The Bible CourseSample

Temptation, the fall and evil – where it all went wrong

Reflect:

What’s wrong with the world? You only have to venture onto social media to find a million different and compelling answers to that question. There’s so much disagreement around the ‘why’, but many agree on the ‘what’. The bottom line is that the world isn’t as it should be.

The ancient text of Genesis still provides us with the most compelling explanation for why there’s so much beauty and brokenness in this crazy, complex world of ours.

Genesis 1 and 2 provide us with the pattern, the design woven into creation for our flourishing. Like the grain in a piece of wood, there is an integral pattern. We were made for God, but we’ve also been made with the ability to make choices: to go with the grain of creation or to go against it and be left in a mess.

It all begins with a question: ‘Did God REALLY say?’(verse 1).

What does this question tell us about the origins of evil?

Evil originates when the authority and goodness of God’s word are questioned. God’s word is perfect; it was given for the flourishing of humanity. God is no kill-joy – he’s the joy-giver! The serpent’s question causes humanity to doubt the goodness of God and focus on the restrictions he set rather than the blessings he poured out. The promises of rebellion are great, but deliver so little. Sin (rebellion) is a sickness we all bear.

What are the consequences of rebellion?

God is too holy, too good, and too just to leave sin unpunished, and so he banishes humanity from its true home (verse 23). The flaming sword and cherubim are symbols of the impossibility of return (verse 24). The perfect peace of creation is lost for good – or so it seems.

Where are there signs of hope in the story?

Sin stains the story, but God’s mercy still triumphs, through an ‘offspring of a woman’ (verse 15) who will crush the head of evil. He will be hurt in the process, but he will triumph. Do you hear the echoes of Jesus?

God refuses to give up on his creation, and that means he refuses to give up on you.

Respond

Spend some time reflecting on how we are implicated in this rebellion. Understanding our need of rescue fuels our wonder when we realise God has not given up on us.