SOVEREIGN GOD & SATAN

WHEN THE WOMAN SAW
 
[Genesis 3:6] When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

When Nechash said to Eve (Verses 4-5) “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” he spoke of consequences and an outcome. Also he actually did not lie for the eyes of Adam and Eve were indeed opened and they have realized something brand new.

When God spoke about the Noah’s flood the word for death (Gen. 6:17) was different (גוע, gava), which means to breathe out and expire. MUTH and GAVA are those two intriguing words we will explore. Nechash spoke to Eve and he actually asked her, “Indeed has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” Insinuating that perhaps ‘you have misunderstood Him.’ And since Eve was not yet a separate person--but still part of Adam when God gave the first commandment to that one unit called Adam--the transmission of a clear understanding was faulty. And that in turn is possible because the YES and NO feeling were not yet created in Adam and Eve.

She answered in vague terms (verse 3-4): 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 SAID, you shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die. Obviously she did not know which tree was forbidden; and what ‘forbidden’ really meant she did not yet comprehend. This MIDST or MIDDLE is an area where both trees were located. It is possible that both trees were found near each other in the middle of the garden, but to eat of the Tree of Life was not forbidden.

Now, that was no trick, because as the text later reveals that after their transgression they were driven out of the garden so that they would not eat of the Tree of Life and live forever in their transgressions. God did not want transgressors to live on earth forever. So in God’s awesome wisdom He let them out for their own good.

Just as we school our children and want them have a better education so is our Creator who gave to us His thought about it. Educated genes travel on to subsequent generations just as the uneducated ones do also. Adam and Eve had to go through an education process until they would repent and overcome, just like Enoch did in the seventh generation after Adam. But Enoch did not stay on Earth. We lose the proper perspective on life when we get attached to just the physical things, but Enoch was attached to the Lord.

[Joshua 23:8] But you are to cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.

Only God knew good and evil, but this consciousness was not yet in Adam and Eve. Did God want us to know it? Of course! Why sending Nechash and why enticing us in the first place? Why placing two trees next to each other? God is Sovereign and He remains the chief intelligent designer. He made us according to His image and likeness so that we would cleave to Him and love Him from our will, which attracts God’s special spirit (Numb. 14:24). This process of becoming increasingly like Him continues, and Eve’s conversation with Nechash proves it.

Eve’s mental abilities were still childish for she confused those two trees by recalling only one, the one in the MIDDLE of the garden.

The moment transgression occurred man understood what appreciation means, gratitude, praise, glorifying and extolling.

Adam and Eve had realized that something went awry. They had experienced shame. The desire that was first created in Eve to reach for the fruit also released sexual and very new desires for each other. How could they replenish the earth with their kind and yet remained in Eden’s blissful, innocent and childlike state? 

Mission accomplished. The Sovereign One continues to teach us, which besides theory often involves a practical education, which is only possible on earth and when we are still in our physical bodies. Spiritual beings learn nothing; they are, just as the great I AM is, but with the exception of knowing TOV and RAH. This knowledge had to be transferred to us but only down below. The reason for it is clear: God created all things, which includes matter, time, light and darkness and distances. In the spiritual realm these are nonexistent. Here we must reform our mind in our grasp of spiritual dimensions, which the word “dimension” does no justice at all because in His world there is only one dimension or factor. Anything on this planet can cause harm and pain, which transgression, sin, wickedness and iniquities produce.

SATAN’S TRUE MISSION

Nechash, the angel we understand to be Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). These names of Nechash, Nahshon and Nehushtan show the natural adaptation of the meaning given to a shining brass.

Nechash spoke to the woman intelligently and seductively. Satan’s mission was to CREATE A DESIRE for the tree, which wasn’t there yet until he appeared. Satan spoke the truth and it truly happened as he said. (This statement would contradict the former understanding of John 8:44 had we not earlier explained who the first devil was.)

