LESSON: THE TEMPTATION AND FALL OF MAN

 

Outline:

Genesis 3:1-9 – The Sin: Adam’s Temptation and Fall

Genesis 3:10-24 –The Results: Sin’s Confrontation and Curse

This lesson will allow us to understand what happened in the garden when Adam failed.to obey God’s command.

Temptation in the Bible refers to an external test of an individual, created by God or by Satan. Examples of temptations are found throughout both the Old and New Testaments. It is not a sin to be tempted, but it is to give into it. The "Original Sin" is Adam and Eve giving in to the temptations of the serpent.

Temptation, by its very nature, feels wrong. God’s moral law is written in the heart of every human being (Romans 1:20), and when a sinful temptation is introduced, our consciences immediately sense danger. However, the temptation itself is not the sin. Jesus was tempted (Mark 1:13; Luke 4:1-13), but He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). Sin occurs when we mishandle temptation. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are two avenues by which we are tempted: Satan and our own sinful flesh. Acts 5 gives an example of someone tempted by Satan. Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, wanting to appear more spiritual than they really were, lied to the apostles and pretended they were giving as an offering the full price of some property they had sold. Peter confronted them: “How is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?” (verse 3). In this instance, Peter knew that the temptation to lie had come from Satan. Ananias and his wife both gave in to that temptation (verses 7-10). The betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot is also attributed to Satan’s influence (Luke 22:3; John 13:2).  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ultimately, since Satan is the "god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4) and the father of lies (John 8:44), all evil originates with him. However, our own selfish nature is an ally of Satan’s. We need no prompting from Satan to entertain sinful ideas. James 1:13-14 says, "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed." _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Even though we may desire to do good, we are all tempted. No one is above it, even someone like the apostle Paul. He shared his own struggle of flesh against spirit when he wrote in Romans 7:22-23, "For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me." ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Temptation is not of itself sinful. It becomes sin when we allow the temptation to become action, even in our minds. Lust, for example, is sin even though it may never be acted upon (Matthew 5:28). Covetousness, pride, greed, and envy are all sins of the heart; even though they may not be apparent to anyone else, they are still sin (Romans 1:29; Mark 7:21-22). When we give in to the temptation to entertain such thoughts, they take root in our hearts and defile us (Matthew 15:18–19). When we yield to temptation, we replace the fruit of the Spirit with the fruit of the flesh (Ephesians 5:9; Galatians 5:19-23). And, many times, what was first entertained as a thought becomes action (see James 1:15). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The best defense against giving in to temptation is to flee at the first suggestion. Joseph is a great example of someone who did not allow temptation to become sin (Genesis 39:6–12). Although tempted to sin sexually, he did not give the temptation time to take root. He used the legs God gave him and physically fled. Rather than stay in a potentially dangerous situation and try to talk, reason, justify, explain, or otherwise weaken his resolve, Joseph took off. The temptation was not sin for him because he dealt with it in a God-honoring way. It could easily have become sin if Joseph had stayed around and tried to overcome the temptation in his own strength. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Romans 13:13-14 (ESV) gives us a guideline for avoiding situations that can lead to temptation. "Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." If we determine to "make no provision for the flesh," we will keep ourselves out of situations that may prove too tempting. When we put ourselves in situations where we know we will be tempted, we are asking for trouble. God promises to provide a "way of escape" when we are tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13), but often that way is to avoid the situation altogether. “Flee the evil desires of youth” (2 Timothy 2:22). Jesus taught us to pray, "Lead us not into temptation" (Luke 11:4), but we have a responsibility to pay attention to the direction God is leading us and avoid temptation whenever we can. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A. The temptation from the serpent.

1. (1) The serpent begins his temptation.

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

 The serpent: The text here does not, by itself alone, clearly identify the serpent as Satan, but the rest of the Bible makes it clear this is Satan appearing as a serpent.

i. In Ezekiel 28:13-19 tells us that Satan was in Eden. Many other passages associate a serpent or a snake-like creature with Satan (such as Job 26:13 and Isaiah 51:9). Revelation 12:9 and 20:2 speak of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. The representation of Satan as a serpent makes the idea of Moses saving Israel by lifting up a bronze serpent all the more provocative (Numbers 21:8-9), especially when Jesus identifies Himself with that very serpent (John 3:14). This is because, in this picture, the serpent (a personification of sin and rebellion) is made of bronze (a metal associated with judgment, since it is made with fire). The lifting of a bronze serpent is the lifting up of sin judged, in the form of a cross.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. Ezekiel 28 tells us Satan, before his fall, was an angel of the highest rank and prominence, even something of a leader of worship in heaven. Isaiah 14 tells us Satan’s fall had to do with his desire to be equal to or greater than God, to set his will against God’s will.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iv. We may not understand everything involved in the way Satan used the body of a serpent, but we can know it was true and this is no mere fable. “It is idle to call the narrative of the Fall a mere allegory; one had better say at once that he does not believe the Book… There was a real serpent, as there was a real paradise; there was a real Adam and Eve, who stood at the head of our race, and they really sinned, and our race is really fallen. Believe this” (Spurgeon).

b. The serpent was more cunning than any beast: Satan’s effectiveness is often found in His cunning, crafty ways. We can’t outsmart Satan, but we can overcome him with the power of Jesus. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. It was the craftiness of Satan that made him successful against Eve: as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness (2 Corinthians 11:3).  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. “Man has, perhaps, far more cunning than any mere creature… but Satan has more of cunning within him than any other creature that the Lord God hath made, man included.” (Spurgeon)  ___________________________________________________________________

c. And he said to the woman: Apparently, before the curse pronounced in Genesis 3:14-15, the serpent was different than what we know today as a serpent. This creature didn’t start as a snake as we know it, it became one.  What do you notice here?  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. “In all probability the reptile called the serpent was a nobler creature before the Fall than now. The words of our text, so far as they literally concern the serpent, threaten that a change would be wrought in him. It has been a sort of speculative opinion that the creature either had wings, or was able to move without creeping upon the earth as it now does.” (Spurgeon)

ii. Demonic spirits evidently have the ability, under certain circumstances, to indwell human or animal bodies (Luke 8:33). On this occasion, Satan chose to indwell the body of a pre-curse serpent. “An immaterial spirit must be invisible; and therefore he must embody himself in some way or other before he can be seen. That Satan has power to enter into living bodies is clear, for he did so upon a very large scale with regard to men in the days of Christ… Being compelled to have an embodiment, the master evil spirit perceived the serpent to be at that time among the most subtle of all creatures; and therefore he entered into the serpent as feeling that he would be most at home in that animal” (Spurgeon). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. Poole says the woman wasn’t surprised at the serpent’s speaking because Adam and Eve had free conversation with angelic beings that often appeared in the form of men. If this is true, it wasn’t so strange to Eve that an angelic being might appear to her in the form of a beautiful pre-curse serpent.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iv. Perhaps Satan made the voice supernaturally seem to come forth from the serpent, or perhaps Satan communicated this to Eve in her thoughts. What Satan said is more important than how he said it.

d. To the woman: Satan brought his temptation against the woman because he perceived she was more vulnerable to attack. This is because she did not receive the command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil directly from God but through Adam (Genesis 2:15-17). _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Perhaps Satan knew by observation Adam didn’t do an effective job of communicating to Eve what the LORD told him. This failure on Adam’s part made Eve more vulnerable to temptation.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. Satan will often attack a chain at its weakest link, so he gets at Adam by tempting Eve. The stronger ones in a “chain” must expect an attack against weaker links and support them against those attacks. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. It was also in God’s plan to allow Satan to tempt Eve this way. If Adam would have sinned first, and if he had then given the fruit to Eve, she might have a partial excuse before God: “I was simply obeying the head of our home. When he gave me the fruit, I ate of it.” _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

e. Has God indeed said: Attack Plan: Satan’s first attack was leveled against the Word of God. If he could make Eve confused about what God said, or to doubt what God said, then his battle was partially won. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. From the beginning, Satan has tried to undermine God’s people by undermining God’s Word. He can undermine just as effectively by getting us to neglect God’s Word as by getting us to doubt it.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

f. Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden”? Satan took God’s positive command in Genesis 2:16-17 (Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat) and rephrased it in a purely negative way: “God won’t let you eat of every tree.” _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. (2-3) Eve’s reply to the serpent. (When snakes start talking, watch out!)

