Monday: Deceived by the Serpent
Read Genesis 3:1-7. What criteria did Eve use to choose between God’s Word and that of the serpent?
Genesis chapter 3 is one of the clearest examples of the psychology of temptation. God had warned Adam and Eve that if they ate from the forbidden fruit, they would certainly die (Genesis 2:16-17). Assuming the form of a serpent, Satan used several rhetorical strategies to mislead Eve into sin.
Image © Review & Herald Publishing from GoodSalt.com
First, he generalized God’s specific prohibition. He asked her, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?’” (Genesis 3:1, NASB). Eve counter-argued that the prohibition was in regard only to that specific tree, for if they were ever to eat from it or touch it, they would die.
Then, Satan contradicted God’s statement. He asserted categorically, “You certainly will not die!” (Genesis 3:4, NASB).
And finally, Satan accused God of deliberately suppressing essential knowledge from her and her husband. The deceiver argued, “For God knows that on the day you eat from it [the forbidden fruit] your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5, NASB).
Eve’s curiosity led her onto the enchanted ground of Satan. There she was forced to decide either to remain faithful to God’s restraining command or to embrace Satan’s seductive allurements. Doubting God’s word, she used her own senses — the empirical method, that of personal observation — to decide between the two conflicting statements.
First, she saw that from a dietary perspective, “the tree was good for food.” Second, from an esthetic viewpoint, she saw that “it was a delight to the eyes.” Third, from a logical analysis, “the tree was desirable to make one wise.” Hence, in her own mind, she certainly had good reasons to heed the words of the serpent and to eat from the forbidden tree. Unfortunately, this is what she did.
Some people argue that all forms of knowledge are valid, as long as we retain “that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, NASB). But the tragic experiences of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden demonstrate that knowledge, in and of itself, can be very detrimental. There are some things that, indeed, we are better off not knowing.
| What does this account teach us about how easy it is to rationalize and justify our sinful choices? |
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Most of you know that Australia has a lot of deadly reptiles and spiders. But, it also has one of the deadliest trees in the world. Dendrocnide moroides known as the Stinging Tree is a beautiful small tree with large light green heart-shaped leaves. I don't have access to my photo library right now or I would include a photo of one. When you look up in the forest and see all these green hearts against the dark canopy it makes a beautiful sight. Unfortunately, the underside of the leaves, the stems, the fruit and flowers are covered with sharp skin-penetrating, silica-tipped fine spines. They are deadly. If you brush up against them they break off under the skin and release a neurotoxin that stings immediately and continues stinging for up to a month. I don't think that the tree has actually killed anyone, but it leaves you wishing that you could die; the pain is that excruciating. I am not telling you something I have read in a book. I touched a twig with the tip of my finger and immediately drew back in pain. None of the local painkillers had any effect and I had to put up with pain right up to my shoulder for a week. Every time I had a shower the pain came back afresh. I considered myself lucky. The silly thing about the whole episode is that I knew what Stinging Trees were like, but I was deceived for a moment - I was actually further south than they usually occur and took a guess that it wasn't a Stinging Tree!
How easily sin deceives us. And how easily do we fall victim to our own arguments and self-knowledge?
Paul had this to say about deception:
Some things that are beautiful and pleasant, have penetrating toxic spines with a lasting desperate effect on us. We have been warned!
How many things in our lives have been defined as “a stinging tree” and yet still we “touch”.
Lord save us from ourselves!
Lord save us from ourselves. That is implyed in a very good recommended prayer.
Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul. Christ Object Lessons 159.3
Wow, the three ways Satan works presented in this lesson are still powerful ways that he works to discredit God today! Here are some examples of things people have said to me….
(1)Generalizing God’s specific prohibitions (For instance the specific rules for the ancient nation of Israel applicable only for them at that time….Satan mocks these as proof that Judaism and the roots of Christianity are rooted in a desert tribal culture and many laws appear barbaric by today’s standards….like stoning rule-breakers…or the way God meted out judgment on Canaanites through Israel…are we to kill nonbelievers today?! ),
(2) contradicting God’s statements (eg. “That’s ridiculous. Science and carbon dating show that the earth was not created within one week.” And, “Jesus is not the only way to ‘God/Source’, not the only Way, Truth,Light…how small-minded and arrogant against other religions!”)
(3) accusing God of deliberately suppressing essential knowledge (Satan says, “The Bible is an ancient text with disagreement on which books to include or not. You can’t trust everything in the Bible. Human research is the essential knowledge that you need to trust and human wisdom that can be proved and verified by the scientific method. Faith is only what you believe and not verifiable so there is no absolute truth when it comes to spiritual views. Those who believe that all Scripture is divinely inspired are suppressing essential knowledge, because human awareness is expanding over time, humans are becoming wiser and more knowledgeable, and that’s what we should trust. The Bible is outdated. Pick and choose from all the religions and take out what sounds best to you. There is no right or wrong as the Bible says, there’s just “more aware” and “less aware” humans. Christians are so judgmental and small-minded with their monotheism and literal interpretations of the Bible. Would ‘the Universe/Source’ really have all essential knowledge come through just one man in Israel 2,000 YA? You need to be open-minded to all the great spiritual thinkers of all time!”)
"But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;"1 Thessalonians 5:21 - it's perfectly right!
While in 2 Esdras 7:35 "..and works will have their consequences."
So no matter what we choose, EVERYTHING will reflect in a REACTION, this became an universal and scientific proven law, right?
