In the Garden of Eden, Adam was the “crescendo” of creation. All of earth that was formed and all of the creatures that God created to inhabit it flowed harmoniously into existence like a beautiful symphony which set up the perfect stage for Man to make his grand appearance. But it was the Woman, Eve, who was the crown of God’s creation — the icing on the cake. Creation was not “very good” without the woman being presented to the man (Genesis 2:4-9). In Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, satan was described as dazzling and exeedingly beautiful. He was likely the highest rank of all the angels before his fall, but he was not content in his position. In his immense pride he didn’t want to be a servant, but he wanted to dethrone God and rule the universe (also described in Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28, and 1 John 3:8). That same pride and lessened view of God’s sovereignty and power was what satan tempted Adam and Eve with in Genesis 3. The rebellion of satan and the fallen angels that followed him must have happened after Genesis 1:31 (when everything in creation was “good” and “very good”) but before Genesis 3:1. Was this why satan targeted Eve? As the crown of creation, the first woman, she must have been stunningly beautiful so perhaps he was jealous of the meticulous detail God put into fashioning the woman. As the perfect surgeon that He is, God put Adam to sleep, took his rib and He crafted Eve before presenting her to her husband while God took some dirt and breathed into it to create the man, but I only jest. All kidding aside, it would be an easy assume satan went after Eve because he was jealous. But that is not the reason he targeted her. Eve was satan’s target because she is the weaker vessel (in rank and physicality); that is why in 1 Peter 3:7 Scripture instructs husbands to live with their wives in an understanding way. It wasn’t that Eve was necessarily the “easier” target but because of her rank within the marriage dynamic which God created, deceiving her would be the respresentation and the beginning of something — the perversion of God’s created order, His perfect design. Woman was created to be the weaker vessel, and thus, Man was created to be the proactive protector of both her body and her heart. Adam failed at this. Eve’s sin was choosing to believe satan’s lies and stepped out of the protective authority of her husband by not submitting satan’s request to Adam and then submitting to her husband after he has made a decision — she never gave him a chance to do so. Adam’s headship rank charged him with the responsibility of leading by example, guiding her with care and understanding, and shepherding his wife putting himself between his wife and potential danger (bodily and spiritual harm). He failed to do so and instead allowed his wife to deal directly with a threat and then he knowingly went along with the deception that she fell for (refer to 1 Timothy 2:14). Adam’s rank and responsibility meant that Eve’s sin was Adam’s failure of his God-given role along with his own individual sin.
One of satan’s primary deception tricks is getting mankind to think lightly of Hell and lowering their view of God, as if we can be like Him in wisdom, power, and authority (see Genesis 3:4). This type of deception led to Adam and Eve’s (and Mankind’s) spiritual death, separation from God. And all throughout mankind’s history we don’t have to look far at all to see the devestation and savagery the curse of sin has caused all of creation. But in light of this tragedy of Man, there is a marvelous story of redemption. Because of Jesus Christ, the promised seed talked about in Genesis 3:15, we are being restored in this life and will be restored in Heaven, back into perfect relationship with God. The tricks and slings and arrows of the enemy will be hurled at us but we already have victory in Christ. We are covered by His righteousness and sheltered under His wings. Dear Sister, as we look into the week ahead and all our days, may we be aware of satan’s tricks to steal, kill, and destroy but may we also walk not in fear and defeat but in confidence and victory — not by our strength, but by the might of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Questions to Ask Yourself:
- What are the biggest ways the enemy is deceiving you into allowing him to steal, kill, and destroy your joy and contentment in the Lord?
Prayer Prompt:
Pray for strength and protection against all the schemes and tricks of the enemy. Pray for assurance of your faith and pray for the fruits of the Spirit to be more and more evident in your life and heart.