PONDERING JAMNES AND JANBRES

 Paul's Reflection on a Confrontation betwixt Hebrew Deliverers and Egyptian Deceivers

There is no denying the tremendous power power superstition wields over people. Those who surrender to it become its slaves, and they live in a depth of fear that is hard to comprehend by those free of it.

The Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) observed, "Superstition is engendered, preserved, and fostered by fear."

Voltaire (1694-1778) stated, "The superstitious man is to the rascal what the slave is to the tyrant."

There are always those of evil nature who are more than willing to enslave and tyrannize others through mysticism and superstitious religious ritualism. These are powerful deceptions, and are often, strangely enough, equally loved and feared. Little wonder, therefore, that Mark Twain (1835-1910) should declare, "Let me make the superstitions of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws." Clearly, the former hold far more sway over men than the latter, and most men never truly become free of these fears that enslave them.

So, what exactly is superstition?

Notice a couple of definitions:

"A belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation; an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God; a notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary" [Merriam-Webster Dictionary].

"Any belief that is inconsistent with known facts or rational thought, especially such a belief in omens, the supernatural, etc.; any action or practice based on such a belief" [Webster's New World Dictionary and Thesaurus]. Its primary synonym is "fear."

Within any religion, whether primitive or modern, Christian or non-Christian, one will find a number of powerful superstitions, as well as those whose lives are negatively impacted by them. When a people live in fear of their religion and its leaders, one can be sure that superstitions of one sort or another are involved, for it is often by these that the few exercise power over the many.

As Paul prepared himself for his imminent execution, he sought to prepare others for the difficult times that were coming upon them. People were turning away from "sound/healthy doctrine/teaching" and from "Truth," and were seeking out teachers who would cater to their personal desires and fill their minds with "myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Such persons were "lovers of self" and of personal gain and pleasure, rather than lovers of God, and their "form of godliness" was devoid of any power from above (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Such persons, who should be avoided at all cost, would utilize any tool (including superstition) to manipulate the people of God into serving them, rather than serving God. "For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts" (vs. 6).

I like the way The Message renders verses 6-8: "These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself 'truth.' They get exploited every time and never really learn. These men are like those old Egyptian frauds Jannes and Jambres, who challenged Moses. They were rejects from the faith, twisted in their thinking, defying truth itself."

There are many things in these passages by the apostle Paul that are most certainly worthy of further examination, and I have addressed a number of them in my following studies: "Self-Inflicted Blindness: Our Lord Reflects upon Those Who Refuse to See and Hear" (Reflections #381) ... "Atrophied Power of Comprehension: Always Learning, But Never Understanding" (Reflections #774) ... "'Beloved, Test the Spirits': Distinguishing Deceivers from Disciples" (Reflections #137) ... "The Figureheads of Falsehood: Hymenaeus, Philetus, and Alexander" (Reflections #599) ... "'Sound Doctrine' Sectarianism: Perverting Paul's Pastoral Perspective with Unhealthy 'Uncertain Soundism'" (Reflections #700).

In this current issue of my Reflections, however, I want to focus on a couple of individuals whose names appear nowhere else in all of Scripture.

Paul mentions two men by James and Jambres, and he indicates that these men are the perfect types of the scoundrels of which he speaks in his letter to Timothy. He further indicates that these two men "opposed Moses" (2 Timothy 3:8).

Although most English translations use the word "opposed," others say these men "withstood," "resisted," "fought against," "were hostile to," "rose up against," and "challenged" Moses. This is the Greek verb "anthistemi," which simply means "to stand against." We find it again in Acts 13:8, "But Elymas the magician was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith." In 2 Timothy 4:14-15, Paul says, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm, ... for he vigorously opposed our teaching."

As noted in 2 Timothy 3:8, Paul tells Timothy that these two men (Jannes and Jambres) stood up against Moses, seeking to defy and/or defeat him in some way. Paul goes into no detail on this charge against these two men, thus leading us to assume that Timothy knew who they were and knew what they had done.

Our problem is that these two names never appear anywhere else in the Bible. Nowhere in Scripture do we find them mentioned by name as being opponents of Moses. So, who were they? What did they do? And just where did Paul get his information? Clearly, he did not get it from the OT writings. Thus, it must have come from a source outside of, or other than, the known Scriptures of that time, which raises the question in the minds of some scholars: How reliable is the information obtained from extra-biblical sources, and why would Paul, or any other "inspired" writer, utilized such an "uninspired" source?! Such usage by Paul and other biblical writers has proved problematic to some over the centuries, although I personally don't believe it should.

I dealt with this matter in a couple of articles titled, "Quoting Non-Canonical Texts: Is it a Sin to use Extra-Biblical Texts in our Preaching and Teaching?" (Reflections #575) and "From Biblicism to Bibliolatry: Have We Made the Bible an Idol?" (Reflections #829).

As for Paul's knowledge personally, most feel it came through his studies at the feet of Gamaliel. Paul was an exceptional student, and many feel he was likely being groomed to become one of the leading rabbis of his day (perhaps even, one day, Gamaliel's successor). "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city (i.e., Jerusalem), educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God" (Acts 22:3). "I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions" (Galatians 1:14). As part of that Jewish tradition, he would have learned that it was believed that Jannes and Jambres were two of the magicians, wise men, and sorcerers of Pharaoh who were summoned to oppose Moses and Aaron when they came to request the release of the Israelites from their Egyptian bondage (Exodus 7:11; cf. Genesis 41:8, 24). Although none of these men summoned by Pharaoh are named in Scripture, yet Jewish tradition declares the two leading men among them to be Jannes and Jambres, a tradition with which Paul would have been very familiar (and with which many of his fellow Jews would have been as well).