Adam and Eve did not die immediately, physically, but spiritually by being separated from God, which was not permanent and this they did not yet understand. They had not realized that a separation from God was at all possible. After they transgressed they knew for they experienced the reality of God’s words. Besides this knowledge they knew much more. After this “blessed” event (blessed because now we have the revelation of what Jesus had done on Calvary) their relationship with God was then initiated and anchored in time’s unfolding motion.

The Universe is established on one law, the law of NEED. Without need there is no divine intervention, therefore God always creates a need to satisfy it.

THE FUNCTION OF CURSES

Since the personification of evil, Satan was used to seduce, only his image was cursed and turned into a serpent. ONLY THE PHYSICAL AND THE EARTHLY CAN BE CURSED. Curse has no meaning in heaven. 

Genesis 3:14 speak of the serpent as being cursed more then all the cattle and beasts of the field. This exemplifies the fact that anything physical and anything that moves on the earth physically can be cursed. Anything spiritual leaves all curses behind. A curse is associated with pain and suffering, bitter affliction. Animals have been cursed too, but not as the serpent who kills its pray with deadly venom. But even in the natural, one can build immunity against this venom, how much more in the spiritual; therefore the physical must be first (1Cor. 15:46) for it serves as a picture of things we must still learn.

GOD’S LOVE & EVIL

God is love so why would He deal with His people in a wrathful way? Evil did not come from heaven, but as it has already been explained, from anything physical. There are no spiritual stones to be hurled at anyone. No need for houses or warm clothing shielding us from cold. If I am cold and you are warm I want what you have, but the way one might go about it can be evil.

Satan is not evil because He is God’s angel and not the monster we have made to be as if in his own right. Satan is no king and has no kingdom. Evil did not fall from heaven, but started on this physical planet earth.

[2Samuel 22:26-27] “With the kind You show Yourself kind, with the blameless You show Yourself blameless; with the pure You show Yourself pure, and with the perverted You show Yourself astute.

God’s wrath in heaven would have no purpose, but it has beneficial purpose in a realm where wrath is quite common—the earth. The purpose of wrath is renewal even that of a bushfire. God’s plan was to make us know wrath and appeasement; violence and peace; distress and tranquility so that we might choose and choose well.

God is love and He wants to be loved not by His angels—who do not have free will but are completely subordinated to God and do only His will—but by us. Angels do not have any personal desires; they only execute God’s desires. We have desires and therefore the key to immortality is the release of that original desire God created in us, but for Him and Him only. When this desire tilts the scales in His direction He will fall in love with you and completely absorb you. The key is already in your soul. Because we have shifted our desires away from loving Him His jealousy over us flares up. In order to appease His jealous wrath He sent His firstborn Son Jesus. The God of peace (Rom. 15:33) seeks peace in every area of our life. The ending word in Aaronic Benediction (Nb. 6:22-27) is Shalom peace, why? There is no greater blessing in this life but God’s complete peace. God’s assignment for us is to create peace on this planet, which is not possible without its opposites. Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God (Mat. 5:9).     

[James 4:5] He jealously desires the Spirit, which He has made to dwell in us

So that’s what happened in Eden. Adam and Eve had to learn this, but as the record points out only Enoch got it.

THE BIRTH OF CAIN

Genesis 4:1 begins with Eve giving birth to Cain and she added, with the help of the Lord, or rather (original Hebrew) from or by YHVH - the Lord. Cain and Abel were God’s sons. There is no real tradition either in Judaism or Christianity that Cain and Abel were twins. However, the original Hebrew text implies one conception, but two sons, “she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man of YHVH and she continued bearing…” As it was the case with Jacob and Esau, it could have had been the same with Cain and Abel. Later, Abel was replaced with Seth.

Cain’s genealogy disappears while Seth’s genealogy is faithfully recorded all the way to Luke 3:23-38 where it is written, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. Adam was the first God’s son and Jesus was the Son of God. Adam’s sons were the sons of God. Cain was also God’s son, but he went astray and became a tare instead of fruitful seed.

