LEARNING DAILY

Genesis 3:6-7, 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.

Chadwick King gave the message at NorthRock Church this weekend. His intent was to explain why the fall of man was a “big deal” (CK). He took us to “the scene of the crime, to the beginning of the ‘Good News’, the scene of where salvation occurred. This way we can understand the problem to better understand what Jesus did for us, to obtain our salvation.” (CK).

He asked the question, “who is the serpent?” He answered it by taking us to Revelation 12:7-9 which states “that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan”. Do you see that the devil showed up subtly, looking nice and pleasant. He began asking questions about whether God said not to eat of every tree in the garden. Remember he used Eve to get to Adam who had received instructions from God. The idea is that the devil knows if he can get one to question God’s Word, he can lead us into directions he wants us to go.

Pastor King said that God’s covenant with man is one where one must say yes or no to – there is no in between. That can be a frustration for individuals because that means boundaries are set for them to follow. The devil is constantly trying to get Believers to look beyond those boundaries to see what others are “enjoying.” “The devil lies! What lies are you wondering about? What lies do you believe about God? About yourself? The devil says that God’s boundaries for you are not good for you.”

The devil told Eve she could be like God. What God had for her is not best. “Be careful who you talk with, who you allow to speak into your life. Be careful what voices you listen to and talk with. The wrong person can detour your life, the plan God has for you!” (CK).

The first thing Adam and Eve did was to cover themselves with leaves and hide from God. People do the same thing when they try to cover their sin – they try to hide it rather than face it. “We are not built for facing guilt, so we bury it” (CK). Why do we believe we can hide from God? “He is a better finder than we are as hiders” (CK). God sees everything and knows everything. “But God shows up just like He did for Adam and Eve. He is for us and finds us. Stop hiding, stop being isolated [when you sin]. You will never find healing by hiding” (CK). God asks Adam and Eve questions; He already knows the answers, but he wants Adam to vocalize what He is done. This is just what He wants believers to do when they sin – confess what they have done to Him.

Genesis 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." “This is the first ‘Good News’. God told the devil he went to the woman and now He would go through a woman. God was going to put His seed in her and would strike him down. Good Friday matters: it is the first prophecy of the coming of Jesus” (CK).

God then made clothes for Adam and Eve from animal skins. “God had something better for them. First, the animal had to die. Blood was shed in the Garden, and in the future, the Messiah’s blood would be shed for mankind. Galatians 3:27 says, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” “That means Believers stand before God, the Father and He sees Christ, holiness, perfection, righteousness. That is the Good News, Believers can go boldly to the throne of God” (CK).

In the Garden God said. “I have you covered. It will be a while, but the promise is coming, a seed of hope is coming. Life no longer defined by what happens to us, but what happened for us. Jesus died a perfect death that we might have new life!” (CK).