Eden - a fair punishment? 'upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life?

Question

Does this mean snakes had legs before the garden of Eden and when did they stop eating just dust? Never seen anything on the Discovery Channel before about snakes with legs. Or even ones that eat just dust for that matter.

Is God getting lenient in his old age?

Answer 1

How can you discuss a fairy tale so seriously?

Answer 2

Hi, Pedro. Thank goodness for someone with a sense of humour! I've been slogging away over my laptop for 6 hours today trying to get myself up to Level 2 (so I can vote). Today I got a best answer!!! I was thrilled - 10 points! I must confess that mines was the only answer to the question, so getting a best answer was almost inevitable. Still, since I'm on a roll, I'm going to give your question all the consideration it deserves and put in as much time to answering it as you have in asking it.

Was it a fair punishment, given what resulted? Absolutely not. Is God getting lenient in his old age? Don't bet on it, pal.

Now, surely that's worth 10 points, don't you think? Or even if someone else gives a smarter, funnier answer, can't you just take pity on me and be generous? I've already answered your question about Mary & Jospeh being stuck in an outhouse and I would be very happy to answer any other questions you can dream up, but I only have till Thursday evening. See what you can come up with, Pedro. I'm unable to go anywhere at the moment because I've had both my feet operated on (this is for the sympathy vote and, no, I'm not making that up) so I've got nothing better to do. Ooops, didn't mean that to sound like an insult. I'm sure you know what I mean. Can't wait for your next question........

Answer 3

At Genesis 3:14 we are told: “And Jehovah God proceeded to say to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this thing, you are the cursed one out of all the domestic animals and out of all the wild beasts of the field. Upon your belly you will go and dust is what you will eat all the days of your life.’” This is the only place in the Bible where any indication is given that the serpent did not at one time travel on its belly.

What is said here is, of course, directed principally to the invisible spirit creature who used the literal serpent as his mouthpiece. It foretells his debasement. But for the symbolic application of this judgment upon the wicked spirit creature who became Satan to have any force there must be a fulfillment of it in the literal serpent, which has come to symbolize Satan. It, therefore, is reasonable to conclude that before God cursed it the serpent possessed legs that elevated it above the ground. As he had the power to create the serpent in the first place, God had the power to transform its body so that it ceased to have legs and was able to move about on its belly.

Answer 4

Snakes eat mice...and frogs and small rodents and all sorts of wonderful juicy little creatures. So the "punishment" isn't exactly working. But perhaps this explains evolution? Every time an animal did something bad, God would either take away its legs or give it new ones, give it gills to breathe under water or make it walk upright, etc. Through an elaborate series of 'punishments' evolution is accomplished.

Answer 5

You never heard of a snake with legs? Well what do you think lizards are?

Look there was no garden of eden anyday so why argue over a fairytale - people keep asking 'this bit of the bible makes no sense' its because the entire work is a ridiculous fabrication and God is a repulsive evil egotistical genocidal maniac.

Regards

Answer 6

Adam and Eve got a bad rap in my opinion. God created them to be curious and then God punished them for acting on their curiosity. It's like punishing a dog for scratching fleas.

Eve was deceived by the serpent and she acted on his lie. However this the was first lie ever told in the universe. Eve had no experience with deceit and had no idea such a thing was possible. It didn't matter, God punished her anyhow.

God told Adam & Eve that on the day they ate the fruit they'd die but Adam & Eve had no way of knowing what dying was or if it was a bad thing to die. They'd never seen anything die. But when Adam & Eve ate the fruit they didn't die -- so God lied to them. After punishing them for believing the serpent's lie God goes and lies to Adam & Eve.

And God didn't punish Adam & Eve only. He punished all of their descendants. Everyone. Then he punished his son Jesus so he wouldn't have to punish humanity anymore. Go figure.

Yes, it's quite a story.
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Answer 7

And the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground... Gen 2/7

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world... Rev 12/9

So the Devil, or Satan consumes man. That is pretty plain is it not ?

That he deceives the whole world is also pretty plain. Has he not deceived you ?

Answer 8

umm ther eis no god, and yes in any story there can be snakes with legs, theres also stories about talking dragons and other fun stuff, i put them in the kid section. but seriously tho there are legless lizards that llok just like snakes so i imagine once upon a time there were snakes with lil legs, and then EVOLUTION changed that and made snakes and lizards!

Answer 9

You forgot one small part of Satan's punishment:

Revelation 20:10
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Answer 10

perhaps. that would suggest it is indeed a myth/fable explaining evolution, and how there is pain in gaining knowledge