Life changed completely—Adam and Eve left paradise and entered a world of sin, death, the curse, and hard labor.
In the garden, their only concern was not eating from the forbidden tree. When they came out, everything was a different set of circumstances: they were under the curse, had to work by the sweat of the brow, and had to approach God through blood sacrifice. God Himself did not change; Adam and Eve did.
Genesis 3:23-24 — Records the Lord sending Adam forth from the garden to till the ground and placing cherubim to guard the tree of life.
Genesis 3:19 — Describes the curse of labor—working by the sweat of the face until returning to the ground.
Genesis 4:3-4 — Shows Adam and Eve's sons bringing offerings to the LORD after the family had left the garden.
In Genesis 3:23-24, the Bible says, "Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." The curse itself is described earlier in Genesis 3:17-19, where God tells Adam that "cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee" and that "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground." Genesis 4:1-2 shows what life outside the garden quickly became: "Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain," and then "she again bare his brother Abel." Genesis 4:3-4 records that "Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD" while "Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof," and "the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering."
Les Feldick explains that in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were under a certain set of circumstances: the only thing they had to concern themselves with was not eating from the forbidden tree. Everything else was there for them to enjoy, and they knew nothing of sin. But after they disobeyed, everything changed. As Les puts it, when they came out of the garden, sin had entered, death had entered, and they were separated from that daily walk with God. It was a whole different set of circumstances—a "whole new ballgame," with a new set of regulations from God. Practically, Les points to the effects of the curse: Adam and Eve had to work by the sweat of the brow, live with thorns and thistles, disease, and insects, and begin raising children in a cursed environment. They were no longer living in the easy existence of paradise and Eden. Les also stresses that God did not abandon them. God drove them out to keep them from eating from the tree of life and living forever in a body of sin, but He still had their spiritual needs at heart. He instructed them on how to approach Him—through a blood sacrifice accompanied by faith, taking God at His Word. And through it all, Les emphasizes that God did not change; Adam and Eve did. God's mercy and grace are seen in how He sought them out, called to Adam, and restored them.
Les Feldick explains that in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve lived under an easy set of circumstances. Their only instruction was "Don't eat of that tree." Everything else was there for them to enjoy, and they knew nothing of sin. There was nothing that would be disobedient to them.
Les Feldick says that once sin entered, Adam and Eve were removed from the garden and had to live under the effects of the curse—thorns and thistles, disease, insects, and making their way by the sweat of the brow. The Bible confirms this in Genesis 3:17-19, where God tells Adam that the ground is cursed and that he will eat bread in the sweat of his face.
Les Feldick teaches that God did not leave Adam and Eve to fend for themselves after sending them out. He instructed them on how to approach Him: there had to be a blood sacrifice, accompanied with faith—taking God at His Word. The biblical record in Genesis 4:3-4 shows Cain and Abel bringing offerings, and the LORD having respect to Abel's offering of the firstlings of his flock.
Les Feldick emphasizes that God did not change when Adam and Eve left paradise. Rather, Adam and Eve changed. The circumstances were all different—they were under the curse and separated from the daily walk with God—but God's character and His dealings with them in mercy and grace remained the same.
Hagar, Ishmael & The Everlasting God: Genesis 21 Bible Study
in Genesis, is speaking of more than the God from eternity past. Out here before Genesis 1 even came. And we take eternity past all the way to the end of our timeline to eternity future. Now that's everlasting to everlasting, isn't it? That's the God of creation. He is the everlasting God.
A Whole Different Set of Circumstances
Les Feldick explains that in the garden Adam and Eve had only one prohibition, but after they came out, sin and death had entered and everything was different—they were under the curse and had to work by the sweat of the brow.
Living Under the Curse
Les Feldick describes the new reality outside Eden: working by the sweat of the brow, living with thorns, thistles, disease, and insects, and raising children under the curse. He also notes the new necessity of getting back into a right relationship with God.
A Whole New Ballgame
Les Feldick calls the move from the garden to life outside it a 'whole new ballgame'—a totally new set of circumstances and regulations from God, completely different from life in the garden.
God's Mercy and Grace
Les Feldick shows that after Adam and Eve sinned and hid, God found them, called to Adam, and restored them—demonstrating mercy and grace even in the aftermath of their disobedience.
Sent Forth to Till the Ground
Les Feldick discusses Genesis 3:22-24, where God sent the man forth from the garden to till the ground and placed cherubim and a flaming sword to keep him from the tree of life, so he would not live forever in a body of sin.
Instructed on How to Approach God
Les Feldick teaches that after leaving the garden, God instructed Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel on how to approach Him—through a blood sacrifice accompanied by faith, taking God at His Word.
No Prior Knowledge of Death
Les Feldick reflects that Adam and Eve likely had never pictured anything having died before God warned them not to eat of the tree, highlighting how new the reality of death was after the fall.
Genesis 3:17-18: And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
Records the thorns and thistles that would now come from the ground as part of the curse.
Genesis 3:19: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Records the curse of labor that Adam faced after being sent from Eden.
Genesis 3:23-24: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Describes the expulsion itself and the guarding of the tree of life.
Genesis 4:1-2: And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Shows Adam and Eve beginning to raise a family after leaving the garden.
Genesis 4:3-4: And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Shows the brothers bringing offerings to the LORD after the expulsion.
Everything changed. In the garden they had no sin or death and only one prohibition; outside the garden they were under the curse, had to work by the sweat of the brow, lived with thorns, thistles, disease, and insects, and were separated from the daily walk with God. They also had to approach God through a blood sacrifice.
No. Les Feldick teaches that God still had their spiritual needs at heart. God instructed them on how to approach Him through blood sacrifice and faith, and He restored them after their sin—showing mercy and grace.
God placed cherubim and a flaming sword to keep Adam and Eve from the tree of life so they would not eat and live forever in a body of sin.
They had to till the ground from which Adam was taken and make their way by the sweat of the brow. They also began raising children, all under the curse, and were taught to bring blood sacrifices to approach God.
Watch the Teaching: Hagar, Ishmael & The Everlasting God: Genesis 21 Bible Study