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4. Sin Enters the World
God told Adam and Eve that they could eat of every tree in the Garden of Eden, except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The devil, Satan, came into the garden as a talking serpent and encouraged Adam and Eve to question and disobey God. Satan appealed to the desires of their eyes, flesh, and pride. Adam failed to lead his wife and both of them yielded to Satan’s temptation by rebelling against God’s command. This entry of human sin into the world is often called “The Fall of Man.” The consequence of sin caused Adam and Eve to lose access to eternal life in the Garden of Eden. The consequence of human sin now separates the lost (fallen humanity) under God’s eternal wrath and justice in Hell because they cannot be in the presence of God’s perfect glory in Heaven. Just as Adam and Eve dishonored and disrespected God by ignoring and disobeying His command, we likewise have dishonored and disrespected God by rebelling from His law and following our own desires.
· Read in The Qur’an - 2:34, 8:11-13 7:19,
· Read in The Tanakh and The Bible - Genesis 2:16-17, 3; 1 John 2:16; Romans 3:10-12, 23, 6:23; Hebrews 9:27
Readings from The Qur’an:
· The Qur'an 2:34 “And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves before Adam.". And they prostrated except Iblis (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allah).”
· The Qur'an 8:11-13 “And surely, We created you (your father Adam) and then gave you shape (the noble shape of a human being); then We told the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves to Adam’, and they prostrated themselves, except Iblis (Satan), he refused to be of those who prostrated themselves. 12. (Allah) said: ‘What prevented you (O Iblis) that you did not prostrate yourself, when I commanded you?’ Iblis said: ‘I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay.’ 13. (Allah) said: ‘(O Iblis) get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out, for you are of those humiliated and disgraced.’”
· Why would God ask angels to bow down to humans? Why is this story not within the Tanakh and the Bible?
· The Qur'an 7: 19. “And O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise, and eat thereof as you both wish, but approach not this tree otherwise you both will be of the Zalimun (unjust and wrong-doers).”
· The Qur'an 7: 20 “Then Shaitan (Satan) whispered suggestions to them both in order to uncover that which was hidden from them of their private parts (before); he said: ‘Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save that you should become angels or become of the immortals.’”
· The Qur'an 7:22 “So he misled them with deception.”
· How does the Qur’anic account compare with the account in Genesis 3 from the Tanakh and Bible? What details are different? What details are missing?
· The Qur'an 8:24-27. “(Allah) said: ‘Get down, one of you is an enemy to the other [i.e. Adam, Hawwa' (Eve), and Shaitan (Satan)]. On earth will be a dwelling-place for you and an enjoyment for a time.’ 25. He said: ‘Therein you shall live, and therein you shall die, and from it you shall be brought out (i.e. resurrected).’ 26. O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts) and as an adornment; and the raiment of righteousness, that is better. Such are among the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, that they may remember (i.e. leave falsehood and follow truth). 27. O Children of Adam! Let not Shaitan (Satan) deceive you, as he got your parents [Adam and Hawwa' (Eve)] out of Paradise, stripping them of their raiments, to show them their private parts. Verily, he and Qabiluhu (his soldiers from the jinn or his tribe) see you from where you cannot see them. Verily, We made the Shayatin (devils) Auliya' (protectors and helpers) for those who believe not.”
· Where does the idea of Adam and Eve being stripped of their “raiments” from? Why is it only in the Qur’an and not in the Tanakh or Bible?
· The Qur’an 20:115-121 “And indeed We made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We found on his part no firm will-power.116. And (remember) when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate yourselves to Adam.’ They prostrated themselves (all) except Iblis (Satan) he refused. 117. Then We said: "O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy to you and to your wife. So let him not get you both out of Paradise, so that you will be distressed. 118. Verily, you have (a promise from Us) that you will never be hungry therein nor naked. 119. And you (will) suffer not from thirst therein nor from the sun's heat. 120. Then Shaitan (Satan) whispered to him, saying: ‘O Adam! Shall I lead you to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that will never waste away?’ 121. Then they both ate of the tree, and so their private parts became manifest to them, and they began to cover themselves with the leaves of the Paradise for their covering. Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray.”
· Why does the Qur’an reference the tree as the “Tree of Eternity” while the Tanakh and Bible reference the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” as what Adam and Eve ate of? The Tanakh and the Bible reference the “tree of life” as something different that Adam and Eve are removed from?
Readings from The Tanakh and The Bible:
· Genesis 2:16 -17“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, [17] but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
· Genesis 3 “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.” [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. [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. [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. [9] But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” [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.” [11] He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” [12] 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.” [14] 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.” [20] 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. [22] 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.”
· While the Qur’an addresses Satan’s sin (saying it was because he didn’t obey God and bow down to Adam), where does the Qur’an address the sin of Adam and Eve? Why doesn’t the Qur’an mention the Garden of Eden and their temptation from Satan? Where does the Qur’an share about God’s command for Adam and Eve to not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? Why do you suppose that there are so many significant differences?
· How did Satan (the serpent) tempt Adam and Eve? How does Satan tempt us?
· What were the consequences of sin for Adam and Eve? What are the consequences of sin for us?
· 1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”
· Romans 3:10-12 “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.’”
· Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
· Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
· Hebrews 9:27 “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment”
· What are some ways that you have yielded to Satan’s temptations and broken God’s commands? How does that make you feel to think about your sin?
See also:
· “What does the Bible say about the Fall?” www.trustworthyword.com/fall
· “What does the Bible say about Curses?” www.trustworthyword.com/curses
· “What does the Bible say about Sin?” www.trustworthyword.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-sin
· “What does the Bible say about Human Sin?” www.trustworthyword.com/human-sin
· “What does the Bible say about Hell?” www.trustworthyword.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-hell
· “What does the Bible say about Heaven?” www.trustworthyword.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-heaven