Some speculate that Eve had sex with Nechash the latter serpent from which union she bore Cain. But that would be bestiality, on account of which God drove the Canaanites out of their land (Ex. 22:19; Dt. 18:9-12). For I, the LORD, do not change. (Mal. 3:6) Also incest is evil and God abhors it (Lev. 20:12). So Cain’ marrying his sisters is completely out of the question.

God taught Cain. Perhaps, this is the only place in the Book of Genesis where God directly taught someone. Although chapter 3 was the very first teaching in contrasts, behavior, the way of pain, which sin is and curses, but in chapter 4 we have God’s direct teaching of Cain.

[Genesis 4:7] If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.

“You will be happy when you do well and all curses will melt away.” God said, “You are to be an overcomer and master over the way of pain, which sin is.” This was the first teaching and the first sin outside the garden.

Note: There were other people outside of Eden (that perhaps evolved), but the Bible does not deal with those other roaming bands of human-like people, but only with the evolution of Adam’s family. This evolution had not much to do with physical features but rather the cognitive faculties.

Adam’s family still lived in Eden, but no longer in God’s garden. God’s presence was in the Eden region and He was very close to this unique and very special family. In Eden God spoke with Cain who did not listen, but went and told Abel what he had heard.

[Genesis 4:8] Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

Thus Cain became the first murderer. When he turned his back toward his dead brother God stopped him in his tracks again. The education continues.

[V. 9-12] Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.”

“I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” was the first lie, but more like illusion in which lies are usually found. No one ever bluntly lies, but camouflages all lies in some good sounding pretense.

[John 8:44] You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies (and of all liars).

[1John 3:8-12] The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

If the apostle John writes in both places about the real devil then why would we disagree, and go into some fantasy where we find no beginning? With the help of the Book of Genesis, which Jews of Jesus time knew quite well, we know now about the first murder, the murderer and liar—Cain.

God said, (Gen.4:10)“What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. And again a curse falls on Cain. (11)“Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. (12) When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” (13) Cain pities himself and protests saying, “My punishment is too great to bear! (14) “Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and (כל כול kol-kol all and anyone) whoever finds me will kill me.” Obviously, that anyone was not from his own family, but from outside. (15) So the LORD said to him, “Therefore (anyone, kol-kol means all, whole entirely) whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. (16) Cain left God’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden and any trace of him seems lost. Cain’s genealogy is not found the Bible, but he mixes his genes with the descendants of Seth. However, in Genesis 15:19 Kenite is the first root of Canaan. So obviously Kenites settled Canaan. Cain married in Nod and not in Eden. So the devil is made of human genes and walks on the ground; he is the roaring lion.

[1Peter 5:8] Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

If he (the devil) were not on the ground then how would we be able to defend ourselves against a spiritual, cosmic and a completely invisible being?

MOSES & ZIPPORAH

Moses married Zipporah and his father-in-law was a Kenite. Not all Kenites are bad. They were skillful merchants, great organizers and forgers of metals; and through them gold and silver became valuable. The marauding Ishmaelite tribes traversed the continents and enormously enriched themselves through their trade. Ishmaelite and Midian people were also called Kenites. Because of Moses, Kenites, although officially not one of Israel’s tribes, they were part of Israel especially Judah.

[Numbers 24:21-22] And he looked at the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, “Your dwelling place is enduring, and your nest is set in the cliff. Nevertheless Kain will be consumed; how long will Asshur keep you captive?”

[Judges 1:16] The descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the city of palms with the sons of Judah, to the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people.

Kenites have no concept of blood covenant and nothing of spiritual matters, salvation and life eternal. They seem to despise these things, but because they do not have any understanding of these things they stay nonreligious.

[Exodus 4:24-26] Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet, and she said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me.” So He let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood”—because of the circumcision. Later, Zipporah leaves Moses and takes his sons with her back to her family in Midian.

GOAT DEMONS

Earlier we have shown that the Kurgan people and other pagan tribes worshiped good and evil gods, male and female, but many also “worshiped” their idols with sexual orgies.

