Everyone, just imagine this. On your phone, you have this “magical app” that everyone envies. This app promises to solve every single problem in your life. Work worries, relationship troubles, anxiety about the future… Everything will disappear with one tap, and success and happiness will be guaranteed.
However, there is only one, very simple rule for this app. It is: “You must not break the rule of never downloading it.”The developer says, “Please, just keep this one rule. You are free to do everything else. If you break this rule, the app will grant you everything you want. But by doing so, you will be betraying me.”
Many people are charmed by this app. They think, “How amazing!”But then, at some point, a voice whispers in your ear: “Why aren’t you downloading it? The developer is afraid of you becoming as omniscient and almighty as he is. The real secret he’s hiding from you is that if you download this app, you can become as wise and as happy as he is.”
These words shake your heart. You stare intently at the app icon, and you just can’t resist the temptation anymore. And finally, you reach out your finger and tap the download button.
After hearing this story, can we really laugh at Adam and Eve? How do we confront the temptations we face every day? This morning, let’s look through the Bible to see how this very first choice of humanity connects to our own lives.
The Serpent’s Temptation and Adam’s Transgression (Verses 1–7)
The Serpent’s Appearance: The serpent approaches Eve and asks a cunning question: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?'” It twists the words and plants doubt about God’s Word in her heart. Even today, we hear voices that say, “You don’t have to be so strict,” or “A little bit won’t hurt.” The very first strategy to make us doubt God’s Word was to “make the Word ambiguous.”
In Japan, white or yellow snakes are considered good omens. Also, in the non-Christian world, the snake wrapped around the staff—the “Rod of Asclepius,” which comes from Greek mythology—has been widely used as a symbol of medicine and healing since ancient Greece. It’s even the emblem for the WHO (World Health Organization), and St. Luke’s Hospital (where the Christian Doctor Dr. Hinohara worked) uses the two-snake ‘Caduceus.’
There is only one other place in the Bible where an animal speaks. Numbers 22:28 says, “Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth,” and Balaam’s donkey spoke.
Looking at the serpent’s true identity in Genesis 3:1 from the Bible, later revelation (Revelation 12:9) identifies it as the “Devil, or Satan.” In creation, God told man to rule over all living creatures. Yet, this animal conversed with man, tempted him, and led him into sin.
The Hebrew word for “cunning” (‘aroom – ערום) also means “wise” or “shrewd.”
In Genesis Chapter 1, God declared that all created beings, including the serpent, were “very good” (tov me’od). This suggests that even Satan, the Devil, is under God’s sovereignty.
When Jesus Christ sent the twelve disciples out on mission, He said in Matthew 10:16:
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” The Greek word for “shrewd” here is fphronimos (φρόνιμος). It refers to the wisdom to discern the situation, avoid danger, and maneuver rightly in order to fulfill God’s mission.
Therefore, Christians must not just be “good people.” Their wisdom must be accompanied by purity and love so that it doesn’t become “cunning.”
It’s thought that when the serpent appeared before Eve, it didn’t symbolize the negative aspect of being sly or cunning. It likely appeared in a form as adorable as a kitten or a puppy. If Eve had felt or known from the beginning that the serpent was cunning, she would surely have been cautious. That’s just how clever the serpent must have been.
The Three Elements of Temptation
When Eve looked at the fruit, it seemed to her: “good for food, pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom.” Her heart was drawn by desire and the wish for self-fulfillment. The three desires (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) were at work.
Eve, deceived by the serpent’s words, ate the fruit. Then she gave some to Adam, who was with her, and he ate it too. This act was a manifestation of disobedience to God and a self-centered desire to “be like God.” It became humanity’s first sin.
The Result of Sin
The eyes of the two of them were opened after they ate the fruit, and they realized they were naked. They felt shame, covered their waists with fig leaves, and hid from God. This shows that sin destroys the intimate relationship with God and brings fear and shame.
Spiritual death, physical death, and the curse on the entire world began here. The tragedy of human history stems from this point. Sin, though appearing to be a small choice, brings about great destruction.
Temptation always approaches us as something that “looks good.”
Our lives are decided by “whose voice we choose to listen to.”
(Hide-and-Seek)
By the way, have any of you ever played “hide-and-seek” (kakurenbo)?
When we play with small children, we often play hide-and-seek. The children hide behind a curtain or under a couch. But you can see their feet, or their voice leaks out, and they are quickly found.
The parent knows where they are hiding from the very beginning. Nevertheless, they purposely go looking, calling out, “Where are you?”, and finally find them and hug them.
Starting from verse 8, we have exactly this kind of “hide-and-seek” scene. Adam and Eve had disobeyed God’s word and eaten the forbidden fruit. As a result of their sin, they felt fear and shame and hid among the trees.
