The Devil made Me do it! It all Started in the Garden of Eden.

After God finished creating the world and all that surrounded it, Adam and Eve blissfully enjoyed the blessings of Eden. While God had given them instructions for maintaining the bliss, the rules didn't sound too complicated.

Really, there was only one: they were not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. With all the fruit on all the other trees available to them, one would think it shouldn't have been too hard to stay away from one tree.

But a third character appeared in the garden - a serpent. He engaged Eve in pleasant conversation.

"...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.’ Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 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." (Genesis 3:3-5)

Not only did the serpent question God's word, but he lied. Eve did what many people continue to do today; she accepted the serpent's word over God's word. Of course the serpent was Satan (the devil) in disguise and the result was that he was cursed by God.

While Satan deceived Eve, her fault lay in believing Satan instead of believing God. She was tempted and sinned. Adam followed suit.

"He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)

It is clear that, in the beginning, the devil had access to God's throne around the clock, so he was able to report to God about those who failed when he tempted them every day.

"Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down." (Revelation 12:10)

 

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