"As a matter of fact, He did!"

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’?”

Genesis 3:1

We’ve worshiped and praised the Lord for the last couple of weeks because He wondrously and amazingly spoke everything into existence. He breathed life into us and wonderfully crafted us in His very image. Man (Adam) and woman (Eve) had it made. They got to hang out with each other and with God 24/7/365. They had the biggest lot in the neighborhood with thousands of feet of waterfrontage. All the land was at their disposal. Adam was even given the privilege of naming all the creatures God created and placed in the garden. This privilege indicates dominion. Simply put, God gave man dominion over all of creation.

Life was good, things were awesome, and they were in perfect relationship with their Creator. It all begs the question, “What happened? Why aren’t things like this anymore?” It’s interesting to note that there is no indication of how long they had been living in this ideal paradise. I imagine it had been many, many years.

Verse 1 of Chapter 3 introduces us to a new character—the snake. The Bible tells us that he is crafty (ESV), cunning (NKJV), and shrewd (NLT). In fact, the Bible says his craftiness, cunningness, and #shrewdacity are unsurpassed in all of God’s creation. He’s slimy, both inside and out. Derek Kidner calls the serpent “malevolently brilliant.”[1]    What a great description! He is wickedly sneaky and smart.  If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am NOT a snake fan.

Satan, our adversary, indwelt the snake for the purpose of usurping God’s design and deceiving and tempting man. The Lord gave Adam and Eve only one rule. Just one. “It’s all yours. Everything. There’s just one tree, here in the middle, that you can’t eat from” (Genesis 2:15-17). So, here comes the devil’s deception, “Did God really say not to eat from that tree? I think you misunderstood Him. I think you interpreted that verse wrongly. Well, maybe He said it, but He didn’t really mean it.”

Every temptation we succumb to—every single one of them—begins with “Did God really say?” The Tempter’s game plan today is the same as it has always been. He doesn’t have an extensive playbook. It is always the same thing, “Did God really say?” Did God really say, “I know he’s not your husband, but it’s just a cup of coffee.” Did God really say, “I know your mom and dad said not to do it, but they’re old-fashioned, and they just don’t get it?”

The only way we can recognize a lie is to know the truth. I encourage you today to know what “God really says.” The Psalmist wrote, “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word” (Psalm 119:15-16). As good as this devotional is, and it is good (sarcasm added), it is not the Bible. It is not God-breathed. Dig into Scripture. Please measure the words in this devotional against Scripture.

Commit to the man or woman in the mirror that you will defend yourself against the schemes of the Deceiver with the Word. Spend some time, every day, together with God in His Word. Pick a book: Philippians or Ruth or 1 John or . . . and start with ten minutes a day for two weeks and see how it goes. I believe God will rock your world by the end of the 14 days.

My prayer for you is that you will develop a love for the Bible so that when the devil sneaks up in your ear and whispers, “Did God really say?” you can respond with Chapter and Verse, “As a matter of fact, He did!”

Lord, I lift up to You, in this moment, the reader of this devotional—Mr.________ or Ms. _______. Lord, put the “want to” in them to hunger and thirst for Your Word. Guard their heart and mind against the schemes of the Adversary. Allow them to seek You for the answers to life’s hard questions. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

[1] Derek Kidner, Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 1, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1967), 72.