In the Likeness of a Serpent

 

White-Lipped Tree Viper

Isaiah gives an interesting and relevant description that speaks clearly, I think, of Adam in Genesis.
‘… YeHoWaH will cut off from Israel both head and tail, … the elders and dignitaries (honorable men) are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail. Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray (swallowed up/engulfed).’ Isaiah 9:14-16

(At first, I read this as being an animal with a head and tail but looking at the Hebrew for the word translated as ‘‘astray (1104)‘ I realised this as being a snake’s mode of devouring prey. Also confirming was the absence of any mention of other body parts ie legs, arms in its description. So with that in mind we continue…)

 

Isaiah portrayed a snake: consisting of the highly regarded men and those who speak false words of God -to the demise of any following, who are inevitably swallowed. The word translated ‘mislead’ (maṯ-‘îm מתעים) can also be translated – deceived or seduced. In Genesis 3, Adam is both the ‘honourable man’/elder and also the ‘prophet’ as the command (given by him to the woman) was given and accepted as being the very words of God.
Other scripture reinforces the nature of a serpent as of those with lying lips, to the ruin of others, thus doing violence to YeHoWaH Elohim’s likeness in creation.

‘…These who speak lies go astray from birth. They have venom like the venom of a serpent…’ – Psalm 58:3,4
‘…Rescue me, O YeHoWaH, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men who devise evil things in their hearts; they continually stir up wars, they sharpen their tongues as a serpent; poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah.’ – Psalm 140:1-3

(Please view here physical results of venomous snake bites – not for the faint hearted as the images are not pretty.)

As shown in my previous post – Adam did not faithfully pass on the command (as given to him) to the woman. He both added and took away information and this was the beginning of her set up, as all that was required to undermine confidence in Adam’s version of the command, was to touch the fruit and not die.

Gen 3:6 says she ‘saw‘ that the tree was good for food. It would be safe to say, for something to be ‘good for food’ would mean life (not death) was connected with its consumption, and as far as she is aware, also with the ‘touching’. To confirm this as true would require physical observation. A feeling or perception of its goodness just isn’t enough when death may be the outcome of ones actions. (Saw וַתֵּ֣רֶא occurs 30 times – in the sense of physically seeing / witnessing / observing, and from that gaining understanding / perception.)

With Adam’s words exposed as unreliable by evidence of her seeing it as untrue, the serpent’s words now bear more weight. Step one of her downfall is complete. (Step two will follow in my next post with the focus shifting from Adam’s words to the serpent’s.)

Suffice to say, Adam in omitting and adding to the word of God did not act in the ‘likeness of YeHoWaH Elohim’ but acted (as Isaiah describes above) in the ‘likeness of a serpent’. The bible doesn’t say he deceived her, but neither does it say he didn’t. We do know for sure his actions toward her were detrimental, even pivotal in her deception.

Genesis 5:3 continues and concludes Adam’s days on this earth with the incredibly sad words of his legacy: ‘…he became the father of (a son) in his own likeness, according to his image…’

Heavenly Father, YeHoWaH Elohim, thank you for sending Yeshua (the 2nd Adam) who walked not in the likeness of the first Adam, but fully after You – being the radiance of Your glory and the exact representation (image) of Your nature. May Yeshua be our focus and our strength in our walk before You. Amen.
Christine