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March 3, 2020 3:00 am
Snakes of the world are symbols of the divine judgment on Satan, the serpent crawls on the ground and eats dirt as a symbol of the degraded state how he relates to the forgiveness of sin that God makes available to you and me important questions that John MacArthur answers today as he looks at Satan's first appearance in the Bible. John's current study is titled Genesis of the gospel. John, this series that you continue today.
It focuses on one of the most important passages in the Old Testament, and while Genesis 3 might be clear and relevant and applicable to Christians. It's not always easy to see the rest of the Old Testament that way and in fact I imagine a lot of our listeners would admit that parts of the Old Testament, especially, are sometimes confusing and intimidating. So what advice can you give them how should Christians study the Old Testament and tap into its profound wealth well have simple answer would be. Get a copy of the MacArthur study Bible, which you can get from our ministry because the MacArthur study Bible basically has notes at the bottom of every single page throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament that help you to understand the Old Testament that gives you detailed explanations of every passage that your reading will help you to understand the significance of the Old Testament passage by passage verse by verse. But on the bigger picture, which is more of what you're asking. You have to understand that the purpose of the Old Testament is basically just very simple to show how sinful humanity is how desperately they need salvation, and the stories of the Old Testament are disasters after disasters after disasters, including the flood which drowned the entire human race so it shows the horrible horrible effects of sin. The Old Testament also demonstrates the blessing of righteousness.
It should shows faithful people from Enoch on there were faithful people whom God blessed like Abraham and in other not perfect people by any means, but it shows the blessing that comes on those who obey God and the devastating judgment that comes on those who don't obey God. Also, the Old Testament continually promises there will come a Redeemer from Genesis 3, where there is going to be the seed of the woman who will crush the serpent's head.
There will come a seed to seed of Abraham, who will bring salvation to the nations.
Isaiah says he will be virgin born through the history of the corruption and devastation of sin and the blessing of righteousness that unfolds in the Old Testament you have this rolling promise of salvation to come in. A person that is going to come to be the Savior. One other thing that is very important to the Old Testament and that is that God, although he has punished Israel for Israel's unbelief and iniquity and idolatry has a future promise to that nation of salvation and we live in a world today where look where we've already seen the Messiah. He came in Jesus were waiting to see the full impact of our Lord's ministry as the church is completed and at the end of all of that the Lord will redeem the nation Israel because that's his promise. So you could say the Old Testament sets in place everything this fulfilled in the New Testament and beyond. Yeah, thanks John, that is a really helpful perspective on the Old Testament and with that, let's get back to the Old Testament and look at Genesis 3, a chapter that shows you the origin of man's sin and the plan of salvation God set in motion to continue his series called Genesis of the gospel.
Here's John well I have a daunting task in front of me to some degree to take you into the third chapter of Genesis and deal with one of the great portions of Scripture but turn your Bible if you will, to the third chapter of Genesis and will see how far we can go in this incredibly important portion of Scripture.
Now we come in our study of Genesis chapter 3 to verses 14 and 15 we read them to you and the Lord God said to the serpent because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle more than every beast of the field on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life and I will put enmity between you and the woman between your seed and her seed, he shall bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel here is the beginning of the section of Genesis 3 in which we have the divine curse of the curse on the serpent.
We have a curse on Satan, we have a curse.
Also on the woman in verse 16 we have a curse on the man from verse 17 to 19. All of the principles involved in the fall are cursed by God was reading again when Luther's book, the serpent of Paradise, and he begins one of his chapters in that book, with an interesting account.
He says that there was a construction company that invited various contractors to submit bids for a major building complex. All things being equal, the contractor who submitted the lowest bid would get the job.
Needless to say, the bids had to be submitted in secret. On the last day that bids could be tender to contractor walked into the office of the president of the company with a bid application in his hand to his surprise, the office of the president was empty. He stood alone venturing a glance at the huge mahogany desk, much to his surprise he saw on the desk.
The bid of his major competitor lying there.
The only problem was that there was a can of pop sitting directly over the most important figure in the document.
The final bit. If this contractor knew the amount that was written on that line he could adjust his own bid to come in just beneath it in the multimillion dollar job would be his contractor nervously paced the floor, knowing full well was at stake. He contemplated moving the can for just a second reading the figure and then putting it back.