"Although the names James and Jambrew do not occur in the OT, Philo, or Josephus, they are common in late Jewish rabbinical traditions" [The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. 2, p. 966]. These were men skilled in the use of sorcery, drugs, charms, magic, and religious superstitions. They were called on frequently by the Egyptian pharaoh to interpret dreams, predict future events, deal with medical ailments, provide advice and guidance, and to represent the Egyptian gods in conflict with opposing gods. It was primarily in the latter case that they were summoned to go "head-to-head" with Moses and Aaron, trying to match them miracle-for-miracle (Exodus 7f) - Egypt's gods against Israel's God.

"These two names appear in various forms in the Talmud, Targums, and rabbinic writings. Since in 2 Timothy and in the literature of the Qumran community they are referred to as familiarly known, it would seem that some Jewish apocryphon concerned with their story was in circulation in the 1st century B.C." [Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia, vol. 1, p. 883]. The Targum of Jonathan on the Exodus 7 passage (this work being an Aramaic paraphrase) does provide the names of these two men within the text, and Pliny in his Natural History (c. 77 A.D.), although he does not list both men's names, does give the name of Jannes along with Moses [The Expositor's Greek Testament, vol. 4, p. 172].

The Pythagorean philosopher Numenius, as quoted by Eusebius, wrote, "Jannes and Jambres were sacred scribes, deemed inferior to none in magic." "The Damascus" Document from the Qumran Sect describes the two as brothers raised up by Belial, the evil one" [Holman Bible Dictionary, p. 746].

In some legends, they are said to be the sons of Balaam; other traditions say they later converted and left Egypt with the Israelites, only to die in the wilderness. Some say they perished with the forces of Pharaoh when the waters of the Red Sea came together over the Egyptian army. Other legends say it was these two who insisted on making the golden calf while Moses was on the mountain. Needless to say, such legends abound with regard to these men, some too ridiculous to even mention.

"The licentious play of fancy which meets us everywhere in the superstitions about magicians throughout the two centuries before and the two centuries after the Messiah Jesus, is responsible for the variegated and contradictory legends about Jannes and Jambres. ...All these legends are in the style of the Midrash, pious but groundless, and serve only to illustrate the mind of the period in which they rose and took form. ...We can only conclude, therefore, that all that is certain about Jannes and Jambres is that they were the names of two men who were believed in the Apostolic Age to have been the leaders of the magicians who withstood Moses, and that they have been made the center of pious legends and the cause of much critical ingenuity" [Dr. James Hastings, Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. 1, p. 633].

I agree. Some scholars, however, refuse to dismiss these various and varied legends as "untruths." Indeed, they insist that many of them constitute absolute fact. "This tradition preserved a number of correct facts that were not embodied in the Old Testament record. ...The Holy Spirit governed the New Testament writers so that they took only facts from this source and no fictions" [R.C.H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul's Epistles to Timothy, p. 828]. Dr. Paul E. Kretzmann agrees: "By inspiration of the Spirit, St. Paul here changed tradition into history, thus supplementing the Old Testament account" [Popular Commentary of the Bible: The NT, vol. 2, p. 411]. I personally do not favor this view of biblical inspiration and inerrancy, but I will leave it to the reader to make his/her own determination on the matter.

In the end, whether Jannes and Jambres were actual historical figures, or whether they were simply the product of speculation and legend, is really not that important. It is what they represent in the context of Paul's teaching that is spiritually significant.

Drs. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown quote the English theologian and Greek scholar Henry Alford (1810-1871), who pointed out that Jannes and Jambres were "the prototypes in ancient times" of all subsequent "opponents to the Truth" [Commentary Practical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, p. 1379].

Whether real or fictional, they represent those persons who employ deception, superstition, false piety, and flattery to gain power over others so as to further their own perverse agendas. Jannes and Jambres "opposed" Moses and Aaron by seeking to imitate the miraculous acts of the latter two men, who were representatives of the one true God. Through trickery, or sleight of hand, or some form of magic, or even by tapping into demonic powers, they hoped to defeat not only Moses and Aaron, but the God of Israel. They were ambassadors of darkness rather than of the Light.

The English pastor Frederick Brotherton Meyer (1847-1929), a good friend of D.L. Moody, wrote, "The devil has always set himself to counterfeit God's handiwork. ...Thus, the Egyptian conjurers repeated the miracles of Moses by resorting to sleight of hand. So there is a pure gospel and a specious mimicry of it" [Through the Bible Commentary, e-Sword]. "It is the ambition of false teachers today to imitate and if possible outrival the preacher of the gospel" [The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary, e-Sword].

Paul speaks of "false apostles and deceitful workers" (2 Corinthians 11:13) who seek to capture and enslave others. J. B. Phillips, in his translation of the text, has Paul declaring that these persons are "those who profess to be God’s messengers on the same terms as I am," yet "they are counterfeits of the real thing, dishonest practitioners."

Jannes and Jambres sought to present themselves before Moses and Aaron as being on equal terms with them: as genuine representatives of Deity, yet every aspect of their work, as well as their motivation, was false; a deceitful imitation.

Paul warns of "the coming of the lawless one," which will be "according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with unrighteous deception" (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10).

Yes, Paul warned Timothy of those who were "slithering and creeping and worming their way into households" of God's people, especially those who were gullible, and captivating them by their many deceptions (2 Timothy 3:6). These men were not different, Paul says, than Jannes and Jambres, who sought to keep the people of Israel enslaved in Egypt, when God sought, through Moses and Aaron, to bring them into a state of freedom! These were no different, says Paul, than the "false brethren (those people masquerading as Christians) who had been secretly smuggled in (to the community of believers); they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and the freedom which we have in the Messiah Jesus, that they might again bring us into bondage" unto law and religious regulation (Galatians 2:4, Amplified Bible).

