And Then Man Disobeyed God

The Death That Comes From Disobedience (Genesis 2:17).

In Genesis 2:15-17, God instructed man to eat from every tree except for one that provided the knowledge of good and evil. This command was meant to be a rule for man to follow to enjoy life and God’s blessings. God warned that if man ate from that tree, he would “die the same day” (Genesis 2:17).

Now, what is death?

While we are familiar with the physical death of our bodies, it’s crucial to understand the death that God referred to in this command.

Adam did not experience a physical death immediately after his disobedience, but he certainly died as God said he would.

So, how did he die?

The first kind of death resulting from disobedience, which is synonymous with sin, is the death of the privileges that come from being an obedient child of God.

God created Adam, planted all kinds of trees for him, and commanded him to enjoy and take care of them (Genesis 2:15). He placed Adam in the secure Garden of Eden, where he enjoyed the goodness of God’s creations and had a close relationship with God. God would come down regularly to walk in the garden and check on Adam and Eve.

As soon as Adam disobeyed God, he died; he lost these privileges. He was cast out of the secure garden and sent to cultivate his land, forced to fend for himself without God’s constant presence that had been with him in Eden.

Imagine God visiting the garden every day to check on Adam and Eve, providing them with everything they needed. But after Adam’s disobedience, he was sent away from the garden to a place that God had not intended for him.

Adam lost the privilege of being close to God and everything that came with it because he chose to do what God expressly instructed him not to do.

Though Adam’s physical body continued to live, he died spiritually and began living a purposeless life—a life that was not part of God’s original plan for him. He had to work hard to produce food, remove weeds from his plants, and consume wild plants instead of the grains and fruits God intended for him (Genesis 1:29; 3:18).

God did not intend for man’s physical body to die; however, after disobedience, He declared that man must return to the soil from which he was made (Genesis 3:19). These circumstances arose not from God’s original purpose but as a consequence of disobedience.

This is precisely what sin does to us; it didn’t end with Adam. Christ came to reconcile us with God and restore us to the original purpose God intended for humanity: to dwell in His presence and have a personal relationship with Him, where He comes into our hearts, speaks with us, and helps us enjoy the privileges of having Him as our God and Father. But when a person chooses to live in sin instead of embracing this second chance to obey God, that individual dies.

A person loses their purpose and, like Adam, wanders through life without direction. The worst death is not the physical one but the death of the spiritual connection with God. A person disconnected from God may appear alive but live without purpose and fulfilment, resulting in perpetual dissatisfaction and frustration.

The good news is that disobedience is not the end of the road. I often wonder what might have happened if Adam and Eve had apologized to God for their sin instead of shifting blame (Genesis 3:11-23). Perhaps God would have forgiven them and given them a second chance.

Throughout the Bible and even today, God consistently forgives. He is willing to give His children opportunities to make amends, return to Him, and enjoy the blessings of His original plan for us.

Will you give yourself this chance? A chance to be guided by the author of your destiny instead of wandering through life aimlessly?

Will you allow God to take you back and help you live a purposeful life? He is waiting… It doesn’t matter how far you have strayed from Him; He is willing to take you back, cleanse you, and place you back in the Garden of Eden—a place of abundance, peace, joy, and everlasting life.

Let Us Pray:

Lord God, thank You for the gift of Jesus Christ, whom You sent to reconcile us to You. Thank You for giving me the privilege of turning back to You so that I may live again. Please, Lord, find me as a repentant child. Forgive me for my disobedience, take me back, hold my hand, and place me back in my Garden of Eden, so I may live the life You originally planned for me to the glory of Your name. Amen.