Hearing the Voice of Eve
a creative perspective by Lynnea Washburn
The purpose of every person's story in the Bible is to aid in greater understanding of Jesus Christ. In other words, when we know Eve better, we also know Jesus better. Eve is a woman who lived in relationship with The Lord, Adam, and the created world. She was as human as any one of us. Her life had purpose, love, joy, temptation, mistakes, sorrow and forgiveness. Throughout her story, we're able to find Christ Connections; places where we see both Christ and His love the show up with compassion, patience, mercy, and redemption.
By hearing Eve's voice...her thoughts and feelings throughout her circumstances, I hope you will appreciate and contemplate her story in a whole new way, as I have. And in the end, I hope that you too, would find a fresh revelation of Christ Jesus. _____________ In each of the 8 chapters, you will have the option to listen to and/or read the voice of Eve, below which you can then read about of the Christ Connections. ___________ Welcome to the garden of Eden __________________________________________________________________
1 The Helper Audio: Eve
1 THE HELPER
Eve: “The Lord created me for a purpose. I was made to be an “Ezer”, which means “Helper”. I would assist Adam to “cultivate and keep” the garden. These two words in Hebrew also mean to “worship and obey” the Lord. I was to care for God’s creation alongside Adam, and also care for Adam’s relationship with God… enriching both. I was created to be a rescuing strength; the kind of help that one cannot do for themselves; a strength that shows up when you have none left; it is the rescue that comes when all feels lost. I was created to be in partnership with the Lord’s divine strength to equip me to help the Man. This is a relational strength, clothed in tenderness, intimate and vital. Without my companionship, Adam would not fully realize his humanity. This is the meaning of “Ezer”, and is the high calling of being created “Woman”." ____________________________________________ Christ Connection Before Eve was created, the idea of her was spoken…and the Word, Jesus, was there, with God and the Holy Spirit. “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” The word “Ezer” is Hebrew for “Helper” is used 21 times in the Old Testament*; it appears twice when referring to Eve, 3 times for nations that Israel sought help from, and 16 times is used to describe God himself. God’s idea of Eve was to create a human that reflected their very own image; a source of life-giving help. The word also means warrior, strong rescuer, and man’s perfect match. In the new testament, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit - also called the Helper; in the Greek; Parakletos; meaning “one called to one’s side”; one who gives assistance or support. Our triune God is our Ezer. Gen 1:26, Gen 2:18 *An example is found in Psalm 33:20 “God is our Ezer and our Shield." _________________________________________________________ 2 The Creation Audio: Eve
2 THE CREATION
Eve: “I first thing I remember after opening my eyes was seeing the Lord’s face and putting my hand in His. He helped me up and then lead me towards the man…Adam. When Adam looked at me, he took in a quick breath, his eyes flashed with recognition, and he lit up with a huge smile. “At last!”, He exclaimed, which filled my heart with joy, and I beamed a huge smile in return. Then he spoke about my being “bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh”, and indeed, I felt as if I had known him forever. We were uniquely different, yes…yet there was a deep sense of completion now that we were together. United as one we would be…and in that moment, it all made perfect sense. I am the daughter of the Lord, created through the Word, Jesus, and I am a perfect partner for my husband.” Gen 2:21-22, 23 ———————————————————- Christ Connection “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; and without Him nothing was made that has been made." This verse tells us clearly that it was through Jesus, the Word, that Eve was created. He was right there, in the creation of all things, including the garden and humanity. It was Jesus who took a rib from Adam to create her, it was Jesus who’s eyes Eve met, who held Eve’s hand, and who walked her to Adam. This intimate act of her creation reflects our design for deep personal relationship; with God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and between man and woman. And this relationship that began so long ago, by the grace of Christ Jesus, is still as real today as it was for Eve. Jn 1:1-3, Gen 1:26, Gen 2:21-22 __________________________________________________________ 3 The Garden Audio: Eve
3 THE GARDEN
Eve: “The garden of Eden was magnificent; full of flourishing plants in every shade of green, trees of abundant fruit with sweet scents in the air. Pure water bubbled up from springs and rivers flowed out of Eden; and the garden was filled with he gentle movement of all life living in harmony. We were clothed in the Lord’s glory as we walked in the cool of the day together. His presence alone changed the atmosphere…and charged it with the warmth of His light and the love of His being. The air itself breathed with life. Every part of Eden displayed the glory of God. “We walked and talked and enjoyed our home, we could ask our Lord anything; He would listen to whatever was on our mind, and we relished each other’s company. We were safe, loved, with every need cared for. I knew my Lord so well… I knew His face, His voice, the sound of his footsteps…and the very nature of His spirit and His goodness. We grew in relationship day by day. Life was rich and full…and as God always said, it was “good”. “Everything was perfect…just as it was. Except for me…I wasn’t perfect.” Gen 2:8-9 ———————————————————-- Christ Connection God is invisible. He is Spirit. We call each appearance of God in visible form as a “Christophany”; and it refers to the Son of God - Jesus. It was Jesus who came to the garden to spend time with the first man and woman, literally walking in fellowship with Adam and Eve, spending precious time with those He loved in a perfect paradise of His making. They recognized his footsteps and the sound they made upon the earth as He approached. They saw His face, heard the sound of His laughter, and were familiar with His embrace. They walked with the Son of God as surely as Peter, James and John walked with Him in Galilee. Gen 2:8, 1 Tim 1:17, Jn 4:24, Jn 1:18, Col 1:15 _________________________________________________________________ 4 The Serpent Audio: Eve
