Bible Studies
Biblical Examples: The Devil Tempts Eve and Jesus (Rom. 7:7-12)
Series: The Reality of SatanIntroduction:
1. This passage introduces us to the relationship between the law of God, sin and death. 2. The word “sin” in verse 11 is a personification, that is, it is represented as a person, and therefore it is equivalent to Satan. So verse 11 actually says, “Satan took opportunity through the commandment and through it killed me.” 3. In this study we will examine what is stated in Rom. 7:7-12 and then address Satan’s temptation of Eve and of Jesus, noting how he manipulated the law to try to accomplish his objectives.Discussion:
I. Satan and the relationship of the law, sin and death in Rom. 7:7-12.A. First, this passage is NOT saying that the Law of God causes one to sin.
1. Some operate from the premise “if I am prohibited from doing something that makes me want to do it all the more. I never coveted anything, until the law said, ‘You shall not covet,’ then I coveted.”
2. They blame the law for their coveting.
3. This passage is not saying that the law causes sin.
B. What this passage IS saying is that the Law reveals sin.
1. The law reveals sin much like a sunbeam reveals the dust in the air. The dust was there all along, but the sun revealed it. The law reveals our coveting.
2. It does not cause it.
C. Verse 11 says, “Sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.”
1. The law furnishes Satan an opportunity to use it against us.
2. The law is meant to bring life, but Satan deceives us into breaking the law.
3. This violation results in death. So Satan has used the law against us. He takes the opportunity afforded by the circumstance to kill us.
4. And so, he deceives us in order to get us to violate the law. This means two things:
a. We need to know what the law says.
b. We need to know what it MEANS. If we do not know what it means Satan will ascribe meaning to it that is not true, i.e., that is not consistent with God’s intent and will deceive us into violation and death.
II. In Gen. 2 and 3 in Satan’s temptation of Eve we have an example of this occurring.A. The instruction of God to man in the Garden (Gen. 2:16b-17). “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”
B. Satan asked, “Has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?’” (Gen. 3:1). ESV translates, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?’” He actually proposes that God’s limitation was more extensive than it actually was. The implication: “Have you been unnecessarily restricted?” Questions the trustworthiness of God.
C. The woman’s reply: “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’”
1. She has a clear grasp on what God has said.
2. The location of the tree in the middle of the garden is additional information not contained in 2:16-17.
3. But there is something else in her statement that is not contained in 2:16-17. The prohibition from touching the tree is not mentioned in 2:16-17. Did God prohibit touching it or is this an addition by Eve? Is this her interpretation of what God said? Sometimes are interpretations are more restrictive than what God has said. The Pharisees built a hedge about the law to inhibit violation and invalidated the word of God for the sake of their interpretations (cf. Matt. 5-6-7; 15:1-9).
4. Perhaps Eve has ever so slightly revealed her perception that God is not being fair.
D. Satan says, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
1. This statement completely undermines the credibility of God and His word.
2. Satan is saying, “God is not worthy of your trust. He doesn’t have your best interest at heart. He is holding out on you.” This is a tactic used with Israel at Kadesh-barnea: “Because the Lord hates us, He has brought us out of Egypt to deliver us to the Amorities to destroy us” (Deut. 1:27).
3. Notice also that Satan taps in to Eve’s thinking that she is “less” than God. Satan diminishes her. Seeing that the tree is desirable to address this diminished feeling and to make her wise like God she is attracted.
4. Additionally the tree is good for food and a delight to the eyes. In other words it is appealing.
a. It satisfies God-given desires for food for delight.
b. Satan taps into our God-given desires for pleasing things.
5. The tree is desirable for food, for delighting the eyes and besides that it is desirable to make one wise like God.
6. And Satan says, “It won’t kill you!”
E. The law furnished Satan the opportunity to destroy.
F. He deceived Eve by painting a positive picture. He undermined God’s credibility. Made Eve feel “less.” And then blatantly lied to her. He has taken what God said and completely invalidated it.
G. The consequence was death. Satan had broken Eve over the law. That which was supposed to be life to her had now resulted in her death. Satan had destroyed her. God is in the business of giving life. Anything that leads you in the direction of the slaughter house Satan is behind it.
III. In Matt. 4 Satan attempted to destroy Jesus by breaking Him over the law. (We will examine each of the temptations, but notice the second in particular because there Satan quotes Scripture in that temptation.)A. In the first temptation we see how opportunistic Satan is (Matt. 4:1-4).
1. Jesus has fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. He is hungry.
2. Satan says, “If You are the Son of God.” Notice how he diminishes Him.
3. God’s message had been “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (3:17). Do you believe you are the beloved of God???
4. “If you are the Son of God, then feed yourself.” Interesting to observe that Eve and Jesus’ temptation both involved food!!??? It is a source of life. Symbolic? Maybe.
5. Men will steal, lie, cheat, fight, quarrel, almost anything in order to eat.
6. Food is one of our highest priorities. But “man shall not life on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” There is something more important than eating.
B. The second temptation illustrates the devil’s use of Scripture in his attempt to destroy Jesus (Matt. 4:6-7). Note that again he diminishes Jesus, “if you are the Son of God.”
1. This is what the law says . . .
2. Is that what the law says? Yes. See Psa. 91:11-12.
3. But it is the meaning that Satan has skewed.
4. Don’t you want to know for sure? Wouldn’t you like God to do something that would once and for all prove He is on your side. “Is the Lord among us or not?” Israel asked (Ex. 17:7). A test would prove it.
5. Such tests by their very existence evidence doubt and deny what God has already done.
6. Is the Lord among us or not? If you are, then do this. . .
7. Satan’s interpretation of Psa. 91:11-12 is out of harmony with God’s intent and out of harmony with what God meant in Psa. 91:11-12. Satan ascribed meaning that was never intended by God.
C. In the third temptation Satan attempts to get Jesus to violate the law by offering Him all the kingdoms of the world (Matt. 4:8-10).
1. No more “if you are the Son of God.” O.K. Son of God you are here to be king I will give you the kingdoms of the world.
2. Wasn’t this Jesus’ mission to establish His kingdom?
3. The means was through service to God, not through service to Satan.
4. Men attempt to achieve greatness by using power to dominate and control for their personal advantage. For the world this is the way to greatness. God’s king came “not to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).
D. Satan attempted to break Jesus over the law.
1. He sought to diminish Him.
2. He used misinterpretation of Scripture.
3. He sought it by offering Him great things.
Conclusion:
1. And yes Satan uses such tactics today. 2. He attempts to use the law to kill and destroy. 3. We must beware of what He is doing and His deceptions. 4. We must not only know what the law says, but we must be familiar with what it means.
