Women of the Bible
Lesson Two
THE FALL OF WOMAN
KEY VERSE:
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed
and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
(Genesis 3:15)
INTRODUCTION
Genesis 3 is perhaps the most tragic chapter in the entire Bible, yet at the same time the
most wonderful. Before proceeding with this lesson read Genesis 3 in your Bible.
THE TEMPTATION
Satan enters the scene in Genesis chapter 3 as a serpent, which is another name for him
(see Revelation 12:9). He actually appeared in the shape and form of a serpent or snake.
To fully understand Eve's temptation, we must note God's initial instructions to man:
And the Lord God commanded the man saying, Of every tree of the garden
thou mayest freely eat;
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not eat of it;
for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.
(Genesis 2:16-17)
The first step in Eve's fall into sin was being in the wrong place. In Genesis 3 we find her
near the forbidden tree. Proverbs states of the path of wickedness:Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it,
and pass away. (Proverbs 4:15) Second, Eve should never have entered into conversation with Satan whose first words
questioned the instructions given by God: And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every
tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1) Questioning the truth of the Word of God is often how Satan starts the temptation
process. In answering Satan, Eve misquoted God's Word. She added to God's
instructions as well as minimizing the penalty for sin:
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said,
ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Genesis 3:3)
Compare this verse with Genesis 2:16-17. God did not say "neither shall ye touch it."
This is added by Eve. Right from the beginning, man started adding his ideas,
instructions, and legalism to the Word of God. God also said "thou shalt surely die." This
was the penalty for eating of the tree. Eve changed this to "lest ye die," meaning "you
might die."
Today, there is the same tendency to minimize the penalty for sin. People say, "Surely a
righteous God could not send anyone to Hell!" Actually, God does not send anyone to
Hell. Man chooses to go there by his own sinful actions. The penalty for sin remains
everlasting separation from the presence of God in Hell. People often do not identify sin
for what it is. Abortion is called a method of "birth control" instead of murder.
Adulterous relationships are sometimes referred to as "affairs."
In answering Eve, Satan contradicted God's Word:
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die;
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be
opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:4-5)
On the following chart, note the misuse of God's Word in the first temptation:
First: Questioned
Genesis 3:1
"Hath God said?"
Second: Added to
Genesis 3:3
"Neither shall ye touch"
Third: Penalty for sin minimized
Genesis 3:3
"lest" ye die instead of "ye shall surely die"
Fourth: Contradicted
Genesis 3:4
"ye shall not surely die"
It is important to recognize this pattern, for it is one Satan still uses when he tempts you to
sin. He accuses the Word of God and tries to cause discontentment. Eve was holy before
God in the beautiful environment of the garden, yet Satan made her discontent. He made
her believe she could become like a god and know everything. Discontent leads to sin.
For example, unhappiness with financial situations causes men to rob, steal, and cheat.
Discontent with marriage leads to adulterous relationships.
Satan wanted to alienate (separate) Eve from God. Satan claimed God knew she would
receive great benefits from eating of this tree. She would be more knowledgeable and
become like a god. In essence he was saying, "God must not think much of you, Eve, to
deny you this wonderful opportunity." Eve should have answered, "I am already like
God," because she was created in God's image.
Always remember: Sin usually comes disguised as opportunity.
THE FALL
Genesis 3:6 describes the darkest moment in human history:
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to desired to make one wise, she took of the
fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he
did eat. (Genesis 3:6)
Note the progression into sin:
She heard: The voice of Satan.
She saw: And it looked good.
She took: It to herself.
She ate: Ingesting the fruit of the tree.
She gave: Influenced Adam to sin.
He ate: And sinned also.
It is important to note this pattern, as it is the same pattern followed by people today as
they fall into sin. First, Eve was in the wrong place. She put herself in a place where she
was likely to be tempted. Then she listened to the enemy, Satan.
Next she looked longingly upon that which God had forbidden. Temptation here was
still at a distance, but then Eve proceeded to take and eat from the tree. She partook of
that which God had labeled SIN.
The final result was that her sin affected Adam when she gave the fruit to him and he ate.
