Fall – Biblical Jungle

GENESIS 3

Where’s Satan in Chapters 3 and 4? The Bible only mentions a serpent. If you believe the serpent was Satan, then how do you answer such questions as:

Did Satan take on the form of a snake?
Is Satan actually a snake?
Did Satan possess a snake?

Metaphor

I never really thought about how my view of Satan impacts my belief in other supernatural theories. I don’t believe snakes have or had rational thought and speech so that leaves me with shape-shifters and demonic possession. Or, I could opt for the metaphorical interpretation which views Adam and Eve as representative of man and views Satan as representing man’s shortcomings. Whether they existed and in what form doesn’t matter.

An article entitled “Interpretations of the Fall of Man” has a reasonable summation of the current views of the fall as allegorical, metaphorical or historical with a slight doctrinal bias. Or, you can use the online Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosoph y. Be warned. The site is academic and has multiple links to follow to the point you may never return.

Supernatural

So, demonic possession or shape-shifting? To be honest, I don’t want to believe in either one. Along with demonic possession comes exorcism and that invokes visions of “The Exorcist.” If I believe in shape-shifting, does that mean I have to believe in vampires, werewolves and the zombie apocalypse?

I believe humans fell from grace; beyond that I don’t know. Does that lessen my faith? I don’t think so. It just means the Bible doesn’t stipulate and I’m not going to speculate.

Genesis 3

How did the poor apple became the temptation fruit? John Milton. According to an article by Nina Martyris, John Milton was responsible for making the fruit an apple when he used apple instead of fruit in “Paradies Lost”. See NPR, The Salt, April 30, 2017. Jewish tradition has the fruit as a pomegrante, fig or other native Mediterrean fruit. The Bible only says “fruit.”

Ever wonder how much time passed between creation and the fall? I always thought it was a short time, because of the way the events were taught in church. But, the Bible doesn’t specify a time frame. However that hasn’t stopped people from speculating.

Sex in the Garden?

Some suggest a short time because no children are mentioned prior to the fall. These people must assume that conception and birthing were the same before as after the fall. We know that it isn’t true since childbirth was to become painful, implying that it wasn’t painful before. Do we even know if sex as we know it existed before the Fall?

Who said Satan has no patience?

Others believe it was a short time because Satan wouldn’t wait around before causing trouble. Plus, Satan would want to deceive Adam and Eve before they came to trust and believe in God. Again, a lot of assumptions. Who said Satan has no patience? Since when does time have anything to do with trusting God? Look at the Israelites. They experienced God’s miracles throughout the Old Testament and that didn’t stop them from disobedience. (See answersingenesis.org for arguments related to the subject.)

Fake News?

Few believe it was a long time. Personally, I don’t think the fall was immediate, but exactly how long I have no clue. What I do know is I would rather say the Bible doesn’t say than perpetuate “facts” based on assumptions that others accept without question.

The map shows a possible location in modern day Iraq for the Garden of Eden; another possible location is to the north closer to the Black Sea. But no one knows that location of the Garden of Eden.

Have you contributed to fake news today?

Category: Fall

Genesis: That Snake!