Bible Study Adam and Eve

[OzSpen]

I realize that this is a very old topic but I was just wondering, so if it weren't for the fall of Adam and Eve, then everybody would just continue living forever on earth? Wouldn't the population have gotten extremely crowded then?

HIR,

That's why 'what if?' ('if it weren't) questions are impossible to answer. We have no biblical data to provide info about the topic.

It's really arguing from silence and so is erroneous reasoning.

For me, the question that needs broadcasting in the public mass media and social media is: Look what the fall into sin has done to our world. When will the media get to answering this problem and the solution?

The solution to paedophilia, DV, abortion, crime and violence?

You and I know there is an amazing solution. Salvation through Jesus Christ alone (Acts 4:12).

Then the media will raise issues of sexual abuse in the church, DV in the church, the murder perpetrated in the Crusades, etc. The answer is simple, as told in the parable of the wheat and weeds: '

Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn (Matt 13:30 NLT).​

Oz

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Hey guys I got some more questions that I don't think I already asked.


1. Why did God create a tree that bared bad fruit in the first place if He didn't want Adam and Eve eating from it?

2. If He already knew that they would eat from it, then what was the whole entire point of testing them in the first place? (Because obviously He wasn't shocked when they disobeyed Him.)


3. Did the tree of life represent Jesus and the fruit represented sin?


4. Would Adam and Eve have been immortal if they had chosen not to eat from it?


Finally,.. what does being naked or not have to do with anything?

 

[for_his_glory]

This question has been debated for years, probably centuries and I really do not think anyone can answer that question, but only speculate. The best answer I have heard so far is that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was there to give man a choice to obey God's commands or fall to the temptations that Satan places before them like that of Satan using the serpent that deceived them into sinning against God.

Adam, after eating from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil , now had his eyes opened to what was good and evil. Adam knew he and his wife Eve had sinned against God. They realized they were naked, as only knowledge of good and evil could have revealed that to Adam, and they tried to hide from God, but God knew where they were and clothed their shame with animal skins. This was the first animal blood sacrifice for atonement of sin that leads us to the final sacrifice that Jesus made for all who will believe by faith in Him).

There was also the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden. God had to stop Adam and Eve from eating of the Tree of Life as then they and all generations to come would attain eternal life in a sin cursed world and for this reason God sent them out of the garden and blocked the entrance to it. Adam not only lost that fellowship with God when he sinned, but also lost the purposed eternal life living in the garden of Gods beauty and brought on physical death and Spiritual death to all generations. God purposed man to live forever and take care of His creation, but now God said His Spirit would not always strive with man and later before Noah's flood God shortened man's lifespan to 120 years, Genesis 6:3.

God showed His grace in refusing to allow mankind to live forever in a world filled with sorrow and suffering and provided the way for man to live an eternal life in a place where there is no more death, sorrow and pain, Revelation 21:3-4; 22:3. God loved the world so much that He by His grace gave us His only begotten Son Jesus (The Tree of Life/final blood sacrifice) that those who will believe in Him should not perish, but have life eternal, John 3:3-16; 14:6. Jesus is our Tree of Life that through the Spiritual rebirth we will have life eternal in paradise, Rev Chapter 21, 22.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

This question has been debated for years, probably centuries and I really do not think anyone can answer that question, but only speculate. The best answer I have heard so far is that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was there to give man a choice to obey God's commands or fall to the temptations that Satan places before them like that of Satan using the serpent that deceived them into sinning against God.

Adam, after eating from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil , now had his eyes opened to what was good and evil. Adam knew he and his wife Eve had sinned against God. They realized they were naked, as only knowledge of good and evil could have revealed that to Adam, and they tried to hide from God, but God knew where they were and clothed their shame with animal skins. This was the first animal blood sacrifice for atonement of sin that leads us to the final sacrifice that Jesus made for all who will believe by faith in Him).

