I find the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden quite intriguing and surprisingly filled with personally valuable and relatable lessons learned.
If you’d like to give it a read, the story can be found in Genesis 2:4-3:24.
The very first thoughtful question I had in relation to the story was: Why did God put the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil right in the middle of the Garden if He did not want Adam and Eve to eat of it?
Between the time of this question and today, my cousin (Lana) and I have had several conversations about the Garden of Eden in the last four (going on five) years. It’s amazing how talking about guys … a frustrating day at work … a TV show … life as we experience it, and so on, ends up in a conversation about the Garden of Eden! 😊
One of the early conclusions we arrived at was that: we are all Eve. We all (at some point) exhibit one or more of her underlying characteristics, tendencies, and/or responses.
In line with the perspective that we are all Eve, Lana and I painted a picture of our respective versions of Eve. Given my love for food (coversface), we agreed that I’ll very likely be the version of Eve who was still by the tree with the fruit in her mouth (most likely the fifth one) when God came down in the cool of the day to hang out (fellowship) with them 🤭😐.
My version of Eve aside, of particular interest (to me) are the questions asked in this story … the first of which was: Did God really say? (Genesis 3:1)
Before I dive into that, here’s a quick run-through of the events preceding the question.
God created Adam … He planted a garden (Eden) and put Adam in it … He gave Adam the liberty to do as he pleased with the exception of eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
… you may freely eat the fruit of every tree of the garden BUT NOT from the tree of the knowledge (recognition) of good and evil … the day that you eat from it, you most certainly will die.
Genesis 2:16-17
Sometime after all of these, God created Eve.
While the bible doesn’t record this, I’m assuming that when Eve got to the scene, Adam told her about not eating of/from the tree. Going by this, it means then that, unlike Adam, who got the instruction first hand, Eve was going off of what someone said God said (second-handed information).
Side Note: For clarity and context, by second-hand information I mean any information not obtained personally and directly from God. This (for me) includes: (1) anything that does not echo what God told me directly, OR (2) anything that God has not told me directly.
Back to the story 🙂 …
Eve arrived on the scene, Adam was elated, and they went about living their best lives … naked, unashamed, and unafraid (Genesis 2:25) – I’ll come back to this.
However long after Eve’s arrival, the story goes on to say that Satan (in the form of a serpent) went to her and asked: Can it really be that God said you shall not eat from every tree of the garden?
In other words …
Did God really say?
This question is two-fold in its application.
- In the context of Genesis 3:1, the question was ill-intended. It was aimed at instilling doubt and instigating a fear-based response.
It (clearly) was not a genuine I-don’t-know-and-seek-an-answer kinda question. If it was, why didn’t he go to Adam who would have had a firm answer and possibly an undeterred standpoint, seeing has he got the information (instruction) first hand?
Being asked such a question, especially about information that was passed-down, is likely to result in doubt … doubting the applicability or validity of the information.
Similarly, when asked a question about something we don’t know, knowing we don’t know (the unknown) naturally translates to fear and consequently the need to do something about it i.e. get rid of the fear.
Same as with Eve in Genesis 3:1, every now and again, we too are asked this question in a doubt-centric and fear-oriented way. Hence the encouragement (in 1 Peter 5:8) to be vigilant because the enemy roams around, incessantly looking for folks to prey on.
- Contrary to Satan’s ill intent, this question can be a tool that points us back to God. Personally, it has.
Since understanding this, I’ve been asking myself the question:
Did God really say?
When my answer is Yes, WHAT God said (His Word) serves as my hope, my response, my confidence, my strength, my encouragement, my anchor.
When my answer is I don’t know or I’m not sure, asking this question points me to God.
In addition to being asked the question ‘did God really say?’, Eve was given another round of second-handed information (Genesis 3:4-5) … the serpent said to her:
you certainly will not die. God knows that the moment you eat from this tree, you will have greater awareness and you will be like God, knowing everything (and the difference between) good and evil.
