Answer me this...

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T

Tintin

Guest
#21
"...for the original writer, the Yahwist (or J) source, the serpent was not equated with Satan (the Devil). The concept of Satan developed only later (first attested as a personal name c. 300 B.C.E. in 1 Chron 21:1[SUP][1][/SUP])"
Sorry, the Documentary Hypothesis is not viable. There's less evidence for it being true than for evolution being true. And evolution has no evidence for it being true. So, you could say both theories are dead in the water.
 
F

flob

Guest
#22
The 'J' source.....j for joke.




Was a test necessary?
No we're failures.
It's for God to show mercy to us
 
Feb 1, 2015
1,198
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#23
"...for the original writer, the Yahwist (or J) source, the serpent was not equated with Satan (the Devil). The concept of Satan developed only later (first attested as a personal name c. 300 B.C.E. in 1 Chron 21:1[SUP][1][/SUP])"
Source:
By John Day
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament Studies
Lady Margaret Hall
Oxford University
April 2015
 
E

EdisonTrent

Guest
#24
I know the devil did it. I was trying to understand why.
I know some things are hidden.. but still...
I guess this is one of those questions we learn to stop asking... Why?

Yeh. Daniel is intriguing. I'm eager to study it further. Thank you :)
Cast to the ground fiscal realm, morning and evening Isn't just part of a normal day in scripture.
 
T

Tintin

Guest
#25
Source:
By John Day
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament Studies
Lady Margaret Hall
Oxford University
April 2015
I don't know why professionals entertain such nonsense. It's probably because they're scared they'll lose their jobs if they speak out and tell the truth.
 

oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
9,144
613
113
70
Alabama
#26
"...for the original writer, the Yahwist (or J) source, the serpent was not equated with Satan (the Devil). The concept of Satan developed only later (first attested as a personal name c. 300 B.C.E. in 1 Chron 21:1[SUP][1][/SUP])"
It seems clear from Gen 3 that the serpent is not Satan but Jesus tells us under no uncertain terms that Satan was the orchestrator of the fall of man. This then brings up an interesting question. What relationship did the serpent have to Satan in that narrative?
 
O

oldthennew

Guest
#27
God inhabits eternity, His ways are above our ways, our lives are like smoke in a bottle -
we perceive a very limited time-scale but God is mindful of the end result......

we've wrestled with many of the unanswerables but the fact is, that God created the darkness
before He created the light and that is His pattern: Israel continually falls into chaos and darkness
throughout the scriptures -

my wife and I have been taught to look for patterns more than whys because the why-way of
thinking can lead us down many rabbit trails and the vast percentage of the trails are speculative -
the why-way of thinking is not to be excluded but used with temperance -
but the way of thinking/discovering in God-Patterns gives us quite a bit of insight into
the mind of our Father and Christ.

we have seen this particular discussion many times and the results are usually a big question mark,
uncertainty, but our Father wants us to seek the way of being grounded in our Faith
and having confidence and trust in Him at every turn and to be sure that everything He does
is right, true, and done with great Love for us, His family.

as it is written,
God is Love.....
 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
5,486
183
63
#28
"...for the original writer, the Yahwist (or J) source, the serpent was not equated with Satan (the Devil). The concept of Satan developed only later (first attested as a personal name c. 300 B.C.E. in 1 Chron 21:1[SUP][1][/SUP])"

This is Ridiculous! The first occurance of Satan as a proper name is Job 1:6. Job Was likely contemporary with Jacob (Israel) if Eliphaz was Esau's son (Gen 36:4) This would be well before 2000 B.C.

David's numbering of Israel 1Chr 21:1 probably occurred before 1040 B.C.

The last canonical book of the OT was Malachi. Malachi was contemporary with Nehemiah c. 450-440 B.C.
 
M

Mitspa

Guest
#29
Re 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
 
Mar 20, 2015
768
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#30
Was Creation always a 'Test?' Like, an experiment?.
I doubt that because that would make the Creator an evil monster. Creation has purpose and meaning for happiness, it appears that purpose was not upheld by
human beings.
 
Feb 1, 2015
1,198
15
0
#31

This is Ridiculous! The first occurance of Satan as a proper name is Job 1:6. Job Was likely contemporary with Jacob (Israel) if Eliphaz was Esau's son (Gen 36:4) This would be well before 2000 B.C.