[1Kings 14:24] There were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations, which the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel.

King Asa repented and thorough reformation followed. The old trash must give way to something new and better, and if that never happens the consequences inevitably will become disastrous.

[1Kings 15:11-12] Asa did what was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father. He also put away the male cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols, which his fathers had made.

We move on further in time and come to the apostolic period. The gospel of Jesus Christ is being preached among pagans in cities like Ephesus and Corinth.

[1Corinthians 6:9-11] Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Just as some of us were but no longer are, the “no longer” speaks of change and reformation. Apostle Paul ends this chapter saying,

[V. 17-20] But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

God joined Himself with us and seeks an ever-closer fellowship. He is reforming our mind and freeing our soul from religious trash we have too readily consumed, which causes indigestion and unnecessary pain. 

[Leviticus 17:7] They shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons with which they play the harlot. This shall be a permanent statute to them throughout their generations.

The old idols are demons of today. Idolatry establishes strongholds in the subsequent generations. God abhors idolatry, which the pagan nations still reel in.

[Deuteronomy 32:17-18) They sacrificed to demons that were not God, to gods whom they have not known, new gods who came lately, whom your fathers did not dread. You neglected the Rock who begot you, and forgot the God who gave you birth.

Those who pay attention to this trash and are very much preoccupied with the devil and generally with anything evil depart from the faith.

[1Timothy 4:1] But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.

All that is needed is a desire for purity that is directed toward our Creator and His ways. Then His faith sets one free. The cleansed temple is then ready to entertain the new guest.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Since Nechash did not come on his own, but was sent by no one else, but the one who created him, then he had to speak the truth with the God-given voice just as Balaam’s donkey did. Since Nechash was a cattle, a beast of the field, his voice was not human. If we insinuate that he was a thief and sneaked into the garden from outside as another (pagan) god then we remain pagan and have no business of even reading the Bible.

Nechash’s mission was accomplished for which the Almighty had sent him. Angels are ageless and immortal. The same angel that spoke to Balaam through the donkey spoke to Eve and the Hebrew text in the book of Numbers specifically calls him Satan. Let us recall the text once more.

[Numbers 22:32 KJV] And the angel of the LORD said unto him. Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand (to Satan) thee, because thy way is perverse before ME.

Three important aspects: Firstly, it is the angel of the LORD; hence, sent by YHVH, so the angel does not speak from himself. Secondly, God is compassionate even upon animals and man can be cruel to them. Thirdly, the angel come to satan - to oppose - Balaam (with sword in hand v. 23) because Balaam’s way was perverse—contrary to God’s. Balaam’s way was wicked not toward the angel, but toward God who sent the angel. That angel was Satan for the Hebrew text reads it so. Anyone opposing God’s way provokes Him to wrath and then He sends Satan to deal with anyone who perverts the LORD’s straight way. That is a complete reversal of thinking, isn’t it? But there is also such a thing as being given over to one’s own ways with no hope of return. 

Satan in the garden spoke of their eyes being opened and of not dying. Adam and Eve did not die because their eyes had to be opened first and then learn contrasts. They sow consequences of their actions and thus were encouraged to choose wisely, but by then outside the garden, yet still in the Eden region where God’s presence was. Mission accomplished. 

It is not only wise to understand this and then detach ourselves from any burden of animosity directed against Satan—as it has been the case for millennia now—but to know God’s purposes and His true nature.

We have shown biblical patterns regarding Cain and his descendants, the devil and Satan, one is a man and the other is God’s prosecutor. Satan’s mission is one and God completely supervises all things He created, His angels including Satan. But what the tare, the devil or Kenite does is up to man’s whims, deviousness and will, which is given only to the humans. By separating these two and understanding their activities we will recognize biblical terms and then gain greater clarity.

Dr. Joseph Luxum. Book excerpts: "Truth & Illusion the Last Reformation" Copyright (c) NWP