Paul's point is that the teaching of such men enslaves; such teaching never sets men free! "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which the Messiah has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage" (Galatians 5:1, NKJV). J.B. Phillips' translation renders it this way: "Plant your feet firmly therefore within the freedom that the Messiah has won for us, and do not let yourselves be caught again in the shackles of slavery."

We must always guard ourselves and others against those who seek, in the spirit of Jannes and Jambres, to keep us under the yoke of bondage to religious regulation. Legalism is an institutional curse with deadly consequences. We are free, and we must never surrender it to "false brethren" and "deceitful workers" who slither and creep in among us to bind us to their many rigid sectarian dogmas.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) wrote, "For, where God would build a church, there the devil would also build a chapel, ...In such sort is the devil always God's ape." Wherever freedom loving disciples of the Messiah gather, one can be sure that legalists are never far away!! Just as enemies sow tares among wheat (Matthew 13:24f), so does our enemy sow imitation disciples among genuine disciples.

One of the greatest threats to true faith is fake faith, and the latter abounds among us. Paul told Timothy (and by extension us as well), "Even though they will make a show of being religious, their religion won't be real. Don't have anything to do with such people" (2 Timothy 3:5, CEV).

These "Jannes-and-Jambres" types love to argue and debate and engage true believers in endless sectarian wranglings. Don't fall for it. I agree completely with Dr. Gary W. Demarest, who wrote, "It appears that Paul is willing to conclude that it's best to direct one's energies elsewhere than in endless arguments with such folks. ... It's possible to take some people and things much too seriously. To spend too much time and energy contending with those I believe to be false teachers may give them more credibility than they deserve. The folly of their teaching will sooner or later become clear. In the meantime, I choose to pursue the truth that centers in Jesus Himself" [The Communicator's Commentary - 1 & 2 Timothy, p. 278-279].

The apostle Paul says that the "folly" of these "Jannes-and-Jambres" type imposters will soon become evident to all (2 Timothy 3:9). The word that is translated "folly" in several versions is actually a much stronger word; a word that only appears twice in the NT - here and in Luke 6:11. It is the Greek word "anoia," which actually refers to "madness; mindless rashness; deprived of reason."

Drs. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown write that this word is "literally: dementation," from which we get our word "dementia" [Commentary Practical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, p. 1379].

When Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, the Jewish legalists lost their minds!! "They were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus" (Luke 6:11, KJV).

When you break the rules, legalists literally become demented, which can quickly lead to acts of violence against those they dementedly deem to be "digressive." These demented fake disciples, these men "who resist the truth, who are corrupt in mind, worthless in regard to the faith" (2 Timothy 3:8, HCSB), are nothing but a grating noise in the midst of a beautiful symphony, seeking to drown out the grandeur of the latter. In his Table Talk, Martin Luther spoke of hearing a nightingale singing sweetly near a pond full of frogs, who, by their constant croaking, seemed as though they wanted to silence the melodious bird. Luther wrote, "Thus, 'tis in the world; Jesus the Messiah is the nightingale, making the gospel to be heard; the heretics and false prophets are the frogs, trying to prevent His being heard" [The Biblical Illustrator Commentary, e-Sword].

May God preserve us from the incessant croaking of the "Jannes-and-Jambres" bullfrogs that have hopped in among us, for their demented croaking diminishes the beauty of the Gospel message of our freedom in the Messiah Jesus!

Written by Al Maxey and edited by Bruce Lyon

Look up the Reflections mentioned in the article at: https://www.zianet.com/maxey/reflx862.htm

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

The biblical doctrine of justification by faith is a fundamental truth of God's Word that should be understood by every believing disciple of the Lord Jesus. The word "justification" is a legal term that means that a person is forgiven of one's sins, declared "not guilty" in God's sight and given the legal status of righteousness - or being "in the right" with God.

Biblically, the ground for a believer's justification is the sacrificial [sin-offering sacrifice] death and then resurrection of the Messiah by which he paid the price for the sins of all mankind and reconciled mankind to his God and Father Yehovah. The means by which a person receives this justification is personal committed obedient faith in Jesus the Messiah, obeying all the word his God Yehovah gave to him to give to the world. The Book of Romans sets forth these truths clearly:

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus the Messiah, to all who believe his words and obey them, live them out in their lives. There is no difference,

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that came through the Messiah Jesus.

God presented him as a [sin-offering] sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his shed blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished –

He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:21-26).

To be justified in God's sight means that the verdict of the final judgment has already taken place for the believer in the Messiah. Why? Because when someone believes in Christ he receives the gift of God's Spirit and is at that moment incorporated into the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:12-13). As a result, the believer is said to be "in Christ" and thus identifies in all that Christ accomplished for the believer by means of his sacrificial death, resurrection, etc. In short, through the Spirit the believer is "created in Christ Jesus" and receives by grace the spiritual benefits of this new relationship with God. Look at I Corinthians:

It is because of him [God] that you are in the Messiah Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption (I Corinthians 1:30).

The Bible clearly teaches that man's relationship with God is entered into and maintained by faith. Biblically, faith is not a meritorious work but a humble acceptance and dependence on the words of God. This is made clear in Romans:

Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness (Romans 4:4-5)

Biblically, faith always takes place in the heart. Since God is a God who "looks on the heart" he cannot be fooled. Thus the humble acceptance of the Messiah by any individual always results in God's acceptance and the cleansing power and witness of his Spirit. Look at the following verses:

'Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith' (Acts 15:7-9). Faith, of course, is not simply mental assent but is a commitment of mind or heart to the truth of a statement or to a being, such as God. In short, it is a decision to humbly accept something as being true and then to hold to it within one's life. Because of this, true faith conditions a person's understanding, outlook and actions. The following New Testament examples illustrate this:

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as 1 the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe (I Thessalonians 2:13).

But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in the Messiah Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love (Galatians 5:5-6).

