Genesis 3, verse 1, the serpent

 

Genesis 3:1 ¶  Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Subtil or subtilty, our modern subtle or subtlety, refers to a shrewd and clever individual, sly in plotting and schemes. This is someone who is full of guile and devices to corrupt and pervert those around him. His type is almost applauded in our culture as resourceful and a “winner” and someone who is likely to get the upper hand.

That Satan came in the guise of a serpent has long been understood by Christians. A serpent, in the history of the mythologies of the world, can also be a dragon and called a worm. It is a powerful motif in many cultures. This is not merely a talking snake. This serpent would have been a magnificent creature.

In the books of Isaiah and Ezekiel the prophets the writers may be talking about a human king and yet also give a description of Satan himself as human kings are often possessed of the traits and self-aggrandizing characteristics of Satan. This is part of the multi-dimensional layout of the Bible. Where the author is giving a description of Satan, as well, is clear to most readers. Here are some descriptions of Satan buried in writing about a human king.

Ezekiel 28:11 ¶  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 12  Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14  Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15  Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16  By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17  Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18  Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19  All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

Isaiah 14:12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

In these passages you get a glimpse of Satan’s majestic appearance, his original position, and his pride. One can imagine him resenting man’s position as having dominion over God’s creation greatly and plotting a way to take man’s place. Satan envies not only Adam. He envies God. It is that pride and ambition that has condemned him.

Satan twists God’s words in his trick. Did God say you can’t eat of every tree in the garden? The ultimate conman will let his mark talk themselves into the deception. In this way the woman becomes part of the con.

Satan tries to upset God’s order of man’s dominion under God’s authority. He knows his marks well. Consider for yourself if this could be linked to Satan’s rebellious attitude in Isaiah 14. Traditionally, Lucifer is regarded as a name or title for Satan, which is also a name or title.

Isaiah 14:12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

 

Or, to the events of Revelation 12, if they are historical events described.

 

Revelation 12:3  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born…7   And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels…9   And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

 

But if you interpret these as past events even to the time around Satan’s deception of Adam and Eve you still have to deal with the fact that Satan had God’s ear in Job and this statement by Jesus;

 

Luke 10:18   And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

 

The events in Isaiah 14 and in Revelation 12:3,4,7, and 9 fit textually more clearly in the events of Christ’s life, death, burial, and resurrection with Isaiah looking forward to Satan’s attempt to control and unite the entire earth against God and Revelation 12 providing a history of Satan’s persecution of the Jews and attempt to destroy Christ’s mission before it began and then to have Him executed. But these are discussions and arguments that would be a great subject of Bible studies. For the sake of the narrative let’s move on.