David's numbering of Israel 1Chr 21:1 probably occurred before 1040 B.C.

The last canonical book of the OT was Malachi. Malachi was contemporary with Nehemiah c. 450-440 B.C.
you missed what the man was saying, by a mile and I though I was on your ignore list.
 
Feb 1, 2015
1,198
15
0
#32

This is Ridiculous! The first occurance of Satan as a proper name is Job 1:6. Job Was likely contemporary with Jacob (Israel) if Eliphaz was Esau's son (Gen 36:4) This would be well before 2000 B.C.

David's numbering of Israel 1Chr 21:1 probably occurred before 1040 B.C.

The last canonical book of the OT was Malachi. Malachi was contemporary with Nehemiah c. 450-440 B.C.
Let me help you get a handle on it, I'll clue you in.

He was talking about the first time the serpent was taught of as being Satan, a personal name.

"Ridiculous", does being cantankerous and disagreeable come with your age?
 
Jan 25, 2015
9,213
3,189
113
#33
If God's Creation was perfect until Eve was deceived, how did the serpent come into the Garden to begin with? Why was he (Satan?) permitted access to God's brand new Miracle?

If all is preordained (is all preordained?), was man's downfall known from 'Let there be light?'

If yes, why?
The word good in Hebrew is tove, which can also mean to function according to purpose. So God's creation was functioning according to purpose.

Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

The knowledge of evil was hidden from man to protect us from sin. Sin leads to death. We became like God in the sense that we knew good and evil.

The first word in the Bible is beresheet (בראשית). If we look at the Hebrew picture of this word we see the following:

ב beyt – house/home
ר resh – head / head of
א aleph - all power / all strength
ש shin – divine protection / all-consuming fire
י yud – hand
ת tav – sign of a cross

בר bar in Daniel 3-25 Son
ברא berah means create, form of shape
שי shayee in Psalm 68-29 translated as presents / gifts
שית sheet in Genesis 4-25 translated as appoint

Now if we put it all together we get:

“Elohim will build/create (berah) a house, He will appoint his son as the head of the house. He will have all power/ all strength is in his hands for divine protection. He will be an all-consuming fire / gift and his sign will be a cross.”

You can decide yourself if this is preordained or unplanned...
 
A

atwhatcost

Guest
#34
Ok corrected. Gen 1:31 says very good.

With that settled.. Question is still relevant I think.
Let's say you are Satan. You've been kicked out of heaven. God makes a universe and plants one particular planet with a wonderful, beautiful garden in it.

So, why would you go to the other side of that planet? And given you're already royally peeved at God and you've got no qualms with trying to get even, exactly why wouldn't you go after the only thing God calls "very good?"

As for God's side? Well, apparently he chose not to build a Satan-proof shield around it. What's the big deal?

And, since God is omniscient, of course he knew what would happen. Kind of what omniscient means -- God holds all knowledge at all times.
 
G

Gr8grace

Guest
#35
Let's say you are Satan. You've been kicked out of heaven. God makes a universe and plants one particular planet with a wonderful, beautiful garden in it.

So, why would you go to the other side of that planet? And given you're already royally peeved at God and you've got no qualms with trying to get even, exactly why wouldn't you go after the only thing God calls "very good?"

As for God's side? Well, apparently he chose not to build a Satan-proof shield around it. What's the big deal?

And, since God is omniscient, of course he knew what would happen. Kind of what omniscient means -- God holds all knowledge at all times.
Omniscient. Its crazy to think about. God has never learned a thing nor will He ever learn anything. He has always and will always know everything. Mind blowing.
 

oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
9,144
613
113
70
Alabama
#37
IMO, Satan was never in the Eden until the fall, Adam wouldn't have allowed it. opinion
That presupposes an already existing knowledge of Satan on the part of Adam. It also presupposes that Adam had superiority over those of the unseen dimension.
 
