The devil’s hatred of Scripture is revealed the first time his name is mentioned in the Bible. Moreover, those who associate with him manifest the same hatred. Let us notice Genesis 3: 1-3:
“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? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 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.”
“…Yea, hath God said… ” This is Satan’s first utterance in Scripture. It is a challenge to the authority of the Word of God. Eve, in listening to the devil, altered God’s Word:
1. She omitted the words every and freely (Genesis 2: 16).
2. She added the words neither shall ye touch it(Genesis 3:3), to God’s command in Genesis 2:17.
3. She altered the certainty of “… thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2: 17), to the uncertainty of “… lest ye die” (Genesis 3:3). Satan’s temptation succeeded because the Word of God was omitted, added to, and altered. It was undermined to the extent that the devil was believed when he denied the Word of God, saying, “… Ye shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4).
In sharp contrast, Satan’s temptation of the last Adam failed because the Lord Jesus Christ three times repeated, honoured, and established what God had said. He refuted the devil’s suggestions with the affirmation, “… It is written … “ (Matthew4:4,7,10).
In Christ’s great high priestly prayer (John 17), the Word of God is referred to three times (verses 8,14,17). The disciples received the Word, and they conformed to it. That fellowship with the Father sanctified them and determined their relationship to the world. God’s commandments are only kept when they are obeyed.
Three times God has warned us of the seriousness of altering His Word:
1. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2).
2. “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:5-6).
3. “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Revelation 22:18-21).
God has entrusted us with His Word; therefore, it is time for believers to uphold His Word.