Do you remember the previous story about Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit? God saw what they had done, and God had the power to sweep them right off the earth, as He could do to all of us sinners today. But God loved them, and He loves us too much for that.
That disobedience turned Adam and Eve into cowards. They sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves, and when God came to visit, they hid behind the trees. But God sees through all such things, whether it is fig leaves and trees, or a big stone church.
“Adam . . . where art thou?” asked the voice of God as He came walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
“I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself,” answered Adam.
“Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?”
And Adam answered, “The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the [fruit], and I did eat.”
Do you see how lovingly God speaks to this guilty man? It is Adam who tries to put the blame on Eve, but God gives each one a chance to speak.
Then God asked Eve, “What is this that thou hast done?” And Eve blamed Satan and said that he had deceived her.
This is the true account as the perfect wisdom of God has written it down for us to learn from. God asks questions, and man answers in the same way as you may be answering today. Do you see that He loves you? He asks questions to give you a chance to confess your sin and He will forgive you.
God did not ask Satan any questions at all. Satan’s choice was already made, and there is no Savior for him or for any of his wicked demons. But there is a Savior for you. There is Jesus, born of the virgin Mary, who died on the cross for sins like Adam’s and like yours. Will you tell God the truth about yourself and receive His forgiveness?
Yes, Adam and Eve were put out of the garden. Why? So they could not eat of the tree of life, which they had ignored when it was free to them. God made it impossible for them to go back. He placed an angel to the east of the garden with a flaming sword which turned every way to keep them away from the tree of life. If they had eaten of that tree of life, they would have lived on earth forever. God did not want us to have to live forever on an earth full of sin. He has a perfect home in heaven for us that has no sin! That is why we cannot go to heaven unless our sins are gone. “Our Lord Jesus Christ . . . gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world” (Galatians 1:3-43Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (Galatians 1:3‑4)). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
Was God defeated? No, never! “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). This gift of eternal life is better than anything that Adam and Eve lost. Satan is defeated. God is forever the Almighty One. Is He your Shelter, your Refuge and Savior now and forever?