ORIGINS: The Book of Genesis

No. 17 | CORRUPTION - The Consequence of Sin, pt. 3

By Danny Capon, June 18, 2023

The Beginning and Meaning of Everything that Matters

Introduction/Review

What now? What is the response to God’s consequences?

? > sin > effect > consequence > ?

“Gen 2-3…offers a paradigm of sin, a model of what happens whenever man disobeys God. It is paradigmatic in that it explains through a story what constitutes sin and what sin’s consequences are. The essence of man’s first sin was his disobedience to the only divine command he had received: not to eat of the tree of knowledge. The consequences of his actions are both physical—toil, pian, and death—and spiritual—alienation from God. The spiritual consequences follow the act of disobedience immediately, but the physical penalties—pain, suffering, and death—may take longer to become evident. … This is indeed the experience of every man. In this sense the story is paradigmatic.” (Wenham, pp. 90-91)

Embracing the grace of God’s consequences (Gen. 3:20-24)

1. By accepting the grace of God’s PROMISE (v. 20)

  • What does the man do?
  • Why does Adam give his wife the name, Eve?
  • Why is this mentioned here?

2. By accepting the grace of God’s PROVISION (v. 21)

  • What does God do?
  • Why does God clothe the Adam and his wife?

Theirs were loincloths; His were

Theirs were made with fig leaves; His were made with

Theirs were of their own making; His were made

  • Why is this mentioned here?

3. By accepting the grace of God’s PUNISHMENT (vv. 22-24)

  • What does God do?

“Rather than sitting on a throne, they are expelled from the garden. Rather than new prerogatives, they experience only a reversal. The couple not only fail to gain something they do not presently have; the irony is that they lose what they currently possess: unsullied fellowship with God. They found nothing and lost everything.” (Hamilton, p. 208)

cherub (sg.), cherubim (pl.)

(See, Genesis 3:24; Exodus 25:18ff, 22; 26:1, 31; 36:8, 35; 37:7ff; Numbers 7:89; 1 Samuel 4:4; 2 Samuel 6:2; 22:11; 1 Kings 6:23ff, 32, 35; 7:29, 36; 8:6f; 2 Kings 19:15; 1 Chronicles 13:6; 28:18; 2 Chronicles 3:7, 10ff; 5:7f; Psalm 18:10; 80:1; 99:1; Isaiah 37:16; Ezekiel 9:3; 10:1ff, 14ff, 18ff; 11:22; 28:14, 16; 41:18, 20, 25; Hebrews 9:5)

  • Why does God drive out the man from the garden?

death (Gen. 2:17; Gen. 3:4; Gen. 3:19; Gen. 3:22; Gen. 5:5)

  • Why is this mentioned here?