Old Testament Reading: Genesis 6:1-8

“When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the LORD said, ‘My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.’ The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:1–8, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Hebrews 11:1-2, 7

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation… By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” (Hebrews 11:1-2, 7, ESV)

*****

Introduction

The purpose of Genesis 6:1-8 is rather simple and straightforward. This passage sets the stage for the story of the flood and of Noah and his ark which will be told in Genesis 6:9 through to the end of chapter 8. Why did God send the floodwaters upon the earth to destroy all flesh? According to our text today, it was because man had grown exceeding wicked — “every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continuously” (Genesis 6:5, ESV). And why was Noah spared from the floodwaters? Why were he and his family saved in that Ark, which was a type of the Christ who was to come? It was by God’s grace — “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8, ESV). The KJV and the NKJV say, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8, NKJV). Genesis 6:1-8 functions as a preview or trailer to the flood story which will be told in greater detail in the next section.  

And while it is true that the purpose of this text is simple — that is, to set the stage for the flood narrative which will follow, and to communicate that God’s grace was present and active within the world, despite the increase of wickedness — a closer look raises questions. 

For example, who are the “sons of God” and the “daughters of man” mentioned in verse 2? What does it mean that these “sons of God… took as their wives any they chose”? And how is this related to God’s displeasure. And how are we to understand the words of God when he says, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” Who are the “Nephilim”  of verse 4, and how are they related to the “sons of God” already mentioned and the increase of wickedness on the earth? What does the statement,  “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” reveal about the condition of fallen man. And how are we to understand what is said in verses 5 through 7 — that God was “sorry… he had made man”; that he was “grieved” to the heart; and again, that he was “sorry that he had made them.” Is it even possible for God to regret his actions, to be sorry and to be grieved to the heart? And what does it mean that Noah found favor with God? These are important questions. 

Let us now move through this text a verse at a time.

*****

“When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.” 

Notice that in verse 1 we read, “When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them…” (Genesis 6:1, ESV). This statement is simple enough. It seems to take us back to the time spoken of in Genesis 4  and again in Genesis 5 to look upon it from another perspective. In Genesis 4 the expansion of the human race was described with particular attention given to the wicked line of Cain. In Genesis 5 the expansion of the human race was described with special attention given to the righteous line of Seth. And in Genesis 6 we find yet another description of that period of time when “man began to multiply on the face of the earth”, but the focus is somewhat different. Here in Genesis 6 we do not find a genealogy, but special attention is given to the wickedness that was increasing upon the earth in those days — “man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them…” And in verse 2 we learn that “the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose” (Genesis 6:2, ESV). 

Who are these “sons of God” and “daughters of man”? 

There are three main views:

The first might be called the “angelic” view. It is in fact a very old interpretation. It takes the phrase “sons of God” as referring to rebellious angels. According to the angelic interpretation these were angels who were attracted to the daughters of man, that is say, to women in general, and through carnal relations produced a special breed of human — perhaps the Nephilim who are mentioned in verse 4.

The sinful, corrupt and wicked thing according to this view is that the angels did not keep their proper place but intermingled with the human species. And perhaps man was culpable in that they permitted such a thing to happen. Ultimately, the righteous seed, which was promised in Genesis 3:15 and preserved through Seth (Genesis 5), was threatened by this unholy and unnatural union. 

What does this view have going for it? Well, it is true that angels are sometimes called “sons of God” in the scriptures (see for example Job 1:6). Also, there does seem to be a contrast between the sons of God and the daughters of man in this passage, which’s suggests that they belong to a different class. Those who hold to the angelic view would argue that the sons of God and the daughters of man belonged to a different species altogether — angelic and human. Finally, it should be recognized that it is common to find in ancient and pagan literature the belief that prior to the flood the gods intermingled with humans producing a special class or breed of men. Those who hold to the angelic interpretation would argue that the scriptures confirm this as true.

What does this view have going against it? I would argue that it has a lot going against it. One, though it is true that the phrase “sons of God” might sometimes be used to refer to angels, the phrase is also used in the scriptures to refer men. Sometimes the righteous are called sons of God. Sometimes kings are called sons of God. Adam was called the son of God. Two, everything in this passage points to these “sons of God” as being of the human species. This entire section is about the multiplication of man on the face of the land. We are told that God was displeased, not with rebellious angels, but with man — “Then the LORD said, ‘My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years” (Genesis 6:3, ESV). The Nephilim, who seem to be the result of these unholy unions, are also described as being men, and not some hybrid angel-human species. “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty [ones] who were of old, the men of renown” (Genesis 6:4, ESV).  Three, nothing in the rest of  scripture would indicate that angels would be tempted or have the capacity to engage in carnal relations with the human species. In fact, the scriptures explicitly teach that angels do not marry, and neither do they reproduce — not even amongst themselves. Christ, when dealing with the question of marriage in eternity said, “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (Matthew 22:30, ESV). 

As Christians, we do believe in the supernatural and the miraculous. And so I do not think it is enough to say, “this view is just too strange to be true” (though I think the strangeness of it should cause us to question it). Ultimately, I reject this view because it does not seem to square with this passage, nor with other passage of scripture. And, as we will see, I think there is another view which fits far better with the narrative of Genesis, and with the rest of holy scripture.  

A second interpretation is called the Sethite view. This view takes the phrase “sons of God” as a reference to the descendents of righteous Seth and the phrase “daughters of man” as a reference to the woman who belonged to the line of unrighteous Cain.  

The sinful, corrupt and wicked thing according to this view is that the righteous intermingled with the unrighteous being led astray by their carnal passions.

What does this view have going for it? One, the phrase “sons of God” is sometimes used to refer to God’s people,  that is to say, the righteous ones in the world. Two, this is indeed a theme that we see in holy scripture — God’s people are often tempted by the world, the things of the world, and the sensual pleasures found therein. Under the Old Covenant Israel’s kings we warned about taking foreign wives lest they be tempted to also take their god’s, and thus commit idolatry, as Solomon did. And under the New Covenant the people of God are warned against being unequally yoked.  

What does this view have going against it? Well, a careful consideration of Geneses 6:1-8 reveals that these “sons of God” as they are called have much more in common with Cain and the unrighteous line which proceeded from him than with Seth and the righteous line with came from him.  

A third interpretation is called the royal interpretation. This is the one that I believe is correct. The royal view takes the phrase “sons of God” as a reference to powerful, wicked and tyrannical kings associated with the line of unrighteous Cain, and with King Lamech who was introduced to us back in Genesis 4:18.

