January 3-Genesis 3:1-4:26

Theologically these two chapters are extremely important.  I will try to hit the highlights.

God had set up a test for Adam and Eve.  Genesis 2:9 tells us that among the many trees in the Garden of Eden God had set two special trees:  the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Genesis 2:16-17 tells us that God had told Adam that he could eat freely from any tree in the garden, except he was forbidden to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  God said eating of it would bring death.

Genesis 3:1-7 tells of Eve being tempted and giving into the temptation.  Adam is present as well and both of them eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  The tempter, the devil in the form of a serpent, tells them “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” (Gen. 3:4).  So they listen to the devil, and trust their own aptitude to judge for themselves as to what is right and wrong, and they disobey God.

This is the origin of sin.  The first sin.  Did it bring death as God had promised?  Yes.  Immediately they experienced a spiritual death.  The innocence of being without sin was gone.  The grandeur of having been created in the image of God was tarnished.  Now they were aware of their nakedness.  They were ashamed and they hid from God.

God’s words to them in the remainder of chapter 3 are of great importance.  They tell us that sin does not go unpunished.  For Adam work will be harder, thorns and thistles will compete with his crops for nutrients.  Because of his sin, the ground is cursed, and he is told that he will die.  He will return to the ground from which he came.  For Eve, childbearing will be more painful.  And the tempter is cursed.  Genesis 3:15 are prophetic words even in the midst of these curses telling of God’s future remedy for sin.  God says to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The ultimate fulfilment of these prophetic words in Genesis 3:15 are at Calvary where Satan strikes Jesus Christ the ultimate offspring of Eve.  Jesus appears defeated as he is nailed to the cross.  But it is a momentary set back.  It is only a striking of the heel.  Jesus rises from the dead, crushing Satan forever.

Chapter 4 is also of great theological significance because we see the escalation of sin to the point of the first murder, and that of one brother killing another.  Cain kills Abel out of jealousy.  And God spoke to Cain about his anger warning him to not let it lead to sin.  But Cain would not heed God.

In both chapters 3 and 4, God responds to these early sins with compassion and mercy.  For Adam and Eve he clothes them.  Animals are killed as a sacrifice so that their skins may become clothes for Adam and Eve.  Following Cain’s sin, God places a mark on him so that no one would take vengeance on him and kill him.

These passages surely raise questions.  There is so much that can be said.