Apparently, she was watching something on TV that stated that no where in Genesis, or the Old Testament for that matter, does it say that the Serpent was Satan/Lucifer. In fact, as I'm reading the specific passages in a literal sense, if God created the world, and it was "good" then how did we get this nasty serpent in Ch. 3 that tempts Eve into taking the fruit of the tree?
Here's the passage from Genesis 1 for reference:
20 And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Then Genesis 3:
Genesis 3I've been doing my own research this morning, so I have my own theory about the answer to this...and I'll share it later, but I wondered what you believed or how you had been taught? Did you always believe the serpent was Satan? And if you did, can you direct me to the verses that reinforce that?
The Fall of Man
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
5 comments:
very interesting. I guess I've just always thought it was the devil. Looking forward to see what you've come up with. I sent you my email. I don't come here for a few days and that's when you do all your updating! lol I had to catch up.
Blessings,
Theresa
Well, here's what I'm thinking, Theresa...I still think it was the devil (in one form or another). Either he entered the serpent, or he was there encouraging him. Because Genesis 2:24 says that God made all creatures good. And we know that there was no sin on the earth until Eve took the fruit, so I don't believe that God created an evil serpent, or that the serpent in some way, shape or firm, was able to become evil without the knowledge of God since He knows all things, and knows our hearts. He cannot be deceived. BUT, what the Bible does tell us is that Satan was an angel (Lucifer) who had been banished from heaven. And in the book of Job, God tells us that the angels were created before the earth. So since Satan/Lucifer was an angel, he would have been present before Adam and Eve were. Which means, it very well could have been him. Even *if* the Bible doesn't specifically say so. So basically, it's a matter of what you choose to believe; it was either Satan, or that God did not create all things good and did indeed create an evil serpent; or that God was able to be deceived.
How's that for some deep thinking? ;) LOL!
LOL!
I believe Satan probably entered the body of the serpent. We know that evil spirits can enter the bodies of people and animals as the demons that Jesus cast out of the naked man by the lake specifically requested to be sent by Him (Jesus) into a herd of nearby pigs. Then the pigs went hurtling off a cliff.
Doesn't Job say that Satan was "cast down to the earth." I actually have a theory that the earth, in some formless and void sense, was created long before the creation account of Genesis and was only given form, beauty and life (all that is spoken of in Genesis) in those six days. Otherwise, where was Satan really cast to when he was thrown out of heaven? I actually love it that these unanswered questions don't alter our faith because we know that they will all be answered in due time and that if they were really necessary for life and godliness they would have been fully revealed to us in the Word.
Good stuff MOH. :^) Thanks for sharing!
Nan
Nan, I think the same thing about the pre-creation! Too bad we don't live closer, we could have some great theological discussions! :D
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