In the beginning, “the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep” (Genesis 1:2). Then God created the heavens and the earth. God’s crowning creation was man and woman, made in his own image. God placed this sinless couple in a perfect environment, the garden of Eden. They had everything they could ever want or need. There was, however, one tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, from which they were not allowed to eat. God’s instruction regarding the tree was to allow his creation to obey him or not. The first sin centered around the tree.

One day, Satan showed up. He spoke to Adam and Eve about God’s intentions regarding that tree. We will consider his conversation with them. But today, let’s back up. Why did God allow Satan to enter the garden in the first place?

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

There are many questions regarding the serpent, and many have written trying to explain the mysteries. I believe Allen Ross provides the best landing place in his commentary on Genesis. He says, “The appearance of a crafty snake prompting Eve to sin is a mystery. The text is interested neither in the origin of evil in the snake nor the nature of the snake. It primarily is concerned with what the snake said. The narrative leaves all other questions surrounded in mystery.”[1] We know from the New Testament that Satan was directly speaking through the snake (Revelation 12:9).

Now, back to our question—Why did God allow Satan to enter the garden and tempt Adam and Eve? God loves with a perfect love. His love moved him to create mankind to have a relationship with him. But love can’t be forced or coerced. Love involves a choice. For our love to be demonstrated as genuine, God gives us the freedom to choose. We can choose to love him or not; we can choose to obey him or not. Without that freedom to choose, we are nothing more than robots. One commentator says it this way,

God could have created us to love and obey Him automatically. He could have put a fence around the Garden of Eden and never allowed humanity to be tempted. But God’s desire was and is for people to love Him sincerely, obey Him willingly, and worship Him wholeheartedly (Deuteronomy 10:12-13; Matthew 22:37; John 14:15; 1 John 4:19).[2]

Why did God allow Satan to enter the garden of Eden? The same reason God allows us the freedom to choose today. He loved us first. We can only respond in love and obedience because he first loved us with such an amazing perfect love (1 John 4:19).

Father,
Give us discernment and insight to understand what you want us to know. Give us humility to accept the fact that your ways are higher than our ways. And, most of all, help us respond in obedience to your great love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

[1] Allen Ross, Creation and Blessing (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998), 134.
[2] https://www.gotquestions.org/Satan-in-the-Garden-of-Eden.html