January 2

But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ~ Genesis 3:4

Deception! The words of Satan the deceiver who is a serpent that deceives, a liar, and a murderer. He questioned God’s word and God’s goodness, denied God’s warning, and then substituted a lie for God’s truth. You will be like God is his master lie, and people still believe it. Beware and do not fall for this age-old lie. Satan is still using the same tactics. Ensure that you are alert and in a sober state of mind. As a roaring lion, the devil continues to prowl around looking for prey. (But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ~ Genesis 3:4)

Interview with Lucifer - Click Here

Genesis 3:1-4:26
Matthew 2:13-3:6
Psalm 2:1-12
Proverbs 1:7-9

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Old Testament: Genesis 3:1-4:26

Summary:

We’ll read about the voice of deception. Now, up to this point in Genesis, God’s word is the only word that has been at work, creating and commanding. Now another so-called word enters the scene, the word of Satan the deceiver is a serpent that deceives a liar and a murderer. He questioned God’s word and God’s goodness, denied God’s warning, and then substituted a lie for God’s truth. You will be like God is his master lie, and people still believe it. Well, Eve was deceived when she ate, but Adam was not. He sinned with his eyes wide open. He would rather forfeit his dominion than be separated from his wife.

We’ll read about the voice of love. Guilt produces fear, and fear makes us want to run and hide. Ordinarily, Adam and Eve would have run to meet God, but they had become sinners. Sinners cannot cover their sins by their own works, nor can they hide from God. The Father sought the lost sinners, as Jesus did when he was on earth and as the Holy Spirit does today through his people. God wants to use us to call men and women to salvation. And in Genesis 3, we’ll read about the voice of judgment. God cursed the serpent and the ground, but he did not curse Adam and Eve.

The consequences of man’s fall are all around us, and we suffer because of them. The ultimate judgment is death. Man can overcome a difficult environment to some extent, but he can do nothing about the last enemy, death.

His only victory over death is through faith in Jesus Christ.

We’ll read about the voice of grace. We’ll see that in Genesis 3:15, God declared war on Satan and gave the first promise of the redeemer. Satan would bruise Christ’s heel, but Christ would bruise Satan’s head and defeat him. Adam believed the promise that his wife would bear children and his faith saved him. He called her Eve, which means life-giver.

In response to their faith, God shed innocent blood and clothed them. The only way sinners can be saved is by faith in the shed blood of Christ. Jesus Christ is the last Adam. The first Adam’s disobedience plunged us into sin. But the last Adam’s obedience brought salvation. The first Adam was a thief and was cast out of paradise. The last Adam told the thief he would enter paradise. What an irony.

In Adam, we die. In Christ, we have eternal life.

Grace to You

The Fall of Man, Part 1

Genesis 3:1–5

“What Is This You Have Done?”

Genesis 3:13

Jealousy

Genesis 4:1–8

New Testament: Matthew 2:13-3:6

Matthew 3:2

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ~ Matthew 3:2

Refers to the sphere of God’s dominion over those who belong to Him. The kingdom is now manifest in heaven’s spiritual rule over the hearts of believers (Luke 17:21) and, one day, will be established in a literal earthly kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6).

Summary:
The Flight to Egypt
Herod Kills the Children
The Return to Nazareth
John the Baptist Prepares the Way

Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ~ Matthew 3:6

baptized. The symbolism of John’s baptism likely has its roots in OT purification rituals (Lev_15:13). Baptism had also long been administered to Gentile proselytes coming into Judaism. The baptism of John thus powerfully and dramatically symbolizes repentance. Jews accepting John’s baptism were admitting they had been as Gentiles and needed to become the people of God genuinely, inwardly (an amazing admission, given their hatred of Gentiles). The people were repenting in anticipation of the Messiah’s arrival. The meaning of John’s baptism differs somewhat from Christian baptism (Act_18:25). Actually, Christian baptism altered the significance of the ritual, symbolizing the believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom_6:3-5; Col_2:12).

From ~ MacArthur Bible Commentary