Why would wicked kings be called sons of God? The answer is simple I think. This is what these kings claimed to be, and this is what the peoples of the earth considered them to be. These kings claimed to be of divine origin. They called themselves, and were also called, “sons of God” (or sons of the gods, which is a possible translation of the Hebrew). Some of the Roman emperors claimed to be divine, as you know. Before that the Egyptian Pharaohs claimed to be descendents of the gods. And we know through ancient literature that kings who lived prior to the flood also made this claim. They considered themselves, and were considered to be, divine.

There is a kind of irony present within the text. The thing which proves that they were not divine was their fleshly and insatiable appetite for the daughters of men. That they were mere men is proven by the fact that they were driven by carnal passions — they saw that “the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose” (Genesis 6:2, ESV). 

That these kings who claimed to be divine were associated with the unrighteous line of Cain, and not the righteous line of Seth, should be plain enough. 

Notice the terminology of 6:1 matches the terminology 4:14. In 6:1 we read,  “When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them…” (Genesis 6:1, ESV). In 4:14 we  encounter Cain’s complaint against God — “Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me’” (Genesis 4:14, ESV). Cain was earthly,  that is worldly,  and so too were these tyrant kings.

Notice also the similarities between these “sons of God”, so called, and Lamech who was introduced to us in 4:18. “Methushael fathered Lamech. And Lamech took two wives…” (Genesis 4:18–19, ESV). And in 4:23 we read, “Lamech said to his wives: ‘Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold” (Genesis 4:23–24, ESV). Lamech transgressed God’s design for marriage and took multiple wives. He began to rule like a tyrant. Instead of promoting justice, he oppressed his subjects and practiced injustice — he put a young man to death for wounding him. These so called “sons of God” were rulers in the line of Cain and Lamech. They took the sins of Lamech and multiplied them greatly. They not only took two wives as Lamech did, but they took as many as they desired. 

And notice also this theme — those in the wicked line of Cain were obsessed, not with giving  glory to God, but with promoting their own name. Remember that Cain was a city builder (he was a king). And when he built a city what did he call it? Did he calle Yahweh is LORD? No, he named the city after his son Enoch. The line of Cain is portrayed as having an insatiable appetite for glorifying themselves. And what do we see here in Genesis 6:1 and following except that wickedness taken  to the extreme. These men — who proved that they were only men by their desire for and ability to procreate with the — took to themselves the title of “God” and demanded worship no doubt.  

The text also implies that these so called sons of God repeated and amplified the original sin of Adam and Eve when we compare Genesis 6:2 with Genesis 3:6. Remember what the scriptures say about Adam and Eve’s sin — “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6, ESV). So too these sons of God  transgressed the law of God when they “saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose” (Genesis 6:2, ESV).

These powerful warrior kings ruled in a tyranical manner.  They took any woman that they desired into their harrems. And these women bore children to them. 

*****

“Then the LORD said, ‘My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.’”

In verse 3 we read, “Then the LORD said, ‘My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years” (Genesis 6:3, ESV). 

There are two possible ways to interpret this statement. 

One, 120 years could be understood as the length of time that would pass between the issuing of this decree and the flood. In other words, this statement from God indicated that 120 years would pass and then he would come in judgement to cut these men off.

Two, 120 years could be understood as the eventual limit of the lifespan of man. Men prior to the flood lived for hundreds of years. Men after the flood would not live for more than 120 years. This was God’s judgement upon man due to the increase of wickedness on the earth. This seems to me to be the best interpretation. 

Those who reject this interpretation argue against it by pointing out that some who lived after the flood lived for more than 120 years. For example, Abraham lived to 175, Isaac to 180, an d Jacob 147.  But in defense of this view I say, is it not possible that this limitation of the lifespan of man to 120 years was instituted progressively. Men and women progressively lived  shorter and shorter lives until eventually 120 years came to be the limit, as it is today. 

This limitation of the lifespan of man seems to be a fitting consequence to  the increase of wickedness described in this passage. It is not hard to imagine that these tyrant kings grew exceedingly powerful, in part, because of the their long lives. They were able to establish and expand their dynasties over a period of hundreds of years. Today one of the things that limits despotic rulers from having more power than they might otherwise have is death. They make progress in establishing their kingdoms, and then they die. Therefore, their sinful and obsessive regimes are limited.  

*****

“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.”

In verse 4 we read, “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown” (Genesis 6:4, ESV).

Who were these Nephilim? 

The word Nephilim means “giants”. These Nephilim were the children of the sons of God already mentioned. They are here called “the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.” It is not difficult to imagine that these despotic kings were themselves large and powerful warriors, and that they produced large and powerful warriors through their carefully selected harems. In a time when battles were fought face to face and hand to hand it is reasonable to assume that these kings and their kingdoms grew stronger and stronger as they produced more and more of these Nephilim — giant warriors, mighty men, men of renown.

The only other time the word Nephilim appears in the scriptures is in Numbers 13 in that story where Israel sends out the spies to scout out the land of Canan. They returned saying, “‘We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.”’ So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, ‘The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them’” (Numbers 13:31–33, ESV). Only Caleb and Joshua had the faith to conquer the land. The rest turned back for fear of the giants who were in the land. 

Though it is true that the word Nephilim only appears in Genesis 6 and Numbers 13, the theme of giant warriors and the threat they pose to the people of God, the kingdom of God and the promises of God runs throughout scripture.  For the sake of time I will simply remind you of that most famous story — the story of David and Goliath. And I will  also remind you of the story of King Saul and David which follows on its heals. I do not know think that Saul was a giant technically speaking, but he was taller and stronger than any other man. And for this reason the people selected him to be king. They wanted a king like the kings of the nations — a powerful warrior king. 

What do we learn from the story of David and Goliath, and David and Saul? Do we not learn that God’s kingdom will be established not by political and military might, not by the strength and wisdom of man, but by God’s faithfulness to his promises and by God’s power?  God’s kingdom is established, “Not by might, nor by power, but by [his] Spirit, says the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6, ESV). 

The stories of David and Goliath, and David and Saul clearly communicate these truths. But do you see that these truths are established here in the earliest chapters of Genesis. Though the kingdoms of man began to multiply on the face of the earth by the rule of these tyrannical and mighty warrior kings, God was sovereign still. And though the righteous line of Seth and the promised seed of the woman who would come through his loins was certainly threatened by these tyrants and by the speed of wickedness upon the earth, God would establish his kingdom. He would preserve a people for himself, for he is faithful to his covenant.   

*****

“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

In verse 5 we read, “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5, ESV).

God sees the intentions and the thoughts of our hearts, friends.

And though it may be true that man had grown exceedingly wicked in the days prior to the flood, the same may be said of fallen and sinful man even today.  For what did the Apostle Paul say concerning the condition of man? “What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’ ‘Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.’ ‘The venom of asps is under their lips.’ ‘Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.’ ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.’ ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes’” (Romans 3:9–18, ESV). The testimony of scripture from beginning to end is that man — fallen, sinful, and unregenerate man — is corrupt to the core. 

