Imagine yourself out taking a stroll through the woods one day when suddenly a snake appears near you and says "Hi, how are you today? Nice day for a stroll through the woods, heh?". How exactly would you react? Do you think you'd actually have the ability to speak back? Or perhaps just stare at it, in utter shock, as it slithers on by?
In Genesis 3, we read about a similar event and it is certainly the most infamous story of talking animals in man's history. It is in the very beginning with Adam and Eve. Here is Eve, perhaps simply walking through the garden looking for something to eat, when suddenly a serpent appears to her and begins speaking to her. God had already instructed Adam and Eve to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, informing them that on the day they ate of it they would surely die (Gen. 2:17). So the serpent, in the beginning of Genesis 3, begins questioning Eve as to whether or not God has told them to not eat of any tree in the garden, and Eve answers him correctly.
Now, first off, isn't it strange that Eve just responds without any sort of shock that an animal is speaking with her, especially a snake!? Perhaps this would not be all that surprising to her seeing as she and Adam had both spoken with God who also was no human. We're never told how long Eve had been on the Earth before this event took place, but in any case we can give her the benefit of the doubt. She's probably still getting used to her life here on Earth and had seen some fairly amazing things that you and I had never seen. So perhaps it came as no shock to her that now a snake was speaking with her.
I would also feel safe in assuming that the serpent was not scary and evil sounding with his forked tongue evilly flipping in and out of his mouth and a hissing voice. It would be my guess that the serpent probably approached Eve in a very friendly, nonchalant way. Is that not the way Satan has always approached people with temptation?! And this is a good lesson for us to think about here. When Satan comes around tempting us, he doesn't come in his true form. In fact, the Bible tells us that he makes himself out to be an angel of light (II Corinthians 11:14). He'll come in the form of a close friend, someone in need of help, an attractive individual of the opposite sex, a pay raise, or any number of other things to pull us away from righteous living. He often comes in the form of something that is good and harmless. When Satan comes around speaking to you in his smooth and crafty (Genesis 3:1) ways, don't take so kindly to him as Eve did. Instead, be on the alert (I Peter 5:8) and combat him with the sword of the Spirit (Matthew 4:1-11)!
Come back next week for part II of this "Talking Animal" series.
Posted by Kirk Hunt - April 22, 2008
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