Women Of The Bible
Study 1
Eve
Read - Genesis 2:15-17
“At the very beginning of man’s existence a check was placed upon the desire for self-indulgence, the fatal passion that lay at the foundation of Satan’s fall. The tree of knowledge, which stood near the tree of life in the midst of the garden, was to be a test of the obedience, faith, and love of our parents. While permitted to eat freely of every other tree, they were forbidden to taste of this, on pain of death. They were also to be exposed to the temptations of Satan; but if they endured the trial, they would finally be placed beyond his power, to enjoy perpetual favor with God. Patriarchs and Prophets, E.G. White, P48-49
Read - Genesis 2:18-25
When Eve was created, God used a rib from Adam signifying that she was to stand by his side as a equal - neither to rule over each other.
Read - Genesis 3:1
“No longer free to stir up rebellion in heaven, Satan’s enmity against God found a new field in plotting the ruin of the human race. In the happiness and peace of the holy pair in Eden he beheld a vision of the bliss that to him was forever lost. Moved by envy, he determined to incite them to disobedience, and bring upon them the guilt and penalty of sin. He would change their love to distrust and their songs of praise to reproaches against their Maker. Thus he would not only plunge these innocent beings into the same misery which he was himself enduring, but would cast dishonor upon God, and cause grief in heaven. Patriarchs and Prophets, E.G. White P 52
“The angels cautioned Eve not to separate from her husband in her employment, for she might be brought in contact with this fallen foe. If separated from each other they would be in greater danger than if both were together. The angels charged them to closely follow the instructions God had given them in reference to the tree of knowledge, for in perfect obedience they were safe, and this fallen foe could then have no power to deceive them. God would not permit Satan to follow the holy pair with continual temptations. He could have access to them only at the tree of knowledge of good and evil”. The Story Of Redemption, E.G White P31
Read – Genesis 3:2-5
*Satan was very cunning in how he deceived Eve. We know that snakes do not talk, this should have been a red flag for Eve and she should have walked away. But Eve chose to stay and talk with the serpent, not fully realizing she was conversing with Satan himself.
Read - Genesis 3:6-11
*We can’t hide from God. God by asking questions was giving Adam and Eve opportunity to repent.
Read - Genesis 3:12-15
*Here is demonstrated the love, goodness and mercy of God. Even though Adam and Eve had sinned, God put a plan in place. He promised Adam and Eve that Satan would be defeated, and this would happen when Jesus came to our earth to die on the cross for our sins.
Read - Genesis 3:16-24
*Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, God cursed the ground, so it was harder to work with. Male and Female would now not work side by side, but the male would rule over the female. Bearing children would be harder than it intended to be. God clothed Adam and Eve and sent them out of the garden of Eden, so the Tree of Life could not be accessed. God did not want sin to perpetuate for ever.
Read - Genesis 4:1-2, 25
*It’s interesting that after Eve had her first-born son, she thought that God had given her the Messiah. Unfortunately, that did not happen for another 4,000 years. It was through Seth’s line that Jesus would come.
*It is a very easy thing for us to play the blame game - just as Adam and Eve did in Genesis 3:12-13- and for us to point the finger at Adam and Eve for bringing the curse of sin upon us. But just stop and think for a moment how Eve must have felt watching the world unfold in sin before her. What she saw and witnessed following their sin and their removal from the garden must have broken her heart. Their relationship with God was now broken, they could no longer talk to God face to face as sin had caused a barrier between them. This would have been a very sorrowful experience for them.
Can we learn anything from the study of Eve and apply it to our own Christian walk?
Power Text – John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