These verses are important in regards to understanding God's gift of salvation and man's proper response to it. Justification and, therefore, salvation is a gift from God to man made possible by God's gracious action in Christ for the redemption of mankind. Through faith in the Messiah a person receives God's gift of the Spirit and is thus acquitted from all sin, declared "not guilty" in God's sight and brought into a right relationship with God. As a result, the justified believer has "peace with God" and is able to bring forth the spiritual fruit of that relationship with God in his daily life. Again, the Book of Romans makes this clear:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus the Messiah, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:1-2).

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in the Messiah Jesus, because through the Messiah Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the Law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1-4).

The New Testament stresses these same truths throughout. Salvation is by grace through faith in the Messiah. The gift of the Spirit is the "firstfruits" of this salvation imparting God's own nature into the heart and life of an individual. The result is a new creation of God's own making which is then manifested to the world through a life of good works. As Paul states:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in the Messiah Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Written by Richie Temple and edited by Bruce Lyon

ATTRIBUTES OF YEHOVAH

A kindergarten teacher told her student to draw a picture of something that was important to them. One little boy named Johnny began to work hard at his drawing. When the other students had finished and turned in their pictures, Johnny was still hard at work. So the teacher walked over to the boy, put her hand on his shoulder and asked, “Johnny, what are you drawing?” The young artist didn’t look up, he just kept working with great determination and said, “God.” “But Johnny,” said the teacher, “no one knows what God looks like.” Johnny answered, “They will when I finish this picture!” Children are truly amazing in their innocence.

This cute story brings up a good question. What is God really like? Agnostics and skeptics tell us that we cannot know if God exists, let alone what He is like. According to them if God exists He has hidden Himself from our sight and therefore we must remain in the dark about who He is and what He is like. The Bible on the other hand boldly states that God is–He exists. And we can know a great deal about Him.

In the gospel of Mark, chapter 12, Jesus the Messiah is asked a question about the first and greatest commandment. Let’s listen in.

“And one of the experts in the law came and heard them disputing with one another, and when he saw that Jesus had answered them well, asked him, “What commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is: Hear, O Israel! The Lord - Yehovah our God is Lord - Yehovah alone, and so you are to love the Lord - Yehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the expert in the law said to him, “Well said, teacher. You have spoken the truth that HE IS LORD - YEHOVAH ALONE, AND THERE IS NO OTHER EXCEPT HIM, and you are to love Him with all your heart, and with all your intelligence, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” [Mark 12:28-34]

Note: If we believe the same as the scribe did we also are not far from the kingdom of God - Yehovah! If we do not believe as the scribe did, we are far from entering the kingdom of God - Yehovah.

These commands are life consuming commands! We are to love God totally, completely, with all that we are and love our neighbors as ourselves. In loving our neighbors as ourselves we are loving God who has made mankind in His likeness! But how can you truly love God like this unless you know who He is and what He does and then realize that It is only by His enabling power, His Spirit, that we can love Him with all of our being and love our neighbors as ourselves! Thankfully we are not left in the dark about God - Yehovah. The light of Scripture tells us that God - Yehovah has revealed Himself to us in three ways:

1. God - Yehovah has made Himself known in a general way through creation.

2. He has revealed His nature and character to us in the scriptures.

3. God - Yehovah has given us a special revelation of Himself through His Son Jesus the Messiah.

Creation Makes Known God

We will begin to examine the fact that creation makes known the existence of God - Yehovahby looking at Psalm 19.

“The heavens declare the glory of God - Yehovah; and the firmament His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4)

The witness of the universe shows forth clearly and consistently, there is a Creator, there is a God. When you look up into the starry night sky or when you look at a sunrise on the ocean or the beauty of a forest a question comes to mind, “Where did all of this come from?”

Psalm 19 tells us that every day and every night all over the world creation proclaims the glory of God - Yehovah its Creator. One of the great early scientists, Sir Isaac Newton, had this to say about creation,

“The most beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets could only proceed from the counsel and domain of an intelligent and powerful being.”

Sir Isaac Newton was correct! In fact modern science began as a result of seeing order in creation and realizing that this complex order could not happen by chance. There had to be a Creator. And since there was a divine design and order to creation it could be studied and understood. The New Testament reveals the same truth as Psalm 19, creation makes known a Creator.

“For the wrath of God - Yehovah is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God - Yehovah is manifest in them, for God - Yehovah has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being seen by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because although they knew God - Yehovah, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, And their foolish hearts were darkened”. (Romans 1:18-21)

Verse 20, tells us that creation makes known two invisible attributes of God - Yehovah, His eternal power and His nature. To those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, and a humble heart creation proclaims there is a Creator and He is awesome in intelligence and power. But these verses from Romans also tell us that there are people who just cannot see this or who refuse to see it. They suppress the truth. They are fools who say in their hearts that there is no God (Psalm 14:1). And they teach that all of creation, even human life, came into existence by mere chance and progressed through the process of evolution.

And yet when push comes to shove many scientists who want to deny the existence of God - Yehovah readily admit the absurdity of their position. In fact two famous scientists of recent years, Francis Crick, who discovered DNA and Carl Sagan the famous cosmologist, have estimated that the difficulty of humans evolving by chance alone is 1 in 10 to the negative 2 billionth. Now I can’t wrap my mind around that statement but I get the next one easily. Sir Fred Hoyle, the founder of the Cambridge Institute for Theoretical Astronomy, said,

“The chance that higher life might have emerged [though evolution] is comparable with the chance that a tornado sweeping through a junkyard might assemble a Boeing 747 from the material therein.”

Therefore, in reality, it takes a bigger leap of blind faith to believe that creation began by chance than it does to believe in the Creator! Every day the wonder and beauty of creation declares that there is a God and that He is powerful and glorious.