4 THE SERPENT
Eve: “I didn’t feel like anything was off when the serpent approached. We had been near one another many times before. Indeed I thought he was beguiling…an attractive animal; very clever and interesting. There was never any suspicion about it, wasn’t everything in the garden “good”? With the serpent’s simple question though, I began to think; was there something better than what I already had with God? By eating this fruit, the serpent said, I could be like God, with great wisdom. It never occurred to me it wasn’t the truth…I had never heard a lie before. I began to doubt, just a little, about what God said…did He really mean it…why would I die if I ate? At that moment, my desire for the fruit rushed over me, all consuming. Suddenly, all I could think of was how extraordinarily beautiful the fruit was; how much I wanted to taste the goodness of it; and that within my reach was knowledge beyond my imagination. I pushed the words of the Lord away. I turned and watched my own hand as it reached up for the fruit. I had no idea what I was doing.” Gen 3:1-5 ——————————————- Christ Connection The Serpent, as an agent of Satan, twisted God’s word just enough to sound like the truth. We can expect that the serpent knew Eve’s comings and goings, groomed her through fascination and familiarity, and waited for the perfect time to tempt her. He pursues us all where we are most vulnerable. For Eve, this could have been her quest for greater knowledge. But if we stop to even consider an option presented to us by the Liar, we open the door to sin that can hungrily consume us. Jesus too, would face the enemy. Not in a beautiful garden, but in a barren wilderness, weak and hungry after 40 days of fasting. Satan tried the same strategies that had worked on Eve to bring Jesus under His control. Yet where Eve failed, Jesus stood his ground and triumphed. Three years later, Jesus would inflict a mortal wound on the enemy which had been promised in Eden, and would open the way for all to come to God through Him. __________________________________________________________ 5 The Bite Audio: Eve
5 THE BITE
Eve: “Why did I listen? Why did I choose what the serpent said over what God said? I took a bite and gave some to Adam, and he ate. The very next minute, everything changed…and it was horrifying. I became aware of evil…the evil inside myself. Right away I understood that now my relationship with God was ruined. I panicked in the shame of our nakedness, made superficial clothing from fig leaves, and we hid in the dark underbrush. “Where are you?” Said the Lord. The disappointment in His voice broke my heart into a thousand pieces as I realized I broke His heart in that moment too. What cruelty…from the serpent…and what cruelty from me to my Lord. Why didn’t I just go to God and ask Him what this meant? Instead, I was left with shame and fear…things I had never known existed. I can’t believe we tried to hide from the Lord…where had my treasured intimacy gone? I couldn’t face Him. I couldn’t look into his eyes…to see Him see me like this. When He asked us if we ate from the tree he commanded us not to, we both had our excuses. Adam blamed me and even God for making me! Panicked, I uttered, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Only then did I realize all of our relationships were completely broken. Would we ever be the same?” Gen 3:6-13 —————————————————- Christ Connection God planted a garden that was perfect. Everything Eve could possibly want was provided to her from a loving, generous God. When she chose to take and eat the fruit, she chose an act of disobedience against her loving Father. She traded the freedom of enjoying good for the slavery to what is evil. Eve failed the test in the Garden and through Eve’s “simple” act of taking and eating, mankind lost its spiritual life. It is easy to blame others, even your Creator, when you are spiritually dead inside. But, the day would come when it would be also through the act of taking and eating that spiritual and eternal life would be restored. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” To “take and eat” is a sign of restored fellowship with God. Just as taking and eating of the prohibited fruit led to damnation, so does taking and eating of the provision of Christ leads to salvation. Gen 2:15-17 __________________________________________________________ 6 The Curse Audio: Eve
6 THE CURSE
