You Shall Not Eat 4

A moment of decision arrives for Eve in Genesis 3:6. Will Eve eat or not?

ESV  Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Having discussed the one and only command provided to her and Adam by God due to the serpent’s questions that raised uncertainty and doubt about God’s character and provisions for Eve, how does she now assess the prohibited tree?

  1. Eve saw that the tree was good for food
  2. Eve saw it was a delight to the eyes
  3. Eve saw that the tree was to be desired to make one wise

How would you describe what is happening in Eve’s mind and heart as she gazes at the forbidden fruit tree?

Fixating on the forbidden attractive delectable fruit with the idea that it is the path to gaining wisdom, Eve decides to partake and gives some to Adam as well, who willingly partakes.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation as Eve and Adam? Fixated on something you have been told you can’t have?

Personally, I recall many times in my life where I’ve been told I couldn’t do, be or have something and my immediate response was “watch me, I’ll prove you wrong!” Sometimes that type of attitude is appropriate when interacting with our fellow humans.

But when it comes to our creator’s commands it is always the path to shame, guilt and negative consequences rather than a path to being wise if we have the “watch me, I’ll prove you wrong!” attitude.

What things can you do each day to keep your focus on God’s abundant provision for you no matter your current circumstance today?

Send me your thoughts!

Blessings,

Barbara Lynn

You Shall Not Eat 3

In Genesis 3:1 the serpent appears to be seeking clarification from Eve about what God had commanded regarding eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. After Eve’s failure to quote God accurately the serpent reveals a more sinister motive:

ESV  Genesis 3:4-5 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Look again at what God had commanded:

ESV  Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

When striking up the conversation with Eve initially, the serpent had turned the abundance of fruit trees God provided for consumption into a complete ban of all fruit trees. (See 3:1). Now the serpent contradicts God by negating the consequences of eating from this one banned tree.

God warns “you shall surely die”. Eve interpreted this to the softer statement of “lest you die”. The serpent discounts both God and Eve saying, “you will not surely die”.

The serpent goes even further in discrediting God’s character by implying that the reason this tree’s fruit has been banned for consumption is that it will open Eve’s eyes to become like God.

Consider what is said though about the creation of man:

ESV  Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Notice that mankind was already created in God’s likeness. Further, mankind was created to have authority over animals. But here in Genesis 3, it is the serpent, an animal, who is challenging God’s authority and integrity.

Next time we’ll study how Eve responds to this new challenge by the serpent.

Meanwhile, what else do you see in these verses that I haven’t mentioned? Send me your observations! I love to hear from my readers.

Blessings,

Barbara Lynn

You Shall Not Eat 2

Previously we learned about the origin and character of the serpent introduced into the narrative of Genesis 3:1. In this verse the serpent directs a question to Eve about God’s instructions regarding fruit trees and their consumption. The serpent turns God’s ample provision of fruit trees into a negative statement that all fruit trees were forbidden.

Eve responds with the following:

ESV  Genesis 3:2-3 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but 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.'”

Is Eve accurate in her statement to the serpent? In part, yes. She is correct that God only banned one tree’s fruit, but she doesn’t specify the tree by name, only location. Plus, she adds to his command that it shouldn’t be touched. Eve also states that disobedience to this command will result in death.

Compare what Eve said with God’s statement:

ESV  Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Also see Genesis 2:9).

God states the name of the specific tree that is banned from consumption. God also said, “you shall surely die”. That’s a much stronger statement than “lest you die.” Further, God never said they couldn’t touch the tree, just not to eat its fruit.

The serpent got it completely wrong. Eve was both vague in response to the serpent regarding which tree and the consequences while also adding to the command given.

How well do you know God’s word? If someone grossly misquoted God’s commands to you would you be able to accurately correct them? Have you ever embellished God’s commands?

These questions are to encourage both my readers and me to ponder, confess to God if needed, and to study God’s word so we can respond accurately when someone questions us about His commands.

Share some comments about your journey in this area on my blog or email me. I’d love to hear from you.

Next time we’ll look at Genesis 3:4-5.

Blessings,

Barbara Lynn

You Shall Not

What emotion(s) or questions are you noticing in response to this post’s title, “You Shall Not”?

Let’s add another word: “You shall not eat”. What surfaces now?

Are you feeling discontented? Angry? Rebellious? Focused on the high calorie food you love? Fearful?

What if we add four more words: “Did God actually say, “You shall not eat”?

How does this change the tone of the question in your mind?

If someone young asked you this how would you react? How about a nutrition expert?

Can you see how the context of a question matters?

In Genesis 3:1, a new character is introduced to the narrative who asks Eve this very question.

ESV  Genesis 3:1 Now 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’?”

What are we told about the serpent in this verse?

  1. The serpent is a wild beast.
  2. The serpent is more crafty than other beasts of the field.
  3. The serpent was made by the LORD God.
  4. The serpent speaks the same language as Adam, Eve and the LORD God.
  5. The serpent doesn’t refer to God as LORD.
  6. The serpent seriously misquotes God’s command from Genesis 2:16-17.

ESV  Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

The description of the character and origin of the serpent provides hints that something is awry in the garden. Genesis 3:1 sets up the context for what is referred to in both Christian and Jewish faiths as the fall of mankind. Next time we’ll look at how Eve responded to the serpent.

Meanwhile, what emotions or questions do you have after looking at Genesis 3:1?

Blessings,

Barbara Lynn