There was also the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden. God had to stop Adam and Eve from eating of the Tree of Life as then they and all generations to come would attain eternal life in a sin cursed world and for this reason God sent them out of the garden and blocked the entrance to it. Adam not only lost that fellowship with God when he sinned, but also lost the purposed eternal life living in the garden of Gods beauty and brought on physical death and Spiritual death to all generations. God purposed man to live forever and take care of His creation, but now God said His Spirit would not always strive with man and later before Noah's flood God shortened man's lifespan to 120 years, Genesis 6:3.

God showed His grace in refusing to allow mankind to live forever in a world filled with sorrow and suffering and provided the way for man to live an eternal life in a place where there is no more death, sorrow and pain, Revelation 21:3-4; 22:3. God loved the world so much that He by His grace gave us His only begotten Son Jesus (The Tree of Life/final blood sacrifice) that those who will believe in Him should not perish, but have life eternal, John 3:3-16; 14:6. Jesus is our Tree of Life that through the Spiritual rebirth we will have life eternal in paradise, Rev Chapter 21, 22.

Alright, I still have questions about paragraphs two and three. Again, what does being naked have to do with what is good and evil? Unless we're talking about public nudity here, if being naked was a sin then we couldn't shower or reproduce. And if men (and women) truly lived forever on earth wouldn't it get over populated? Also, did God ever intend for animals to live forever? All I know is that being in my current body I sure wouldn't want to live forever because I wouldn't want to be stuck the way I am forever and ever even if nobody else ever died.

 

[for_his_glory]

We are all created naked as our bodies are created by God in all it's beauty as God does not create anything that is not goodly to Him. It was only by evil entering into Adam and Eve that told them being naked was shameful so they made clothes of fig leaves to cover their shame and hid from God when they heard His voice in the garden.

It wasn't that God did not know where they were when He was calling for them in the garden, but that God wanted Adam to know where he stood with God as breaking the fellowship they once had. Just as Adam and Eve confessed their sin before God in the garden as they were ashamed for their sin and being ashamed of their nakedness, God covered their nakedness/sin with coats of skins which also represents God covering us with His righteousness when we confess our sins before Him as we establish fellowship with Him once again. It wasn't the nakedness itself, but the shame of sinning before God.

As far as animals and man living forever here on earth I can only go by what Genesis 3:22-23 says that if Adam and Eve were to also reach out an eat of the tree of life as even the animals could have, they would have lived forever here on earth, but instead God drove them out of the garden, which I can only assume the animals also, so they would not eat of the tree of life. In time after the flood God shortened man's life to around 120 years, any possibly shortening the life span of animals, Genesis 6:1-3. God might have intended man and possibly animals to live forever, but not in a sinful world man created.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

We are all created naked as our bodies are created by God in all it's beauty as God does not create anything that is not goodly to Him. It was only by evil entering into Adam and Eve that told them being naked was shameful so they made clothes of fig leaves to cover their shame and hid from God when they heard His voice in the garden.

It wasn't that God did not know where they were when He was calling for them in the garden, but that God wanted Adam to know where he stood with God as breaking the fellowship they once had. Just as Adam and Eve confessed their sin before God in the garden as they were ashamed for their sin and being ashamed of their nakedness, God covered their nakedness/sin with coats of skins which also represents God covering us with His righteousness when we confess our sins before Him as we establish fellowship with Him once again. It wasn't the nakedness itself, but the shame of sinning before God.

As far as animals and man living forever here on earth I can only go by what Genesis 3:22-23 says that if Adam and Eve were to also reach out an eat of the tree of life as even the animals could have, they would have lived forever here on earth, but instead God drove them out of the garden, which I can only assume the animals also, so they would not eat of the tree of life. In time after the flood God shortened man's life to around 120 years, any possibly shortening the life span of animals, Genesis 6:1-3. God might have intended man and possibly animals to live forever, but not in a sinful world man created.

