Gen. 3:1
Chapter three has the sad story of the introduction of sin into the world, and death by sin, which would see death pass onto everyone. (Rom. 5:12) There had been no death, no suffering, and no pain before this. God never intended for sin to enter the world, but as noted, He had a plan. Because, He knew what choices would be made, yet He loved people enough to give them freedom.
The Serpent…said: This creature has caused some confusion among scholars. While I don’t claim to know everything, I’ll try clear a few things up.
First, despite what some say, it is very unlikely that animals could talk before the Fall. Remember that mankind was created differently. God gave Adam and Eve dominion over creatures. People were given something more than instinct – they were made living souls. While some animals communicate more information than others through their sounds, only people can do such things as engage in small talk, use language to influence, and so on. That’s because our brains are so complex.
Most likely, the devil dwelt in the serpent. I believe three things point to the devil as being the one who truly controlled and spoke. 1. The devil is referred to, in Rev. 12:9 and Rev. 20:2, as “that old serpent”; 2. The devil is consistently called the “father of lies,” not the serpent; and, 3. The pronoun “he.”
This last is especially noteworthy because of the article – “The.” “The serpent” can refer to a particular one, as well as the creature in general. It may be that this particular one, inhabited by the devil, was using the subtlety of the devil.
The animal, then, didn’t originate the temptation. Nor would the devil have just taken the form of a serpent, because God does render punishment against the serpent, and God’s Word says that the serpent was very cunning. Also, note that demons can inhabit animals, as with the ones cast out of the man and put into the swine in the Gospels. (Matt. 8:32, etc.) Plus, God can speak through animals, too, at His will, as in Numbers 20:32.
So, why didn’t Moses say it was the devil? Remember that we see through a glass darkly. God only revealed through Moses what was necessary. In Isaiah 14, and probably Ezekiel 28, there are clear indicators of how the devil fell from grace.
The purpose of Genesis, on the other hand, is mainly: 1. To tell of the world’s beginning and the Fall from Grace, including what led up to the Flood and world’s rebirth through Noah and his family; 2. To promise a Redeemer; 3. To show how Abraham was called out to found the nation from which that Redeemer would come; and, 4. To tell the stories of the Patriarchs until Jacob and his family entered Egypt. Isaiah and Ezekiel were led by the Spirit to write what they did because God felt it was the right time to reveal it, for reasons only He completely understands. It’s just like John, in the last book of the Bible, reveals the devil’s end, and makes allusion back to the serpent in this narrative.
Was more subtle: This, of course, makes some think it was the serpent which spoke. However, remember that while the devil’s power is limited, he can use the things of God and twist them to his advantage. The devil can even quote Scripture, as he did to Jesus when Christ was tempted in the wilderness.
But wait, you say; aren’t there other animals more clever? We say sly as a fox, not sly as a serpent, for instance. That’s true, but we don’t know exactly what measure is used. One could make an argument that serpents are more subtle; or, at least a certain kind. Hiding in the bushes, able to attack their prey, bite, and retreat in almost the blink of an eye. Possessing the skill to swallow a mouse, let us say, that is much wider than its whole body. Serpents are incredibly crafty, so this need not be a different type. Also, this was before the Fall. The creature could have had some of its subtlety reduced.
More on the talking animal: If animals were not talking before the Fall – as shown above and as noted in biology – then why isn’t Eve said to be surprised? Many have tried to argue that Moses would have recorded it – but, I see no reason to include it. It’s not an important part of the narrative. Jewish writers didn’t write like we do today, detailing posture, facial expressions, and every other part of a scene. God only moved them to record what was important to His purposes. Not only that, but Eve may have been spoken to before this. If so, perhaps she got used to it.
More likely, though, is that – in the wonder of innocence – why wouldn’t she expect animals to talk? A baby, experiencing a jack in the box for the first time, might express a little shock or excitement at the creature popping out of the box. But, that baby has no concept that there can be something in the box; that part of them has not yet formed. Eve, however, possessed all her senses. Adam and Even no doubt viewed the world as a baby does his or her hands, with awe and wonder, but with no sense of alarm at something “not being right.” They had no need to fear. The entire world was so new, with no sense of any danger. God had not warned them, “Animals can’t talk.” God had only warned them of the one tree, and the consequences of eating it. For all they knew, animals could and would talk, if only they could learn how. God gave them freedom to explore this and every other facet of that new world, except the one.
Hath God said?: The devil attacked that one thing God did say, though. He spoke as if to say, “Did God really say that?” He wanted to cause Adam and Eve to question whether God had really said what He did. And, He did it by dividing them. Two against one will win a lot more easily than one on one, and ‘a threefold chord” is not easily broken. (Ecc. 4:12) He could have tried ti with both of them, but he chose to go after just one, knowing he had a much great chance of success.
He also went after the one who was weaker. Eve hadn’t been formed for as long as Adam. She didn’t have as close a relationship with god because she hadn’t been around for as long. True, it was a very short time, but the devil will pounce on any weakness. This is why it’s vital to not only teach youngsters God’s Word, but live it. If adults around them don’t live God’s Word through their actions, there is a big, fat, gaping hole that the devil can fly right through. A child can only do what he or she sees. They have no other way of knowing how to act. If a child has never experienced unconditional love, they won’t know it’s possible. Even worse, if that child sees someone doing the opposite of what they say to do, then the gaping hole is even wider.
Even in the best situations, though, there is a hole caused by sin in everyone’s heart, that only Jesus Christ can fill.
That hole exists because of the Fall. At this point, the devil has Eve apart from Adam. Some say they were together, and Adam was silent, but this is doubtful. The devil is said to only be speaking to Eve, not to both. Adam’s silence would be very strange if he were to have been silent. It is possible that Adam joined her before she ate, but what is important is, the devil spotted a potential weakness. He questioned God’s perfect love, and even the very Word of God.
He began by twisting God’s Word around. We must have God’s Word ready to be called up from our heart right away. We must know exactly what it says, so we can know exactly what the boundaries are. The devil asked if God had said, “Ye shall not eat of every tree.” He resorted to liberalism. Liberalism means throwing God’s specific rules out, and stating that anything goes.
But, the devil would not have been as likely to get anywhere if he had come right out and suggested that Eve ignore God’s Word. Instead, he attacked it subtly. He asked, “Did God really say that?” while misquoting the Lord. This misquote was his way to begin to question God’s goodness, as if to ask why God would not allow them to eat of every tree.
