Genesis 3:1-5 – The Lie
Satan is a fallen angel; he has rebelled against God, is thrown out of heaven, hates God, and he wants to destroy God’s creation by separating man from God. So, he takes on the appearance and subtlety of a snake for evil purposes. He comes to Eve who is alone and close to the forbidden tree. Perhaps Eve might not have been so tempted if she was with Adam. Other Christians can help keep us accountable to obeying God. We can also avoid temptation by staying far away from things that are forbidden.
Satan tempts Eve by first questioning what God has said. His question seems innocent enough, but he is misquoting God as forbidding them to eat from any of the trees. He seems to be making fun of her for being so cautious and implies that God’s commands are unreasonable. Eve, instead of realising the danger, enters into a debate about what God has really said. She tells Satan all that God has given them, repeats God’s command about the tree, but also adds to God’s command that they are not allowed to touch it. Satan then moves to directly contradicting God – denying that they will die and claiming that instead they will understand more, have more power, and be equal with God. Satan still tempts us the same way by persuading us to question and doubt what God has said as though we know better than God and should be God instead of Him.
Questions
- What does Satan want to do to Adam and Eve?
- How does Satan tempt Eve?
- What are some ways that Satan’s temptations can be avoided?
Prayer Points
- Pray that God would protect us from Satan’s temptations.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters