6. Expelled From Eden (Genesis 3:8-24)
This sermon was preached on 6/12/2009
As we read Genesis 3, we are not reading details of a myth that explains in picture language the origins of many of the features of human life. It is not an attempt by an astute observer to illustrate that these details were always part of human experience. Instead, in these verses we read of the effects of sin on our first parents. A sad list is provided of attitudes and outlooks, some of which were initial and others that have continued with us down to the present.
In Genesis 3 we have the account of an event which changed everything about human life. The details describe the change in the relationship between God and his creatures, between his human creatures themselves, and between these creatures and their environment. The chapter tells us why we no longer live in Eden, with all its pleasures and delights. It tells us why we live in a world of problems, of frustrations, of disappointments and of fears.
The details in the chapter are not wide-ranging, in the sense that there are many other consequences of sin that are not mentioned. No mention is made of suffering, of wars, of crimes, and countless other effects. I don’t suppose it entered the minds of Adam and Eve that they would experience murder within their family. Neither does the account mention that many people would not get married. Instead, it focuses on the situation as it was and considers some issues that belonged to Eve and on some issues that belonged to Adam. From these issues, we can derive general principles.
First, Adam and Eve experienced shame. They became aware of their nakedness. They had been created naked, although some think that they were clothed with glory and had no need for a covering. When they sinned, they lost that glorious covering and stood naked before God. They sensed that they were now unfit to be seen by God. In a sense, this was the commencement of the fashion industry, which at one level is merely an attempt to hide the effects of sin on our bodies. But the root of their shame was in what they now felt in their hearts.
Second, Adam and Eve were afraid of God. They attempted to hide from his presence (v. 9). Before they sinned, there had been nothing to be afraid of. God was their provider, their companion. They had been warned by him of the consequences of disobedience, which was death. Now they were dreading his reaction to their sins. As we think of their response, we should note that it is appropriate to be afraid of God. After all, he is the sovereign judge. It is a sign of intelligence to be afraid of God’s condemnation and a sign of foolishness to imagine that somehow we don’t need to be.
Third, they attempt to blame others for the situation; Adam blames Eve, she blames the serpent. What a sad commentary on the effects of sin. Adam admits he has sinned, but does not confess that he is to blame. Instead he blames the one whom God had given to him as his companion. ‘Rather than bear the blame, he will fling it anywhere, whoever may suffer’ (H. Bonar). And this attempt not to accept blame is instantaneous. Adam and Eve did not have to learn to blame others, this reaction came with the sin. Adam even tried to blame God because it was him who had created the woman. We can summarise Adam’s admittance of his sin as bold, blasphemous and blaming.
Fourth, we are given details of the origins of difficulties that have affected family life. God mentions that childbirth would be a painful experience, which indicates that it would have not been so if sin had not entered into human experience. Also the sorrow is not limited to the actual birth, but in addition there is the sadness that is experienced by bringing children into a sinful world.
God also indicates that there would be conflict within the family, when speaking from Eve’s perspective he says that she will attempt to control her husband, but will not be able to. What is being said here is not a reference to the modern concept of equality. Instead, Eve is told that God’s judgement on her will affect profoundly the two basic roles of wife and mother. Instead of harmony, there will be conflict. Instead of pleasure, there will be pain and danger. As John Piper puts it, ‘This is a description of misery, not a model for marriage.’
Fifth, God judges the man by ensuring that his role as provider will be a difficult and frustrating one. Life will involve sorrow and disappointment, and will ultimately close in death. The way his situation is depicted is like a battle between Adam and the ground, with the ground winning because eventually Adam, as do all humans, will return to dust when he dies.
As we think of these verses, we have to admit that they accurately describe the human situation. Human lives are marked by disappointment, dangers, and death. It is easy to see that is the case. Yet many people fail to consider that our difficulties are described in Genesis 3, with the explanation that we have them because we have sinned. But the chapter does explain the universality of sin, the existence of death and the inability of the human race, despite all its technological advances, to change human nature.
Another detail that is worth noticing is that even after the Fall God has maintained the distinction between men and women. I am not referring to simplistic comments about their roles as if they can be repeated exactly within each family. What is being said here that the sinful human race will experience the judgement of God in different ways. Just as Adam and Eve received different aspects of judgement, so will their descendants.
The entrance of GodThe story tells us that when Adam and Eve sinned, God still came to the garden to meet with them. The impression is given that this meeting was a regular occurrence. When God arrived at the usual location, there was no sign of Adam and Eve. Because they are absent, God cries, ‘Adam, where are you?’
We are not assume that God does not know where Adam is and what he has done. Rather this was the voice of God wanting to have fellowship with his creatures. As Arthur Pink put it, this is not the voice of a policeman but the voice of yearning love: ‘In His infinite condescension and abundant mercy, God deigned to be the Seeker, and came down to Eden crying, Where art thou?’ God missed Adam. This same question is still echoing in the ears of every human.
This meaning of this question has been summarised by Griffith Thomas: ‘God’s question to Adam still sounds in the ear of every sinner: “Where art thou?” It is the call of Divine justice, which cannot overlook sin. It is the call of Divine sorrow, which grieves over the sinner. It is the call of Divine love, which offers redemption from sin. To each and to every one of us the call is reiterated.’
The picture of a seeking God is one of the most attractive given of him in the Bible. Think of how Jesus described himself as the seeking Shepherd. He described his mission as to seek and to save that which is lost. Think of the wonderful picture of the searching father of the prodigal son who scanned the horizon daily to see if the prodigal was returning to the father’s home. What a majestic picture of God is painted by Jesus as he describes the father running to embrace the returning son. There are many pictures of God in the Bible, but this one of him seeking Adam in Eden is a foretaste of others in the Bible that will magnify his love.
The story gives another picture of God, that of him functioning as interrogator as he cross-examines each of the creatures before him. How careful he searches, how penetrating are his questions. He is here as judge of the rebels. They may want to escape but they cannot. ’When God summons Adam and Eve, they approach the bench’ (Boice). This is a foretaste of his future role on the Day of Judgment when each one of us will give an account to God. Our response might be sluggish and defensive as Adam and Eve, but rest assured we will be prosecuted. We may call on the mountains and the rocks to hide us, but there will not be a hiding place. What an awful examination, when not merely a few sins, as with Adam, but a lifetime of sins will be probed.
But the story gives a further picture of God. He is not only the seeker and the interrogator, he is also the provider of deliverance for sinners. We see this in the pronouncement made to Satan that one will come, a member of the human race, who will undo the disaster brought about by the devil. A Champion will come who will suffer in the process, which is a wonderful description of the sufferings that Jesus endured on the cross.
A fourth picture is given in verses 22 to 24, where God appears as the Banisher of Adam and Eve from the garden. It seems that Adam was very reluctant to leave the garden because he had to be driven out. But he had to be because the blessings of the garden now became a source of danger. The one that is identified is the tree of life, which had been a symbol of eternal life. God had promised that if a person had eaten of that tree, he would not die. God never reneges on a promise, but sometimes sin brings about a situation that would not be good if the promise was kept. Therefore God ensured that Adam would have no access to the tree of life. He banished him from the garden so that he would be able to have mercy upon him. The banishment was protection from eternal punishment.
So we can say that in the garden God was the seeking God, the probing God, the providing God and the protective God. He still does that for sinners today. He seeks us in the gospel, he probes us through his Word and Spirit, he has provided us with a Saviour and he protects us from danger. One day all these will be taken away. Instead of seeking God he will be the judge, no longer questioning us about our sins in order for us to repent, no longer offering us a Saviour, no longer protecting us from judgement. Instead he will prosecute us for our sins and punish us eternally.
In Genesis 3 we have the account of an event which changed everything about human life. The details describe the change in the relationship between God and his creatures, between his human creatures themselves, and between these creatures and their environment. The chapter tells us why we no longer live in Eden, with all its pleasures and delights. It tells us why we live in a world of problems, of frustrations, of disappointments and of fears.
The details in the chapter are not wide-ranging, in the sense that there are many other consequences of sin that are not mentioned. No mention is made of suffering, of wars, of crimes, and countless other effects. I don’t suppose it entered the minds of Adam and Eve that they would experience murder within their family. Neither does the account mention that many people would not get married. Instead, it focuses on the situation as it was and considers some issues that belonged to Eve and on some issues that belonged to Adam. From these issues, we can derive general principles.
First, Adam and Eve experienced shame. They became aware of their nakedness. They had been created naked, although some think that they were clothed with glory and had no need for a covering. When they sinned, they lost that glorious covering and stood naked before God. They sensed that they were now unfit to be seen by God. In a sense, this was the commencement of the fashion industry, which at one level is merely an attempt to hide the effects of sin on our bodies. But the root of their shame was in what they now felt in their hearts.
Second, Adam and Eve were afraid of God. They attempted to hide from his presence (v. 9). Before they sinned, there had been nothing to be afraid of. God was their provider, their companion. They had been warned by him of the consequences of disobedience, which was death. Now they were dreading his reaction to their sins. As we think of their response, we should note that it is appropriate to be afraid of God. After all, he is the sovereign judge. It is a sign of intelligence to be afraid of God’s condemnation and a sign of foolishness to imagine that somehow we don’t need to be.
Third, they attempt to blame others for the situation; Adam blames Eve, she blames the serpent. What a sad commentary on the effects of sin. Adam admits he has sinned, but does not confess that he is to blame. Instead he blames the one whom God had given to him as his companion. ‘Rather than bear the blame, he will fling it anywhere, whoever may suffer’ (H. Bonar). And this attempt not to accept blame is instantaneous. Adam and Eve did not have to learn to blame others, this reaction came with the sin. Adam even tried to blame God because it was him who had created the woman. We can summarise Adam’s admittance of his sin as bold, blasphemous and blaming.
