The Prudence of the Serpent and Our Self-Deception

Day 2 of using our S.O.A.P. 

Read Genesis 3-4; Luke 2

SCRIPTURE: 

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[a] shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 

Genesis 3:1-5, ESV 

OBSERVATION: 

It is important to note that in this passage we are not given the identification of who the Serpent is and there is not an origin story only that out of all the other beasts that were made it was crafty. It should also be noted that it is not until Revelation 12:9, that the Serpent is correlated as being Satan. It reads: “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world" Several observations is that God has no opposite in that God is Pre-Existent and is the Creator. Satan is a created being and was cast down to earth as result of his attempted rebellion to God. Satan is not on the same level as God and Satan at his very nature is the deceiver. The Hebrew word for crafty is “arum” which means prudent" or "sly." The term, itself, is not necessarily negative. However, as with any gift or ability, how one chooses to use it makes the difference between sin and righteousness. In this case, the serpent uses "craftiness" in order to ruin mankind. This word only appears eleven times in the entire Hebrew Bible, and we can look at each instance of the word to gain some insight into its usage. In particular, there is a strong difference in English connotation between calling someone clever or prudent or shrewd or cunning or crafty. With clever or prudent we would associate a positive connotation, someone who uses their mind well for good purposes. With cunning or crafty we would associate a negative connotation like hunting or scheming for someone’s harm or elements of deception.[1] The use of “arum” in Genesis 3:1 is to contrast the shrewdness of the Serpent with the innocence and naivety of Adam and Eve. Later in the text, after Adam and Eve sin, they realize their nakedness and hid it. Nakedness throughout the Bible doesn’t exactly have a positive connotation. It is often associated with poverty or shame. That nakedness has a neutral connotation becomes clear in the reversal of attitude Adam and Eve have toward it.[2] There is a use of word play that culminates with the following thought: “With great power comes great responsibility. To whom much is given much is expected. The serpent’s shrewdness gave him a clear advantage over Adam and Eve, something he could have used for good. Obviously, he did not.” The craftiness of the serpent is that He entices Adam and Eve with the idea that God is keeping something from you and if you eat of the fruit your understanding will be the same as God’s of good and evil. This was true in a sense but with Adam and Eve’s current situation they had no need to have this understanding because there was no evil in their current reality. Everything flowed out of the presence and provision of God Himself. With further knowledge comes danger. The knowledge of sin was something that Adam and Eve did not have the moral capacity to steward. 

APPLICATION: 

“With great power comes responsibility.” It is good that we grow in knowledge even in the knowledge of God. One author writes: With that growth comes danger. Those who learn more, know more, understand more, can perceive and predict more, etc. are effectively in positions of power over those more naked among us who cannot. The temptation the serpent fell into—tempting the man and his wife to sin—is a temptation all of us as Christians, and especially those more oriented toward or steeped in knowledge and doctrine, should take seriously. Our knowledge and shrewdness are a good thing; Jesus commanded it of us. But our knowledge and shrewdness provide us the potential to do enormous harm. And that is a severe warning to take seriously. Let us not deceive ourselves and let us certainly not deceive others.”[3] Self-deception is when I believe a lie and make it a truth. Self-deception leads us to blame others for things that they did not do, and it drives me to expose the nakedness of others constantly attempting to judge the motive of their heart not fully realizing that I cannot even judge my own heart. Why because self-deception wants to subtly lodge itself in my heart especially where there is offense and unforgiveness. I often overperform in areas of my life to respond to the areas of my life that Satan attempts to tempt me to play God. Self-Righteousness finds it’s grounding in Self-Deception and Self-Deception always leads to unresolved anger and shame. Anytime I place myself in being in the morally or more spiritually discerning superior position over others all I will do is attempt to expose their nakedness while at the same time ignoring mine. Jesus help me not to do this and to be a person satisfied with your presence and YOU BEING THE ONE TRUE GOD! 

PRAYER: 

“Father in heaven, 

Give me perception about the devil’s deception— 

Holy Spirit alerts on the schemes of the deceiver. 

If something I’m considering isn’t right for me, 

then please redirect my pathway as a believer. 

Keep my life conformed to the standards of your Word; 

anything opposing your stated values is wrong. 

Help me to spend enough time with you in prayer 

to hear your counsel in a way that is strong. 

I know there’ve been times I’ve missed “hearing” you 

on personal decisions that didn’t turn out well. 

So, earnestly, I pray for those who are missing hearing you 

on the truth that Jesus saves sinners from the judgment of hell. 

And may people realize their need for a Good Shepherd 

on life’s journey to specific blessings you’ve prepared. 

For you love so greatly that, through Jesus, you provide grace— 

the greatest message to the world that can ever be shared! 

in Jesus’ name, 

Amen” 

(a prayer from P. A. Oltrogge, On the Porch) 

[1] Published by thebeardedone: Did God Really Say That the Serpent Was the Craftiest Creature? https://citizensandsons.com/2021/04/22/did-god-really-say-that-the-serpent-was-the-craftiest-creature/ 

[2] Ibid., Published by thebeardedone: Did God Really Say That the Serpent Was the Craftiest Creature? https://citizensandsons.com/2021/04/22/did-god-really-say-that-the-serpent-was-the-craftiest-creature/ 

[3] Ibid., Published by thebeardedone: Did God Really Say That the Serpent Was the Craftiest Creature? https://citizensandsons.com/2021/04/22/did-god-really-say-that-the-serpent-was-the-craftiest-creature/