² And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

³ But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 

And the woman said to the serpent: Eve’s first mistake was in even carrying on a discussion with the serpent. We are called to talk to the devil, but never to have a discussion with him. We simply and strongly tell him, “The Lord rebuke you!” (Jude 9).  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: Eve’s knowledge of what she should not do is partially correct, but what she doesn’t seem to know makes her all the more vulnerable to deception. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Eve does not seem to know the name of this tree; she only calls it the tree in the midst of the garden, instead of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. Eve misquoted God’s command to Adam. Her words, you shall not eat it and lest you die are close enough, but she added to the command and put words in God’s mouth when she said, nor shall you touch it. Of course, it was a good idea to completely avoid the temptation; no good could come from massaging the fruit you’re not supposed to eat. But it is a dangerous thing to teach the doctrines of man as if they are the commandments of God (Matthew 15:9).  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. Clarke on nor shall you touch it: “Some Jewish writers… state that as soon as the woman had asserted this, the serpent pushed her against the tree and said, ‘See, you have touched it, and are still alive; you may therefore safely eat of the fruit, for surely you shall not die.’” _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c. God has said: Eve’s ignorance of exactly what God said was really Adam’s responsibility. He did a poor job of relating to his wife the word God gave him. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. We can almost picture Adam telling Eve, “See that tree in the middle of the garden? Don’t touch it or God says we’ll die!” While this is better than saying nothing, what Adam didn’t explain made a vulnerable place where Satan could attack.

d. Lest you die: This may seem like a small thing to hinge the destiny of the human race and all creation on. But the tree was nothing more than a restraint on Adam and Eve. It reminded them they were not God, that God had a legitimate claim to their obedience, and that they were responsible to Him. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. (4-5) Here we have Satan’s direct challenge to God’s Word.

⁴ And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

⁵ For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

a. You will not surely die: Satan effectively laid the groundwork.  Satan is a planner!  He drew Eve into a discussion with him and planted the seed of doubt about God’s Word, and he exposed Eve’s incomplete understanding of God’s Word. He reeled her in like a Master Bass Fisherman. Now he moves in for the kill, with an outright contradiction of what God said. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Note: Satan can only effectively work when he has established a foothold. No one falls like Adam and Eve will fall, “all of a sudden.” A foundation has been laid.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. This is why we are called to never give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27). This shows how remarkable it is that Jesus could say, “Satan has nothing in Me” (John 14:30).  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. You will not surely die: Satan first wanted Eve to forget all about what God said about the consequences of sin. When we know and remember the consequences of sin, we are more likely to give up the passing pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:25).  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. In Satan’s direct challenge, he tries to get Eve to doubt the goodness of God. If God lies to her, how can He be good?  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. In Satan’s direct challenge, he tries to get Eve to doubt the badness of sin. If this fruit is something good for her, why doesn’t God want her to have it? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. Satan wants us to see sin as something good that a bad God doesn’t want us to have. His main lie to us is “sin is not bad, and God is not good.”  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iv. “Satan and the flesh will present a thousand reasons to show how good it would be to disobey His command.” (Barnhouse) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c. In the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened: Satan’s temptation was all the more powerful because there was truth in it. It was true your eyes will be opened, and this was fulfilled (Genesis 3:7). But their eyes were instantly opened to their own sin and rebellion.  ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. It is as if a deaf person was promised to be able to hear again, but all they could hear was screaming.  ___________________________________________________________________

ii. The result: Their eyes were opened, they did know good and evil, but not as gods. A complete lie is rarely effective in temptation. If Satan doesn’t couple it with some truth, there is little power in his temptation. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

d. You will be like God, knowing good and evil: The final enticement was the most powerful because it was how Satan himself fell, wanting to be equal with God. Eve tried to become a god by rebelling against God. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Jewish rabbis embellished on Satan’s temptation to Eve: “Nothing but malice has prompted God’s command, because as soon as you eat of it, you will be as God. As He creates and destroys worlds, so will you have the power to create and destroy. As He does kill and revive, so will you have the power to kill and revive. God Himself ate first of the fruit of the tree, and then He created the world. Therefore, He forbids you to eat of it, lest you create other worlds… Hurry now and eat the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, and become independent of God, lest He bring forth still other creatures that will rule over you” (Ginzberg). 

THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPE WHO WANT TO BE GOD!

SO MANY PEOPLE WANT HIS KIND OF POWER!

WHY?

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ii. The goal of becoming God is the center of so many non-Christian religions, including Mormonism. But in our desire to be gods, we become like Satan. It was Satan who said, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God… I will be like the Most High (Isaiah 14:13-14). In contrast, we should be like Jesus, who came as a servant (Matthew 20:28). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. The New Age movement and the desire to be “god” are just as strong as ever. According to a 1992 survey, as many as 12 million Americans can be considered active participants in the New Age movement, and another 30 million are avidly interested. If all these people were brought together in a church-like organization, it would be the third largest religious denomination in America. More than 90% of the subscribers to New Age Magazine are college graduates, compared to half the general population.

iv. In 1995, New Age influence made it all the way to the White House. New Age author Marianne Williamson (author of A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles), guru to many of Hollywood’s spiritual seekers, spent a night at the White House as the personal guest of Hillary Clinton. Anthony Robbins, motivational guru and king of late-night infomercials, consulted with President Clinton at Camp David. Robbins is also recognized as a leader in the New Age movement.

B. The sin of Adam and Eve and the fall of the human race.

1. (6) Adam and Eve both disobey God in their own way.

