Why Does Satan Hate Us so Much (What Did We do to Him)?
A In Genesis 3:1-15, we see the play-by-play of the fall & rise of humanity.
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"2 The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.' “ Gen. 3:1-3 (NASB)
a The enemy questions God’s love, intergrity.
b V. 2-3
aa Eve responds by repeating God’s warning.
bb She added “neither shall we touch it”
c The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! Gen 3:4 (NASB) Satan targets her soul.
aa You won’t die!
bb Calls God a liar.
cc Issues a false promise!
2 Eve takes the bait, & Adam does the same. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Gen 3:6 (NASB)
a They traded being clothed in God’s glory for the nakedness of their sin. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. Gen 3:7 (NASB)
b They couldn’t cover themselves...so hid.
3 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Gen 3:8 (NASB) “Cool” is a reward-spirit.
a Came to have communion, enjoy them.
b Where are you? Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" Gen 3:9 (NASB) Scared!
4 Fear had replaced favor & faith, & God exposed their failure. And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"12 The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." Gen 3:11-12 (NASB)
a Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed Satan, & yet Adam & Eve made their fatal choice.
b Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." Gen 3:13 (NASB)
aa God pronounced judgment on Satan & said the Promised Seed would bruise his head.
bb Fatal blow!
B We have reason to believe Lucifer, before his fall, was the principality God had appointed over our created order.
1 Lucifer became Satan at the fall.
a Shining cherub became a stalking dragon.
b He thought he was the source of beauty, music, wisdom, light.
2 Satan is cast out in judgment.
a Loses position, authority
b Creation lies under devastating judgment & darkness.
C I believe earth bears the scars of two ancient catastrophes: the ancient ruin & the flood.
1 Earth has been shaken, continents torn apart.
a Glaciers have left deep canyons, unstable faults.
b Unpredictable volcanos & earthquakes...yes, it happened!
2 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. John 1:3 (KJV)
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Col 1:16-17 (NASB)
a Pre-incarnate Christ made creation.
b Satan’s devastation on ancient creation was on Christ before He became God in the flesh!
aa For an unknown amount of time wreaked havoc on creation.
bb Then God instituted His plan for ruined creation-recapturing it through a creature known as man.
3 The state of creation is reset in Genesis 1 & 2, from existing matter God remade the earth & placed it in a Paradise called Eden.
a In the six days of creation, God made, formed, & so on.
b “Create” is used only in reference to His “breath” of God.
aa He created moving life out of existing materials, but He made it live by His breath.
bb Even man was formed out of the dust of the earth...didn’t live until God’s creative breath was breathed into him.
D God made man in His own image. 3 things:
1 Gave him a spirit that has the qualities of God.
a Mind-think; heart-love; will-choice
b Placed in an environment to exercise/test all three.
aa Mind: name the animals, govern
bb Heart: to love Eve
cc Will: to choose good or evil, right or wrong
2 In the middle of the Garden were the Tree of Life & the Tree of Death.
a Eat of them all, including the Tree of Life
b Only one forbidden tree...the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil.
3 This is where Satan makes his entrance.
E The war on humanity begins (in Genesis, we can see his motive & method).
1 Motive? He viewed the creation of man as a mistake & was jealous of the future glory God had for man.
a Yet You have made him a little lower than God , and You crown him with glory and majesty!Psalms 8:5 (NASB)
b Satan/demons desired the earth & its glory-hated man & his position.
c You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and have appointed him over the works of Your hands...Heb 2:7 (NASB) Satan wants to thwart God’s plan on the earth.
2 Method? To attack humanity in an attempt to get to God.
a Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph 6:11 (KJV) “Wiles” of the devil-methodia
b Method: Satan is deceptive, but predictable.
aa He used deception & temptations, & these methods have been often repeated since his fall.
bb War is on.
F The casualties of war.
1 Satan attacked through the woman.
a Bible calls women the weaker vessel (doesn’t mean weaker in mind, body, endurance, or worth).
b Susceptible-notice Eve was tempted while her husband was away.
aa Caught off-guard, & duped
bb Thought she was doing her husband a favor!
c And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 1 Tim 2:14 (KJV) Adam knew what he was doing!
aa He chose by his own free will to disobey.
bb Through this fall, mankind became lost. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 1 Cor 15:21-22 (NASB)
2 At one point, there had only been two wills: God’s & Satan’s.
a Now, every man has a will to chose: for God or against God.
b I’m a sinner by fact of nature & by choice, & am utterly lost.
G The war rages on
1 God has announced the continual enmity between man & Satan. The Lord God said to the serpent,"Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you will go, and dust you will eat all the days of your life;15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel." Gen 3:14-15 (NASB)
a Looks like he’s won.
aa Deceived woman, got Adam to doubt the verocity of God’s words.
bb Doubt God’s goodness
cc Messed up/failed in one spot!
b He could not govern the will of man.
aa All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. Isaiah 53:6 (NASB)
bb We now assert our fallen will: we can choose Christ.
2 This struggle explains the tragedy & difficulties of our world (under the curse of sin).
a Satan rebelled against God, & so is every person who chooses his own way.
b Leaves tragedy in its wake.
c Human history is one big parade of man & Satan trying to do something without God.
d God allows us/permits the horrors of tragedy to convince an unbelieving world it’s utterly helpless without Him.
H The end of the war is already determined.
1 At the get-go, God announced the winner of the fight. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel. Gen 3:15 (NASB)
a A bruised seed to a crushed serpent.
b Satan’s defeat will come through man.
aa First prophecy about Calvary’s cross
bb Satan would vent his anger on the Son of God.
c Christ died for our sins & destroyed Satan’s demand for our soul.
2 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil...Heb 2:14 (KJV)
a When we are saved, we rest on the victory of Christ. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him . Col 2:13-15 (NASB)
b Jesus stripped demonic forces of their authority, as well as robbed them of power.
3 It is our job to enforce the victory of the cross until Jesus returns for us.
a We do not belong to Satan!
aa He has no authority over us, God’s prosperity.
bb (IL) You’re not my Father, Daddy.
b Affirm the fact that every devil, demon, nation has already been overthrown-although they may not know it-but they are, I believe it!
4 The war ends with Satan/demons in a lake of fire.
a Until that day, God wants to display His glory in His new people, the church.
b ...and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. Eph 3:9-11 (NIV)
5 God wasn’t surprised when Adam & Eve bit the apple.
a His plan was right on schedule.
b Everyone who surrenders to Him, lays down the weapons of rebellion, becomes part of His Kingdom.
c We become soldiers as well as saints & servants until that day.
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