So meaning there was nothing actually sinful about Adam and Eve being naked, they just felt ashamed of themselves after eating the fruit? Also just because Adam and Eve sinned, the animals were also punished for it? That doesn't seem right. :neutral

 

[for_his_glory]

So meaning there was nothing actually sinful about Adam and Eve being naked, they just felt ashamed of themselves after eating the fruit? Also just because Adam and Eve sinned, the animals were also punished for it? That doesn't seem right. :neutral

No, there wasn't anything sinful about Adam and Eve being naked. If it were God would have clothed them after creating them. The animals were not punished, but scripture is silent about if they were to live forever or even if man was to live forever.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

No, there wasn't anything sinful about Adam and Eve being naked. If it were God would have clothed them after creating them. The animals were not punished, but scripture is silent about if they were to live forever or even if man was to live forever.

Alright, thanks, makes sense to me now.

 

[stovebolts]

HeIsRisen2018
regarding nakedness, it's a bit deeper meaning than just having clothes on.

If you recall, God made Adam and said that it was not good that man be alone, so he created Eve out of Adam's side and when all was said and done, God sat back and looked at what he created and said, "It is VERY good".

Keep in mind that only Eden was a place of harmony and outside of Eden there was chaos. Chaos is simply the lack of that which is created, but that's another topic all together.

Picture this in you mind, Adam, Eve, the animals, plants etc were all in perfect harmony, and the text says that 'God walked among them'. This means that God was present in all things and his creation was one with Him who created. There was no strife or striving and unity was the rule. It is from this perspective that Adam says, that Eve is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh. Adam and Eve were in perfect unity and harmony not only with themselves, but their surroundings and with God.

When Adam willingly disobey's God's command, his words shift and hes says, "That woman that you.... '. In the eyes of Adam, Eve is no longer "flesh of my flesh... '

It is said that love covers a multitude of sins, but what we see with Adam is that he shifts blame to God himself. No longer is Eden in harmony, chaos has entered. This in part is what is meant by their nakedness. Before, they were one with each other, but now they only see their differences and each other's faults all while shifting blame. Eve blames the serpent and Adam blames God.

When we look at the story of Noah, we see this same word Nakedness when Noah gets drunk and passes out and later curses his son for "seeing his nakedness". It's not about seeing a naked body, at a deeper level, it's about blame shifting and not taking responsibility for ones own action.

 

[for_his_glory]

That's one thing about scripture is that it can be literal and also symbolic, metaphoric and analogies all at the same time. Some read the literal as others read the Spiritual, but yet all teaches us that of what God intends us to learn. It can be confusing at times, but when you finally understand it then you get that wow factor.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

HeIsRisen2018
regarding nakedness, it's a bit deeper meaning than just having clothes on.

If you recall, God made Adam and said that it was not good that man be alone, so he created Eve out of Adam's side and when all was said and done, God sat back and looked at what he created and said, "It is VERY good".

Keep in mind that only Eden was a place of harmony and outside of Eden there was chaos. Chaos is simply the lack of that which is created, but that's another topic all together.

Picture this in you mind, Adam, Eve, the animals, plants etc were all in perfect harmony, and the text says that 'God walked among them'. This means that God was present in all things and his creation was one with Him who created. There was no strife or striving and unity was the rule. It is from this perspective that Adam says, that Eve is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh. Adam and Eve were in perfect unity and harmony not only with themselves, but their surroundings and with God.

When Adam willingly disobey's God's command, his words shift and hes says, "That woman that you.... '. In the eyes of Adam, Eve is no longer "flesh of my flesh... '

It is said that love covers a multitude of sins, but what we see with Adam is that he shifts blame to God himself. No longer is Eden in harmony, chaos has entered. This in part is what is meant by their nakedness. Before, they were one with each other, but now they only see their differences and each other's faults all while shifting blame. Eve blames the serpent and Adam blames God.

When we look at the story of Noah, we see this same word Nakedness when Noah gets drunk and passes out and later curses his son for "seeing his nakedness". It's not about seeing a naked body, at a deeper level, it's about blame shifting and not taking responsibility for ones own action.

