The document summarizes the story of the deception of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:1-7. It describes: I. The serpent as a "scam artist" who deceives Eve with subtle questions about God's commands. II. The serpent directs Eve toward the forbidden tree "in the midst of the garden," leading her into a "sly scheme." III. Eve experiences only "superficial satisfaction" after eating the fruit, as she and Adam realize they are naked and experience shame. The conclusion warns against being deceived by promises that seem to offer gain but instead bring bitterness and devastation.

1. Exposing the Deceiver
Text: Gen 3:1-7
Now the serpent was more subtil than any
beast of the field which the LORD God had
made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath
God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the
garden?
2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We
may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

2. 3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the
midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall
not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye
shall not surely die:
5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat
thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye
shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6) And when the woman saw that the tree was
good for food, and that it was pleasant to the
eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise,
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and
gave also unto her husband with her; and he did
eat.
7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and
they knew that they were naked; and they sewed
fig leaves together, and made themselves
aprons.
I. A Scam Artist
subtil serpent

3. Gen 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast
of the field which the LORD God had made.
And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God
said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the
garden?
Gen 1:29-30
29 And God said, Behold, I have given you
every herb bearing seed, which is upon the
face of all the earth, and every tree, in the

4. which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to
you it shall be for meat.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to
every fowl of the air, and to every thing that
creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is
life, I have given every green herb for meat:
and it was so.
This deceiver is offering something he is
not able to partake of himself, and
promising it has an effect he has never
experienced.
Illustration:
CAPTAIN WILLIAM KIDD,
AND
OTHERS OF THE PIRATES OR
BUCCANEERS WHO
RAVAGED THE SEAS
By

5. --JOHN S. C. ABBOTT, 1876
After the discovery of the New World, Pope
Alexander VI. issued a proclamation dividing
all the newly discovered lands, in both the East
and West Indies, between the crowns of
Portugal and Spain, to the exclusion of all other
powers.
This bull, as it was called, excited great
discontent throughout all Christendom.
France, England, and the Netherlands,
the three remaining great maritime nations,
combined against Spain and Portugal.
These courts would give any man a commission
to take a ship, fill it with armed men, and prey
upon the commerce
of Spain and Portugal.

6. There was no court to decide upon the validity
of prizes. The captors were
responsible to nobody. They decided for
themselves whether the prize they had taken
was their legitimate booty.
Very soon all seas swarmed with these
adventurers. They sailed in fleets.
In armed bands they landed and ravaged the
coasts, battering down forts and capturing and
plundering cities.
They did not deem themselves pirates but took
the name of buccaneers.
The Spanish Court remonstrated with the
several Governments of Europe against these
outrages.
Elizabeth, England's termagant queen,

7. [ter·ma·gant: a harsh-tempered or overbearing
woman]
with characteristic tartness replied:
“The Spaniards have drawn these
inconveniences on themselves, by their severe
and unjust dealings in their American
commerce.
The Queen of England cannot understand why
her subjects, or those of any other European
prince should be debarred from traffic in the
West Indies.
As she does not acknowledge the Spaniards to
have any title to any portion of the New World
by the donation of the Bishop of Rome, so she
knows no right they have to any places other
than those of which they are in actual
possession…”

8. When Pope Alexander VI offered what he did
not have to enrich his power and purse, he
opened a door to evil that even today haunts
the seas in the form of piracy.
Three times in the Bible someone is
described as being “subtil”.
The word is used as an adjective.
One is a serpent (Genesis 3:1 – the Devil),
one is a man (II Samuel 13:3- Jonadab),
and one is a woman (Proverbs 7:10- a
woman in the attire of a harlot).
One is described as more subtil. (Genesis
3:1 – the serpent).

9. Of these three, we find great differences in
their:
appearance,
culture,
and pedigree.
The one common theme is that they are all
skilled deceivers.
Rom 16:19
For your obedience is come abroad unto all
men. I am glad therefore on your behalf:
but yet
I would have you wise unto that which is
good, and simple concerning evil.
Prov 4:16-17
For they sleep not, except they have done
mischief; and their sleep is taken away,
unless they cause some to fall.

10. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
and drink the wine of violence.
2Cor 11:3
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent
beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your
minds should be corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ.
1Tim 2:13-14
For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the
woman being deceived was in the
transgression.
2Pet 2:14
Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot
cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an
heart they have exercised with covetous
practices; cursed children:

11. II. A Sly Scheme
the midst of the garden
Gen 3:3
3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the
midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not
eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Gen 2:9
9) And out of the ground made the LORD
God to grow every tree that is pleasant to
the sight, and good for food; the tree of life

12. also in the midst of the garden, and the tree
of knowledge of good and evil.
Prov 4:14-15
14) Enter not into the path of the wicked,
and go not in the way of evil men.
15) Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and
pass away.
Job 11:14
If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away,
and let not wickedness dwell in thy
tabernacles.
Eph 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
1Thess 5:22
Abstain from all appearance of evil.

13. III. A Superficial Satisfaction
knowing good and evil
Gen 3:7
7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and
they knew that they were naked; and they sewed
fig leaves together, and made themselves
aprons.
Deut 28:15
But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not
hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy
God, to observe to do all his commandments

14. and his statutes which I command thee this
day; that all these curses shall come upon
thee, and overtake thee:
Deut 28:34
So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of
thine eyes which thou shalt see.
Gen 3:14
And the LORD God said unto the serpent,
Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed
above all cattle, and above every beast of the
field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust
shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:19
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till
thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast
thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust
shalt thou return.

15. John 8:34
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of
sin.
Conclusion
Job 15:31
Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for
vanity shall be his recompence.

16. The mirage of illegitimate gain is a
bitterness that quickly manifests
and works more devastation to a man
than his position prior to
giving ear to evil.
1Cor 15:33
Be not deceived: evil communications
corrupt good manners.
Job 22:23
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be
built up,
thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy
tabernacles.
EXPOSING THE DECEIVER
TEXT: GEN 3:1-7
I. A SCAM ARTIST
GEN 3:1
Illustration:
CAPTAIN WILLIAM KIDD,

17. II. A SLY SCHEME
GEN 3:3
III. A SUPERFICIAL SATISFACTION
GEN 3:7
CONCLUSION
JOB 15:31