I  was listening to talk talk radio the other day and the one hosts (he being of the liberal variety) told a story about words that his father had spoken to him when he was child. He remembered distinctly his father saying to him, “son, don’t ever, ever, ever loose faith in the fundamental goodness of man.” Those words had shaped his life. And I thought to myself, those words sound so very nice and good. And there is a part of me that wishes I could believe them, but I cannot. When I look at the world around me I do not see good, but sin and evil. And when I look to the pages of Holy Scripture here is what I read, “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” 

If I were to give advice to my sons and daughters it would be this, “sons, daughters, don’t ever, ever, ever loose faith in God  who alone is good and his ability to redeem and restore sinners such as you and me through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Friends, our God is able to make bad men good. Our God is able to shine light ion darkness,  and bring life from death. But when fallen men and women are left to themselves they are not good, but are dead in their trespasses and sins. 

*****

“And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.”

In verse 6 we read, “And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart” (Genesis 6:6, ESV). At the end of verse 7 something similar is communicated. There God himself is heard saying, “for I am sorry that I have made them.”

The meaning of these statements is simple enough. God was terribly displeased with the wickedness of man and the language of human emotion and experience is used to communicate this truth to us. You and I know what it is to  regret something, to be grieved to the heart, and to be sorry concerning something we have done. God’s deep displeasure with the wickedness of man is communicated to us through the language of human emotion and experience. 

Of course we know that God cannot in actuality experience regret, be grieved to the heart, or be sorry. For God to actually be sorry would mean that he erred, for him to actually regret would indicate a change within God, and for God to be grieved to the hearty would require God to have a heart, which he does not have. Men have hearts. Men our composed of parts — body and soul, mind and heart. God is simple. He is not made up of parts. He is a most pure spirit. All that is in God is God.

Other scriptures texts actually support what I have just said — that God cannot actually regret, be grieved to the heart, or be sorry. 

In Numbers 23:19 (written by the same  man  who wrote  Genesis 6:6, mind you) we read, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19, ESV) In 1 Samuel 1 15:29 we read, “the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret” (1 Samuel 15:29, ESV). In Malachi 3:6 we read, “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6, ESV).

You and I change. You and I have regret,  are grieved and know what it is to be sorry. God does not experience these things. Here in Genesis 6:6 (and in other places) the language of human emotion and experience and is applied to to God so that we might understand something true about him. Something similar happens when the scriptures attribute human body parts to God.   The scriptures will sometimes refer to the face of God, to the hand of God, to the arm of God, etc. And yet the same scriptures are clear that God is in  actuality spirit and is not made up of any of those things. 

How then are we to understand these passages that speak of God anthropopathicly (with the language of human emotion) or anthropomorphically (with the language of human physiology). The answer is by the way of negation. When we interpret these passages we must strip away (negate) all that is human and all that not proper to God until the basic meaning of the passage is left. I think most do this naturally. And what is left in Genesis 6:6 when we strip away that which is human and not proper to God? The truth that God was terribly displeased with the wickedness of man in those days. This truth is communicated there in a way that you and I can feel.  

*****

“So the LORD said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.’”

In verse 7 we read these ominous words, “So the LORD said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them” (Genesis 6:7, ESV).

The stage has now been set for the story of the flood which God would send upon the earth

*****

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”

And in verse 8 we read these blessed words, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8, ESV). 

With these words the state is set for the story of Noah and the ark. 

What does it mean that “Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD”? The word translated  “favor” might also be  translated “grace”. This is how the KJV and NKJV translate it — “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8, NKJV).

What a tremendous thing this is to consider. Though man was exceedingly wicked, and though the sinfulness of man had spread throughout all the earth, God was gracious still. He, by his grace, preserved a people for himself. Noah, as we will learn, was righteous in his generation. Noah, like Enoch before him, walked with God.  And this was by God’s grace.  

*****

Conclusion 

How mighty we apply these truths? Well, in many ways. I will mention three possible applications. 

One, let us be sure to have true and and biblical view of man and his condition now that he is fallen. I understand perfectly well the appeal of that view which supposes that men and women are fundamentally good. It really is a wonderful thought! But it has one thing against it. It’s not true. Men and women are born in sin. And even those who are regenerated and redeemed in Christ struggle with sin. Our hope, therefore, cannot  be in man, but must be in God. Our hope must be rooted in God and in the grace that he shown to us in Christ Jesus. Not only should this cause you to run to Christ for the forgiveness of sins, but it should drive you to urge others to run t him too.

And notice how practical a proper and true doctrine of man is. It effects even our political views. I would argue that many of the differences of opinion that we have in this country regarding politics can be traced backed to this  fundamental question — what is man, that is, what is his condition? A quote from one  of our founding fathers, James Madison comes to mind. He famously said in Federalist 51, “But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” I do not intend to get to far down the road on the topic of political theory, but I do wish to show that our doctrine informs our politics. And most fundamental to the formulation of a political theory is the doctrine of man. Because men are not angels (because they are sinful) there must be government. And because we are not governed by angels (but instead fallen men hold position in government) the government must be limited and controlled by checks and balances — or so our founders reasoned. 

Two, let us not loose sight of the central issue in this passage, and the central theme of scripture, namely, the  glory of God through the advancement of his kingdom in all the earth. Adam was to expand God’s kingdom prior to the fall. He failed. And now their are two kingdoms in the world — the kingdom of man, and the kingdom of God. God has established his kingdom through Christ Jesus. And now our mission is  to further it. And so we pray, “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9–10, ESV). Let us live for the glory of God through the advancement of his kingdom in all the earth. Let us be sure to be a part of his kingdom , with Jesus as our Lord. Let us preach the gospel of his kingdom.  And let pray that his kingdom come. In the days prior to the flood, the kingdom of man was flourishing to the point that seemed as if the kingdom of God had been snuffed out. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 

Three, let us grieve with God, first over our own sin, and after that, over the sins of others. And may that sorrow lead us to repentance so that we might live holy before the Lord to the glory go his name.  

---

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 3:6-8

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” (Genesis 3:6–8, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Romans 5:12-21

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:12–21, ESV)

---

Introduction

As we begin to consider Genesis 3:6-8 today it would be helpful to remember that this scene is the central scene in the section which runs from Genesis 2:4 through to the end of chapter 3. The narrative of Genesis is highly structured. At first glance you might only see a series of words, sentences and paragraphs. But upon closer examination it becomes evident that the entire book is carefully structured.