He touched the candidate found himself unable to do that.
He glanced around the room one more time now confident that no one was looking he lifted the can quickly intended glance at the number put the can back instantly. Much to his chagrin as he lifted the can from the desk hundreds of BBs spilled onto the desk and rolled all over the floor.
This was set up at contractor experience. The law of unintended consequences. He thought he could control the fallout of his dishonesty but discovered that unforeseen events had been built into the temptation one single act had repercussions. He could not have anticipated the can of soda was not what it appeared to be that's exactly what happened to Satan when he felt the law of unintended consequences that his own rebellion in heaven against God, and that is exactly what happened to Adam and Eve when they set in motion a spiritual avalanche. As a result of their sin. The day to experience the law of unintended consequences. Lucifer had no idea of what would be set in motion over his rebellion in heaven. Neither did Adam and Eve have any idea what would be the effect of them succumbing to the temptation, the ultimate impact of that temptation comes in the form of the curse is I just read the curse begins with the serpent and was Satan. In verses 14 and 15 now in the curse here. There are just two things to consider are easy to outline this in verse 14, you have the curse of the natural serpent in verse 15, you have the curse of the supernatural Satan verse 14 and the Lord God said to the serpent he speaks to the at the animal.
The instrument of Satan, and he says because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle more than every beast of the field on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life that actually curses the animal. The animal has no rational mind the animal has no sense of sin, the animal was simply used by Lucifer by Satan, but God curses the animal anyway.
Even though the animal is not necessarily a willing and rational partner.
Quite the opposite. The Ashley animal is irrational and is literally usurped by Satan himself, not a rational and not a willing tool but cursing the serpent serves a purpose and I'll show you what that is cursed are you more than all cattle more than every beast of the field.
Now this might at first seem to indicate that God cursed all the animals. While he didn't.
That is not what that is intending to say otherwise that there would be no culpability for the tool that Satan use now is true that all the animals feel the effects of the fall they all feel the effect of the of the earth.
They all feel the effect of of the fact that God is curse the ground which we will find out about we get them to verse 17 and following, they feel the impact of sin in the world all animals. As a result of the fall will decay, they will age they will get diseases and they will die. That's why Romans eight says and and in very straightforward language that the whole creation groans and in that is true because all the created universe feels the effect of sin. But that's not what it's talking about here.
There is obviously on all that exists in a fallen universe, a sort of general effect a general impact that sin has brought into the universe, but it is not the case that they were all specifically cursed and so we could read this. The Lord God said to the serpent because you have done this, you have been been the instrument of temptation, cursed are you out of all cattle, and out of every beast of the field.
Now that brings up the question since the animal itself was not responsible for its actions was not willingly compliant and was not rationally involved couldn't be rationally involved in the temptation to sin or even the curse.
What is the point of punishing the animal when the animal doesn't experience any of it.
The animal doesn't know if it's alive or dead, and has no self-consciousness what is the point of cursing a nonrational creature and the answers very simple. Cursing the serpent turned it into a symbol turned it into a constant reminder of the degradation of Satan. Satan was really synonymous with the serpent.
Remember in Revelation 12 nine and Revelation 22. Satan is called there that Dragon that serpent.
We know the serpent in the garden is Satan because of Revelation 12 nine Revelation 20. In verse two, God curses that serpent so that the serpent becomes a perpetual constant picture of the devastation and the reproach that Satan bears the snakes of the world are symbols of the divine judgment on Satan, now what was it that Satan sought go back into the freefall of Satan time and the glories of God's heaven and what did the selected Lucifer want Lucifer was.
It was the anointed cherub according to the prophet, and he was the Jaime been the highest ranking one, perhaps even the. The music director of heaven, but that wasn't enough. He wanted to be higher, and so he says is the profit records I will I will I will I will I will five times raise myself above God, I'll take over the throne of God, I'll exalt myself I'll lift myself up.
That's what he sought to do. And of course instead of being able to lift himself up. He was thrown down. He was cast out as Revelation says he was thrown out of heaven, and he was cast down to the earth becomes to the earth, and he wants when he gets on the earth.
