Developing a Biblical Worldview

Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 28:11-19 – New Testament Reading Revelation 20:1-10

Developing a Biblical Worldview
“The Origin of Evil” # 2
Genesis 3:1-7

Wayne J. Edwards, Pastor

Genesis 1-3 is the framework through which God wants mankind to view the world, for as the Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:20:

“Since the creation of the world [God’s] invisible attributes are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead.”

 Genesis 1-3 can be divided into five major headings:

• God’s existence – who God is and why He created anything.
• God’s creation – how God created it and for what purpose.
• The origin of man – why God created mankind male and female as a part of His plan for lost man’s redemption.
• The origin of evil – why God allowed evil to corrupt His perfect creation.
• The promise of a Deliverer – God’s eternal plan to redeem lost man from the corruption of sin through His promised Seed, who became our Savior, the Lord, Jesus Christ.

THERE ARE ONLY TWO WORLDVIEWS

The importance of studying Genesis 3:1-7:

• It proves the origin of evil is not a “fairy tale” – the devil is not a fictional character but a real being.
• Those who do not understand Genesis 3:1-7:
  • Will find it hard to understand the rest of the Bible, including the purpose of the Person and Work of Christ.
  • Will not understand the reason for all the problems in the world, as well as in their personal lives.
  • Will never fully understand that the only remedy for man’s sinful dilemma is the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
  • Will not understand what Jesus is going to do when He returns and why His true believers live each day in the anticipation and expectation of His return.
  • The entire gospel message stands or falls on the historicity and accuracy of Genesis. If the Book of Genesis is not true, on what basis can we trust the rest of the Bible. Once the credibility of the Bible is destroyed, it is easy to discount the existence of the Creator.

1. The Description of the Serpent – Genesis 3:1-7 – Vs. 1–“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which God had made!” 

   Satan means “adversary,” and Devil means “diabolos,” – a false accuser or slanderer.

• In Genesis and Revelation, Satan is “the serpent,” or “the old serpent,” or “the great dragon.”
• Other names include Abaddon – which means destruction; Apollyon – which means destroyer; or Beelzebub – which means false god.
• Jesus referred to Satan as “the tempter,” the Apostle Paul referred to him as the “god of this world,” and the Apostle John called him the “prince of this world and the father of lies.”
• Regardless of his name, Satan’s ultimate goal is to oppose God and those who dare to believe in God.
• In Ezekiel 28:14-19, Satan was called “Lucifer,” one of the two “covering angels,” who, when pride filled his heart, sinned against God and fell from perfection.
• Lucifer did not want to be above God or beneath God; he wanted to be equal with God and to receive the worship the only belonged to God.
• In Isaiah 14:12-14 and Revelation 12:7-9, when God cast Lucifer out of heaven, he persuaded 1/3 of the angelic host to join with him in his rebellion.
• Satan and his legion of demons took up residence upon the earth, from which they continue their resistance against God’s will and God’s people.

2. The Deception of Satan – Genesis 3:1-7– Vs. 1 – “Hath God said?”

   Satan’s three-step method to lead God’s people into sin and disobedience:

• He plants doubts about God’s Word – “hath God said?”
• He contradicts God’s Word – “Ye shall not die!”
• He reinterprets God’s Word – “God knows your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods!”

   While the “fruit” of the tree was not poison, which meant they would not die from eating it, their disobedience to God brought two kinds of death:

• Physical death – even though they lived hundreds of years, the process of aging and death began.
• Spiritual death – that intimate fellowship with God and with each other was no more; for the first time, they felt the sorrow and pain of separation and death.

   Since Satan was the first created being to lie, he was the “father of lies,” and they were powerful.

• 1/3 of the angelic host followed him in rebellion.
• Adam and Eve sinned and infected the whole human race.
• In just 2000 years, all but eight people were totally deceived by Satan’s lie that they would not die.
• Millions are deceived by the lies of their own false confessions of faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior or in their true confessions in a false faith or religion.
• As we get closer to the end of this age, many will be deceived by Satan’s demons who pose as “clergymen” in the pulpits and by Satan, as he calls down fire from heaven to convince others he is the Christ.

3. The Destruction of Satan – Genesis 3:14-19-Vs. 14 – “Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life!”

• God cursed the serpent to illustrate what would happen to Satan eventually.
• Ezekiel 28:18-19 – Satan’s rule will be brought down.

Revelation 20:1-10 – Satan himself will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and tormented day and night forever and ever.