Much could be said about the nature and form of the Genesis 3:1-7 revelation. The purpose of this study is to note the lessons related to obedience.
The basic lesson about God is this: "In the God-human relationship, God is not the deceiver. Satan is the deceiver." In every situation, the presentation of a matter can either obscure truth or underscore truth. Especially in deception, it is important to appear that truth is being underscored rather than obscured. Attempts to deceive never begin with this statement: "You are being lied to in order to deceive you and keep you from recognizing truth." The objective of deception is to disarm suspicion and thereby make the person to be deceived more gullible.
God planted the garden that was home to the first couple (Genesis 2:8). God placed man in that garden He prepared for man's home (Genesis 2:8). In that garden God caused every tree to grow that was pleasant to look at and good for food (Genesis 2:9). In this garden also was planted [by God] the tree of knowledge of good and evil [it was pleasant to look at and could be used as food]. Adam was given a choice: "That is the one tree whose fruit you must not eat. If you do eat its fruit, its fruit will kill you" (Genesis 3:17).
Later Eve was asked, "Has God said not to eat any fruit in this garden?" Eve answered truthfully: "If we eat the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, we will die" (Genesis 3:3).
Next Eve was disarmed for deception! "God is lying to you! You will not die if you eat that fruit! All that will happen is that you will be as wise as God! You will see good and evil just like God does!" (Genesis 3:5). The result of the deception: Eve "sees" this tree as she has not considered before. Before, the tree was a symbol of destructive danger. Now, as she examines the tree in a manner she did not look at it previously, she "sees" something that can make her wise [as if there was virtue in knowing everything], that it is pleasant to look at [it was not covered with foreboding appearance of death], and that was good for food [as if she was hungry and had no food available].
Though God provided for all her physical needs in the garden, she was convinced something was missing. Before she had the knowledge of evil, she was convinced there was significant value in knowing evil. She knew good, and it was a blessing. Why would not knowing evil also be a valued blessing?
When destructive knowledge is acquired, "unknowing" is never an option. Once the destructiveness of nuclear energy was known, the world could not "unknow" it. Now the worst of humans covet opportunity to possess that destructive power for selfish ambitions. Every generation seems determined to rediscover the horrors of war. Concerns that provoke war seem so virtuous before war begins. However, the reality of war after it begins never ceases to be ugly, expensive, destructive, and incredibly painful. It is amazing how quickly that which appears to be virtuous in the "before" becomes destructively ugly in the "after."
The Bible begins by quickly introducing us to the Solution which is the source of all good [God], the problem [sin or evil], and the responsibility of choice each person must make between good and evil. It reveals the root difficulty people face in personal choices between good and evil. It verifies such choices are filled with significant, ongoing consequences. Because of Eve's choice, she heard the man who rejoiced in her presentation to him by declaring she was "bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" (Genesis 2:23) disavow her as "the woman You gave me" (Genesis 3:12). She saw one of her son's kill another of her sons [in his same devotion to selfishness as her decision at the tree]. She suffered in child birth, and she witnessed her husband struggle in his work as never before. The problem escalated to such an extent that today we cannot even imagine a world without evil in it [and even question the desirability of such an existence].
God is not responsible for the problem. Human choice based on human selfishness is responsible for the problem. Consider James 1:12-18.
You are asked to thoughtfully consider the following insights. First, grace and mercy are not acts God merely performs. Grace and mercy are a part of God's being. These qualities reflect His being, not just His behavior.
God gives a self-description to Moses in Exodus 34:6, 7 "Then the Lord passed by in front of him [Moses] and proclaimed, 'The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.'"
God's declaration of His nature does not "fit" many of the common concepts held about God today. While He declares He is compassionate and gracious, we say He is harsh and judgmental. While He says He is hard to anger, we say He is easy to anger. While He says He overflows with mercy and truth, we say He is quick to seek justice. While He says He is forgiving, we say He is exacting. While He does not ignore the responsibility and the influence of the deliberately rebellious, He is approachable by the penitent.
In keeping with His nature, second, God showed the restraint of mercy [He expressed His grace when Adam and Eve did not die]. Third, sin was revealed to be much more than an act. When we reduce the problem of evil to a set of human acts, we invite evil's deception. The problem of evil is internal and has its origin in our selfishness. It manifests itself in an attitude of distrust of God. Yet, fourth, He held both Adam and Eve accountable for deliberate rebellion. And, fifth, the consequences of their deliberate rebellion was far reaching.
In one simple, beginning story, God revealed His nature, sin's nature, human responsibility, the human dilemma in the conflict between good and evil, and the continuing influence of evil. Obedience is more than the issue of acts. It is equally an issue of hearts.
For Thought and Discussion
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 3