Eve: “I had no idea it could get even worse. Everything in the garden changed. The chill of danger filled the air, thick and heavy; the weighty fear of darkness swept through the land. All movement was furtive and in shadows. Discordant sounds of anxious animals surrounded us. God first cursed the serpent above all other animals, and said something about future hostility with my offspring that I was trying to understand. Then God proclaimed I would live with sorrow and subjection, pain and trouble in conceiving and giving birth. Then because Adam listened to me instead of God, He cursed the ground. Adam would experience painful labor of the earth in order to feed us…and at the end of this weary struggle…would be death. I was stunned that every relationship in God’s creation was to suffer the consequences of my selfish desire. And just as God had said, I would die. Then the Lord created coverings from animals and clothed us. It was painful to accept this intimate act of mercy. I know it hurt Him as much as it hurt us. Then we were banished from Eden. Cast out of our beautiful home, away from the days of intimate walks with the Lord in peace. Banished from His presence. Forever. All future generations would be subjected to the consequences of my sin. Oh my Lord, what have I done? Gen 3:14-19, 23 ———————————————————-- Christ Connection All things had changed. All creation would be subjected to the suffering and separation that sin had ushered in. All the world and its inhabitants were now under a curse…and still are today. But even so, it was Jesus, the visible God in human form, who made clothing and covered Eve and Adam before they were banished from the garden. Sin is not a problem that can simply be covered up by our own efforts. This moment of the Lord’s deep disappointment held within it a tender act of mercy. This small act is foretelling of a much larger act to come, when God would solve the problem of Eve and Adam’s sin decisively and permanently…once and for all. He would do it with the blood of his own Son. Just as Eve needed covering, we too, need the cleansing covering of Christ, and by the grace of God, it is available to all who come to Him for it. __________________________________________________________ 7 The Promise Audio: Eve
7 THE PROMISE
Eve: “It was my fault. I broke everything. But God. Tucked within His judgement of the serpent, the Lord planted a new seed. He proclaimed “An Offspring would come…and crush the Serpent’s head…” Adam understood this immediately; it meant Hope. God said my Offspring would be wounded, but through His suffering He would set things right. Redemption. Restoration. Renewal. This world wouldn’t be in pain forever. Mankind would be returned to relationship with God. His kingdom would come. His will would be done. I dropped to my knees in humility, tears flowed as I bowed in worship and in gratitude that all was not lost forever because of me. It was after the judgement that I was named Eve. Eve means; "the mother of all things living”. With my name, Adam claimed God’s promise, and His purpose would be fulfilled. I would still be the mother of all life. Although the Lord hated my sin, He still loved me. His mercy was a part of Himself he never withheld, and I never deserved. Yes, I will always regret that I broke the world as it was…but Jesus restores all that is lost. In reality, God has given us so much more than Eden ever could, through Christ and Christ alone!” Gen 3:15, 20-21 —————————————————- Christ Connection The very day Eve and Adam had sinned, God set the course for salvation. The Savior of the world would be a descendant of Eve. He would come and cover all sin and reunite mankind to Himself. The Seed would be born of a woman and through the Spirit of God He would be created. This child, Eve’s Offspring, is Christ Jesus…who would break the serpents head and destroy the evil one. Eve failed to live up to all that God intended for her. Yet here, God teaches us to put our hope in the One who will not fail. God’s final Word is His son, Jesus. Our day will come when our Lord welcomes us into a paradise even more glorious than Eden. The paradise of Eden was just a preview of the paradise to come. But paradise is not wonderful just because it is paradise, paradise is wonderful because Jesus is there. __________________________________________________________ 8 The Choice Audio: Eve
8 THE CHOICE Eve: “Let me share the things I have learned…take heed, my sister. When I said yes to listening to the serpent, I said no to hearing the voice of God. When I said yes to wanting more, I said no to all God had already given me. When I said yes to becoming like God, I said no to being created in His image. When I said yes to the promise of wisdom, I said yes to letting evil reside in me. When I said yes to eating the forbidden fruit, I said yes to the crushing weight of shame. When I said yes to my desire, I said yes to being afraid of my Lord. When I said yes to the lies, I said no to the Truth. When I said yes to a single act of disobedience, I said yes to sin for all generations. What I would want you to know is this: You can and should trust God, who has never given you any reason not to trust Him. You cannot trust your flesh. You cannot elevate your own reasoning above what God says. When we try to solve our problems ourselves, we are separating ourselves form the only one who can. When your choices destroy all that you know, all that is good, God will still love you. Repent and God will still forgive you, for God still has a plan for your life. There is hope. Yes, take it from me…there is hope. Because Jesus is enough. He is everything. I pray that He is your choice. Love, Eve ——————————————-- Christ Connection I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord, “who is, and was, and who is to come, the Almighty. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. Rev 1:8, Rev 22:2 ________________________________________________________ ©Lynnea Washburn References/Quotes: Nancy Guthrie, Tindale NLT commentary NIV Bible Study Notes Pastor Josh Jamison, Eastridge Church Steve Hanks/Ezer: original author unknown The Chosen Devotional #2: Authors Amanda Jenkins, Kristen Hendricks, Dallas Jenkins |
This was created as part of a
Garden of Eden experience for Savor the Season, 2025, an Eastridge Church Women's Outreach. Below are the weavings I created for my table; one for each place setting. The centerpiece (photo to come) represents the Garden of Eden, with a pond in the center symbolizing Jesus; the living water that was in the center of the garden. 
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