Security, Sustenance, and Enjoyment: God or the Devil?

The entire Bible is a tapestry of truth that shows the basics of life and also the details of how things work. Man has basic needs: security, sustenance, and enjoyment. God provides all three. But the Devil has tricked people into going to him for the basics. This always leaves the seeker hurt, incomplete, and lifeless.

John 10:10:
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus Christ explained that the Devil only comes to kill, steal, and destroy. In contrast, God sent His Son so that we can have life fully—in all ways. What are the basic categories of a person’s life?

I Thessalonians 5:23:
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

People are born with a physical body and soul life to animate that body. When they believe on Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9,10), they receive God’s gift of holy spirit. A born-again Christian has body, soul, and spirit.

Today in Christ, God gives us His security, sustenance, and enjoyment in life. He promises to supply all of our need in all three categories. He will give us the sustenance we need to be physically nourished, He will bless our souls with enjoyment, and He will protect us from the adversary’s spiritual attacks.

Genesis: The Foundation

All the great truths of the Bible begin in Genesis. It tells us that God formed the human body out of the elements in the earth and “breathed” life into that body. It also tells us that God put his “image” in man.

Genesis 1:27:
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Jesus Christ explained what God’s “image” is.

John 4:24:
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God does not have a form or physical appearance. He is Spirit and cannot be known by the five senses. God gave Adam and Eve His spirit,  and they had dominion over all of the wonderful things that He had created. In Eden, they were secure, had plenty to sustain them, and could enjoy all the blessings from God.

Genesis 1:28-30; 2:9:
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion [security] over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
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 which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat [food, sustenance].
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 [food]: and it was so.
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food [enjoyment]; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

At this point, the Devil approached Adam and Eve, hoping to steal their dominion and blessing. He was successful, and man fell. Yet, immediately, God promised to send a redeemer who would defeat the Devil and win back man’s salvation and dominion. God spoke to the Devil:

Genesis 3:15:
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed [the seed of the woman, the Messiah]; it [the Messiah, Jesus Christ] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

This was a great hope for Adam and Eve. God promised that “her seed” would defeat their adversary. They thought that their first child might be this promised redeemer.

Genesis 4:1:
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord [the man promised by the Lord].

Turning to the Devil for Security, Sustenance, and enjoyment

Things didn’t work out as they had hoped. Cain was very religious and offered a sacrifice to God, but his heart was not in it. His younger brother, Abel, had a pure heart toward God, and the Lord accepted his sacrifice. Cain became jealous, and in rage he slew his younger brother. Cain turned out to be the first murderer.

Genesis 4:8:
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Just as Satan had tricked Cain’s parents into turning from God’s simple commandment, he now tricked their first-born son. Cain’s sin was an absolute turning to the Devil for security, sustenance, and the enjoyment of self-gratification. This sin was so severe that it would never be “lifted” from him.

Genesis 4:13:
And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear [the Hebrew word nâsâh, meaning to lift or forgive].

Rather than seeking forgiveness for his cruel deed, Cain turned farther away from God and followed the Devil’s guidance. He went to build his own city, away from the garden that God had provided.

Genesis 4:16,17:
And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

Cain “went out” from God’s presence. He left the security, sustenance, and enjoyment that God had provided in the garden. He set up his own city with walls for security, with farming and gathering for food, and with pleasures and entertainment for his offspring. Sadly, Cain’s descendants followed in his steps. Lamech also took his direction from the Devil, falling prey to his offers of self-power and control.

Genesis 4:18-24:
And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.
And Lamech took unto him two wives [polygamy]: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle [food production].
And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ [musical entertainment].
And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron [producing war implements for security]: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

These same attempts by men to meet their own needs are still seen today. Men use metals and technology to build their own weapons and “security.” They develop elaborate ways to produce food (often lacking the nutrition God build into it). And they have their own forms of entertainment to replace a genuine fellowship with God.

Look at the pride and ego that Lamech had learned from his ancestors, beginning with Cain. If Cain would be avenged seven times for the evil he did, Lamech would force his own personal judgment seventy times that!

True Hope in the Face of Evil

Lucifer was originally an archangel with great power from God. When he disobeyed God, his pride caused him to fall from heaven. He took a third of the angels with him, and they are now the evil spirits that plague mankind. He is called the “god of this world” (II Corinthians 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2).

As Satan, the Devil tricks people into accepting his lies and obeying his will. That is what happened to Cain. Yet, God’s promise of a redeemer would be fulfilled.

Genesis 4:25,26:
And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.

Even though Cain had killed their son Abel, Adam and Eve had another son. Eve hoped that God had appointed another seed that could fulfill God’s promise in Genesis 3:15. Indeed, it was through Seth’s line that Jesus Christ would later be born.

But the effect of Lamech’s evil began to pervade the cities and civilization that developed from his actions.

Genesis 6:5:
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

At this point, the Devil had so much sway over people that he was able to work with the environment, hoping to kill them all with a flood. Yet, one man from Seth’s lineage had a heart for God.

Genesis 6:8,9:
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

Noah found God’s grace because he was just and pure-hearted. He walked with God, and his Creator could talk to him spiritually. Thus, God was able to instruct Noah about how to build an ark for security from the flood, how to provide sustenance for himself and the other living things on the ark, and how to maintain the enjoyment of fellowship with Him.

