The Fall - Consequences

1. vs. 7 – What is your interpretation of this verse? Adam and Eve gained a new awareness. Perceived one another differently. Not pure. Not holy. How did it make them feel? Shame. Guilt. Loss of innocence. They felt something in their hearts they never felt before. Thoughts and desires that were not righteous/not good. What did this new awareness prompt them to do? Cover themselves up with fig leaves. If they cover up the fact that they are naked, maybe they would perceive one another in a positive way. The impure thoughts and desires would go away.

2. What did Adam and Eve not do in verse 7? Confess to God their disobedience and seek His forgiveness.

3. When God came to the garden for a visit, what did Adam and Eve do? Hid from God. Why? Embarrassed and afraid.

4. Why did God ask the man where he was? Didn’t God know where the man was? Yes, God knew. He was giving the man and opportunity to admit his mistake and repent.

5. What reason did Adam give God for hiding from Him? Adam said he was afraid because he was naked. He did not want God to see him this way. Fearful of God’s reaction … how God would perceive him.

6. How would you interpret Adam’s response in verse 12 to God’s questions in verse 11? Adam appears to be blaming the woman and God for his (the man’s) mistake at the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. He refused to take responsibility for his sin. The man did not confess to his failures at the T of K of G and E. He makes it sound like he never had a choice in the matter. What should have been Adam’s response? Yes, I did eat of the fruit of the tree you commanded me not to eat from. I take full responsibility for this disobedience. I should have said or did something to prevent Eve from falling prey to the serpent’s trap.

7. How would you interpret Eve’s response in verse 13 to God’s question to her? Like Adam, Eve sounds like she did not have a choice in the matter. The serpent deceived her. She had no choice but to eat the fruit. Blamed her sin on the serpent. What should have been her response? I ate of the fruit in disobedience to your command. I should not have listened to the serpent.

8. What were the consequences for the serpent for his role in the Fall of Man? A) Cursed to be lower than all other animals. Take a poll of most hated animals and the snake will be at or near the top. B) Cursed to crawl on his stomach. C) Hatred between the serpent and the woman and its descendants and her descendants.

9. What pronoun is used in the second half of verse 15 in reference to the woman’s descendants? Male or female? Male. Single or plural? Single. Many commentators and theologians interpret the curse in verse 15 to be directed at Satan as well as the serpent. The “he” in this verse is Jesus. Jesus would stomp on Satan’s head (the victory at the cross); Satan would strike Jesus’ heel (temporary but painful death of the cross.) God hints at the plan of salvation. First prophecy of the coming of a Savior who will redeem man from his fallen state. God knew that at some point man would use his free will to make the wrong choice. Knowing that, God had in place a plan to redeem man. WOW!!!