⁶ And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

So when the woman saw: Eve surrendered to this temptation in exactly the way John describes in 1 John 2:16. First, she gave in to the lust of the flesh (saw that it was good for food), then she gave in to the lust of the eyes (pleasant to the eyes), then she gave in to the pride of life (desirable to make one wise). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Jesus was tempted in the same three-fold way: an appeal to the physical appetites, an appeal to covetous and emotional desires, and an appeal to pride (Matthew 4:1-11). _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. The woman saw that the tree was good for food: Eve’s perceptions were partially true and partially false. The tree was not really good for food, though Eve was deceived into thinking it was so. The fruit probably was pleasant to the eyes, though that shouldn’t mean much. And it was only true in Eve’s mind that the tree was desirable to make one wise.

i. We can see the precise truth of Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 2:14, that Eve was deceived when she sinned. In her mind, she thought she was doing something good for herself. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c. She took of its fruit and ate: Satan could tempt Eve, but she didn’t have to take it. The taking was all her doing. Satan couldn’t cram the fruit down her throat. Eve was responsible. She couldn’t rightly say, “the devil made me do it.”  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. As with every temptation, God had made for Eve a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). She could have simply run from Satan and the tree, but Eve didn’t take God’s way of escape. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

d. She also gave to her husband with her: Not only did Eve sin, but also she became the agent of temptation for Adam. But when Adam ate, he was not deceived as Eve was. Adam sinned with his eyes wide open, in open rebellion against God. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Therefore, it is Adam and not Eve who bears the responsibility for the fall of the human race and for the introduction of death into the created order (Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:22). Eve was tricked into sinning; Adam knew exactly what he was doing (1 Timothy 2:14). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. Many have speculated that Adam sinned because he didn’t want Eve to be alone in the fall, and he ate of the fruit out of a romantic impulse. This may well be true, but it makes Adam’s sin not one bit less rebellious. Rebellion against God is not “better” when motivated by a romantic impulse.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. “Take and eat” will one day become verbs of salvation, but only after Jesus had lived in the world of Adam’s curse and surrendered to death.

2. (7) The nakedness of Adam and Eve.

⁷ And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Shameful results: Then the eyes of both of them were opened: Seemingly, it was only after the sin of Adam that they knew of their sinful state. They knew they were naked, in the sense of having their shame exposed to all creation.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. They knew that they were naked: Both Psalm 104:2 and Matthew 17:2 suggest that light can be a garment for the righteous. It may be that Adam and Eve were previously clothed in God’s glorious light, and the immediate loss of this covering of light left them feeling exposed and naked. 

Question: Why didn’t they know at first?  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. “It is more than probable that they were clothed in light before the fall, and when they sinned the light went out.” (Barnhouse)

c. The eyes of both of them were opened: The way they saw themselves changed, but also the way they saw the entire world was now different. After the fall, everything looked worse. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. When Adam and Eve saw their nakedness and felt terrible about it, it didn’t feel good but it was good. It is good to feel guilty when you have done something wrong, and having no sense of guilt or shame is worse. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

d. They sewed fig leaves together: Their own attempt to cover themselves took much ingenuity, but not much wisdom. Fig leaves have something of a prickly quality, which would make for some pretty itchy coverings.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Every attempt to cover our own nakedness before God is just as foolish. We need to let Jesus cover us (Revelation 3:5, 18), and put on Jesus Himself as our covering garment (Galatians 3:27). God has a covering for His people (Isaiah 61:10), and the exhortation from Jesus is for us: Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame (Revelation 16:15). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. Obviously, they covered their genital areas. In virtually all cultures, adults cover their genital areas, even though other parts of the human body may be more or less exposed from culture to culture. 

iii. This is not because there is something intrinsically unclean in our sexuality, but because we have both received our fallenness and pass it on genetically through sexual reproduction. Because of this, God has implanted it in the minds of men that more modesty is appropriate for these areas of our body.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

e. Made themselves coverings: After making their coverings, Adam and Eve waited. It would not be until the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8) when God would normally come to them. With anxiety and perhaps a bit of agony they waited until God patiently came to them.

i. “Their hearts must have been sorely perplexed within them while they were waiting to see what God would do to them as a punishment for the great sin they had committed.” (Spurgeon)  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. (8-9) Adam and Eve hide from God; God calls out to them.

⁸ 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.

⁹ And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

a. They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: Adam and Eve knew that when they heard the LORD coming, He would want to be with them. This was how the LORD had fellowship with Adam and Eve, in a very natural, close, intimate way. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Leupold on walking in the garden in the cool of the day: “The almost casual way in which this is remarked indicates that this did not occur for the first time just then… There is extreme likelihood that the Almighty assumed some form analogous to the human form which was made in His image.” _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. We can assume this is God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, appearing to Adam and Eve before His incarnation and birth at Bethlehem, because of God the Father it is said, “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18); and no man has ever seen God in the Person of the Father (1 Timothy 6:16).  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. Cool of the day is literally “the breeze of the day.” From Hebrew geography and culture, we might guess this means late afternoon or early evening. Charles Spurgeon thought the sense was, “in the wind of the evening,” when the evening breeze was blowing through the garden.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iv. “Not in the dead of night when the natural glooms of darkness might have increased the terrors of the criminal, not in the heat of the day, lest he should imagine that God come in the heat of passion; not in the early morning, as if in haste to slay, but at the close of the day, for God is long-suffering, slow to anger, and of great mercy.” (Spurgeon)

b. Adam and his wife hid themselves: This shows that Adam and Eve knew that their attempt to cover themselves failed. They didn’t proudly show off their fig-leaf outfits; they knew their own covering was completely inadequate, and they were embarrassed before God.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c. Where are you? This was not the interrogation of an angry commanding officer, but the heartfelt cry of an anguished father. God obviously knew where they were but He also knew a gulf had been made between Him and man, a gulf that He Himself would have to bridge.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· The question was meant to arouse Adam’s sense of being lost.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· The question was meant to lead Adam to confess his sin.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· The question was meant to express God’s sorrow over man’s lost condition. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· The question was meant to show that God seeks after lost man.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· The question was meant to express the accountability man had before God. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. God’s question demanded an answer. They couldn’t refuse to answer God the way a criminal might keep silent when questioned. “In our courts of law, we do not require men to answer questions which would incriminate them, but God does; and, at the last great day, the ungodly will be condemned on their own confession of guilt” (Spurgeon).  _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. The way God came to Adam and Eve is a model of how He comes to lost and fallen humanity ever since.

· God came to them patiently, waiting for the cool of the day – the evening time.

· God came to them with care, coming before the darkness of night.

· God came to them personally, addressing Adam and Eve directly.

· God came to them with truth, showing them their lost condition.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

C. God confronts Adam and Eve with their sin.

1. (10-12) Adam tries to explain his sin.

¹⁰ And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

¹¹ And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

¹² And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

a. I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid: Sin made Adam afraid of God’s presence and afraid of God’s voice. Ever since Adam, men run from God’s presence and don’t want to listen to His Word.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. We are still made in God’s image, so we want to be in the presence of God and hear His voice, while at the same time, we are afraid of Him.

b. Who told you that you were naked? God knew the answer to this question. He asked it because He allowed Adam to make the best of a bad situation by repenting right then and there, but Adam didn’t come clean and repent before God.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. We all sin, but when we sin, we can still give glory to God by openly confessing without shifting the blame onto others (Joshua 7:19-20).  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. There is often nothing you can do about yesterday’s sin (though in some cases you may be able to make restitution). Yet you can do what is right before God right now by confessing and repenting.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c. Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat? God confronted Adam’s problem squarely. This wasn’t primarily a wardrobe problem or a fear problem or a self-esteem problem. This was a sin problem and Adam’s wardrobe, fear or self-understanding could not be addressed until the sin problem was addressed. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

d. Then the man said: Notice that to this point, God has not addressed Eve at all. Adam, being the head, is the problem here.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

e. The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate: Adam’s attempt to blame Eve is completely consistent with human nature. Few of us are willing to simply say as David did, I have sinned against the LORD (2 Samuel 12:13). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Significantly, if there is any blame, it is on Adam, not Eve. Not only does Adam unjustly accuse Eve, but also he refused to accept proper responsibility for his part in her sin.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. By saying the woman whom You gave to be with me, Adam essentially blamed God for the sin saying, “You gave me the woman, and she is the problem.” Adam wasn’t content to blame Eve; he had to blame God also. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. “He was guilty of unkindness to his wife and of blasphemy against his maker, in seeking to escape from confessing the sin which he had committed. It is an ill sign with men when they cannot be brought frankly to acknowledge their wrong-doing.” (Spurgeon)  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. (13) Eve’s reply to God.

