Welcome to The Deep Dive. You send us the sources,
and we dig in and pull out the key knowledge
so you can feel informed without getting, you
know, totally bogged down. That's the idea. We
look at the material you share, find those core
insights, and hopefully give you a few of those
aha moments along the way. Okay, so today we're
looking at something really fascinating, excerpts
from the Trials of Adam and Eve After the Garden.
I know I've always wondered, like, what happened
right after they left Eden? This text gives a
very specific, very detailed picture. It really
does. These parts show us their first, well,
bewildering steps into this totally new world.
Different from Paradise. We see them grappling
with things like the sun, those run -ins with
the serpent who is now Satan, and, you know,
their first attempts to reach back out to God.
Yeah, so our mission here is to get a handle
on those first reactions. How did they cope?
How did their world change? How did they change?
And how did that relationship with God start
to reform outside the garden? Let's start with
something basic, but huge for them. The first
sunrise. Right, and what's amazing is how alien
it was. Adam had only known God's presence, right?
So the sun popping up. Terrifying. The text says
he actually thought it was a a destructive fire,
a new plague after they had spent the night praying
and weeping in this cave. Just imagine, their
whole life was divine sound, divine presence,
never this kind of light, this heat. And his
logic, I mean, it kind of follows, doesn't it?
If God didn't punish them with darkness, then
this blazing heat must be it. Exactly. And he
pleads with God, thinking the sun is some kind
of God itself ready to burn them up. It really
shows how lost they were, interpreting everything
unknown as a potential divine threat. But it's
not, of course. God steps in, the Word of God
clarifies things, says the sun isn't a God, it's
just created for daylight, which is a whole new
concept for Adam. What does that first communication
tell us? Well, contrast sharply with God's comfort
during the night, you know, it sets up this pattern.
Yeah. The natural world outside Eden can be scary,
misunderstood, but God is still there to explain,
to reassure it. It's like the start of their
education in this new reality. Okay, so sunrise
brings fear, but then they head out. They are
drawn back towards the garden, maybe seeking
something familiar. And at the western gate,
where the deception happened, they meet the serpent
again. but it's uh it's different oh completely
different it's suffering the curse god laid on
it the description is quite graphic licking dust
sorrowfully wriggling on its belly its whole
being is flipped it was exalted now it's the
meanest fairest now ugliest eat the best food
now it eats dust lived in beautiful places now
it's in the dust it was admired now abhorred
even its water is avoided by other animals because
it's become venomous That's such a stark image.
A really brutal reversal, emphasizing the consequence.
And when it spots Adam and Eve, no remorse, just
aggression. Pure aggression. It swells up, stands
on its tail, eyes blood -red, absolutely intent
on killing them. It goes for Eve first, and Adam
feels totally helpless having no weapon. But
he tries, right, grabs its tail, and the serpent
actually speaks then. It does, yeah. But it's
accusatory. It blames them. Says something like,
oh, Adam, because of you and Eve, I'm like this,
crawling on my belly. It's still deflecting.
No responsibility. And it overpowers them, despite
Adam's effort, another moment of vulnerability.
But then, help arrives. Yes. Divine intervention
again. An angel tosses the serpent aside and
helps Adam and Eve up. Shows God still protecting
them, even after everything. But there's more
to the serpent's punishment. Right. It's speech.
It loses its voice. What's the significance there
beyond just stopping it from lying again? Well,
it directly ties back to how it caused their
fall, doesn't it? Persuasive speech was its main
tool in the garden. Take that away and you remove
its primary weapon for deception. And then it's
whisked away by the wind off to India, banished
from their immediate vicinity. Even with the
serpent gone though, Adam's fear lingers. He
starts worrying about other animals. Yeah, he's
terrified other beasts might devour him. His
reaction is extreme, hitting his chest, collapsing
like he's dead. It shows how deep the fear runs
now. But God steps in again, reassures him, explains
that he deliberately kept the serpent away earlier
in the cave, precisely so this wouldn't happen
right away. It's like God's leading them through
this step by painful step, offering comfort,
setting boundaries, and there's a powerful promise
made then too. A really crucial one. God promises
to be with Adam until the end of his days. That
offers this continuous divine support, a real
lifeline in their despair. Adam then asked to
be moved, which is understandable. He wants to
get away from where the serpent might be, God's
response. He assures Adam the serpent won't come
near them again, reinforces that protection.
And you see their response is, worship, thanks.
