Testimony Verified by M. E. Cornell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 11, 1865

Testimony Verified.

By M. E. Cornell

I was much interested in the facts published in the Review, confirmatory of the testimony of Spiritual Gifts Vol. iii, in regard to the origin of coal beds. In the same volume we have the following interesting testimony, in regard to the serpent medium, made use of by Satan to deceive our first parents.

"The serpent had not the power of speech, but Satan used him as a medium. It was Satan that spoke, not the serpent. Eve was deceived and thought it was the serpent. This serpent was a very beautiful creature with wings; and while flying through the air, his appearance was very bright, resembling the color of burnished gold. He did not go on the ground, but went from place to place through the air, and ate fruit like man." Spiritual Gifts, Vol. iii, pp. 39, 40.

In harmony with the above, we have the following from "Notes Critical and Explanatory on the Book of Genesis," by Melancthon W. Jacobus, Professor of Biblical Literature and Exegesis, in the Theological Seminary at Allegany, Pa.

"The animal serpent is here primarily referred to, as possessing qualities which fitted it to be the agent of the tempter. Among all animal tribes which God had created, and which Adam, with his knowledge of them, had named, this one was more subtle than all the other beasts of the field. This term subtle is elsewhere rendered 'crafty,' 'prudent,' Job v, 12, Prov. xii, 16.

As the human pair was to be tempted in regard to knowledge, there is deep meaning in this statement, that the serpent was the most subtle of all the animals. It is most likely that this animal was then, before the curse, the most knowing and prudent, as it is now everywhere the symbol of low artifice and degraded malignity.

That there was a real serpent in this transaction cannot be doubted any more than we can doubt the real history throughout. Some have sought to turn this history of the temptation into an allegory. But it wears the same aspect of historical detail as the rest of the narrative. Others have understood that there is here only the animal serpent. But we understand the literal serpent as the agent of a superior being, who was the real tempter, not merely that Satan was now acting in the form of the serpent. It is plain that here was a person, having intellect and moral sense—having speech and reasoning powers, such as do not belong to the brute creation. Objectors say it is not likely that the Devil would have assumed such an unsightly shape, but a more attractive one. Yet this objection begs the question. We may suppose that this kind of serpent had originally a very attractive form, and received its more degraded and groveling habits in the curse. The term nachash is the term used in Num. xxi, 6; but with the Hebrew term 'seraph,'—translated, 'fiery serpent.' It is "the seraph serpent," which God there sent among the people. The term seraph in Hebrew means fiery. And this kind of serpent was probably a glistening creature, and may have been so far attractive, even after the fall, while the kindred terms of nachash mean brass and enchantment, all giving the impression of some bright, glowing, and fascinating appearance, as the original idea. And as 'the nachash' in Numbers seems to have been a flying serpent and seraphic, the whole idea is akin to that of 'an angel of light,' and would seem to be the basis of that New Testament reference to this transaction. The term nachash with a different adjective is used in Job xxvi, 13, of Satan, 'the crooked serpent,' and in Isa. xxvii, 1, of Leviathan,—where it may mean the nachash fallen."

M. E. Cornell.