Goodbye to Paradise

And the student leaves together and made themselves glowing coverings. This, ladies and gentlemen of the first religious somehow cover over said somehow make myself better than I know I am. My friend let me suggest to you that if you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal savior you can come to church, the fig leaf can give money away Bible study you maven one leads human self effort that you never go that everything they knew that's why the Bible describes their efforts in trying to cover-up and even trying to hide from God as he came to meet with welcome to wisdom for the heart with Steven David were continuing through our vintage wisdom series entitled origins. It's a series that takes us from Genesis 1 through 11.

Today we come to Genesis chapter 3 looking at humanities fall into sin Stevens calling this lesson goodbye to paradise open to Genesis chapter 3 and prepare to be encouraged from God's word is covered in Genesis chapter 2 last session, God created a beautiful relationship between husband and wife, and yet no sooner had God created that relationship as Satan said about the wheels in motion drawing that relationship, you'll find in chapter 3 the tragic fall of man. I think chapter 3 of Genesis is the status tragic chapter in all the Bible, and yet you will find as we study this chapter it interwoven into the tragic tapestry of chapter 3. You will cover the threads of hope and salvation.

It says in verse one of chapter 3 that the circuit was cracked. The know-how Satan is indeed crafting back to the time we are warned of Satan in Scripture by the apostles in second Corinthians chapter 211. Paul exhorts the church in court not to be ignorant of Satan's scheme the word scheme is the original dog Newman, which means mind set or mentality because Satan has a mentality is a mindset, he is a way of thinking and I think you will discover that type of thinking in the humanistic philosophy of today's society. Paul also warned the church in Galatians chapter 6 verse 11 to put on the entire armor of God, you may be able to and against the wiles of the devil. The word while there could be translated scheme but it comes from a different original word. The word map of the office which we get our word method from so we discover from the writings of Scripture that Satan has a mindset of mentality and he also has a method you're going to discover along with me. In chapter 3 of Genesis. The methodology of Satan and his five faceted deception, would you look at me please. In Genesis chapter 3 and were going to look at the five full scheme of Satan intending even the first of this fivefold scheme, attempting even that he appeared in the form to deceive the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. Evidently Satan took the form of the serpent. This was one of the creations of God. It was beautiful.

Perhaps the beautiful colors were attracted to the woman as a Satan shows to inhabit the serpent so we inhabited a serpent because he wanted to take a form that would lease even understanding Satan run around town wearing a bright red with a long tail with a pitchfork fangs shoveling coal.

He's an angel of light and he will take whatever appearance necessary to deceive with the form of a servant. I want to show you things cunning in two ways. And this is because I ask myself the question, when I look here at verse one. Why did Satan come leave a lot. Why pick on her. Why did he come to leave and I think this reveals his cutting into ways. First of all, because Satan knew the pattern of God's creation, so he was cunning and coming to her. Secondly he understood the principle of divide and conquer. Three came to me when she was all alone. Satan understood the principle of dividing and conquering. I think what we find. Here is an emphasis on the necessity of mutual accountability in marriage the importance for mutual accountability and unity in marriage is discovered right here in the temptation of these and I think that you will find a person who was unwilling to live in unity with your spouse, unwilling to follow the guidelines of the word of God in relation to her or him. I think you will discover in a person that individual who was in rebellion to the institution of the local New Testament church one who was ostracizing himself from that fellowship those institutions that God has ordained the one who is living apart from the unity in that relationship. You will find in that person susceptible person. I think you'll find a sitting duck.

There's an interesting verse of the apostle the apostle gives us when he talks about husbands and wives living in unity together so that your prayers be not hindered as a fascinating application what he is implying there is that if you as a husband and wife are not in a harmonious relationship, your prayers are being hindered by me suggest something startling. If you are at odds with your husband or wife, you might as well not pray it doesn't matter if you get up at 4 o'clock in the morning. If you are at odds with your husband or wife. God is interested in the prayer of confession.