The Bible Reveals God’s - Yehovah's Nature and Character

Besides nature the Bible reveals God - Yehovah to us, specifically His nature and character. The Old Testament book of the prophet Isaiah proclaims something wonderful about God to us.

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, Yehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.”(Isaiah 40:28)

The first thing that we learn about God - Yehovah from this verse is that He is everlasting. He is eternal. He has existed before all time and He will exist forever. When life is shaky, when changes in life come like a whirlwind, our all powerful, all knowing God - Yehovah is the same. He never loses heart. He never wearies. His understanding is infinite and unsearchable. But He does not stay above the fray of life. He is involved and strengthens His people.

He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on Yehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29-31)

What a glorious truth we learn here about Yehovah. The everlasting God, the Creator, the Almighty gives His people power and strength. Those who wait on Yehovah find their lives renewed and borne up like on eagle’s wings! God also has a perfect knowledge of us.

O Yehovah, you have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Yehovah, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there your hand shall lead me, And your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light upon me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from you, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to you.(Psalm 139:1- 12)

God - Yehovah knows our every thought. He understands the deep motives, fears, concerns and hurts of our hearts. There also is no place where God is not. If I fear that I am left all alone I am not for God - Yehovah is with me. If I am surrounded by people God - Yehovah is still there by my side. If I am in outer space or in the depth of the earth the Almighty is near. There is never, ever a time when God cannot hold me and lead me. What a comforting truth to hold in our hearts.

I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever Every day I will bless You, And I will praise your name - Yehovah forever and ever. Great is Yehovah, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another,

And shall declare your mighty acts. I will meditate on the glorious splendor of your majesty, And on your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of your awesome acts, And I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, Ayd shall sing of your righteousness. Yehovah is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. Yehovah is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works. All your works shall praise you, O Yehovah, And our saints [holy ones] shall bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, And talk of your power, To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

Yehovah upholds all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look expectantly to you, And you give them their food in due season. You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Yehovah is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works. Yehovah is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear [revere] Him; He will also hear their cry and save them. Yehovah preserves all who love Him, But all the wicked he will destroy. (Psalm 145:1- 20)

This Psalm is a song praising God’s - Yehovah's great majesty and love. Here we learn that God is not just good but full of goodness. His blessings to His people are never given with a restrained hand. God is righteous always doing the right thing at the right time. His generosity towards us is never skimpy, it is super sized. Yehovah is full of compassion. He understands our frailties and our needs. God - Yehovah is slow to anger leaving us room to repent. Yehovah Elohim - God is good to all and His tender mercy, His loving kindness, is over all His works. Our God is a great King and His dominion endures throughout every generation. He cares enough to uphold and lift up all who fall. He is near to all who call upon Him in truth. And He will utterly destroy all the wicked.

This knowledge of God’s - Yehovah's awesome majesty and goodness is lacking in many people who call themselves Christians. This is one reason why our faith is often so feeble, Our worship weak and our impact on the world so diminished. Our knowledge of what Yehovah our God and Father is like; is too small, too limited. But believers in an awesome, gracious, righteous and loving God live big, love big, they serve without reserve, totally committed, they give generously, and they are bold in their witness for the Messiah as his ambassadors. The prophet Daniel said, “the people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits (Daniel 11:32).” We also learn from the scriptures that our God and Father Yehovah is holy.

Who is like you, O Yehovah, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders? (Exodus 15:11)

In this song of Moses’ we learn that our God Yehovah is glorious in holiness. Did you know that Yehovah is called holy more often than He is referred to as good, powerful, loving or anything else? Yehovah’s holiness refers to His moral perfection. He is the sum total of all that is morally good and pure and beautiful. The core of His character is spotless and flawless. There is no microscopic trace of evil in Him at all. Here is how the apostle John portrays our God Yehovah’s holiness.

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God - Yehovah is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)

There is no error or falsehood in God - Yehovah. His agenda is not hidden. His promise of salvation is not deceptive. His love is not hypocritical. And His judgments on the wicked will be absolute and full of justice. The apostle James wrote:

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:16, 17)

God - Yehovah is holy and pure and this never changes. He is never fickle or unsure. He never says one thing but means another. His blessings are always good and perfect and given at the right time. And because God - Yehovah is holy, full of light and unchanging, His moral laws are pure and righteous and in force yesterday, today and tomorrow. The Bible also informs us that God - Yehovah is sovereign.

Remember the former things of old, for I am Yehovah and there is no other; I am Yehovah, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.’ (Isaiah 46:9, 10)

And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever. For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?” (Daniel 4:34, 35)

God’s - Yehovah's sovereignty can be defined as the free exercise of His will. God - Yehovah is supreme over all and is Lord Almighty in fact as well as in name. When God declares His purposes and His plans He carries them out. When He makes a promise He fulfills it.

In the gospel of John we have a promise made by the Messiah concerning the believer being secure in the hand of God.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one. (John 10:27-30)

Here is a comforting promise that all who believe in the Messiah Jesus for salvation are secure in that salvation, safe in the Father’s hand. But how do we know that this promise is true? What gives us the assurance that no one will be able to snatch us out of God’s hand? The answer is our solid knowledge of the power and sovereignty of God!

Some people think that our world is like a great stage play produced by God. As the curtain goes up all is lovely to behold. The characters are wonderful and beautiful. The set design is fantastic. And all goes well until the leading man steps on the leading lady’s dress. She then trips over a chair and knocks over a lamp. He falls into a table which crashes into the stage set which brings the whole thing crashing down. And all the while God is running around back stage frantically trying to get the show back on track. But nothing is further from the truth. God has not lost control. And there should be no truth more encouraging and comforting to us then the fact of God’s sovereignty. It means that God rules and overrules in the affairs of our world. He is Master over creation. His plan of salvation will be fulfilled. He will make good on His Word!

