Genesis 3:10, Describes the nakedness of soul, meaning guilty before God because of their sin. They lost their innocence as a result and were now sinful. At this point Adam covered himself with fig leaves (verse 7), knowing that he lost his covering of light.
Verses 8 – 13, tells us that they are the first in human history to have guilt, shame (hiding), fear, strife, and a blaming nature. Adam blamed the woman, who God gave him, so really Adam was blaming God. The woman blamed the serpent that God made, so Eve was blaming God. Note, God did not create an evil serpent. Satan either used the serpent as a medium to speak to Eve or he transformed himself to appear as a serpent. All of this begins with sin. When Adam and Eve ate from the The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil they lost dominion and rulership. In Luke 4:5-7, Satan temps Christ by showing him all the kingdoms of the world. Satan is so brave to tell Christ he would give him all the domain that was handed over to him (via Adam). The Bible is clear that Satan is the ruler / prince of this world. Adam and Eve lost the earth as their territory and they lost their position. Thank God it will all be restored to its rightful place.
Another interesting text, in Job we are told that God called a heavenly counsil and Satan comes to the council. Satan announces that he came from the earth, he was there to represent planet earth. How could he attend? The dominion of earth was handed over to him through Adam’s sin. Adam should have been the one to attend, unfortunately he couldn’t.
Fear of Dying
Back to Adam and Eve. They were worried about dying. How do we know? When they heard God coming they hid. God talks to them and holds them accountable to their decision. God speaks to the serpent and informs him that the conflict will be resolved and how it will be resolved. It will be to the serpents demise. As Adam and Eve listen, they hear the first gospel which becomes a promise for them. Jesus (Son of God) is speaking, I will put enmity between you (serpent) and the women, between her seed and your seed. You will bruise his heel and he will crush your head.
Good News is Delivered
The Seed of the woman is going to do battle with the serpent. This is the real warfare. Adam and Eve allowed themselves to become partakers of the conflict. God in this message is saying that the serpent, took dominion from Adam and Eve, and because of that war has been declared. God announced that He was going to send a Seed to earth and that Seed is going to battle with the serpent. The serpent will hur the heel of the Seed, but in the process the Seed is going to crush the serpents head (deadly blow). Think of the picture, He is raising his heel to crush the head of the serpent, the serpent strikes the heel, and then the foot comes down and crushes the serpents head. The Seed takes the place of Adam (2nd Adam), and He is going to do battle with the serpent on the same ground as Adam battled (earth). And that which Adam and Eve lost, will be returned. After hearing what God said to the serpent, I’m sure Adam and Eve had hope.
The Serpent
Who is this serpent? It’s not an animal, its much more. Turn to Revelation 12:9, this text explains the identity of the serpent (that ancient serpent) – Satan himself. He either used the serpent as a medium to speak through or he disguised himself as a serpent.
Now who is the serpent’s seed? John 8:44 answers the question, “you are of your father the devil, his desires you want to do, he is a murderer and liar”. People who have a character similar to the character of Satan (deceiver, liar, murderer, etc.). 1 John 3:12 tells us Cain was the seed of Satan. Satan accomplished his purpose through a human instrument that was willing, which is another characteristic of serpent seed. Matthew 13:38 parable of wheat tares, which tells us these are seeds of Satan. Galatians 3:16 describes the seed born of a woman, to Abraham and Sarah was born a seed and through that came Christ. God sent for his Son born of a woman born under the law – Christ. What is interesting is in Matthew the genealogy list men who bring men into the the world (with the exception of three women that are mentioned), but Christ is born of a woman but not born of Joseph. Why this exception in the genealogy record? God sent His Son as the seed….God the Father was His father. Revelation 12:1-2 also confirms this, a woman clothed with the sun who brings forth a male child who rules all nations with a rod of iron and who was caught up to the throne of God.
There is none righteous, no not one. No one in the human race can rescue the lost. Everyone in the human race has succumbed to Satan. One needed to come that was pure, righteous, and sinless to do the battle and win the war. That was the Son of God in the flesh of Jesus Christ.
The Covering
How was the seed going to gain victory over Satan? Obviously, the nakedness of man had to be covered. How could the iniquity of Adam and Eve be covered? Genesis 3:21 , God is going to send a seed, but how? Adam and Eve desperately needed a covering, They covered themselves with fig leaves, but were still naked. They couldn’t appear before God to receive that which they lost – so here is how the seed was going to cover them and their shame. The lord God made tunics of skin and clothed them. With what did God cloth them? The garments of skin, an animal was killed…sacrificed, what an object lesson for both of them. The horror of it all. This began the shadow of animal sacrifice that pointed people to the Messiah that would come to be the Lamb without blemish led to the slaughter. The sacrifice pointed to the true sacrifice to come and the lesson that God is teaching that the Messiah would be our covering. Through His righteousness is how we are brought before the throne of God. This is how we are made acceptable. A day will come when we a fully restored to our rightful place and we will live and reign with Christ. A day when, Paradise lost, will be made anew…the old will pass away and He will create a new heaven and a new earth for the former have passed away (Isa. 67:17, rev. 21:1).
