SATAN – His Fall, The Garden, And Sin Genesis 3:1-6 1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. Introduction: Yesterday was a big day for college football: _____________ beat _____________ _____________ beat _____________ _____________ won…. The winning teams spent days studying the opposing team and the individual players. If we are going to win in the fight against Satan, we must know his tactics and strategy! Page 2 1. Where Did Satan Come From? A. Created As An Angel Before The Earth Was Created. In Ezekiel 28, the writer gives a double reference to the King of Tyre and to Satan who ruled Tyre through the king….. Ezekiel 28:11-17 14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. 15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. 16 “By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. 17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. B. Satan Had (Has) Access To God In Heaven: Job 1:7 (NKJV) And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Revelation 12:7-9 (NKJV) 7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Page 3 2. When Did Satan Fall Isaiah 14:12 – 14 (NKJV) 12 “How you are fallen from heaven, Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ A. Could it be that Satan’s fall took place after the creation of the universe and the Garden of Eden? Verse 13 above - speaks of Satan “exalting his throne above the stars of God.” The Luminaries were made on the forth day (Gen 1:16). If there were no stars before Genesis 1:16, Satan had to fall after God created man in the Garden! Verse 14 above - speaks of Satan “ascending above the heights of the clouds.” The firmament – clouds – was created on day 2 (Gen 1:6-8). If Satan ascended above the clouds, they had to be created first! B. I find it hard to believe that God created Adam and Eve on one day and they decided to disobey Him the next or same day! 1) No one knows how long Adam and Eve were in the Garden. 2) I believe they were there for quite some time C. It is possible that Satan was jealous of the relationship between God and Adam and Eve? Page 4 3. Satan Is Not Too Popular In Scritpure! A. Satan Is Called A Serpent In Genesis 3: 1) Serpent = na hash = to hiss (as a snake, etc) 2) Related to = ne hosh et = copper, bronze, luminous, shinning 3) Moses lifted up a bronze serpent in the wilderness: Numbers 21:9 (NKJV) So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. 4) Satan Transforms Himself Into Angel Of Light 2 Corinthians 11:14 (NKJV) And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 5) Satan in the Hebrew = to lie in wait; to oppose; an adversary; an enemy B. Satan Is Not: divine omnipresent omnipotent eternal omniscient self-existent C. Satan Is The Father Of Lies: John 8:44 (NKJV) 44 You [mankind: you and I] are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. Page 5 D. Satan Has Many Names In Scripture: the destroyer .................................................................... Revelation 9:10 the accuser of our brethren .............................................. Revelation 12:10 the adversary .................................................................... 1 Peter 5:8 Beelzebul ......................................................................... Matthew 12:24 the deceiver of the whole world, the great dragon .......... Revelation 12:9 an enemy .......................................................................... Matthew 13:28 the evil one ...................................................................... Matthew 13:38 the father of lies & a murderer ........................................ John 8:44 the god of this world ........................................................ 2 Corinthians 4:4 the prince of the power of the air .................................... Ephesians 2:2 the ruler of the world ....................................................... John 12:31 the ancient serpent ........................................................... Revelation 12:9 the tempter ....................................................................... Matthew 4:3 E. Satan Does Not Work In Isolation: o Head of a well organized kingdom o “Prince of the power of the air” Ephesians 2:1-3 (NKJV) 1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. o Satan is not omnipresent, but he makes his influence prevalent through his demon subordinates Ephesians 6:11 & 12 (NKJV) 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 3. Satan Brought Sin To Man That God Created! Genesis 3:1-6 [Text] 1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. A. Satan’s Fall Led To The Temptation Of Adam And Eve To Fall! B. Satan thought he could surpass God and he tried to convince Eve and Adam of the same thing…. C. Satan has continued the tactic he used with Eve! He temps man to do evil through the deception that man can attain a desired good (pleasure, wealth, position, etc.) by doing a wrong thing. Page 7 Conclusion: 1. Why Did God Give A Choice Anyway? Satan & pride…. Adam & Eve and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? 2. God wanted his creation (Angels and mankind) to obey and serve Him because the wanted to! 3. With no choice there was no decision! 4. The choice is given to all of us!| Through Christ, the wicked one cannot touch us; 1 John 5:18 (NKJV) We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. Resist The Devil and he will flee; James 4:7 (NKJV) flee from you. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will Even Though he tries, Satan cannot separate us from God: Romans 8:37 – 39 (NKJV) 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. SATAN – His Fall, The Garden, And Sin Genesis 3:1-6 If we are going to win in the fight against Satan, we must know his tactics and strategy! 1. Where Did Satan Come From? A. Created As An Angel Before The Earth Was Created. Ezekiel 28:11-17 B. Satan Had (Has) Access To God In Heaven: Job 1:7 (NKJV) Revelation 12:7-9 (NKJV) Isaiah 14:12 – 14 (NKJV) 2. When Did Satan Fall It is possible that Satan was jealous of the relationship between God and Adam and Eve? 3. Satan Is Not Too Popular In Scritpure! Serpent = na hash = to hiss; also = copper, bronze, luminous, shinning - Numbers 21:9 Satan Transforms Himself Into An Angel Of Light Satan Is The Father Of Lies: - 2 Corinthians 11:14 - John 8:44 Satan Does Not Work In Isolation: - Ephesians 2:1-3; 4. Satan Brought Sin To Man That God Created! Ephesians 6:11 & 12 - Genesis 3:1-6 [Text] Why Did God Give A Choice Anyway? Through Christ, the wicked one cannot touch us Resist The Devil and he will flee; Satan cannot separate us from God: 1 John 5:18 James 4:7 Romans 8:37 – 39