Romans 6:21 says, "What consequences did you get from doing things that you are now ashamed of? The outcome of those things is death.
And in verse 22, "But now that you have been set free from sin and become slaves to God, you have the consequence of a holy life, and the outcome is eternal life."
Which of the action-reaction (Newton's, God's) law would I want to engage TODAY?
What is sin?
I believe it is believing and/or operating out of harmony with God's will/character/principles/law.
We use the word "sin" so often I believe it loses its full meaning, some even limit it to only contravening the 10 commandments.
Adam & Eve disobeyed a direct instruction from God, they operated out of harmony with His will therefore they sinned.
How important then is it to discover what is God's will for us.
Rom 12:1-2 MKJV I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God.
PP pg 52
I considered if curiosity could have been a likely motivation for Eve to augment what she knew, finding out for herself what it was like when eating the forbidden fruit because she 'cared'. The ability to evaluate/know ‘good versus evil’ implies that one has a reference to which one compares either one to; Eve did not have these reference points. She only found this out after the fact that - obedience vs. disobedience – compliance vs. non-compliance – faith vs. doubt - result in different outcomes.
The theology of our faith depicts their ‘sin’ as an act of 'disobedience'. I consider that Adam and Eve did not have the reference points related to faith and unfaithfulness which we now take for granted. I do not know the original Hebrew word translated ‘commanded’ in Gen.2:16, but I know that “the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” – Gen.2:15; He did not command him to do so.
I understand our heavenly Father’s relationship with His children made of the dust of the earth from the beginning to be loving, amicable, caring. Somehow the word ‘commanded’ does not fit this picture of a loving, amicable, caring relationship; the Father is and always will be our Creator-Teacher.
Advised–admonished-directed-strongly suggested - are words which, in my opinion, express the spirit of our relationship with Him more aptly. When Adam and Eve stumbled/faltered, our heavenly Father did not condemn them, He wanted them to live! In order to restore their relationship with Him, and all who would come forth from them, He provided further instructions and, in the end, sent His Son to show clearly and unmistakably the evidence of His Love and dedication for His creation.
As an aside, related to 1Peter5:6-7:
“Curiosity (inquisitiveness) killed the cat” – ‘is an old proverb used to warn of the dangers of unnecessary investigation or experimentation.’ (Wikipedia) The word ‘curiosity’ ultimately derives from the Latin curiosus meaning ‘full of care or pains, careful, assiduous, inquisitive.’
So, here, the words ‘curious’ and ‘inquisitive’ are related to ‘full of care’, although ‘care’ here refers as much to taking care as it does to feeling grief or sorrow. (from Interesting Literature – the interesting meaning and history of the phrase ‘curiosity killed the cat’.
Temptation is not sin, yielding to temptation is...we have to ask God for the spirit of discernment to be wise, because we can't do anything of ourselves. "No man is as empty, as the one who's full of himself". Thinking we know it all...We are our own deceivers many times!
Brigitte, this might help with understanding the Hebrew word translated "commandment". https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/definition/command.htm
Essentially, it means a landmark or guidepost showing the way. This really helped me understand the Bible better.
Did Adam and Eve understand the meaning of dying? Did God explain to them that they would be forever separated from Him? Or were they to just believe/trust/His word? Should Eve have answered Satan by saying, "Let me check out what you are telling me with God first." Undeniably, whether or not God had described what "death" meant to the two, we who live today can see the deadly effects of sin! We have read the story of its beginning and know the finality of its end in Christ Jesus. My take away from this lesson is to ask Jesus daily for His help in putting on the armor of God to face the evil one. According to the old proverb, "seeing is believing" not so today. Knowing and trusting in God's word is believing.
Good question, although we who have actually seen it, still don't understand all about it. It is a separation, but oh so much more than that. Some have practically vilified Eve in her conversation with the serpent. Experience and knowledge are invaluable when hindsight is used. We are told the angels also spoke with the first couple and warned them. But we might ask the angels. “What is death?” Could they express what that meant? When Eve spoke to the serpent and he told her she would not die, the hindsight question might be, ‘What is death? What exactly are we talking about?? Was the serpent qualified to answer such a question, IF it were actually asked? The serpent had experienced the fruit but not death. Only God knew. Do we sometimes talk with great assurance about things we know little or nothing about? The only safe place is faith in God’s Word as a point of reference.
Thanks Cheryl. According to the SOP, God and Angel's did warned them before hand. So are we being warned also of dangers coming ahead. Shalom Sabbath
The thing about Satan is that he is a master at deceit. He is so good at it that Eve knew she shouldn’t be there, but she couldn’t pull herself away. When Satan asked her about the trees they could eat from, she couldn’t even bring herself to say “this tree that I’m standing in front of” is the one we can’t eat from. She said it as if it were some other tree, “the tree in the midst of the garden”. That is how successful he is at confusing us, at getting us to lie to ourselves and deny that we are disobeying. That is why God said do not eat of that tree, He knew that to eat from it they would have to go to it and then be placing themselves right in front of Satan. John 8:44 makes it crystal clear who he is, and we have to remember we can never win an argument with the devil. We/I have to turn everything over to Jesus. If Eve or Adam had done that, what a different world we would live in.
I'm blessed with the word of God.
Iam really interested in finding the answers that helps me to grow my spritual life and to sharing with other friends to know Gods words that will help them to prepare for his second comeing.Amen..