Back
to the garden
What really happened in the Garden of Eden? Did Adam and Eve eat from the apple tree? Not quite... That is an old wives tale that many believe till this day. Lets go back to the garden and find out what got Adam and Eve in so much trouble. We will begin in the book of Genesis chapter 3, after Adam and Eve were both living in the garden, naked and not ashamed before God.
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1). Now we know that old serpent the devil is Satan who beguiled (holy seduced), Eve through his craftiness. (2 Corinthians 11:3). He was the craftiest of all the creatures the Lord God had made. Transformed as "an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14). Connected with the "Cherub." (Ezekiel 28:13-16). (Satan is a scripture lawyer and knows how to prey on the weak if they let him). So, Satan says to Eve, "Really?" God says you are not to eat any of the fruit in the garden. (This is Satan's first utterance in scripture and his first twisted lie). God never said that! God said that they could eat of every tree in the garden, except of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:16-17). (The consequences would be death if they ate from that particular tree). And the woman said to the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:2). Eve correcting Satan here by telling him that they could eat of all the trees in the garden. (Except for the tree in the center of the garden).
Eve goes on to say to the serpent (Satan). 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). They were not to "eat" or "touch" the tree in the center of the garden or they would surely die. Lets take the word "eat" first. (Strong's Hebrew dictionary H398 "akal" a primitive root; to eat, burn up, consume, devour, dine, eat). Lets say Eve was not to eat of the tree in the midst of the garden when in the form of a tree. (By the way, it wasn't an apple tree, it would have been a fig tree). I am sure she was a little curious about the tree, but being just a fig tree, probably would not have eaten from it and obeyed what God had told her. But, Lets not forget that Satan was able to transform himself just as he was transformed as "an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14). Lets not also forget that he appeared to Christ as the tempter. (Matthew 4:1-10).
So, what did Satan do to deceive Eve? He appeared to her as the tempter and lured her. Whether he appeared to her in human form or celestial form, Satan was very appealing to her. (He was pleasant to the eyes, a real hunk, or looker in modern day terms). With that being said, lets take the word "touch" back to the Hebrew language. (Strong's Concordance #H5060 "naga" A primitive root; properly to touch, that is, lay the hand upon, for the purpose, euphemistically, to lie with a woman). So we see that the warning to Adam and Eve was to stay away from Satan. (The "serpent" and the "tree of good and evil"). The fruit of that tree was not to be taken; and we know that the "fruit" as the results of a sexual relationship between any man and woman is a child. God's command to Eve was not to "touch" (lay with Satan). But, Eve didn't listen and she had a sexual relationship with Satan. Again, Eve was "beguiled" (holy seduced) by Satan. (2 Corinthians 11:2-3). She was the one "deceived" by Satan. (1 Timothy 2:14).
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. (Genesis 3:4). Satan's second utterance. 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 3:5). Satan's second lie.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be 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). The woman was convinced by Satan and he was beautiful in her eyes. The lust of the flesh gave her the desire for wisdom, and she gave into Satan. "Eve had a sexual relation with Satan." (2 Corinthians 11:3). "Then Adam partook." (1 John 2:16). Yes, Adam had a sexual relationship with Satan also. (Not so hard to believe). However, it could have been that Satan "transformed himself" into a woman, and Adam had sex with her. (You decide what would make sense). (Either way, Adam did partake and was seduced by the serpent just as Eve was). Eve was deceived and Adam followed along. (1 Timothy 2:14), sometimes men think with the wrong head. (Romans 5:12).
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Genesis 3:7). After their sexual relationship with Satan, at that moment their eyes were opened to sin and they suddenly felt the shame in their nakedness. So, they sewed "fig leaves" together to cover their private parts. Yes, it was a fig tree! (Nothing to do with an apple tree). Back in chapter 2, they were both naked and not ashamed. Now they both experienced guilt and needed to cover their nakedness. "It seems like man always tries to cover his guilt with his own creation." But it is usually works of iniquity. (Isaiah 59:6).
And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8). At first they were enjoying close fellowship with God, but now Adam and Eve are trying to hide from God. This is what sin does, "it separates us from God." But, we can never hide from God. (Job 34:22, Psalm 139:1-12, Proverbs 15:3, Jeremiah 23:24). However, through acknowledgement and repentance of our sins, we find forgiveness and help from God.
And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? (Genesis 3:9). The Lord God called to Adam, "Where are you?" God knew where Adam was hiding, but He wanted Adam to realize that he was busted and wanted him to come clean. And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. (Genesis 3:10). Adam didn't want the Lord to see him naked.
And he said, 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). "Who told you that you were naked?" The Lord asked. "Have you eaten fruit from the tree I warned you about? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. (Genesis 3:12). Adam admitted to the Lord what he had done. But it was the woman who brought it to me and I did partake, Adam says to the Lord.
And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. (Genesis 3:13). How could you do such a thing the Lord asked? And Eve answered. The serpent beguiled me. 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 3:14). The punishment to the serpent for beguiling Eve is that he would be singled out from among all the domestic animals of the whole earth to be cursed. He will grovel in the dust, crawling along on his belly as long as he lives.
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). From now on the woman and the serpent will be enemies, as well as her children and the children of the serpent. "He shall strike you on the head, while you will strike at his heel." (This would be the first prophecy in the bible). Explained as the tares (children of the wicked one), in (Matthew 13:37-39). They are the children of the devil as stated in (John 8:42-44), the father of lies. (Read our study topic: Sons of Cain).
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. (Genesis 3:16). As for the woman, they will bear children in intense pain and suffering because of what Eve had done. And the husband shall rule over them. (Not in today's society)! Men are becoming to sensitive these days. It is more like women ruling over the men. It is hard to find a good man out there anymore. One who supports and protects his family, leading them in discipline, love, and understanding. (Not to rule over them, but to guide them in the Christian way of life as equals).
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. (Genesis 3:17-19). Because Adam listened to his wife, the consequences would be a curse upon the soil. There will be a struggle for man to extract a living from it. Man will sweat to master it until his dying day. Then he will return to the ground from which he was made.
And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. (Genesis 3:20). Adam named his wife Eve (meaning "The life giving one"), and she would become the mother of all mankind. Eve, "The Mother of All Living," in that Christ would come through Eve, generation after generation.
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 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. (Genesis 3:21-22). Now the man has become as we are the Lord said. Knowing good from bad, what if he eats the fruit of the "Tree of Life" and lives forever? Because of what Adam and Eve had done, they kind of blew it for having "eternal life" at this time. They would need to wait for Jesus Christ (The True Tree of Life), to fulfill the prophecy.
Therefore the LORD
God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from
whence he was taken. 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. (Genesis
3:23-24). So, the Lord banished man from the
"Garden of Eden" and sent him out to farm the ground from which he
had been taken. God expelled him, and placed mighty angels at the
east of the garden of Eden. Placing a flaming sword to guard the
entrance to the tree of life. (The "Sword of Truth" being "The Word
of God").
Barton