Kids Talk About God
In The Garden of Eden, why did the devil tempt Eve instead of Adam?
By Carey Kinsolving and friends
“Satan knew Eve would fall for it,” says Amanda, age 9. Nice pun, Amanda.
“Because Eve was eating when Satan tempted her,” says Griffin, 8.
This is the maitre d’ theory of the fall. Perhaps Satan worked in the forbidden fruit as the dessert of a nine-course dinner.
“Because Satan knew Eve would make Adam taste the apple,” says Jennifer, 8. Perhaps the tempting of Eve was like a two for one special. Get Eve and Adam will follow.
“Because Satan is a boy, and boys don’t like girls,” says Rachael, 9.
It was Eve’s personality, says Clay, 9: “Eve was more sensitive than Adam.”
Amnesia was the problem, says Nicole, 8: “Eve forgot they weren’t supposed to eat that tree, and then, Adam forgot.”
Oops, I forgot! Wrong tree.
It wasn’t forgetting; it was ignorance, says Josh, 10: “Eve was new in the Garden of Eden.” In other words, Eve was new in the garden and didn’t know her way around.
Well, why didn’t she know? Because, says Caroline, 10, “God hadn’t given her such a lecture.” So, says Elyse, 8, “she didn’t know the rules.” Actually, “the devil knew God didn’t tell Eve not to eat it so he tempted her,” explains Joseph, 9.
“Eve was just walking around,” says Victoria, 8, “and I think Adam was busy.” So Eve “was the only one out of the two of them that Satan could find,” says Brittany. Megan, 10, agrees: “She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“We don’t know the devil’s thoughts,” says Heather, 9, “so we don’t know why.”
You’re right on that one, Heather. Even though the Bible is silent as to Satan’s motives for tempting Eve, Genesis 3 tells us about Eve’s motivation. Angela, 9, is on the right track when she says, “Eve was looking at the tree.”
One sentence is repeated throughout Genesis 1: “And God saw that it was good.” Now, instead of God deciding what was “good,” Eve looked at the tree of knowledge of good and evil and “saw that it was good” (Genesis 3:6).
Eve made the mistake we all make in grasping for what looks good to us instead of accepting what God has provided.
God alone knows what is good for us. While modern people may desire to choose what is good, to the author of Genesis it is the worst fate that could have befallen them, says Bible scholar John Sailhamer.
Eve herself was an example of God providing “the good.” Immediately after God told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God said, “It is not good that man should be alone.”
It’s no coincidence that the creation of Eve follows God telling Adam not to eat of the forbidden tree (Genesis 2:16-25). God knows how to provide all “the good” we need.
God wants us to trust him. He had warned Adam that eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil would result in death. Satan tempted Eve to doubt God’s goodness by telling her, “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4).
Think about this: Do you doubt the goodness of God?
Memorize this truth: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Ask this question: Whom are you going to believe?
“Kids Talk About God” is written and distributed by Carey Kinsolving. To access free, online “Kids Color Me Bible” books, “Mission Explorers” videos, a new children’s musical, and all columns in a Bible Lesson Archive, visit www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org. To read journey-of-faith feature stories written by Carey Kinsolving, visit www.FaithProfiles.org.
