Genesis 3:6-11: The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”
There’s an old adage I’ve heard all my life that says, “A word to the wise is sufficient.” Don’t you wish that Adam would have heeded the Word of warning from God not to eat of the tree of knowledge? I sure do, but—with Adam in mind—I suppose we all turn a deaf ear to God from time to time, but the repercussions should teach us to listen the first time.
We all live on this side of Adam’s decision to sin against God. Therefore, we must teach ourselves to be sensitive to God and the leading of His voice. He has promised to be a very present help in times of trouble. Since the fall of man, justice has been very difficult to find and to maintain on earth. People constantly strive for justice and equality in the world, but only a few will find it. The only One who can give us true justice and equality is Jesus Christ. Even though Jesus never committed a sin, He willingly chose to suffer for the sins of the entire world. Where’s the justice in all of that, I ask?
When we read Genesis 3 in its entirety, we never find where God punishes Satan, who orchestrated the fall of man and embodied a serpent to pull it off. The serpent was cursed. The woman received great punishment as well as Adam, but we don’t see where God addresses the real culprit, Satan. Doesn’t that seem a little unjust? If you said,” Yes”, then you have a good understanding of how unjust sin really is toward humanity.
Notice that once Adam and Eve sinned, they began to blame someone else instead of taking responsibility for their own actions. Sin in the hearts of the man and woman demanded that the other person receive the punishment as a way of getting justice served. They did not realize that they were just as guilty as the other party. Had God cut one off for the sin, he would have had to cut all of mankind off as well. God had a plan, and He reveals it to His children in Christ (Matthew 11:25).
Even though it appears that God was being unjust in His punishment in Genesis 3, He was actually extending mercy toward the man and woman who had violated His law and deserved to perish. Whenever people are guilty of violating God’s law or man’s law, it seems that they demand justice more than those who are violated by those who break laws.
The world in which we now live is the result of the fall of man. Consequently, we must be willing to wait on our salvation from the curse of sin, by faith. This means we’re going to have to endure hardness as a good soldier, especially when we face the fiery furnaces in this life. We can face them because we know that God is with us, and He will one day deliver all the righteous out of this world of sin. At that moment, God will dispense judgment and punishment upon the head of our adversary, the Devil.
God designed a place called Hell for Satan and his demons before the fall of man. God never intended man to enter the horrors of Hell, but we have a free will. Jesus tells us in Matthew 7 that many will choose the broad way that leads to destruction, and few will choose the way that leads to life everlasting. Many will choose the way that leads to destruction and eternal condemnation simply because Satan has poisoned them against the love of God like he did with Adam and Eve in the garden. Satan convinced Eve that God didn’t want her to be like God, so she took on Satan’s offense against God and sinned. Beware that you don’t allow the spirit of offense to poison your heart, thus causing you to depart from the living God through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3).
May you be able to resist the Devil and overcome his lies through your faith in Christ. —submitted by Pastor Asa Dockery, US
mike wittmer on August 17, 2011 at 10:10 am
Thanks for this, Asa. I think I would take Gen. 3:15 as a statement about Satan and not just the serpent. God promises that a seed of the woman will “crush his head”, which speaks to Jesus’ future coming and defeat of the devil.
daisymarygoldr on August 17, 2011 at 3:43 pm
“Where’s the justice in all of that, I ask?” Could not have said it any better, Pastor Asa Dockery!
You are absolutely right; people guilty of violating law demand justice more than those who are violated… It is an abusive person that vehemently seeks justice against those who are abusive. This is to escape exposure of our own faults and wrongdoings. Like the wicked servant who refused to show mercy (Matthew 18:33), we pervert justice to become accusers of the brethren.
The Bible teaches us explicitly not to “twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful…” (Leviticus 19:15). Jesus takes it a little farther “You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies…”
Human justice seeks retribution whereas Divine justice seeks restoration. The blood of Abel cried out for vengeance but the blood of Christ speaks forgiveness. Hurt breeds hurt and escalates the cycle of hatred. The Judge of all earth commands us to do right—to break that cycle of hatred so that even our enemy can be reconciled and restored into the right relationship with God and others.