Genesis 1 and 2 – The Serpent’s Version

Not long after the beginning a being fell from the heavens to the earth. Even as the Spirit of God hovered overhead, the Serpent swam the waters below. As light divided from darkness, the Serpent chose the darkness, preferring it to the light. And the Serpent stalked the darkness of that first night.

New things began to appear on the earth—dry land, green plants, herbs, trees, fish, birds, creeping things, wild beasts, and livestock of every kind. From his dark hiding place the Serpent inspected each new creature, seeking a victim. And it was bad.

From the shadows he eavesdropped on the divine council, adding to its ringing words his own diabolical echo: “Let us pervert humankind into beings after our image, reshaping them after our likeness. Let them lose their dominion over the birds of the air, and over the creatures of the sea, and over everything that moves over the face of the ground.” And soon it would be so.

And as new divine words were uttered to the new creatures, the hiding Serpent whispered, “Be barren and divide, and spread your contagion throughout the whole earth.” And it was bad.

From a hiding place he watched the man fall asleep. Even his evil heart felt wonder and awe as the woman was formed, so like the man, yet so different. But the Serpent vowed, “I will devise it so that a man will leave his wife, and a woman her husband, and I will make them to cling to father and mother, and the one flesh shall become two.” This too would soon be so.

And on the seventh day, as the Almighty rested from His labors and enjoyed fellowship with His creation, the Serpent skulked in the gloom, vowing that he would never rest, but would roam through the earth, insinuating, reviling, perverting, destroying.

But the Serpent never realized that the darkness he preferred was really a shadow, a shadow made by a divine light from the future. And that light was illuminating a cross. And it was good; behold, it was very good.

—Steve Singleton
DeeperStudy.com

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As if to set aside all argument regarding the identity of the Genesis 3 serpent, the Apostle John twice in the Apocalypse identifies him as "the ancient serpent, the one called the Devil, and the Satan, the one who perverts the whole universe" (Rev. 12:9; compare 20:2). John uses the same Greek noun for serpent, ophis that the Septuagint uses in Gen. 3:1, 4, 13, 14.

The same word occurs several more times in the New Testament, nearly always with a strongly negative connotation, such as the unthinkable action of parents giving their child a serpent instead of good gifts like bread or an egg (Matt. 7:10; Luke 11:11). In Matt. 23:33, Jesus calls the Pharisees the offsping of serpents, a metaphor parallel to the epithet, "brood of vipers," used by both John the Baptizer (Matt. 3:7; Luke 3:7) and Jesus Himself (Matt. 12:34). In Luke 10:19, when Jesus sends the Twelve out with a limited commission He promises to given them authority to walk on serpents and scorpions, symbols of the opponents they would encounter, whether humans or demons.

Twice, however, the reference to serpents is more positive. Jesus urges his disciples not only to be as innocent as doves, but also to be as shrewd as serpents (Matt. 10:16). When Jesus spoke with Nicodemus, he reminded him of the incident in which Moses lifted up a bronze serpent (John 3:14, referring to Num. 21:9), using it as a symbol of His own crucifixion.

lutzer_serpentRecommended to purchase:

Erwin W. Lutzer. The Serpent of Paradise: The Incredible Story of How Satan's Rebellion Serves God's Purposes

Attempts to put the devil in his place, by pointing out that although Lucifer rebelled so he might no longer be God's servant, he still is. Even today, Satan cannot make a move without God's express consent. Lutzer contends that we cannot properly understand Satan unless we first understand God. When we stand in awe of God, we will find it unnecessary to stand in awe of Satan.

The Serpent of Paradise will challenge popular conceptions of Satan that play into the enemy's hands. Lutzer demonstrates that Satan's bid for independence was fatally flawed the moment he sinned.

Here is a book that will stimulate your faith and lead you to worship a God who does not lose--even when Satan appears to win. You will come away with a deeper understanding of Martin Luther's words, "Even the devil is God's devil."

Recommended for online reading:

Anonymous: "A Clergyman." The Satan of Scripture (1876).

A close examination of what the Bible teaches about "the ancient Serpent, or the Devil, or Satan."

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