Lesson Aim: To consider the original entry of sin into human history.

Monday: Genesis 3:1-6, I Timothy 2:14
Tuesday: Matthew 10:16, Genesis 3:14, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 20:10, II Corinthians 11:14
Wednesday: Ezekiel 28:13-15, II Peter 2:4, Jude 6,
Genesis 2:16-17, Genesis 3:2
Thursday: Galatians 6:7-8, James 4:7, I John 5:4-5
Friday: Genesis 3:6, I Samuel 11:2-3, I John 2:16
Saturday: Matthew 4:1-11
Sunday: Romans 5:12, John 1:29, John 3:18

LESSON OUTLINE

I. THE INTRODUCTION OF SATAN.

A. The glorious paradise, which God’s original creation was, did not long remain unspoiled.

1.Of all the beasts of the field, the serpent was the most "subtil." Subtil in Hebrew is aruwm (aw-room’) meaning "cunning, crafty, prudent."¹ Even today, the serpent is smooth and graceful, often colorful and strangely attractive. The nature of serpents is to capitalize on every opportunity and circumstance which serves to their personal advantage. (Matthew 10:16)

Originally, serpents were erect.² They were reduced to locomotion on their belly as a part of God’s judgment (the curse) of the sin of Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:14)

B. Perhaps because a chief characteristic of Satan is deceit, he found the subtil nature of the serpent most conducive to his sinister plans. He entered the serpent through which to tempt Eve. (Genesis 3:1)

1. The temptation did not proceed from the serpent, but rather from the superior and evil spirit which possessed him for the purpose of seducing the man. The serpent was simply the tool of that evil spirit, which is later revealed to have been Satan, who is the Devil. (Revelation 12:9, Revelation 20:10) The name Satan means "the opponent" and Devil means "the slanderer or accuser."³

2. The deception should have been evident to Eve and to Adam. Satan came as a mere animal. Adam’s earlier observation of the animals had shown him that there was no animal his equal. Not one was endowed with reason or speech. He was given dominion over all animals. He was not to be subjected to their laws or intelligence. A speaking snake with a reasoning intellect should have been a clear revelation to Adam and to Eve that something above animal behavior was happening here. For them to ignore the obvious sham left them without excuse.⁴

C. This, the original profile of Satan, reveals the evil, corrupt being he is.

1. He came in an appealing way, which is his habit (II Corinthians 11:14), yet he deceived the woman (I Timothy 2:14) and slandered God. He cast doubt upon the word and integrity of God, then accused God of lying. (Genesis 3:1-4) Despite his appealing appearance, he was replete with wickedness.

2. It is evident that Satan, who himself was a created being (Ezekiel 28:13-15), had fallen in sin prior to his temptation of Adam and Eve in Eden. His fall, along with that of certain angels, is documented in II Peter 2:4 and Jude 6. There is no reason to believe Satan’s fall occurred prior to the six days of creation. As soon as this angel/prince rebelled against God, which was shortly after his creation, he proceeded immediately to tempt the humans, who had been created in the image of God, to abuse their liberty by transgressing the divine command.⁵

II. DISCREDITING THE WORD OF GOD (Genesis 3:1-5)

A. Satan’s seduction of Eve began with his questioning the Word of God. "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Genesis 3:1.

1. Satan’s question to Eve was one of condescension and mockery. His emphasis was on the prohibition, what Eve was missing, not on what she had. It clearly inferred that Satan knew more about the matter than Eve and that God was not quite as good and loving as Eve had thought. Sin always begins by questioning either the Word of God or the goodness of God, or both. Satan and his emissaries have continuously used this technique to enormous success throughout the ages.⁶

2. Eve’s reply indicated the deadly effect of Satan’s question on her. She both added and subtracted from God’s actual words. God had said she and Adam could "freely" eat of "every" tree except one. (Genesis 2:16) Eve’s reply that "we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden" (Genesis 3:2) implied God to be more demanding and less generous than He really was. In Genesis 3:3, Eve went on to say that God had forbidden her and Adam to "touch" the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God had made no such prohibition. This supposed restriction was purely the product of Eve’s developing resentment.⁷

B. From questioning the Word of God, Satan went to open denial of it. "Ye shall not surely die," Genesis 3:4.

1. God had said, "thou shalt surely die," Genesis 2:17. Satan blatantly accused God of lying. Such an accusation was a denunciation of the integrity and character of God and an outright rejection of His Word.

