Search This Blog

How did Satan deceive Eve?

 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
“You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman.  “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  Genesis 3:1-5

Satan used three tactics.

DOUBT - Satan caused Eve to question what was said.  "Did God really say that?  Are you sure you remember that accurately?  Is that what it really said?"

DENIAL - Satan blatantly denied God's command.  "You will surely not die.  That's not going to happen."

VANITY - Satan touted the selfish benefits of eating the fruit.   "You will become like God.  Don't you deserve that for yourself?"

In the desert while tempting Jesus, Satan used similar tricks.

VANITY - Don't you deserve some bread?

DOUBT - Doesn't the Bible say angels will catch you?

DENIAL - Don't you want to worship me instead and deny your father?

Things haven't changed much.  How do we combat those tempations?

DOUBT - We must know the word of God and what it accurately says.

DENIAL - We must know the will of God and follow it at all times.

VANITY - We must recognize we are sinful and appreciate God's grace and love.