We Have a Special Revelation of God in Jesus the Messiah

Finally, besides creation and the Scriptures, we have a special revelation of God given to us in and through His Son Jesus the Messiah.

No one has seen God at anytime. The uniquely begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared Him. (John 1:18)

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?

The words that I speak to you, I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does the works. (John 14:8-10)

All that Jesus said and all that he did unveiled to us the heart of God. He was the outshining of the glory of God – Yehovah in his sinless life Jesus portrayed God’s holiness. In his teachings and his miracles the Messiah Jesus displayed the wisdom and power of God. And in his sacrificial death as a sin-offering sacrifice on the cross the Lord Jesus proved that God loves us individually, passionately and infinitely. When we see Jesus the Messiah we see into the heart of God. The one and only true God [Yehovah]. God - Yehovah is someone that you can know. And in knowing Him we find life, everlasting life.

Written by Chuck LaMattina and edited by Bruce Lyon

MYSTERY OF THE SNAKE EVE ENCOUNTERED IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN

In his monumental work titled "Paradise Lost," John Milton (1608-1674), considered by many to be the most significant English author after William Shakespeare, wrote in some depth "of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste brought death into the world, and all our woe, with loss of Eden" [Paradise Lost]. The writings of John Milton would come to have a tremendous impact upon the thinking and theology of Christians with respect to the fall of mankind and the consequences thereof: an impact of which most, unfortunately, are completely unaware.

We are, however, all familiar with the story of Adam and Eve itself, and especially of their misadventure in Eden. Even children can recite how Eve was tempted by the evil serpent to eat of the forbidden fruit, and that she then gave some to Adam to eat, and how this would ultimately result in their banishment from the garden in Eden. We know of the punishments that befell each of the parties involved: the man, the woman, the serpent, and even the earth, and we know that the consequences of their moral failure extend even to us today in a number of very significant ways, including the reality of our own physical death.

There are many details about this whole account (and about creation itself and the first humans) that fascinate us, as well as perplex us,.

Question: Who or what exactly was the serpent Eve encountered in Eden? The Bible says it was a "serpent," so that is precisely what it was. This is the view of the textual literalist:

However, nothing in the creation account is phrased in figurative language; there is no allegory; no symbolism; no hint of fable or parable. Other believers, however, who also love God and honor the Scriptures, feel there is room for imagery that conveys ultimate Truth in less literal language and figures.

No one is denying the truth of God's message to mankind; it is the methodology employed for conveying that message over which they differ. The fallen state of mankind is an accepted reality; we all see it and experience it daily. In Genesis 3 we find an ancient depiction of that fall, yet the details of that depiction easily lend themselves to debate among serious students of the Scriptures.

One of the main focal points of that debate is the serpent, and it is this creature or figure in the story upon which is worthy of attention.

Once again, to the biblical literalist this will seem to be an unnecessary exercise. But let's take a closer look.

Adam Clarke rightly observes that in this chapter in Genesis, "We have here one of the most difficult as well as the most important narratives in the whole Book of God" [Clarke's Commentary, vol. 1, p. 47].

Part of the difficulty, as noted in a comment contained in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (a commentary published by Cambridge University Press from 1882 onwards), is this: "As vivid and picturesque as it is, the story leaves many things omitted and unexplained." We are told nothing at all, for example, about the origin or identity of this "serpent," nor is there any explanation given as to how it is able to speak or to reason with Eve.

Many believe this "serpent" was Satan (the Devil), or that Satan possessed this serpent and miraculously spoke through it. However, I would urge you to go back and read the passage again! Nowhere in this account is there even a hint that Satan, or some "evil spirit," was possessing this serpent.

"This fact, indeed, is not distinctly stated in the canonical books of the Old Testament" [Drs. Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. 1 - The Pentateuch, p. 92].

Such a view comes many centuries later in a few quotes from the NT writings, but such a view was never expressed by the early Jews: indeed, "the belief in the devil was then foreign to the Hebrews" [The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 1, p. 57].

The same is true, by the way, with respect to Genesis 3:15, in which "the woman" is said to point to the "virgin Mary" and her "seed" identified as Jesus the Messiah.

Although each of these assumptions and understandings are, in my view, valid for disciples of the Lord Messiah Jesus, they were not actually stated as fact in the text itself. They are understandings later assumed from the text (something we also do with Isaiah 7:14:Therefore Yehovah Himself will give you all a sign. Behold, the young woman is pregnant and about to bear a son, and you, young woman, will call his name Immanuel..

Many of the OT figures, symbols, and prophecies have what is known as dual application; they have both primary as well as secondary meanings and fulfillments. It is also not unusual for the latter to be assumed from the former, rather than specifically stated within the text and context of the former. Admittedly, this can be problematic, for assumptions and inferences can be very subjective in nature.

Assumptions are not facts, although assumptions stated within the NT writings are most certainly given that weight in the minds of most Christians. Thus, based on such assumptions about Genesis 3, many feel confident in seeing a messianic fulfillment to verse 15, and most feel equally confident in identifying the tempter of Eve as Satan, although neither is actually stated in the text.

But, returning to the matter of this "serpent" and its identity, there are a number of fascinating theories proffered that are worth considering. Following is a brief discussion of the foremost of these theories as to the identity of this tempter.

A Literal Serpent/Snake:

The Hebrew word that is rendered "serpent" in Genesis 3 is "nachash." In the Septuagint, this word was translated with the Greek word "ophis," which means "literally: a snake, serpent; figuratively: (as a type of sly cunning) an artful malicious person" [The New Strong's Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words, p. 1279].

The meaning of the Greek term was rather straightforward; no ambiguity - it was a snake (although it was often used figuratively of persons, such as Satan).