He is interested in the harmonious relationship between a wife. So forget the religious façade Jim right with them and then pray is then your prayers will not be hindered. God can answer, I think. Secondly, Satan not only appeared in a form to deceive the cast doubt on the word of God, look at the last part of verse one and he said to the woman, indeed, has God said, you shall not eat from any tree of the garden or every tree in the garden, he casually suggests the said this in the serpent can :-) smile do you really think that God meant you could eat from every tree you need to understand that Satan is not coming across as some crash rude character.

Shakespeare said it well when he wrote that the Prince of darkness is a gentleman serpent came in. The boy dial her and asked a simple polite question. Satan say this, but he is sewing by that in her mind the seed of doubt and I want you to notice the responsive woman in verses two and three and the woman said to the serpent from the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden God is that you shall not eat from it or touch it. That's not in there didn't say that Gilly said you could need it. You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die, I want you to notice the third thing in Satan's temptation. That is, he denies the truth of God's word. Look at verse four and the serpent said to the woman that was a little brash, you surely shall not die market down.

Ladies and gentlemen. Every temptation is an opportunity to either believe the words of Satan or the words of God. God said eat it and die. Satan said you will die. You understand many women that when you send your either believing the words of God or the lies of Satan, God always tells the truth. In John 844 declares that Satan is the father of lies one of the things that Satan will do as he did with Eve is pulled you from the words of God. So seeds of doubt in your mind about the words of God so that you will one day deny the words of God, and follow the words of Satan. Fourthly, he attributed to God. Evil motives verse five first part. This is the amazing thing about this entire temptation to me. Dares to imply verse five for God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be open now, if God is jealous God, who is the one that outwardly protects his throne. Satan would suggest to the woman luck if you leave God's afraid knows that you will be like him, trembles at the thought. He is an envious God is jealous of his character. Satan attributes to God the evil motives. When God holds our best interest at heart. He is doubting the goodness of God, you know, something men and women. When you and I face temptation. We come to that same conclusion is God really good in withholding this for me.

Could she be better to me. If you allowed this for me is all God is good to use. He could be because he give you this so we doubt the goodness of God, and he attributes to get evil motives and then the last thing number five as he promises blessing through disobedience. The last part of verse five and you will be like God, knowing good and evil listen. He says it will pay off. It will bring dividends in a will for season. But make no mistake, obedience to the words of Satan to offer benefit, but it's only temporary or obedience to the words of God, offer benefits, but they are eternal. That's the difference that we find Ben Genesis chapter 3 unit Satan says and you will be like your creator edict and you will be like God, you see that happening today is it yes it is in fact the truth is that Satan is offering to mankind. This very same thing he is saying you are divine when the woman saw that the tree was good for food.

That's the physical lore and it was a delight to the eyes. That's the emotional lore and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, that the intellectual lore she took from its fruit and ate and she gave also to her husband with her NDA. Did you notice that everything the emotional the physical. The intellectual lore. There are times when it will make perfect to disobey God. There will be times in your life when it will just make common sense to do something got declares talk to someone who does not follow God and they have their logic and guts as though it may make sense to you now.

There is coming judgment. Ultimately, it brings death.

Now I want to give you a threefold discovery of said number one discovered their nakedness because of the sin. Verse seven. The first part in the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew that they were naked.

The word new here is the Hebrew word that could be translated the intellectual insight. All of a sudden, they knew something was wrong. The second thing that they discovered was self effort to get the next part of her seven and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves longing coverings. This, ladies and gentlemen of the first religious of history. This is the first act of self effort to somehow cover over said to somehow make myself better than I know I am. I think what we see here is the first religious act of human history. When Adam and Eve, knowing that there is something wrong, something a mess they take it into their own hands to remedy the situation. My friend let me suggest to you that if you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal savior you can come to church, that the fig leaf. You can pray prayers was her fig leaves can give money to church, give money away, you can attend a Bible study you Maven one fig leaves human self effort to pull yourself up to seven your conscience never dealt soon, and that's what they did here.

They also discovered. Thirdly, fear verse eight and they heard the sound of the Lord God is not the sound of his voice. By the way, that's the literal sound of the Lord God walking.

