3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
As Eve was reclining in the garden, leaning against the trunk of a tree not far from the center of the garden. She watched as a serpent moved along the ground and around the base of the Tree of Knowledge. It looked up at its large smooth trunk and its beautiful fruit hanging far above, then moved on towards the next tree.
Eve was fascinated by this slithering creature. All of the animals are fascinating, and awe-inspiring. She would watch a new one everyday, pondering the names Adam had given them. She started to get a little lost in thought about the behemoths she watched yesterday, when the serpent started to climb that next tree, and reclaimed her full attention. It wound around a low hanging branch and started to climb the tree. Winding sometimes and reaching straight up towards branches at others.
She couldn’t understand what it was doing in that tree because it was not a fruit bearing tree, and better shade was offered at ground level.
The serpent seemed to move with as much ease and grace in the heights of the tree as it does on the ground. Climbing higher and higher, up this tallest of trees. She was fully mesmerized when it climbed out towards the end of a mostly barren branch. She could only see it in bits and pieces at they were revealed around the branch. When it reached the end, it proceeded to stick the first third of its body into the air past the end of the branch. It seemed to wave for a minute, moving like it is sensing its environment, sniffing the air and obviously more. As she was starting to wonder what it could even smell from there, it pulled back and flung itself forward in one motion, releasing itself from the branch, and the tyranny of gravity, as it flew through the air towards the Tree of Knowledge. It slithered in the air correcting for the influences of the wind, and over-correction, to land in the large soft leaves of upper branches, grasping and swinging as it hits.
Eve was unsure of its condition until she saw its slithering bits and pieces expertly moving along the new branch. It continued until it reached the fruit hanging below a group of large leaves. It then wrapped its body around the branch and reached with its mouth for the precious fruit. The fruit was similar to grapes but smaller, more like a pomegranate, sans rind. It plucked them free from the bunch and happily ate them; putting on a prideful show as it did.
As Eve watched enraptured by what she had witnessed, her internal voice transformed into the whispers of the ancient serpent saying, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
“Look at that serpent. He eats it and lives. Not only that, but it has become more from eating it. It moves along the earth, through the trees, and flies through the heavens…only God can do that. Did it fly yesterday? It is the fruit of that tree. It makes one like God, knowing what is below and what is above.”
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
Satan still tells the same lies in the same ways…don’t let him convince you of his vision, we must only follow the vision of the Father, revealed through His Word and Spirit.
Mutemandeafcat
P.S. There are many things in the Bible that seems miraculous and perhaps crazy, until you think of it in another way… a way in which you are already familiar.
I do believe in miracles; as I discussed here.
I also separated my own words from God’s Holy Words by not formatting with italics. In keeping with Revelation 22:18-19, I in no way am adding to, or taking from His Holy Word, I am merely sharing my thoughts that I’ve developed over many years of studying His Word. It may help people understand the text, or a possible understanding of the text that then helps them relate to the story more completely. That is my hope and prayer. His Will be done.