Now the serpent...began to say to the woman: "Is it really so that God said you must not eat from every tree of the garden?" -Gen 3:1
At this the woman said to the serpent: "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat. But as for eating of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God has said, "You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it that you do not die." -Gen 3:2, 3
At this the serpent said to the woman: "You positively will not die. For God knows that in the very day of your eating from it your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad." -Gen 3:4, 5 (Compare: John 8:44)
This devil stated just the opposite of what God had said earlier at Gen 2:17. Satan's claim was that humans could rule themselves successfully, without God's help, deciding for themselves what was right and what was wrong, instead of following their loving Creator's direction. Later, Satan claimed that he could turn away from God all of Adam and Eve's offspring. (Compare: Job 2:2-4). Notice, Satan did not challenge God's power. This devil challenged His Sovereignty, God's right to rule, and he maligned God's name or reputation by insinuating God lied to his human children and withheld knowledge from them, knowledge they should have. What would the first couple do?
Consequently the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was something to be longed for with the eyes, yes, the tree was desirable to look upon. So she, began taking of its fruit and eating it. Afterward she gave some also to her husband when with her and he began eating it. -Gen 3:6
Adam and Eve imitated, not Jehovah God who gave them life, but Satan by allowing a wrong desire to become a sin. -James 1:14, 15. Many ask, why did God not just wipe out these rebels on the spot? Why allow them to have children in an imperfect state? -Romans 12:15. For the sake of the myriads of Angels in heaven who were watching and for humans yet to be born, Jehovah allowed time for Satan to try to prove his claims. To immediately wipe out the rebels would have proved Jehovah's power, but would not answer the issues Satan raised. What are the results?
You may read the judgment sentences the "serpent", Eve and Adam received from God in your own Bibles at Genesis 3:14-19. Today, we only need to listen to the news to see what a mess this world under Satan has become.( 1 John 5:19) Yes, time has proved with out a doubt that humans cannot rule themselves successfully without God. People have suffered terribly under the governments of men. (Compare: Jeremiah 10:23)
"With that Jehovah God put him out of the garden of Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken. And so he drove the man out and posted at the east of the garden of Eden the cherubs and the flaming blade of a sword that was turning itself continually to guard the way to the tree of life." -Gen 3:23,24
Paradise was lost, however, God's judgment against these three rebels did not leave Adam and Eve's children without hope. Notice, God's words to Satan at Gen 3:15 it reads:
"And I shall put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heel."
As you read your Bible notice this theme threaded throughout the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. This first prophecy gave hope for the vindication of God's Sovereignty and the sanctification of God's name and for God's original purpose for the earth to be restored to a worldwide Paradise, filled with perfect people who love and appreiciate their Heavenly Father. (Matt 6:9,10; Ps 37: 29, 34) Will we be there to hear God's words at the end of the seventh day say, "It is very good. And it came to be evening and it came to be morning , a seventh day."