This information was:
- Misleading – God created mankind in his image (Genesis 1:26-27). Eve was already like God (so was Adam) – they were created in the image and likeness of God. They didn’t have to do anything to be like what they already were.
- Contrary – God did say that they would die if they ate of the tree … true to God’s Word, they did – they died! Actually, we all did actually. *More to come on this in Part 3*
Influenced by this lie, Eve set her gaze on the tree – she saw that it was pleasant for food, delightful to look at … and realized what she would get out of it – she would know everything. This was a tree that would make her wise and insightful! She then took of its fruit and ate.
Eve knew not to eat of the tree but she did.
She had the information (presumably gotten from Adam) – she knew the WHAT but NOT the (must-have) understanding of the WHY, or better yet the WHO, behind the WHAT. By must-have understanding I’m referring to a personal, truth-based conviction and revelation that (I believe) is only possible when information (in this case – the Word of God) is obtained directly from the source (God). SeLaH.
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Lesson Learned #1: When dealing with second-handed information, ask the question – did God really say?
God speaks to us through others and there’s nothing wrong with this. That said, I believe it is detrimental and short-changing to have this be the primary and/or sole source of truth. Passed-down information tend to be:
- Watered down – mixed with personal preferences, prescriptions, or translations.
and/or
- Void of the personal conviction, resonance, as well as peace that come from a first-hand, from-the-source experience.
I believe this played a significant part in Eve eating of the tree. Do NOT rely solely on other people’s rendition of what God said (especially) to and/or concerning you.
Enabled by grace, go directly to God and ask Him: did You really say this/that?
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Lesson Learned #2: Seek to hear from God directly.
In and through Christ Jesus, we have direct access to God. Go to Him and inquire of Him … ask Him … seek to hear from Him directly. 2 Samuel 7
God wants us to come to Him, inquire of Him, and hear from Him directly.
This is our design …
… man lives by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.
Matthew 4:4B
It’s also what God wants … Isaiah 54:13
Call to Me and I will answer you … I will tell you and even show you great and mighty things – things that you could never figure out on your own
Jeremiah 33:3
Go directly to the source – God. In addition to getting the truth and the freedom that comes with it (John 8:32), going to God is an opportunity to fellowship with Him … to know Him personally and increasingly… to bask in His presence! 💖
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Back to the Garden 🙂 …
Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, after which she gave Adam of its fruit and he too ate it. Thereafter, their eyes were opened and for the very first time they saw (were aware) that they were naked even though they had been naked all along.
Later on (in the cool of the day), they heard the sound of God walking in the garden and they hid themselves from the presence of God! 💔
God called out to Adam.
God: Adam, where are you?
Adam: I heard the sound of You walking in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.
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Lesson Learned #3: When you see aspects of yourself that you don’t like and/or are ashamed about, don’t retreat or draw back from God.
Retreating seems to be the natural first response – the shame, the disappointment in one’s self, or the presumption that God is disappointed in us, tends to result in us drawing away from Him. I say this because I lived it … I was in this place many times than I can count.
For a very long time, when I’d fall, my response was to not talk to God – I couldn’t bring myself to. Like Adam and Eve, I too would hide … I hid behind food, entertainment (binging TV shows), anything that made me feel good … anything that drowned out the guilt, shame, and disappointment BUT all my hiding had a temporary distracting effect (at best).
Thankfully, in His love, mercy, and grace, God always came for me.
With the help of the HolySpirit and over time, I learnt not to be preemptive in my action or presumption in my thinking (that God was disappointed in me). I learnt that my response should always be to go to God … to leave it to Him to decide whether or not He is disappointed and have Him make the next move. Experientially, His next move and response to me have always been (and continues to be) LOVE.
