The Christmas Tree Series: Adam’s Forbidden Tree of Genesis Chapter 3 – Part 2 of 3

In our first post, we covered THE FRUIT. Today, we see:

THE FAILURE – 3:6-13

In this part of the chapter, we notice three different forms of failure, The first is The Failure of Wants – 3:6. How was she able to surmise all of this detail about the fruit just by looking at the tree? Because she was already thinking about it from the deceptive seed that Satan planted in her mind. The word desired is a similar word in the Hebrew that is used for covet. This is an illustration of Commandment #10 – Thou shalt not covet. She began to covet, or want, to be a god, just as Satan told her in 3:5.

This was an appeal to man’s desire to be religious. But religion never has nor never will save anyone. Satan is all too happy for you to be caught up in religion at the expense of a real relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

This desire to have something that she could not is played out in our society every day. How many people are spending money that they don’t have, to buy things that they don’t need, just because it is new…better…someone else has it…etc? How much money is being spent this Christmas season in the name of buying happiness and contentment for their kids, family, and or friends and acquaintances – which it never delivers? Eve wanted something that she could not have, and it led to disaster.

Now, how does Adam fall into all of this. Well, because Adam wanted to be with Eve, he deliberately chose to disobey God’s command and took the fruit. Did you notice that the whole time the Serpent was speaking to Eve, he was really speaking past her to Adam, who was there? That is why he used the word “ye,” which is the plural form of you. This leads to the failure of all mankind, as we will see in part three.

The second failure we notice is The Failure of Works – 3:7-10. The cover of fig leaves is an illustration of man’s attempt to cover their sin with their own good works. Verse 7 shows us that death was immediate. Not the physical death that we often think about (but that process of death began at that moment), but a spiritual death. This was the beginning of eternal separation from God. The sweet fellowship and communion they had was now completely severed. Man, no matter how hard he tries, can never cover their sins with good works or deeds.

3:8 - Isn’t that just the most pathetic scene in the entire Bible? Adam hiding in the bushes from Him who made the bushes. As if God couldn’t see him! “God’s glory is no longer their central heartbeat; it has been supplanted by their own self-preservation according to their own pitiful notions. Their very notion of God has become warped and inadequate. [1]”

The whole human race tries to hide from God – but it is pointless – there is no corner to hide in from the One who created the four corners!

Finally, we see The Failure of Why – 3:11-13. Here is where things get REAL ugly (as if it hasn’t been bad enough already!). You can almost imagine it playing out like some old TV game show from the 70’s or 80’s called “The Blame Game.” In 3:12, Adam blames Eve. Today, we blame others for our sin…situations…problems.

But really, Adam is blaming God – and we do the same. You don’t think so? Well, when we utter excuses like, “IF I had so-in-so’s talent and time I would do more…If I had more money I would give,” what we really are saying is that, “God hasn’t blessed me like He has you…” We are blaming God!

Eve blamed Satan. She was the first person to ever say, “The devil made me do it!” But the truth of the matter is that she was to blame. And we have no one to blame but ourselves when we give into temptation. The Bible tells us in the New Testament in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

What excuses are you hiding behind today?

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[1] Phillips, Dan (2011-07-14). The World-Tilting Gospel (p. 50). Kregel Publications. Kindle Edition