They're really starting to lean on God. But the
world itself is still harsh. As they look for
the garden again, they really feel the effects
of being outside. Oh yeah, the intense sun, the
sweating, the weeping, it's all physical proof
of how different things are. No more protective
bubble of the garden. And this... pushes Adam
to a point of, well, absolute despair. It really
does. He tries to kill himself, throwing himself
off a mountain. And Eve tries to follow. It shows
just how overwhelming the suffering felt, just
desperate acts. Thankfully, God intervenes again,
saves them from death. But God's statement then
is... quite firm, isn't it? Yeah, he basically
says their suffering doesn't change the long
-term plan, that 5 ,500 -year covenant. It's
a reminder that their current misery, however
bad, fits into a larger divine picture. Then
Adam just expresses this deep weariness, longing
for rest, such a contrast to Eden. And God's
reply is blunt. Right. Rest only comes when his
days are done. This introduces mortality, the
idea that these earthly trials are for a lifetime,
and God links it directly back to their transgression,
the loss of that divine light and grace. And
Adam, in that low moment, finally owns it. He
admits their willful disobedience, wanting to
be like God's Satan's influence. It feels like
real repentance. And God's response to that plea
for mercy is... quite something. It's huge. God
promises to take their suffering onto himself
to save them. This idea of divine empathy, of
foreshadowing a future sacrifice, a core insight
in this text about God's nature. A God who gets
involved, who bears the cost. After that, we
see them take another big step, the first offering.
Tell us about that. Well, they're driven by this
need for forgiveness, so they just build an altar
out of stones spontaneously. They're actions,
wiping up blood with leaves, offering sandy,
bloody dust. It's all symbolic of their brokenness,
their attempt to atone, and their prayer is just
full of sorrow for losing that pure connection
they had. And there's that mention of an early
Lord's prayer in there too that's quite unexpected.
It is surprising. Including that prayer, supposedly
from about 150 years before Jesus, connects their
immediate need for forgiveness and deliverance
right into later theology. They're basically
asking for this makeshift blood offering to count,
now that their pure praise is gone. And God's
reaction to this, well, it wasn't exactly by
the book, was it? How does he respond? With mercy.
A bright fire consumes it. God acknowledges the
sweet smell. He accepts it, even though he didn't
command it. And then comes this incredible prophecy.
Yes. God talks about His own future sacrifice,
using the same language, shedding blood, dying
and altar, offering blood for forgiveness, the
parallels are really striking. Very striking.
It plants the seed of a larger salvation plan
right there in the beginning. God accepts Adam's
offering now, but reminds him the full covenant
isn't fulfilled yet. And he encouraged his Adam
to keep making offerings when he's sorrowful,
creating a way to keep seeking solace. We also
find out Adam had considered killing himself
as a way to make these blood offerings. God puts
a stop to that thought quickly. Yeah, God forbids
it. But Adam's explanation shows how deep his
remorse is, how much he just wants release. He
even bleeds for God to keep resurrecting him
if he did die, just to show God's mercy. God
responds with blessing, comfort, and reaffirms
that covenant of future salvation. And the text
notes this first offering became his regular
practice. So after this intense experience, they
head back to the Cave of Treasures, but seeing
it again isn't comforting this time. No, it brings
back all the sorrow. They contrast the comfort
they felt hearing God's word on the mountain,
seeing that eastern light with the darkness and
perceived loss of God's presence in the cave.
They start to fear it as a prison, a place where
darkness separates them. Their desire for light
is overwhelming. They even wish for death over
the darkness again. How does God handle this?
With compassion, definitely. He acknowledges
their pain, suffering in this strange land. But
he explains why he can't just bring the sun back
permanently. It would mess up the whole order
of time, days, years, the covenant itself. It
would lead to eternal plague, actually, with
no chance of salvation. So the darkness, however
awful, has a purpose in the grand scheme. But
it's not endless. Right. God assures them it
will only last 12 hours each night. That gives
them some comfort. They still go back to the
cave full of tears and sorrow, wishing for death,
but maybe with a tiny thread of hope based on
God's promise. But even while they're trying
to find solace, trying to connect with God, they're
still vulnerable. Satan shows up again, but in
disguise this time. Yes, he's been watching them
pray, watching God interact with them. So he
tries a new tactic. He appears near the cave
entrance, all flashing fire and brilliant light
like some kind of divine manifestation. Their
prayers actually keep him from getting inside
the cave though. His goal is to trick Adam right.
Make him think this is heavenly light that these
are angels sent by God to help them. It's playing
right into their longing for reassurance. Exactly.