Evidently he had taken some kind of human form or some kind of form that could make himself known to the senses of man we don't know what kind of form that was may not of been a human form, but they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and the man in the white but they did themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden they discovered fear. Imagine your God is telling you they run and hide behind some three and the tragedy. This whole situation is that in the writing of your mind. The street thought that they could get away from God thought that somehow got there about to learn a lesson that you and I often forget that God knows everything they've included on that yet. They thought they could hide behind the barn ministry get away from it you. I often forget that God knows our sin as well and you start at such a young age, revealing the lack of understanding that God knows all and you tried on your parents first work for start getting up to have anyone teach you how to do that either. Hebrews chapter 4 reads that before him all things are naked and open I would give you something else.

However, as a fourfold disintegration.

The first is the disintegration of fellowship with God. In verses nine and 10 and the Lord God called the man and said to him, where are you and he said I heard the sound of the in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. That's a lie. So I hid myself is that I heard the sound of the in the garden and I was afraid because I sin that he should've said what he said I was naked so I hit myself before openness and communication no hiding and guilt. Secondly, the disintegration of marital unity. The disintegration of marital unity.

Verse 11 to 12. I want you to notice carefully and he said told you that you were naked from the tree, which I commanded you not doing what God is just like apparent dignity did you do what I told you not to do. And here's Adam. I mean, he's called in on the carpet.

There is no way out.

Lord Sheila one you gave me. She didn't and then she probably also the Lord.

I can't believe this man blames may God says in the next verse well with this you have done and now weeds on the carpet so she says the server he may be doing now and thought, oh boy what you mean the start that you got on the man because I blamed you and that your blaming the serpent and what's a good one to learn these techniques. Why before this, they had never argued perfect harmony and now the bank at each other's throats. I'll tell you why, because sin brought about the loss in marital harmony. Three things drastically change. First is that marriage lost its harmony. They blamed each other. I don't know where they learn the techniques of arguing before they were masters at it. All of a sudden I read were newlywed couple told some friends we decided we wouldn't go to sleep at night mad at one another. We haven't had any sleep for three weeks now so true. Why, because it just comes naturally. Verse 16 will get back to verse 15 in a moment. To the woman he said, because of the sin of the fall. I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you shall bring forth children yet your desire shall be for your husband.

The word desire to be translated crave is a pursuit you can translate this phrase you are craving will be all over your husband hurt desire that means her emotional being is now exaggerated for once her husband was his. Now she would seek to possess him. She now seeks to manipulate tough fashion to form him after her own will, but want to you to notice what makes it even worse is that man is lost his naturally loving headship to notice the last part of verse 16 and he shall rule over you. The implication here, of course, is the exaggerated sense were now man will not lovingly lead man will tire erratically were all and he will subjugate woman he will press her down and where you find countries without the word that gives us the solution, you will find women who are nothing more than objects, and even in America where the word is not learned and well you will find women as objects toy be a burden. Why, why does man find it so easy to subject. What is man find it so easy to tyrannical rule is because of said it comes naturally. Now to mankind to rule the dominate without love. The third disintegration is the disintegration of man's paradise versus 17 to 19. Read the new Adam he said, because you listen to the voice of your wife being from the tree about which I commanded you, saying you shall not eat from it.

Cursive is the ground because of you all the days of your life.

You shall eat from the toilet. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you.

Verse 18 and the Hebrew. In fact, could read it shall grow for you by itself, and you shall eat the plants of the field by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread and I was used to think that meant that man would have to sweat to get pregnant so I had the privilege of studying the original at this literally means is that man toils that he sweat and interspersed between the efforts of man and toiling, he sits down the work is broken up by his meal and yet even when he said he is waiting man is cursed now by being forced to plow an unyielding soil to work and even in his eating does not rest you'll notice also the disintegration of physical immortality. The last part of verse 19 to you return to the ground, because from it you were taken for you are dust and to dust you shall return quickly. A fourfold deliverance. First of all victory as promised. Look at verse 13 then the Lord God said to the woman, what is this done and the woman said the serpent deceived me, and I and the Lord God said to the serpent because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle more than every beast of the field on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. But notice the promise. This is called the proto-evangelion. This is the first promise of the gospel.

