Genesis

Lesson 11 w/AnswersGenesis 3:1-7

In this lesson, we look at Adam and Eve, who are living and working in the garden when they are confronted by sin and Satan. We will encounter a pivotal decision point in the history of mankind, and we will see its failure to make the right decision, leading to the fall of mankind. In subsequent lessons, we will be examining that fall in greater detail, and its effects on all of God’s creation.

Beginnings

For now, let’s take a close look at Satan, his intellect, cunning, and his ability to tempt us when he believes that he has a reasonable chance of succeeding. Let’s also critically examine Eve’s reaction to his temptation. Finally, let’s consider Adam and his response to Eve’s sin.

Read Genesis 3:1-7 and consider the following:

  1. Who does scripture tell us is the serpent, the snake, in this narrative? (see Rev. 12:9 and Rev. 20:2)
    1. ANSWER: It identified the serpent as Satan, the devil.
  2. What can we learn from the following scriptures about the history of Satan before he came into the garden and enticed Eve to sin?
    1. Isaiah 14:12-15
      1. ANSWER: This scripture indicates that Satan wanted to raise himself above God; but as a result, he was cast down to earth by God.
    2. Ezekiel 28:11-19
      1. ANSWER: Satan is described as the "model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty". He was in Eden and was beautifully adorned and appointed as a guardian angel. His heart became proud because of his beauty, and God cast him out.
  3. Was Eve surprised when an animal — the serpent in this case — spoke with her? What possible conclusions can we draw from this encounter regarding upright serpents and talking animals? (see Gen. 3:1-3, Gen. 3: 14-19, and also Numbers 22:28)
    1. ANSWER: Three fundamental things can be seen from these scriptures: First, we observe that, in the past, God allowed animals to talk to and be understood by human beings. Second, we can infer from the description of God’s punishment of the serpent in Gen. 3:14 that it was indeed an upright animal prior to the fall of man. Finally, we can conclude that, whatever the original order of God’s creation was, including whether animals could then talk to Adam and Eve, it all changed once sin entered the world and brought a curse to God’s entire creation — man, animal, and earth alike.
  4. Satan appears to have been very methodical in the planning of his first encounter with humans. List some of the things that Satan seems to have considered before approaching Eve.
    1. ANSWER 1: He chose to tempt Eve and not Adam, perhaps sensing a better chance of succeeding.
    2. ANSWER 2: He chose to tempt her when she was by herself, alone, without Adam to help fend off the temptation.
    3. ANSWER 3: He considered how to appeal to her through her senses, and where exactly in the garden to meet her. In the end, he came up with what he considered to be the best approach to tempt her at her weakest point.
  5. Referring back to Genesis chapter 2, we noted that God created man and gave him responsibilities, as enumerated verses 8 through 17. What is the greatest responsibility that God has given man? (see also 1 John 5:3, Romans 2:13 and Luke 11:28)
    1. ANSWER: To obey God, i.e., to follow God’s commandments, including the first one: to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
  6. In which verse in Genesis did God tell Eve to not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? Why was God upset when she did eat from it?
    1. ANSWER: God did not tell Eve directly. He told Adam, who would have been responsible for conveying this to her.
  7. List three ways in which Satan tempted Eve to eat the fruit. Is there a pattern here that we can also see play out today, whenever we are tempted to sin?
    1. ANSWER 1: He told her that it was good for food, healthy; and physically, something good for the body.
    2. ANSWER 2: He noted to her that the fruit was pleasing to the eye, emotionally and esthetically appealing.
    3. ANSWER 3: He asserted to her that it would make one wise, appealing to the intellect, her mind and spirit. It would also provide spiritual insight and knowledge — it would set one apart from others — appealing to her pride.
  8. It is apparent that Eve fell for Satan’s lies, picked some of the fruit, took it to Adam, and they both ate it together. What does Genesis 3:6 tell us regarding the physical location of Adam at this point?
    1. ANSWER: It tells us that he was with Eve. Even though he was not with her at the location in the Garden where Satan tempted her, verse 6 indicates that Eve took the fruit to him.
  9. It may be easy to come to the conclusion that Satan chose Eve to tempt because he believed her to be the weaker of the two humans in the garden. However, what tricks, lies, and schemes did Eve have to employ to get Adam to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? What resistance did Adam offer in trying to avoid sinning against God?
    1. ANSWER: It appears evident that Adam offered no resistance. He simply ate what Eve gave him, all-the-while knowing that it was wrong.
  10. Referring to the previous question above, what can we then deduce regarding Satan’s plan, with which when he decided to go into the garden and tempt man to sin? What does Paul write in 1 Timothy 2:14 concerning this?
    1. ANSWER: From this story, it was clear that Satan had determined that the best way to get Adam to sin was through Eve. Using the three lies that we discussed earlier in Question 7, he was sure that he could convince Eve to sin; he was also sure that she, in turn, could convince Adam to sin. Satan is very cunning. In 1 Tim. 2:14, Paul asserts that Adam was not deceived. This implies that he had less of a defense than Eve, because he sinned as soon as he was provided the opportunity to by Eve, and he did so without hesitation or deliberation.
  11. What does God tell us regarding how we can get rid of Satan, i.e., how do we get Satan to leave us? (see James 4:7)
    1. ANSWER: This verse in James tells us that if we resist the devil, he will flee. Satan is only interested in hanging around as long as he thinks he has a chance of tempting us to sin. Once he realizes that a specific temptation will not work, he will flee.
  12. What does Paul tell us about God, temptation, and ourselves in 1 Corinthians 10:13?
    1. ANSWER: He indicates that God will never allow us to be tempted by Satan to a level greater than we are capable of resisting. All God asks from us is that we resist temptation. Then, as James 4:7 tells us, Satan "will flee".

In this lesson, we have examined many things concerning Satan, sin, temptation and our responsibility to resist sin and avoid being tempted. We can also infer that we clearly have a responsibility to help each other when one of us is tempted, or perhaps has even sinned. We must help others resist Satan’s lies, and we must not allow ourselves to also be caught in the same snare.

May God strengthen your faith this week, and enable you to resist whatever it is that Satan is tempting you with — so that you can obey God’s will for your life and not fall into one of Satan’s subtle traps. Keep strong in your faith and your knowledge of Christ and His Holy Word, and you will grow stronger with each passing day. Our work in the kingdom must continue; and we cannot allow Satan to slow us down or take away from the work that God has placed before us, just as he had given Adam and Eve the work of caring for His garden.

Thanks for studying with us.

In Christ,

Wes

[2010]

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