The Schemes of Satan, Part One
A Devotional Series from Genesis
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
3/14 Reading Portions: Exodus 25; John 4; Proverbs 1; 2 Corinthians 13
Genesis 3:1-3
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
DOUBT
When Satan comes to attack God’s people, He is attempting to outflank God Himself. First, he does not bring a frontal attack to God. He goes to the weakest of the weak, first accusing human beings, who are made a little lower than angels (Psa 8:4-5), and accuses us before God (Rev 12:10). Here, in the beginning, he came to the woman first, the weaker vessel between man and woman (1 Pet 3:7). Some have taken this to infer that the woman was alone when Satan came to deceive, that Adam was not around. Scripture from this incident tells us otherwise. Adam was with her (Gen 3:6). Satan preys upon weakness. In the historical record, the commandment not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil came to Adam before the woman was created (Gen 2:16-18). When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, the enemy did so after the Lord had fasted forty days, and when He was literally starving to death, having hungered after His fast, Satan came with his first temptation (Matt 4:1-3).
Second (and most importantly), when Satan comes, he brings doubt to God’s Word. “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” Likewise, Satan did so when he tempted the Lord Jesus in the wilderness:
“If You are the Son of God…” Matthew 4:3
This was a mere forty days after the Lord Jesus received the testimony of Father God Himself at the River Jordan,
and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17
We’ve seen this throughout church history. Wherever and whenever false doctrine arises, it is first a product of doubting God’s Word. Why? Because wisdom to act for God’s glory will be lacking. Jesus tells us through the apostle to ask for wisdom if we a need it (because we always need it), but we are to ask in faith, without doubting that He has told us to ask Him (Jas 1:6-8).
Yet by YHVH God’s gracious, marvelous, and merciful design, it is in our weakness and in our ignorance that we are to lean upon the grace of God in Christ alone. Jesus said through the apostle,
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11
The armor of God is Christ Jesus,1 for elsewhere He said through the same apostle,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 2:9
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
After we’ve considered all these schemes (Gen 3:1-6), I’ll deliver an article expressing the practical truth of the armor of God as Christ Jesus, how each element correlates to the truth of Jesus Messiah and how to apply it in our daily warfare against the devil and his minions.