Or I guess another way to put it then is seeing how unclean we all really are when it comes to sin. I never really looked at a metaphor before,.. it's rather amazing how confusing language can be sometimes. 2

 

[JohnDB]

HeIsRisen2018
regarding nakedness, it's a bit deeper meaning than just having clothes on.

If you recall, God made Adam and said that it was not good that man be alone, so he created Eve out of Adam's side and when all was said and done, God sat back and looked at what he created and said, "It is VERY good".

Keep in mind that only Eden was a place of harmony and outside of Eden there was chaos. Chaos is simply the lack of that which is created, but that's another topic all together.

Picture this in you mind, Adam, Eve, the animals, plants etc were all in perfect harmony, and the text says that 'God walked among them'. This means that God was present in all things and his creation was one with Him who created. There was no strife or striving and unity was the rule. It is from this perspective that Adam says, that Eve is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh. Adam and Eve were in perfect unity and harmony not only with themselves, but their surroundings and with God.

When Adam willingly disobey's God's command, his words shift and hes says, "That woman that you.... '. In the eyes of Adam, Eve is no longer "flesh of my flesh... '

It is said that love covers a multitude of sins, but what we see with Adam is that he shifts blame to God himself. No longer is Eden in harmony, chaos has entered. This in part is what is meant by their nakedness. Before, they were one with each other, but now they only see their differences and each other's faults all while shifting blame. Eve blames the serpent and Adam blames God.

When we look at the story of Noah, we see this same word Nakedness when Noah gets drunk and passes out and later curses his son for "seeing his nakedness". It's not about seeing a naked body, at a deeper level, it's about blame shifting and not taking responsibility for ones own action.

Adam and Eve saw that the fruit was good for food and for making one wise.

The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful...

Ham saw his father's nakedness...

Lot saw the well watered plain towards Sodom

There's a theme here...

Might want to look at it.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Adam and Eve saw that the fruit was good for food and for making one wise.

The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful...

Cain saw his father's nakedness...

Lot saw the well watered plain towards Sodom

There's a theme here...

Might want to look at it.

You know,.. on this theme I'm actually rather surprised that since Eve was literally the only woman around that once he saw her naked hormones didn't take over. I realize that this might sound like a joke but it isn't. You would think that they would feel more passion than shame if you look at it from a literal sense.

 

[for_his_glory]

What we see is not always that of the face reason we saw something until we understand that of what we have seen in its full context.

 

[for_his_glory]

You know,.. on this theme I'm actually rather surprised that since Eve was literally the only woman around that once he saw her naked hormones didn't take over. I realize that this might sound like a joke but it isn't. You would think that they would feel more passion than shame if you look at it from a literal sense.

Lust came after the fall as neither one knew they were naked at first or would even understand the concept of being naked as Eve was bone of Adams bone and flesh of his flesh.

 

[JohnDB]

You know,.. on this theme I'm actually rather surprised that since Eve was literally the only woman around that once he saw her naked hormones didn't take over. I realize that this might sound like a joke but it isn't. You would think that they would feel more passion than shame if you look at it from a literal sense.

Well it was very different then vx now.

And a bit of a different perspective.
God made a garden and gave it to Adam.
Adam then gave "entitlements" to the animals (naming them) and couldn't find a help-mate.
Then God gave Adam a spouse.

All giving all the time. Nobody was taking anything.

Side Note: Eve's real Hebrew name was "Hawwaa"... Meaning literally mother of all living.

But Adam also said "Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh" meaning that he considered her to be an extension of himself. And Adam's first bit of self-interest and self indulgence was when he ate the fruit...iow he didn't abuse himself or others until that incident when basically he used Eve as a guinea pig to see if she would fall over dead from eating the forbidden fruit. When she didn't immediately die he then decided to try it as well.. and then they noticed their nakedness and used Fig leaves (fig tree was a symbol later for the nation of Israel)

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Lust came after the fall as neither one knew they were naked at first or would even understand the concept of being naked as Eve was bone of Adams bone and flesh of his flesh.