The Hebrew term, on the other hand, was not so clear and definite. It could mean a number of things. Yes, it could most certainly refer to a snake, but it also is used in Scripture to refer to other creatures. For example, in Job 26:13 (cf. Job 41) and Isaiah 27:1, the "fleeing serpent" is called "Leviathan," the "dragon who lives in the sea", a creature that is clearly something other than a mere snake (the most likely creature in view here being the crocodile). Most scholars regard the Hebrew term, in light of its varied meaning and usage in the OT writings, to be a rather general term confined to no specific species, but rather to any number of twisting and slithering creatures.

Thus, our understanding today is based largely on the choice of the Septuagint translators, and the fact that the NT writers relied heavily upon that ancient Greek translation. "The original Hebrew word is by the Septuagint translated 'ophis,' a 'serpent,' not because this was its fixed determinate meaning in the sacred writings, but because it was the best that occurred to the translators" [Dr. Adam Clarke, Clarke's Commentary, vol. 1, p. 48].

But, for the sake of argument, let's embrace the assumption, as voiced in this first theory, that the tempter of Eve was a literal snake. In Genesis 3:1 it is described as "more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made." Other translations read "subtle" ... "cunning" ... "sneakier" ... "clever" ... "shrewd." The Hebrew word is "orem," which Dr. James Strong, in his Hebrew/Aramaic Dictionary, says means "craftiness" [p. 733]. This, in itself, is not necessarily a negative trait, but one which can most certainly be used in a hurtful way.

The apostle Paul observed that "the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness" (2 Corinthians 11:3), yet Jesus said to His chosen apostles, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16).

In Genesis 3:1-5, we witness the craftiness of the serpent as it seeks to deceive Eve. It speaks to her and reasons with her, neither of which we would expect from a literal snake. If in fact this is a literal snake acting on its own, rather than an unwilling conduit for the evil intent of Satan, then we have some problems on our hands with the account, for we see a snake doing things snakes don't do.

This is partly why some scholars refuse to regard this whole account as being literal, but rather an allegory. "An allegory is a fictitious narration to illustrate Truth. Its nature is similar to that of a metaphor; but its imagery is extended to a great many details and analogies, so that it is very often defined as an extended metaphor" [Dr. Clinton Lockhart, Principles of Interpretation, p. 162].

Thus, since it is all fictitious, we can accept talking snakes, just as we find equally absurd things in the ancient biblical fables, myths, and parables. They are not meant to be literal, and to try and make them so only leads to theological confusion. We find the same problem when some seek to understand the book of Revelation literally: it just becomes an absurdity.

But, again, for the sake of argument, let's embrace the assumption that this is a literal snake, and that it is, all on its own, actually speaking to and reasoning with Eve in this "garden toward the east, in Eden" (Genesis 2:8). If this is the case, then we might reasonably ask, "How come snakes aren't doing this today?!" And secondly, "Why was this particular snake doing it then?!"

To answer the second question first, the response of those who hold to this view is: "The serpent, in his Edenic form, is not thought of as a writhing reptile," but rather as being "the most beautiful as well as the most 'subtle' of creatures less than man" [C. I. Scofield, The Scofield Reference Bible with Notes, eSword].

"These reptiles were at first, probably, far superior in beauty as well as in sagacity to what they are in their present state. From being a model of grace and elegance in form, it has become the type of all that is odious, disgusting, and low" [Drs. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary Practical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, p. 20].

"Among the beasts of the field that had been examined and named by Adam was one whose coloration was bright and beautiful and whose movements were smooth and graceful, a most attractive animal. Furthermore, this animal, the serpent, was more clever than any of the other animals. In her innocence, the woman was dazzled and soon led astray by this subtly attractive and deceptive creature" [Dr. Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Record: A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on the Book of Beginnings, p. 106].

"The serpent of Genesis 3 is more than merely a wild creature. It has capacities that rise above the typical capabilities of animal life: it is subtle, can speak in human language, and is able to reason and to present convincing arguments to man that rival even the commandments of God Himself in man's mind" [Dr. John T. Willis, The Living Word Commentary on the OT: Genesis, p. 122].

Albert Barnes even suggests: "Up to a certain point there had been concord and alliance between these two parties," and "the woman was at one with the serpent" [Barnes' Notes on the Bible, eSword].

The English theologian, Dr. John Gill (1697-1771), speculated that Eve had formerly "taken a particular liking to that creature, and was delighted with it, and laid it perhaps in her bosom, adorned her neck with its windings, or made it a bracelet for her arms" [Gill's Exposition of the Bible, eSword].

Soon, however, the eyes of Eve (and Adam) were opened to what had happened (Genesis 3:7), and when confronted with her sin by the Lord, she admitted, "The serpent deceived me" (vs. 13). The harmony and affection between the woman and the serpent (a liking and closeness which this theory assumes) was broken, being replaced by a deep revulsion and even fear. Because the serpent had used its "charms" to deceive Eve, God told it that, as part of its punishment, "I will put enmity between you and the woman" (vs. 15), a state of enmity that would exist from that day forward, even unto future generations.

The serpent would also forfeit its former "high estate," and would henceforth be more cursed than the other animals, and would slither on its belly in the dust of the ground (vs. 14). This curse seems to imply to many that the serpent may at one time have walked on legs and stood erect. But these qualities, as well as speech, were taken from it due to its treasonous act against both God and man.

John Wesley (1703-1791) wrote, "Upon your belly you shall go - no longer upon feet, or half erect, but you shall crawl along, your belly cleaving to the earth. Dust you shall eat - which signifies a base and despicable condition" [Wesley's Notes on the Bible, eSword].

"To eat dust conveys the idea of total defeat - Isaiah 65:25; Micah 7:17.

Adam and Eve must have been terrified as this once-beautiful creature called a serpent was transformed into the creeping, slithering, hissing snake we know today. They must have thought, 'It's our turn next!'" [David Guzik, The Enduring Word Bible Commentary, eSword].

