QuickThoughts: Knowing God’s Word

When God gave Adam instructions concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, He said “you shall not eat from it; for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

The serpent, however, twisted these words and asked Eve, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” (Gen 3:1)

Eve’s response holds many implications:

📘 And the woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God said, ‘You shall not eat from it, and you shall not touch it, lest you die.’”

Genesis 3:2-3 LSB

Not only had God not said what the serpent asked Eve, He also had not said what Eve told the serpent.

The implication is that either Adam failed to accurately relay God’s instructions, or Eve had not paid very close attention.

In either case, I am sure Eve’s response greatly emboldened Satan; Eve did not know God’s Word. It is this failure on her part (and Adam’s) that allowed her to be deceived so easily. After all, if she got one part of the instruction wrong (“you shall not touch it”), perhaps she was wrong about death as a consequence…

Satan had his “in.”

Likewise, we are susceptible to the lies of the enemy when we do not know God’s Word. The devil is crafty; he seeks those who are weak in the knowledge of God’s word and will devour them as a lion devours its prey.

His lies are everywhere today, having thousands of years to learn human nature and perfect his deceptions.

📘 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. In addition to all, having taken up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one, also receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Ephesians 6:13-17 LSB

We must know the truth in order to detect and defend against the lies.

📘 … “If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

John 8:31-32 LSB