A continuation of the controversy

had the power to make use of the Serpent and become like a life within it, with a mouth and voice, to betray the woman.

In this way, let men discern from the rod: there was no life in it, nor any form of a serpent within it, before it was worked by Satan’s power to turn it into that form. In exactly the same way, I tell you of the beginning: there was no knowledge given to the serpent of any command given to man, nor was there any understanding in the serpent of what man was created for above him. He was as ignorant of knowledge and as void of understanding as the rod was void of life, before the subtlety of Satan’s working was in him to be life, knowledge, and understanding. By the serpent, he used his arts to betray, just as he used his arts through Pharaoh’s magicians to harden Pharaoh’s heart and make him believe there was no power superior to the power Pharaoh already worshipped through his wise men and soothsayers diviners or fortune-tellers.

Know that I showed their arts to Moses before I sent him to Pharaoh, and then I showed him My power and how I would destroy them; and so I have told you that, in the end, I shall destroy the whole. Now, if men have the wisdom to discern what I have explained to you concerning the Serpent—and how Satan went on by arts, and what power he had to form the likeness of a serpent where there was none—then the eyes of men's understanding would be clearly opened to discern that in the form of a serpent, he had the power to betray.

Furthermore, from the power shown by the magicians to turn water into blood, it shows what power the devil has had in all ages to work in the hearts of mankind to cause war and bloodshed in every nation. For though by My power I have often gained the victories in war so My people could overcome their enemies in the end, yet great power has been given to their enemies to continue and conquer for a while.