Who is God: Genesis 3.1

Sorry this is coming so late in the day, the past 48 hours have been slightly chaotic. Hoping you all had a Merry Christmas.

Genesis 3 introduces the villain of the story, as well as the main plot. The serpent is identified as the most crafty of all the animals God has made. One day, probably after several weeks of observation, and probably more than a few conversations (but I'm just speculating on this and it really doesn't matter), he asks the woman a question, "Did God really say this?" He twists the question, wording it in a way that challenges the goodness of God, setting up his next attack.

The enemy twists God's words, because that is all he is able to do. The devil does not have the power to create, he can simply take what God has made good and corrupt it, twisting it for his own attempts to lead man astray. Here, he takes what God has said and twists the words of God in order to lead man into disobedience. This passage, though it seems to focus on the enemy, tells us that God speaks. God had spoken to man, giving him instructions about how to remain in perfect relationships with Himself, others, and creation. Here, the enemy twists the words of God because that is all he is able to do.

God speaks to man. I have never heard Him audibly speak, though I know people who claim that they have, but I have felt God speaking in different ways. He speaks through the Bible, making certain truths stand out at different times. He speaks to the spirit, giving guidance and direction when asked (there's been something I've prayed a lot about this year, asking God to guide me, and He has done so very specifically, it's been awesome to watch Him work). God speaks through others, using them to point out things, bring things to our minds, or hear things in a new way.

God is not silent, He speaks. The enemy will try to twist the words of God, even the words of the Bible, look at the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4, so we must make sure that what we are hearing from God lines up with the truth of His character. The enemy is crafty; he managed to convince two people who walked with God in the cool of the day to do the one thing God said not to do.

Let us learn to know the voice of God, and as we do so we will know when the enemy is twisting His words.


Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11

TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!