I have already mentioned that the book is divided into ten parts after the prologue of Genesis 1:1-2:3. Each of the ten parts begins with the heading, “these are the generations of…”, or something similar. But it is interesting and also helpful to recognize that structure can be found within each of these sections. The structure of the narrative does impact meaning, for it focuses our attention and gives emphasis to certain elements of the text.

1 – 2:5-17 – narrative – God the sole actor, man passive
2 – 2:18-25 – narrative – God main actor, man minor role, woman and animals passive
3 – 3:1-5 – dialogue – snake and woman
4 – 3:6-8 – narrative, man and woman
5 – 3:9-13 – dialogue – God, man and woman
6 – 3:14-21 – narrative – God main actor, man minor role, woman and snake passive
7 – 3:22-24 – narrative – God the sole actor, man passive

I’m not sure that you would remember this, but as we began to study Genesis 2:4 and following back in September of 2018 I pointed out that Genesis 2:4-3:24 is highly structured. This section is divided into seven scenes which form a chiasm, with scene 1 corresponding to scene 7, scene 2 to scene 6, and scene 3 to scene 5. The fourth scene – the scene positioned at the peak or climax of the chiasm – is the scene that we are considering today in 3:6-8. These structures that are found within Genesis help to focus the reader upon the main point of the text. And what I am saying to you is that this passage that we are considering today which describes to us the fall of man is at the heart of the narrative of Genesis 2:4-3:24. We’d better pay attention.

1 – “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise…
2 – she took of its fruit and ate…
3 – and she also gave some to her husband who was with her…
4 – and he ate.
5 – Then the eyes of both were opened,
6 – and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
7 – And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” (Genesis 3:6–8, ESV)

Furthermore, it should be noticed that this little section which is at the heart of the narrative of Genesis 2:5 – 3:24 also has a chiastic structure to it. The first half of the chiasm is marked off by a series of verbs – “saw”, “took”, and “gave” which culminate with the statement, “and he ate”. 1 – “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise…”, 2 – “she took of its fruit and ate…”, 3 – “and she also gave some to her husband who was with her…”, 4 – “and he ate.”

This little phrase, “and he ate”, is at the heart of the passage that we are considering today. In fact, this little phrase, “and he ate”, is at the heart of the entire narrative which runs from 2:5-3:24 given that this scene is positioned as the central scene of that narrative. And it should come as no surprise to us, for the question, will Adam eat or not eat? has been on our minds ever since we read the words, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:16–17, ESV). This tree was a tree of testing. The question was, would Adam pass the test? Would Adam remain faithful and true to his God? Would he obey. The central scene of the narrative of Genesis 2:5-3:24, and the central phrase of that scene, answers that question with the words, “and he ate”.

The remainder of the chiasm corresponds to what was was said to us at the beginning of verse 6 concerning the woman’s hope for eating of the tree. Having listened to the voice of the serpent she began to look at the tree differently. The “woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise…” She therefore “took and ate” and “gave” and “he ate”. Their hopes were high. They had grown convinced that there was no real danger in this tree, but that it would good for them, just as all the other trees of the garden were. In fact, this tree would open their eyes and make them wise, making them as powerful as God. The backside of the chiasm corresponds to this hope of theirs and shows that it was a false hope. Adam and Eve were terribly mistaken. 5 – “then the eyes of both were opened”, but it was not what the expected. They expected enlightenment, but instead they experienced the shame of their guilt. 6 – “And they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” The serpent had convinced them that there was no danger in this tree, saying, “you will not surely die”. He convinced them that this tree was a harmless as all the others. But after eating from it “they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:6–8, ESV). Instead of enjoying sweet communion with their Maker, they were terrified by his presence, for now they were in sin and were deserving of God’s just condemnation.

Having now provided an overview of this passage, let us now consider it piece by piece.

Furthermore, it should be noticed that this little section which is at the heart of the narrative of Genesis 2:5 – 3:24 also has a chiastic structure to it. The first half of the chiasm is marked off by a series of verbs – “saw”, “took”, and “gave” which culminate with the statement, “and he ate”. 1 – “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise…”, 2 – “she took of its fruit and ate…”, 3 – “and she also gave some to her husband who was with her…”, 4 – “and he ate.”

This little phrase, “and he ate”, is at the heart of the passage that we are considering today. In fact, this little phrase, “and he ate”, is at the heart of the entire narrative which runs from 2:5-3:24 given that this scene is positioned as the central scene of that narrative. And it should come as no surprise to us, for the question, will Adam eat or not eat? has been on our minds ever since we read the words, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:16–17, ESV). This tree was a tree of testing. The question was, would Adam pass the test? Would Adam remain faithful and true to his God? Would he obey. The central scene of the narrative of Genesis 2:5-3:24, and the central phrase of that scene, answers that question with the words, “and he ate”.

The remainder of the chiasm corresponds to what was was said to us at the beginning of verse 6 concerning the woman’s hope for eating of the tree. Having listened to the voice of the serpent she began to look at the tree differently. The “woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise…” She therefore “took and ate” and “gave” and “he ate”. Their hopes were high. They had grown convinced that there was no real danger in this tree, but that it would good for them, just as all the other trees of the garden were. In fact, this tree would open their eyes and make them wise, making them as powerful as God. The backside of the chiasm corresponds to this hope of theirs and shows that it was a false hope. Adam and Eve were terribly mistaken. 5 – “then the eyes of both were opened”, but it was not what the expected. They expected enlightenment, but instead they experienced the shame of their guilt. 6 – “And they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” The serpent had convinced them that there was no danger in this tree, saying, “you will not surely die”. He convinced them that this tree was a harmless as all the others. But after eating from it “they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:6–8, ESV). Instead of enjoying sweet communion with their Maker, they were terrified by his presence, for now they were in sin and were deserving of God’s just condemnation.

Having now provided an overview of this passage, let us now consider it piece by piece.

---

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise…”

In verse 6 we read, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise…” It was after this that she then took of its fruit and ate.

Notice, then, where Eve’s fall into sin began. The serpent brought the temptation to her (this we considered last week), but her fall into sin began within her mind and heart as she perceived that the forbidden tree was in fact the good and beneficial tree. She “saw” or “perceived” that the tree was good for food, etc., etc., and after this she ate. 

And so it is with all our sin. When we sin, we sin from the heart. When we disobey God’s word, we do so from a mind that is bent out of shape. When we listen to another voice and go our own way it is because we have “perceived” that someone or something else is worthy of our obedience and devotion. 

Eve’s rebellion began within her heart as she saw or perceived or decided within herself that the serpents way was in fact better than God’s.   

