I also realized that the father of lies did not have to lie in order to instigate the fall. The serpent did not need to deceive, merely to tempt our first parents to pride. To knowing better than God. The Evil one has more tricks to play on than pride, but as we were reminded, while we are no match for the evil one, he is no match for our Father.
On the Mount where the Sermon on the Mount and Our Father was given, we had a teaching on the prayer of the Our Father.
“Deliver us from evil” translates more to deliver us from “the evil one”, the father of lies, so it’s very specific. It’s not asking to not have suffering happen to us.
The verb “deliver” also hearkens back to the deliverance of God’s people. It was easy for God to deliver Israel from Egypt, but it was difficult, if not impossible for Israel to bring Egypt out of their hearts. They build a golden calf so quickly and can’t maintain the law given to them as is written,
Galatians 6:13 (RSVCE): For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh.
As I thought our own real adversary, I wondered, did God warn Adam and Eve about the evil one? Should He have? Eve only knew that God had created good, though not universally accessible things. Would knowing about the presence of the evil one have changed her response to the serpent? I’m grateful to know the enemy is out there and be able to cling to my spiritual battle tools.
