Genesis 303
Lesson Three

Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 
Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 
Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 
Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 
Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

There is so much to look at in these last few verses of Genesis chapter Three. This chapter is packed with all kinds of little nuggets of truth that no doubt we will have to leave some of them. But, before we move on to chapter four, I would like to look at just a few more of these little nuggets.

First:

Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

The word "Eve" comes from the Hebrew word "khav-vaw" which means "life giver". Prior to this point, when the Bible speaks of "man", as in "God created man in his image...", it referes to both male and female. So, when Scripture says in Genesis 1:26 referring to the sixth day of creation, "let us make man in our image.." He is referring to male and female. But now, after the fall of man, Adam gives the woman a new name...Eve. In naming her, Adam verifies that Eve was the "mother of all living". She was the first woman, and all others human life form after Adam and Eve came through her and her off spring. This Teaching is important to understand because many today try to teach that God created other people in other parts of the World. Yet Scripture clearly teach that Eve was the mother of ALL living.

Second:

Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

We briefly touched on this subject already, but it is so important that I felt we would discuss it again. As you remember, when Adam and Eve sinned, the first thing they tried to do was cover their nakedness with aprons of fig leaves. This was to become a picture of religion, and mans attempt to save themselves. God however was not impressed, and made them "coats of skins". This would have required two things... (1) the killing of something innocent. The animals did not sin, they were completely innocent, yet some had to die for God to make them clothing. (2) Their blood had to be shed. This then becomes a picture of God's salvation through Jesus Christ, and a prophetic picture of what was to come. 2 Cor. 5:21 as well as many other verses tells us that Jesus was without sin. He became our sinless, perfect sacrifice for sin. In addition, Scripture tells us that is was by his blood that was shed whereby we are saved... Acts 20:28, Colossions 1:20, Ephesians 1:7 just to name a few.

Third:

Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 
Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Many people quote this verse to try and teach that we are just like God. However, a closer look will tell us that this verse is only referring to us being like God in the sense of "knowing good and evil". When they did that which God told them not to, sin entered into their very being. At that point they undertood right and wrong, like God does, and they then became responsible for their sin. Their spirit died, and they became seperated from God, hidding from Him, and the fellowship that they once had was broken. Many look at this verse also and try and say that one of God's judgement on them was to kick them out of the garden. But this act of God was not an act of judgement, but an act of mercy. Notice WHY God said they were kicked out... "lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever". After Adam and Eve sinned, they were seperated from God. They no longer had the fellowship they once had. God did not want this to be an eternal way of life for man. God wanted fellowship: He wanted to commune with His creation. But, if they ate of the tree of life, mankind would then live forever in his sin. There could be no reconciliation, man would no live in an eternal fallen state. So God kicked them out of the garden so they could not eat of the tree of life, and He could restore mankind back into a right relationship with Him again. Revelation 2:7 gives us the promise that those who are reborn through God's death and shed blood on the cross, will have the blessing of eating of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Fourth:

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

And so Genesis chapter three ends with a sad picture. Adam and Eve being driven out of the Garden. No doubt they did not want to go. This paradise was beautiful. It was in the presents of God. It had everything they needed. Outside it was dark, cold, lonely. They would now have to work the ground to survive. They would have sorrow and pain in child birth, and God would not be there to walk with them and talk with them. God had to force them out. And not only that, He made it clear they would not be able to enter back in. No man would ever be able to get past a Cherubim with a flaming sword. Paradise was lost.... But, they had not eaten of the tree of life yet. They would not live forever in this eternal fallen condition. There was hope. And, as we will see, God already had a plan. He knew this was going to happen. 1 Peter 1:18-20 and Revelation 13:8 both tell us that God's eye, Christ Jesus had already been slain from the very creation of the World. God had it all figured out before Adam and Eve even sinned. Praise the Lord !!! Paradise will be restored...Fellowship with God will be possible again.