Makes sense, but wanting to have sexual intercourse with somebody of the opposite sex isn't always due to lust just because the hormones start acting up.

Well it was very different then vx now.

And a bit of a different perspective.
God made a garden and gave it to Adam.
Adam then gave "entitlements" to the animals (naming them) and couldn't find a help-mate.
Then God gave Adam a spouse.

All giving all the time. Nobody was taking anything.

Side Note: Eve's real Hebrew name was "Hawwaa"... Meaning literally mother of all living.

But Adam also said "Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh" meaning that he considered her to be an extension of himself. And Adam's first bit of self-interest and self indulgence was when he ate the fruit...iow he didn't abuse himself or others until that incident when basically he used Eve as a guinea pig to see if she would fall over dead from eating the forbidden fruit. When she didn't immediately die he then decided to try it as well.. and then they noticed their nakedness and used Fig leaves (fig tree was a symbol later for the nation of Israel)

Yeah, I guess I never thought of it like that before. I guess Evie,.. *clears throat* I mean Eve really was like a human guinea pig to him. Sorry,.. I am way too obsessed with Descendants. Alright now that part was a joke lol! Btw, Evie is the (good) daughter of the evil queen from Snow White.

 

[for_his_glory]

Makes sense, but wanting to have sexual intercourse with somebody of the opposite sex isn't always due to lust just because the hormones start acting up.






Yeah, I guess I never thought of it like that before. I guess Evie,.. *clears throat* I mean Eve really was like a human guinea pig to him. Sorry,.. I am way too obsessed with Descendants. Alright now that part was a joke lol! Btw, Evie is the (good) daughter of the evil queen from Snow White.

It had nothing to do with hormones, but that of what God intended for man and woman to be as being pleasing to each other in every way.

God's grand design was for man to take care of the earth and have dominion over all living things. God did not want man to be alone so He created a helpmate and she was called woman. The two were to multiply and replenish the earth with more helpers to till the land and help take care of Gods creation, Genesis 1, 2.

Gods will for woman was to be a helpmate to the man in every way, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically. She was also created to bare the generations to come. A woman was not greater or less than the man, but was his equal.

 

[stovebolts]

Adam and Eve saw that the fruit was good for food and for making one wise.

The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful...

Ham saw his father's nakedness...

Lot saw the well watered plain towards Sodom

There's a theme here...

Might want to look at it.

Amen,
I was taught it was a Jewish literary writing style. In laymans terms, it's called first mention. When we see a significant word in scripture, we go back to it's first mention.

John uses this style of writing heavily in his epistle and there are many examples. Start with the first instance in Johns epistle where he uses the word love, then look at the first place in Genesis where you find the same word. The connection should be clear.

 

[stovebolts]

You know,.. on this theme I'm actually rather surprised that since Eve was literally the only woman around that once he saw her naked hormones didn't take over. I realize that this might sound like a joke but it isn't. You would think that they would feel more passion than shame if you look at it from a literal sense.

Both Adam and Eve were naked until they tried to hide their nakedness with a leaf. So, I'm sure the hormones we're doing a-ok well before the fall.

In the book of Job, God makes reference to the big strong tail of the Bohiemeth which is as hard and straight as a cedar. In it's original Hebrew, it's actually referring to the males sexual organ. It has been translated as tail by modest interpreters.

I bring this up because God is making the case that sexual pleasure, when engaged in as designed By God is a beautiful thing which connects two people, such as Adam and Eve at a very deep and personal level. on the other side of the coin, sex can ruin marriages and homes when a spouse cheats, or wants to bring other people or even animals into the bedroom. In other words, the two are no longer having sex to fulfill the others needs, but rather it becomes selfish where one is really only seeking to please their own needs. Take rape as an extreme example. One is not concerned about the others needs, but only their own needs.

Seeing anothers nakedness is a way of saying, "I see your wrong, your exposed" and then exploiting it, or shifting blame.