Expert: Matt - 7/7/2009

Question
QUESTION: Good day,
Isaiah 65 (latter half) describes the peaceful conditions of the earth made new. It says that dust will be the serpent's meat. Does this mean that the serpent will continue to eat dust in the earth made new?

ANSWER: Hi Owen,


Your question is very interesting.

Isaiah 65:25 tells us that snakes will no longer be a threat to us (either physically or spiritually), it will instead remain to us a symbol.

Genesis 3:14 also mentions that the serpent will eat dust. In this verse God put a curse on the snake.

The snake since Genesis has been linked with sin. With this in mind this species is now forever cursed, and will be a perpetual reminder to us of what the effects of sin are; even in the New Earth.


Thank you for such an interesting question.




Godbless,


Matt


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Matt,
Not to belabor this issue, but please consider this:
1. If the serpent remains in the state of 'eating dust for food in Heaven' this would mean that the original curse remains upon it even in the new earth, where all things are to be renewed and reonconciled.
2. If man, the one created in God's image, is fully renewed and reinstated to his original or even more glorious position, why is the serpent still left in this cursed state?
3. Can animals sin? Are they subjected to God's law?
4. The only creatures that will be transported to Heaven will be saved mankind, not animals. Therefore all the animals in Heaven would have originated there (in Heaven). So why would this curse be perpetuated upon creatures that have never even been on earth?
5. The only trace or reminder of sin that remains will be the scars on the glorious body of Jesus. See below:

ONLY ONE TRACE OF SIN REMAINS.--One reminder alone remains: Our Redeemer will ever bear the marks of His crucifixion. Upon His wounded head, upon His side, His hands and feet, are the only traces of the cruel work that sin has wrought. Says the prophet, beholding Christ in His glory: "He had bright beams coming out of His side: and there was the hiding of His power." Habakkuk 3:4, margin.
132
That pierced side whence flowed the crimson stream that reconciled man to God--there is the Saviour's glory, there "the hiding of His power." "Mighty to save," through the sacrifice of redemption, He was therefore strong to execute justice upon them that despised God's mercy. And the tokens of His humiliation are His highest honor; through the eternal ages the wounds of Calvary will show forth His praise and declare His power.--GC 674.
Heaven (2003), page 131, paragraph 3
Chapter Title: Chapter 14 - The End of Evil

God Bless,

Owen

Answer
Owen,


Thank you for giving me the chance to try this one again....



After reading some more information on Isaiah 65:25 I would have to agree with your answers.

Here is why...

Isaiah very well could have been using the serpent as a symbol as I stated before...but not necessarily of sin itself. What if he meant Satan himself the originator of sin? That would mean the "serpent" (Satan) would have been destroyed at the judgment i.e. "eating dust". Therefore we are left without a tempter and thus without worry. This explanation fits more into the context of the verse.   


Here are the answers to the new questions:

1. You have a good point on this one and I agree with you, there should not be any reason to have a snake be cursed in the New Earth. This is what lead me to do more research, rethink the serpent being a literal creature into another name for Satan.  

2. I think that this is covered in number 1.

3. No, animals cannot sin, and No they are not to be judged by Gods law. Sin just effects them (like a disease you could say), just like the plant life today.

4. No animals will be brought from the old earth to the new. Yet I guess He could if He so wished make the snake still not fly as a reminder.

5. I have read this before and agree with the scars of Jesus being the only remence of sin. I didn't think that having a snake crawling on its belly would conflict with this statement. How I perceived it was that snakes will no longer fly...this being caused by a snake being used by Satan to commit the original sin (on earth).  

I guess we will have to wait till then to see if the "new" snakes (serpents) will fly, crawl, or even exist in the New Earth?  :)  

Let me know what you think about the serpent as representing Satan in Isaiah 65:25.


Thanks for your response.



Matt