WHO TOLD YOU? November 2023
Scripture References: Genesis 1:24-28; Genesis 2:15-17; Genesis 3:1-11a (NKJV)
Gen. 1: 24-28
24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. 25And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in
His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Gen 2: 15-17
15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 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.”
Gen. 3:1-11a
1.Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”2And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. 8And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”11And He said, “Who told you that you were naked ….?
Among the several trees in the Garden of Eden, there was a notable one rooted in the middle of the garden and boasted of the knowledge of good and evil. Its fruit would cause vulnerability in man’s decision-making.
In any root system, it is the type of soil that determines how well the tree is anchored. God’s Word, our soil, provides the stability for us to flourish so that we can become trees of righteousness, planted by Him. (Isaiah 61: 3). This source provides the foundation for what we believe. It also speaks to the magnitude of importance and credence we place on what we are told. Who is our support system? Who whispers wavering thoughts to us?
Impactful conversations took place in Genesis, then God had an instructional piece that He shared with Adam. (Genesis 2: 15-17). We find God giving an imperative along with an explanation and a consequence. The Creator of Earth and Maker of Adam demonstrated the power of words. Adam saw day and night, lights, land, seas, creepy-crawly things, marine and plant life, and himself. These all manifested because of what God said. God looked at His creation and declared His satisfaction.
Adam was so important, God allowed him to play a key role. He had the task of saying what each created thing should be called. Whatever he decided, that was the creature’s name. So, Adam’s first practical lesson was an exercise in the use of his words. God then told Adam that he was king of the castle, called Earth. What honor and authority! Everything that was needed for life and godliness was provided. Not only that, but God also gave this man the will power of choice.
Adam must have felt a sense of pride as he stroked his ego as top dog. Every lion, tiger, fish, snake, and the like had to be subjected to Adam’s whim and fancy. What a life! So, Adam reigned and fellowshipped with God, daily. That seems like an easy, doable job skill, but included in the job ethics, was a directive: A specific tree was off limit. It was not meant for food.
Then God decided to lighten Adam’s workload by giving him a suitable helper. Now, Adam’s other duties as assigned, though not tedious, could have been accomplished in shorter workdays. His other requirement was to share the job details with this new employee, his wife. Whatever Adam outlined to Eve was either miscommunicated or misinterpreted by her, so we find Eve forgetting that there would be deadly consequences if she cut corners on the job.
When we fail to do exactly what God says, there is a price to pay. God’s plan is to bring us to an expected end, like the Jews who were exiled in Babylon. They were told to settle down there and continue to serve Yahweh and not become deceived. The Lord then told them that His expectation for them was prosperity and a release from bondage if they obeyed Him. (Jeremiah 29:11).
Adam and Eve selected their own path, as if they had time on their hands. In between their
fellowship time with God, there was another voice. Not surprisingly, that voice clamored above what their job description had outlined. The inclination of humans to gravitate towards the forbidden is clearly demonstrated in our children. Sadly, it is also seen in the behavior of God’s children.
Did Adam and Eve not believe God? Did they not trust that God had reasonable intentions for them? Whatever Adam’s rationale was, he became an accomplice with Eve. Previously, God told Adam to name creatures, subdue them, take care of the garden, resist temptation, fellowship with Him and have children. After hearing all that, God’s voice became familiar to Adam. He enjoyed this communion until a different voice was introduced in the Garden.
One of the good creatures, a serpent, spoke so subtly and convincingly that it seemed irresistible for Eve to ignore. Did Adam not emphasize the importance of listening for God’s voice above all else? It seemed dull to Eve to listen to God and her husband only. It became exciting to hear a third party’s advice. This third party, the serpent, made her an offer that was so enticing, she not only reasoned with it, but also thought of a way to conceal her interaction.
As Eve compared her given instructions with what was now being presented, reason won over obedience to God. The serpent’s speech was so undermining that its intent was not readily recognized. It acknowledged God as the One who gave the command. It excluded a part of the statement that God made; thus, softening the effect. It created doubt and fostered a hunger for human wisdom, so Eve yielded. Had she heard correctly what Adam had outlined? Outside, ungodly influences will always cause us to second-guess God’s Word.
The process of maybe, began there and then in the Garden: lest you die. God had told Adam that the consequence of partaking of the fruit was not maybe, but surely. This outside, ungodly influence competed with God’s command. The enemy strongly suggested that God lied to them. When did he acquire the mastery at structuring mankind’s life? He told them what God knew, without telling them that he was really contending for their loyalty.
To win them over to reason, the enemy led them into questioning God’s Word, their daily bread.
He also flaunted the idea that economic status, worldly wisdom, and their judgement of beauty, were to be valued above God’s perfect purpose for them. This type of reasoning aroused in them a desire to evaluate the proposal from this new voice.
Both Adam and Eve succumbed to their new-found wisdom and status in the Garden. They failed to exercise dominion over the serpent’s suggestion. Their new acquaintant was especially important to them, but not worthy enough for them to introduce him to their Father, God. Instead, they hid themselves and schooled God about what they had discovered from their informant. They shared their new knowledge with God, just to inform Him that they needed to cover themselves. His presence was now placed on the backburner.
In so doing, they demonstrated their confidence in what was said by someone other than their Creator. When we think that we can instruct God, it is the beginning of the Fall, and it exposes our need for the covering provided by a blood sacrifice.
Who told you something different than what God said about you? Who told you that what God said was not the whole truth? Who told you that God’s providence is insufficient for you? Who told you that you need wisdom apart from what God gives liberally? (James 1:5). What do you internalize and who told you?
The enemy grasped an opportunity to contradict what God told Adam. He showed his true
character. Ever since he lost the fight in heaven, he vies for mankind’s allegiance. He slithered his way into Eve’s conscience, and he still seeks to pervert what God says about us. Therefore, we choose to seek dependability through a relationship with the credible One.
God told us to trust His plan for us. (Proverbs 3:5). God told us that sin produces eternal separation from Him. (Romans 6:23). God told us that His Word is life and health to those who find them. (Proverbs 4:22). God told us that He esteems His Word above His Name. (Psalm 138:2b). God told us that He seeks a relationship with us. (Isaiah 1:18). WHO TOLD YOU otherwise?
Dr. O. A. James
REFLECTION
The challenges of life’s circumstances compete against the promises in God’s Word. Discuss.