The Household of God
Volume 1
The early history of mankind
- Chapter 115 -
THE SERPENT IN THE TREE
After this speech all tongues fell silent and everybody pondered more or less on the events of this day, praising and glorifying God in his heart for showing so much grace. Those who had already recognized Asmahael had their hearts, eyes and ears uninterruptedly concentrated on Him. Meanwhile Asmahael had a quiet talk with Abedam, but no one could hear what was being discussed.
2
Quite some time had passed when Eve suddenly screamed and wanted to flee; for when gazing at the beautifully entwined branches of the tree she discovered directly above her head a giant python.
3
When also the patriarchs caught sight of it, they jumped to their feet and wanted to escape the monster together with Eve.
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However, Asmahael blocked their way and commanded all to stay and not leave their places until he intimated to them to do so.
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And they all went back to their former places and calmly waited there with very little fear for what would follow.
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Then Asmahael stepped up to where the serpent was heaving to and fro and addressed it, saying: "Beast of anger and night! What are you cursed one seeking here?"
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And the serpent hissed its reply: 'The One Who keeps forever persecuting me so that I may destroy Him!"
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And Asmahael went on asking: "Who is He Whom you accuse of eternal persecution and want to destroy?"
9
The serpent said: "He is God from eternity and Creator of all things which He gave to me. Then He weakened because He saw my glory which surpassed His and ignited in the most violent fire of His rage, cursed me, took the glory from me and adorned the despicable worms of the earth with it so that they might become His images. But I was endowed with an eternal curse and given this abominable shape of a worm."
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And Asmahael became visibly angry and thundered the following words at the serpent: O Satan! How immeasurably great is your lie and how boundless your malice!
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"When have I cursed and persecuted you? When for eternities you kept fleeing from Me of your own accord and willfully came to the inviolable sphere of God's boundless holiness, wherein you would have been annihilated for all eternity, Who was it Who stretched out His long and mighty arm, seized you lovingly and placed you here where He wanted to make you equal to Himself?
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"However, there, too, your arrogance scorned the supreme love of the eternal, almighty, boundlessly holy great God. Shamefully you left the house I had created for you and wanted to destroy My work, you miserable liar, and to overthrow Me, you evil Satan.
13
"Look there! Adam, a house for you, is still alive without you and will live forever, and so will all his descendants. But from now on your seed shall be cursed. I will now set an irreconcilable enmity between your seed and that of the woman, which shall be your ruin. A woman will crush your head and your bite into her heel shall not destroy her.
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"And now off with you and vanish! Amen."
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And the evil monster promptly vanished.