“You Will Be Like God”
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesIn Genesis 3:3-5, the serpent tells Eve the following: “But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'” And the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God know that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (NKJV)
Satan’s Plan
In the temptation of Eve, the devil said, “Ye shall be as gods” (Genesis 3:5), “knowing good and evil.” The New King James rendering of this phrase is more accurate, “You will be like God.” Behind this is the Hebrew word “Elohim”, which is the plural for gods. But, like in Genesis 1:1, it is here used of Almighty God, being the plural majestic reference (in respect to the three personalities of the Godhead). Also consider the verb bara (“created”) being joined in the singular number with this plural noun, demonstrating the unity of the divine “Persons” in the work of creation. As sin had not yet entered into the world (idol worship), Eve could not have possessed a knowledge of “gods” (just the one God). Therefore, “God” best represents what is meant here. The purpose of Satan was to entice (by eating the forbidden fruit) our first parents into believing that they would become as wise and powerful as God and thus be able to exist forever, independently of Him.
Eve’s Reaction
The imagination of Eve was stirred. In some way beyond her immediate human experience she could be like God. The devil is pointing her in the route he had taken. The devil had taken his eyes off of God and placed them upon himself. The devil became the devil, the father of liars (John 8:44). The rest is history. Even in the temptation of Jesus, the devil wanted to play the role of God (Matthew 4:9-10). Paul warns about falling into the same condemnation of the devil (1 Timothy 3:6). And so with mankind throughout history, it is not enough to be made in the image and likeness of God, men want to “be God” (Genesis 11:4; Isaiah 31:3; Ezekiel 28:2, 9; Daniel 4:28-30; Acts 12:22). The devil says, “Ye shall be as gods.”
An Ancient Concept Of Dethroning God
“Ye shall be as gods” is seen in the ancient concept of the “divine right of kings,” emperor worship, and in the totality of the modern, socialistic state that replaces God to control the lives of its citizens from the cradle to the grave. This can be seen in apostate religious systems wherein a man would be called “the Lord God, the pope” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4), others being unduly exalted, and men arrogantly asserting themselves as determining the eternal destiny of their fellow mortals (i.e., Hitler’s regime). Then in saying that it doesn’t make any difference what a person believes, just so he is sincere, each person becomes his own god. Humanists in times past have subtly pushed religion aside in our society, but now dropping all subtlety, they have dethroned God with an intolerance that equals that of the radical religious zealots of the past.
Our Present Day Society Dethrones God
Legally God cannot be found in the public school system. Humanism sits enthroned. If a one-world government comes, there will be no place for the recognition of God in it. Man, in essence, wants to be God. He wants to determine and take life by abortion. Reportedly having successfully cloned animal life, he wants to clone human life, then when certain DNA and genetic codes are cracked, attention is drawn to the great discovery. Just look at our learned men. How smart they are! But the great and intricate mesh of intelligence as see in the genetic reading points to higher and supreme intelligence. It points to God! But man, who in his mind has dethroned God, will not admit this. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are gaining acceptance, already being legally accepted in some parts of the world. Job said referring to his life, “Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah” (Job 1:21 – ASV), but modern man would look upon this as “his” prerogative as “he” tries to play the part of God. We are thankful for the medical profession that traditionally is devoted to life, health and healing, (but death is another thing).
Setting The Proper Priorities
All of us were made in the image and likeness of God for the glory of God (Genesis 1:27; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 42:8; 1 Corinthians 10:31). That being the case, the Lord Jesus Christ said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). God must have “first” place in our lives, or “no” place. Anything that comes before God, in essence, becomes God to us (as it has taken the place of God). Therefore, if we leave God out of our lives or put Him in second place, living selfishly, we have become our own god. Perhaps not consciously, or even intentionally, we have succumbed to the temptation of Eve, “Ye shall become as gods.” How foolish!
Conclusion
Let us be happy and content with the exalted honor and dignity God has placed upon us. Only doubts and thoughts inspired by the devil would make us feel otherwise. Man’s elevated position and dominion are first mentioned in Genesis 1:26-28, but this is dealt with more extensively in Psalm 8. Fittingly the Psalm starts out by drawing attention to God, “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.” Then the writer considers man and his favored position (vs. 4-8). Finally in ending the Psalm, lest too much attention has been given to man, he returns to words addressed to God, “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”
May we humbly think about our “position” and “purpose” in God’s universe (Psalm 100:3; Isaiah 29:23; Isaiah 43:7; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and respond accordingly . God has so wonderfully created us and placed us in our given domain. Why would we ever in any way want to try to usurp the position and glory that are His, or even think about doing so? God is the “Creator” (Isaiah 40:28). We are the “creature” (Mark 16:15; Colossians 1:23). God is the “Potter”; we are the “clay” (Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 45:9; Jeremiah 18:6; Romans 9:20-21).
Let us as God’s children (clay) resolve to be more “pliable” in the Potter’s hands conforming our will to His Will (Romans 9:21; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 1:9-10; 1 Peter 1:13-14), “consecrated and useful to the master of the house” (2 Timothy 2:21 – RSV).