Some Thoughts About Eve

Genesis 3:6 NKJV So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

Eve became aware of 3 things:

1. The tree was good for food.
2. The tree was pleasant to the eyes.
3. The tree was desirable to make one wise.

Eve made a wrong conclusion—it was good and not forbidden.

Eve took the wrong action—she ate the fruit.

We know

• All of creation was perfect and good.
• Adam being alone was identified by God as being not good: Genesis 2:18 NRSV Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.

God created Eve

• For fellowship. God has no need for fellowship. Fellowship is something God enjoys, but He does not have a need. Adam had a need for fellowship.
• For the other half of wisdom and spiritual gifts that Adam did not have. Adam could make a full, wise decision with Eve’s input. Without her input, it would not be a full, wise decision. Only God is complete in Himself. God made it clear that being governor of the earth would not be correct without Eve.
• For a female. Adam had a need for companionship. God has no needs. God wants to make it clear that Adam had needs that Adam could not fulfill.
• To express love and other attributes.
• To receive love and other attributes.

What we can learn from Eve becoming aware of 3 things:

1. The tree was good for food.
   1. She may have thought it to be a poisonous plant, so thinking she would drop dead from the plant.
   2. She may not have thought about it before.
   3. She may not have known all the facts, thus a failure on Adam’s part.
2. The tree was pleasant to the eyes.
   1. She may not have looked at it before.
   2. She may not have studied it, just avoiding it.
3. The tree was desirable to make one wise.
   1. She wanted to learn.
   2. Wisdom is good to learn and is approved by God.
   3. She was ignorant of the type of wisdom, she would receive.

Adam failed.

• This showed that he did not have complete wisdom. He made a bad decision.
• This showed a lack of love for God first and also for Eve.
• This showed that He did not believe God.
• This showed ignorance of God’s character and attributes. Perhaps, he was thinking, “Since God is not here, He will not know.”

Eve’s punishment: pain in childbirth. (She also shared in loss of fellowship with God and spiritual death and eventually physical death. But, the only punishment specified was pain in childbirth).

Eve’s promise from God: Messiah will come from your seed, not Adam’s seed.

Adam’s punishment

• Hard work with little reward.
• Guilt
• Suffering
• Death
• Loss of fellowship with God
• Knowing all creation suffered because Adam sinned. Note, all this suffering is NOT from Eve’s sin.
  • Romans 5:12 NKJV Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.
  • 1 Corinthians 15:21 NKJV For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
  • Romans 5:14 NKJV Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
  • 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45 NKJV For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. ... And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

Temptation

• The temptation we face is not unique to us; it is common to all humans: 1 Corinthians 10:13 CSB No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide a way out so that you may be able to bear it.
• James 1:12 NRSV Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
• It is from sinful desire within us: James 1:14-16 NRSV But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved.
• Love of other things: 1 Timothy 6:10 NKJV For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
• Things that are more important than God, His teachings, and His lifestyle: Luke 8:14 NKJV Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
• The devil knows what we enjoy and have pleasure in, so he makes sure there is opportunity: Romans 7:5 NKJV For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.
• The devil gives us what WE THINK IS A BETTER DEAL in life: 1 Timothy 5:15 GW Some of them have already turned away to follow Satan.

Deliverance

• We need God’s help: Matthew 6:13 NKJV And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
• We need to follow God’s advice by application: Matthew 26:41 HCSB Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
• We need to endure temptation. God gives the grace to do this, but we must do: James 1:12 NRSV Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
• We need to humble ourselves, asking God to help. We must also resist: James 4:7 NLT So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
• The Lord Jesus knows, has experienced temptation, and is compassionate willing to help us: Hebrews 2:18 NIV Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
• This passage refers to uncalled for angry but can be applied to any temptation, sin, sinful situation: Ephesians 4:26-27 NET Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger. Do not give the devil an opportunity.
• The testing of faith produces endurance (the idea of no pain, no gain): James 1:2-3 NET My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
• Believers have the Holy Spirit in them to help in temptation: 1 John 4:4 NKJV You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
• Realize satan hates us and has many evil thoughts and plans: 2 Corinthians 2:11 WEL Fearing that Satan would take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his evil thoughts.
• Don’t blame God: James 1:13 NRSV No one, when tempted, should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.
• God allows tests of our faith, not to find out if we are genuine but so we can find out if we are genuine: 1 Peter 1:6-7 NRSV In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
• We resist, but God gives us the strength: 2 Timothy 4:18 NKJV And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
• Recognizing evil. We have to know what God teaches (Bible) and recognize truth. This was part of Eve’s downfall, for she did not know completely. Adam knew but did not teach her the total truth. Genesis 3:1-7 NKJV Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" 2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.' " 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
• We must know the truth. Otherwise, we will be tricked by fake teachers and the false teachings. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 NKJV For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
• Confess our sin and repent (don’t do it anymore): 1 John 1:9 MKJV If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.