“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked.” Genesis 3:7 (a).

Last few days we were looking at the origins recorded in the Bible. The first book of the Bible the book of Genesis- is the book of ‘origins’. We have seen how it all began. Now two days, our insight focuses on how evil began on this planet earth.

Do you remember a time when you believed in a promise only to regret deeply because the promise was never met, but something completely different was delivered to you? How do you feel? Terrible, sad, and frustrated right? This is what happened to our first parents on that day when everything changed around them.

The promise was if they eat from the forbidden tree, they would become like God. Pretty lofty promise. Secondly, they would not die although God said so. Thirdly, God hides good things from them. Hooked to the temptation, Eve ate it and also gave to her husband who was standing next to her listening to all the false promises of the serpent. He ate it as well. Adam should have known better because God gave the command directly to him. Eve only heard from Adam. As the first recipient, Adam should have stood on his ground firmly and stopped her by reminding God’s word. He did not. This is why the Bible later says looking back to the incident in 1st Timothy 2:14, “And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” Adam knowingly approved the disobedience. The woman was deceived.

Now before we are too harsh on man, let us face the truth. One or another time, we all are faced with occasions like this. Would we act differently? Do we have the courage to stand firm for the word of God? I wanted to ask this question to all men including me.

Now the results flooded in. As soon as they ate, their eyes were opened but the sight was contrary to their expectations. They did not become like God or even wise. Their eyes were opened to see the shame of one another. To know that they do not even like to look at each other. An alienation happened between them. Moreover, an alienation happened between them and God. Evil steps and actions always result in alienation from one another and God. You see their loving relationship with the LORD was affected. Now they are afraid of God. In the past, they cherished God’s presence and love. Now they hid from God.

Beloved, if nothing else we learned from this incident of our first parent, we must learn this-Satan promises lies and he never delivers what he promised. Regret, shame, fear, alienation from people and God would be the consequences.

The LORD God came in the cool of the day as they were hiding and called the name of the man and asked where are you? Adam said I heard your sound, I was afraid because I was naked and hid. When the LORD asked, “have you ate from the tree that I commanded not to eat from?” There started passing the buck. Adam blamed Eve, Eve said she was deceived by the serpent. Instead of friendliness and agreement, all were alienated from each other. Alienation from God, alienation from one another, and alienation from other creatures.

Genesis 3:21 says, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” To make garments of skin, an animal must have been killed to get the skin to cover their nakedness. There began the animal sacrifices to cover people’s sins.  However, the LORD God promised a permanent solution to the issue and this is in verse 15. When the LORD brought judgment on the serpent, He said, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” The old serpent who is the devil (as we discussed in our previous daily insight) hates the offsprings of Adam. He does whatever it takes to destroy God’s epitome of creation- the human beings who are created in the image of God.

There was a silver line of promise right there amid the judgments. The LORD said to the serpent the seed of the woman will one day crush your (devil’s) head, although he would try to strike the heel of the seed of the woman. This is fulfilled in the promise of the seed of woman prophecy that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is born of the virgin woman by the overshadowing and powerful work of the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus crushed the head of the devil on the cross to save humanity from their sin problem inherited from Adam and Eve. Devil thought he demolished Jesus Christ when he worked in the hearts of the leaders and people to crucify him. God turned the table. Jesus was buried in a new tomb in Jerusalem. However, He rose on the third day as he was promised by giving victory over sin and death.

Beloved, Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises God made for Adam’s posterity and the only savior of Adam’s children. All the animal sacrifices were a shadow of the final fulfillment of the perfect sacrifice by Jesus Christ. “The blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all our sins” 1st John 1:7. Praise God! He did not leave Adam’s children in a pathetic condition. God promised victory over the devil and He fulfilled and accomplished it in person and work of the seed of the woman- Jesus Christ.

“Father in heaven, I thank you for your kindness in finding a permanent solution for humanity’s problem of sin. I accept Jesus as my savior and Lord because I believe He died in my place for all of my sins. Lord, Please save and grant me eternal life with you when I close my eyes here in death. In Chris’t’s name, I pray, Amen.