Job 13:23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

Now it gets a little confusing, because we are not told everything that took place and exactly when.

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because was taken out of Man. Genesis 2:18-23

Was Eve made the first day? How long was Adam without a companion? We are not told. When reading in the first chapter it appears that Eve was made the first day.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. Genesis 1:24-29

If it is true that God made the animals and Adam the first day and then Adam named all the animals, could it be that once he saw the animals had a mate, he felt lonely and desired a mate for himself? This could give a reasonable explanation of why, and when God put Adam to sleep, removed a rib from his side, and thereby created for him the most beautiful woman that had ever lived to be his lifelong companion.

Now that Adam and Eve were living in the garden of Eden, how long did they live there before Satan came along and lead Eve to eat the forbidden fruit? Were there days, weeks, or months before they disobeyed God? We are not told this. What does appear to be true is that Adam and Eve did not have an intimate relationship until after they sinned, and this, as most know, caused them to be put out of the garden. If they were intimate with each other before sin entered our world, Eve did not conceive a child. Truth is, there are no clear answers given to us about this period. We do not know of any children being born until after Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned. After that, Cain and Abel were born.

What I am trying to portray for you today is the manner in which people lived back in those early biblical days, and most survived for over nine hundred years in their lives. That is a long time to live, and it is almost ten times the years we live today. Yet, they lived without any of the conveniences that you and I are familiar with. They did not have to get up at daybreak and go to work at a public job. They didn’t have a family to care for, neighbors to talk with, or enemies to fear. I don’t suppose Eve could have even imagined what it was like to go shopping all day. She never had a telephone conversation, or a Sunday hat! Neither of them ever had a driver’s license, had to fix a flat, or buy a car. There were not any taxes or insurance to pay, or repair work to be done. They did not know about Walmart, and I am sure they never heard of a going out of business sale!

What a time to live. That’s when freedom meant freedom! Satan did not even bother them then. The animals were all friendly and a delight to admire, each with its own mate. How wonderful the world was that God had made for man. The birds never sang sweeter, and the flowers were never as pretty as they were when Adam and Eve walked among them. But the most exciting time was in the cool of the day. This is when they heard the voice of God. For them to be able to hear the voice of God was a special blessing like none other known to man.

And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: Genesis 3:8

Did this happen only once or did this happen for some time? We are not told. We do know God talked to Adam;

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:15-17

It seems that after God put Adam in the garden of Eden to tend to it, and then name all the animals, God made Eve. It also seems that Adam was still in the garden of Eden when she was created. This beautiful garden would be their home, created by almighty God to provide for them. And it was a most scenic place. Wonder how romantic Adam and Eve felt that first night there?

Later we see a big change overcome Adam and Eve. We are told;

And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8

Why did they hide from their Creator? The One who had provided for all their needs. He was the one who made the world and all things thereof and gave them their very lives.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Hebrews 11:3

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Colossians 1:14-17

Adam and Eve hid because they had disobeyed their Creator. They did exactly what he told them not to do. Now they were filled with fear. Now, they had no peace or joy, it was destroyed. What would their Maker do to them? Friends, do you realize that it was not their neighbor, or a friend or the environment, or the Devil, that created their miserable feelings. But they themselves, and their own disobedience to God that created their problems. Sounds like man today, doesn’t it?

Even through centuries of time, man still, has not learned!

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12

But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 1Timothy 2:12-14

But even though it was Eve who Satan deceived, Adam knew better, and therefore he was charged with the Original Sin of the human family. Because of his actions, all people are born sinners and will die sinners, if they never accept Jesus Christ as their own personal savior. But through Jesus, we can all have eternal life.

From the sufferings of life to our sicknesses, or physical limitations, to the violent reactions of nature, we must realize these are all because of man’s sin. Man has made his conditions as they are, and cannot, and should not blame God. God warned, and he still warns us today, yet Adam failed to heed God’s warning, as many still do today. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:16-17

By eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil man would live by the sweat of his brow, suffer afflictions, and finally die, physically. From the eating of the forbidden fruit, the soul of man was separated from God. Man, then became dead in his trespasses and sin in from which he could never recover himself. Only God could, and can, rescue man.

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Ephesians 2:1

Although man in willful disobedience to God sinned, God is a God of grace, and he offered to save mankind through the promise of a messiah who would come and crush the head of our enemy.

So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. Genesis 3:14-15 NIV

So, we see that from the beginning of time man has made a wreck of his life, and we are still doing it today. Man consumes his alcohol, he takes his drugs, he engages in immorality, he lives in pride and selfishness, and he has no time for God and salvation. Yes, man still thinks he can live without obeying his Creator. What a sad lesson he has to learn. But God still loved man and his creation and provided for his salvation through his only son the Lord Jesus Christ...

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:4-9

Yes, we are our own worst enemy. When we fail to do what God says we bring suffering and trouble into our lives. We forget we are living in God’s world, and he has told us how we are to live, and he did this from the beginning of His creation of man. Going against his law’s spells judgment. Obeying him brings blessing and life forever in heaven, through faith in Jesus Christ.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:8-10

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us, and for providing us with a loving Savior. We love you today and pray for our readers, and for all who need salvation. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen, Preacher