For our reading from the Word of God, we turn this evening to the book of Genesis, to the second chapter. I want to read from verse 15 through to the 20th verse of chapter 3, which is our text. Genesis chapter 2, verse 15. Let us hear the Word of God. The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die. The Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. And so the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air, and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam, no suitable helper was found. And so the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. And while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, This is now born of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden? The woman said to the serpent, We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, But God did say, you must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die. You will not surely die, the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food, and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate it. Then the eyes of them both were opened and they realized they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, Where are you? He answered, I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid. And he said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? The man said, The woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it. 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. 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. To the woman he said, I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing. With pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you. To Adam he said, Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, you must not eat of it. Cursed is the ground because of you. Through painful toil, you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow, you will eat your food until you will return to the ground, since from it you were taken. For dust you are, and to dust you will return. Adam named his wife Eve because she would become the mother of all the living. So far, the reading of God's word. May he bless it to us, to his glory and our good. It's the last verse of that scripture reading that is our text. Adam called his wife's name Eve because she was, not would be, was the mother of all living. And that statement may seem somewhat unimportant in comparison with all the weighty statements which we read prior to it. But it isn't insignificant. It has not merely important detail, but a great and glorious significance to it. Such a significance that borrowing a couple of words from elsewhere in the Bible, the New Testament, we could say, by faith. Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Now I hope to satisfy you on that point, that the inclusion of those words is not inappropriate. But rather, it elucidates what it was that motivated and directed Adam to name his wife, Eve. Let's think of this naming for a moment or two. Well, to be accurate, it wasn't a naming, was it? it was a renaming he'd already given her a name you remember we read the verses from the end of Genesis chapter 2 before Adam the Lord God paraded all the living creatures inviting him superior to them to give each a name And we may presume that he gave each kind a name that would differentiate it from another. A name that said something, whatever it was, about a feature of one animal over against another. Perhaps a noise it made, because some names of animals in the Old Testament are onomatopoeic. They make a sound as well as express a word. And having named all the living creatures, not one was found that was Adam's equal. Not one of them, even the highest, even the best, even the wisest, let alone the most crafty, not one of them was his equal. Not one could provide him with that help, with that companionship, with that support, with that understanding, with that cooperation, which God, his creator, saw would be good for him. And so the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on him. And out of his very body, with a rib of his, produced a woman and brought her to the man who on waking from that divinely induced slumber saw not only, I think I have to say something, if I say someone, but saw some thing, some one totally different from all the animals that he had seen and saw someone like himself. And so what did he do? He took his own name and gave it to her. And happily, in our English language, that is preserved. Man, woman, she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. The man and his wife share the same name, share the same nature, made in the same image and after the likeness of God, each capable of supporting, cooperating with the other in terms of that original directive that God gave to them To be fruitful and multiply, to replenish the earth and to subdue it. And then evil entered into the world. And it entered into the world through sin. Satanic inspired sin. And it set up not merely an antipathy between man and God, But it set up alienation between the man and his wife. So that when the Lord God begins to investigate and conduct that judicial process, where are you? Who told you? Have you eaten? Adam's reply expresses almost a disowning of his wife. Certainly a distancing of himself from her. The woman you gave to be with me. She gave me of the fruit. And then eventually out it comes. And yet, feeble isn't he? But note what's happening. the name that he gave her because God gave her to him is now the name that he uses in order as it were to give her back to God I don't want her the woman you gave to be with me she gave me of the fruit and I ate but now Adam called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother of all living what's happening? something's happening obviously and it's not merely Adam taking the woman back into fellowship into love and harmony once more it's something beside that something extra so extra so special that he gives her another name and Adam called his wife's name Eve now renaming is something of special significance isn't it in the Bible So, Abram was his name, before God called him into fellowship with him, into his redemptive purpose. Sarai was his wife. But now because of this purpose that God is setting in motion, By which he will be the father of many nations and bring blessing to the world. Abram becomes Avraham. Sarai becomes