¹³ And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

The serpent deceived me, and I ate: When confronted by God, Eve didn’t necessarily shift the blame when she admitted the serpent deceived her and then she ate. This much was true: she had been deceived, and she did eat.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. Deceived me: The problem comes when we fail to see that being deceived is sin in itself. It is sin to exchange the truth of God for the lie (Romans 1:25).  _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

D. The curse and its aftermath.

1. (14-15) God’s curse upon the serpent.

¹⁴ And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

¹⁵ And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

a. And the LORD God said to the serpent: When God spoke to Adam and to Eve, He questioned each of them. God didn’t ask Satan (the being animating the serpent) any questions because there was nothing to teach him.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________

i. “The Lord God did not ask the serpent anything, for he knew that he was a liar, but he at once pronounced sentence upon him.” (Spurgeon)

b. You are cursed more than all cattle:

The first part of the curse is directed at the animal that Satan used to bring the temptation. God commanded the serpent to slither on the ground instead of walking on legs like any other animal. 

MY thought: Satan was “Grounded”.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. “The creature that tempted Eve became a serpent as a result of God’s judgment on it, and it went slithering away into the bushes.” (Boice)

ii. Adam and Eve must have been terrified as this once-beautiful creature called a serpent was transformed into the creeping, slithering, hissing snake we know today. They must have thought, “It’s our turn next!” ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. I will put enmity between you and the woman: In addition, there is a natural aversion between mankind and serpents, especially on the part of women.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c. On your belly you shall go: Whatever noble bearing the creation known as the serpent had before the fall and the curse, that nobility was gone. Now the creature Satan used to tempt Eve would be a low, groveling creature. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. “Beings engaged in evil designs have no other way of going, but with tricks, devices, concealments, double meanings. When men deny the Scriptures and the truth of God, they always go to work in an underhand, mean, and serpentine style: ‘Upon thy belly shalt thou go.’

If guilty man begins to plot for his own advantage, scheme for his own glory, and aim at perverting the truth, you will notice that he never takes a bold, open, manly stand, but he dodges, he conceals, he twists and shifts: ‘Upon thy belly shalt thou go.’ Sin is a mean and despicable thing. The greatest potentate of evil was here doomed to cringe and crawl, and his seed have never forgotten their father’s posture.” (Spurgeon)

d. You shall eat dust all the days of your life: This was true of the serpent as an animal, but it is also true of Satan. To eat dust has the idea of total defeat (Isaiah 65:25, Micah 7:17). God’s judgment on Satan is for him to always know defeat. He will always reach for victory but always fall short of it.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Satan was, in his own thinking, majestic and triumphant over Jesus on the cross, but he failed. In attacking Jesus, Satan made his own doom certain.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. In Jesus, we share in the victory over Satan: And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly (Romans 16:20).  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

e. Enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed:

The second part of the curse is directed against Satan himself. God placed a natural animosity between Satan and mankind. Enmity has the idea of ill will, hatred, and a mutual antagonism. Satan’s hatred of Eve was nothing new; it was already present – but now man will, generally speaking, have antagonism towards Satan. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. The friendship Eve and the serpent seemed to enjoy earlier in the chapter is finished. There is now a natural fear of Satan in the heart of man.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. If we are born naturally rebellious against God, we are also born cautious and afraid of Satan. One must be hardened to willingly and knowingly serve Satan. Instinctively, we don’t serve God or Satan; we serve ourselves (which is fine with Satan).  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

f. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel: In this, God prophesies the doom of Satan, showing that the real battle is between Satan and the Seed of the Woman. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. There is no doubt this is a prophecy of Jesus’ ultimate defeat of Satan. God announced that Satan would wound the Messiah (you shall bruise His heel), but the Messiah would crush Satan with a mortal wound (He shall bruise your head). It was as if God could not wait to announce His plan of salvation, to bring deliverance through the one known as the Seed of the woman.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. The heel is the part within the serpent’s reach. Jesus, in taking on humanity, brought Himself near to Satan’s domain so Satan could strike Him. “That bruised heel is painful enough. Behold our Lord in his human nature sore bruised: he was betrayed, bound, accused, buffeted, scourged, spit upon. He was nailed to the cross; he hung there in thirst and fever, and darkness and desertion” (Spurgeon).  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. This prophecy also gives the first hint of the virgin birth, declaring the Messiah – the Deliverer – would be the Seed of the Woman, but not of the man. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iv. Genesis 3:15 has been called the proto-evangelium, the first gospel. Martin Luther said of this verse: “This text embraces and comprehends within itself everything noble and glorious that is to be found anywhere in the Scriptures” (Leupold). _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

v. “This is the first gospel sermon that was ever delivered upon the surface of this earth. It was a memorable discourse indeed, with Jehovah himself for the preacher, and the whole human race and the prince of darkness for the audience.” (Spurgeon)  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

g. He shall bruise your head: For God to see the defeat of Satan at Satan’s first flush of victory shows God knew what He was doing all along. God’s plan wasn’t defeated when Adam and Eve sinned because God’s plan was to bring forth something greater than man in the innocence of Eden. God wanted more than innocent man; His plan is to bring forth redeemed man.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Redeemed man – this being who is greater than innocent man – is only possible because man had something to be redeemed from. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. (16) God’s curse upon the woman.

To the woman He said:

¹⁶ Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

I will greatly multiply your sorrow: God first cursed the woman with multiplied sorrow. Men and women have each known sorrow throughout history, yet the unique sorrow of women is well known. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. Under Jesus, some of the effects of the curse are relieved, and it has been the Christianizing of society that brought rights and dignity to women.

ii. “It is difficult for women in Christian lands to realize the miseries of their hundreds of millions of sisters in pagan lands, where the lot of women is little above that of cattle. Where the gospel has gone, the load has been lifted, and woman in Christ has become the reflection of the redeemed Church, the bride of Christ.” (Barnhouse)

b. Your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children: The first curse upon women is a broad one. It has the idea that women would experience pain in regard to their children in general, not just in the act of giving birth. God ordained that the pain with which women bring children into this world be an example of the pain they experience more generally in life.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. It has been observed that women bring forth children with more pain than just about any other creature.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c. Your desire shall be for your husband: This is true of women in a way that it is not true for men. Barnhouse explained: “This verse will be understood better when it is realized that the desire of man toward his wife alone is solely by God’s grace and not by nature.” _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

d. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you: The idea is to contrast the woman’s desire and the husband’s rule over her. This speaks of an inherent challenge in embracing the husband’s role as leader of the home and family. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. This same word for desire is used in Genesis 4:7 of the desire of sin to master over Cain. Because of the curse, Eve would have to fight a desire to master her husband, a desire that works against God’s ordained order for the home. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. The principle of Adam’s headship as a husband was established before the fall (see Genesis 2:18 and 2:22). Now the curse on Eve makes it much harder for her to submit and flow with God’s institution of male headship in the home. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. “As a result of the fall, man no longer rules easily; he must fight from his headship. Sin has corrupted both the willing submission of the wife and the loving headship of the husband. The woman’s desire is to control her husband (to usurp his divinely appointed headship), and he must master her, if he can. So the rule of love founded in paradise is replaced by struggle, tyranny and domination.” (Susan T. Foh, cited in Boice) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. (17-19) God’s curse upon the man.

Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:

¹⁷ And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

¹⁸ Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

¹⁹ In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

a. Because you have heeded the voice of your wife: It wasn’t just as if Adam took Eve’s advice. He chose to be with Eve instead of obeying God. There is a sense in which idolatry of Eve was an aspect of Adam’s disobedience against God.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. Cursed is the ground: Because of Adam, there is a curse upon all creation. Before the curse on man, the ground only produced good. After the curse, it still produced good, but thorns and thistles will come faster and easier than good fruit.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. The curse promised thorns and thistles, and we remember that Jesus was crowned with thorns (Matthew 27:29). In this vivid way, Jesus bore the curse for us. “This curse of the earth was on his head, and wounded him full sore. Was he crowned with thorns, and do you wonder that they grow up around your feet? Rather bless him that ever he should have consecrated the thorns by wearing them for his diadem” (Spurgeon).  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c. In toil you shall eat of it: Adam worked before the curse, but it was all joy. Now work has a cursed element to it, with pain and weariness a part of work. Is there not a time of hard service for man on earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hired man? Like a servant who earnestly desires the shade, and like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages (Job 7:1-2).  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. “Although the sentence took away from Adam the luscious fruits of paradise, yet it secured him a livelihood. He was to live; the ground was to bring forth enough of the herb of the field for him to continue to exist. Albeit that henceforth all he ate was to be with the sweat of his face, yet still he was to have enough to eat, and he was to live on.” (Spurgeon) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

d. Dust you are, and to dust you shall return: The final curse upon man promised there would be an end of his toil and labor on the earth – but it was an end of death, not an end of deliverance.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. The curse of death shows that the result of Adam’s sin extended to the entire human race. Because of Adam:

· Sin entered the world (Romans 5:12).  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· Death came to all mankind (Romans 5:15, 1 Corinthians 15:22). _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· Death reigned over man and creation (Romans 5:17) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· All men were condemned (Romans 5:18).  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· All men were made sinners (Romans 5:19).  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. The principle of Galatians 3:13 is established as we consider that Jesus bore each aspect of the curse upon Adam and Eve in its totality: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· Sin brought pain to childbirth, and no one knew more pain than Jesus did when He, through His suffering, brought many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10).  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· Sin brought conflict, and Jesus endured great conflict to bring our salvation (Hebrews 12:3).  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· Thorns came with sin and the fall, and Jesus endured a crown of thorns to bring our salvation (John 19:2). _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· Sin brought sweat, and Jesus sweated , as it were, great drops of blood to win our salvation (Luke 22:44). _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· Sin brought sorrow, and Jesus became a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, to save us (Isaiah 53:3). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

· Sin brought death, and Jesus tasted death for everyone that we might be saved (Hebrews 2:9). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. (20) The naming of Eve.

²⁰ And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

Adam called his wife’s name Eve: Up to Genesis 3:20, the woman has never been called Eve. We are so used to saying “Adam and Eve” that we assume she already had her name. But to this point, she was called a female (Genesis 1:27), a helper comparable (Genesis 2:18), a woman (Genesis 2:22, 23), and a wife (Genesis 2:24, 25; 3:8). This does not mean God did not have a name for Eve, but we are told what the name is in Genesis 5:2: He called them Mankind. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. The idea that the woman takes her name from the husband, and the idea that both genders are encompassed in terms like mankind, humanity, and chairman. Our use of these terms is not merely cultural, it is Biblical.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. A woman gains more of her identity from her husband than the man does from the wife. For this reason, women should take special care in which man they marry. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. Because she was the mother of all living: Adam named her Eve, even though she was not a mother at all at the time. She was not even pregnant yet. Adam named her in faith, trusting God would bring forth a deliverer from the woman because God said He would defeat Satan through the Seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. “She was not a mother at all, but as the life was to come through her by virtue of the promised seed, Adam marks his full conviction of the truth of the promise though at the time the woman had borne no children.” (Spurgeon)  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. (21) God clothes Adam and Eve in the skins of animals.

²¹ Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

The LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them: God wanted Adam and Eve clothed, not naked. If nudity represented a higher, freer life, then God would have let Adam and Eve remain naked – but He clothed them. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. “God gave His approval of the sense of shame which had led our first parents to cover their nakedness.” (Leupold)

b. Tunics of skin: In order for Adam and Eve to be clothed, a sacrifice had to be made. An animal had to die. Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. “Some creature had to die in order to provide them with garments, and you know who it is that died in order that we might be robed in his spotless righteousness. The Lamb of God has made for us a garment which covers our nakedness so that we are not afraid to stand even before the bar of God.” (Spurgeon) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. There are only two religions; there is the religion of fig leaves and there is the religion of God’s perfect provision through Jesus. Covering ourselves with our good works is like Adam and Eve trying to cover themselves with fig leaves. Our good works are like monopoly money – great for monopoly, but not legal tender. Your good works are essential to what it takes to live out your life, but they are not legal tender before God. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii. Adam and Eve were clothed with a garment that was purchased with the life of another. We are clothed with a garment of righteousness that was purchased with the life of another, Jesus Christ.

c. And clothed them: This, together with the expression of faith in God’s promise indicated in the naming of Eve (Genesis 3:20), indicates that Adam and Eve were rescued from their sinful condition. Adam had faith in God’s promise of a Savior, and God provided a covering for them through a sacrifice. We will see Adam and Eve in heaven. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. (22-24) God sets cherubim to guard the Tree of Life.

²² And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

²³ Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

²⁴ So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

a. Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil: The idea behind this phrase is difficult to understand. Perhaps there is a note of sarcasm by God here (as Elijah used in 1 Kings 18:27), regarding Satan’s empty promise to become like gods. Or, perhaps the idea focuses on man’s greater knowledge (though in a bad sense) now that he has the experiential knowledge of evil.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. And take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: In mercy, God protected Adam and Eve from the horrible fate of having to live forever as sinners by preventing them from eating from the tree of life.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c. The LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden: We don’t know if Adam and Eve wanted to stay in the garden of Eden. Perhaps they felt if they left the garden, they might never see God again because it was the only place where they met Him.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

d. He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden: Cherubim are always associated with the presence and glory of God (Ezekiel 10, Isaiah 6, Revelation 4). When cherubim are represented on earth (such as in the tabernacle, Exodus 25:10-22), they mark a meeting place with God. Though Adam and Eve and their descendants were prevented from eating the fruit of the tree of life (by God’s mercy), they could still come there to meet God. This was their “holy of holies.” Therefore, it was important to send cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

i. “Any angel of the lowest rank could have dealt with Adam. The flaming sword was pointed against Satan to keep him from destroying the way of access to the altar, which God had set up.” (Barnhouse) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ii. This is the last historical mention of the garden of Eden in the Bible. We can speculate that God did not destroy it, but left it to the effects of the curse and suppose that it generally deteriorated from its original condition, blending into the surrounding geography. 