When you sin, it usually affects those around you and when they sin, they enter the same
destructive cycle of sin.
Psalms warns of a similar progression:
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day
and night. (Psalms 1:1-2)
First you walk in the temptation of sin. If you do not flee, you will soon be standing
(pausing) to think about it. Finally, you will be sitting in the seat of the scornful or
settling down in the place of sin.
Look at the following diagram. No matter where you are in the cycle of temptation and
sin, the cycle can be broken through the power of Jesus Christ who paid the penalty for
the sin of all mankind.
The Cycle Of Sin
Walking in the place of temptation
Enticing others to sin
Hearing Satan's voice
Partaking: Entering into the sin
Seeing the forbidden sin, admiring it
Taking (accepting) the temptation to sin.
The cycle of sin can be broken at any point through the power of the cross of Jesus Christ.
On the cross, Jesus paid the penalty for sin. He bruised the head or power of Satan so you
can be delivered from both the power and penalty of sin.
If the cycle is not broken in your life, then you will influence others around you. You
will entice them to sin and the cycle will continue in their lives. Thus, it becomes a
continuous chain spreading throughout the world. The cycle can only be broken by the
power of the Gospel message of the death of Jesus for sin and His resurrection power
over death, Hell, and Satan.
There are only two cycles in the world today in which men exist. One is the cycle of sin.
The other is the cycle of salvation: Hearing the Gospel, understanding it, accepting it as
truth, partaking of the plan of salvation, and leading others to Jesus Christ.
In which cycle do you want to spend your life?
IMMEDIATE RESULTS OF THE FALL
There were several immediate results of the fall into sin:
KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL:
Immediately after the fall, Adam and Eve were no longer in a state of innocence. They
recognized the difference between good and evil and realized they were naked (Genesis
3:7).
SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS:
Adam and Eve tried to make clothing from fig leaves which is a type (an outward
example) of what man tries to do spiritually. Realizing we are sinners, we try to better
ourselves. We think self-improvement will correct our sin (Genesis 3:7), but our self-
righteousness is as inadequate as the fig leaves were to cover Adam and Eve:
But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness are as filthy
rags. (Isaiah 64:6)
FEAR AND SHAME:
When God came to walk and talk with Adam and Eve, they hid themselves in shame and
fear (Genesis 3:10). Shame over the past and fear of the future are the basic emotions
which generate all other negative emotional responses.
SEPARATION FROM GOD:
God did not remove Himself from man's presence, rather, it was man that removed
himself from God. Adam and Eve tried to hide from God. There is another important
pattern here. Look at the following chart and note that Adam and Eve:
Doubted God
"Yea, hath God said"
Genesis 3:1
Disobeyed God
"She took ..and did eat..."
Genesis 3:6
Denied God
"Adam and his wife hid themselves from
the presence of the Lord."
Genesis 3:8
The knowledge of good and evil, self-righteousness, fear, shame, and separation from
God were the immediate results of the fall of man. Other results came with the penalty
for sin.
THE MEETING WITH GOD
A special meeting with God followed the fall. God, Adam, and Eve all participated in the
conversation:
God..."Where Art Thou?" God's question was not to discover where Adam and Eve were
hiding. God is all knowledgeable, and He knew where they were. The reason for His
question was to focus attention on their spiritual condition. "Where art thou, Adam?
Where are you spiritually? What has happened?"
God confronts sinful mankind with the same question today. We must recognize our true
spiritual condition because without Christ we stand condemned before a holy God.
Adam...Adam answered that he heard God's voice and was afraid because he was naked
so he hid himself from God's presence.
God...God's next response was also a question:
Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I
commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? (Genesis 3:11)
God already knew Adam had eaten of the tree. His purpose in questioning was to get
Adam to confess his sin:
If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse
us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)
Adam...His answer demonstrated an inability to accept blame. In blaming Eve, he also
blamed God:
The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I
did eat. (Genesis 3:12)
God...Then God asked the woman,"What is this that thou hast done?"
Eve...Following the pattern set by her husband, Eve also refused to accept blame. She
blamed the serpent for her sin.
God...The rest of the conversation was dominated by God who pronounced the penalties
for sin.
