WHEN AN APOSTLE IS CONCERNED " . . . as the serpent beguiled Eve . . . " Other versions read, "as the serpent deceived Eve" (NKJV), "just as Eve was deceived" (NIV), "as Eve was tricked" (BBE), "As the serpent seduced Eve" (DOUAY), and "with a clever trick" (IE). -- Tomorrow:
"Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him." (2 Corinthians 11:1-4)
Devotion 14 of 29
This refers to the pivot upon which human history turned. The condition of humanity was impacted by this single event. Paul traces the human dilemma back to this occasion – when "the serpent deceived Eve" (Rom 5:12-20, NKJV). This is the point at which "sin entered into the world" (Rom 5:12). It is imperative that we have a working acquaintance with this event. It is the third thing humanity is said to have done.
1. Adam names the animals Gen 2:19-20.
2. Adam speaks concerning the creation of Eve and marriage Gen 2:23-24
3. Satan deceives Eve, she eats the forbidden fruit, and gives to Adam, who also ate of it Gen 3:1-7
It is important to note the sequence of events in this deception.
1. The "serpent" was noted for craftiness – able to reason, plot, trick, deceive, and manipulate thought (Gen 3:1a).
2. He approached Eve concerning what God had said (Gen 3:1b).
3. The women engaged in a dialog with the serpent, sharing with him what God had said concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:2-3).
4. Satan precisely contradicts what God has said, affirming they would not die if they ate from the forbidden tree (Gen 3:4).
5. Satan reasons with Eve, saying that God knew that when they ate the fruit of this tree their eyes would be opened, and they would become "as gods, knowing good and evil" (Gen 3:5).
6. The woman reconsidered the tree, now seeing that "the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desired to make one wise" (Gen 3:6a).
7. She ate of the fruit (Gen 3:6b).
8. She gave of the fruit also to her husband, and he did eat (Gen 3:6c).
9. The eyes of both of them were opened, they knew they were naked, and they "sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons, or "loin coverings" (Gen 3:7, NASB).
10. When they next heard the voice of God, they "hid themselves from the presence of the Lord amongst the trees of the garden" (Gen 3:8).
11. Upon Divine inquiry, Adam said he was afraid, because he was naked, and hid himself (Gen 3:9-10).
12. As a result, the serpent was cursed, the woman was cursed, the man was cursed, and the ground was cursed (Gen 3:11-20).
13. God made them both Adam and Eve coats of skin (Gen 3:21).
14. The couple were expelled from the garden, and the entrance of it was blocked, prohibiting them from ever entering into it again (Gen 3:22-24).
Paul elsewhere makes clear that this event impacted upon the entire human race for all time. The stream of humanity became contaminated at its source – something from which it could not recover itself. There would have to be another progenitor, and a new generation. Concerning the effects of this occasion, here is what is written.
1. By "one man sin entered into the world" (Rom 5:12a).
2. Because of Adam's sin death also "entered into the world" (Rom 5:12b).
3. Death "passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" that is, the thorough contamination of humanity was confirmed by the presence of sin in everyone (Rom 5:12c).
4. Death "reigned from Adam to Moses," even though there was no revealed moral code. That is, men sinned, even though there was no specific commandment to break. It was Adam's infraction that brought the judgment of death, not their own sin. Their own sin was confirmation that the whole of humanity fell in Adam (Rom 5:13-14).
5. Death is traced back to a single sin by a single man – "the offence of one" (Rom 5:15).
6. The judgment was "by ONE to condemnation" (Rom 5:16).
7. Death reigned "by ONE man's offence" (Rom 5:17).
8. By "the offence of ONE judgment came upon all men to condemnation" (Rom 5:18).
9. "By ONE man's disobedience many were made sinners" (Rom 5:19).
There can, therefore, be no question about the epochal nature of the fall of man. This was more than a mere event involving only Adam and Eve. Some general observations are in order.
1. So far as the record is concerned, this was the first time humanity confronted the devil. If this conclusion is true, no man or woman apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, and those who are in Him, has ever survived encounters with the devil.
2. When Eve was tempted she was morally pure, completely innocent, and uncontaminated with any moral or spiritual pollution. She was not "weak" because of failure. She, was, together with Adam, in a state of moral spotlessness.
3. Eve did not survive a discussion with the devil – even though she knew what God had said, and the implications of it as well.
Oh, the lessons that can be learned from this event!
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I want to be able to detect the devil's crafty work and avoid all of his influences. Grant me grace to do so.