Sarah, princess. It's a new beginning, new name. Similarly, in the New Testament, Simon becomes Peter, the rock. So right at the outset, when we look at this little statement that seems to be no more than a piece of information, and set it in its context, we begin to see that there's something very, very wonderful and special here. Adam called his wife's name, called the woman's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. So there's the renaming. Well, what about the name? Eve is an English version of the Hebrew word that is associated with the verb to live. And that comes out in the statement, doesn't it? Adam called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother of all living. Now, theoretically, I suppose there were other names that he could have used. He couldn't use Isha, he'd already used it, means woman. Could have used something else. But he calls her Eve. That's surprising, it's significant, for this reason. That he's just been told, dust you are. And to dust you will return. He's just been reminded that he's mortal. And what is said by the Lord to him and to the woman in the verses that precede. All bespeak death of one kind or another. That in accord with the injunction and veto of God, in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die. Literally, dying you will die. It will be death in its totality. Just like blessing I will bless. Blessing in its totality. Dying you will die. And we see the outworking of it. Progressively, step by step. In Genesis chapter 3 and in the chapters that follow. By one man, sin entered into the world, says the Apostle, and death by sin. And so death passed upon all men. In whom? In Adam. All sinned. But here, Adam is surrounded by death. Let me show you the details. Look at verses 16 through 19. We read the words together. what the Lord God says first to Eve to the woman and then to Adam points to change not curse they aren't cursed like the serpent they aren't cursed like the ground but there's change great change many changes permanent changes they're still with us the consequences of this are part of human history they're part of your life they're part of mine they're true of every human being great and permanent change is introduced by the Lord's word and a term begins to appear in the sacred narrative here for the first time it can be translated pain or toil in connection with the woman in verse 16 I will surely multiply your pain and then again in pain with regard to Adam in pain or verse 17 or in trouble trouble and pain for each for both in the world that's going to be their story from now on there'll be no avoiding it for each and for both man is born to trouble says the book of Job as the sparks of a fire fly upward And so in childbearing activity and groundbreaking activity, the woman and the man, pain and toil, sweat of the brow. One might imagine that prior to this, childbearing might have been painless or largely so. And similarly with regard to the work that the man had been given to do, it would have been totally rewarding. No frustration, no lack of success. The ground from which he was taken would have yielded up its resources in accord with his every wish and will. But no more. The life of each is related appropriately to the sin of each. The woman took the lead over the man. Now the man will rule. And you can see the excesses of this in Islamic societies. Think of the difference the gospel makes even in male-female relationships. And don't let people tell you that to believe the Bible and to be Christians means that of necessity male and female relationships become impossible. They're enhanced, don't they? Greatly enhanced. Of course they are. But there it is. Then in addition to that, Adam, who should have led, he caves in. So now the ground that would have caved in to him refuses to do so. And the experience of each is a reminder of the sin of each. And the attempt to eradicate it is an attempt to get back to Eden, to which the way is barred. But there it is, hopes and joys, pleasures and successes, procreation, children, family, achievements, production. All now with great hardship and difficulty. Trouble and strife is the story of man because of sin. and all forms of trouble and strife are reminders of death. Things are not as they were. And all the days of his life trouble will be his experience until the death of breath change and decay in all around I see. And yet, he does this. Is he taking leave of his senses? Is he trying to build a dream? To pretend that things are other than they are? That there he is in a living death. And there's no way out for him. So let's make a myth. And let's talk about life. Not at all. Not at all. You see, that's the kind of thing that non-Christians say about this chapter and about Christian people. That it's make-believe. That we don't have enough resources, moral nerve, or intellectual strength to cope with reality. And so what we do is to believe nonsense like this. look at any and every explanation for the fact of evil in the world. And see if any is as satisfying as this. Granted, not everything is told to us. But there is nothing that indicates so clearly that the presence and the activity of evil in the world is the result of something supernatural. This isn't just a stage of life that we slough off in our upward climb. This is what has come down, presses down upon us in a downward spiral and will take us to hell. And there's nothing that you and I can do to eradicate evil. Think of all the attempts that have been made to do so. The cultivation of the mind, moral guidance, improvement of society, education. The League of Nations, World Harmony, then the United Nations in its wake. What happens there that deals with evil is evil. United Nations, education, scientific, cultural organization, and it all comes face to face with something that it can't deal with. Evil is evil, and it's stronger and greater than all, except the one who permitted it and ordained its entry into the world for higher purposes. greater good than even Adam and Eve would have achieved had they not fallen, namely grace to sinners. It's because the Lord, divine name, you see, the Redeemer, it's because God is the Lord that there's an answer. And that, at bottom, is what Adam laid hold of. Because the renaming and the new name is the result of a new revelation. Something has been said in his