The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Satan and the Serpent in the Garden...Who is Who?

In the garden during the time when God was addressing the serpent and pronouncing the curse, can you clearly explain (as if explaining to a child) the following:
1. Who was God addressing?
2. Where was Satan and where was the Serpent? What was their relationship at the time of the curse?
2. Who was being cursed?
3. What was the specific curse for each?
4. In what way was the curse specifically applied to each at the time and to this day?
5. Who is to crawl on their belly? The serpent or Satan?
6. Who is referred to as an animal a crafty beast? Satan or the Serpent?
7. Is the Devil a Serpent? Is the Serpent the Devil?
Thank you for the clarification... Michael

I'd be interested to see how YOU would answer those 7 questions. Have you come to even a tentative conclusion for them?

Well, I am not certain of the specific answers of each question. The context does not answer the question clearly. It seems at least to show the following:

Two names are applied to this creature in the garden. Satan (later in scripture) and the serpent (in the current context). That does not necessarily mean there are two different creatures, only one creature with two names. The creature seems to be addressed as one and cursed as one by God.

Unless, Satan is indeed now a serpent that runs along on the ground on his belly, which was part of the curse, there must have been more than one entity present. On the other hand, maybe that is the case and has been Satan's basic form (a serpent) since the fall. Is there any place in scripture that would teach the Devils basic form is something else other than a serpent? He may have the ability to be a "shapeshifter" so to speak, but perhaps must always default to a serpent form because of the curse.

That might be the best I can surmise at this point... Thanks... Michael