Verse 15 and I will put an unity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed know we have two ways to interpret and I think both are correct one is immediate and the other one is prophetic. The first interpretation is that the seed of the woman will be at amity that is the woman following God at enmity with the seed of the serpent. There is a clash from then on until God raised between those who believe in God and those who do not believe God they will be at war. But I want you to know that there's a prophetic utterance as well because they change from the plural to the singular, and he not vague but he shall bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel. Who is he, you know Jesus Christ. This is the promise of Jesus Christ and where would this take place. Where would the bruising of the heel take place on the cross for the Savior's heel is brick but no effect because he gained the victory over the grave. But in fact he forever broke the power of sin that the serpent had over mankind promise is given. Secondly, marital unity can be experienced only if the power of Satan is clenched in the life of the believer in his practice by yielding to the spirit of God. Thirdly, paradise will be reestablished. This is a promise. Revelation 21, 18 says, and I saw a new heaven and guess what else a new earth.

Fourthly, physical immortality will be assured forever. Genesis chapter 3 cursed the fall. The expulsion goodbye to paradise. God closes the door on the Revelation chapter 22 promises once again the coming paradise the coming kingdom and does who believe in the land will be able to participate in the coming kingdom will be given three applications were finished one in the final analysis, sin never pays it costs me review Genesis chapter 3 verses 23 and 24. Was it worth it for Adam and Eve to eat the believe the lie of Satan. Therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to cultivate the ground from which he was taken, so he drove the man out and at the east of the garden of Eden he stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned in every direction. Literally it means that there was a sword was on fire.

It was a flame that was shaped like a sword and moved in every direction. That is, as if it were lightning flashed all around the tree as quick as you can see, something to think that there were cherubim angels stationed around that printer was bashing of light all about it to keep man from coming turned in every direction to guard the way to the tree of life. Secondly, harmony in the home begins in the heart of every Christian has the Holy Spirit dwelling within every believer, but to be controlled is the key and it is not controlled and brings that harmonious state back once again.

Three. Paradise is designed for sinners, for sinners with those of been forgiven in a cemetery in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania is to soldier that died during the Civil War among that tomb stone. Of course were many others in Abraham Lincoln sought to honor a soldier in a particular way so he chose one particular soldier's tombstone and underneath his name and date of life birth and death.

He had written into the stone. These words Abraham Lincolns substitute. That soldier symbolize the fact that those who died in battle died so that others men and women. You are either living under the curse of Genesis chapter 3, or you have the promise of Revelation chapter 22. What makes the difference that you can look at the cross of Christ that you can think in your mind. There, Jesus Christ died one day for you and can you put your name on the cross. Stephen Davies substitute. He died so that I can live if you can see your name. If you've never gone to the cross under the curse, if you go on the cross paradise and abundant life. Now marital harmony.

Now forgiveness for sin.

Now will be once again experience. We covered an awful lot of Scripture reflected an awful lot of verses but yet I want the main theme to drive home. Jesus Christ is been promised died for you from and if you've accepted him as your Savior, then you have all of the promises of paradise given all that Adam experienced an evil for the fall doors but more importantly than the future kingdom right here and now you can have the abundant life that is promise.

But I wonder from speaking to someone here this never trusted Jesus Christ as personal Savior, your name not there on 311 given the opportunity to be your substitute all your covered with singly you attended church you give a portion of your money picture for charity. Say your prayers are polite good person, a good father or mother a good provider singly.

What is necessary is what God would do.

Leaders will study with Adam and Eve killed an animal shed the blood" then with a picture of without the shedding of blood there can be no remission and enjoying this wisdom for the heart, I realize that Stephen sounded a little different than normal in this broadcast. That's because we've gone back to our vintage wisdom series to a series of lessons Stephen taught over 30 years ago, we wanted to share them with you because this teaching through the early chapters of Genesis is just as relevant today as it was when Stephen first taught it back in 1988. In addition to being our Bible teacher. Stephen is also the president of shepherd's theological seminary in Cary, North Carolina if you know someone who's interested in theological training at the seminary level.

Encourage them to consider Shepherd seminary did you receive our monthly magazine, heart-to-heart.

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Thanks again for listening and join us tomorrow for more wisdom for the funds