And Adam is cautious at first. He sees the light,
hears the praises from Satan's host, but wonders,
why aren't they coming in? Why aren't they explaining
themselves? So he prays. He asks God, is there
another God? What are these hosts if they're
not yours? And God answers immediately, sends
an angel right into the cave to expose the deception.
It's just like Satan using the serpent before.
Now he's using the image of an angel. The angel
lays it out. Satan appears as an angel of light
to trick people into worshiping him. Apparently,
this has been his look since he fell because
his true form is, well... hideous. The angel
then grabs Satan, strips off the disguise, reveals
the awful form, and drives him and his host away,
telling Adam and Eve not to fear. But even after
that clear intervention and reassurance, the
experience rattles them, their trouble, their
thoughts divided. And Satan, he doesn't give
up, does he? He tries again when they head towards
the garden. He's persistent, sees them going
towards the garden, probably seeking comfort,
and he gathers his forces again. appears on a
cloud, looking like a celestial delegation. Adam
and Eve for a moment think maybe these are angels
come to take them back or comfort them. Adam
prays again wisely asking for understanding.
What lie does Satan spin this time? He claims
he's an angel from God, send with his host to
take them north of the garden to the sea for
some kind of cleansing ritual that will restore
them. And these words, they kind of resonate
with Adam and Eve given their past experiences.
Interesting that God holds back immediate understanding
here. like a test of Adam's discernment, maybe.
And they follow Satan, deceived again, but his
plan is much darker. Much darker. He leads them
up this high mountain impossible to climb down
north of the garden, his plan. throw them off,
kill them, and then claim the whole earth for
himself. Just pure malice. But divine intervention
foils him again. Yes, God's voice booms out,
cursing Satan and his host. They flee instantly,
leaving Adam and Eve stranded on this mountaintop,
looking out at the vast, wide world below. A
stark reminder of their exile. And again, they
weep. They plead for forgiveness. Their absolute
reliance on God's mercy is clear. After that
close call, Dodd warns Adam that Satan will keep
trying to deceive him and his descendants, too.
And Adam, understandably, asks for, well, a souvenir
from the garden, something for comfort. He just
wants a token, something tangible to hold on
to. And God grants it. He sends the angel Michael
to the Indian Sea to get these golden rods. They're
meant to give light in the dark cave, ease Adam's
fear. And it's not just gold, is it? There's
incense and myrrh, too. That's right. God sends
Gabriel for sweet incense from the garden's eastern
border, and Raphael for myrrh, which represents
bitterness from the western border. The origins
are significant. So, gold from far away, incense
from Eden's fragrant side, mirror from the bitter
side, very symbolic. How are these gifts actually
given to them? The angels bring them first to
God by the tree of life. God has them dipped
in the spring water there, sprinkled over Adam
and Eve for comfort, and then the angels give
the items to them on the mountain. Adam's reaction
to receiving them is quite emotional. It really
is. He weeps, but there's joy too. He interprets
the gold as reminding him of his lost kingdom,
the incense of the lost divine light, the myrrh
of his current sorrow. But God gives a deeper
meaning. He says their consolation, assigned
to trust the covenant, and then he prophesies
his own coming, how kings will bring him gold,
incense, and more symbolizing his kingdom, divinity,
suffering, and death. Wow. So these gifts are
not just for Adam's comfort now, but they're
packed with future meaning, prophecies of redemption,
and God tells Adam to keep them in the cave.
Yes. Gold on the south side for light, incense
on the east for fragrance, myrrh on the west
for comfort. The cave entrances on the north,
the angels placed them, comfort Adam and Eve
and depart. The text even gives quantity 70 golden
rods, 12 pounds of incense, 3 pounds of myrrh,
and mentions the cave's other names, Cave of
Concealment, or Cave of Treasures. And there's
symbolic timing here too, right? Absolutely critical.
The gifts arrive on the third day after they
left the garden. The text explicitly connects
this to the three days Christ would later spend
in the heart of the earth. These gifts become
a source of practical light and comfort, but
also a constant symbolic reminder of God's promises.
Yeah, even with these comforts and promises,
that deep need for forgiveness doesn't go away.
We see them undertake another major act of devotion
fasting and praying in the sea. Yeah, they stay
in the cave seven days first, no food or water,
just pure remorse. Then on the eighth day, Adam
suggests going back to the sea, the place they'd
try to end things before, but this time to pray.