Initially, I was confused by this so I asked Him why, here’s how that conversation went …
No matter what happens, the best place to be is in God’s presence – at the mercy of His faithful and unrelenting Love
… I’d rather fall into the hands of the LORD, for His mercies are many and great, than fall into the hands of man (myself included)
2 Samuel 24:14 (paraphrased)
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Circling back to Genesis 2:25 (as promised 🙂) …
… before eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve were naked but unashamed – they went about their day living free and unafraid.
The man and his wife (Adam and Eve) were both naked yet unashamed.
Genesis 2:25
While they may not have known that they were naked all along, God knew … He made them that way and considered it good (Genesis 1:31).
Fast-forward to after eating of the tree, the first use of this newly acquired knowledge of good versus evil was a misjudgment – they considered and concluded as bad what God considered and concluded as good.
The first judgment call made was:
“being naked is bad, let’s try to fix it by using those not-so-durable leaves over there as clothing …“
… a misjudgment that led to fear AND a subsequent attempt to fix things on their own.
… all our righteousness –our best deeds of rightness is like filthy rags or a polluted garment, our best effort are grease-stained rags …
Isaiah 64:6
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Lessons Learned #4: Lean not on your own understanding.
What we see and know is limited – I wholeheartedly believe this is by design. A designed predicated on faith – the leaning of one’s personality solely on God … living by every Word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.
The man who through faith is just and upright shall live … and shall live by faith.
Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4
We are designed to walk (live) by faith and not by sight – to regulate our lives based on the HolySpirit-revealed-and-enabled knowledge of God, not by appearance or what we see with our natural eyes – 2 Corinthians 5:7.
The just (those concerning whom God’s conclusion in Genesis 1:31 holds true) live by faith – the Word of God, and not by sight: sensual, non-faith-based understanding i.e. what we see, think, feel, etc.
The latter is an example of cisterns that don’t hold water – Jeremiah 2:13.
Lean on, trust in, and rely on the LORD with all your heart.Do NOTlean/rely on your own insight, opinion, and understanding. Do not assume that you know it all. Be intimate (open) with Him … Listen for His voice in everything you do and every where you go. He will direct Your path.
Proverbs 3:5-6(AMP, MSG, TPT)
Especially considering that we have the tendency to misapply it, do NOT pass judgement on yourself based on your knowledge of good and evil. In stead, go to God exactly as you are …
- Naked – Ezekiel16:4-13
- Filthy – Zechariah 3:1-4
- Unsure – Genesis 25:22
- Weary – Matthew 11:28 (AMP, TPT)
- Undone – Luke 15:11-32
- Afraid – Psalm 34:4
I sought the LORD of necessity and on the authority of His Word … He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:4
… no matter what, God’s presence is exactly the right place to be.
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Thank You Abba for the privilege to come to You and into Your presence.
I acknowledge that You are LOVE … Thank You for Your mercy-FULL and faith-FULL Love. Your Faithfulness (Who You are) is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Thank You for opening me up to know You personally and increasingly.
Thank You for the revelation of Your Love … the revelation of Who YOU are to me and what it means for and to me. Help me to never take this beautiful heritage lightly or for granted … to never abuse or misuse Your grace.
I enjoy our journey of JOY in Your presence (Psalm 16:11) – You are my delight, the joy and rejoicing of my heart. To know You is Life – You are my Life. 💖
Help me to always exalt Your Word above all else, same as You do (Psalm 138:2B).
Rivers in the Desert 
Praise God. Your writing is inspiring.
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Hmmm…. I felt like I read about the Garden of Eden for the very first time, especially the simple exegesis you did regarding our communication, our thought process & how we see ourselves, i.e wanting to be who God already made us to be….I will have to go through part 1 again….am in no rush to read all at the same time.
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I love the positive angle to “Did God really say?”
Did God really say I am rich?🤔 Yes! Then it’s a done deal! Doesn’t matter what I’m experiencing, I choose to believe that scarcity is artificial!!! Cos my God is not a liar. His integrity is good with me.
Thanks Gbemi💋 Beautifully written & so easily understood ❤
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