< Genesis 3 >

The serpent along with all the living creatures God was made very good. The Hebrew word for "subtil' is mostly translated "prudent", so this snake was more discerning than other beasts but it could only reason naturally according to the flesh and is symbolic of the carnal mind. Romans 8:7.Waiting for response for Romans 8:7 It was given the ability to speak, like Balaam's ass, to expressed its mind and produce a reaction. 2 Peter 2:16Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:16

The original word for man is translated Adam as well. So the translators would not know whether to translate it as Adam or man. In this instance, "man" should be translated "Adam" as God is saying that Adam would live for another 120 years. God isn't saying that man would live to a maximum of 120 years because after this lots of people including Noah lived far beyond that, Noah living for 950 years. Adam was different as he was created from dust so the explanation makes sense "for he also is flesh" - "My spirit shall not always strive with Adam for he is also flesh." This is a strange situation similar to Lazarus', being raised from the dead, so Peter asked "what would happen to him?" John 21:20-21Waiting for response for John 21:20-21

This is the explanation of mankind’s current condition upon earth, including our suffering and common destiny of the grave. But the record also identifies the means by which God will save men and women from sin and death and restore paradise lost. The serpent, given the faculty of speech to express the mind of the flesh, put Adam and Eve’s faithfulness and obedience to the test. He declared: “Ye shall not surely die” and they believed this lie, as so many millions have done ever since, being convinced that when they die they do not really do so but continue to exist somehow, somewhere.

Appreciation of delicious food, natural beauty and a source of wisdom, is legitimate but the wrong response to it can be fatal, as here. We are warned against this, 1 John 2:16,Waiting for response for 1 John 2:16 and Jesus successfully resisted all the temptation of these desires. Matthew 4.

Adam and Eve's covering their nakedness symbolises the ineffectiveness of man's efforts to cover the shame of sin.

The vital conflict was to be between the serpent, representing sin, and the seed of the woman who is Christ. Jesus was “bruised in the heal”, i.e. a temporary injury - crucified but raised from the dead. The serpent, representing sin, was to be “bruised in the head”, i.e. a fatal injury which was achieved by Jesus through his death while a partaker of our sinful nature. Hebrews 2:14.Waiting for response for Hebrews 2:14 Sin and death was destroyed relative to Christ then and it will be in the future for all the saints when he appears the second time without sin unto salvation. Hebrews 9:28Waiting for response for Hebrews 9:28

The purpose of God is to populate the earth with righteous immortal people, and to this end Adam and Eve were given the opportunity to obey in the hope of immortality. But they failed. They ate the forbidden fruit and then suffered the forewarned consequences.

"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Romans 5:19Waiting for response for Romans 5:19 "Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" 1 Corinthians 15:21-22Waiting for response for 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

Providing a covering of animal skin required shedding of blood and the death of the animal. This pointed to the shedding of Jesus' blood and his death which provides a covering for his brethren's sin, for without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin Hebrews 9:22Waiting for response for Hebrews 9:22 and "Blessed are they whose sin is covered". Psalm 32:1;Waiting for response for Psalm 32:1 Romans 4:6-8Waiting for response for Romans 4:6-8