Eve

We can learn much by taking a closer look at how Eve sinned. How did Eve sin, and how can we learn to be overcomers against sin?

God gave Adam and Eve everything they needed for health and happiness. They were created to know good, to continually be enjoying the presence of God with no cares or sorrows, to know the joy of freedom, and to choose life. He wanted them to love Him willingly, not as robots, so He gave them choice to obey His good Law or not. The choice came in the form of one tree which they were told not to eat from. We are told the tree was called the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Hebrew word here translated ‘knowledge’ describes a personal and profound knowledge of both good AND evil. They were not meant to have the burden of knowing such things.

So if they had everything they could ever hope for, what would make them want to risk that? If we look closely at the words of Satan, the Deceiver, we get some clues. Satan chose to approach Eve. Was that perhaps because women in general are more spiritually sensitive? It was appealing to Eve that she could be more like God if she ate the fruit, that maybe it possessed something special that could make her even better than she was. It is quite possible she saw this as only a good thing. There was something in her that responded to the words of the Deceiver. Maybe she wasn’t good enough? Maybe she could be even better? Eve chose to believe the words of the Deceiver rather than the words of her Creator. He DID make her good enough. When she chose to disbelieve God and the rule of His good law, she chose to believe the Deceiver and accept the rule of sin over her life; she chose to willfully disobey God. What a mistake.

God has given us all the ability to trust in Him alone. He expects us all to do that, and live it out by obeying Him. It isn’t too hard to do that, as Moses says in Deuteronomy 30:11-20. We can each do that directly, we don’t need someone to teach us how to do it. We trust. And trust always obeys. It’s just that simple! And yet it is the hardest thing we are called to do, isn’t it? We will continue to battle against that voice that speaks lies. But battle we must! James says in chapter 4 of his excellent letter that if we resist Satan, he will flee from us. It does get easier.

When we turn against God and believe Satan, we are actually rejecting God and His rule over us. He made us, and of course He has the right to rule over us! He doesn’t rule in harshness, He rules fairly and His ways are for our ultimate good. If we accept them! In right judgment, He will eventually allow those who persist in rejecting His ways and His right to rule over them, to go their own way. The way that they have chosen leads to eternal separation from Him.

Christians generally know the Saviour as ‘Jesus’. That is an English form of a Greek translation of a Hebrew name. The documents we have of the New Testament are written in Greek, and the Hebrew name of the Messiah was changed to Greek (Iesous) and then changed again to English (Jesus). The Hebrew name means ‘salvation’. Doesn’t that fit?

When we trust in God, we receive Yeshua (Jesus) - we receive salvation from our sin. Full and complete! We are delivered from sin. So it is as if once again we are standing in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, looking at those two trees. What will we choose? Will we resist the temptation to choose another rule over us? Or will we stand firm and trust, and in trusting, obey?

In Micah 6:8 the question is asked: What does God want from His people? And the answer is: to love mercy, to love what is right, and to never put ourselves equal to or ahead of God, but to walk with Him humbly! That is what Adam and Eve did every day in the Garden. We have been brought back into that relationship with Him through faith in His salvation (in the person of Yeshua – Jesus).

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through Adonai Yeshua Messiah, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep (whether we have died as believers, and will be resurrected, or whether we are still living) we might live with him (for eternity).

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

(1 Thessalonians 5:8-11)

Simple Bible Study

Some steps to getting started or digging a little deeper

1. Pray! Thank God for His Word, ask for His blessing on your time of study, and for His Spirit to

teach you.

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it… Ezra 7:10

2. Where to start? At the beginning! Genesis 1:1…

a) If you have some time, read an entire book (all of Genesis, for example) in a few sittings. Look, in a general sense, for how God expresses Himself, and how He accepts our worship of Him.

b) Or, try reading the same section (start with a chapter or two) in several different translations. You might want to compare the English Standard Version (ESV), the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the Amplified Version (AMP) to begin. You can find these online at www.biblegateway.com or find book copies at a second hand store (or look in your church library).

Then, if you want to dig deeper, look up the passage online at a site like http://bible.cc/

Use the Interlinear translation (the Hebrew/English) for Old Testament readings, and the Apostolic Polyglot (Greek/English) for New Testament readings. Remember Hebrew is read right to left, don’t let it confuse you! Instead, use this step mostly for clicking on specific words you’d like more information on, and searching out the expanded meanings. Then, with a fuller understanding, read the Bible section again.

c) After you’ve read a book, for example, Genesis, go back and study the lives of the godly people in it. In Genesis that would include Enoch, Noah, Shem and Abraham. Look up their names on a site like www.biblegateway.com on a word search, then study all the verses/passages that apply. Look for what pleased God in the lives of these people. How was their faith and trust in God lived out in their lives?

The fear (reverence, awe) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

3. Once you’ve read through a section, you can use a ‘chain’ bible or an online website like www.biblegateway.com to study cross referenced verses in any sections you’d like more

information on.

4. Depending on how much depth or organization you are comfortable with, you might want to keep

a simple notebook as you read. Use one page to write down questions that come up. Leave room to note passages or insights as you continue study. You could use another page to keep track of

the date and what you’ve read.

5. This is the most important step: as you learn what pleases God…think and pray about how

best to live that out in a way that honours HIM. Then...do it!

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.

And his commandments are not burdensome.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.

And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (1 John 5:3-4)

6. If you find it difficult to read and comprehend, if it is easier to listen instead of read, use software or CD’s of the Bible. If you feel most comfortable with a teacher, download lessons from a site like www.torahclass.com. These are excellent lessons which teach the Bible from the Bible, and you will hear a lot of Scripture read in each lesson.