Satan Using the Serpent:

"The first mention of a serpent (nachash) is in Genesis 3, introducing the fall of man, the discussion of which is a theological rather than a zoological matter" [The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, vol. 5, p. 356].

In other words, some feel the focus on whether a literal serpent could speak, or whether it stood erect, or whether it had legs, or if it was "beautiful to look upon," misses the point of the biblical account. Instead, they suggest, the passage simply seeks to inform us of a deadly break in the fellowship between God and man (and man and creation), and the consequences of that break, rather than serving as a treatise on the biology of "pre-curse serpents."

The true focus of the text, therefore, is far more spiritual than physical in nature; a focus in which we are given a glimpse "behind the scene" transpiring before us in the garden to the spiritual forces at work in and on the "actors on the stage." God and Satan, good and evil, are central to the account far more so than man and beast according to this theory, although it is the latter (primarily man) that is the prize for which these forces do battle.

In this understanding of the text, the serpent itself is of little consequence. It is merely an unwilling tool of the great deceiver: the Devil, Satan, man's accuser and God's enemy and enemy of mankind. "It must be at once apparent that it was not from the serpent, as a sagacious and crafty animal, that the temptation proceeded, but that the serpent was simply the tool of that evil spirit, who is met with in the further course of the world's history under the name of SATAN (the opponent - adversary), or the DEVIL (diabolos, the slanderer or accuser).

When the serpent, therefore, is introduced as speaking, and that just as if it had been entrusted with the thoughts of God Himself, the speaking must have emanated, not from the serpent, but from a superior spirit, which had taken possession of the serpent for the sake of seducing man" [Drs. C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the OT, vol. 1 - The Pentateuch, p. 92].

We certainly know that evil spirits can indeed enter animals and alter their behavior in negative ways, as seen in the account of the herd of swine who rushed into the sea and perished (Matthew 8:30-32), and we know that animals can also speak (being influenced by a superior spiritual force), as is seen in the account of Balaam being addressed by the Angel of the Lord through the voice of a donkey (Numbers 22:28f). Thus, this serpent in the garden was no more the source of the temptation of Eve than the donkey was the source of the message to Balaam. Both were simply instruments used by a higher power.

"Although Moses makes no mention of this wicked spirit" that used the serpent as its instrument of deception, "yet in the fuller discoveries of the Gospel, it is distinctly intimated that Satan was the author of the plot" against mankind [Drs. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary Practical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, p. 19-20].

Jesus almost certainly had the temptation of Eve in mind when He spoke these words to a group of Jews, "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies" (John 8:44).

Satan has always evidenced a murderous intent, which led Peter to caution believers, saying, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

John wrote, "The devil has sinned from the beginning" (1 John 3:8).

In Revelation 12:7 we read of a "war in heaven" between those loyal to God and "the dragon and his angels." In verse 9 we are given the identity of this dragon: "the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world."

In Revelation 20:2-3 we find this identification again: "An angel laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed." He is the deceiver, the accuser, the father of lies, a murderer from the very beginning, the "serpent of old."

Clearly, the NT writings link this evil being to the temptation of Eve in the garden; not that Satan was the snake (any more than he was a roaring lion or a dragon), but that Satan used the snake as his unwitting tool to deceive mankind. The devil presents himself to us in many forms, so we must be cautious, as Paul warns: "Satan disguises himself as an angel of light; therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

Satan appeared to Eve in a form that was appealing to her, which was part of the deception. Sin always looks good to us, until our eyes are opened (Genesis 3:7) and we behold the consequences of our deception.

Many scholars see a reference to this Evil One, who appears to have been one of the many created spirit-beings often referred to as "angels" (which had a variety of forms, functions, and positions of authority), in the reference to "Lucifer" (the "day-star"; the bright, shining one) in Isaiah 14:12-15: How you have fallen from heaven, Shining One, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, “I will ascend into heaven! I will exalt my throne above the stars of God! I will sit on the mountain of assembly in the far north! I will ascend above the heights of the clouds! I will make myself like the Most High!” Yet you will be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.

The depiction of this glorious being who suffered a  great fall and was cast out certainly seems to fit the circumstance of Satan (although the primary message of the text was a warning to the king of Babylon).

We also find a similar passage (intended for the king of Tyre) in Ezekiel 28:11-19, which speaks of a beautiful "guardian cherub" (vs. 16) who was at first "full of wisdom and perfect in beauty" (vs. 12), "blameless in your ways, from the day you were created" (vs. 15). "You were placed in Eden, the garden of God" (vs. 13); "You were the anointed cherub who guards, and I placed you there" (vs. 14). But, this all went to the head of this special angel who was sent to guard the garden in Eden. His pride led him to rebel against Yehovah and to influence violence and unrighteousness on mankind as filled with a desire to impede the Plan of God the salvation of mankind (vs. 15-16). "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor, and I cast you to the ground" (vs. 17).

"Thus Lucifer, the 'day-star,'" ... the anointed cherub ... "became Satan, the 'adversary,' or 'accuser,' opposing and calumniating God and all His purposes. And now he became 'that old serpent,' entering into the body of this 'most clever' of all the 'beasts of the field' in order to approach Eve with his evil solicitations" [Dr. Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Record: A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on the Book of Beginnings, p. 109].

This, then, presents the basic tenets of this particular theory (the one which I personally feel makes the most sense and seems to be the most consistent with the rest of the Scriptures).

NOTE: Just as an interesting aside, after Adam and Eve were cast from the garden, and after that "serpent of old" was cast to the ground, once again, "at the east of the garden of Eden God stationed the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life" (Genesis 3:24). Like Judas, in a way, the traitorous cherub over Eden was removed, and "another took the traitorous cherub's place."