She “saw that the tree was good for food…” In other words she had come to believe the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not a danger to her as God had said, but would in fact be for her good at the serpent said. In terms of its danger it was like all of the other trees of the garden – it too was “good for food”. Eve perceived that tree was good for food and so she was no longer cautious about approaching it. In fact the tree that was once a terror to her (remember she had resolved not even to touch it) was now a “delight to [her] eyes”.

And do you not reason in the same way when you sin? Do you not first of all convince yourself that there is really no danger in the thing that God has forbidden? Yes, I know that God has said “be not drunk with wine”, but is there really any harm in drinking to the point of drunkenness with my friends so long it is only occasional and responsibly done? Or yes, I know that God has said that the gift of sex is to be reserved for the marriage bond, but really what is the harm? Or yes, I know that God has said to honor the Lord’s Day Sabbath and to not forsake the assembly, but certainly my situation is different. Brothers and sisters, you sin against God only after you have convinced yourself that God’s word may be disregarded. It is possible that you do this without realizing it, but I am sure that you have done it. If God’s word is in you, then you must explain it away, minimize it or set it aside somehow if you are to disobey it. 

Eve convinced herself that the forbidden tree was in fact “good for food” and then it became a “delight to [her] eyes.” You and I are naturally drawn to that which we perceive to be good and right and are repulsed by that which we perceive to bad or evil. You can see the progression, I’m sure. First Eve decided within herself that the forbidden tree was in fact good. Then afterwards the tree that once seemed repulsive to her looked beautiful to her, and she was drawn to it.  

Lastly Eve perceived that “the tree was to be desired to make one wise.” Things progressed even further. Not only did the forbidden tree seem harmless and beautiful in appearance to Eve (just like all the other trees), but it now seemed to her that eating from it would in fact give her wisdom and insight. In other words, Eve had convinced herself that the serpent was right and that God was wrong. Instead of bringing death as God said, this tree would open her eyes, and she would “be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5, ESV).

I will say it again: Our acts of obedience to God and our acts of disobedience against him begin in the mind and in the heart. Our behavior is largely determined by our perception of things. We live within God’s world and we are constantly perceiving things. We are constantly observing the world around us and making judgements concerning what we see. This thing we perceive to be good, and this evil; this right and this wrong; this beautiful and that ugly; this true and that false. And we decide to do this thing or that based upon those perceptions. 

This is why Jesus said what he said in Matthew 6:22: “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 6:22–23, ESV)

What is Jesus encouraging when he urges us to have eyes that are healthy so that our whole body might be filled with light and not darkness? He is urging his followers to perceive the world around them aright. God’s people ought to interpret the world around them according to his word. God’s law should be so engraved upon our hearts that we love what God loves and hate what he hates. What he calles good and right and true, we should call good and right and true. What he calls evil, we should call evil. And we should believe it to the heart.     

Where did Eve’s rebellion begin? It began in the heart and in the mind. She would eventually eat of the forbidden tree, not because her hand and mouth rebelled, but because her eye rebelled. She began to slip in her perception of things. What God called evil, she began to perceive as good – this she did in the mind and heart. She found herself in agreement with a voice other than the voice of God.  

Brothers and sisters, this is why sound doctrine is so vital to the Christian life. This is why developing a biblical and godly worldview is essential if we are walk before the Lord in holiness. This is why the Apostle says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2, ESV). And again the same Apostle says, “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3, ESV)

---

“She took of its fruit and ate…”

The woman, after coming to see the tree as good, as delightful, and as desirable then took of it’s fruit and ate. This statement is simple enough. Here the sin of Eve is described. But I will take the opportunity to ask the question, where is Adam?

Adam was the one commanded by God to guard and keep the guarden temple. Eve was given to Adam as his helper. And yet Adam is missing from this narrative. He is nowhere to be found. The snake approached Eve. The snake spoke to Eve. Eve considered the serpents words and came to be of his opinion. And then Eve took of the fruit of the tree and ate. And where is Adam? He is absent.

We should not minimize the sin of Eve, for she knew the law of God herself. She decided to commit sin. But we should also highlight Adam’s failure. When Eve ate she sinned a sin of commission, having violated the law of God by her action. But when Eve ate Adam sinned a sin of omission. He failed to do what God had called him to do by his negligence.

Brothers and sisters, we should be mindful not only of sins of commission, but also sins of omission. In other words, not only should we take care to not commit sin, but we should also take care to not fail to do that which God has called us to do in his word. James 4:17 addresses sins of omission, saying, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

---

“And she also gave some to her husband who was with her…”

Notice that Eve’s rebellion continues. Not only did she come to see that the forbidden tree was the good and desirable tree, and not only did she herself take and eat of it, but she also gave the fruit to Adam so that he might eat of it as well.

Eve, instead of standing up to the tempter, became the agent of temptation for Adam. The snake did not speak to Adam. He spoke to Eve, and then Eve gave the fruit to Adam. It was Eve who convinced Adam to eat.

Brothers and sisters, we should be mindful of the way that our sin affects those around us.

Most do not like to be alone in their sin, and so they encourage others to sin with them. Most do not drink to drunkenness alone, but they bring others along with them. Sexual sin is always this way. A partner is required. Peter speaks to this in 1 Peter 4:3 and following when he says, “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:3–5, ESV). Those who live in sin love to have company.

And the sins that you commit personally rarely affect only you. Others are impacted somehow and in someway by your decision to violate God’s law. Friends, do not rebel against God for your own sake, but also for the sake of others. We love God when we keep his commandments, and we also love one another when we keep God’s commandments.

Eve, though she was designed by God to function as Adam’s helper, became a hindrance to him by her rebellion. Eve was deceived, and through her the temptation came also to Adam.

---

“And he ate…”

And now finally we come to the climax of the passage with the words: “and he ate.” Adam was commanded by God not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but he too decided to eat.

Let me make a few observations about Adam’s eating:

First of all, Adam ate being tempted by Eve, and not deceived by the serpent. Paul makes this most clear in 1 Timothy 2:13-14 when he says, “For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.” The serpent deceived Eve, and Eve convinced Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit. 

Secondly, notice that humanities fall into sin was not complete until Adam ate of the fruit. Adam functioned as a federal head or representative for all humanity. The Romans 5 passage that we read at the beginning of this sermon makes that clear when it says, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…”, etc. When Eve sinned, Eve sinned. But when Adam sinned, all sinned, for Adam appointed by God to function as a representive for all humanity. 

Thirdly, it obvious that God created man (and also the angels) with freewill. That man was created a volitional creature with the ability to act upon choice was strongly implied by the fact that God set apart two trees in the garden as unique – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life – and then commanded Adam and Eve to choose the one and not the other. Man’s freedom was implied by the choice that was set before them. But now it is most obvious that these creatures were created by God with the freedom to choose. By this time some of the angels had chosen to rebell against God (thus the serpent who was found opposing God’s rule), and now Adam and Eve have clearly chosen a path of rebellion. Adam and Eve were created with freewill. 

