“The Fall”

Series: A Journey through the Old Testament [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

May 2, 2021

Introductory Comments:

We are continuing our series called “A Journey through the Old Testament.” We learned last week that God created everything and He has a plan for us and our world. 

Today, we will be discussing the Fall. 

Why is it called the Fall? Because everything got messed up. We fell from God’s design and God’s blessing when sin came into the world. 

Most of what we’re going to talk about today is based on what is recorded in Genesis 3. So, join me in Genesis 3 and let’s look at the passage together. 

(read Genesis 3)

Let’s pray now and ask God to speak to us. 

(prayer)

As we did last week, we’re going to look at three main sections as we walk through the truths of this part of the Old Testament story. 

So, first, let’s look at the . . . 

I. Major elements [on screen]

These are the major elements of the story of the Fall:

First, . . . 

The Events: [on screen]

The Serpent deceived Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1, 4-5) [on screen]

The serpent in this story has generally been accepted as Satan, the devil. The book of Revelation refers to Satan as “The Ancient Serpent.”

Also, Satan is referred to as a deceiver in the Bible. He even tried to deceive Jesus by tempting Him in the wilderness. Satan was unsuccessful in convincing Jesus to sin, but he was successful in convincing Eve to sin. 

Eve ate the fruit, gave some to Adam, and Adam ate (Genesis 3:6) [on screen]

They both were tempted. They both ate. They both sinned. 

God calls out Adam for his sin (Genesis 3:9-13) [on screen]

God starts with Adam, but He will eventually holds each party accountable. 

Adam blames Eve (Genesis 3:12) [on screen]

Adam is already trying to atone for his sin with an excuse, so he blames his wife. 

Eve blames the serpent (Genesis 3:13) [on screen]

Eve tries to cover her sin as well by blaming the serpent. 

God curses the serpent (Genesis 3:14-15) [on screen]

He says that the serpent will have to crawl on his belly from now on. This curse and what the serpent was like before this moment are somewhat mysterious. 

Finally, we see that God prophesies concerning the offspring of the woman (Genesis 3:15) [on screen]

This prophecy is very important and we’ll come back to it in a moment. 

Next, we see the . . . 

Immediate Consequences of the Fall: [on screen]

Adam and Eve recognized their nakedness (no longer naked and unashamed) (Genesis 3:7) [on screen]

Adam and Eve now had shame before God. They sewed fig leaves together to try and hide their shame. 

Adam and Eve hid from God (Genesis 3:8) [on screen]

From this moment on, humanity will hide from God and feel shame before God and others. 

Eve is cursed (Genesis 3:16) [on screen]

She will have pain in birth and the roles in marriage will be modified as well as her desire to have Adam’s role.

Adam is cursed (Genesis 3:17-19) [on screen]

Painful labor that will be by the “sweat of your brow.”

(Presumably) the first animal sacrifice (Genesis 3:21) [on screen]

Animal skins were made by God to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness. 

Adam and Eve kicked out of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:22-24) [on screen]

Let’s not underestimate the heartbreak of them being banished from their home because of their sin. Their lives, and all our lives, would be changed forever. 

Well, what were the . . .

Lasting Consequences of the Fall: [on screen]

Death came into the world [on screen]

Romans 5:12 – Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned. [on screen]

Physical and spiritual death came to all people. 

This is a problem for all humanity!

The very next chapter, Cain murders Abel!

Separation from God [on screen]

Isaiah 59:2 – Bu