One Last Chance: Adam & Eve

Over the past months, we have been looking at the lives and lessons of those that God gave a second chance.  The stories and reasons were numerous for each and there are lessons we can learn from them.

However, this got me thinking about the flip side of the coin.  If God was going to give these men and women that loved Him, a second chance then what about the ones He refused to give a second chance.

Who were these people?  Why did God refuse to give them a second chance?  What were the lessons we can learn from them?

So for the next few months, we are going to explore those that God did not give a second chance.  What lessons do you think we may learn from them?

Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden of Eden

Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden of Eden

The warning issued were their last chance before God fulfilled the actions promised.  For some that meant immediate death and for others, it meant turning from God or suffering severe consequences.  As we look at each of these, we’ll look at the actions on both the Biblical character and God’s part.  What we’ll notice is they were all warned ahead of time and chose for various reasons to disobey.

The first profile in this new series was easy to discern.  We are going to take a look at Adam and Eve, the first man and woman on earth.  They had the rare joy of walking side by side with God.

The first book of the Bible, Genesis, opens with the creation of the world.  Genesis 1:26 says, “then God said let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.”

God created man in His image and likeness.

God told man to fill the earth, rule over “the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,” and he gave man “every green plant for food.”

Genesis 2 gives us more information because the man, Adam, was formed from the dust of the earth and God breathed life into his being. Adam named all of the animals of the earth.

He planted a garden, Eden, in the east.  In the middle was a “tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.”  God put Adam in the garden and told him he could eat anything but from the “tree of knowledge of good and evil.”

The serpent deceived Adam and Eve

The serpent deceived Adam and Eve

No helper could be found, so God put Adam to sleep and made a woman from his ribs.

Then the serpent, or a snake, appeared and temped the woman with the fruit.  He says, “you will not die…  For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

The woman, Eve, took the fruit and ate of it.  She then convinced Adam to also eat the fruit.

When God appeared for his daily visit, the couple hid from God.  They tried to hide their deed {sin} from God.  Adam then blamed Eve, who blamed the serpent.

God was angry.  He proclaimed that woman would have severe pain in child birth and her husband would rule over her.  Man would be forced to work the ground, which would not always be productive.  Because of their sin, mankind would not live forever but would die.

He then banished the couple from the Garden of Eden.   Adam and Eve lived hundreds of years before they died and had many children.  Three sons are listed by name and they are Cain, Abel and Seth.

The first couple dealt with heartache when their son Cain, killed his brother Abel.  Cain was then banished and left to wander the earth.

Genesis 5:5 tells us Adam lived 930 years before he died.

So what can we learn from the story of Adam and Eve?

  1. God knows our sin before we even tell him

    Adam and Eve were exiled from the Garden of Eden and presence of God for their sin

    Adam and Eve were exiled from the Garden of Eden and presence of God for their sin

  2. Satan is waiting to tempt us and trick us
  3. We cannot hide our sin from God
  4. One person can easily convince another in following them to do wrong
  5. Naturally we want to blame others for our sin
  6. God gives us commands for our own good and protection
  7. God is angry when we don’t obey him
  8. There are consequences to our sins
  9. Sometimes we are banished from what is good for us, as a consequence
  10. Often one action has a dominos effect and more heartache follows
  11. Life is often made more difficult because of our sin
  12. Often the consequences to our sin are not instantaneous

How has your life been made more difficult because of your decisions?

 

For  the Second Chances series:

Old Testament: JonahJob,  SamsonRahabDavid and BathshebaMosesJoseph, and  Jacob

New Testament: Zacchaeus, Woman Caught in Adultery, The Prodigal Son, The Thief on the Cross, Saul to Paul, John Mark, and Peter

 

 

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