EVE: THE MOTHER OF ALL LIVING
Intro.
1. Eve is the prototype female, a woman of unique distinction (many "firsts" in her life).
2. She is best remembered for her encounter with Satan (Gen. 3:1-8). We certainly learn a great deal from that event in her life.
3. There are many lessons to be gained from this unique woman.
4. Key passages: Gen. 2 & 3; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:13
I. HER THREE NAMES:
A. Woman: Gen. 2:23.
1. "Woman" is more of a generic description than a name, & is associated with Eve’s relation to Adam, a relation she was created to fulfill – Gen. 2:18.
2. Lit. means "man-ess" (cf. lion-ess).
3. Woman is for man & from man - 1 Cor. 11:8-9 (Gen. 2:18, 21-22).
B. Adam: Gen. 5:2.
1. Inclusive name.
2. Married name (Gen. 2:24): Implies that the divine ideal for husband & wife is not merely that of association but an indissoluble unity – cf. Matt. 19:6; Rom. 7:2.
3. One flesh – cf. Eph. 5:28-29.
4. cf. Feminist attacks upon marriage & its unity: Ms. rather than Mrs.; Hyphenated names (Hillary Rodham-Clinton); "I am woman, hear me roar", not "I am Adam" (independence rather than the order of headship in marriage – 1 Cor. 11:3, 11).
C. Eve: Gen. 3:20.
II. EVE WAS THE FIRST…
On The Earth – Gen. 2:18, 21-22; 1 Tim. 2:13.
2. Woman is not the leader of the human race, but the compliment & completion of it.
3. "The man was dust refined, but the woman was dust double refined." (George Herbert)
4. When something was "not good" God created woman to make it "very good"!
5. Christianity honors woman & has always exalted her circumstances in this world.
B. Wife – Gen. 2:23-24; 1 Pet. 3:1.
1. Submission of the wife to the husband is scorned by humanists, attacked by feminists & even voted out of existence by the Southern Baptists (recent conference decision to remove "subservient" from description of role of wife to husband)!
2. Established by the God of heaven, & godly women respect it! – Eph. 5:22-24.
C. Beauty Queen – Gen. 2:22-23.
1. Without flaw, Eve was created by God as He wanted woman to be – Eve reflected divine perfection.
2. Hers was not artificial beauty: face, features, form – and character – were the loveliest women have ever had.
3. 1 Pet. 3:3-6 – You can surpass the outer beauty of Eve when you emphasize your inner beauty! Oh that woman would spend as much money, time and effort to adorn who she is as is given to how she looks (her outer appearance)!!
D. To Be Assailed By Satan – 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14.
1. Gen. 3:1-7 – Her temptation.
2. 2 Cor. 11:3 – Deceived by Satan, her spiritual sensibilities were dulled & her trust in God was diminished.
3. We face the same temptations Eve faced! (Can overcome in Christ! - 1 Cor. 10:13).
E. Sinner – 1 Tim. 2:14.
1. Spiritual death was incurred – Gen. 2:16; Rom. 6:23.
2. Rom. 5:12 – While Eve was the first to sin, Adam did not warn her or prevent her – instead, he joined in the sin without being deceived about its results. As the head of woman & the progenitor of the human race, Adam is held responsible as the one through whom sin entered the world.
F. Seamstress – Gen. 3:7, 21; 1 Tim. 2:9-10.
1. Their sin exposed their shame, & they tried to cover their nakedness – v. 7.
2. They thought their nakedness was covered (and thus their shame of sin), but it was not! – Gen. 3:21.
3. Even so, many think they are clothed when their private parts are covered – but they are not! They are immodest in God’s sight! – 1 Tim. 2:9-10
4. We must dress modestly so as not to expose the shame of nakedness.
Conclusion
1. Though she sinned, Eve would express her faith in God’s love, mercy & provisions throughout her life – cf. Gen. 4:25.
2. We should learn from the mother of the living to believe & obey God above our desires & the enticements around us.