God, Our Savior Series

Genesis Series # 2 CHCC: January 14, 2007

God, Our Savior

Genesis 3

INTRODUCTION:

Last week, we talked about Genesis chapters 1 and 2. At the end of chapter 2, we left Adam and Eve living in a Perfect Paradise – enjoying perfect weather, perfect health, the perfect marriage, and everything that money could buy (without even needing a bank account.) Adam and Eve were living the kind of life people can only dream about…

I think that’s the kind of dream that makes a show like “Deal or No Deal” so popular. (In case you haven’t seen it, the TV show has 26 suitcases up on stage … and the Contestant must choose the ONE they think is worth a million dollars. Then there’s all kinds of suspense as they pick from the suitcases one by one to eliminate them ... hoping for the best.) Well, Adam and Eve had the “Deal or No Deal” set up … with a twist

Picture yourself playing the Garden of Eden Game Show (work with me now…) In The Garden of Eden Game, ALL the suitcases except one are winners. Not only that, but the Game Show Host calls you to the side and gives you inside information. He tells you, “You can pick ANY of these suitcases and you’ll win it all … but don’t pick number 26 over there. That one will wipe out your winnings and you’ll be out of the game forever.” What a set up! Only one wrong suitcase, and the Host TELLS you which one it is. You can’t lose! Right? …

Well, that’s the way it seemed when God told Adam and Eve: “You can eat from ANY tree in the Garden … except this one.” Then … a new Player entered the scene.

1. The Entrance of Satan Genesis 3:1-5

In Genesis chapter 3 we find out the Creator of this beautiful world has an enemy. He is called “the serpent” … and the entrance of this mysterious creature will change everything. We can’t help but wonder why God allowed him into the garden in the first place. After all, take a look at his Character Qualities:

Genesis 3:1 says, Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, ’You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?" We don’t read about Adam and Eve talking to any other animals. The assumption is that Satan was hiding in the guise of a serpent.

On one trip to India, my friend Masi hosted me at his home and made a point of asking me to wake him if I needed to visit the out door bathroom in the night. Well, he slept so soundly, and I had my own flashlight so I went outside on my own in the night to tend to things. The next time I was there, Masi explained to me that he wanted to help me in the night because they had a cobra living in the wall of their compound that roamed at night, and Masi wanted to protect me from his serpent night watchman. I’m glad I hadn’t encountered his pet cobra in the former visit.

Genesis 3 gives the first introduction to an Evil Being that we call Satan. Recently The NewYork Times reported a survey where Americans were asked if they believed in a literal Satan. The survey asked if they agreed or disagreed with this statement: “Satan is not a living being, but just a symbol of evil.” A full 2/3 of those questioned agreed with that statement.

That is NOT the way the Bible presents Satan. Scripture describes a literal being who is intelligent and clever (crafty is the word used in verse 1.) He is able to communicate and to influence us … and his desire is for our destruction.

Certainly, the serpent of Genesis 3 represented Satan’s interests. He provided the occasion for the first couple to hear an alternate voice besides the voice of God. His purpose was to inject doubt into the situation. We only notice two statements he made to Eve --- the first questioned God’s words, and the second flatly contradicted God’s words. His purpose was to drive a wedge between the Creator and His Creation.

His methodology is always predictable. He always tells Lies. In fact, Jesus called Satan “the father of lies.” John 8:45 Satan’s lies are usually cleverly disguised. In this case, he mixed partial truth with his lies.

Now, for all the bad things we could say about Satan, all he actually did was introduce a TEMPTATION. He did not hold the proverbial gun to their heads. Eve could have ignored him. She could have run from him. She and Adam could have “told God on him” later that evening. But instead Eve hung on his every word, the way someone might listen to a “hot stock tip.”