 

What are the keys to resisting temptation?

ANSWER

Nelson’s Bible Dictionary defines temptation as “an enticement or invitation to sin, with the implied promise of greater good to be derived from following the way of disobedience.” Resisting temptation begins with knowing that Satan is the supreme “tempter” (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5) who has been tempting mankind since our Creator placed His first two children in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3; 1 John 3:8). Ultimately, however, we know that Satan’s power over Christians has been effectively destroyed as the war has already been won through our Savior’s death and resurrection which conquered the power of sin and death forever. Nonetheless, Satan still prowls the earth looking to drive a wedge between God and His children, and his temptations are unfortunately a daily part of our lives (1 Peter 5:8). Yet with the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of God’s Word to help us, we will find ourselves effectively resisting temptations.

The apostle Paul encourages us with these words: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Indeed, every one of us faces temptations of some kind; even Jesus was not immune as He was “tempted in every way, just as we are” (Hebrews 4:15). Although Satan may be the dark force ultimately behind the tempting, it is our fallen and corrupted human nature that allows these temptations to take root and causes us to act on them, thereby “giving birth to sin” (James 1:15). But it is the power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to free ourselves from the sin and temptations we struggle with in our daily lives. Thus, if we have the Spirit of Christ residing in our hearts, we already have what it takes to resist the flaming arrows the devil sends our way. As Paul told the Galatians, “live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:16).

The Word of God has always been our best defense against Satan’s temptations, and the better we know His Word, the easier it will be to claim victory over our daily struggles. The psalmist tells us, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). When Christ was tempted by Satan in the desert, the first thing He did was to quote Scripture (Matthew 4:4–10), which eventually caused the devil to leave Him. Indeed, Christians need to be diligent in studying God’s Word. “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies” (Psalm 119:97–98).

In addition to God’s Word, prayer can help us to resist temptation. The night He was betrayed, Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, and He told Peter to pray “so that you will not fall into temptation” (Mark 14:38). Also, in the “Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus taught us to pray that we would not be led into temptation (Matthew 6:13; Luke 11:4). Yet, when we do fall into temptation, we know that “God is faithful; He will not let us be tempted beyond what [we] can bear,” and that He will provide us with a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13). This is a promise from God, and like Abraham, Christians should be “fully persuaded” that God has the power to do what He has promised (Romans 4:21).

Another way to help us resist temptation is to remember what Jesus Christ did for us. Even though He never committed a sin, He willingly endured the torture of the cross for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). Every sin we’ve ever committed, or will commit, played a part in nailing our Savior to the cross. How we respond to Satan’s worldly allurements is a great indicator as to just how much the love of Jesus Christ occupies our hearts.

Now, even though Christians already have the tools necessary for victory, we need to use our common sense and not place ourselves in situations that prey upon, or stimulate, our weaknesses. We are already bombarded every day with images and messages that tantalize our sinful lusts. We don’t need to make it more difficult than it already is. Even though Christ’s Spirit resides in our hearts, our flesh can be very weak at times (Matthew 26:41). When we know something is or can be sinful, Paul warns us to “flee from it.” Remember, the “tempter” is also the master of rationalization, and there is no limit to the arguments the devil can offer us to justify our sinful behavior.

Armed with God’s Spirit and the truth of His Word, we are well equipped to overcome Satan’s assaults (Ephesians 6). No matter what trials and temptations come our way, God’s Word and Spirit are infinitely more powerful than any of Satan’s schemes. When we walk with the Spirit we can look at temptations as opportunities for us to show God that He is indeed the Master of our lives.

 

 

 

 

SOUTHERN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH BIBLE STUDY. 

921 BISSELL ST., MADISON, IL 62060

REV. SHERRELL L. BYRD, JR., PASTOR-TEACHER

 

 

LESSON: REPENTANCE

 

What is Repentance? The doctrine of repentance has become one of the foundational principles of Christianity that is skipped across the surface much like skipping a rock across a pond or lake. The goal of these lessons is to not only gather a biblical understanding of repentance but to apply that understanding in a true walk with God through Jesus Christ.

In every conversion to Christianity, there are two parts: repentance and faith (Romans 10:9-10). Both parts are necessary for a person to be born again, also known as salvation. Repentance is a doctrine that is not discussed within many churches, especially in the vastness needed for the people of God. This doctrine is the heart of the kingdom of God for all mankind no matter a person’s era of living.

REPENTANCE DEFINED:

Repentance is defined as a change of mind or a change of purpose. Applying this in the theological setting means to turn from sin by changing the mind and purpose of one’s life.  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 • Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you. Acts 3:19-20 KJV  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Such [former] ages of ignorance God, it is true, ignored and allowed to pass unnoticed; but now He charges all people everywhere to repent (to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins). Acts 17:30 AMP  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This verse specifically tells believers to abhor their past sins. To abhor means to loathe, regard with extreme dislike or distaste. Repentance reflects the hate toward sins committed. Not having a dislike or hatred toward sin may reflect a lack of true repentance or a heart turning back to it’s previous state of living in sin.  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them (repent), they will receive mercy. Proverbs 28:13 NLT  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To be born again a person must turn away from their sins and turn to God. Repentance is the beginning step of salvation. John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and other people of God throughout the Bible preached the message of repentance. This message is closest to God because the result brings His creation closer to Him.  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 KJV  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

God desires to see everyone repent and have a true relationship with Him, not only for eternity but here and now. Sin separates and dominates while repentance humiliates and germinates. Sin separates a person from God and dominates that person’s life. Repentance keeps a person humble and allows the things of God to grow within that person. Without a relationship with God on earth that person will not be with Him for eternity.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THREE ELEMENTS OF REPENTANCE:

There are three elements of repentance: intellectual, emotional, and voluntary. Each of these elements is vital to repenting and having a true relationship with God.

The intellectual element is the change of view within the mind. Sin is viewed as a personal guilt and transgression against God. The spiritual enemy of God uses the deception of calling this element condemnation (blame, pass sentence) rather than its true substance of conviction (admission of truth by revealing error). This element also changes the view to see sin as a defilement and pollution of self. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them; my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment. Psalm 51:3-4 AMP ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

These verses display God’s ability to condemn anyone who is found in sin due to His righteous judgment, but He uses conviction for people everywhere to understand their need for the salvation He offers by the truth being revealed. This truth should lead to repentance.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• For no person will be justified (made righteous, acquitted, and judged acceptable) in His sight by observing the works prescribed by the Law. For [the real function of] the Law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin [not mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance, faith, and holy character]. Romans 3:20 AMP  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When people know the intellectual element of repentance it begins the process of understanding the need for a savior due to the sin within their life. Knowing what is wrong can be the beginning of taking the correct steps toward God. Sadly, not everyone will choose to take the appropriate steps in repentance.  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The emotional element is a godly sorrow for sin. The heart must stir in emotion that ushers in a desire to rid oneself of sin which defiles and pollutes. Without the heart stirring toward a resolution of sin within one’s life, that person will remain the same. This is the danger of inviting people to accept Jesus but not revealing the necessity of change in their lives  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 KJV  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Godly sorrow works for people to repent of their sins to receive salvation. Salvation is not to be repented of or turned away from. The sorrow of the world may make a person feel bad or guilty but it does not turn people away from the wages of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23).  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner. Luke 18:13 NLT ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The heart must break, in some regards, to realize the defect of sin within oneself to attach to Jesus Christ as the healer of the brokenhearted. This again is conviction, the admission of truth through revealing error. Repentance heals the heart because the person is turning toward God through Jesus Christ.  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The voluntary element is the exercise of free will to make the changes necessary in the direction of holiness and God’s presence. Repentance that is coerced is not legitimate in the presence of God. In regards to salvation, God will not override the choice of a person’s desires to not assault the freedom of each person. This limits God to the response of the person when hearing the Word of God. Repentance must be voluntary as a product of a heart ready to repent.  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• I will go home to my father and say, Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant. Luke 15:18-19 NLT ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Without the voluntary will to repent the actions that take place are religious in methodology but are void of sincerity. The heart is a key ingredient in two of the elements of repentance. A changed heart and mind will be the fruit of true repentance.  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Each of these elements is important to repentance. All three produce the change necessary within a person to bring them closer to God as a true Christian.