The router sort of reassert that climbing kind of idea. He wants to exalt himself again and he wants to become the sovereign over man so he leads Adam and Eve in a successful temptation and then imagines himself to be the sovereign now. Now he has caused the fall of Adam and Eve and now they are under his control. He is Hebrews 2 says holds over them. The fear of death all their lifelong he is the god of this age, the ruler of this world. So having been thrown down. Dorothy is now crawled up a little higher news and elevated himself again worry sees himself as a kind of sovereign over a fallen humanity, then God throws them down again. And this is symbolized by the statement in verse 14 on your belly shall you go in the dust shall you eat all the days of your life and every time you see a snake slithering and crawling around. It is a sign in the symbol of the humiliation of Satan. It is a reminder of the divine judgment on him for attempting Adam and Eve in sin and it is not to say that snakes are ugly they are, after all, the creation of God, and certainly Lucifer was a brilliant and shining and glorious angel. His beauty described for us as you remember by the prophet Isaiah, and even by Ezekiel. It is not that they are ugly. There are snakes that are beautiful and plot and color and design is that they even in their beauty are symbols of something beautiful that sought to be high being cast down to the lowest level snakes don't feel the curse, but they do illustrate it every time you see a snake. You are reminded of that serpent in the garden who sought to lift himself up and got thrown down again to rise in the dirt I think is as a as Lupo writes, the fact that this beast still stands under a curse is apparent from the peculiar revulsion that it still rouses in most people. It's peculiarly sinuous movements, its silent glide is a form of locomotion and sinister dread and fascinating look its vibrant tongue its peculiar rearing of the head all contribute to remind men of the peculiar history in which the serpent wants shared further humiliation not only crawling on your belly further humiliation and dust shall you eat. That doesn't mean that dust is the food of the snake. Most snakes eat insects, small rodents, things like that. They don't eat dirt. They just live in it that's what it means dust shall you eat, not as a food. But as a result of writhing on the ground. If you go back into the Old Testament. One of the a lot of interesting phrases in the Old Testament. One is to lick the dust.
We use that today went when we say a certain team played again, but they lick the dust. What we mean by that. They were what they were defeated is a sign of defeat and that's exactly what it was in the Old Testament when an enemy lick the dust. It literally meant they fell in battle to the ground so that's the idea that the serpent crawls on the ground and eats the dirt as a constant symbol of a degraded and defeated Satan. It's a may be a bizarre way to think about it, but snakes are like a rainbow every time you see a rainbow what are you to remember that God promised what he would never destroy the world by water every time you see a snake you can remember that Satan, who sought to lift himself up was cast down to earth and what he saw on earth to lift himself up again. He was cast down again and his being cast down is symbolized by snakes. They are constant reminders that Satan is a defeated enemy. Now, obviously for the snake. As I said nonrational without a soul. Not self-conscious. This means nothing, but to us it becomes a very important symbol then is another statement as the Lord makes this very precise and you going to be on your belly and you going to eat dust all the days of your life occurs will never be removed. It's very interesting. As long as they are snakes there crawl on the ground. They'll be doomed to be visible symbols of the vanquished king of darkness, they are doomed to be perpetual symbols of the demolishing of Satan's ambitions.
They are a perpetual symbol of the defeat of the devil symbol of the vanquished site so much for the natural serpent about the supernatural Satan or the supernatural spirit. Verse 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman in between your seed and her seed, he shall bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel here you have God speaking up to the snake, but the site not to the natural serpent, but the supernatural spirit from the symbol to the reality the disgusting wretched Satan who may move around like a roaring lion, but is really a lowly snake by the way, he doesn't speak had a lot to say in the garden is nothing to say here, God is the sovereign God alone speaks his rebellion failed in heaven, and it has failed on earth. Here's what Satan is thinking failed to a degree in heaven, and yet I succeeded.
I was thrown out of heaven, but I took 1/3 of the angels with me so I have my kingdom.
He came to earth cast down as Revelation 12 says, and he goes into the garden and he still try to take over for God is trying to be a sovereign in his own right and he is successful in capturing Adam and Eve is successful and at this point, Satan may well have felt that he had made a massive dent in the divine purpose that God had gone to all of this wondrous effort to create a universe in the place man and woman in his universe on the earth and it was so magnificent and it was a paradise.
