NUMBER THREE (3-11)

(Message by Tanny Keng)

0. Introduction

a) 3 stands for that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire. All things that are specially complete are stamped with this number. It is interesting to note what other mention(s) for 3 can be found in the Bible.

1. The 3 Temptations (1 John 2:16)

• "The lust of the flesh."
• "The lust of the eyes."
• "The pride of life."

a) These seen in our first parents when Eve saw (Genesis 3:6) that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was--

• "Good for food,"
• "Pleasant to the eyes,"
• "To be desired to make one wise."

b) The Three-fold corruption of God's Word occurs by taking from, adding to, and altering it. This led up to the first sin.

1. God had said, "of every tree in the garden thou may FREELY eat" (Genesis 2:16). In repeating this, Eve omitted the word "freely" (3:2), making God less bountiful than He was.
2. God had said, "But of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou shalt not eat of it" (Genesis 2:17). In repeating this Eve added the words, "NEITHER SHALL YOU TOUCH IT" (3:3), making God more severe than He was.
3. God had said, "Thou shalt SURELY die" (Genesis 3:17). In repeating this Eve altered it to "LEST ye die," thus weakening the certainty of the Divine threat into a contingency.

c) No wonder that dealing thus with the Word of God she listened to the words of the Devil, and became an easy prey to his guile with which he deceived her.

d) No wonder also that "the second man," "the last Adam," when He was tempted by the same tempter, three times repeated the words "It is written"! as though to call attention to the occasion of the Fall in the three-fold perversions of God's words. "It is written," and I will not omit anything from it; "It is written," and I will not add anything to it; "It is written," and I will not alter it. It is worthy of note that both the temptations began in precisely the same way, by the Tempter questioning the truth of God's Word. In the former saying, "Hath God said?" In the latter saying "If Thou be the Son of God" (Matthew 4:3), when the voice from Heaven had only just declared, "This IS My beloved Son" (Matthew 3:17).

The End ...