The summer between my sophomore and junior years of college I spent three months in Bandung, Indonesia, as a summer missionary teaching English in a school there. Up to that point in my life, it was the most challenging thing I’d ever done, but also transformative. I returned to the States with a strong calling to pursue early childhood education rather than the public relations degree I had been working towards.
On our way home from Indonesia, the group I was with had a layover in Seoul, Korea, to debrief the summer with our leaders and one another as well as relax and enjoy some retail therapy at Seoul’s shopping mecca, Myeongdong. For context, this was the summer of 1986. Ralph Lauren Polos, Gloria Vanderbilt jeans, Dooney & Bourke handbags and anything Gucci were all the rage. As we walked down the street, passing by merchants with all of these brands of clothing and accessories and offering them at prices that were too good to be true, my eyes glazed over and I started buying up everything in sight! Polo shirts for everyone back home, as well as Gucci purses and wallets. Of course, when something seems too good to be true, we should wisely ask more questions and take a closer look, perhaps even compare them to the real thing. And while upon closer examination, the embroidered polo guy and horse didn’t look exactly right, I was already committed. They had my money and I had bags full of gifts that would most likely fall apart after their first washing.
In today’s reading, we’re introduced to one of our first parents’ acquaintances in the garden, who gives them a deal that is absolutely too good to be true.
Read Genesis 2-3
There was one rule that God gave Adam as he placed him in the beautiful paradise garden of Eden. He was free to eat from any tree of the garden, and there were plenty of fruit-bearing trees, but Adam must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden, “...for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” (Gen 2:17) It was just one rule, just one tree in a garden filled with trees bearing delicious, satisfying fruit. I imagine Adam looking around at all that was his to choose from, nodded to God and replied, “No problem here, God. This is awesome! Thank you so much!”
God then sees that Adam needs a suitable helper, a companion, a co-laborer in this garden he had been given to cultivate and so He creates Eve from Adam’s rib. When God brings his wife to Adam, he can’t believe his eyes! Here is the most beautiful creature he has seen yet! He is so grateful and the chapter ends with both the man and his wife naked - vulnerable, trusting, joyful - without feeling any shame whatsoever. (from Gen 2:25) They head off on their honeymoon with no reason to believe it will ever end.
At some point, as Adam is showing Eve all of the animals and vegetation that God has entrusted to them to care for, they come to the two trees in the middle of the garden. I imagine their conversation going something like this: Eve exclaims, “Husband, those two trees are beautiful! I can’t take my eyes off of them! Look at those colors, they’re so rich and vibrant!” Adam answers, “Oh yeah, they are amazing, for sure. Did I mention that we aren’t allowed to eat from that tree to the left? That’s the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and God said that we can’t eat from it or we’ll die!” Eve might have wondered what dying would be like. Perhaps the fruit was poisonous? At any rate, I imagine she responded, “That’s okay. God has given us so much that brings us such joy. We don’t need to eat from that tree…but it is really beautiful. I know what we should do. Let’s make a pact to not go near that tree with the long name and not even touch it, so there’s no chance that we die, cause that sounds really bad.”
Here’s where we pick up the narrative in chapter 3 and are introduced to the crafty serpent. Because everything God created He declared good, we must conclude that an evil power was using the snake to gain access to the first couple. But the serpent and Eve are engaging in dialogue that feels familiar. It doesn’t read as if this was her first conversation with the serpent, that they were strangers. Yet Eve has her bases covered. She could entertain the serpent and his interesting theories and observations because she had established a clever boundary to prevent her from disobeying God’s one law…she added to it. We see here the first extra-biblical regulation made by a human to keep her safe. Eve sets the limit far from eating the fruit. She won’t even touch the tree!
But Eve is no match for the serpent, the most cumming of all the animals the Lord God had made. There is a sense of comfort and intimacy in their conversation, as the serpent leans in close, puts his hand over his mouth and whispers to Eve alone, “No! You will not surely die…In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:4-5) Satan, through the serpent, subtly planted seeds of doubt in Eve’s mind, bit by bit, until she was willing to overlook all that God had done and provided. She fell for the deal that was too good to be true, took the fruit, ate it and gave it to her husband, who also ate. Immediately, they knew that they were naked and had made a terrible mistake, but it was too late.
Shame washes over and through the first couple and they frantically look for anything to cover up their nakedness before the Lord God comes for their regular evening stroll. He finds them hiding in the bushes with counterfeit clothes, makeshift fig leaves to cover their vulnerability and asks, “What is this you have done?” (Gen. 3:13) Eve admits that she was deceived by the serpent and ate. The Lord God then begins to hand out judgements on all parties involved in bringing sin into the world and humanity. But it isn’t all judgment. There is a mercy that He promises in Genesis 3:15, known as the Protevangelium. A compound of two Greek words, protos meaning “first” and evangelion meaning “good news” or “gospel,” this verse is commonly referred to as the first mention of Messiah and the rescue plan of the Gospel. The Lord God decrees, (in Genesis 3:14-15) “I will put hostility/enmity between you, (serpent) and the woman…” but this is more than the natural hostility that exists between man and snakes. “...between your offspring and her offspring…” is also predictive, as there are no offspring at this point. Eventually, the line of Seth will produce a King through whom all the nations and creation will be blessed. God continues with the promise “...He will strike your head and you will strike His heel…” indicating a specific, now promised offspring. This promise is perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who would overcome Satan’s temptations and plans while simultaneously being bruised in every way, yet without sin.
I’m tempted to just move on with hope to the next story in the Genesis narrative, but need to remember that Adam and Eve are still dressed in their counterfeit clothes, even more humiliated and ashamed. But their Father God did not leave them in their figleaf getup. “The Lord God made clothing from skins for the man and his wife, and he clothed them.” (Gen 3:21) Clothing from whose skin? From one of the animals God had created and asked His humans to care for. One of the innocents, without blemish, was required to sacrifice its life in order to clothe Adam and Eve and appropriately cover their sinfulness. Righteous blood had to be shed. A counterfeit just wouldn’t do.
“Since by the one man’s (Adam’s) trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17
Sing Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (see page 15 for lyrics)
Reflect
How do you identify counterfeits? Whether it’s knock-off clothing and handbags or theology, we can’t discern what is counterfeit if we don’t train our eyes on what is true. The best weapon we have for discerning true teaching from false teaching and sin from righteousness is “the sword of the spirit, the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17). The Word of God is our consistent weapon, forged to identify counterfeits of every kind.
Have you become satisfied with counterfeit righteousness? Convincing yourself that what you’re wearing or engaging in isn’t that bad? If so, I urge you and myself as well, to run to our Father God and fall into His amazing grace!
Pray for eyes to see any counterfeits that you are settling for in your life and relationships. Invite the truth of God’s Word to help you live in truth.
