In Genesis 3 we see a different type of creature show up, the serpent. This is the first mention of a “serpent” in the Bible and this one is certainly different from the rest of creation. This serpent is Satan in snake form. The Bible describes the serpent as more crafty than other animals (Gen 3:1) which will show up as he talks with the two humans in the garden. He was shrewd and a quick thinker as the Hebrew word describes. Snakes seem to have a bad connotation to them but that is due to this story. Snakes were a good part of God’s creation, they were not made inherently bad or evil.
What is interesting to note is that the curse the serpent receives after deceiving the humans is that he is cursed to crawl on his belly. This means that before the curse, it would have had legs or some other form of movement. It would not be much of a curse if he already slithered like a snake. Perhaps this was a different kind of serpent than the “snakes” we are used to seeing today.
In Genesis 3:21, after the fall, we see God using animal skins to cover the humans since they now know they are naked. This is the second act showing authority over animals. Sometimes humans use animals to meet their needs. However, this would never have happened in the perfect garden setting as they had no shame of their nakedness. This only happens as a result of their sin. Theologically, this would later lead to the animal sacrificial system Israel would use by sacrificing animals to “cover” for their sin. This was an act of grace by God to the humans and a foreshadow of the sacrificial system.
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