The Darkest Hour

The Serpent: A simultaneous tale of two creatures Genesis 3:1

Genesis 3:1 NKJV

1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

The serpent as a creature “more cunning”

more intelligent, like a good pet

more agreeable/relational, like a good pet

more involved, like a good pet

can snakes talk?

this moment in time very different than ours

maybe snakes, and other animals could talk

maybe mankind knew how to understand

animals did not have the intelligence of man, so conversations would have been limited

The serpent as a vessel for another serpent

the serpent here communicates beyond what the creature itself was capable of

the serpent here was clearly another, Revelation12:9

Revelation 12:9 NKJV

9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

We are not told here what the serpent’s motive was but it is clear from other scriptures that he desired to step into the place of God, becoming God’s enemy. He could not succeed in becoming God so he set out to destroy what God valued: Humans and His relationship with them.

The Temptation, Genesis 3:1-5

Genesis 3:1–5 NKJV

1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

The Serpent’s Strategy: question causing confusion leading to contradiction

This strategy is one that he is still using to great effect.

2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV

11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

The Human Response, Genesis 3:2

Temptation is a response, James 1:14-15

James 1:14–15 NKJV

14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

Eve’s response centered on three areas suggested by the serpent: flesh, eyes, pride…again, this is not new!

1 John 2:15–16 NKJV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

Lust = anything I desire that God does not desire for me

Lust of the flesh = my desire to experience something God does not desire me to experience

Lust of the eyes = my desire to see something God does not desire me to see

Pride of life = my desire to become something that God does not desire me to become

The Act, Genesis 1:6

Genesis 1:6 NKJV

6 Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”

The Immediate Consequence: guilt and the loss of innocence, Ge 3:7

Genesis 3:7 NKJV

7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.