Sunday School Lesson

1. Genesis 3:1-24
Humanity’s Fall
“Are you trusting in fig leaves?”
September 20, 2015
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
What’s the number one thing?
The Glory of God!
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1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of
God.
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September Memory Verse:
Psalm 86:11 NIV
11 Teach me Your way, LORD,
that I may rely on Your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear Your name.

2. References
• The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV, John MacArthur, Word Publishing, 1997
• The NIV Study Bible, The Zondervan Corporation, 1985
• Dr. Chuck Missler, YouTube Video Series, Genesis 3, Man’s Fall: The Seed
Plot of the Entire Bible.
The Study of Genesis:
Preface
• It is not an allegory (A story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden
meaning).
• It is not a parable (A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual
lesson).
• It is history with real people.
• It is the written word of God.
Genesis
• Written by Moses during the 40 years wandering in the desert 1446 – 1406
BC
• Chapter 1 – God creates the heavens and the earth
• Chapter 2 – God places Adam in the garden of Eden and creates Eve
– Conditions for living in the Garden
– Free will to choose to obey God
Genesis 2:16-17 NKJV
16 And 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."
Genesis 2:24-25 NKJV
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
and they shall become one flesh.
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Genesis 3
• All of the Bible has its roots in Genesis 3
• The events of Chapter 3 created what is termed “The Predicament of
Man”.
• Scripture gives all we NEED to know, but not all we WANT to know.
Genesis 3:1 NKJV
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'?"

3. “The Serpent”
• Nachash (Hebrew) – To hiss, translated “serpent”
• Manifestation of Satan on earth
– Rev. 12:9
• Created as a cherub, the highest created angel
– Ezekiel 28:12-14
• Angelic name was Lucifer- Isaiah 14:12
– Hebrew for morning star or shining one
Satan
• Became arrogant in his beauty and status and wanted to sit on a throne
above that of God
– Isaiah 14:13-14; Ezekiel 28:17; 1 Tim. 3:6
• Cast out of heaven along with angels that followed his rebellion – Ezekiel
28:1; Rev. 12:9
• Present at creation but fell before Genesis 3:1
– Job 1:6-7; Genesis 2:31 “creation was good”
Isaiah 14:13-14 NKJV
13 For you have said in your heart:
'I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.'
Character of Satan
• Cunning – NKJV; Crafty – NIV; Subtil – KJV – Genesis 3:1
• Accuser – Revelation 12:10
• Tempter – Matthew 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5
• Deceiver – 2 Cor. 4:4; Rev. 20:3
2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV
14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
Satan’s Methods
• Introduce DOUBT – “Did God really say, You shall not eat of every tree of
the garden?”
• “Is it true that God has restricted you from the delights of this place? This is
not like one who is truly good and kind. There must be some mistake.”
• Satan’s 1st step is to get us to doubt!

4. Genesis 3:2-3 NKJV
2 And 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. '"
• Eve adds an additional prohibition to God’s words, “nor shall you touch”.
Genesis 3:4-5 NKJV
4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5 For 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."
Satan’s Methods
• DENIAL - “You will not surely die … you will be like God, …”
• Satan employs a contradiction to what God said.
• False religions – “becoming God”
Genesis 3:6a NKJV
6a 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.
• John uses these 3 appetites to describe living in this world in 1 John 2:15-
16
1 John 2:15-16 NKJV
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the
love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
Eyes and Ears
• Satan uses our eyes as a portal of temptation.
– 2 Samuel 11:2 NKJV
2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and
walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a
woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.
• God uses our ears to hear from Him
– Romans 10:17 NKJV
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Genesis 3:6b
6b She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
• Where was Adam during the temptation?

5. Adam as a Type (Model) of Christ
Romans 5:14
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had
not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type
of Him who was to come.
• Scholars disagree about the meaning of this concept and scripture
• SIMILARITIES – The actions of both have eternal consequences for all
humanity.
• CONTRASTS – Adam’s disobedience resulted in death for all who came
after him. Christ’s obedience resulted in the free gift for all who trust in Him.
Romans 5:19 NKJV
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one
Man's obedience many will be made righteous.
Genesis 3:7 NKJV
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.
• Sin makes them feel exposed and aware
• Possibly clothed in “light” before the fall
• Knowledge of evil as warned by God
Genesis 3:8-10 NKJV
8 And 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."
Results of Sin
• Live in fear – “I was afraid”
• Separates us from God – “I hid myself”
• God always does the seeking – “Where are you?”
– The cry of a broken hearted father
– God knew where they were.