2. In this original look at Satan, his first action is an attack upon the Word of God. Throughout the centuries since, he has never ceased his relentless attack upon the Word of God. He has used the "intellectual" world, often theological "scholars" to lead his attack through "higher textual criticism" and an unending flow of "new translations." Many of these supposed "better translations" change and deny God’s words and substitute very different words and concepts, often in direct contradiction to what God said. For extensive documentation of these statements, see Which Bible? and True or False by David Otis Fuller, D.D. These books were published in 1977 by Grand Rapids International Publications, P.O. Box 2607, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501.

3. Let all who would question and doubt God’s Word beware. Satan denied there was any danger in disbelieving God’s Word and contradicted what God said. When once it is supposed that there may be falsehood or fallacy in any word of God, a door is then opened to downright infidelity. Satan teaches men first to doubt and then to deny. He makes them skeptics first, and so by degrees makes them atheists.⁸ It is always dangerous to alter God’s Word, either by addition (as do modern cultists) or by deletion (as do modern liberals). God can always be trusted to say exactly, and only, what He means.⁹

C. After questioning and denying God’s Word, Satan then promised Eve advantage for disobeying it. He said, "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil," Genesis 3:5.

1. With the promise that her eyes would be opened, he was promising her far greater options and freedom of choice than she currently had.

2. With the promise that she would be as gods, he was promising her far greater power. She would be a rival with God, a sovereign and no longer a subject. This was a promise of self-sufficiency and a removal from dependence.

3. With the promise of the knowledge of good and evil, he was promising an experimental knowledge of good and evil. He also made it appear to Eve that such knowledge would be to her advantage.

D. Satan is indeed a great deceiver.

1. In this encounter with Eve, he insinuated many things and made many promises. The outcome of all he did was the subversion of Eve and Adam. Nothing became better for them. As a result of his influence on them, everything grew worse and they lost their blessed state. Adherence to Satan and disobedience to God always results in grievous consequences. (Galatians 6:7-8)

2. Satan uses distortion and half-truths. He causes discontent and ambition. He promises self-exaltation. God should be believed and Satan should be rejected immediately. Eve should never have listened to him. Those who would be kept from harm should keep out of harm's way. (James 4:7)

III. THE FIRST HUMAN SIN (Genesis 3:6)

A. "The woman saw...."

1. Before "she took" of the forbidden fruit, Eve "saw" it. What the woman saw influenced what she did.

2. Here is Biblical warning of the danger of allowing the eye of the soul to focus on the wrong things. King David later "saw a woman washing herself," II Samuel 11:2. What he saw led him to take her. (II Samuel 11:4)

The impact of pornography, immodest dress and many other "bright lights of life" is profoundly magnetic. Covetousness can quickly grow in the human heart. Allowing one’s self to view material goods which he cannot afford and activities which are forbidden in the Word of God has the distinct potential of causing one to fall into sin. For his own good, one should censor or police "forbidden fruit" from what he sees.

B. The appeal of sin. (I John 2:16)

1. Eve saw "that the tree was good for food." This was sin's appeal to the lust of the flesh or to the physical, bodily appetites.

2. Eve also saw "that it was pleasant to the eyes." This was sin's appeal to the lust of the eyes or emotions. Sin appeals to the esthetics senses.

3. The third thing Eve saw was the fact that the fruit of the tree would "make one wise." This was sin's appeal to the pride of life or its appeal to the mind and spirit. Man prides himself in knowledge and spiritual insight.

