Was Satan the serpent in Genesis chapter 3?

Yes, the serpent in Genesis chapter 3 was Satan. Satan was either appearing as a serpent, possessing the serpent, or deceiving Adam and Eve into believing that it was the serpent that was talking to them. Serpents or snakes do not possess the ability to speak. Revelation 12:9 and 20:2 both describe Satan as “that ancient serpent,” a term that seems to refer to his role as the tempter in Eden:

The Bible does not say whether the serpent stood up or walked before the curse. If it was like other reptiles, it probably did walk on four legs. Some have suggested that the serpent may also have been able to fly, making its judgment even more dramatic. Some type of physiological change is apparent in Genesis 3:14: “So the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.’”

The fact that the serpent was cursed to crawl on its belly and “eat dust” also suggests that it would be forever despised. To this day, people tend to recoil from snakes as vile and contemptible creatures. The proverb “The only good snake is a dead snake” no doubt has its roots in the curse God pronounced on the serpent.

Why did God curse the serpent when it was actually Satan that led Adam and Eve into sin? Scripture does not say, but it could be that God chose to use the serpent as a constant reminder of Satan’s fall and the result of sin. Every time we see a snake, we can be reminded that sin brings loss. The curse on the serpent doubled as a curse on Satan himself. Satan has already lost his position in heaven. And, one day, in God’s time, Satan “will be brought down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit” (Isaiah 14:15, NASB; cf. Revelation 20:10; Ezekiel 28:18–19).