This is the fourth sermon in the “Updating The Garden of Eden to the Contemporary World” series. In this series we see that today we face many of the challenges and options faced by Adam Eve.
As we continue our study in Genesis 3:1–10 we find that the serpent, Satan tries to slander God.
"You will not surely die", the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. (Gen. 3:4 NIV)
Scripture Reading:
Genesis 3:1-10 NIV 1] 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’?” [2] The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, [3] but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” [4] “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. [5] “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” [6] When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. [7] Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. [8] Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. [9] But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” [10] He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
Introduction
Have you ever been lied about? Do you know the pain of false rumors circulating about you or about something you supposedly said or did? If you have not yet experienced this phenomenon you probably will. At some time or another all of us become the target of rumor mongers.
Text: “‘You will not surely die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’” (Gen. 3:4 NIV).
I. The Devil lied about God.
A. Satan lied to Eve.
Although Satan directed his initial attack at Eve, the real target was God himself, and the ammunition was words attributed to God. The serpent contended that God had forbidden the couple to eat the fruit from any tree in the garden.
Genesis 3:1 NIV 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’?”
Already the serpent was lying about God.
1. Eve corrected the serpent.
She knew the words of the Lord. She knew that God had commanded that they not eat from only one tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So, armed with knowledge of the Word of God, Eve corrected the serpent.
Genesis 3:2-3 NIV [2] The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, [3] but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”
She corrected the serpent based on certain knowledge gained from learning the Word of God, even if, as we said last week she got it second hand from Adam.
It is as if Eve was getting a preview of what Jesus would experience years later when he encountered the Tempter, Satan in the desert. Three times Satan tempted Jesus to sin, but each time the attempts were resisted when Jesus turned to the Word of God to declare, “It is written . . .”
Matthew 4:1-11 NIV [1] Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. [2] After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. [3] The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” [4] Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Deuteronomy 8:3 NIV He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.) [5] Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. [6] “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” [7] Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Deuteronomy 6:16 NIV Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah.) [8] Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. [9] “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” [10] Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” (Deuteronomy 6:13 NIV Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.)[11] Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Eve did not have the written Word, but she had knowledge of the Word of God and with that word, resisted the first shot by her enemy.
2. One of the things that helped Eve resist Satan's first attempt was the facts. Satan’s facts were just not true.
Genesis 3:1 NIV …. “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
When Satan contended that God had said she could not eat from any tree in the garden, Eve knew better. She could judge the truthfulness of the statement immediately.
Genesis 3:2-3 NIV [2] The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, [3] but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”
3. Eve resisted the serpent’s first shot so then the serpent made God out to be the enemy.
Satan didn't give up on his goal of breaking the fellowship between God and man with only one rejection. So he changed his tactics and Satan painted God as Eve's enemy.
Genesis 3:4-5 NIV [4] “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. [5] “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
We need to examine the underlying message of Satan’s words to get the true nature of his attack.
By suggesting that eating the fruit would make them "like God," Satan was implying that they would gain knowledge and power that would elevate them above God's control. He was essentially tempting them to become independent and self-sufficient, rather than relying on God.
Satan's deception was based on a lie. Eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil did not make them like God. Instead, it led to sin, separation from God, and the consequences of their disobedience.
The very nature of God was under attack, but then Satan went even further.
He planted the notion of rebellion in Eve’s mind. Although unspoken, the suggestion is still present today.
in essence here was Satan’s suggestion;
The only way to really care for yourself is to rebel against God. The only way to establish yourself is at the expense of others, namely, God.
Based on what we know happened Eve must have reasoned that if God is really my enemy, if he is really using me, then rebellion is the only course of action.
4. One thing that we know for sure, it is difficult to disprove attacks on one’s nature.
Eve could handle the facts about what God said or did not say, but she couldn't handle the attacks on the nature of God himself.
It's challenging to disprove charges about someone's character, especially today where information can spread rapidly and be difficult to correct.
Rumors can spread like wildfire, and once they take hold, it can be difficult to dismiss them, even with evidence to the contrary.
Even with evidence, it can be challenging to prove a negative, such as proving that someone didn't do or say something
Social media can blow negative information out of proportion.
Our own personal biases and experiences can influence how we perceive and interpret information about others, making it difficult for us to remain objective.
B. We hear negative charges about people all the time today.
1. We hear it In families.
Some charges are factual. They involve “so-and-so said” or “so-and-so did.” These are the factual charges that, with enough time, can be proved or disproved, but how do you correct or change negative charges about the nature of people? It is practically impossible.
2. We hear negative charges In business.
Frequently employees and employers scream at each other across bargaining tables and picket lines: “All you care about is yourself.” Each side brands the other as the enemy.
3. There are negative charges that come as the result of misunderstandings.
Your viewpoint shapes your reality for example; What one marriage partner sees as expressions of love, the other may see as being “used.” What the child interprets as harshness, the parent may see as a necessary corrective measure. What the employer sees as acceptable working conditions, the employee may see as lack of concern by management.
Neither perspective may be entirely correct or entirely incorrect, but the different perspectives cause unnecessary tensions.
II. Now that the serpent has attacked God’s character and causes Eve now to start thinking, the sin of disobedience starts to take hold
Like an animal is lured out of the safety of its den by a tempting bait, so sin attempts to lure the Christian into its snare.
Genesis 3:6 NIV When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
1. As Eve looked at the tree, the fruit was immediately appealing to her. It appealed to her survival needs by offering her food. What could be more basic than doing those things that help you survive?
2. But the appeal was more than food. It was attractive and appealed to the eye. The fruit's visual appeal was irresistible to Eve, overcoming her initial hesitation
3. And the fruit was still more. It offered the opportunity for what psychologists call “self-actualizing.” Eve could be fulfilled personally because eating the fruit would make her like God.
On all the levels of need identified by psychologists, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil lured Eve toward sin.
B. The Bible points out that the joy of sin doesn't last.
We all face the temptation to give in to sinful desires but it's important to remember the consequences
It can be as practical as overeating when the mind runs wild imagining how delicious a particular dessert will taste. Momentarily our minds are captured by the passionate moments certain perfumes and colognes are supposed to produce. Even teetotalers sing beer commercial jingles and desire the experiences promised by the commercials.
The Bible often describes the allure of sin as a temptation that can lead to temporary satisfaction. However, it also warns against the long-term consequences of sin, such as separation from God and eternal punishment.
James 1:13-15: "Let no one say when tempted, “I am being tempted by God.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death."
Galatians 6:7-8: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows, he will also reap. Whoever sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from his flesh, but whoever sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit."
These verses highlight the idea that while sin may seem attractive in the moment, its long-term consequences are devastating.
C. Sin, however, has its payday.
1. You can overeat and enjoy every mouthful, but there is a price to pay. Overeating is unhealthy. Now you have to exercise to work off the extra calories or become fat. In light of the price of overeating, the extra bites are never as good as one imagines them.
2. The search for passion often results in unfaithfulness that destroys relationships and wrecks lives.
3. Exciting partying experiences end up with one out of every seven drinkers captured by alcohol. The toll in ruined lives is uncountable.
Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
4. Adam and Eve found that God was right. They suffered the death of relationship with each other and brokenness before God, and they did die physically as well. They believed the Devil’s lie about God, and they paid the price.
III. God’s response to slander.
A. Who would have blamed God had he called his experience with man a mistake and given Adam and Eve immediate physical death as well as spiritual death?
Thankfully, God did not respond in vengeance. Rather, despite Adam and Eve’s buying into the lie about him, God reacted in mercy.
Genesis 3:21 NIV The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
This shows God's grace as well as His mercy. He provides for humanity's needs despite their sin.
Providing the skin of an animal that was killed to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve foreshadows the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, who would provide the ultimate covering for humanity's sin.
Isaiah 53:5-6: "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."
Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Hebrews 9:26: "Otherwise He would have to suffer repeatedly since the beginning of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."
1 John 4:10: "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a propitiation for our sins."
These passages emphasize that Jesus' sacrificial death was a voluntary act of love, intended to atone for humanity's sins. His death was not merely a punishment for sin, but a substitutionary sacrifice that satisfied God's righteous demands.
Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Through faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice, we can receive forgiveness of our sins and have eternal life. This is the ultimate covering for humanity's sin. It’s a gift that cannot be earned
God took the initiative to reach out to undeserving man and promised that not only was reconciliation possible but that it would in fact happen.
Genesis 3:15 NIV And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
This verse is often referred to as the first gospel. This passage is a promise of Jesus' victory over Satan through His crucifixion and resurrection. The "crushing of the head" symbolizes Satan's ultimate defeat, while the "bruising of the heel" represents Jesus' temporary suffering and death.
Through faith in Jesus we become God’s children. Through faith in Jesus disobedience can be forgiven. Through faith in Jesus our hopelessness can turn to hope for the present and for eternity.
God took the initiative and offered Jesus Christ to do for us what none of us can do for ourselves. God reached out to undeserving humankind and offered himself.
John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
Philippians 2:5-6: "Emptying himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross!"
We can almost hear the words of Jesus on Calvary, with arms outstretched as he declares to the world, “Look, God is not your enemy. God is not against you. See how much he loves you.
Jesus died so that “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”
Conclusion
Do not believe the Devil’s lies about God.
Here are some of the lies;
God is a tyrant: Some may perceive God as a harsh or punishing figure who demands obedience without love or mercy. - Lie
God is a distant or uncaring being: Others may believe that God is indifferent to human suffering or that He is simply too far removed from the world to be relevant. - Lie
God is a product of human imagination: Some may view God as a creation of human minds - Lie
God is responsible for evil: They may argue that God is the cause of suffering and injustice in the world. - Lie
God is a harsh and unforgiving deity - Lie
God is responsible for evil: Some people may believe that God is responsible for evil in the world,- Lie
God is indifferent to human suffering. This misconception can be based on a misunderstanding of the nature of free will and the complexity of human existence. - Lie
These are slanderous lies. From the very beginning God has reached out in mercy, grace, and steadfast love.
Don't be fooled and buy into Satan's lies about God.
Let’s pray,
Heavenly Father, we come before You today with hearts that may be heavy, or perhaps confused. We acknowledge that Your reputation has been tarnished by misunderstandings, misconceptions, and even outright lies. We ask for Your forgiveness for those who have spoken falsely about You.
Lord, help us to see You as You truly are: a loving, merciful, and just God. Help us to understand that Your ways are not our ways, and Your thoughts are not our thoughts. May we be filled with a deep faith and trust in Your goodness, even when we don't fully understand Your plans.
We pray that Your love will shine through us, dispelling the darkness of misunderstanding and prejudice. May we be ambassadors of Your grace and truth, sharing Your love with the world.
In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
