Her name meant ‘to breathe’ or ‘life-giving’. Even before she manifested, the Creator had mandated her to do great things. Her role as a life giver stretched beyond the children she would have. She was the one who would complete the man that God had created.
Her power was influence and even though she wasn’t there physically to receive the instruction about the diet in the garden, she knew that God surely meant well. Just listening to how Adam came by the names of the animals and all other creatures, she knew, without a shadow of doubt, that this God loved them and was committed to them. Even though she had always wondered about that one tree…
The tree, that one in the middle of the garden. Adam had not quite finished explaining to her why they could not eat from that tree, yet, she knew that it must be because God means well for them. She had actually made up her mind to follow the instructions she had received. The only problem is, she can’t even remember what the tree is called. But then, with things like this, it is better safe than to be sorry, especially since everything Adam told her is hazy at the moment. So Eve concluded, I will not even touch this tree, it is better safe than sorry.
With this mind-set, Eve was happy. After all, she lives in a garden where everything works. There is no need in her life, and her husband Adam is such a caring person. There is no worry at all… the age of innocence? Maybe, because as happy and fulfilled as Eve was, at the moment, she was actually stark naked, her and Adam both, but like the good book says, they were naked yet they were not ashamed.
Adam’s responsibility was to tend and dress the garden, with the rivers flowing out of it and all the animals need for sustenance, he is getting pretty busy and sometimes can be gone for a long time. Come to think of it, why is Eden called a garden? This place is too massive to be called a garden. Anyway, with time some of these things will change, these are still teething problems she thought to herself as she heard footsteps approaching. Maybe Adam is back she mused, that will be early compared to yesterday…and it will be nice to have him home before it is time to walk round the garden with Jehovah.
However, it wasn’t Adam, it was the one Adam named the serpent. Looks okay standing on its feet but Eve had always been uneasy around this particular animal and somehow even more so, as it approached her now. What is the worst that could possibly happen? She will just tell it to be off, she muttered to herself.
‘Did God say you should not eat from any tree in the garden?” the serpent asked Eve. Something within her rose like bile. How dare you even mention God without respect? Eve thought… “No, He said we should not eat from the tree in the middle of the garden” she said to him, “we have no business even touching it, so we don’t die”.
“You will not die”, the serpent retorted, “God doesn’t want you and Adam to be all wise like him. He knows that if you eat the fruit of this tree your eyes will become open and you will become as God!”
Eve quickly recalled snippets of the conversations she had had with Adam about what God wanted from them and what he expected of them. She vaguely recalled that somewhere there, Adam had said that God put them to be in charge of the earth and expected them to rule on his behalf… and she thought a little bit more, maybe this is how they become the rulers of the earth that God wants, maybe they will first have to be proactive and take steps towards empowerment that gets them ahead of all the others… surely this is the opportunity. Besides, looking at this tree now, it sure looks like something that can add value and not kill. Isn’t God even good? Will he truly kill anyone?
Eve’s interest was piqued… she started thinking of how she would take of the fruit and eat. Eventually she decided to start by touching the tree… if the tree doesn’t kill, then the serpent might be right. She touched the tree and nothing happened. Next, she plucked one fruit from the tree and nothing happened still, then she bit into the fruit, yet nothing happened. So Eve waited for her husband to return.
Why would someone who is so vested in following God make a mistake as grievous as Eve? Because sometimes, it seems logical to help God achieve what He set out to do.
If I were Eve, my reasoning would be that God wants the best for us and becoming like Him is the best that we can be, so if eating of the tree helps us get there faster then so be it. There is also that little fact that she touched the tree and nothing happened. At that point, it seemed like the Devil was right and no one was going to die. It was most likely going to make them wiser.
Soon Adam was back and Eve offered him a bit of the fruit of the tree of Good and Evil. He accepted and ate. Again, if Adam received the instruction from God, why didn’t he kick against Eve’s suggestion? Need I point out that at this time, nobody had died? That lack of proof is probably why Adam also ate. Whatever the reason might be, the truth is that somehow, the Devil had succeeded in getting man to get outside God’s cover.
Their eyes became opened just as the serpent had said, the only problem is that with the opening of their eyes came the knowledge that they were naked and with one bite, man had crossed from innocence and preservation to the journey into death. By the time Adam and Eve realised what had happened, they were hiding in plain sight from the One who made them and put them in the garden to tend and dress it.
As we progress in Chapter 3 of Genesis, we see that God had to introduce them to the consequences of their decision to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent will slither on his belly all his life but more important, a battle line is now drawn between his seed and the seed of the woman. For the man, the ground was cursed for his sake and from that day he went from living to work and enjoying it to having to toil to meet his needs and that of his family. Work that was hitherto set out as an enjoyable experience suddenly became a chore because now the ground which was his main resource had been cursed and no longer would yield easily.
As for Eve, the process for bringing forth which is her original DNA was also cursed. She would now bring forth in sorrow and her desire becomes to her husband. It seems like Eve lost her greatest power – the power of influence – so getting it back was going to take quite some working on. Beyond this, the battle line was now drawn between her seed and the seed of the serpent. From that point on, there is something Eve might not be able to protect her seed from – the attack of the seed of Satan, all she could try to do is pray and intercede for them and hope her seed bruises the head of the serpent’s seed every time.
Without planning to, Eve crossed from the wonderland and fairy tale of life in the Garden of Eden (which might be her marriage, job, motherhood or whatever catches your fancy as Eve), into the reality that life isn’t a fairy tale. Things were totally different. Even though God covered their nakedness, the relationship was no longer what it was and Eve had more to prove than when she started out.
Take a step back and think about yourself as Eve, all you wanted to do was to protect your husband and to provide for your children. It was just a little effort towards getting ahead at work and without even realising it, you crossed the line and now it seems like it will never end. It looks like wherever you turn, the consequence is starring you in the face. How do you tell this story? How do you convince everyone you meant well?
The thing about this Woman of the Bible is that we can be found in her. I cannot begin to tell you how many times with very good intentions I crossed the line before I realised what had happened. I cannot begin to tell you how many things I constantly have to work to repair because my initial reaction to them messed things up even more than repair anything. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I missed it in my eagerness to get a better life for my household, if only I can count how many times.
In all these, the most painful part is that by that simple act of biting into the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, without meaning to, Eve opened the door to the devil to steal Man’s authority and mandate to build and replenish the earth.
If only we will remember next time we are faced with a garden of Eden situation like Eve and remember that the devil isn’t about anything but the authority that God had vested in man for the ‘rulership’ of the earth. What started like a harmless conversation with someone on Facebook and twitter has ended in adultery and all you can think about is how did I get here?
What was an innocent involvement in a conversation that really didn’t concern or relate to you has become the reason why you are caught in a web of deceit and gossip and you are wondering when you became this person. How about that time that your passion to help another didn’t allow you to get the details only to find that it was all a web of lies? Now how do you go back to mend those relationships that were affected?
Daughter of the Most High please note that the reason the devil is after you isn’t so he can disgrace you as much as to steal your authority and by so doing rob you of your power. Take the time to ask the right questions from the right quarters. Ask the Holy Spirit, wait for a confirmation, just because it looks good doesn’t mean it will work out for you.
Most importantly remember that you are already created in the image and likeness of God, there is nothing higher than that, and if the devil promises you anything else, watch out and know that he is gunning for your power; please don’t let him.
Remember that in the end, others are relying on you to do it well. Every time you trade your authority for a temporal fix, you lose the power to bring forth life as God had ordained in your DNA.
You are Eve, the mother of life, you need your power to deliver.