions that a vitamin is great, we start taking vitamins based on this non expert opinion. BUT  WE QUESTION GOD AND DEMAND THAT HE SHOW US PROOF BEFORE WE WILL BELIEVE.  Hebrews 12:1-2 amplified, says we already have a great cloud of witnesses, and goes on to talk of the sin which does so easily beset us. A lot of people read that verse and think of things that we or others do. But if we really trace it back to the root of that action, we will find, it all started with doubt of God’s word.

Do not suppose that Adam is with out blame. There is no reason to think that he was out in the south forty naming bugs. In fact the New Testament lays the first sin to his charge. I Timothy 2:14 says that Eve was deceived. Adam was not deceived. Adam, with his eyes wide open, chose to be with Eve instead of God. Eve was deceived, Adam deliberately disobeyed. He chose the creation instead of the Creator.

The correct response to temptation is given in James 4:7 resist the devil and he will flee from you. How do you resist him? You quote the word. It is the only thing that will cause him to flee. Jesus used this method in:

Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

V 6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good (suitable and pleasant) for food, and that it was delightful to look at and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave some also to her husband and he ate.  

Instead of the correct response, Eve let a wedge of doubt get into her heart and then continued in the downward steps--she saw--she desired--she took and she gave.

Satan the super salesman always appeals to the body, never the godly spirit. He says, looks good, tastes good, try it you’ll like it. Then adds, don’t be selfish, give some to someone else. Satan blinded Eve's mind.

2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Notice the steps involved in the transgression. She saw. This wasn't a casual glance. She got into trouble by looking with longing at the forbidden fruit. She desired it. A great deal of trouble can be had because of the lust of the eyes. Then she took. The devil did not take it and stuff it in her mouth. She took it. Satan can tempt but he cannot override our free will and force us. It will be our own elbows that bend to carry the drug, food, or cigarette to our mouths. They will not get there unless we put them there. It is our own hand that will sign the charge slip for an item that we cannot pay for, we are the ones who declare, "I’ll take it" while knowing clearly that we should not.

Notice the difference between the way the Lord treats us and the way Satan treats us: The Lord says, "I set before you life or death, you decide." Satan would force us, if he could, by saying "bow down or face the fiery furnace."

Now after looking and taking, she gives. The pattern is always true. The sinner becomes a tempter. Adam who had not bothered to eat of the tree of life, which was allowed. Now eats of the tree of good and evil that was not allowed. Men should be very careful when choosing a wife, for they have great influence over them. Many kingdoms have been won or lost because of the influence of a women. Since we must all answer to God for our actions, women should be very careful not to abuse this influence.

As soon as the choice was made, the results were evident. Now they knew evil because they had committed it and they knew good because they rejected it. There were dire results for their actions.

THE DISPENSATION OF INNOCENCE ENDS. ( dispensation, a period of time in which free moral agents are measured against a standard of conduct.)

The eating of the forbidden fruit is usually referred to as the original sin. Wrong. It was man’s original sin but not the first sin. Satan is the author of sin in the universe and introduced mankind to sin. Rebellion took place with the five " I will's" of Lucifer. God did not create the devil. It was the devil who made the devil. Lucifer means brightness. God made a holy and free spirit who abused his liberty and so made himself a devil. Satan worked very hard to get man to partake of the first tree, he worked and is working much harder to keep man from partaking of the tree at Calvary.

The eyes of them both were opened....does not mean their physical eyes, it means their understanding of what they had done. They saw the happiness they had fallen from, and the misery they had fallen into. Satan told them that their eyes would be opened, a truth. However, the results were far different from what Satan said they would be. Satan is a master at mixing a large portion of truth with a tiny amount of poison. That way, we swallow the poison without realizing it until it makes us sick.

Their eyes were opened, and they saw that they were naked. Gone was the glory of God.... their innocence and defense had departed from them.

They sewed fig leaves together. In an attempt to cover part of their shame from each other and God they made themselves aprons. Instead of seeking pardon from God and His covering, they sought to cover themselves with the works of their own hands. People are still doing that today, thinking that good works will earn them a place in heaven. When asked if they are going to heaven when they die, they answer "I hope so." "I hope I'm good enough." There is none that does good, says the word of the Lord. Romans 3:11-12 This does not say there is no good in man. Measured by man's standard, many deserve honor, for their service to mankind but this good does not satisfy God's standard. Romans 8:7-8 Isaiah 64:6   The Roman philosopher, Seneca, stated it well when he said, "We have all sinned. Some more, some less." 

