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Q. Why is the sexual act of Eve with the Serpent called adultery? Should it not be called bestiality?
A. Good questions. Almost every believer of the message of Bro. Branham call the sexual act "adultery". Even though the sexual act was with the Serpent, a beast of the field, to call it "bestiality" gives a bad taste to many. In all actuality, the correct word to describe the act is simply "fornication".
For a better understanding, note the definition of the following words:
1. Marriage — A divine institution for the intimate union of two persons — a man and a woman. It is a permanent relationship (Matt.19:6).
2. Adultery — A single (or a married person) who lives with another person's spouse as man and wife commits adultery. Also applies to a married man or a married woman who lives with another as man and wife whether legally or illegally. (Where a nation permits it and the marriage is legal, the man is called a bigamist.) All adultery is fornication.
3. Fornication — The word comes from the Greek PORNEIA. It refers to illicit sexual intercourse between a man and a woman outside of holy wedlock. Incest, lesbianism, sodomy, male and female prostitutions are acts of fornication. Fornication with an animal is called bestiality. A single or married person (male or female) who commits any of such acts is called a FORNICATOR. A married man or a married woman who lies with another person of the opposite sex commits fornication and not adultery (though the sexual act is often called an adulterous act). Fornication includes adultery.
Hence, the right word to describe Eve's sexual sin with the Serpent is "fornication". It is not "adultery". She did not live with the Serpent. She was seduced by the Serpent and succumbed to temptation that resulted in her fornicating with him. It is not "bestiality" in any way. In bestiality, a bestial man forces himself on an animal.
The Serpent, though a beast, was more human-like and among all the animals his genetic affinity was closest to that of human to where they could mix.