Gospel Glimpse: A Promise and a Picture (Genesis 3:8ff)
Sermon Link
Confrontation and Conviction (verses 8-10)
Adam did not merely make a mistake, but willfully sinned against God and his neighbor. In his unbelief, he broke all of God’s commandments, not just one. But God, being a covenantal God, does not give up on Adam, or on us. God comes calling to Adam, “Where are you?” By seeking out Adam and bringing him face to face with his guilt, he was giving him the full opportunity to confess his sin. God’s question to Adam, “Have you eaten from the tree?” is designed to elicit a confession, the confession that would lead to forgiveness! This is not the voice of the police officer to the criminal, “Come out with your hands up!”—but the call of yearning love.
Casting Blame (verses 11-13)
Rather than confessing and repenting, Adam plays the blame game, pointing his finger at the woman. It’s important to remember that God had said, “In the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” So, by pointing the finger at Eve, Adam is essentially saying, “It was her! Kill her, not me!” Later, Eve would do the same thing, pointing her finger at the devil and claiming that he was the one to make her do it. The blame game is a human disease. We are very prone to make excuses for our sin. We say things like, “I know I should not, but that’s just the way God made me,” or, “I am under a lot of stress at work.” This only adds to our sin as we delay true confession.
Casting Verdicts (verses 14-19)
Though there had been only blessings thus far in the Genesis account, the blessings now become curses because of sin: life became death, pleasure become pain, abundance became meager sustenance, etc. There were immediate results following their sin: murder, rape, sodomy, disease, drunkenness, and death. The serpent is cursed to eat dirt and the man and woman are punished and disciplined for their sin—they now experience the terrible consequences of it. And yet, even in the divine verdict and punishment, mercy is seen—who would desire a world where Hitler, Stalin, or Osama bin Laden live forever?
Calling and Clothing (verses 20-21)
God provides clothing for Adam and Eve. Because time was in its infancy, the animals did not just die and their skins used, but a violent, bloody death had to have taken place. The animals recently created by God, were now slaughtered by Him in order to cover sin and its effects (Rom 6:23; Heb 9:22). In verse 21 we see that God is the Author of Salvation (“The Lord God…”), the Accomplisher of Salvation (“…made garments of skin for Adam and his wife…”), and the Applier of Salvation (“…and clothed them.”).
Casting Out (verses 22-24)
After the verdicts had been read, and after God had acted in mercy by giving them a precious promise to stay their hearts and providing a covering for their shame, Adam and Eve were driven out of paradise. It was impossible for them to remain in the garden and continue in fellowship with the Lord. He is holy, and that which defiles cannot enter His presence. Sin always results in separation (Is 59:2).
In verse 15, the first words of grace are spoken to a lost world very soon after sin occurred. A post-Genesis 3 world includes hatred, animosity, and the desire for murder, but God is setting up this new order. From this point on in history, the Cross is on the horizon. In the sphere of redemption, Christ has not only reversed the effects of the Fall, but because of it He has brought in something far better. The redeemed have gained more through the Last Adam than we lost through the first Adam. What are some of the ways that we as believers have a more privileged position than even Adam pre-Fall?