I

iConflicted

Guest
#38
God inhabits eternity, His ways are above our ways, our lives are like smoke in a bottle -
we perceive a very limited time-scale but God is mindful of the end result......

we've wrestled with many of the unanswerables but the fact is, that God created the darkness
before He created the light and that is His pattern: Israel continually falls into chaos and darkness
throughout the scriptures -

my wife and I have been taught to look for patterns more than whys because the why-way of
thinking can lead us down many rabbit trails and the vast percentage of the trails are speculative -
the why-way of thinking is not to be excluded but used with temperance -
but the way of thinking/discovering in God-Patterns gives us quite a bit of insight into
the mind of our Father and Christ.

we have seen this particular discussion many times and the results are usually a big question mark,
uncertainty, but our Father wants us to seek the way of being grounded in our Faith
and having confidence and trust in Him at every turn and to be sure that everything He does
is right, true, and done with great Love for us, His family.

as it is written,
God is Love.....
How do I stop myself from asking Why?
Prayer has not assisted so far in my need for peace and understanding. I keep feeling a strong pull to dissect, but I'm being shown that that's not exactly Christian. A faithful Christian I mean. One who has a child like faith.
I want that. But I'm getting no rest. Always a push to find something.
Could that push really be me in Satan's hands?

Am I asking for the wrong thing in my prayers when I ask for understanding? Should I pray simply for more faith? More strength?

I have an inquisitive mind. How else do I occupy it? Reading my Bible leaves me wanting understanding lol.

I don't feel I'm operating outside of His will. Am I blinded by my need to understand? Has he left me to my own devices? If my prayers for understanding are selfish is He hearing me?

How do I close my mind to 'possibilities' that aren't explained in Scripture? If this searching isn't led by faith or a need to know God further (I feel it is, but Satan is a sneaky, determined adversary), i want to stop. I don't want to miss God's blessings for me, and I don't want to be in His way.

OldHermit sent me a message and it was well timed. Thank you Hermit.

Maybe I should ask for help understanding my need to understand... Lol. Ugh. :)
 
Jul 22, 2014
10,350
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#39
If God's Creation was perfect until Eve was deceived, how did the serpent come into the Garden to begin with?
First, Lucifer was once a good angel; And all good angels were first created on Day 2 of the creation week. This is implied in Psalm 104. For the angels are mentioned on Day 2 within a partial chronology within that chapter. Second, this means that Lucifer had fallen at some point between chapters 2-3 of Genesis. For most of Genesis chapter 2 is merely a deeper look at the details that took place on Day 6 (Whereas Genesis chapter 1 is more of an overall summary of the entire Creation week).

Why was he (Satan?) permitted access to God's brand new Miracle?
For the same reason God releases sin from the bottomless pit so as to tempt mankind at the End of the Millennium. It is to test mankind to see if they truly love God or not. For men are drawn away by their own lusts and desires. The devil merely gives a person that "push" to confront the choice we have in this life (Which is to choose God or to not choose God). The devil and his kingdom would also help to establish that there are two spiritual type kingdoms one can follow, too. You can either follow God or the devil.

If all is preordained (is all preordained?), was man's downfall known from 'Let there be light?'

If yes, why?
Yes. The Scriptures say that God has declared the end from the beginning. The Lord our God is outside of linear time and He knows what will come to pass. The Lamb was slain since the foundation of the world. God let things unfold as they did for several reasons. Two big ones are:

#1. Man can excercise his free will of being able to choose God whereby true love can then exist in the Universe. For true love is when two parties both agree to love each other. However, if they were forced to love each other, then it would not be true love. In other words, man having free will and confronting the choice in being with God helps for "true love" to truly exist within God's creation.

#2. God gets all the glory from His creation that He made. He knew that man would choose the wrong way and would need Him in order to be saved. This salvation would helps man to draw close to God so as to have a personal close walk and relationship with Him (Which was God's intended plan from the very beginning).
 
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I

iConflicted

Guest
#40
Let's say you are Satan. You've been kicked out of heaven. God makes a universe and plants one particular planet with a wonderful, beautiful garden in it.

So, why would you go to the other side of that planet? And given you're already royally peeved at God and you've got no qualms with trying to get even, exactly why wouldn't you go after the only thing God calls "very good?"

As for God's side? Well, apparently he chose not to build a Satan-proof shield around it. What's the big deal?

And, since God is omniscient, of course he knew what would happen. Kind of what omniscient means -- God holds all knowledge at all times.
Ok. I see it. I'd probably want to fiddle with it too. If I were Satan.
Like a child, that one thing we're forbidden, we gravitate towards or are easily convinced of its gooodness, rightness (like Eve), contrary to our 'parents' warning.
Thank you.