Character Bio: The Serpent
| Domain & Significance | Key Prophetic Detail | The Law/Calendar Connection | The Return Question |
| The Source of the Curse and Adversary of the Seed | The Protoevangelium: The judgment pronounced on the Serpent (Genesis 3:15) contains the very first prophecy in the Bible—the Protoevangelium (“first gospel”)—foretelling the war between his “seed” and the “Seed of the woman” (Christ). | The Law of the Curse: His act of deception led directly to the establishment of the Law of the Curse upon the earth, resulting in toilsome labor and mortality, thereby violating the fundamental Law of the Covenant of Works given to Adam. | The Final Crushing: The ultimate fulfillment of Genesis 3:15 will occur at The Lord’s Return (παρovσιˊα), when the Second Adam (the Seed of the woman) definitively crushes the Serpent’s head, destroying his dominion, initiating the Millennial age, and completing the final judgment. |
| Meaning of Title: Nachash (נָחָשׁ) – “Shining One” or “Enchanter” (often associated with divinity/magic) | The Deceiver and Accuser: In the New Testament, the Serpent is identified as the Devil and Satan, the Accuser who stands against the righteous, a role that began with his deception in Eden. |
The Accuser: The Serpent, The Original Adversary of Prophecy
The Serpent (Nachash) is the ultimate adversary and the catalyst for the entire redemptive arc of Scripture, making its role foundational to understanding the Law, the Curse, and the certainty of The Lord’s Return. The very first prophecy given in the Bible is a declaration of war against this character.
The Original Breach of Law
The Serpent’s action in the Garden led to the catastrophic failure of the Covenant of Works given to Adam. The Serpent initiated the legal and moral breach by:
- Undermining Authority: Directly questioning and twisting God’s explicit command (Law).
- Introducing the Curse: His successful temptation led directly to the pronouncement of the universal Law of the Curse upon the ground and upon humanity (toil, pain, and death), fundamentally corrupting the cosmic and seasonal order established at Creation.
The Serpent’s initial victory established the need for the Kinsman-Redeemer (Go’el) to not only pay humanity’s debt but also to execute justice.
The Prophetic Blueprint (Protoevangelium)
The judgment against the Serpent in Genesis 3:15 is the earliest and most concentrated piece of prophecy in all of Scripture—known as the Protoevangelium (“first gospel”):
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
This prophecy outlines the entire conflict between the forces of evil (the Serpent’s seed) and the righteous lineage (the Seed of the woman, Christ). This promise establishes the fundamental legal and prophetic mandate that the Redeemer must suffer (bruise His heel) but will ultimately triumph through complete, definitive victory (crushing the head).
The Return Question: The Final Crushing
The Serpent’s existence is tied directly to the final event in prophecy: The Lord’s Return. The ultimate, complete, and final crushing of the Serpent’s head has not yet fully occurred.
The fulfillment of this prophecy will be achieved at the παρovσιˊα (Royal Advent) of the Second Adam. This climactic act will destroy the Serpent’s dominion, leading to his binding (Revelation 20:2), thereby removing the ultimate source of the curse and preparing the earth for the righteous, uncursed reign of the Messiah.