Day You Eat – You Will Surely Die (Genesis 2:17)
The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil…in the day you eat of it you will surely die. Dead as a door nail, take it to the bank. So, why did Adam live to be 930 years old? Did God lie? He did not. Earlier it was mentioned that at least one lamb if not two, were sacrificed. This covering from the sacrifice was very significant. Remember, they tried to cover themselves with fig leaves. Yet, when God came calling they hid and told Him they were naked. It was their guilt, through their rebellion that brought shame upon them and made them naked. They were guilty! Eternal death was the penalty!
God in His mercy enacted the plan that existed from the foundation of the world and the sentence of death was executed on those lamb(s). The sacrifice of those lambs was an earthly indication that the God the Son presented himself before the Father in heaven. He said my creatures have sinned and they deserve to die. You said they would die the moment they ate, but Father I will come in the flesh as Jesus Christ and give my life in place of theirs…my life for all their descendants. It was acceptable to the Father. The Son, the creator of all of the world will save those that will come into the world (John 3:16-17). So, Adam and Even did not die eternally that dreadful day. Though on that day they began the dying process, for we all taste the first death. Even those living at His second coming, when they are changed in the “twinkling of the eye” (1 Cor. 15:52) their sinful flesh will die. The plan of salvation promised that the penalty for sin would be placed upon the shoulders of Christ…so those that choose to follow the Lamb will not have to die eternally.
The sentence of death that day was executed that day. How did John the Baptist introduce Jesus…”behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). 1 Peter 1:18-20 tells us Jesus was actually sacrificed before the foundation of the world. How could that happen? He died personally 2,000 years ago upon the cross, but the plan of salvation was devised in eternity and was implemented as soon as Adam and Eve sinned. When Jesus died he was perfect. He was foreordained from the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these times. Revelation 13:8 is clear as to the people who will worship the beast, it will be those who dwell on the earth who’s name is NOT written in the “book of life”. Everyone’s name starts out in the “book of life”, depending upon the choice we make determines if it remains or is “blotted out”.
What happened that day when Adam and Eve sinned? God told Satan the plan. Satan understood because of the hurt that will come to Him, that he could look forward to his head being crushed. Christ was paying the price to buy back all that which is lost. Satan must have been shaking in his boots, so to speak. As one studies the Bible, it is quickly understood that Satan made up his mind that he was not going to allow that Seed from coming into the world. If he could stop the Seed, He can’t deliver the deadly blow.
Satan and the Seed
It is evident that Satan tried to kill the Seed from coming as we can see in the story of Cain and Abel. All four elements are there from Genesis 3:15. Satan wanted the death of Able, for Able was acceptable to God by his sacrifice of a lamb. Satan wanted Able destroyed for through his descendants might come the Seed. Satan had his seed (Cain) kill Able (1 John 3:12).
God’s plan cannot be destroyed. In Genesis 4:25 we are told that Adam knew his wife again and a son was born. Eve named him Seth. Seth means substitute or “in place of”, for God has appointed another seed instead of Abel in whom Cain killed. In Chapter 5, the genealogy begins with Adam which includes Seth and goes all the way to Noah. God was preparing a holy line a genealogy from which the Messiah would come. Genesis 11:10-32 list of descendants from Shem to Abraham. Matthew 21 list the descendants from Abraham to the birth of Jesus. Why did God keep a genealogy? God always had a holy line from which the Messiah would come into the world. God did not allow his plans to be frustrated.
The devil works through human beings, in this way he accomplishes what he wants to do. He doesn’t do it himself, he uses humans. The Bible is full of examples of how he does this, but as stated before God’s plan will be completed and “all evil” will be destroyed.
The prophecy in Genesis 3:15 is described in all its glory in Revelation 12. The first scene is of a woman who has a child in her womb, a Seed, and as she is about to deliver a dragon stands next to her to devour the Child but is not successful. We have the elements of Genesis, a woman, the dragon (aka: serpent, devil, Satan-see vs.7-9)…the two seeds. This illustration pointed to the unborn child, who represents Jesus; and Herod-the agent of the devil who tried to kill Jesus. The two seeds! The battle of the seeds are recorded all throughout the Bible. We are told that when the Child escapes from the devil (dragon) and is caught up to heaven, the devil (dragon) goes after the woman. What happened after the resurrection and ascension of Christ? The Church (woman) was persecuted…meaning Satan goes after the remnant of the woman’s seed. And who is that? Those that follow the Lamb wherever He goes – those who keep the commands of God and have the testimony/faith of Jesus Christ (Rev. 12:17, 14:12).