REPENTANCE IS NOT MERIT-BASED:

There are no magical punishments or good deeds that bring the fruit of repentance to one’s life. Repentance requires the three elements, as previously mentioned, mixed with faith to bring the product of repentance.

Again, there are no acts of repentance but fruit of repentance. Faith produces works from a love for and a relationship with God (James 2:17-26; Titus 1:16; 2:14; 3:8). These verses display it is a life of faith-produced works, not repentance-produced works.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Repentance turns a person away from sin but faith and love for God produce a holy, clean life. The fruit of repentance will be discussed further in another lesson.

There are too many verses within the Bible referencing repentance for Christians to overlook this doctrine, skip across it, or think that there is no longer a need for such teaching. May Christians begin to see the importance of not just repentance, but biblical repentance to a holy God that holds the eternity of every person within His hands based on each person’s choice to repent or not.

May people be biblical in repentance to live holy, clean, and in right standing with God.

 

 

 

 

Information Provided By Sis. Felicia Prothro

This page does not provide medical advice.

 

Addiction Statistics In The United States 2021

• What Is Substance Abuse?
• What Is Addiction?
• Common Types Of Addiction
• Alcohol Addiction Rates
• Prescription Opioid Abuse Rates
• Heroin Addiction Statistics
• Fentanyl Addiction Statistics
• Prescription Drug Misuse
• Cocaine Abuse Statistics
• Meth Abuse Statistics
• Teen Addiction Statistics
• Overdose Death Statistics
• Coronavirus And Substance Abuse
• How Many People Seek Treatment?

Substance abuse and addiction affect the lives of millions of individuals and families in the United States. Data from federal agencies shows concerning rates of drug and alcohol abuse among adolescents and adults in 2021.

Each year, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health collects information on drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and addiction among people aged 12 and older in the United States.

In 2019, about 20 million people in the United States had a substance use disorder in the past year, according to the most recent data report. Data for 2020 has not yet been released.

Additional survey data during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, has revealed higher reported rates of drinking and drug use among adults, as well as alarming spikes in fatal drug overdoses.

What Is Substance Abuse?

Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse or alcohol abuse, refers to a chronic pattern of frequent or excessive substance use in a way that is harmful to health and well-being.

Examples of this include:

• drinking excessively very often
• taking drugs without a prescription
• use of illicit drugs
• taking drugs for reasons other than prescribed
• taking higher doses than prescribed
• taking drugs in ways other than prescribed (e.g. snorting, injecting, smoking)

What Is Addiction?

Addiction is a chronic but treatable disorder characterized by a compulsive need to use drugs or drink alcohol despite negative consequences. This can be physical and psychological.

Addiction is different from physical dependence. Dependence is a physiological reliance on drugs or alcohol that can develop through chronic drug misuse or frequent, heavy drinking.

What Are The Most Common Types Of Addiction?

Substance misuse and addiction can refer to the misuse of a wide range of substances, some of which are classified as “legal” or “illicit”.

Commonly misused drugs include:

• alcohol
• prescription painkillers
• heroin
• cocaine
• methamphetamine
• prescription drugs
• marijuana

Addiction can occur in people of all ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and gender identities, regardless of income or socioeconomic status. No one is immune.

Alcohol Abuse And Addiction Rates In The United States

Alcohol is the most commonly misused substance in the United States. While many adults drink in moderation, for some, this can become a compulsive and addictive habit.

Rates that apply to the type of alcohol use disorder (binge drinking, problem drinking, etc):

• About 24 percent of people over 12 report binge-drinking in the past month.
• Nine in 10 adults who binge-drink do not have a severe alcohol use disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• About 55 percent of 12th graders reported drinking alcohol in the past year.
• According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 14.5 million people had an alcohol use disorder in 2019.

Drunk driving rates:

• More than 10,000 people die in drunk-driving crashes each year.
• On average, 29 people die each day in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver.

Alcohol-related fatalities:

• Excessive alcohol use is the cause of about 95,000 deaths per year in the United States.

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Prescription Opioid Abuse And Addiction Statistics In The United States

Prescription opioid drugs like oxycodone (OxyContin) have a high potential for misuse and addiction. Commonly prescribed for pain, these drugs can be misused for their euphoric effects.

Prescription opioid misuse rates:

• In 2019, more than 10 million people in the U.S reported misusing prescription opioids.
• Nearly eight million were over the age of 26.

Opioid overdose rates:

• About 130 people in the U.S. die each day due to fatal opioid overdose.
• From 1999 to 2019, nearly 500,000 Americans died due to opioid overdose.

Rates by specific populations:

• Although previously considered most common in white, rural populations, African Americans are now 2.5 times more likely to die of an opioid overdose compared to white Americans.

 

Heroin Addiction Statistics

Heroin is an illicit opiate drug that, due to crackdowns on opioid prescribing, has become easier and cheaper to acquire than prescription opioids like OxyContin and Vicodin.

Heroin use disorder rates:

• About 50,000 Americans tried using heroin for the first time in 2019.
• About 745,000 people used heroin at all in 2019, and an estimated 438,000 had a heroin use disorder.

Rates that show the link between prescription opioid misuse and heroin addiction:

• About 80 percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids.
• An estimated five percent of people with an opioid use disorder will use heroin.

Heroin overdose death rates:

• Overdose deaths involving heroin increased five-fold from 2010 to 2019, reaching over 15,000 in 2017 and decreasing slightly the following year.
• From 2013 to 2019, the age-adjusted rate of overdose deaths involving heroin increased 63 percent.

 

Fentanyl Addiction Statistics

Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid drug that is sometimes prescribed for pain. It is also illegally manufactured in forms that are sold on the street, sometimes mixed with other drugs.

Fentanyl is about 50 times more potent than heroin, and about 100 times more potent than morphine.

Scope of fentanyl misuse:

• Over 250,000 people in the U.S. reported misusing prescription fentanyl products in 2019.

Fentanyl-involved overdose death rates:

• Synthetic opioids like fentanyl (mostly illicit forms) are involved in about 70 percent of drug overdose deaths each year—translating to more than 35,000 lives lost in 2019.

Prescription Drug Misuse And Addiction Statistics

Prescription drugs, like illicit drugs, can be misused for their effects. Some, like opioids, are more addictive than others.