Our confession is correct when it says in chapter 9 paragraph 1 that “God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice, that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or evil.” Paragraph 2 also pertains to the passage today, for speaks of the ability that Adam and Eve had prior to their rebellion when it says, “Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well-pleasing to God, but yet was unstable, so that he might fall from it.”

To be human is to have freewill. To be human is to have the “liberty and power of acting upon choice”. When Adam was innocent he had the ability, or the “freedom and power to will to do that which was good and well-pleasing to God, but yet was unstable, so that he might fall from it.” After Adam fell from innocency and into sin he, and all who would descend from him, still possessed the “liberty and power of acting upon choice.” Hear me now – what we lost at the fall was not the freedom to choose, but the ability to chose that which is right and pleasing to God. Chapter 9 paragraph 3 of our confession is helpful when it is say that “Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.” This is the state that Adam and Eve fell into. And this is the state into which all are born in this world. All humans have by nature the ability to choose, but now that we are fallen, we are in bondage under sin. 

Paragraph 4 of that same chapter rightly says, “When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruptions, he doth not perfectly, nor only will, that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil.” This is the state that those who have faith in Christ are in. Having been regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit these have been freed from their “natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone [enabled to]… freely… will and to do that which is spiritually good…” though corruptions remain. Our confession is also right in paragraph 5 when it says that” this will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of glory only.” 

What is the common denominator present in each of these states of being – innocence, sin, grace and glory? The common denominator is that human beings have freewill. They possess the “liberty and power of acting upon choice”. To be human is to have freewill. What changes in each of these states of being? Man’s ability changes. Adam in innocence was able to obey or to rebel. Adam in sin is able only to rebel. Adam in grace is able to “will and to do that which is spiritually good”, yet corruptions reman. Adam in glory will be made “perfectly and immutably free to good alone.”

When Adam ate he and his wife died, and so too did all of his posterity. Though the went on living for a very long time, the entered into a state of sin and death when they rebelled against their Maker. They fell from innocency, and into sin. And the wages of sin is death. This is our condition apart from Christ. We are dead in our trespasses and sins. If we are to live, then God must make us alive through Christ. 

---

“Then the eyes of both were opened…”

Verses 7 and 8 make all that I have just said concerning man’s fall into sin and death abundantly clear. Remember that the backside of the chiasm corresponds to the false hopes that Eve had for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Remember that she thought by eating of the tree she and Adam would be made wise. And what was the result of their eating? Indeed, their eyes were opened, but not as they thought.

---

“And they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”

Instead of bringing delight to the man and the woman, they now experienced the shame of their sin. They immediately “knew that they were naked.” Shame was something that neither of them had experienced before, and now a sense of shame rushed over them. 

And notice their response. Their impulse was to cover their shame. They “sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” Were the situation not so serious, it would be comical. Immagine Adam and Eve frantically sewing together coverings for themselves out of leaves. 

And this is what we do with our sin. Instead of confessing it to God and to one another, we are tempted to conceal it. But God’s word says, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13, ESV) 

And not only does sinful man conceal his sin, he also seeks to provide his own remedy for his sin. And here is the difference between true and false religion. True religion has God and his word as its authority. True religion looks to God and God alone and places all of its hope in him. False religion has the wisdom of man as its source. False religion sets its hope upon the things of this world – things that are manmade. 

Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. And having sinned against God, they hid. And while they hid, they franticly worked to provide atonement for their sins, but as we will see, they could not. Those fig leaves would prove to be inadequate. 

---

“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”

Eve had hoped that the forbidden tree would be harmless – “good for food” like all of the other trees of the garden. But what did she find? Both Adam and Eve found that the tree brought death, just as God said that it would. Verse 8: “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”

Notice a few things  about this verse:

First of all, notice that God is here called the LORD God. This name for God (Yahweh Elohim) emphasizes that God is the covenant making and covenant keeping God – the God who is near to and intimate with his people. God has been called by this name throughout Genesis 2 and 3. I failed to mention it last week, but it should be noted that when the serpent spoke to Eve of God he did not call him “the LORD God”, but only “God”. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5, ESV), he said. By calling God “Elohim” instead of “Yahweh Elohim” the serpent was minimizing God’s nearness. But now God is called Yahweh Elohim again. He is still the the covenant making and covenant keeping God, but now the covenant has been broken. He is still the God who is near to and intimate with his people, but now his people are in sin. 

Secondly, notice that the LORD God had a habit of walking with Adam and Eve in the garden. Adam and Eve had enjoyed the presence of God in that place prior to their sin. And this corresponds to all that has been said in  previous sermons about the garden being a temple with Adam as priest. The garden is where Adam and Eve enjoyed God’s presence – and that is what makes a temple a temple – God’s presence with his people. 

Thirdly, notice that God’s presence was no longer a comfort and joy to Adam and Eve after they had sinned. Now God’s presence was a terror to them. Again, “they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”

---

Conclusion

This passage should cause sinful man to weep and to tremble. What a terrible and heinous thing it is for creatures to rebel against their Creator – a Creator who is nothing but good and generous and kind. And what a sad thought that the relationship that was once a joy to man has become a terror to him. To think of Adam and Eve running and hiding from the sound of the LORD God and from his presence should cause our hearts to ache. 

Oh, how far we have fallen. We were made to live for God’s glory and to enjoy him forever and ever, but we have fallen short of the glory of God and are now by nature children of wrath. This is true for all the children of Adam who are still in their sins.

Friends, this bad news. But  good news is coming. Soon we will see that LORD God is gracious. He will graciously clothe Adam and Eve and pronounce good news to them, that a Savior would be provide. He is Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us look to him. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, ESV). “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9, ESV).

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 3:1-5

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?’ And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” (Genesis 3:1–5, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 8:31-47

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ They answered him, ‘We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.’ They answered him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.’ They said to him, ‘We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.’” (John 8:31–47, ESV)

*****

Introduction

It has been a while now since we have been in the text of Genesis given that we took nine sermons to explore the topic of marriage, divorce and remarriage. It would be good for us to remember where we are in this book which, I will remind you, is highly structured. 

The book of Genesis is divided into eleven parts. There is a prologue which spans from Genesis 1:1-2:3 which describes the creation of the heavens and the earth. And then there are ten sections, each of them beginning with the phrase, “these are the generations of…”, or something like it. We are currently in the first of these ten sections. 

Remember that in Genesis 2:4 we read, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens” (Genesis 2:4, ESV). It is not until Genesis 5:1 that we will again encounter this heading with the words, “This is the book of the generations of Adam… (Genesis 5:1, ESV). 

