WEEK 14 - THAT CRAFTY LITTLE DEVIL

WEEK 14

“THE BEAUTY & FALL of Ms. EVIE”

PART THREE… ‘THE FALL’ 

CHAPTER TWO:  “THAT CRAFTY LITTLE DEVIL!!!”

ON A PERSONAL NOTE:  I have truly enjoyed writing PART ONE & TWO on our subject of EVE. Knowing all along the contents of PART THREE was going to be more of a stretch for me in going deeper to understand further about the SERPENT, the TEMPTATION and the FALL of the First Couple. I didn’t look at it as a dread to write, but knowing more than ever before, I would totally have to allow God to guide my thoughts of how He wants this part to be revealed to me, and then to you as the reader. I have been writing Bible studies for over 8 years now and never before have I put more prayer and relied on God more to give me the words than I have in this study!  It has proven to be a deeper challenge for me than anything I have ever written, but rewarding beyond words.

I want to thank you the reader for following this study and thanks to those of you who have given me much needed words of encouragement and prayers!  TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!

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   We now come to what some consider being the most important chapter of the Bible, and I believe this to be true as well. Genesis 1-2 finds Man in innocence; everything is beautiful, in heavenly harmony and of perfect perfection, and there’s an unhindered intimacy between God and Man. But if you skip over Chapter 3 and begin reading in Chapter 4 of Genesis through to Revelation you will read about jealousy, anger, murder, lying, wickedness, corruption, rebellion, judgment, and so much more evil!  So where did “sin” begin? You’re right, Chapter 3!

   Here we learn of the…
   *  beginning of the fallen and ruined condition of present humanity.
   *  crafty devises of the enemy…the devil!
   *  powerlessness of Man to walk in the path of righteousness when divine grace is withheld from him (J. Vernon McGee - ‘Thru the Bible’)
 

   *  effects of sin

   *  fleeing from God
   *   cover up of moral shame

   *  fellowship being broken

   *  love and caring that God still has for Man

 

GENESIS 3

Genesis 3:1a  ‘Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made…’   (NIV Bible)

Some Bible translations refer to the ‘serpent’ as the… ‘tempter’.

POINT ONE…. “WHO WAS THE ‘SERPENT’?”

 

   What was this creature that began all corruption?  It is clear that it was an actual animal, wild animal to be exact, as it says in Genesis 3:1a… ‘Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made…’   

 

   I truly do not believe that God created something ‘in the beginning’ (when He was creating the animals, Gen 1:24-25) that would be this horrible as in misleading Man, speaking convincing lies or be a tempter that would lead to human devastation (the curse Gen 3: 14-19). If you read these two verses, Gen 3:24-25, at the end of verse 25 it says… “And God saw that it was good.”  So, if He saw that His creation was pleasing, He wouldn’t have created such a serpent as we hear about in Chapter 3. So therefore, it’s to my belief this serpent was not created in such a way to bring such desolation to Man, even if it originally was in the ‘wild animal’ family of animals. The lying and deceiving in such a creature came about as the result of the evil devil entering its spirit. The serpent was used by another power that we learn to be satan himself.

Therefore, “the devil, or Satan”, is later referred to as “that ancient serpent” in Rev 12:9; 20:2. He insinuated a falsehood and portrayed rebellion as clever, but essentially innocent, self-interest. (NIV Bible footnotes)

READ Job 1:7…  What had satan been doing? ___

 

Why then do we associate the ‘serpent’ as to a snake? ____

 Serpent’… The Hebrew word is… nachash, meaning “snake”   

Was the serpent a snake as we know a snake from the beginning or after his job was done and God cursed it? ____

READ Genesis 3:14. How did God curse the serpent? ____

The serpent, Satan's tool, is cursed (Genesis 3:14), and becomes God's illustration in nature of the effects of sin--from the most beautiful and subtle of creatures to a loathsome reptile! The deepest mystery of the atonement is intimated here. (Scofield Notes)

    We typically understand the serpent (nachash) in the resemblance of a snake; but this creature was not the slithering snake as we know of it today. In the Genesis account of the serpent will later be condemned to crawling on its belly, an obvious reference to the life-style of a physical snake. We will be covering more of this later on in the study.

 

POINT TWO…. “SATAN ENTERS!”  

Was it of the serpent’s nature to be evil or did evil come in with the entering of satan into the world?

