Naked/Subtle

Many and varied have been the writings about the sin of eating from the Treek of Knowledge of good and bad. They range from Milton's Paradise Lost to Dekker's Black. For an excellent discourse on the temptation felt by Eve, I commend to you Sara's blog: http://overratedlogic.blogspot.com/2009/01/temptation.html

And now I will throw my own offering into the mix about this story. :) This will prolly take a few posts.... :)

Ninety nine point nine, nine, nine percent of this story takes place in Genesis chapter 3. But there is an important detail in the very last verse of chapter 2 that ties into chapter 3. Let's look, shall we?

The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Gen 2:25 NIV (emphasis added)
Naked: arum, spelled ayin, resh, vav, mem

Now turn to Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. (Emphasis added)

crafty: erum, spelled ayin, resh, vav, mem. Same consonants as the word for naked. This word is also rendered as "subtle", "sly", "clever", "sneaky", and "cunning."

There's an element of deceit when this word is used is reference to the serpent. When used with reference to Adam and Eve however, there's no shame. See how things change though. After they eat of the Tree of Knowledge their eyes are opened, they see that they are naked and are suddenly ashamed. What caused this transformation? Sin. And so they make clothes (beged) for themselves. And the word for clothes (beged) also means treachery or deceit. From innocence to shame. From blessing to curse. And in between is sin. What once was pure and holy has now become a cause for shame and embarrasment. And why? Because of sin. Becuase the serpent through subtlety, craftiness, and sneakiness, tempted Eve to sin. See how wicked is sin.

It first appears as tempting, as a delight to the eyes and as good for food and desirable for knowledge. But once the glitter is stripped away its ugliness is revealed. So too with Teelah (hope I remembered the name correctly), the black bat in Black which tempted (oh shoot, the oldest living human-Tanis?) to drink the forbidden waters. And Teelah first appeared in beautiful plumage and then became dark and ugly. So too with sin. Don't be deceived by that which appears beautiful on the outside but inwardly is rotten to the core.


To be continued...