PENALTIES FOR SIN
We previously noted some of the immediate results of sin. Now there are additional
penalties as God pronounces judgment on the serpent, man, and woman.
ON THE SERPENT:
l. Changed physical form: The physical form Satan used for the temptation was
cursed. The serpent, or snake, originally walked upright but from this time on
wiggled on his belly through the dust.
2. Enmity between Satan and man: This was the beginning of what we call "spiritual
warfare," with Satan struggling for the soul of man. This warfare continues to the
present day. Harvest time International Institute offers a course entitled "Spiritual
Strategies" which focuses on this spiritual warfare and provides strategies for
victory over the enemy.
3. A crushed head: The third penalty on the serpent is actually a promise to sinful
man. Although Satan would "bruise the heel" of man spiritually through sin, the
seed (descendant) that would come from woman would crush the head of Satan
(Genesis 3:15). This was the first promise of a Savior for the sin of mankind.
Although Satan would affect man through sin, a Savior would be sent by God
through woman and the power of sin would be crushed. The tragedy of sin came
through the fall of one woman, but redemption would also come through a woman
who would birth the Lord Jesus Christ.
ON ADAM:
1. Labor a weariness: Prior to sin Adam tended the ground in happiness, but now he
must labor hard. The environment of the earth changed. The ground that was once
fertile and without pests or weeds became filled with thorns and thistles.
2. Death: The penalty of natural death was imposed on Adam. God said his body
would return to the ground, for "dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Spiritual death was also a penalty of sin. God said "the soul that sinneth, it shall
die" (Ezekiel 18:20). Without forgiveness, man would die the spiritual death of
eternal separation from God.
ON EVE:
The woman also received penalties for her sin:
1. Sorrow in childbirth: The curse of pain and sorrow was placed upon child bearing.
2. Subjection: Eve would become subject to her husband. (We will deal more with
the concept of submission later in this course as we study the Epistles).
PENALTIES ON BOTH ADAM AND EVE:
God removed Adam and Eve from the beautiful environment of the Garden of Eden to a
world filled with sorrow, pain, thorns, and death.
THE PROMISE OF CHRIST
The only bright spot in the entire chapter of Genesis 3 is the promise of the coming
Redeemer who would crush the power of Satan (Genesis 3:15).
Note how this was fulfilled in Jesus Christ:
Sin Brought... Fulfilled In Jesus...
Travail... Jesus entered into travail for us. (Isaiah 53:11)
Subjection...He was made subject to the law that He might redeem us from
the law. (Galatians 4:4)
Thorns...He was crowned with thorns for us. (Matthew 27:29)
Sweat...Jesus sweat great drops of blood for us. (Luke 22:44)
Sorrow...Surely, He bore our sorrows. (Isaiah 53:4-5)
Death...He brought eternal life. (John 3:16)
Jesus bore every penalty for sin. Through His life, death, and resurrection, the head
(power) of Satan was crushed.
THE BEGINNING AND THE END
In these first two chapters we have studied events which occurred when the first woman
was created. The book of Revelation provides interesting contrasts between the
beginning and end. Read Revelation chapters 21 and 22 which describe the final days of
time and the new heaven and earth God has planned for His people. On the following
chart, observe the contrasts where every penalty resulting from sin is eliminated:
Genesis Revelation
Paradise closed Paradise Opened
3:23 21:25
Dispossession through sin Repossession through grace
3:24 21:24
Curse imposed Curse removed
3:17 22:3
Access to tree denied Access permitted
3:24 22:14
Beginning of sorrow, death Ending of sorrow, death
3:16-19 21:4
Garden defiled No defilement
3:5-7 21:27
Man's dominion broken Dominion restored
3:19 22:5
Evil triumphs Good triumphs
3:13 20:10
Walk of God with man interrupted Relationship resumed
3:8-10 21:3
Although the fall into sin was a sad moment in history, the future for all mankind is one
of joyful anticipation through Jesus Christ.
Answer the questions below. If you miss a question, go back and study that portion of the class and then retake the test. Once you have received a 100% you may proceed to the next class. You DO NOT have to submit this test for grading. Only the final test will be submitted.