V 9. But the Lord God called to Adam, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’

Do you think that God did not know where Adam was? Of course, He knew. He wanted Adam to know where Adam was. He asks questions like, where are you? And what is this you have done? God, from the beginning, has always sought the lost. He is not willing that any should perish. 2 Peter 3:9, Ezekiel 33:11. Notice the difference, Satan says, too late, hide. God says, "where are you and come let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet I will wash them and make you white as snow." Isaiah 1:18

Adam, the first man, had moved from life unto death.  His fellowship with God was broken. Instead of joy and peace, he experiences fear. Adam now has the nature of his new master and tries to deny any responsibility for his own actions.

Darwin’s theory is that man began at the bottom of the moral ladder and is slowly climbing to the top. Therefore all man needs is education and cultivation. The Bible says man began at the top and fell to the bottom because of sin, therefore man needs justification and regeneration through Jesus. In effect the evolutionist says there is no heaven or hell. People live and they die, others learn from their failures and become better. Supposedly, this will eventually bring about heaven on earth.

REMEMBER: MAN IS A FALLEN CREATURE, A SINNER, AND HE NEEDS A SAVIOR. The wages of sin is death. The soul that sins shall die. Ezekiel 18:20. God in His mercy provided a substitute so we may live. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sin. Hebrews 9:14-19 Jesus, the perfect lamb of God became our substitute. Anyone who believes that he or she can clean up their lives enough to evolve into goodness and thereby earn heaven is living under a delusion. A delusion otherwise known as a lie of the devil. You must be born again, made into a new creation. John 3:16-18, 2 Corinthians 5:17

V 10. He said, ‘I heard the sound of You (walking) in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.’

Fear is not from God. 2 Timothy 1:7. I imagine the sound of God's footsteps sounded very loud to Adam's fearful ears. Guilt and fear make even little sounds seem huge. God's footsteps may have sounded like thunder claps to Adam and Eve. In 2 Kings 7:3-8 there are four leprous men who were starving and desperate. They decided to throw themselves on the mercy of the enemy camp. When they arrived, they found the camp empty.

Everything they needed had been left for them. The Lord had magnified the sounds of the footsteps of four men. When we are fearful, we hear things that don't exist. In Leviticus 26:36  we are told that the sound of a driven leaf will put them (the fearful) to hasty tumultuous flight, they shall flee when none pursue.

V 11. And He said, ‘Who told you (that) you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?’

Again, it is certain that an all knowing God, already knew that they had eaten of the tree. God is giving them an opportunity to confess their sin and accept forgiveness. It is probable that Adam was so afraid he did not recognize the opportunity. It appears that his mind had been so darkened to the love of God, that he even feared the results of confession.

Here started the practice of passing the buck. Adam tried passing the responsibility first to Eve and then to God. He said, "It was the woman you gave me." Implying that if God hadn't given her to him that he would still be walking in innocence. He was in a state of denial concerning his own wrong doing. When we do wrong, making excuses like, "I wouldn’t have reacted that way if you hadn’t done so and so" won’t cut it. We are meant to accept responsibility for our actions. God wants us to "fess" up. We can only find wholeness after we admit that we are not whole.

Another opportunity for confession rejected, and another finger pointed. The ability to accept responsibility for our own actions, to say, "I did it, I am sorry, forgive me," is the mark of maturity. It is also the way to obtain forgiveness.

  It is clear that Satan used the serpent for his own evil purposes in the garden. II Cor. 11:3, 14 Rev 12:9 20:2 This curse affected all animal life. The serpent was cursed for yielding to Satan. He was deprived of walking upright, a curse that will remain even during the millennium.

Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust <shall be> the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

The battle lines were drawn. "enmity between you and the woman." Not knowing through whom the savior would come, Satan zeroed in on women. Through out the history of mankind, Satan has a fierce anger against women. In many lands they are still considered very inferior to males and are treated very poorly. In the lands where there has been an influx of Christian principles, women are treated much more kindly. Christian influence reduces Satan’s influence. Satan has little regard for mankind in general, they are all expendable as far as he is concerned.

Just as the seed of woman would become the ultimate in Jesus, the seed of the serpent will become the ultimate in the antichrist.

Your offspring refers to the natural descendants of Eve and to one seed in particular, Christ.

Bruised his head fore tells of the Victory of Christ over Satan. The bruising of the heel of woman’s seed and the bruising of the head of Satan, took place at Calvary. Jesus came to destroy and undo the works of Satan. 1 John 3:8. God sent deity clothed in flesh, made of woman. The last hurrah of Satan the great imitator of God will come when he brings forth his antichrist. The man of sin the seed of the serpent.

