HOOD-WINKED

The Beginning From our earliest writings we are told that an angel, known by many names, (Beelzebub, Lucifer, Satan, The Devil, The Deceiver, The Accuser, etc.) became prideful and wanted, at least, equal status with God. To accomplish his goal he influenced other angels to assist him in his plan. The plan failed and Satan and all those he influenced were banished from the presence of God to await final punishment. In time God created the heavens, the earth, and, all that was in them for His good pleasure. Lastly, He created man, Adam, in his own image. Afterwards, He looked upon all He created and was satisfied. It is said that God gave man dominion over all He created with one stipulation; man was not to eat of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life. Later, God fashioned Eve to be a helpmate or companion for Adam. She was also made aware of God’s stipulation. The Devil, while awaiting his final punishment, decided he was going to mess up God’s new creation and set out to deceive Eve. He comes to Eve in the form of one of the most beautiful creatures God created, a serpent. He “reasons” with Eve by asking her “innocently”, if she was allowed to eat of all the trees in the garden. Eve tells the serpent of God’s stipulation. All of a sudden, the serpent becomes an expert on the subject. He flips the script from one seeking knowledge to becoming the one who knows about the situation. He tells Eve that she would not die but would rather be like God Himself, knowing good from evil. As the story goes Eve ate fruit from the tree and gave some to Adam to eat. Adam also ate the fruit. We know Satan’s motive or objective, which was to destroy God’s prized creation. Therefore, he set out to deceive or hoodwink Adam and Eve into disobeying God. What was going on in the minds of Eve and Adam? They had been told by God not to eat of this tree. Why did they risk death by doing what the serpent suggested? One might rationalize by saying; “well Eve wasn’t given the stipulation directly by God. She got it from Adam therefore she wasn’t really bound by it”. Whether told directly by God, we don’t know, however, one thing is sure that is she did know about the stipulation because she quoted it to the serpent! Adam, on the other hand, was given the stipulation by God. Yet, he ate of the fruit of the tree. Why? Why didn’t he refuse the fruit and admonish Eve for eating it? Why didn’t he admonish the serpent when it first began to speak? He was there with Eve and heard what the serpent had to say. After all, God had given him dominion over all He created. What was so attractive about what the serpent stated? Could it have possibly been the statement, “you will be like God knowing good from evil” that caused them to go for it? This says something about the state of man’s mind. If they (Adam & Eve) weren’t, let’s say, ambitious… wanting more than God had already given them it would have been impossible for the devil, through the serpent, to trick them. The response could have easily been, step back and shut up snake! God has given me dominion over you. The nerve of you to approach me in such a way! God, our creator, knows what is best for us. He said it, I accept it, that’s the end of it so “bounce” (that’s the young people’s term for move on)! Alas, he (they) didn’t answer in such a manner. Ergo, deception entered the world. Let’s drive this point home. Satan wanted to destroy God’s creation, man, by getting man to defy God. Man wanted to have the wisdom of God. Here’s the deal! Man was already like God. God breathed His essence into man when He created him and put him over all that He created. Here’s the trick! Satan told them, “you will know good from evil”. This was the only true statement by the devil. Until then Adam and Eve only knew good because evil didn’t exist until they disobeyed God. Satan lied to man. Man accepted what the serpent said. Man ate the fruit! Man became wise… wise enough to see that the serpent had fooled him. Satan satisfied! Let’s further explore the annals of time to highlight a few more acts of deception. Let’s take a look at Greek Mythology. It is said (in one of the accounts) that Helen left her husband, Menelaus, and daughter to run off with one of the princes of Troy, Paris. After learning of the dastardly deed a thousand ships were launched to retrieve her. This was a feat in itself! Was it an affront to all these men that one man ran away with another man’s wife? It was said that Menelaus called upon Helen’s other suitors to honor the most solemn oath they took to defend Menelaus against anyone who would quarrel with him over Helen. This oath was taken to assure that no disappointed suitor would take up arms against the one chosen to be Helen’s husband.