   As we’ve just discussed, it looks like the serpent was of good nature until satan took over its body. Let’s see what a couple of great men of God has to say…

Thoughts from Great Theologians…

Whether it was only the visible shape and appearance of a serpent (as some think those were of which we read, Exodus 7:12), or whether it was a real living serpent, actuated and possessed by the devil, is not certain: by God's permission it might be either. The devil chose to act his part in a serpent because it is a subtle creature. (Matthew Henry Commentary)

Whether it was only the appearance of a serpent, or a real serpent, acted and possessed by the devil, is not certain. The devil chose to act his part out in a serpent, because it is an intelligent creature. It is not improbable, that reason and speech were then the known properties of the serpent. And therefore Eve was not surprised at his reasoning and speaking, which otherwise she might have been. (John Wesley’s Commentary) 

 

   What these two theologians are saying is… whatever the creature was to begin with; the spirit of the devil possessed it and acted through it.  Satan borrowed this creature of which ‘Lord God had made…’  And in his borrowed form may not have been as a writhing reptile at that time, but under God’s curse became a creature that would… “crawl on your belly and you will eat dust.”. (Gen. 3:14)  Becoming into like a snake form was the effect of the curse. The creature which lent itself to satan may well have been the most beautiful as was the most "subtle" of creatures less than man, after all, remember the Lord ‘had made it’, and Eve was not afraid of it nor surprised of its voice, reasoning and pleasantness, which otherwise she may have been.

 

POINT THREE…. “IS THE CRAFTY CREATURE  STILL WITH US TODAY???”

‘Crafty’….  skillful, clever, cunning, evil schemes, deceitful, sly (Ding Dictionary)

   The acknowledgment of the ‘serpent’s’ characteristics of being; cunning and deceitful, and the ability to speak, suggests it was more than an ordinary member of the animal kingdom, but not in the least supernatural being. We typically understand the serpent (nachash) of Genesis 3 as satan in the appearance of a serpent—therefore, as a member of the animal kingdom. ‘…of the wild animals the Lord God had made.

   The use of ‘crafty’ not only means cunning and deceitful, etc., but it also suggest that it was clever and skillful and with much wisdom; used in a negative and evil way no less! Nothing short of being satan himself!

 

NOTEWORTHY: This crafty serpent has a long list of appearances, such as… deceitfulness, malicious and corrupt powers; just to name a few!!! 

Would you say that satan is the same today? ____

READ 2 Corinthians 11:14. What is Satan described as? ____

 

   Satan is the prince of darkness but parades himself as the price of light to give the impression of all things good. But we know he is the prince of sin and destruction, so why is it so easy to fall for his lies and false promises???

 So far, to name a few, we have identified this crafty one as a…

·       serpent

·       wild animal

·       tempter

·       snake

·       satan

·       devil

·       intelligent creature

·       influence of the forces of evil of which Man fell into

Do we not see the same inexplicable presents surrounding our own lives and in the world today?  Satan fighting against us for destruction and death in our lives!

 

Do not be victim of satan’s schemes. There is hope:  READ 2 Corinthians 2:11; 1 Timothy 5:15

The Message Is…

·       With no introduction, the serpent appeared in Paradise. This is the first mention in Scripture of anything outside of what Adam and Eve had ever experienced before.

·       This serpent appeared to be something fascinating and friendly to the First Couple, but under the skin where no sight could be seen…ever bit loathsome and evil lived! Neither Adam or Eve saw the danger embodied in the voice of this wicked one.  

·       This creature had remarkable ability, otherwise how could Adam and Eve have fallen for its lies?!

·       The personality of this serpent belongs slithering on the ground like a snake, which is used to describe evil persons or nations… “He’s lower than a snake’s belly!”

·       The tempter was the devil, in the shape and likeness of a serpent. Satan's plan was to draw our first parents to sin, and so to separate between them and their God. Thus the devil was from the beginning a murderer, and the great mischief maker. (Matthew Henry’s Commentary)

 

1^st MEMORY STATEMENT FOR THE WEEK…Matthew 4:10… ‘The Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.”

 

2^nd MEMORY STATEMENT FOR THE WEEK…Luke 22:31… “Simon, Simon, look out! Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.”

 

3^rd MEMORY STATEMENT FOR THE WEEK…Fill in the blanks from Acts 26:10 when Jesus says… “…to _____ their eyes so they may _________ from ______________ to ___________ and from the ___________ of Satan to ___________, that by ________ in ______ they may receive __________________ of __________ and a ______________ among those who are _______________.”

 READING ASSIGNMENT: JOB chapters 1-2

 

Have this assurance this week.... “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”!   Romans 16:20

 

cj

3-20-13

 

P.S. I know the word 'satan' is a proper word and should be capitalized, however, I do not wish to give satan the credit of honor by capitalizing its given name other than when I'm quoting the wording of the Bible or in use of reference from someone else's written words.