12 Extraordinary Women – Chapter 1, Eve

Responding in Prayer Heavenly Father, protect us against the lies and deceitful tricks of the enemy. Help us to discern clearly lie from truth. Help us to reject and overturn the lies that we have accepted as truth in the past.

You alone know all the ways in which we have struggled with sin in our lives. We confess to You today that we are sinners in need of Your forgiveness. With a deep awareness that we cannot be our own savior and that Jesus alone is Savior, we ask You today to forgive us of our sins and to set us free from them. We ask this in our Lord Jesus’ name. Amen. Review 1. If you met Eve on the first day of her creation and then were asked to describe her to a friend, what descriptive words would you use? DISCUSSION: Are these the attributes we have today for female perfection in our culture? In the church?

2. What do we know about Eve from Scripture? List a couple of facts. DISCUSSION: To what extent do we tend to focus on physical and outer attributes and facts rather than the spiritual or inner attributes of a person? Where does “relationship” identity fit into a woman’s description, e.g., the identity that might be drawn from the words “sister,” “wife,” “mother,” “grandmother,” “friend”?

3. Identify four main truths we can draw from the way in which Eve was created. DISCUSSION: Which of these four lessons is most intriguing to challenging to you and why?

4. What is Satan’s modus operandi in temptation? DISCUSSION: The serpent promised Eve she would not die, her eyes would be opened, she would be like God, and that she would know good and evil. In what ways does Satan promise us these things today? How enticing are the human desires to live forever, understand all mysteries, have the power and the glory of God and have a full knowledge of both good and evil? Why are these things impossible for a human being? Why do they appear to be good things?

5. In what ways do people today try to cover the shame and guilt brought on by their sins? DISCUSSION: Why are each of these attempts to sidestep built and shame inadequate? Why is the only adequate response to our own sin?

6. In what ways did the curses of the serpent and Adam also impact Eve? DISCUSSION: What unique responsibilities are placed upon husbands and fathers? How might a wife help her husband fulfill his responsibilities before God? To what degree must a woman guard against blaming a husband for her own sin or the unrighteousness that might exist in her family?

7. In which four areas could Eve still take comfort and hope after she had sinned? DISCUSSION: Why are each of these attempts to sidestep built and shame inadequate? Why is the only adequate response to our own sin?

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Highlighting the Lesson 1. How do you explain the biblical principle that Adam and Eve were two persons who were truly equal, and yet had a relationship in which Adam was the head and Eve submitted to him?

2. The curse placed on Eve directly impacted her relationship with her husband and children. How can a woman today live free of that curse?

3. In what ways did the curse against the serpent hold a promise for Eve?

Lasting Implications 1. Why are the issues of headship and submission in the story of Eve so crucial to our understanding of the gospel today, and especially the issue of Christ’s headship over the redeemed race?

2. In what ways are we each like Eve – guilty of the same sins and responses to our own sin: a. Disobeying God’s commands b. Enticing others to join us in our sin c. Trying to hide from God d. Shifting blame to others

3. In what ways can we live free of the curse?

Reflect and Respond Reflect We can easily misunderstand God’s instructions if we rely only on what other people tell us. Ideally, every instruction attributed to God should be supported in Scripture. Identify a specific example when you or someone you know failed to verify the authenticity of a second-hand instruction.

Respond How can we best protect ourselves from the vulnerabilities we see in Eve?

Reflect How easy is it to give in to a tendency to try to “be God” in another person’s life, especially the lives of our family members and typically in the “name of love”?

Respond Is there a situation or relationship in which you need to turn over the full reigns of control to God? In what ways can you do that?

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Bible Connections If you want to search a little deeper, here are some suggested reading/questions.

1. Genesis 20:20-25. In what ways was Eve’s creation totally initiated and accomplished by God? 2. I Corinthians 11:3-9, 14; 14:34-35; I Timothy 2:11-15; Colossians 2:9 and Philippians 2:6. In what ways was women crated to be “subordinate, yet equal”? 3. Genesis 3:1-7 compared to Genesis 2:16-17. In what ways might we be prone to misunderstanding God’s commandments just as Eve apparently did? 4. Genesis 3:4-5. What four things did Satan promise to Eve if she would eat the fruit God had forbidden? 5. Romans 5:12, I Timothy 2:14; and Romans 5:18-19. Why was it Adam’s failure that was so decisive for humanity, rather than Even’s eating of the forbidden fruit. 6. Genesis 3:8-13. What were the three main responses Adam and Eve both had toward their sin? 7. James 1:13-14 and I Timothy 2:14. Why must we take full responsibility for our own sins? 8. Romans 16:20; Hebrews 2:13; 2 John 3:8; and Galatians 4:4. What is the biblical understanding regarding the “crushing” of Satan by Jesus Christ?

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