Many biblical scholars believe that this was a prophecy about the coming Messiah - God's plan to redeem humanity. I don't think that anything we do surprises God. He knew that Judas was the one who would betray Him, but Jesus still washed the traitor's feet. I haven't found any Bible story in which God was stumped by something. He must have known that the humans He had created would esteem a serpent's advice above His loving guidelines. Instead of leaving them in their sin, God already had a plan in mind. He knew that He would one day send His own Son to suffer and die - to pay the price for humanity's sin - and to defeat the enemy once and for all.
God's incredible mercy is so amazing to me. Eve had sinned. Period. And yet, before her judgment was given, Eve knew it was through her line that salvation would come. She had given into the serpent's temptation, but her offspring would one day resist the serpent and crush his head. Her offspring would provide a more secure salvation - one dependent upon His perfect nature and not fragile humanity.
Adam and Eve's relationship with God was balanced upon a point: if they stayed away from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they were safe. They had one rule to obey. It may seem easy to us, but anyone who has ever spent time with children knows that the forbidden is always an attractive option. In my babysitting adventures, I've learned never to tell a child to stay away from something. The moment your back is turned, he is on the move. Some people might ask, "If God didn't want them to disobey, why did He put that tree in the Garden?" I would counter with this question: is it really free will if you don't have a choice? God wanted a relationship with living, moving, breathing beings - not mindless robots. We had to be able to choose whether or not we desired that relationship.
When Jesus paid the price for our sin, He removed the barrier that existed between humans and God. The legacy of sin that began with Eve's mistake was ended with Jesus' sacrifice. Our salvation became based upon His death and resurrection rather than anything that we could ever do. Mistakes can never again alter our standing with God.
In the meantime, Eve had to face the consequences for her sin. I'm sure many of us know what those consequences were. I want to look at what happens next...
In Genesis 3: 20, Adam went back to doing what he had been told to do: naming all of creation. He gave Eve her title. If you'll notice, she had never been referred to by name until that point. "Eve" is actually the feminine form of the Hebrew word for "life." They had just experienced spiritual death (separation from God), and it had basically been Eve's fault. Yet, her husband still gave her a moniker that means "life."
Eve is also the first person on record to use the name of God. In Dr. Friedman's translation of Genesis 4:1, she gives birth to a son and says, "I've created a man with YHWH." Eve knew that she and God had worked together to produce this miracle. Clearly, she still felt an intimate link with her Creator.
Despite her circumstances, Eve's love for her Father never changed. She must have known that all was not lost. The one who had led her astray was not going to be allowed to reign over her children forever. Her loving God could bring good out of the mess she had made. Of course, we know how it turns out.
We all feel alone and abandoned sometimes. There are moments when we think that God is distant. Imagine how Eve must have been feeling, but she didn't let it beat her. This daughter of God kept pressing in - cultivating a precious connection with God that would sustain her through numerous hardships.
Whatever you are facing in your life, I encourage you to do the same. Don't let the mistakes of your past determine the course of your life. You are never far away from Him - just turn around, and there He is. Let your heavenly Father wash away the sting of what has happened and refresh you in His glorious light.
Friedman, Richard E. (2001). Commentary on the Torah with a New English Translation and the Hebrew Text. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
