People have different perspectives on sin. Most people think they are good people. They relate sin to crime.
Gen 3:1-5
耶和华 神所造的，惟有蛇比田野一切的活物更狡猾。蛇对女人说：「神岂是真说不许你们吃园中所有树上的果子吗？」(2) 女人对蛇说：「园中树上的果子，我们可以吃，(3) 惟有园当中那棵树上的果子，神曾说：『你们不可吃，也不可摸，免得你们死。』」(4) 蛇对女人说：「你们不一定死；(5) 因为神知道，你们吃的日子眼睛就明亮了，你们便如神能知道善恶。」
Gen 3:1-5 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" (2) And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, (3) but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" (4) But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. (5) For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
The serpent here is a symbol of the devil. The snake could speak. It is cunning. It created doubt in Eve's mind. Eve responded with her own exaggeration, "in the midst" and cannot touch. The serpent further tried to confuse Eve by telling her she "will not surely die." It also convinced Eve that not only she wouldn't die, she'd be like God.
Today, many will like to be able to tell good and evil and to be able to take care of themselves. No one likes to be told their right from wrong. Man like to depend on himself. This is especially so for those who are affluent.
Rev 12:3-4,7-9
天上又现出异象来：有一条大红龙，七头十角；七头上戴著七个冠冕。(4) 他的尾巴拖拉著天上星辰的三分之一，摔在地上。龙就站在那将要生产的妇人面前，等他生产之後，要吞吃他的孩子。 … (7) 在天上就有了争战。米迦勒同他的使者与龙争战，龙也同他的使者去争战，(8) 并没有得胜，天上再没有他们的地方。(9)大龙就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼，又叫撒但，是迷惑普天下的。他被摔在地上，他的使者也一同被摔下去。
Rev 12:3-4,7-9 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. (4) His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. … (7) Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, (8) but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. (9) And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
The serpent appeared in both the first book and the last book of the Bible. The serpent is ancient. It is at least 6,000 years old. No man can match its wits. The world is deceived by the devil in many ways. It was an archangel, a most wonderful creature. However, he fell from heaven when pride took over him and he wanted to take the glory that belongs to God. He took 1/3 of the angels with him. His is no longer known as Lucifer but Satan (the arch enemy of good: - adversary, withstand.)
Satan deceives in many ways – music, money, education, etc. He is the king of the world for the time being. However, we who have received Jesus as Lord and Saviour are no longer subject to his rule. The Son of God won the victory for us by shedding His blood on the Cross. We are to testify on the change in our lives.
Read Rev 12-14 and we will find that the time for the devil is numbered.
Gen 3:6
於是女人见那棵树的果子好作食物，也悦人的眼目，且是可喜爱的，能使人有智慧，就摘下果子来吃了，又给他丈夫，他丈夫也吃了。
Gen 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
We like to eat. The women found the fruit to be good for food. This is the first temptation here.
The second temptation was the look. The woman delighted in the fruit. We are tempted to buy things based on the look.
It is also something she wanted / desired.
Lastly, she wanted wisdom, even when it comes from Satan. We like to be wiser than others.
These are the fourfold temptation in the fruit.
Gen 3:7
他们二人的眼睛就明亮了，才知道自己是赤身露体，便拿无花果树的叶子为自己编做裙子。
Gen 3:7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
Is it good for the eyes to be opened? Before this, they relied / depended / trusted God. Now that their eyes are opened, they were ashamed in their nakedness. They tried covered their shame.
Gen 3:8
天起了凉风，耶和华 神在园中行走。那人和他妻子听见神的声音，就藏在园里的树木中，躲避耶和华 神的面。
Gen 3:8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Before disobeying God, they welcome God's presence. Now they hid themselves from God.
Gen 3:10
他说：「我在园中听见你的声音，我就害怕；因为我赤身露体，我便藏了。」
Gen 3:10 And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself."
Adam said he was afraid when he heard the sound of God and that he was naked.
Gen 3:11
耶和华说：「谁告诉你赤身露体呢？莫非你吃了我吩咐你不可吃的那树上的果子吗？」
Gen 3:11 He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"
When a person does something wrong, he is afraid.
Gen 3:12-13
那人说：「你所赐给我、与我同居的女人，他把那树上的果子给我，我就吃了。」(13) 耶和华 神对女人说：「你做的是什麽事呢？」女人说：「那蛇引诱我，我就吃了。」
Gen 3:12-13 The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." (13) Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
When confronted by God, Adam chose to push the responsibility to Eve, who did put the blame on the serpent.
People today do not want to admit their mistakes. Christians in the market place should bear a good testimony.
FGBM organized gatherings with a few people giving testimonies. One sister confessed boldly she used to be a prostitute. When a Christian confesses his sins, the devil could no longer accuser him. We no longer fear our past.
Gen 3:14-19
耶和华 神对蛇说：你既做了这事，就必受咒诅，比一切的牲畜野兽更甚。你必用肚子行走，终身吃土。 (15) 我又要叫你和女人彼此为仇；你的後裔和女人的後裔也彼此为仇。女人的後裔要伤你的头；你要伤他的脚跟。(16)又对女人说：我必多多加增你怀胎的苦楚；你生产儿女必多受苦楚。你必恋慕你丈夫；你丈夫必管辖你。(17)又对亚当说：你既听从妻子的话，吃了我所吩咐你不可吃的那树上的果子，地必为你的缘故受咒诅；你必终身劳苦才能从地里得吃的。(18) 地必给你长出荆棘和蒺藜来；你也要吃田间的菜蔬。(19) 你必汗流满面才得糊口，直到你归了土，因为你是从土而出的。你本是尘土，仍要归於尘土。
Gen 3:14-19 The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. (15) I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." (16) To the woman he said, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." (17) And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; (18) thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. (19) By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
Gen 3:20-21
亚当给他妻子起名叫夏娃，因为他是众生之母。(21) 耶和华 神为亚当和他妻子用皮子做衣服给他们穿。
Gen 3:20-21 The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. (21) And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
The skins mark the first sacrifice in the Bible. Blood is required for the remission of sins. This foretold Jesus the lamb of God who would die for the sins of mankind.
Gen 3:22-24
耶和华 神说：「那人已经与我们相似，能知道善恶；现在恐怕他伸手又摘生命树的果子吃，就永远活著。」 (23) 耶和华 神便打发他出伊甸园去，耕种他所自出之土。 (24) 於是把他赶出去了；又在伊甸园的东边安设基路伯和四面转动发火焰的剑，要把守生命树的道路。
Gen 3:22-24 Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever--" (23) therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. (24) He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
God doesn't allow sinners to live forever. Adam and Eve were driven out from the Garden of Eden.
Today, we can have the fruit of the tree of life. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We can have hope of eternal life because of what Jesus has done for us on the Cross.
1 comment:
Hmm...thank you for the long sermon notes and the translations. GBU in the work...
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