“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (vv.4-5)
One of Satan’s most effective tactics down through the ages has been deception. He is a master at making things appear what they are not. A mixture of truth and error seems to serve his purposes much better than total error. He is delighted when a person turns over a new leaf or engages in good works, just as long as he continues to reject the provision of God’s grace in salvation.
Here in Genesis 3, we see that God alone knows the difference between good and evil. God’s prohibition concerning the tree in the garden was intended to protect Adam and Eve from knowledge they could not bear. But the serpent tempted Eve with the very thing that had ruined him, the desire to be like God (Gen. 3:5).
The results were disastrous. Adam and Eve experienced shame (v.7), alienation from God (v.8), and deception (v.12). Eventually they would suffer death as well. But notice that the serpent was cursed (v.14), not Adam and Eve. Although there were consequences for their rebellion (toil and pain), Adam and Eve actually received a promise-that an offspring would crush the head of the serpent (v.15).
Genesis 3 shows us that God provides a way of redemption for humans, but not the serpent. He has revealed to us through this chapter that humanity is worth saving, and will show the depths of His grace and mercy to save mankind by offering up His only Son as a sinless sacrifice for all.
Yet Genesis 3 is also the foundation of the great battle between good and evil. One that shall be waged between the two seeds; the seed of the woman (which will be the lineage that leads to Jesus Chris), and the seed of the serpent, (the lineage of this non-believing world) which eventual leads to the birth and career of the man referred to in scripture as the anti-Christ.
The final result we see in verse 15, the serpent will bruise the heel of the woman’s seed (a metaphor for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ), the woman’s seed will crush the head of the serpent (Satan was defeated by Jesus Christ upon His resurrection form Calvary’s cross). Since the very day of this pronouncement, the Devil has continually tried to destroy the seed of the woman. Yet, he has failed in every attempt.
This demonic persecution of the seed of Eve (and the nation of Israel in general) has gone on throughout history. Why? Kill the seed and you win the battle. From Cane and Abel, to Herod, to the Pharisees, to the Cross, Satan has tried to kill the physical seed and was unsuccessful. Today Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father waiting until the fullness of the gentiles comes in - still providing a way of redemption until the day of His coming. Then every eye will see and every tongue will confess Him as LORD.
The Truth: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