Like the original paradise of heaven before the angels were thrown out in an Satan succeeded in wrecking paradise. He succeeded in gaining the devotion of Adam and Eve and that is really essentially what happened. Eve believes Satan instead of God, so that Adam Adam wasn't deceived specifically by Satan, but he could see even she wasn't dead and Satan said you can eat of this tree and you'll be like God and God doesn't like the people to be like him because he doesn't like the competition is really trying to hold something back is turn to prevent you from getting something wonderful and good is try to hold back the opportunity you have to be like him and I know he said that in the day you eat, you going to die, but you won't die and Eve ate. She didn't die. Adam saw while this could be great. She didn't die, she still alive. I'll do this.
I'll be like God, etc. etc. they believed Satan. Satan may well of thought that he had become the sovereign of man that he had become the sovereign over the race and now he was in charge of them and if Adam and Eve were perfect fell so easily. What would imperfect sinners do before the onslaught of his temptation. You can see him beginning to lick his chops and rub his hands and think to himself, I now have not only demons but I have man to fight my battle against Almighty God. That's why God says what he says I will put enmity between you and the woman between your seed and her seed, he shall bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel hoops Satan. You are absolutely wrong. Enmity means conflict. Enmity means hostility enmity means hatred. And God says to him.
Don't think too fast about your successes because I curse you Satan by making you the enemy of the woman and the enemy of the seed of the woman and one will come who will crush your head, that's very direct answer to the assumption that must've been in the mind of Satan that he had just acquired some great power pulled off a great coup and now had total control over the man and the woman and immediately God says I will put enmity, conflict, hostility, hatred, you will not rule easily.
You will not rule successfully. You will not have complete control. I will bring humanity into conflict with you. Ellis there was already enmity in the world, but the enmity was between man and who in God it wasn't at this point any enmity between man and Satan, Adam and Eve had followed Satan though there was no hostility there. There was no enmity there and you don't find them running around the garden after they send hiding from the serpent where they hiding from God.
There was enmity there.
Satan could see that her sense that know that that's why it's very likely that Satan concludes I got him. Now there now there is hostility between them and God and that now there is conflict between them and God. There is there is a desire to run from God to hide from God because they don't see God. Listen as their friend anymore.
They see God as their enemy. And they say me as their red Satan's going to conclude this could be any better.
God immediately steps in and says, guess again. The enmity I'm going to put between you and that woman you're not gonna have Eve and you're not going to have sovereignty over perceived.
In fact, one of them is going to come and crush your head, well will dig into the more next time. Suffice it to say who was it that came to crush the serpent's head the Lord Jesus Christ.
He did it on the cross that was where he really rendered the blow. He pronounced his judgment in the garden but the real deathblow came at the cross Satan thought man was not to be the enemy of God. God says you're wrong. Man's going to be your enemy. I'm going to bring back man to be my friend and I'm going to make you his enemy. That is, the first glimmer I ready for this of the gospel to get that. That's the first glimmer of the gospel that man who is now the enemy of God. Wrong enemy will become the friend of God in the enemy, Satan, God is going to do that he says I will put that enmity sovereignly. Again I say God didn't lose any of his power any of his sovereignty.
The paradigm shifted and God has to recover paradise.
But he says to Satan, don't you think for a moment that you have now conquered all on this earth. I will make man my friend, and your in say it again. That is the first glimmer of the gospel, the good news that we who were enemies of God and become his friend is grace to you with John MacArthur, John's current study is brand-new East titled it Genesis of the gospel, not before. The message today.
John mentioned that if you have trouble understanding the Old Testament you should pick up the MacArthur study Bible explains the history and the cultural background of each Old Testament book as well as each New Testament book to purchase a copy of the MacArthur study Bible, get in touch today to order call our toll-free number 855 grace order from our website de TY.org the MacArthur study Bible is available in the new King James.
The new American Standard and the English standard versions. It's also available in several non-English translations including Spanish, Russian, Arabic can see all the options available and order now at the Y.or call 855 grace and thanks for remembering that grace to you is listeners. This broadcast along with the thousands of free resources we offer is available because of the faithful support of friends like you to partner with us in bringing biblical truth to believers and churches around the world go to G. TY.or call 855 or you can write us at box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 and our web address again G TY.now for John MacArthur and the entire grace to you. Staff I'm Phil Johnson inviting you back for Wednesday's broadcast. John's going to look at why even the vilest of sinners can be forgiven. It's a picture of divine grace. You won't forget that's tomorrow be here for another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace