Genesis 3:13

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Is the Serpent in Genesis a METAPHOR?

Let us begin this Verse Study on Genesis 3:13 by exploring the meaning of the Greek word “translated” as serpent in the New Testament.

The English word “serpent” in the singular form is found 40 times in the Bible, 8 times in the New Testament, which is the New Covenant. So, is it just a coincidence that the number 40 is related to testing, trials, and temptations and the number 8 is related to Jesus our Savior? Just an observation.

In the New Testament, the Greek word translated as serpent is from a root word that means sharpness of vision, to observe, and watching from a distance. And I immediately thought of the angels being called the WATCHERS in Daniel 7:14 and in the book of Enoch 1.

The Greek word “ophis” means a snake and an artful or cunning malicious PERSON. Especially, Satan the serpent.

Here is how the concordance in E-Sword defines the Greek word “ophis” that is translated as “serpent” 8 times in the New Testament and 6 times as serpents in the plural.

G3789

ὄφις

ophis

of’-is

Probably from G3700 (through the idea of sharpness of vision); a snake, figuratively (as a type of sly cunning) an artful malicious person, especially Satan: – serpent.

Total KJV occurrences: 14.

There is also a DIFFERENT Greek word “herpeton” that means “snake” or “serpent” as an ANIMAL. And thus, you have to wonder why this word is not used in every verse of Scripture to make sure the meaning is a literal animal and not a metaphor.

G2062

ἑρπετόν

herpeton

her-pet-on’

Neuter of a derivative of ἕρπω herpō (to creep); a reptile, that is, (by Hebraism (compare [H7431]) a small animal: – creeping thing, serpent.

Total KJV occurrences: 4.

This Greek word is translated 3 times as “creeping things” and 1 time as “serpent” in James 3:7. But even when the word “serpent” is a REAL LITERAL snake, it is still used as an ALLEGORY for EVIL and the POISON of snakes as symbolism for EVIL WORDS that are like poison.

James 3:6-8.

“And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 

James 3:7. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed of mankind: 

James 3:8. But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

So then, our words, WHEN they set on fire of HELL to become and unruly evil full of iniquity, then those negative words are LIKENED to SERPENTS full of deadly poison.

In other words, the WORK of a serpent is to inject POISON to transfix or mesmerize its prey so it can devour its prey. And the WORK of the Devil is to deceive people to be lured into Satan’s SNARE, which is living in sin. And unless those who are entrapped in the snare of Satan to live in a lifestyle of sin, they will be devoured in the lake of fire on the final Day of Judgment.

2 Timothy 2:24-26.

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 

2 Timothy 2:25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 

2 Timothy 2:26. And that they may recover themselves out of the SNARE of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

Now, to me, the words “Satan” and the “Devil” are titles DESCRIBING the character of a REAL LITERAL being, who is ALSO pictured as a “serpent” in Genesis 3:13. 

In other words, the serpent in Genesis chapter 3 is a METAPHOR of Satan, the Devil, which are descriptive names or title of an evil spirit called the Adversary and FALSE accuser of the brethren.

#1. In Revelation 12:7-9, Satan, the Devil, is that OLD serpent, the great dragon.

“And there was WAR in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, (So then, the dragon has an army of angels, and they waged a WAR against Yahweh and the angels who remained faithful to Him. Now, Christadelphian Christians teach that the word devil is simply a TERM for SIN and EVIL. But I do not see the good angels, Michael and his army of angels fighting against SIN up in heaven)

Revelation 12:8. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 

Revelation 12:9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

#2. In Revelation 9:11, the ANGEL of the bottomless pit, known by most Christians as Satan, the Devil, is called Abaddon, which means destroying angel, and Apollyon, which means a destroyer, that is Satan. These names also carry the meaning that the king angel of the bottomless pit will be DESTROYED.

“And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue has his name Apollyon.”

#3. In Ephesians 2:2, Satan, the Devil, is the PRINCE of the power of the air or sky, the spirit that WORKS in the children of disobedience.

“Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now WORKS in the children of disobedience:”

#4. In Ezekiel 28: Satan, the Devil, is called the anointed cherub, which is a good angel that Yahweh SET on the throne over the earth during a previous AGE of the earth BEFORE God created man and the Son of man BECAUSE of His ENEMIES, according to Psalm 8:1-6. And as the FALLEN angel he was in the Garden of Eden who DECEIVED Adam and Eve to become DISOBEDIENT children.

“You have 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 your tabrets and of your pipes was prepared in you in the day that you were created. 

Ezekiel 28:14. You are the anointed cherub that covers; and I have SET you so: (In other words, the anointed cherub was once a GOOD angel that Yahweh SET or appointed to become an Elohim or RULER over the earth during the previous AGE of the earth) you were upon the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 

Ezekiel 28:15. You were PERFECT in your ways from the day that you were created, till iniquity was found in you.”