Some of the most widely abused prescription drugs include prescription sedatives, benzodiazepines (prescribed for anxiety), and stimulants such as Adderall and Vyvanse.

Statistics On Prescription Drug Misuse And Addiction

Overview of prescription drug abuse rates:

• More than one million people misused prescription stimulants, 1.5 million misused tranquilizers, and 271,000 reported misusing prescription sedatives in 2017.
• In 2017, an estimated 18 million Americans aged 12 and older reporting misusing prescription drugs in the last year.

 

Sedative/tranquilizer abuse rates:

• About 681,000 people had a prescription sedative or tranquilizer use disorder in 2019.

 

Prescription stimulant abuse rates:

• More than 550,000 people were dependent on or addicted to prescription stimulant drugs.

 

Amphetamine misuse rates:

• The misuse of prescription drugs like Adderall is highest among young adults, who will misuse these drugs to improve focus, boost energy, and suppress appetite.

 

Cocaine Abuse And Addiction Statistics

Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant drug that is illegal to buy, possess, and sell in the United States. In recent years, the rate of deaths involving cocaine has sharply increased.

About 1 in 10 drug-related deaths in the United States involve psychostimulants like cocaine, methamphetamine, or amphetamine.

Overview of cocaine abuse rates:

• About 671,000 people over the age of 12 started using cocaine in 2019.
• Five and a half million people in the U.S. reported using cocaine at some time in the past year in 2019.
• About one million people meet the criteria for cocaine use disorder.

Rates of cocaine-involved overdose deaths:

• Cocaine-involved deaths increased by 26.5 percent in the June 2019-May 2020 study period from the previous year.
• Cocaine-involved overdose deaths are driven largely by a combination of cocaine with synthetic opioids other than methadone.
• Cocaine is involved in an estimated 1 in 5 drug overdose deaths.

 

Methamphetamine Abuse And Addiction Statistics

Methamphetamine (meth) is an illicit stimulant that is surging in use across the United States, but especially among American Indians and Alaska natives, according to recent data.

Overview of meth abuse and addiction rates:

• An estimated one million people in the United States are addicted to meth or dependent on meth.
• About 184,000 people reported trying meth for the first time in 2019.

Meth overdose rates:

• From 2011 to 2018, deaths involving meth increased five-fold, to 10.1 deaths per 100,00 men and 4.5 deaths per 100,000 women.
• Deaths involving methamphetamine among non-Hispanic American Indians and Alaska natives more than quadrupled from 2011 to 2018.

 

Teen Drug And Alcohol Addiction Statistics

Drug and alcohol abuse is a major concern in teenagers and young adults, largely due to the implications this can have for teenagers later in life.

Beginning drug use or drinking at an early age is associated with a higher risk for developing a substance use disorder, as well as other developmental issues and life difficulties.

Youth who drink alcohol have a higher risk of school problems, social problems, suicide, and misuse of other substances.

Overview of drug use disorders and illicit drug use among teens:

• Nearly 900,000 teens between the ages of 12 and 17 had an illicit drug use disorder in 2019.
• About 37 percent of all high school seniors reported using illicit drugs (including marijuana, which is legal in some states) in the last year.
• The perceived harms of drinking and drug use decreased from 2018 to 2019. This includes perceived risks associated with binge drinking, cocaine use, and heroin use.

Overview of alcohol use disorders and alcohol abuse in teens:

• About 414,000 teens were dependent on or addicted to alcohol in 2019.
• Alcohol is the most commonly used substance among young people in the U.S.

 

Alcohol-involved deaths among teens:

• Excessive drinking causes an estimated 3,500 deaths in people aged 21 and younger each year.

 

Drug Overdose Death Statistics

Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Drug overdose can occur in people addicted to drugs and those who are not.

After the number of fatal overdoses across the U.S. fell in 2018, data from 2019 showed a sharp increase, with 2020 estimated to be the deadliest year on record.

What recent data on drug overdoses in the United States shows:

 

Rates for overdose deaths involving specific drugs:

• Over 50 percent of psychostimulant-related overdose deaths involve opioids.
• Synthetic opioids other than methadone, such as fentanyl, are involved in over 70 percent of all drug overdose deaths.

 

The scope of drug overdose fatalities in the United States long-term:

• Nearly 841,000 people have died due to fatal drug overdose since 1999.
• From 2010 to 2019, drug overdose deaths have more than doubled, from 38,329 deaths in 2010 to over 70,000 in 2019.

 

Increased drug overdose death rates in 2020:

• Drug overdose deaths were up 11.4 percent in the first four months of 2020 compared to the same period the previous year.
• Approximately 81,230 drug overdose deaths occurred between June 2019 and May 2020, with the largest increase recorded between March and May of 2020.
• The year of 2020—termed by some as the pandemic year—is estimated to be the deadliest year for drug overdose deaths on record in the United States.

How The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Affected Substance Abuse

Although national data isn’t yet available on substance use, addiction, and overdose for 2020, early estimates predict alarming trends—in part influenced by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected substance abuse in a number of ways, including access to treatment, illicit drug access, social support, and how people are coping with pandemic stress.

 

Highlights of COVID-19 and substance abuse:

• More than 40 states across the U.S. have reported increases in opioid-related deaths over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Emergency department (ED) overdose visits in the U.S. increased up to 45 percent during the pandemic, despite a reduction in total visits to EDs.
• In a CDC survey conducted in June, about 13 percent of adult respondents reported using drugs or alcohol to cope with pandemic-related stress.
• Alcohol sales in stores were up 54 percent in March of 2020 compared to the same time the previous year, according to Nielsen.
• Provisional data from the CDC predicts that over 88,000 drug overdose deaths occurred between July 2019 and August 2020.
• Tracking substance use through household and school surveys has been complicated by the pandemic, making it difficult to identify the full scope of the problem.
• Isolation during the pandemic is considered one of the primary contributors to upticks in increased drug use, alcohol use, and relapse.
• Among over 1,000 people with substance use disorders surveyed in June 2020, more than 1 in 3 said they had experienced a disruption in accessing treatment or recovery support.

 

How Many People Seek Addiction Treatment?

While many people struggle with substance abuse, the vast majority of those who need treatment aren’t receiving it. And during the pandemic, the demand and need for treatment have increased.

According to some estimates, only 1 in 10 people who have a substance use disorder receives treatment. And this varies by location, age, race, ethnicity, and income level.

What recent data on addiction treatment admissions shows:

• In 2019, about 4.2 million—or 1.5 percent— of people in the U.S. received substance use treatment in the past year.
• About 1.27 million Americans are receiving medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction.
• Over 21 million people were identified as needing substance use treatment—meaning less than one-quarter of those who needed it went on to receive it.
• In a 2020 survey of over 300 treatment facilities, about 52 percent reported a rise in the need for treatment. Yet 65 percent reported having to cancel, reschedule, or turn away people in need.
• Major barriers to seeking treatment include cost, insurance coverage, lacking nearby specialty care, and stigma.

Addiction and substance abuse rates are ever-changing, yet treatment professionals are working tirelessly to help people recover with resources from treatment programs, free rehab centers, and more. Call today to find a drug rehab center near you.

 

 

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff

Medically Reviewed by
Johnelle Smith, M.D on April 26, 2021

This page does not provide medical advice. See more

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