Monday, 15 October 2007 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Adam & Eve

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15

 

God is so much better than we know!

This verse tells us God designed us to work, (work is not a result of the fall!). But it also tells us that God actually left some things in creation undone so that we could be co-workers with him.

This is God's desire for us: to be actively involved with him and his work.

Tuesday, 16 October 2007 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Adam & Eve

And the Lord commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil..." Genesis 2:16-17

God gives this command to Adam, not because moral discernment is wrong, but because God wants to be involved with Adam in making moral decisions. By choosing to eat the fruit from this tree, Adam would be declaring he doesn't need God.

Free will is important to God. He gives Adam a choice to be in or out of community with him.

Wednesday, 17 October 2007 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Adam & Eve

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 3:1

Satan's tactic is always to get us to doubt the goodness of God's heart. He lies, deceives, misquotes (like in the verse we've just read) and twists the truth to achieve this aim. Here, in the garden, he manages to plant just enough doubt in Eve's mind that she misquotes God herself in her response.

Learn to trust that God's heart is good; we all need to do this more.

Thursday, 18 October 2007 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Adam & Eve

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. Genesis 3:6

Read this verse again.

Do you see what's going on here?

Firstly, the taste buds go crazy as Eve imagines the taste. Secondly, her eyes bulge at how tasty the fruit begins to look. Thirdly, her mind starts justifying why eating the fruit would be a good thing...

Once we start fixating on sin, it is inevitable we will sin.

Friday, 19 October 2007 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Adam & Eve

Eve also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Genesis 3:6

 

As a young boy it was convenient in Sunday school to note it was the girl's fault the fall happened: Adam had been away picking bananas while Eve, unsupervised, went for the apple.

Years later I realised this was not the case. Adam had been there, right there. But he didn't speak.

Adam didn't stop Eve.

Would you have spoken up to stop Eve?

Saturday, 20 October 2007 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Adam & Eve

"I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." Genesis 3:10

 

Like Adam, our tendency when we sin is to hide from God. Sin creates fear and shame in our hearts which causes us to avoid God's presence. We choose to run from the only one who can remove the pain and consequences of our sin.

When we sin we need to be quick to re-enter God's presence and find his forgiveness, peace and restoration.

Sunday, 21 October 2007 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Adam & Eve

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. Genesis 3:21

 

God displays his grace by covering Adam and Eve's shame with clothes. We are told these clothes are made of skin, so we therefore know that a sacrifice has been made.

Blood has been shed so that men and women may have their friendship with God restored.

This was History's first blood sacrifice. It wouldn't be the last.