THE FALL OF MAN
God’s creation is grouped into three (3):
1. Some things God created by ‘speaking’ them into existence. This are inanimate things like the Sun and the Moon, these things have a BODY.
2. Some things He created by ‘speaking’ and ‘forming’ them. This are animals, they have a BODY and a SOUL.
3. He created man by ‘speaking’, ‘forming’ and ‘breathing’. That is, man came into existence with a BODY, a SOUL and a SPIRIT.
What set man apart from all other creation is the BREATH of God – Gen 2: 7. “RUACH” or “RUWACH” which means; WIND/SPIRIT. Man is distinguished from all creation because he has the Spirit of God within him- Gen 1: 26, that is, man functions like God.
5 ways in which man is like God are:
1. God is a Spirit likewise man is a spiritual being.
2. God is a rational being, that is, man also has knowledge, wisdom and the ability to think and make decisions. God and man can also appreciate beauty.
3. God is a moral being. He knows right from wrong, and good from evil. Likewise, man too knows right from wrong and can discern good from evil.
4. God is eternal just like eternity has been imputed into man.
5. God has power and dominion over all things in heaven and on earth, like wise, God gave man the capacity to have power and dominion over all the creation of God on the face of the earth.

Why did God create man?
1. God is love and we are the object of His love.
2. To worship Him.
3. Man is created for His glory.

Man is the crowning glory of God’s creation. Man is the creation made in His likeness. We are the object of His love, the object of his affection – Psalm 8: 1-6. In vs. 4, “what is man that thou art mindful of him? Mindful means ‘care’. God anticipates our need and provided for it. In vs 5,’Elohim’ means God. God puts all the works of His hand under the dominion of man. He made man second to Himself.

Lucifer did not like this; therefore he decided to get back at God. He knows how much God hates sin – Job 15:15, Hab. 1: 13. He decided to put what God hates the most into what God loves the most thereby creating enmity between God and man. God gave a clear instruction when He puts man in the Garden of Eden – Gen 2:7-8, 15-17. All this was while man was innocent – Gen 2: 25.
• Innocence is purity due to lack of exposure to sin
• Holiness is purity in spite of exposure to sin.

In Genesis 3: 1-3 – Serpent is used to personify the nature of the devil i.e. beautiful yet dangerous, sly, cunning and crafty. “DIABOLOS” which means; deceive or diabolical, he does not confront but highly deceptive – John 8: 44.

In Genesis 3: 2 – “ And he said to the woman” The devil isolates people before destroying them. He knows there is power in togetherness therefore his first weapon is to isolate his target – Ecl. 4: 8-12. We are vulnerable when we walk alone, if you are not talking to God or God’s people, the devil is definitely talking to you.

Why Eve?
1. God gave instruction directly to Adam, Eve must have received the message second hand. It goes to show that someone else’s revelation will never be useful to you until it becomes your revelation.
2. Eve’s understanding of what God said was not accurate. Compare Gen 2: 17 with Gen 3:3. A lot of Christians are raised on wrong assumptions concerning what God’s word says. It is important to search the scripture yourself at all times.
3. Eve was the closeness Adam. When the devil can’t get you, he attempts the one closest person to you that is why it is important to cover your loved ones in prayer.
The 3 strategy of the devil against Eve are:
1. He questions God’s word - “Has God indeed said” “Did God really say?” You must be grounded in the Word of God without any doubt in your mind as to what God said or meant.
2. He challenged God’s faithfulness in Gen. 3:4-5 by telling Eve that there is something good for her and God does not want her to have it. In whatever you are doing don’t doubt God’s faithfulness.
3. The devil attacked Eve’s self esteem. He deceived her by telling her; she’s not good enough and that eating the fruit will give her what she’s lacking. He tried this trick on Jesus in Matt. 3:17 – 4:3. You must have no doubt whatsoever about who you are in Christ Jesus.
Note 3 things above:
1. The process of temptation is always a gradual one.
2. Proximity – Sin is geographical. We become more susceptible to sin when we put ourselves in the location where it is very easy to sin. The greater the distance, the more likely you are to overcome sin.
3. Two common words describe what our attitude should be to temptation:
(a) ABSTAIN – 1Thess. 5:22....Refrain!
(b) FLEE – 1Cor.6:18, 10:14. Tim2:22....”Phengo” – to escape, run away and to vanish.
NOTE: In all this the devil never told Eve to do anything, he gave her no instruction. All he gave her was a suggestion; “If you eat your eyes will be opened.” Eve acknowledged it was her decision n Gen. 3:13.
The devil has no power to force you to sin, he can only deceive you. You can’t fall into temptation until you believe the devil’s lie. God never gives us suggestions. God will tell you in plain language what He expects you to do.

As a result of the devils deception, Eve drew three conclusions:
1. It was good for food
2. It was pleasant to the eyes
3. It was desirable to make one wise
Every temptation of the devil falls into one of the 3 categories – 1John 2: 15-17.
The lust of the flesh desires pleasure, the lust of the eyes desires possession and the pride of life desires position.

The devil tempted Jesus on each of these 3 categories in Luke 4:1-13, vs.3 & 4 deals with flesh, vs. 5-8 deals with pleasure of the eye and possession and vs. 9-12 deals with pride of life, that is, position.
The moment Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they fell.

4 consequences of the fall are:
1. A sense of shame, guilt and fear came upon them. Compare Gen 3:7-10 to Gen 2:25, the glory of God, man’s covering departed- Psalm 8:5. The righteousness of God was gone- Isaiah 61:10. From this time, man has to come up with his own covering which is not adequate- Gen3:7, Isaiah 64:6.
2. They died spiritually and this have 3 implications:
(a) Separated from God- Gen 3:23
(b) Their spirit became dormant and
(c) Sense of moral judgement was perverted- Isaiah 5:20
3. Man becomes a slave to the devil:
(a) By obeying the devil, man forfeited his authority and dominion over the earth to the devil- Romans 6:16
(b) By deceit, the devil took over rulership of this world- Luke 4:5-6.
4. Man incurred the curse of the law- Gen 3:16-19. As a result man incurred sickness, poverty and death- Deut. 28:15-68.