4. I John 2:16 declares, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." Temptations may be directed against the body, soul or spirit. Eve experienced all three at once.¹⁰

Jesus experienced all three types of temptation. Satan appealed to his physical appetite by offering Him bread when He was hungry (Matthew 4:3), to His esthetics emotions by offering Him the possessions and kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:8-9) and to spiritual pride by offering him the highest intellect and spiritual eminence under the special protection of holy angels. (Matthew 4:6) In each case Jesus overcame the devil by an unwavering identification with the truth of the Word of God. (Matthew 4:4,10,7) All who would overcome temptation must do so by standing upon the Word of God. (I John 5:4-5)

C. The fall of man from innocence.

1. Adam and Eve did not believe God. That sin of unbelief in their hearts outwardly manifested itself as "she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."(Genesis 3:6)

2. Unbelief is the sin that brought about the fall of Adam and Eve from innocence. Unbelief is the root sin of every person, the sin from which all other sins grow. It is the "sin (singular) of the world (John 1:29)" which Jesus came to take away. It is the sin which condemns man to eternity without God. "...he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed...," John 3:18.

3. To eat with Eve, Adam was obviously present. Eve was deceived in the transgression, but Adam was not. (I Timothy 2:14) He willfully and deliberately took of the forbidden fruit and ate with Eve in direct rejection of God’s command forbidding what they did. (Genesis 2:17) Thus entered sin and death into the human stream of life, not only for Adam and Eve, but for all men. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned," Romans 5:12.

FOOTNOTES

1. Strong, James, Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, New York: Abingdon Press, 1958, page 91, reference 6175.

2. Henry, Matthew, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, London: Fleming H. Revell Co., Vol.I, Genesis 3.

3. Keil, C.F. and Delitzsch, F., Commentary on the Old Testament, Grand Rapids: Eerdsman’s Publishing Co., 1973, Vol.I, page 92.

4. Ibid., pages 93-94.

5. Ibid., page 92.

6. Morris, Henry, The Genesis Record, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1976, page 110.

7. Ibid., page 111.

8. Henry, Vol.I, Genesis 3.

9. Morris, page 111.

SUMMARY

Genesis 3 records the initial mention of Satan. Though the names Satan or Devil are never used in the account of his seduction of Eve and Adam, later Bible references such as Revelation 20:2 identify him to be "that old serpent". Satan entered a serpent as a vehicle through which to speak and tempt Eve. At that time, serpents were erect and apparently very attractive. Since deception and subtlety are chief characteristics of Satan, he found the clever and crafty serpent well suited to his diabolical purpose.

Satan was created perfect by God during the six days of creation (Ezekiel 28:13-15). Between that time and his appearance to Eve in Eden, he rose in pride against God and was reduced to his current state (II Peter 2:4 and Jude 6). Satan’s pride brought him to total corruption and wickedness. Even his name speaks of his opposition to God and of his slanderous and accusing ways. He promptly came to Eve with the purpose of ruining the paradise God had created and corrupting the humans God had created His in own image.

Satan’s deception should have been readily evident to Eve and Adam. The fact that Eve gave of the forbidden fruit to Adam, who partook of it with her, is testimony that he was with her during the temptation. They should have immediately rejected him. Adam was familiar with the animals and knew they could not talk. He knew that God had given him dominion over all animals, yet he listened to the serpent and subjected himself to the serpent’s persuasion. The Apostle Paul explained that Eve was deceived by the serpent but Adam was not (I Timothy 2:14). He succumbed to Satan’s temptation through the serpent deliberately and in full knowledge of what he was doing. His was willful disobedience to God, and through him, sin entered and death passed upon the entire human race. (Romans 5:12)

Discredit of the Word of God is the tool Satan used to successfully tempt Adam and Eve. In his long war against God, Satan has never ceased his relentless attack upon God’s Word and character. He has used human emissaries throughout the ages to slander and discredit God’s word. With modern "textual criticism" and a multitude of new translations of the scriptures, Satan has proliferated his attack upon God’s Word. Most new translations change the words and concepts of God, and "textual criticism" often denies and repudiates His Word, yet many readers, like Eve, accept such lies. Cults add to His Word and liberals subtract from it. Those who would know the truth should flee all who would alter the Word of God. God is thoroughly capable of saying exactly, and only, what He means, and has done so in the Bible.

