As it happened, the snake was the only one low enough to let the devil speak thru himself.

Today, we have lots of people to replace the snake.
All you have to do is watch the Super-bowl half time for the last 2 years. It's right there in your face.
Or any number of imams, or some Vatican spokesman, the big list goes on an on.

but I will get back on topic.
The tree was simply a test. Notice the snake led them to the tree of knowledge.
He does the same thing today.
Knowledge rather than Life is very popular in the cults.
All the BS of "Hidden knowledge" / "Secrets", that only the intimates receive- like a carrot dangled out before the horse and when he gets it- he finds it wasn't the whole thing, so more carrots are dangled out.
He spends a lifetime pursuing and the devil hopes he dies trying to find all the fake knowledge and never comes to the truth.
An "I gotcha" realized.
I see the same thing here.
No, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was a test, the devil was the teacher, the students failed miserably.
But the tree of Life is still beckoning- only from Heaven.