But God came looking for them. And He called out to them: “Where are you?”
This was not merely a word of judgment. It was a loving question meant to find the hiding human and bring him back into relationship with God once again.
From here, let’s turn our ears to God’s question to us, under the theme of “The Fall and Hope.”
God’s Judgment on Sin (Verses 8–19)
God’s Question: God walked in the garden and called Adam and Eve. God’s question, “Where are you?” did not just ask for their location; it questioned their spiritual condition, that is, their separation from God.
Passing the Buck: When Adam was questioned about his sin, he blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. The nature of sin is revealed in the attitude of “justifying oneself and blaming others,” as this passage shows the human tendency to shift responsibility to others or to circumstances when committing sin.
The Curses and Results: God pronounces a curse on each of the three parties who sinned (the serpent, Eve, and Adam).
The Serpent: It is cursed to crawl on its belly and eat dust. And God says, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers.” This prophecy, that the “offspring of the woman” would crush the serpent (Satan)’s head, is interpreted as the first gospel (Protoevangelium), foreshadowing the arrival of the future Savior (Jesus Christ).
Eve (The Woman): She is cursed with pain in childbirth, a desire for her husband, and rule by her husband. This suggests that the order of human relationships was distorted.
Adam (The Man): He is cursed to suffer by toiling the ground and to earn his food by the sweat of his brow all his life. He is also destined to return to dust. This means that difficulties in work and life, as well as death, entered the world.
The Protoevangelium
Genesis 3:15 is the starting point of humanity’s hope and is an extremely important verse called the “Protoevangelium” (First Gospel), serving as the beginning of the entire biblical history of salvation.
“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.”
Reasons for calling it the “Protoevangelium”:
The First Promise of Salvation: Because it is the first prophecy of salvation for humanity, spoken immediately after the Fall.
The Starting Point of Messianic Prophecy: It is the foundational promise from which all later Messianic prophecies originate.
Theological Interpretation
“Offspring of the woman” → Jesus Christ
Hint of the virgin birth (the offspring of the woman, not the man).
The Savior as the representative of humanity.
“Crush the serpent’s head” → Decisive victory over Satan
The defeat of the Devil through the cross and resurrection.
Crushing the head means a fatal victory.
“Strike his heel” → Christ’s suffering
Prophesies the suffering on the cross.
But it is not a fatal wound (victory through resurrection).
Historical Development
This promise is unfolded throughout the Bible:
Genesis 12:3: The blessing of Abraham: “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Abrahamic Covenant).
Genesis 49:10: A king from the tribe of Judah: “The scepter will not depart from Judah.”
Isaiah 7:14: Birth from a virgin: “The virgin will conceive.”
Micah 5:2: Birth in Bethlehem.
New Testament: Fulfillment by Christ.
In Galatians 3:16, Paul mentions, “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed,” explicitly clarifying that this “seed” refers to Christ.
God’s Grace and Banishment (Verses 20–24)
Contrast with the Previous Name:
From “Woman” (Ishshah – אִשָּׁה) to “Eve” (Chavvah – חַוָּה):
The Name Eve: Adam names his wife “Eve” (“mother of all who live”). This shows hope that life will continue, even in the midst of the curse.
Before God banished Adam and Eve from Eden, He clothed them with “tunics of skin.” This is the “animal sacrifice” indicated in the Old Testament, as it says, “He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). The animal sacrifice is a revelation of the “atonement of Jesus’s cross,” where God became human and took the place of sinners.
Tunics of Skin: God made tunics of skin for Adam and Eve and clothed them. This symbolizes that, in contrast to their imperfect human effort to cover sin (the fig leaves), God used the death (blood) of an animal to cover their sin and grant them grace. Many commentators view this as a type (a foreshadowing) of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
Banishment from the Garden of Eden: God drove them out of the Garden of Eden so that they would not eat from the “tree of life” and live forever. This can be seen as God’s mercy, preventing the tragic state of living eternally while trapped in sin. Cherubim (angels) and a flaming sword were placed to block the way to the tree of life.
Concluding Invitation (For the Altar Call)
My beloved friends, Genesis Chapter 3 is the chapter of “The Fall of Humanity.” Through sin, Adam and Eve separated from God and began to fear and hide. But God did not abandon them. He called out, “Where are you?”, gave them a covering, and spoke the promise of salvation.
And that promise was fully realized in Jesus Christ. Through the cross, our sins are covered and forgiven, and Satan’s power is crushed.
Today, God is speaking to you as well: “Where are you?”
Are you hiding in fear or guilt?
Are you passing the buck and closing your heart to others?
Are you walking away from God?
Today, let’s respond to the Lord’s call. Stop hiding, and come before God just as you are. Christ will forgive you, cover you, and give you hope.
Please open your heart now, and respond to God’s love in prayer.
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