The Serpent

Michelangelo - Genesis

It may be inferred from the narrative, that Adam was present with Eve during the temptation. In Gen. iii. 6, it is said the woman gave of the fruit of the tree to her husband who was “with her.” He was therefore a party to the whole transaction. When it is said that a serpent addressed Eve, we are bound to take the words in their literal sense. The serpent is neither a figurative designation of Satan; nor did Satan assume the form of a serpent. A real serpent was the agent of the temptation, as it is plain from what is said of the natural characteristics of the serpent in the first verse of the chapter, and from the curse pronounced upon the animal itself, and the enmity which was declared should subsist between it and man through all time. But that Satan was the real tempter, and that he used the serpent merely as his organ or instrument, is evident, —

1. From the nature of the transaction. What is here attributed to the serpent far transcends the power of any irrational creature. The serpent maybe the most subtile of all the beasts of the field, but he has not the high intellectual faculties which the tempter here displays.
   
2. In the New Testament it is both directly asserted, and in various forms assumed, that Satan seduced our first parents into sin. In Rev. xii. 9, it is said, “The great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” And in xx. 2, “He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan.” In 2 Cor. xi. 3, Paul says, “I fear lest . . . . as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so also your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” But that by the serpent he understood Satan, is plain from v. 14, where he speaks of Satan as the great deceiver; and what is said in Rom. xvi. 20, “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet,” is in obvious allusion to Gen. iii. 15. In John viii. 44, our Lord calls the devil a murderer from the beginning, and the father of lies, because through him sin and death were introduced into the world. Such was also the faith of the Jewish Church. In the Book of Wisdom ii. 24, it is said, that “Through the envy of Satan came death into the world.” In the later Jewish writings this idea is often presented.
   

As to the serpent's speaking there is no more difficulty than in the utterance of articulate words from Sinai, or the sounding of a voice from heaven at the baptism of our Lord, or in the speaking of Balaam's ass. The words uttered were produced by the power of Satan, and of such effects produced by angelic beings good and evil there are numerous instances in the Bible.

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West-metro police report: Vandalism at 4th Baptist

Property damage. Six windows and six doors were broken at Fourth Baptist Church, 900 N. Forestview Lane. The damage was estimated at $10,000.

Comment from Kathee: "If the windows of a Mosque were broken out, the Star Tribune would call it a hate crime!"

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Happenings:

1. Quit a bit of storm damage in our neighborhood ... trees down. All my trees fine! Large tree at the firehouse was snapped off at the base. Neighbor across and 1 lot up had their front tree snapped off at the base (I was commenting to Kathee just 2 days ago about how nicely shaped their tree was!)
   
2. Paul, our neighbor across the street who was at his home when the storm hit, told Kathee that the yards were white with hail. Our bushes look beaten down!
   
3. Kathee and I finished Ruth (it's only 4 chapters so an EZ read). What a blessed book!
   
4. Work: We had upgrade activity to upgrade 10,000 workstations. We had problems and had to stop activity. I am hosting a mtg tomorrow to debrief and resolve.
   
5. Allstate: Claim status still unresolved.
   
6. Impala: Still at dealership. Wrong part was shipped. Correct part on the way. Not a big deal as we are driving Rachel's car to work.
   
7. Rachel emailed from Paris to say she arrived safely
   
8. I am shopping for a new work cell phone. Am going to have Son provide some advice tonight.
   

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Key verses from Ruth

1:16,17, Ruth said:

“ Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.

Where you die, I will die,
And there will I be buried.
The LORD do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me.”

3:11, And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.

4:13-21 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

Question: Who is this Person? "may his name be famous in Israel!" (4:14)

Answer: Read it here!