paradise lost

I can picture Eve walking in the garden that day. Unique and beautiful animals all around her, very Snow White-esque. Gold and topaz and diamonds scattered on the ground à la Cartier (Ezekiel 28:13), glorious plants and food, an abundant furnishing for her world. (I’m going with Whole Foods meets the Amazon rainforest here). Gracious provisions and so much more! It is paradise. Perfection.

If I’m honest, I wish that was all there was to tell – that the story would end here.

But then comes Chapter 3, verse 1, and the serpent enters the scene. The musical score gets low and ominous. Calamity is looming. The opponent of Christ, the deceiver of the brethren, a beast of the field, approaches Eve; and all I want to do is shout as if in slow motion, “Nooooooo!”

And the story does continue.

The tempter speaks, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” Eve untwists his lie for him, but the evil one continues, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Like God?

All animals and gardens and precious stones become dull to her at this thought. She is no longer content among His plentiful provisions, but only has eyes for one thing. It is the thing she is told she cannot have.

I want to blame Eve for what she does next. I want to be so mad at her! But friends, I stand today just as guilty as she. She knew and I know that there is only one God. We both have everything we could possibly need in Him. But the thought of being in control – of being independent of my need for Him – and calling my own shots? Being the god of my own life? I’m afraid to say I have taken a bite of that same life-condemning fruit. I have been discontent to trust the Lord God in the garden of provision He has made for me.

Guilty.

With Eve’s sin and Adam’s, too, life as they know it is over (Rom. 5:12). Satan’s promise was an empty one. And life as we know it now includes death, pain, disease, sorrow and a deep, apparent need for a Redeemer.

I may have wanted the story to end with Eden, but I’m sure grateful it doesn’t end here.

We are no longer in the Garden, but we do have a Great Provider who will give us all we need when we need it (Matt. 6:25-34).

And the serpent? The serpent is crafty now as ever (2 Cor. 11:3), and the Bible says the thief still comes to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10). But we need not fear him, for the doom of Satan has already been sealed (John 16:11, Col. 2:15, Rev. 12:9-10, Rev. 20:10).

And for us today? God’s Word is beautifully clear on that as well.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
Ephesians 6:11

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
1 John 4:4

Thanks be to God.