The bitter fruits of disobedience came swiftly. However, God's mercy and love were not gone.. Here in Genesis 3:15 is the first ray of hope, the fore telling of the coming redeemer.

Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Equality was lost and the bearing of children became painful. Please take note that when a woman is born again, she is restored to pre fall conditions. There is no need to suffer in child bearing. She is also restored to being the help meet, side by side status.

The phrase he shall rule over you has been twisted by many men. If men beat their chests and bellow I AM KING they miss the point. It is far better to be followed because of love than to be followed because of fear. Many have exchanged peace and love for fear and hatred because of wresting the word of God to their own destruction. 2 Peter 3:16

The problem is not that he listened to his wife, but that he heeded her voice, instead of God's command. Make sure that any voice you heed, lines up with the word of God.

The curse. Instead of provision, now there will be much struggle. These judgments were not penalties, as in, this is the sentence for this particular crime. God simply states the facts. These things were the natural result of sin. When mankind is out of fellowship with God, the provision and protection of God is not ours.

The results of the fall: For Adam and all mankind

1. The ground was cursed.
2. In sorrow and toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
3. Thorns and thistles came forth.
4. Sweat of face.
5. Return to dust. (Sounds like recycling, from earth to dust).
6. Sword baring the way to the tree of life.
7. We shall surely die. It is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:27.

The good news...Jesus wore the curse of the earth on his brow when he hung on the cross. His crown of thorns on the cross paid the price for earths redemption, which will come to pass in the millennium. Isaiah 55:13 He also opened the way for us to eat of the tree of life.

Jesus reversed the effects of the fall, the redeemed have gained more through the last Adam than they lost through the first Adam. The first Adam was only lord of Eden, he dwelt in a earthly paradise. But as believers we are seated in heavenly places with Christ and are joint heirs with Him.

It is not work, that is the curse. We all need a reason for getting up in the morning, working is good. It is the restrictions of our jobs that wear us to a frazzle.

The scriptures teach that the whole human race is descended from a single pair, Adam and Eve. Medical Science agrees. The apostle Paul also agrees that we all come from one common pair. Acts 17:26 All races are fruitful one with another. The normal temperature of the body is the same. The mean frequency of the pulse is the same. There is liability to the same diseases. This is not true of other animals. Human blood can be distinguished by the microscope from that of any other animal. The families of mankind have common mental and moral characteristics. These are shown in common maxims, tendencies, capacities, and in the prevalence of similar traditions. Many tribes and nations tell accounts of the making of the world and man. These accounts include a garden, a man, a serpent, a tree of knowledge, temptation and fall, a flood and sacrifice. This can only be explained by the theory of common origin.

The history of nations and tribes in both Eastern and western hemispheres, points to a common origin and ancestry in Central Asia, or Central Africa. Theologians and Scientists have some disagreements on this location and land masses have moved. Bottom line is that no one knows for sure.

Jehovah alone can cover and remove man's nakedness and He does it through sacrifice....the shedding of the blood of an innocent victim to cover the guilty. In this scripture it is assumed that the animals were slain and that they were innocent of wrong doing. In order to be cleansed from sin, there must be a shedding of blood, a life for a life. Figs leaves will not work. Salvation is the work of God, not man. It is a gift. Ephesians 2: 8-9 The penalty of sin is death, it has been stated and God cannot lie. Romans 6:23. He loved man, so a substitute was provided by the shedding of innocent blood. Hebrews 9:22 Though there is no Bible record of specific laws regarding sacrifice this early. It seems to have been established in the mind of the race. All men recognize it as having a part in redemption's plan.

Prior to verse 21, the Edenic covenant prevailed. Now the covenant known as the Adamic covenant begins. For where sin does abound, God’s grace does much more abound. This time we have a blood covenant. The Lord took animals and slew them. He used the skins to clothe the man and his wife. In this covenant the man and woman were responsible to do all known good and abstain from all known evil. God provided the sacrifice for failure, a covering for sin and the promise of a redeemer to come. Genesis 3:15

REVIEW OF EDENIC COVENANT:

Obey and have life, dominion and un conditional provision for all needs. Disobey and the results will be death, subjection, struggle for needs. Adam and Eve made the wrong choice.

The sentence is left unfinished, as if to hasten to avert the tragedy suggested of men living on forever in their now fallen state.

The tree of life is not seen again until we read of it in Revelation 22. Everything that was lost in Adam is restored in Christ.

Rev 22:2-3 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.

Adam and Eve are standing outside the entrance of Eden, covered with animal skins and empty handed. They are facing a thorny, un-familiar world. They have knowledge of and the ability to choose between good and evil. Which will they choose?