hearing that he had never, ever heard before. It's verse 15, isn't it? I will put enmity between you and the woman. Between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head. You will bruise his heel. That was said to Satan. That was said to the one who had wrested Adam and Eve from God. Who had infiltrated that garden paradise. Who had corrupted that temple. Who had achieved on earth, there in Eden, what he had tried to achieve in heaven. To overcome God, to dethrone God, to replace God. To set up a kingdom in which God himself would be a subject. And he failed. Fool that he was to try. Try he did. Succeed he thought he would. Failed he did and was cast out. Did that humble him? Did that lead him to reflect on his overweening pride and blasphemy? Not a bit of it. He's the very epitome and sum of sin. He wouldn't know truth or he wouldn't confess truth. That's why it's all deception. And now he's achieved his purpose. And there is an unholy alliance and friendship. Between Adam and Eve, the procreators of the human race, and Satan, their enemy, God's enemy, our enemy. And that is why the first piece of good news is the word enmity. Because the Lord God says to the serpent, where you have brought about friendship, I am going to sow enmity. I am going to intervene. I'm going to disrupt. I'm going to alienate those you've won over. I'm going to reconcile them to myself. I'm going to restore them to myself. I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head. Ultimately, you will be defeated and conquered and cast out. And all you'll be able to do is to strike at his heel. And Adam heard it. He heard it. There's life in the midst of this death, and it's bound up with my wife. So what does he do? He gives her the name that is associated with that word of truth and the gospel. He calls her life. There's a Hebrew word for death. Could have called her death. No. Called her life. Why? Because to him, this is really important. The NIV says Adam called his wife's name Eve because she would be. Future. And that's true, of course. There were only, what? There were only three of them. There in the garden, the serpent, Adam, Eve, and God, of course. No one else. So, would be isn't wholly inaccurate, but it's not an accurate translation. But it's wholly inadequate as a description of Adam's thinking. There he was, surrounded by death. He's Mr. Dust. He calls his wife Mrs. Life. What's he thinking? Far better to render this accurately and say because she was. She was. She was because that's what God said about her. And where does faith rest? It isn't make-believe, is it? Faith rests on God's word. That's why, by faith, Adam called his wife's name Eve. In the light of God's truth, he saw that there would be a division made between their descendants. Not all of them would be the seed of the serpent. There would be some born in sin, shapen in iniquity like the serpent. There would be some born in sin and shapen in iniquity, but they would be delivered. They would become like Eve, like Adam, with faith in the promised Redeemer. And seeing that, dimly, very dimly, no doubt, and seeing that a time would come when one particular descendant from Eve, by natural procreation, no, one particular descendant from Eve because he was the incarnate Son of God, Though born of the Virgin, Mary would crush the head of the serpent and destroy him and all his nefarious, damnable works forever and ever. And he latched on to it. Faith. Renamed. New name. Because of this new revelation. Now, on whom? On whom are you trusting before God in the midst of a living death? In the midst of a sinful fallen world? In the midst of change and decay? We are all part and parcel of that. On whom are we trusting for life? Not Eve, surely. Nor Mary. Roman Catholics go to this passage and see that Eve is really a picture of Mary. And so, Mary is the one that they trusted. When the church has confessed anything about the Virgin Mary, it has been to accord her the honor that is necessary in order to authenticate the deity of her son. Not saying anything about potential divinization of her herself. not Mary, sinner like you and me, part and parcel of the fall. What about the seed? Is there any descendant in the Old Testament on whom we would trust? We read the Old Testament. There are men and women there. We feel one with them. We seem to understand them. They say what we think. We talk the same language. They're brothers and sisters. We with them, they with us. Moses and David and Isaiah and all the prophets and so on. But we don't trust in any one of them. What about the New Testament? Writers of the Gospels. The Apostles. Paul and Peter and John. James and Jude and so on. And again, family. the communion of the saints we want but we don't trust in any one of them not any human procreation and birth in the Old Testament or the New Testament go into the history of the church and doubtless there are names that spring to mind on whom do you trust is there any one on whom you are trusting for your life before God as the answer to sin and guilt and death and hell. If there is, you're not a Christian. You can rattle off names, so can I. And every man jack of them would say, Don't! What about all the seed? That innumerable company, every kindred, tribe, and tongue, and nation, the whole church. We say, don't we, I believe, heir, holy, catholic, and apostolic. Not in. We don't trust the church for our acceptance with God. Jesus only. No one else. There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. One God, one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, no one else. No one's needed. He is more than enough. And if, like Adam, you trust in God's word about him, then you don't belong to the seed of the serpent. You will not be a partaker of that condemnation that awaits him. Inevitably. He knows it. There's nothing he can do about it. And he wants to take as many to hell with him as he can. Don't go. Don't go. Go with Jesus to heaven. To that tree of life. In the new heavens and the new earth. That surpasses even Eden. Before the fall. And by God's grace. We will see each other there. Many more. who have gone before us in the faith of Christ. And if time continues, those who have yet to be gathered to him through that gospel word for this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. May God bless his word. Amen.