E​ve walks blithely through the Garden of Eden, savoring every portion of God’s creation. Life is more than just good. It is perfection. No shame, no anxiety, and walks with God daily. The warmth, the joy. This was supposed to be our natural habitat. This was God’s plan for us.

B​ut the serpent, the thief of joy and giver of shame, is ready to leave his foul stain all over mankind. Eve is his first victim.

Sly Little Devil

N​ow the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” ~Genesis 3:1

A​gain, the serpent is crafty. At this point in the Bible, the point could be drawn that Eve did not hear God say this directly. We know He told Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil in Gen. 2:17, but did God give the same command to Eve or did Eve receive the command through Adam? T​his may be why the serpent is specific when he asks her, “Did God actually say ‘YOU shall not eat of any tree in the garden?”

E​ve responds to him by saying, “God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” ~Gen. 3:3

N​ote: When God told Adam about the forbidden tree, there’s no mention of the additional command to not touch it. This could be evidence that Adam relayed the message to Eve. I can imagine Adam telling Eve, “God said we cannot eat from this tree or we will die. In fact, we probably shouldn’t even touch it just to be safe.” (Or something along those lines.)

The Gift of Free Will

W​hy is the tree here to begin with? Why would God place a tree in this perfect place that would kill them if they eat from it? I think the answer lies within its name.

T​he tree of good and evil.

I​t’s the gift of free will. We can choose to be in obedience with God (the good) or choose to live in disobedience (the evil).

The Delight of Sin

Y​ou will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God good and evil. ~Gen. 3:4

T​his is the very thing that got Satan kicked out Heaven to begin: the desire for God’s power.

[Gen. 3:6 broken down] S​o when the woman saw that the tree was good for food… (Eve believes the serpent, the lie, instead of God, the truth.)

.​..and that it was a delight in her eyes…(As much we may hate to admit it, sin is often times more immediately gratifying than holiness.)

.​..and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise… (Ingratitude. Isn’t that often the seed to sin? Wanting more than we have. Coveting others who have what we don’t instead of thanking God for what we have. God were originally created to in God’s image. We were meant to be a beautiful representation of God’s love, law, leadership over His creation. But many times we want more.)

…she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. (Not only does Eve believe Satan’s message rather than God’s, this rebellion spreads to her husband. This contagion spreads quickly still. How many times have you heard phrase “Choose your friends wisely”?)

God finds Adam and Eve, and t​he consequence of Adam and Eve’s sin is immediate. But God, in all His love and grace, is swift to announce our rescuer.

…he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. ~Gen. 3:8