#5. In Isaiah 14:12-15, Satan, the Devil, is called Lucifer, the one FALLEN from heaven. He will be cast to the GROUND for 3 1/2 years, according to Revelation 12:7-17. And he will be cast into the bottomless PIT during the world to come, according to Revelation 20:1-3. And ascend out of the bottomless pit to wage WAR one final time with the two witness the second time, according to Revelation 11:7, and Revelation 20:7-10.

“How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How are you cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! 

Isaiah 14:13. For you have said in your 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: 

Isaiah 14:14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 

Isaiah 14:15. Yet you shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”

We all know and understand that the Christians being called sheep is a metaphor for being the holy ones or the saints. We are not LITERALLY sheep. And the ENEMIES of God was not LITERALLY a serpent.

We all know and understand that Jesus being called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world is a METAPHOR the sacrifice for the sins of the world. But that does not mean that who the metaphor is SYMBOLIZING is NOT a REAL BEING.

And in the same way, the serpent being a METAPHOR for Satan, the Devil, does NOT mean that the fallen angel, called by the descriptive titles, Satan, the Devil, is NOT a REAL LITERAL spirit being who became God’s enemy.

Also, Jesus spoke in PARABLES and the MEANING of the parables are REAL, even those the things in the parables are METAPHORS that symbolize REAL LITERAL beings and real literal events.

Matthew 13:36-43.

“Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the FIELD. 

Matthew 13:37. He answered and said unto them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man; (And we all know and understand that the Son of man, Jesus is a REAL LITERAL person)

Matthew 13:38. The FIELD is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; (Now, every person in this parable are REAL LITERAL people. And thus, the wicked one is ALSO a REAL LITERAL person, that artful malicious PERSON called the SERPENT)

Matthew 13:39. The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 

Matthew 13:40. As therefore, the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 

Matthew 13:41. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (The children of the devil, according to 1 John 3:7-11)

Matthew 13:42. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 

Matthew 13:43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

In the next Verse Study on Genesis 3:14, we will us what we learned in this Verse Study to interpret the serpent in Genesis 3:1-15 as a METAPHOR, as well as the beast of the FIELD as a METAPHOR. And the SEED of the serpent as a allegory of the tares being the children of the devil because of SIN.

Now, the Christadelphian Christians, as well as, some other church denominations, such as the Roman Catholic Church, sincerely, but wrongly believe in the FALSE doctrine or original sin. And thus, they build their other man-made doctrines upon the false doctrine of every person being born with a so-called sinful NATURE.

Again, once Christians understand the REASON that Yahweh CREATED the Son of MAN, Jesus, was to have DOMINION over the work of Yahweh’s hands. 

And that you understand that the REASON that Yahweh did that is to STILL His ENEMIES, Satan and the fallen angels. 

Then you can understand that God made His human Son to become a Lord, a King, and a God, to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels. 

For a deeper understanding of this WAR that Lucifer and one third of the angel waged against the throne of Almighty God, please read the studies under the subject category called >>> Q-0 Why Are We Here? Is God at WAR? <<<

More studies coming in this SHORTER Biblical Unitarian view of who Jesus is according to the WHOLE word of God. If you have a PARTICULAR verse of Scripture that you would like to know the sound Biblical Unitarian meaning, then please email me at MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail.com and let me know.

For further and more in-depth studies on this subject of Jesus being created to STILL the enemies of Yahweh, please read the studies called D-25. A NEW LOOK at JOHN 1:1-In the BEGINNING, and D-28. The PRE-ADAMIC LUCIFERIAN FLOOD! 

Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. So, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading >>> D-0. THE BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of JESUS! <<<

And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading >>> C-0. THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH! <<< This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.

Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament. 

To learn more TRUTH, then please return to

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VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PREEXISTED!

To me, the best way to know the ONE true God in ONE person is to know who Jesus TRULY is according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God. So please read ALL of the studies under the heading >>> N-0. WHO is JESUS ACCORDING to the BIBLE? <<< and you will see that the Bible itself teaches us that Jesus was CREATED by his God and Father. And if you have any questions related to the correct meaning of certain verses of Scripture on this subject of who Jesus is please read all the studies under the two headings >>> U-0. VERSES used for THE TRINITY! <<< and >>> V-0. VERSES used to TEACH that Jesus PRE-EXISTED! <<< These two headings have ALL of the studies that I have on who Jesus truly is according to what the Bible itself teaches us in simplicity. I compiled these three headings to make it easy for my readers to send just one, two, or three links to those you desire to help understand what the Bible itself teaches concerning who Jesus is in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me. 

My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail.com.

Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.

Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

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