The Fall - Then & Now

The following are thoughts from Genesis 3 and Patriarchs and Prophets, Chapter 3.

Oh, the love of God that shines through these verses! How tenderly, and yet uncompromisingly He dealt with the guilty. How pained must He have been when He called to Adam, "Where are you?" The same voice that spoke with them on that fateful day so long ago was the same voice that for three and a half years spoke in words like none other. It was the voice of their Sacrifice, their Savior.

There were many "safety checks" in place that Eve passed through before committing sin.
  1. Accountability/fellowship. She would have been safer with Adam than alone.
  2. Watchfulness. She became absorbed in her pleasing task & didn't realize she was entering into danger.
  3. Self distrust. Eve thought she had sufficient wisdom and strength to discern evil and resist it.
  4. Prompt obedience. Instead of fleeing, she lingered to listen to the serpent, and even to enter into conversation with him - reasoning with temptation.
  5. Contentment. Satan suggested that there was something better that God was withholding from them, thus tempting her to distrust God's love and doubt His wisdom, and be curious about what God had wisely withheld.
The same three pitfalls Eve fell into when she reasoned about the benefits of eating the forbidden fruit allure us today. She "saw that the tree was good for food [lust of the flesh], and that it was pleasant to the eyes [lust of the eyes], and ... to be desired to make one wise [the pride of life]" Gen. 3:6; 1 John 2:16.

While Eve was captivated by what she would gain, Adam was captivated by what he would lose by transgression. He couldn't endure the thought of separation from her who was a part of himself. And yet, Jesus made that difficult choice to save us - He chose separation from His Father, with Whom He is one - yes, to save us from our disunion with Him. What wondrous love is this!

Comments

  1. JohnApril 15, 2011 at 7:27 AM

    The closer we go back to our origins, the more profound the lessons are to learn, because this is where everything started. I appreciate the thought on temptation - some are tempted by what they can gain, others afraid of what they will lose. Dad

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