Satan's job is ever and always to reverse the appearance of reality. God is made to be the enemy and the Devil is made to be the savior.
This is the deception which is occurring in creation.
Satan seeks to totally reverse rolls in the minds of men.
God is made out to be the enemy.
God's enemy, the Devil, is made out to be God.
In between going from one poll to the other is Atheism.
My opinion is that it is only a temporary station on the way of man reversing in his mind the truth.
But - "No lie can live forever."
@sonship saidBig bang, big crunch, big bang, big crunch, ad infinitum.
@Ghost-of-a-Duke
An eternal universe was not 'created' but has always existed, in one form or another.
In the years to come, this will become commonly accepted.
Not likely. It seriously contradicts the second law of thermodynamics. If the universe existed forever it should have run down by now to cold ashes dispersed in the blackness of space. Ev ...[text shortened]... examined the implications, he would be traumatized.”
― Robert Jastrow, The Enchanted Loom [/quote]
Happy to help.
Big bang, big crunch, big bang, big crunch, ad infinitum.
Happy to help.
I have long known about both Steady State Theory and the Oscillating Universe Theory. You didn't help that much. Both theories have come more into disfavor.
PhD Physicists Prove Our Universe's Beginning: BVG Theorem (by Intelligent Faith 315)
Back to the first question.
The origin of this perculiar Questioner is not given in Genesis. But then again Genesis is not the oldest book in the Bible. Job is the oldest book in the Bible.
Anyway, the details as to WHO this Questioner is is supplied to us latter in such books as Ezekiel and Isaiah. Of course the New Testament draws back the curtain of obcurity to see who this Slander is who seeks to deceive the first humans.
So since the story of this Questioner is only partially exposed in Genesis, God saw fit just to let him come on the scene as a talking serpent who was "more subtle" then any other beast of the field which God had made.
From this we deduce these limited facts.
1.) This being is a creature created by God.
2.) This being has higher intelligence than other creatures created by God.
3.) This creature uses his higher intelligence to oppose God and lead human beings astray.
4.) This being is in the garden created by God but quite out of place.
5.) This being, though in the garden, is powerless unless man comes out from under the authority of God and steps under the authority of this being.
A few other things I think we can deduce from the Genesis account about God's enemy at this stage.
So we have a talking serpent in Genesis. Everybody of modern times and very ancient times know full well that a serpent is not suppose to speak.
The peculiarity of the event I don't think, was any LESS so thousands of years ago then it is today. Serpents do not speak in human language.
But God allowed things to happen in this manner. One who is NOT SUPPOSE to speak, speaks. More importantly, WHAT he speaks, is significant.
That is to question the heart of God.
That is to cause doubt to arise about the motives of God.
He is a slanderer and an accuser.
He is an grand assassinator of personality, and that against God.
The way the story is told, I think, it reveals that the time for the repentance of this rebel has LONG come and gone. Before he comes on the scene, I believe, time for him to repent and correct his ways had long, long, pass.
I will explain why shortly.
God asks Adam about his disappearance as if to give Adam a chance to reflect on his error.
"And Jehovah God called to the man and said to him, Where are you? " (Gen. 3:9)
God again give man a chance to consider his error as if to learn something.
"And He said, Who told you that you are naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" (v.11)
God also asks the woman so as to give her opportunity to consider her error.
"And Jehovah God said to the woman. What is this you have done?" (v.12a)
These are questions with at least a door for the transgressors to confess.
But to the serpent there is no such question. There is only the sentence after "BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE THIS.". The sense I get is that THIS now is the last straw at the end of many previous crimes. This now has gone too far.
"And Jehovah God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all the cattle and more than all the animals of the field ... " (v.14a)
The door of repentance seems to have been long closed on the Slanderer.
@sonship saidYou are right. Reading your post is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of my day. In fact it would be the most important part of single human beings on this planet if they had access to and knew about your post.
@Proper-Knob
For the love of God, please don't.
Like you're doing something more important ?
Heavy stuff Jay.
@Proper-Knob
Hmmm.
Question:
If your birth was an accident,
and your death is an accident,
then what is the meaning of everything in-between ?
@sonship saidYou spoke about the 'peculiarity of the event' as 'Serpents do not speak in human language.'
@Ghost-of-a-Duke
Did the talking donkey tell you?
I don't think just showing contempt effectively removes the profound significance of biblical themes.
But I'll play you a game of chess if talking about Spirituality is somehow too childish for you.
My reference was in regards to Balaam's speaking donkey, which shared that biblical abnormality and undermined the 'profound significance' you placed upon it.