[xzins]

Therefore, the Triune God existed (I Am) from eternity and was, by virtue of that Triunity of 3 persons, complete and entire in Himself.

The above was my answer to what God was doing pre-creation.

Satan/serpent in the Garden is a theme of Revelation in which John identifies them as one and the same. Not being a braintrust, I always assumed it was some kind of possession what with serpents (snakes) also being part of the animal creation.

And, would God pardon Satan?

Why not? He doesn't immediately destroy Him at the end, but rather locks him up for a 1000 years.

[Alamo-Girl]

Truly, I suspect the questions concerning what God was doing before Creation and whether He pardoned Satan (Genesis v Job v Revelation) - and even the never-ending dispute over predestination v free will - derive from man's tendency to apply his arrow of time to God.

God, being Creator of "all that there is" - which includes time - is not delimited by any such thing as time, much less an arrow of time.

Or to put it another way, a thing is true because God says it. Time, whether a line, plane or volumetric, is irrelevant to God because He is not time-bound. We are.

Remember the former things of old: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; [I am] God, and [there is] none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: - Isaiah 46:9-10

For instance, Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, we are in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world. Christ is always the conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah and He is also always the Lamb of God.

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. - Revelation 13:8

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. - Revelation 5:6

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. - Hebrews 10:14

First cause and final cause are sensible to man as the observer because he is time-bound and perceives time as an arrow. But God has revealed His Name to us both as Alpha and Omega and I AM.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. – Revelation 1:8

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. - Exodus 3:14

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. - John 8:58

As soon then as he had said unto them, I am [he], they went backward, and fell to the ground. - John 18:6

Truly, man is not the measure of God..