Each of these ten headings found in the book of Genesis names some person or persons and then tells us about their offspring – the generations of Adam; the generations of Noah; the generations of Shem, Ham and Japheth; etc. The one exception is the first of the  ten headings, for there it is not a person named, but a place – namely, “the heavens and the earth”. Again, Genesis 2:4 says, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.”

It should be remembered what the phrase “the heavens and earth” is referring to. “Earth”, both in Genesis 1:1 and in 2:4,  is a reference to the earthly, physical realm that is visible to us. This is the realm that you and I live in. “Heaven”, both in Genesis 1:1 and 2:4, is a reference to the heavenly, spiritual realm which is presently invisible to us. Therefore, this section that runs from Genesis 2:4 through to 5:1 tells us about that which descended from the earth and heavens which God created in the beginning. 

First, we learned that God formed Adam out of the earth. Remember Genesis 2:7: “Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” (Genesis 2:7, ESV). After this God formed Eve from Adam. Genesis 2:21-22: “So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man” (Genesis 2:21–22, ESV). What was generated from the earth? Genesis 2:4-25 reveals that the God of heaven brought plants and animals, birds and fish, and supremely Adam and Eve from the earth. We should also remember that God entered into a covenant with the man that he had made. After placing Adam in the garden, and after giving him access to all the plants and trees to have as food, he strictly forbid him from eating from one tree – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:15-17). He also gave Adam a task. He was to work and keep the garden (Genesis 3:15). This he was to do for a time. Having successfully accomplished his work he would have been permitted to eat from the tree of life and to enter into glory. What I am saying is that Genesis 2:4 through to 3:1 describes to us the generations of the earth. From the earth God brought forth, among other things, Adam and Eve and entered into a covenant of life with them. 

But what about the generations of the heavens?  Remember, this section has the heading, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.” What is it that happened in the heavenly realm as it pertains to the story of Holy Scripture?

Now, it must be admitted that our knowledge of the history of the heavenly realm is much more limited than our knowledge of the history of the earthy realm, but God does not leave us entirely in the dark. His word does reveal to us something of the history of heaven. 

We know that the heavenly realm was created by God on day one of creation. We know that heaven is God’s throne, the earth his footstool – heaven is where God’s glory is shown forth in splendor. We know that heaven is filled with heavenly hosts, that is to say, angels – seraphim and cherubim. And we know that there was a rebellion in heaven. Jude 6 refers to this rebellion, saying, “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, [God] has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day…” (Jude 6, ESV). In 1 Timothy 5:21 Paul refers to the angels in heaven as “elect angels” indicating that there are also angels who are non-elect and fallen. The scriptures refer to these fallen angels as demons. The prince of these demons is called by many names: Satan, the Devil, Beelzebub, and Lucifer. 

In Isaiah 14 we find an oracle concerning the fall of the once powerful king of Babylon. But most would agree that the fall of this earthly king is stated in language reminiscent of the fall of Satan himself, establishing a similitude between the fall of these two powerful beings, one human and the other angelic. 

Listen to Isaiah 14:12-16 and keep in mind that this passage is about the fall of the king of Babylon but is stated in such away to remind us of the fall of Satan: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms…” (Isaiah 14:12–16, ESV).

The scriptures are clear that there was a rebellion in the realm of heaven. Some of the angels fell, whereas others kept their proper position as servants of the living God. It appears that Satan led this rebellion, being motivated by envy and pride. 

But when did this rebellion in the realm of heaven occur? The answer is that it happened at some point between the end of day six of creation, and the temptation of Adam and Eve as described to us in Genesis 3:1 and following. 

In the beginning God created the heavenly realm and the earthly realm. 

The earth was at first without form and void and dark. 

Job 38:7 tells us that the angels of heaven witnessed the formation of the earth as it is described to us in Genesis 1 and “shouted for joy” when they saw it – this means that the angels must have been created on the first day of creation. 

And at the end of day six we are told that “God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31, ESV). Everything was as good in the heavenly realm and in the earthly realm at the end of day six of creation. 

But in Genesis 3:1 we read, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?’” (Genesis 3:1, ESV). 

It is impossible to know for sure how much time elapsed from day six of creation to this act of treason on the part of one of God’s creatures. I tend to think that it was not long at all. But the important thing to notice is that Genesis 3:1 describes an act of rebellion. One of God’s creatures is here found rebelling against its maker. 

*****

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.” 

In Genesis 3:1 we read the words, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.” 

This is an interesting introduction to the narrative that will follow. Clearly, this statement is a reference to a literal snake. The serpent, when compared to all of the of other beasts of the field, is more crafty.

 “Crafty” is an appropriate word to use when describing the snake. To be “crafty” is to be subtle and shrewd. The Hebrew word translated by the English word “crafty” does not carry with it positive or negative connotations. In fact, the same Hebrew word is used throughout the Proverbs to describe one who is wise. The wise person is crafty, subtle and shrewd. Craftiness, therefore, can be used for good, and it might also be used for evil. Remember how Christ taught his disciples saying, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16, ESV).

Genesis 3:1 is a simple and straightforward statement concerning snakes. Snakes are crafty creatures. They move in quietly. The are well camouflaged. And they are opportunistic predators who lie in wait for their prey. They are even mesmerizing. It is no wonder, then, that Satan – a heavenly and spiritual being – would use the snake – an earthly creature – to bring temptation to Adam and Eve.  

*****

“He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?’”

In the second half of verse one something surprising happens. The serpent speaks. “He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?’”

This narrative that we are considering today is very brief, but it is packed full of meaning. Notice a few things about the second half of verse 1:

One, notice that the person at work within the serpent is not named. Clearly, some power is at work within the snake, for snakes do not ordinarily speak. But the person is not named, for he is not worthy of it. He is only called a snake. The rest of the narrative, and the rest of scripture, will make it clear that this is the voice Lucifer. 

Two, notice that this is the first voice heard in the narrative that opposes God and his sovereign rule. Up until this point everything was good, indeed very good. 

Three, notice that the serpent spoke, not to Adam, but to Eve. This is very significant given that it was Adam who was given the task to “ work… and keep” the garden (Genesis 2:15). Eve was to function as his helper. Here the craftiness of the Evil One is put on display. He subtly entered the garden, appearing out of nowhere. And he approached the woman, avoiding Adam the Federal Head. It is true that Eve could have stomped the head of the serpent. She, as Adams helper, could have resisted the temptation or alerted her husband concerning the intruder. But the tactic of the Evil One is easy to see. He tempted Adam, not directly, but through his wife. The serpent was crafty in his approach. 

