Genesis 3:1

Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’”

Evidently, some animals could talk in the beginning. One such animal was “the serpent.” I doubt that what we call the serpent today is what Eve was talking to. My guess is that it looked more like a beautiful dragon of some kind; more like what we would call a dinosaur. I get this idea from the fact that the Bible refers to Satan as a serpent and a dragon. The Bible also tells us that Satan was a very beautiful angel at one time. I believe it is more likely that He would take on the form of a very smart and elegant creature.

As I mentioned before, Satan likes to quote scripture. The very first thing we read that came out of his mouth is a question about God’s word. His question was not genuine. Instead of seeking answers, he sought to create doubt. This is a common strategy of Satan. He still causes us to wonder about what God really says, especially when we are not paying close enough attention to God’s word. Most people, for instance, don’t realize that the quote “God helps those who help themselves” is not in the Bible and is actually a rather ridiculous thing to say.

Jesus said that Satan is a liar and the father of lies. So, it is no surprise that lying is the very first thing Satan is recorded as doing. He didn’t tell the lie directly, however. The lie was implied in a question. Not only that, he does it by misquoting God’s word. Satan suggests that God denied men food and by doing this creates doubt about the character of God and confusion about what God really said.

So we see that Satan hangs out in religious circles. Just because someone is a pastor or a priest or represents God in some way, does not make them more likely to be good. In fact, the Bible would suggest that we be especially careful about those who claim to speak God’s word. It is extremely important that you not take my words because I write about the Bible, for instance. I am a very fallible man and not correct in everything I say. The Bible is infallible, however, so there is hope that if you read the Bible directly, God’s Holy Spirit can help you to understand the truth. As God works through me, He will be able to teach things to you through me, but only as I depend on Him. God will also do His work through you as you depend on Him. If we become self-righteous, we may become a tool for Satan to do his work.