In Genesis 3 we have neither myth, legend, or fable, but literal historical facts set forth, and emphasized by the use of certain figures of speech.
All the confusion of thought and conflicting exegesis have arisen from taking literally what is expressed by figures, or from taking figuratively what is literal.
A figure of speech is never used except for the purpose of calling attention to, emphasizing, and intensifying, the reality of the literal sense, and the truth of the historical facts : so that, while the words employed may not be strictly true to the letter, they are all the more true to the truth conveyed by them, and to the historical events connected with them.
The Hebrew word rendered "serpent" in Genesis 3:1 is Nachash (from the root Nachash, to shine), and means a shining one.
The Nachash, or serpent, who beguiled (holy seduced in the Greek) Eve ( II Cor. 11:3) is spoken of as "an angel of light" in verse 14. Have we not, in this, a clear intimation that it was not a snake, but a glorious shining being, apparently an angel, to whom Eve paid such great deference, acknowledging him as one who seemed to possess superior knowledge, and who was evidently a being of superior (not of an inferior) order ? Moreover, in the description of Satan as "the king of Tyre" it is distinctly implied that the latter being was of supernatural order when he is called "a cherub" (Ezekiel 28). His presence in the garden of Eden, the garden of Elohim (Ez. 28:13), is also clearly stated, as well as his being "perfect in beauty" (Ez. 28:12), his being "perfect in his ways from the day he was created till iniquity was found in him" (Ez. 28:15), and as being "lifted up because of his beauty (Ez. 28:17).
He is called "the king of Tyre" before his fall, and "the prince of Tyre" after his fall (Ez. 28).
The word "subtle" in Genesis 3:1 means, wise, in a good sense as well as in a bad sense. In Ezekiel 28:12 we have the good sense, "Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom" ; and the bad sense in verse 17, "thou hast corrupted thy wisdom" (referring to his fall).
It is very important to understand figures of speech, symbols, and analogies, God uses throughout His word.
When it is said in Genesis 3:15, "thou shalt bruise His heel", it does not mean His literal heel of flesh and blood, but suffering, more temporary in character.
When it is said in Genesis 3:15, "He shall crush thy head", it means something more than a skull of bone, and brain, and hair. It means that all Satan's plans and plots, policy and purposes, will one day be finally crushed and ended, never again to try to interfere with God's plans. This will be effected when Satan shall be bruised under our feet (Romans 16:20). This, again, will not be our literal feet, but something much more real.
The bruising of Christ's heel is the most eloquent and impressive way of foretelling the most solemn events ; and to point out that the effort made by Satan to evade his doom, then threatened, would become the very means of insuring its accomplishment ; for it was through the death of Christ that he who had the power of death would be destroyed ; and all Satan's power and policy brought to an end, and all his works destroyed (Hebrews 2:14, I John 3:8, (Rev. 20:1-3, 10).
It is the same with the other figures of speech use in Gen. 3:14, "On thy belly shalt thou go". This figure of speech means infinitely more than the literal belly of flesh and blood. It paints for the eyes of our mind the picture of Satan's ultimate humiliation.
Through tradition and error in the English translation, churches and biblical illiterate pastors, has placed in the minds of people, that, an actual "snake" deceived Eve. And, that, she accepted the "forbidden fruit" from that "snake : the former based on a wrong interpretation, and the latter being a pure invention, about which there is not one word said in the Holy Manuscripts.
Eve was "holy seduced", meaning, she had sexual intercourse with the evil angel.
Never was Satan's wisdom so craftily used as when he secured universal acceptance of this traditional belief : for it has succeeded in fixing the attention of mankind on the letter and the means, and thus binding the eyes to the solemn fact that the fall of man had to do solely with the Word of God, and is centered in the sin believing Satan's lie instead of Yahaveh's truth.
The history of Genesis 3 is intended to teach us the fact that Satan uses religion as his main method of operation ; his battlefield is not only the sins arising from human depravity, but the unbelief of the human heart.
His main goal is to take over the church (HE WILL AT THE END ; EXCEPTION OF HIS ELECT ; II THES. 2). The sins in crime and immorality are of less importance on his part.
In other words, we are not to look for Satan's activities in the press, or the policy courts ; but in the pulpit, and in professors' chairs. Wherever the Word of God is called in question, there we see the trail of "that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan". This is why anything against the true interests of the Word of God (as being such) finds a ready admission into the press, and treated as "general literature". This is why anything in favor of its inspiration and Divine origin and its spiritual truth is rigidly excluded as being "controversial".
This is why Satan is quite content that the letter of scripture should be accepted in Gen. 3, as he himself accepted the letter of Psalms 91:11. He himself could say "it is written" (Matt. 4:6) so long as the letter of what is "written" could be put instead of the truth that is conveyed by it ; and so long as it is misquoted or misapplied.
This is his object in perpetuating the traditions of the "snake" and the "apple", because it ministers to the acceptance of his lie, the hiding of God's truth, the support of tradition, and the stumbling of the weak in faith.
GOD BLESS
SOURCE : Dr. Bullinger.
A HISTORIAN & BIBLICAL SCHOLAR (HE WAS THE ONE WHO TRANSALTED THE MOSARA, ONE OF THE OLDEST HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS).
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