Links for today’s readings:
Read: Genesis 3 Listen: (4:14), Read: John 3 Listen:( 4:41)
Links for this weekend’s readings:
Read: Genesis 4 Listen: (3:54), Read: John 4 Listen: (6:37)
Read: Genesis 5 Listen: (3:18), Read: John 5 Listen: (5:42)
Scripture Focus: Genesis 3.8-15
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
“Cursed are you above all livestock
and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
Revelation 20.2, 10
2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years…
10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Reflection: Ending the Serpent’s Cycle
By John Tillman
The Ouroboros is an ancient image of a serpent eating its tail. It was well-known in Egypt and Greece, symbolizing the cycle of death and rebirth.
John connects the Serpent at the beginning of scripture to the one at the end by calling Satan, “That old Serpent.” Satan is introduced in Genesis 3 and defeated in Revelation 20. We live in the chapters in between where the cycle of sin feels repetitive and inescapable. How do we break out?
All things in this world are under Satan’s influence and he can make any of them a destructive tool. Where there is love, he spawns lust. Where there is passion, he births oppression. The world’s kingdoms are his and he tempts everyone with their power, including Jesus. (Luke 4.5-8)
If we do not resist him, whatever is true, he uses to deceive, whatever is noble, he corrupts, whatever is right, he uses wrongly, whatever is pure, he sullies, whatever is lovely, he scars, whatever is admirable, he debases. (Philippians 4.8)
Revelation warns us that Satan is thrown down to Earth, knowing his time is shortened, filled with rage and intent to deceive as many as possible. (Revelation 12.12) He is the father of lies and hates those who are in the truth. (John 8.44) He means to do us harm.
How do we deal with his devilish influences? How do we shed shame and fight fear?
After watching Adam and Eve fall, we see them fight. We fight the same way if we only recognize the steps. When God calls, “Where are you?” stop hiding. Call out and come to him. When God says, “What is this you have done?” confess. Tell the truth and call the Devil a liar.
Scripture tells us to flee temptation and evil desires (2 Timothy 2.22), but don’t confuse fleeing evil desires with fleeing the Devil. We don’t flee the serpent. When we resist him, he flees us. (James 4.7)
This serpent’s cycle is doomed and he knows it. We resist the father of lies by reminding him of the truth. Even if Satan fools us temporarily, the truth will set us free and Jesus will straighten, repair, and restore everything twisted, damaged, and stolen.
The image of the Ouroboros is a lie. The cycle of the serpent is not eternal. The serpent’s end is assured. His head will be crushed, to eat no more.
Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
I sought the Lord, and he delivered me out of all my terror. — Psalm 34.4
– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.
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He will not be a monster of rage, revenge, and havoc, but the same messiah of love, protection, and care revealed to us in the gospels.
