Eve'
Eve
Have you ever wondered what motivated Eve to disobey God? I have.
Satan always studies our personality to see what might be a door through which he can enter. Satan must have been correct in his assessment of Eve's personality, because he was quite successful.
But what was this door? Is it true of any of us today? If it is, we need to ask Christ to heal us, to remove that door through which Satan can enter.
Now consider: God was available to Eve. He would walk in the garden, the Bible says. Why didn't she ask God if the fruit of the tree was good for her?
Obviously the story is an allegory, because snakes do not speak and tempt people. Allegory or not, the spiritual principles are true enough.
When God created Eve, He said that it is not good for a man to be alone. God said that Eve, and all other wives I suppose, was brought forth to be a suitable helper for her husband. Not just a servant to do what whatever Adam desired, but someone who would assist Adam in accomplishing the goals set before him by the Lord: to be in the image of God, that is, to behave as God behaves; to increase in number; and to govern the creatures of the earth.
The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." (Genesis 2:18)
Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." (Genesis 1:26)
Notice that God made mankind in His image so they may rule. It is true that we cannot rule with God until we behave in the same manner as God, showing love, patience, truthfulness, faithfulness, compassion, forgiveness, and all the other manifestations of the Spirit of God.
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (Genesis 1:28)
God blessed them, that is, both Adam and Eve. God gave to both of them to be in the image of God and to govern the creatures God had created.
God at this time did not place Adam in a position of rulership over Eve. That came later, because of Eve's disobedience. No doubt this curse shall be lifted in the resurrection.
To the woman he said, I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." (Genesis 3:16)
Did Eve understand that her role was to assist her husband as he served God?
I do not know. The Bible does not say God told her that, although Adam may have done so, just as he must have told her about the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
When Satan approached Eve, Adam was there with her.
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Genesis 3:6)
Notice, "She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it."
Why did Adam do that? Did Adam always do what Eve wanted? God had told Adam he was not to eat of that tree.
But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." (Genesis 2:17)
We just have to keep in mind that these two people had no Bible and no experience with God or His ways. For all we know, they may have been ten years old at the time. It seems likely to me that Eve was the same age as Adam when she was brought forth from him. What do you think about that?
So we will just have to have compassion toward them. They were required to spend almost a thousand years after that thinking about what they had done. At least Adam lived that long!
Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died. (Genesis 5:5)
Satan had painted a word picture in Eve's mind. Not only would she not die, as God had warned, but she saw herself as a great pillar of light, like God Himself, dispensing knowledge on every hand.
Like so many today, being like God may to Eve have meant power and glory rather than a meek and child-like heart.
"You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4,5)
Why didn't Eve turn to Adam and ask him what he thought about this? Would Adam agree that Eve would not die but become a great fountain of knowledge.
Eve may have been afraid of what Adam would say, do you think?
What was driving the woman?
It was ambition! She wanted to be like God, which is Satan's ambition also.
You know, people, we need to be careful, in this day of the increased revealing of Christ and of the greatness of our inheritance in Him, that we do not receive a deluding spirit that tells us we are another god.
"Just think of it! We are going to be like God! We can command the angels and tell them what they are supposed to do! We can command the Holy Spirit! We do not have to pray, just march forward in the name of Christ!"
I tell you, that spirit of delusion is operating in the world today among zealous Christians. It is the False Prophet. The False Prophet consists of Christian people who go forth to do mighty works in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ without hearing from the Lord.
They are being directed by their own self-will, not by the Spirit of God. They will be the helpers of Antichrist during the closing days of the Church Age.
Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. (Revelation 13:11)
The self-propelled Christians will use the power of Christ (two horns like the Lamb) but they will speak with the voice of Satan (I will, I will, I will).
I suppose some men will use my writing about Eve as an excuse to seek to command their wives to be in subjection to them. By doing so they will destroy the God-given abilities of their wife to support their husbands during the problems and frustrations of life on the earth. They will destroy her creativity, her gifts.
Also, it may be true that some women will vigorously defend Eve, claiming that if her husband had done his duty Eve would not have been deceived. Somehow the incident will be blamed on Adam, while the woman will proceed to pursue some exalted goal she has in mind for herself.
We are not perfect, are we?
When a man loves Jesus and his wife and children, and his wife loves him, being acutely aware of his shortcomings, and quietly attempts to assist him in working through his problems, God will bless them and their children abundantly.
But some husbands are brutes, and some wives may be attempting to use their husbands to accomplish their personal goals, sometimes goals in their religious organizations.
These situations do occur; and I guess the only answer is prayer and hope.
Well, Mother Eve created a mess that has endured for six thousand years. Adam was no help to her at that time. Perhaps he was later.
Both were children without experience. I have no doubt that in the resurrection they will have an opportunity to begin again and serve Christ faithfully.
God knew they would fail. He knew their disobedience ultimately would bring about Calvary, and then the creation of the new world of righteousness. Adam and Eve may have a difficult time getting rid of oppression when they realize the consequences of what they did.
It will require the Virtue that is in the blood of the Lamb in order for them to be completely healed, just as it does for us when we are oppressed and grieved about some action of our own.
As God does with all of us, He makes all things work for our good if we do not give up but keep praying and following Christ.
God forgives each of us who confesses his disobedience and who then seeks to obey Christ more diligently in the future.
I hope to see Eve and Adam in the new world of righteousness. I believe they will have much of interest to tell us, as they have grown in the ability to recognize and reject wickedness, and to fervently embrace the righteousness and eternal life which are in the Tree of Life, our Lord Jesus Christ.
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:14)