Four, notice the words of the serpent. “He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?’” The serpent called God’s word into question – “Did God actually say…?” And the serpent also misquoted God ever so slightly. ‘Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?’” Can you recognize the subtlety of the serpent? He began to call into question the goodness and the character of God, not directly, but by way of implication and suggestion. Buried within the serpents carefully crafted question was the subtle suggestion that perhaps God was too harsh, unreasonable and not particularly interested in the ultimate good of Adam and Eve.  “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

I hope that you are beginning to understand the purpose of this text. More than a straightforward retelling of the temptation of the first man and women, this text also gives us insight into the character and the tactics of the Evil One – tactics he uses to this present day. Satan it still eager to undermine our confidence in God’s word and to erode or trust in God as one who is good and generous, gracious and kind. This he often does in subtle and cunning ways, by speaking half truths and by way of suggestion. 

*****

“And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

In Genesis 3:2-3 we find the woman’s reply: “And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

Notice a few things about Eve’s reply:

One, she does correct the serpent. The serpent suggested that God forbid the man and the woman from eating from any of the trees of garden. Look at how stingy and oppressive God is, was the suggestion of the serpent. He has set you down in the mindst of this lush and fruitful garden and has placed restrictions on you. Eve was right to say, no,  “we may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden…’”

Two, notice that Eve does begin to slip a bit as she minimizes God’s generosity. For what did God actually say to Adam? Genesis 2:16: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden…” Eve omitted the word “every”, and this is significant. 

Three, notice that Eve slips even more when she adds to God’s word saying, “neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Never did God command Adam and Eve not to touch the tree, only that they should not eat of it. 

It is apparent that Eve was on a dangerous path. She should have been much more firm with the serpent. In fact, she should have done what Christ did when tempted by the Evil One in the wilderness. And what did Christ do? Three times over he replied to the lies and the distortions of Satan with the words, “it is written…”, “it is written…”, and finally, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written… ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve’” (Matthew 4:10, ESV). Eve was far too gentle with the serpent. She allowed him to speak. She gave him a hearing. And her devotion to God began to slip. She began, ever so slightly, to minimize his goodness and to exaggerate his severity. 

I wonder if some of you are not on this same path even now. You have listened to the lies of the evil one. You have failed to confront his voice with the word of God. And you have begun to doubt that God is indeed good, and gracious, generous and kind.  

*****

“But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’”

In verse 5 the serpent replies to the woman with these words: “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Notice that the tactics of the Evil One have transitioned from being sly and subtile, to aggressive and direct. Just as a snake at first moves slowly as it waits for its pray and then quickly strikes when the moment is right, so too the Evil One will tempt us subtly, and only after he has brought us to a vulnerable place will he deliver his deadly blow. 

The interesting thing about the words of Satan in verse 5 is that they contain truth — they are half truths, mind you. They are twisted truths. But the words of Satan will prove to be true, in a way. 

“You will not surely die”, the serpent said. Notice how direct he is now. Before it was, “has God actually said…” Now it is, “you will not surely die…” — a direct challenge to God’s word. But do see that there was some truth in what the serpent said. God said, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die…” (Genesis 2:17, ESV). But as we progress in the narrative we will find that Adam, though he would eat of the forbidden fruit, did not die until he was 930 years old. So, in a way, the serpent was right. Adam and Eve did not immediately die. Of course he was wrong in two respects. One, Adam would eventually dies. And Two, Adam did die in the day that ate of the forbidden fruit — he died spiritually, having been cast out of the garden from the presence of God. This is why Paul could write to Christians who were alive physically and say, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience…” (Ephesians 2:1–2, ESV). What did Paul mean? These Christians were alive physically, but spiritually they were dead because of sin prior to being brought to faith in Christ. This was true of Adam also. Though he would live for 930 years, he truly died in the day that he ate of the forbidden fruit.

Some of you are living in this state even now. You are alive according to the flesh, but spiritually you are dead because of you sin. Christ can make you alive. 

The serpent then said, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” This statement also contains truth. 

Were the eyes of Adam and Eve opened when they ate of the forbidden fruit? The answer is, yes! But not in the way they expected. After eating of the fruit we read in 3:7 that “the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths” (Genesis 3:7, ESV). Their eyes were opened when they ate, but not unto enlightenment as the serpent had suggested, but unto shame.  

And did Adam and Eve become like God, knowing good and evil when they ate? In a sense they did, but not as they expected.

The suggestion of the serpent was that by eating of the forbidden tree the first man and woman would come to experience something greater than what they had experienced up to that point. The implied accusation against God was that he was holding out on them. God forbid them from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because he knew that if they ate of it they would become as powerful as him. In essence the Evil One managed to make the tree of the knowledge of good and evil seem as if were in fact the tree of life. Satan convinced the couple that by eating of the forbidden tree and abstaining from the the tree of life they would advance to a higher order of life. God was holding out on them. The opposite of what he said was the truth. What Adam and Eve needed to do what to cast off the bonds of their oppressive God and to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong. Only after obtaining this knowledge would they be truly enlightened, and become gods themselves. 

As the narrative unfolds it will become clear that the serpent was a lier. Adam and Eve did not become like God in the way they expected. Instead, the image of God that was theirs by creation was greatly marred. After eating they were still human, but they were fallen humans, given over to death. Clearly, Satan was wrong. 

But notice that his words were proven to be true in a sense. In 3:22 we read, “Then the LORD God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—’ therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken” (Genesis 3:22–23, ESV). There is a sense in which Adam and Eve became like God when they ate, but not as they expected. They took to themselves a right that only God should have, that is to determine that which is good and that which is evil. In this sense, they became like God. But the end was death, and not life. 

All who are not in Christ live this way continually, deciding for themselves what is true and false, and what is right and wrong. The one who is in Christ is submits to God in all things and confesses that his word is true. 

*****

Conclusion 

What difference should this little narrative make in our lives today?

This is more than a story of the temptation of Adam and Eve. In this brief story we see the tactics of the Evil One on display. 

Thd child of God would be wise to remember that the Evil One is still at work within the world and that he is crafty — his tactics are still the same.  

He will see to undermine God’s word. 

He will call into question his goodness towards you. 

He will suggest that the good life is found when we cast off God’s restraints and live according to our own standards.

But we should remember that his way is the way of death. Abundant life is found in Christ as we walk in obedience to his commandments. 

Our first parents fell. We too have fallen and will fall for the lies of Satan. But we should remember that Christ, who is  the second Adam stood strong on our behalf saying,  “Be gone, Satan! For it is written… ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve’” (Matthew 4:10, ESV). This he did faithful to the ned of his life. When he did, he died not for his own sins, but for the sins of those given to him by the Father so that through faith in him we might have life in his name.