Literal snake in the Garden of Eden?

[Philip]

Jason, welcome to the forum!

[DBowling]

Here is an interesting lecture by Michael Heiser regarding the nature of the Serpent in the Garden of Eden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzDilcaRF-Y

[Philip]

DB: Here is an interesting lecture by Michael Heiser regarding the nature of the Serpent in the Garden of Eden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzDilcaRF-Y

OK, it's interesting but necessarily speculative, per how Heiser assembles his understanding from other passages. But to me, whether this evil entity was some sort of supernatural being - who may or may not have resembled an actual serpent, or even if Satan himself - does it really change anything of great importance? Because, ultimately, some evil entity deceived Adam and Eve into rebelling and sinning against God. And in doing so, it resulted in humanity inheriting its sin nature and Adam and Eve's own eventual physical deaths. And, of course, their spiritual deaths requiring saving. Sometimes, Heiser seems to get us lost in the trees, and by doing so, obscures the forest.

[DBowling]

DB: Here is an interesting lecture by Michael Heiser regarding the nature of the Serpent in the Garden of Eden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzDilcaRF-Y

OK, it's interesting but necessarily speculative, per how Heiser assembles his understanding from other passages. But to me, whether this evil entity was some sort of supernatural being - who may or may not have resembled an actual serpent, or even if Satan himself - does it really change anything of great importance? Because, ultimately, some evil entity deceived Adam and Eve into rebelling and sinning against God. And in doing so, it resulted in humanity inheriting its sin nature and Adam and Eve's own eventual physical deaths. And, of course, their spiritual deaths requiring saving. Sometimes, Heiser seems to get us lost in the trees, and by doing so, obscures the forest.

Scripture is not silent (or even ambiguous IMHO) on who or what the serpent in the Garden was.
A couple of NT passages come to mind:
In Rev 12:9 John the Apostle pretty explicitly identifies "the serpent of old" as Satan.

And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

And Paul tells us how Satan presents himself in 2 Cor 11:14.

No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

So what Heiser asserts about the nature of the serpent in the Garden is consistent with other Scripture.