Fourth, we are given details of the origins of difficulties that have affected family life. God mentions that childbirth would be a painful experience, which indicates that it would have not been so if sin had not entered into human experience. Also the sorrow is not limited to the actual birth, but in addition there is the sadness that is experienced by bringing children into a sinful world.
God also indicates that there would be conflict within the family, when speaking from Eve’s perspective he says that she will attempt to control her husband, but will not be able to. What is being said here is not a reference to the modern concept of equality. Instead, Eve is told that God’s judgement on her will affect profoundly the two basic roles of wife and mother. Instead of harmony, there will be conflict. Instead of pleasure, there will be pain and danger. As John Piper puts it, ‘This is a description of misery, not a model for marriage.’
Fifth, God judges the man by ensuring that his role as provider will be a difficult and frustrating one. Life will involve sorrow and disappointment, and will ultimately close in death. The way his situation is depicted is like a battle between Adam and the ground, with the ground winning because eventually Adam, as do all humans, will return to dust when he dies.
As we think of these verses, we have to admit that they accurately describe the human situation. Human lives are marked by disappointment, dangers, and death. It is easy to see that is the case. Yet many people fail to consider that our difficulties are described in Genesis 3, with the explanation that we have them because we have sinned. But the chapter does explain the universality of sin, the existence of death and the inability of the human race, despite all its technological advances, to change human nature.
Another detail that is worth noticing is that even after the Fall God has maintained the distinction between men and women. I am not referring to simplistic comments about their roles as if they can be repeated exactly within each family. What is being said here that the sinful human race will experience the judgement of God in different ways. Just as Adam and Eve received different aspects of judgement, so will their descendants.
The entrance of GodThe story tells us that when Adam and Eve sinned, God still came to the garden to meet with them. The impression is given that this meeting was a regular occurrence. When God arrived at the usual location, there was no sign of Adam and Eve. Because they are absent, God cries, ‘Adam, where are you?’
We are not assume that God does not know where Adam is and what he has done. Rather this was the voice of God wanting to have fellowship with his creatures. As Arthur Pink put it, this is not the voice of a policeman but the voice of yearning love: ‘In His infinite condescension and abundant mercy, God deigned to be the Seeker, and came down to Eden crying, Where art thou?’ God missed Adam. This same question is still echoing in the ears of every human.
This meaning of this question has been summarised by Griffith Thomas: ‘God’s question to Adam still sounds in the ear of every sinner: “Where art thou?” It is the call of Divine justice, which cannot overlook sin. It is the call of Divine sorrow, which grieves over the sinner. It is the call of Divine love, which offers redemption from sin. To each and to every one of us the call is reiterated.’
The picture of a seeking God is one of the most attractive given of him in the Bible. Think of how Jesus described himself as the seeking Shepherd. He described his mission as to seek and to save that which is lost. Think of the wonderful picture of the searching father of the prodigal son who scanned the horizon daily to see if the prodigal was returning to the father’s home. What a majestic picture of God is painted by Jesus as he describes the father running to embrace the returning son. There are many pictures of God in the Bible, but this one of him seeking Adam in Eden is a foretaste of others in the Bible that will magnify his love.
The story gives another picture of God, that of him functioning as interrogator as he cross-examines each of the creatures before him. How careful he searches, how penetrating are his questions. He is here as judge of the rebels. They may want to escape but they cannot. ’When God summons Adam and Eve, they approach the bench’ (Boice). This is a foretaste of his future role on the Day of Judgment when each one of us will give an account to God. Our response might be sluggish and defensive as Adam and Eve, but rest assured we will be prosecuted. We may call on the mountains and the rocks to hide us, but there will not be a hiding place. What an awful examination, when not merely a few sins, as with Adam, but a lifetime of sins will be probed.
But the story gives a further picture of God. He is not only the seeker and the interrogator, he is also the provider of deliverance for sinners. We see this in the pronouncement made to Satan that one will come, a member of the human race, who will undo the disaster brought about by the devil. A Champion will come who will suffer in the process, which is a wonderful description of the sufferings that Jesus endured on the cross.
A fourth picture is given in verses 22 to 24, where God appears as the Banisher of Adam and Eve from the garden. It seems that Adam was very reluctant to leave the garden because he had to be driven out. But he had to be because the blessings of the garden now became a source of danger. The one that is identified is the tree of life, which had been a symbol of eternal life. God had promised that if a person had eaten of that tree, he would not die. God never reneges on a promise, but sometimes sin brings about a situation that would not be good if the promise was kept. Therefore God ensured that Adam would have no access to the tree of life. He banished him from the garden so that he would be able to have mercy upon him. The banishment was protection from eternal punishment.
So we can say that in the garden God was the seeking God, the probing God, the providing God and the protective God. He still does that for sinners today. He seeks us in the gospel, he probes us through his Word and Spirit, he has provided us with a Saviour and he protects us from danger. One day all these will be taken away. Instead of seeking God he will be the judge, no longer questioning us about our sins in order for us to repent, no longer offering us a Saviour, no longer protecting us from judgement. Instead he will prosecute us for our sins and punish us eternally.
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