The plan is to stand in the water for 30 days,
pleading for God's favor, maybe to return to
the garden or just find some other comfort. That's
intense devotion, standing in the water for 30
days. But Satan, of course, sees an opening.
Always watching. He can't find them in the cave,
searches, and eventually sposs them in the water.
He doesn't go to Adam this time, though. He goes
to Eve, disguised again as a joyful angel. Brings
fake news has got us forgiven them Adam's being
restored to light He even makes up a message
from Adam telling her to come out get crowned
with light and throws in a fake detail about
the gifts in the cave as a sign So clever playing
on her hope her connection to Adam using details.
She'd recognize and She believes him tragically.
Yes overjoyed. She leaves the sea Satan hides
she finds Adam still in the water, and he just
weeps when he sees she's broken their vow. He's
so devastated he sinks down into the water himself.
But God steps in again, raises Adam, tells him
to go to Eve, they talk, she recounts the angel's
message, the sign. And Adam realizes immediately
it was Satan. He returned to the cave, deeply
saddened, and the text clarifies this happened
the second time they went to the water, seven
days after leaving Eden. They're total fast time.
35 days in the water plus the initial seven.
42 days since leaving the garden. They finally
emerge on day 43, just physically and emotionally
wrecked. And in that state, they drag themselves
up the mountain west of the garden one more time
to pray. This leads into Adam's huge comprehensive
prayer. It covers a lot of ground. It really
does. He recounts everything. Creation, the elements,
his own creation from dust on that Friday, the
third hour in the garden details he learned in
the cave. He remembers his initial bright state.
Not knowing night or day. He recalls naming the
animals, God giving him the understanding to
do it right, the animals obeying him, God's specific
command about the tree, the death penalty attached,
and he notes Eve wasn't even created yet when
that command was given. Right. Then God causing
the sleep, creating Eve from his rib. Adam waking
up, recognizing her immediately, bone of my bones.
He reflects on God's grace in creating her without
him feeling it. He describes their perfection
then. Bright bodies, one spirit, no hunger, thirst,
sorrow, suffering, fasting, weariness. Nothing
like now. And he contrasts that sharply with
their current state. Expelled, suffering, faint,
hungry, thirsty. Their plea is incredibly direct.
After all this fasting, they need food and drink
from the garden. But what's really striking is
their fear. They're scared to just take fruit
or water even though they're desperate. They're
afraid of immediate destruction because of what
happened last time they took something without
permission. It shows how deeply the transgression
has marked them. Exactly. So the prayer ends
with this raw, simple request. Please, God, give
us fruit from the garden so we can be satisfied.
And the very last bit of this excerpt is God's
response. It's brief, but powerful. He essentially
acknowledges Adam's prayer, his weeping, and
just reiterates that contrast. Used to be in
the garden without these needs, but your transgression
brought you here to this strange land, to this
suffering. It leaves them. And us, right there,
still suffering, still longing, still dependent
on God's next move. A powerful place to pause
this deep dive. Definitely. It really sets the
stage for everything that follows in their story.
Okay, so let's wrap up what we've covered in
this deep dive. We've really seen Adam and Eve's
raw initial shock and fear entering this world
outside paradise. That terrifying encounter with
the serpent, now Satan. completely transformed.
And alongside that, God's repeated interventions,
His reassurances. Yeah, and their first tentative
steps towards worship, seeking forgiveness like
that first offering, all set against the backdrop
of this harsh new reality, the introduction of
suffering, mortality, and the constant threat
of temptation. For me, some of the standout moments
were Adam thinking the Son was a God, and just
how graphically the serpent's degradation was
described. What really struck you? I think it
was the layers in the divine responses. Prophecy
embedded in the gifts, for instance, and just
how persistent Satan was, the different forms
of deception. It really paints a picture of this
ongoing spiritual struggle right from the start.
So the takeaway for you, listening, this text
offers a really unique angle on what happened
immediately after the fall. It explores those
foundational moments of faith, doubt, temptation,
and redemption in a way many other sources don't.
It really gives you a feel for the human condition
at its absolute starting point, grappling with
loss, temptation, and that search for meaning,
for forgiveness. Which brings us to our final
thought for you to chew on. How do these first
trials of Adam and Eve echo through human experience?
That sense of loss, the struggle with temptation,
the search for forgiveness and meaning how universal
are they? And what does this ancient text suggest
about divine mercy? And our own capacity for
messing up, but also for repenting. Lots to think
about there. Thanks for joining us on this deep
dive.