6. Things God Cannot Do
1. Lie – Only truth dwells in Him.
– Satan tries to cast doubt on His truth.
– Satan’s comment, “You will not surely die”.
2. Learn – God already knows everything.
– God is all knowing (omniscient).
– God knew where Adam and Eve were when He asked, “Where are
you?”.
John 15:16 NKJV
God Does The Seeking
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should
go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the
Father in My name He may give you.
• The shepherd always seeks the sheep.
• God has a purpose for each of us – bear fruit.
• He will accomplish His purposes for each of us, if we are willing.
Genesis 3:11-13 NKJV
“The Blame Game”
11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the
tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"
12 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me
of the tree, and I ate."
13 And the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"
The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
When caught in sin …
• Blame Game – The man, the woman, the serpent … “The devil made me
do it!”
• Justification – “I just want to be happy!”
• Rationalization – “Nobody is being hurt!”

7. Genesis 3:14-15 NKJV
The Serpent is Cursed
14 So the Lord God said to the serpent:
"Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel."
God Declares War on Satan
• Enmity – hatred, hostility
– Satan actually hates us, but he masks it as love!
– Poses as the angel of light
James 4:4
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world
is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world
makes himself an enemy of God.
• “your seed” – followers of Satan and unbelievers
• “her Seed” – Title of the Messiah
– Hint of the virgin birth
– Believers in Christ
The End Told in the Beginning
• “bruise your head” – Christ will destroy Satan.
Romans 16:20a NKJV
20a And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.
• “bruise His heel” – Satan will cause Christ to suffer.
Matthew 27:46 NKJV
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli,
Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken
Me?"

8. Satan’s Stratagems OT
• Corruption of Adam’s line – Genesis 6
• Abraham’s Seed – Genesis 12, 20
• Famine – Genesis 50
• Destruction of male line (Moses) – Exodus 1
• The populating of Canaan – Genesis 12
– Satan had 400 years to paganize Canaan
• Against David’s lineage – 2 Chronicles 21
Satan’s Stratagems NT
• Joseph’s fears – Matthew 1
• Herod’s attempts to kill baby Jesus – Matthew 2
• Attempts at Nazareth – Luke 4
• Storms at sea – Mark 4
• The betrayal & the cross – Matthew 26-27
• Persecution of Church & Christians – Acts 4 and continuing today
Satan’s Stratagems Today
• Persecution of Church and Christians
• Anti-Semitism
• Collapse of the family unit and family values
– Re-definition of marriage
– Abortion
• Consumer & entertainment oriented society
• Etc…………………………….
Genesis 3:16 NKJV
16 To the woman He said:
"I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;
In pain you shall bring forth children;
Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you."
Genesis 3:17-19 NKJV
17 Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and
have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat
of it':
"Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.

9. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return."
The Curse on Man
God Institutes Death
• Death was an act of grace and mercy
– Man did not have to permanently remain in a sinful state on earth.
– Physical death is the 1st death.
Genesis 3:20-21 NKJV
20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all
living.
21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed
them.
• The 1st physical deaths were the animal to make the tunics of skin.
• By the shedding of blood, they were covered.
• Jesus shed His blood to cover our sins.
Genesis 3:22-23 NKJV
22 Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know
good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life,
and eat, and live forever"— 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden
of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove out the man;
and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword
which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
• Required cherubim angel to guard because Satan was a cherub.
• Guard must match Satan’s power.
• The way to the tree was the coming of Jesus.

10. Closing thoughts:
Are you trusting in fig leaves to cover yourself?
• Are you trusting in anything other than the blood of Jesus to cover your
sins?
• Fig leaves of the world
– Church attendance
– Religious exercises
– Good works
– Being “good enough”
The Plan of Hope & Salvation
John 3:16 NKJV
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.”
John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me.”
Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

11. Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
 Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
 Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life to
pay the penalty for our sins.
 The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death explained in
Revelation 21:8.
Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral,
sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with
fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be
My son.”
 Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to accept Jesus as our Savior.
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
If you have questions or would like to know more, please, contact First Baptist
Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/