Genesis 3 is one of the most significant chapters in the Bible because it vividly describes what happened in the Garden of Eden with our forefathers, and the consequences continue to unfold even today. Here are seven life lessons that we can learn from Genesis 3 as we continue in this series.
If you haven’t already, remember to start with Genesis 1 and 2 and answer the questions at the bottom of each article.
- Who we see is not necessarily who is speaking to us.
In her mind, the woman was conversing with a harmless animal. However, Satan was speaking through the snake. We must remember that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness. (Ephesians 6:12).
Hence, the next time someone approaches you, remember that although you see him or her physically, they may not be the person speaking to you. A prime example is that both my parents had said harmful things to me, one of them after about a minute of exiting the river at my baptism, and the other when I received my first passport. Years later, I asked both of them about the hurtful things they said on those two occasions; the one with the baptismal incident flat-out denied ever saying it, and the other could not remember saying anything.
It brings up the point that we need to ask for the spirit of discernment to recognize who is speaking, even through our families, and to guard ourselves against allowing the enemy to use us to hurt others.
- Send people the source of the information.
When the serpent asked the woman, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” she should have sent the serpent to the Source of the information. Since the serpent was au fait with what God said, or even if it wasn’t, the woman’s job wasn’t to inform, clarify, or deny what God said to her. Nowhere in Scripture did God tell the woman to supply or disclose information to reptiles.
The woman not only fell for the serpent’s subtlety by answering it but also elaborated in her response. She disclosed the fruit of the trees she could eat from, the one she was advised not to eat from, its location, and the consequences if she disobeyed (Genesis 3:2-3). In this case, it was as if the woman were just waiting for someone or something to nudge her to disclose God’s instructions.
Unfortunately, many of us are like the woman, and a few are like the serpent. We may be privy to some information based on our job position. Our subtle coworker may have gotten wind of the information and, mischievously, attempts to implicate us. Without discernment, because we feel the coworker is already abreast, we share information they either didn’t have or plan to use to get us in trouble.
Remember that information could be lost in transformation, so if the coworker needs clarification, the source is the best person to provide it.
These days, people don’t even have to ask us anything. The advent of social media seems to encourage sharing information and instructions that God sometimes intends only for us. But since we are self-appointed “village lawyers,” we overshare, oblivious to the fact that the enemy and his agents are waiting to manipulate.
- Whose report will you believe, the Creator’s or the created’s?
Having received excess information from the woman, the serpent could choose and refuse from which angle to trap her. Since consequences restrain most people, why not ‘remove’ the result and replace it with a more favorable outcome? That’s what the serpent did, and just like that, the woman fell for the serpent’s tricks instead of relying on God’s instructions or even going back to Him to rectify the doubts that were sown by the serpent.
Although we have this example, people still obey the instructions of those created rather than those of the Creator. Some people are more concerned with what their pastors, teachers, parents, and mentors say, even when their positions contradict the word of God.
- Our senses do not determine the validity of God’s words.
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” (Genesis 3:6).
Life is not about what we see, hear, taste, or smell but about what God says. Doctors prescribe medicines that would not be taken by mouth because of their smell. However, despite their taste and smell, we consume the medications because experts recommend them. Medications may taste and look good, but they are unsuitable for our particular illness.
Even more so, we should rely on God’s instructions over our senses.
A point to note is that the woman recognized the fruit’s fitness for consumption only after the serpent influenced her desire.
To Adam’s part, not because someone defies God’s instructions does not mean you should follow suit. We are called to obey God, not man, even if the person is our spouse.
- We cannot hide from God.
Because of disobedience, Adam and the woman hid from God’s presence when they heard His voice walking in the cool of the day. Wrongdoers always seek to hide because they fear the consequences of their offense. Even though they had sewn fig leaves and covered their bodies, they were still hiding behind the trees in the garden when God called out to Adam, because their consciences would not allow them to face Him after their disobedience.
Some people have committed the most heinous crimes and are trying to cover up their actions and hide from the consequences. Whatever your ‘fig tree leaf’ is and wherever you are, you can hide from law enforcement and even avoid the earthly consequences of the act, but you cannot hide from God. Unless you come to Him through Christ, repent, and be baptized, you cannot escape the consequences of your sins.
- There are consequences for disobedience.
Since we know God is just, we also know that going against His rules will result in us bearing the consequences of our actions or lack thereof. Our foreparents are prime examples of the grave consequences that can result.
We lost dominion and so much more. No wonder so many animals are angry with humans. They could have been enjoying the splendor of the Garden of Eden. Instead, they have to rummage through the wild to find food.
It is also noted how the consequences were administered, first to the serpent, then to the woman, and the brunt was given to Adam. Even though the serpent was the perpetrator, it got, in my estimation, the lightest punishment; the woman’s punishment was harsh, but Adam’s was so grave it took an initial three verses to contain his. Adam and, subsequently, the woman’s punishments were more severe than the serpent’s because the command was given to them.
When we were children, my mother told my older sister not to go to Crab Bush, which was a group of our friends in the neighborhood. Despite being denied permission, we went to Crab Bush anyway when our mother left to visit our grandmother that evening. Even after 30 years, that night remains one of the most horrific of childhood memories because the rain poured heavily, lightning and thunder struck, we got lost, and in all of that, we almost lost our lives. When we finally made it home in the wee hours of the morning, my mother scolded my sister. We both heard her say it, but she told my sister not to go. The onus is on those instructed, not necessarily those who influenced the situation.
If you have ever wondered why your life is so complex, here are three things to remember. The first is that when our forefathers sinned, we automatically suffered the consequences of their disobedience. Second, recognize that our children and we are not excluded from the consequences of our disobedience today. Our lives are directly proportional to our disobedience or obedience to Christ—we can change that through Him. Third, Jesus Christ died so that Adam’s loss can be regained if we surrender to Him.
- Evil was not our business.
We were supposed to live in harmony with God forever.
Notice what God said: “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: (Genesis 3:22). Whether or not Adam and Eve knew the word ‘good,’ they were living their best lives because when God was through with creation, He declared that it was very good. Hence, evil was not our business.
We learned about evil because of disobedience.
We should also note that God had to put Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden because He could no longer trust them. In the same way, a thief is likely to strike again; Adam and Eve would continue to be disobedient. Secondly, if Adam had stayed in the garden, eaten from the tree of life, and lived forever, that would be a good example of our being disobedient to God. A thief who is allowed the fortitude to reward himself bountifully for his actions will be encouraged to steal and commit even more serious crimes.
Justice has to be served, and the price for sin has to be paid. But God, although just, in His mercy, has allowed His Son, Jesus Christ, to be slain to pay the debt for sin that He didn’t owe and we could not pay.
It’s easy to sit down and dissect Adam and Eve’s choices and to blame and shame them for their mistakes and the residual consequences in our lives today. However, we ought to realize that our lives are being dissected as well, and what’s worse, we have their example to follow. In the same way, their mistakes affected the human race; our mistakes do the same. The consequences of our actions affect our generation, and the cycle continues unless we actively amend our ways with God’s help.
Dissecting our foreparents’ lives is okay, but let us use their examples to avoid making similar mistakes. We are called to obey God and let our purpose in our hearts be directed by His voice only.
Your assignment:
- Compare Genesis 2:18 with Genesis 3:16. Was Eve’s position reduced after sin?
- Did the serpent mix truth with error? What were Adam and Eve’s eyes opened to? Consider Hebrews 9:27.
- What is the significance of Eve being named after they sinned?
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