With a series of misquotes, half-truths and insinuations Satan caused Adam and Eve to reject God’s Word. He began his seduction by questioning God’s Word. In a condescending manner of superiority, he inferred that he knew more than Adam and Eve and that God was not as honest and open with them as they had supposed. He suggested that God was withholding something from them. His questioning of God’s Word raised doubt and generated discontent in Adam and Eve. In her response, Eve misquoted God, both adding and subtracting from what He had really said.

Once Satan discredited God and created doubt in His Word in Adam and Eve, he openly denied God’s Word. God had predicted death for eating the forbidden fruit; Satan said they would not die, if they ate it. Doubt opens the door to infidelity, and skepticism leads to atheism. It is a dangerous thing to alter God’s Word. Denial of His truths undermines not only individuals, but whole societies, also.

Satan further promised great advantage to Adam and Eve for doing what God had prohibited. He said their eyes would be opened, thus giving them more options and greater freedom of choice. Furthermore he said they would be as gods. This was a promise that they would have more power and autonomy and less dependency. As if it were a good thing, he promised them an experimental knowledge of good and evil. How foolish and deluded the person is who thinks an experimental knowledge of evil is good!

Adam and Eve succumbed to Satan’s temptation. Their disobedience to God was sin. Sin can be very appealing. Eve saw that the forbidden fruit was good for food. It appealed to her body, her physical appetites, the lust of the flesh. She also saw that the forbidden fruit was pleasant to the eyes. It appealed to her soul, her emotions, the lust of the eyes. The forbidden fruit also appealed to her spirit, the pride of life. Satan’s temptations to cause men to sin against God fall into one or the other of these areas, and sometimes into all three areas at once as in the case of Eve. When Jesus was tempted by the Devil in each of these areas, He resisted by adhering unwaveringly to the Word of God. (Matthew 4:1-11)

Let every man beware of Satan’s subtlety and his constant effort to cause men to disobey God and sin against Him! Let him also be aware of the strong connection between what one sees and what one does. Eve’s seeing the forbidden fruit led to her partaking of it along with Adam. Those who would be free of sin should not flirt with it. People should not place their focus on things they should not have. One should not view and meditate on what he cannot financially afford. Pornography has no place in one’s life, nor does viewing of the opposite sex outside of marriage.

QUESTIONS

1. How do we know that Satan in under consideration in Genesis 3?

2. Why was the serpent well suited to Satan’s purpose in tempting man?

3. Describe Satan’s nature.

4. Why should the deception of Satan in the serpent have been evident to Adam?

5. What approach did Satan use in his temptation of Adam and Eve?

6. How did Satan use superiority to become more convincing in his deception?

7. What impact did Satan’s questioning have on Eve?

8. In her reply to Satan’s first statement, how did Eve subtract from the Word of God?

9. In her reply to Satan’s first statement, how did Eve add to the Word of God?

10. In her addition and subtraction to the Word of God, what modern groups does Eve foreshadow?

11. How did Satan openly deny the Word of God?

12. In what way has Satan proliferated his attack upon the Word of God in modern ages?

13. Discuss the fully developed product of doubting the Word of God.

14. Name the three advantages Satan promised for disobeying God.

15. Explain the meaning of each of Satan’s promises for disobeying God’s Word.

16. Discuss the connection between what one sees and what one does.

17. Discuss sin’s appeal to the body.

18. Discuss sin’s appeal to the soul.

19. Discuss sin’s appeal to the spirit.