Genesis 3:1-7 NIV Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Observation
Traditionally in Sunday School, the fruit is represented as an apple. Perhaps this is because the apple is such a familiar fruit to younger children. The Bible point is not what kind of fruit it was but rather that Adam and Eve decided that they wanted to decide good and evil for themselves rather than trust God to determine what is good or evil for them. This is the original sin (“The Fall”), the root of all the pride, selfishness, murder, greed, arrogance, abuse, war and every other way of breaking the relationship God intended to share with us from the beginning. Adam, “who was with her,” only had to say, “Eve, don’t take the apple from the tree. We will trust God.”
Realistically, the serpent, Satan, is a master at deception. It would have found someone in following generations to deceive and, if The Fall had not happened with Adam and Eve, it would have happened with one of their descendents eventually. The most remarkable aspect of this whole story is that God knew it would happen and had a plan to restore shalom to His creation even before The Fall. He created a redemption plan before the first betrayal and remained faithful to it through all the subsequent ones. What kind of love is this?
Impact on Me
This question brings to mind when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. He washed the feet of them all, even Judas whose heart was set to betray Him. Could I humble myself before an enemy like that? To me, this is the same astounding grace God showed to Adam and Eve and all their descendants by sticking to His plan for redemption despite all the betrayals throughout Israel’s history.
When Jesus died on the Cross, He provided for me and every other individual a way to choose to “give the apple back” by surrendering our control and submitting to His Word on what is good and evil. This requires that I allow the Holy Spirit freedom over all of me including my shameful places, my fallen places, my secret places. It is my choice. The serpent will tell me that I cannot trust God’s grace and mercy in these places, that God will be repulsed and angry at my betrayal.
Then, the sweet Holy Spirit will remind me of the meek and humble Jesus washing the feet of Judas on that night. Ultimately, I am the one who will choose whom I trust and obey. Will I choose to trust God on what is good and what is evil, even when He asks me to humble myself before my enemies? Can I give the apple back and not pick another?
Prayer
Lord, You have proven throughout Your Word that your love, grace and mercy will cover all our sin, every betrayal, when we surrender, confess, repent and submit to Your lordship. This is giving the apple back. In doing so, I may need to make painful sacrifices that humble me, that are a focused attack on my pride, my control, my dreams. This will require the same courage, the same strength, the same trust in You that allowed Jesus to kneel at Judas’ feet to wash them, that sustained Him to suffer and die on that Cross. He allowed You to determine that the cost to Him was worth the benefit to us all. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so I may become more like Jesus allowing You to judge whether the cost to me of obedience is worth the benefit to Your kingdom. Make it so. Amen.
Pressing On In His Footsteps 