After the flood, Noah came forth with his wife, his three sons, and their wives. God once again offered true security, sustenance, and an enjoyable life.

Genesis 9:1-3:
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat [food] for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

God gave Noah and his sons authority over their surroundings so they could enjoy their lives to the full. He gave them food to sustain them. And he also offered security for Noah and his descendants. His covenant promised no such destruction would ever come again.

Genesis 9:11:
And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

Turning to the Devil Again

Even though the earth had a “fresh start” with Noah, his son Ham got off track spiritually and caused division in their family. Ham’s son Canaan would head down the same path that Cain had followed (Genesis 9:18-27).

Genesis 10:15-19:
And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,
And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,
And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,
And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.
And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.

Many of the descendants of Canaan became bitter spiritual enemies with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These nations were the enemies of Israel, God’s people. Scriptures abound with the evil deeds of the Jebusites, Amorites, Girgasites, Hivites, and Hamathites. The spiritual wickedness and immorality of Sodom and Gomorrah are legendary.

This evil became especially effective because the people shared a common language. This allowed them to carry out the Devil’s will together. Once again, Cain’s descendants built cities. One city was to be a center of religious and political power.

Genesis 11:1-4:
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name [the Hebrew word Shem, like the son Eve bore who was an ancestor of Jesus Christ], lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

The Hebrew text is very revealing here. They did not wait for bricks to dry in the sun as was common, but burned them in kilns. This showed their anxiety and hurried attempt to build things their way, not God’s way. Technology replaced the natural systems that God had set up. They would be their own safety.

They also built a tower. The phrase “whose top may reach unto heaven” can better be translated as “topped with heavenly representations.” This refers to a temple or tower with the constellations inscribed in its ceiling. Similar representations have been found at Denderah in Egypt and other locations. The original zodiacs depicted God’s promise to send the Messiah. See God’s Word: Celestial, Written, and Living for more details. They wanted enjoyment based on legends, artwork, and religion of their own making.

Their purpose in setting up this zodiac was to make their own “Seth.” They wanted to establish a redeemer of their own, apart from the Messiah that God had promised. They would nourish themselves rather than going to their Creator. This is still done today as people try to be their own saviors. They even set up false “Christs” and deny what God’s Son, the true Messiah, has done for us. Like those at Babel, they are “anti-Christ.”

God could not allow this evil to continue to grow. So He caused the nations to be separated and develop languages. They were unable to continue their wicked plans.

Genesis 11:5-9:
And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.
So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Protecting God’s People

God is always willing to bless and help people, but like Noah, they must have a meek heart to respond to His goodness. Another such man was Abram. God has foreknowledge and knew that Abram would believe and obey Him. He sent Abram to Canaan to turn things around.

Genesis 12:1-3:
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

All families of the earth would be blessed in Abraham’s seed, Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16). The Old Testament shows how the Devil continued to get people to turn to him for their security, sustenance, and enjoyment. Often, “Babylon” refers to those who follow the adversary in this way. That links directly back to those who originally tried to set up their own Messiah at Babel.

The true Messiah was also tempted by the Devil in these three areas.

Jesus in the Wilderness: Security, Sustenance, and Enjoyment

Matthew 4:1-4:
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Jesus was tempted to go to the Devil to supply the physical sustenance that he needed. Jesus refused this bribe, and trusted that God would keep his physical body healthy even in the wilderness.

Matthew 4:5-7:
Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Next, the Devil tried to get Jesus to trust him for security. Rather than doing what God wanted, the Devil tried to get Jesus to foolishly jump from a cliff. The adversary even quoted scripture to back up this absurd dare. Jesus did not fall for such “religious” talk. He quoted scripture that DID apply in the situation. He did not tempt his heavenly Father by doing such a foolhardy deed.

Matthew 4:8-10:
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Here the Devil struck his most vicious blow. He wanted Jesus to go to him for self-fulfillment and power. He offered Jesus the full “enjoyment” and entertainment the world could offer. But the price was high—worshipping the false god of this world. Once again, our savior refused the Devil’s bribe and quoted God’s Word to send the Devil away. We can do the same.

Today’s Choice: God or the Devil?

We have the same choice to make that Jesus successfully made in the wilderness. Today the Devil offers his “best” to entice and enslave mankind.

People trust in their nation’s military, or their neighborhood’s security systems, or their own personal weapons for safety. Even though we should do our best to protect our lives, the key ingredient is still trusting God.

Proverbs 21:31:
The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.

Psalms 127:1:
Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

The same is true for our physical sustenance. Do we rely on having the healthiest food, the best exercise program, and finest medical provider? Or do we trust in our heavenly Father to give us our “daily bread”?

I Timothy 4:4,5,8:
For every creature [food source] of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
For bodily exercise profiteth little [a short time]: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

And what is our greatest source of enjoyment and entertainment? Do we follow the latest fads and mental diet that flow from Hollywood? What is the greatest activity that we can enjoy?

Ecclesiastes 12:13:
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear [love and respect] God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Phillippians 1:3-5:
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.

Getting to know our heavenly Father through His Son, and developing a fellowship with other believers is the greatest enjoyment we can have.

Let’s follow Jesus Christ’s great example and trust in our heavenly Father to supply all our need for security, sustenance, and enjoyment. The Devil will continue to offer his lies as the “god of this world.” But going God’s way has the greatest rewards, now and throughout eternity.