Lesson 9

background notes

doctrinal points

1. Satan’s tactics are the same today as they were in the Garden of Eden.

2. Man’s temptations are the same today as they were in the Garden of Eden.

practical application
1. Are you still wearing fig leaves?

questions
1. Is the story of Eve’s temptation a literal account of what happened or is it an old testament parable to be taken allegorically?

2. Satan is not mentioned by name in this account. How do we know that Satan was the talking serpent?

3. Where did Satan come from?

4. In the Garden of Eden, how did Satan mix error and truth?

5. Read Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13. How did Satan tempt the Lord Jesus? How was Jesus’ temptation similar to Eve’s?

answers
1. It is a literal account. The serpent actually talked to Eve. Satan possessed the body of the serpent, and talked to Eve through it.

2. We know because other parts of the Bible say so. For example, see 2 Corinthians 11:3 and Revelation 12:9.

3. See Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:1-19. Satan was created as an unfallen, lofty angel. But he rebelled against God because of pride.

4. Satan said, “You will not surely die.” That was an outright lie, for God had said in no uncertain terms, “For in the day you eat of it, you will surely die.” The serpent said, “God knows...your eyes will be opened.” There was some truth in that statement - their eyes would be opened and they would know good and evil, but not in the same way that God knows good and evil.

5. Our Lord was tempted in the same three areas as Satan tempted Eve. Satan suggested that Christ turn the stones into bread (an appeal to the flesh), then he showed Him all the cities of the world and their glory (an appeal to the eyes), and finally, he suggested that the Lord jump off the pinnacle and be miraculously preserved (an appeal to the pride of life.).

 

discuss / consider
1. Satan tried to get Eve to question God’s word and God’s goodness. See Genesis 3:1, 4. See also 2 Corinthians 11:3. Has this ever happened to you?

2. There were three areas of temptation that appealed to Eve: the fruit of the forbidden tree a) was good for food, b) was pleasant to the eyes, and c) it could make one wise. See 1 John 2:16. Man’s temptations today are the same as then. Do you find this to be true personally? Give examples.

 

challenge
1. When Satan tempts you, through whatever sources he has chosen, how can you combat the temptations? See Matthew 4:4, 7, 10.

memorize

• “...the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field...he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said...?’ ‘You will not surely die.’ ‘You will be like God...’.” Genesis 3:1, 4, 5

• Eve said, “Of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it...lest you die’.” Genesis 3:3

• “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that is was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” Genesis 3:6

• “The rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man...they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:22-24