Bible Women: Eve, the Mother of Us all

And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. Gen 3:20 

The Bible’s Great Love Story Begins Here

From today I want (by God's grace) to attempt a series on the women of the Bible starting with Eve.

God called her Help. Adam called her Eve. She evokes something pleasant, which I think she should, because her parent was God.

Adam loved her, we know that, because she offered him the forbidden fruit and he ate it without question.

Eve had many firsts, being the first woman of the world, the first wife, the first mother, and sadly, the first transgressor of God’s commandment.

She was Adam’s rib, from an operation that God himself undertook, without anesthetics. That is how beautiful she was, because God’s cut produces only the best.

Adam was lucky. God did everything for him. It was him who came up with the idea, him who ‘courted’ her for him, and him who gave him the garden called Eden for a ‘wedding’ gift.

She was also the last woman God ever courted for man, perhaps, after Adam (on being tempted like she was) answered God rather curtly, ‘The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.’

And so Adam, typical of men everywhere, did not just thank God for everything, but he also blamed him for everything.

It is impossible not to love Eve, despite the pain she caused humankind, because life (especially here under the sun) should’ve been very intolerable and lonely without her.

In Eve, God gave humankind the best gift.

And so every morning and every evening ever since a man stares at his wife in awe, and quietly in his heart he thanks God for her.

Eve and the Lying Serpent

But Eve sinned, let us get that clear. She believed Satan, and not God. Apparently the serpent knew the weak point in her. Unfortunately it is still there, only today’s lying men are called hyenas.

And that is still a grievous sin up to this day. Sin severs relationships not only between God and man, but also between us humankind. Sin is ugly from every design, and the wages of it is still death.

But the story of Eve is not just about our fall but also about our redemption. We deserved instant death, but we didn’t die instantly. We ought to have left Eden naked but God made us clothes. We ought to have left Eden dejected but God gave us hope even as he gave us matching orders.

It was by an act of love that God created us, and it was still by that selfless act and mercy that we are still alive.

But because of God’s justice, we must suffer as he decreed. The serpent is still our chief enemy up to this day, while bitter cries continue to overrun our labour wards, and man has still to earn his bread by sweat.

We forfeited the best, and by our own choice, we chose the worst. We denied him, but he did not deny us.

Eve became a loving mother, and all mothers have continued to copy her up to this day. God gave her her first son, and she called him Cain. He gave her a second son, and she called him Abel. But it wasn’t long before the first sting of sin caught up with her, when her first son out of raw jealousy killed his younger brother. In a split of a second she had a murderous son in her house, and grief, and mourning, and the pain of a mother has engulfed the world until now.

And today mothers have not only to bear with murderous sons, but also with truants, misfits, alcoholics and rapists. In Cain the world inherited a perpetual aberrant up to this day.

And Rachel continues to weep for ‘her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.’

But For the Love and Mercy of God

But the gracious Lord was still with Eve as he still is with our mothers up to this day. Hasn’t he promised ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you?’ So don’t fear. You are of more value than many sparrows.

And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD’ (Gen 4:25-26).

And so God started that unique lineage which would gradually lead to Lamech, and Noah, and Shem, and Eber, and Peleg, and Nahor, and Terah, and Abram.

And Abram left his father’s land in Ur of Chaldees together with his wife Sarai… who was barren as she had no child.

And that is how Isaac became the child of promise.

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Gal 3:16  

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. Gal 3:7  

And so (humanly speaking) we are back to square one.

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham…And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Mat 1:1,16  

And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli… Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. Luk 3:23,38   

A New Dawn

And so, as the sun came down upon Eden, God was busy working a new beginning and a new dawn upon the earth.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luk 2:10  

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luk 2:14  

Are you a man? Please handle your Eve very carefully tonight. If anyone has seen hard times it is the woman.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1Co 15:55  

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Co 15:57