Eve had thought herself capable of deciding between
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right and wrong. The flattering hope of entering a higher state of
knowledge had led her to think that the serpent was her especial friend,
possessing a great interest in her welfare. Had she sought her husband,
and they had related to their Maker the words of the serpent, they would
have been delivered at once from his artful temptation. The Lord would
not have them investigate the fruit of the tree of knowledge, for then they
would be exposed to Satan masked. He knew that they would be perfectly
safe if they touched not the fruit.
Man’s Freedom of Choice
God instructed our first parents in regard to the tree of knowledge,
and they were fully informed relative to the fall of Satan, and the danger
of listening to his suggestions. He did not deprive them of the power of
eating the forbidden fruit. He left them as free moral agents to believe
His word, obey His commandments, and live, or believe the tempter,
disobey, and perish. They both ate, and the great wisdom they obtained
was the knowledge of sin and a sense of guilt. The covering of light about
them soon disappeared, and under a sense of guilt and loss of their divine
covering, a shivering seized them, and they tried to cover their exposed
forms.
Our first parents chose to believe the words, as they thought, of a
serpent; yet he had given them no tokens of his love. He had done nothing
for their happiness and benefit, while God had given them everything that
was good for food and pleasant to the sight. Everywhere the eye might
rest was abundance and beauty; yet Eve was deceived by the serpent, to
think that there was something withheld which would make them wise,
even as God. Instead of believing
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and confiding in God, she basely distrusted His goodness and cherished
the words of Satan.
After Adam’s transgression he at first imagined that he felt the rising
to a new and higher existence. But soon the thought of his transgression
terrified him. The air, that had been of a mild and even temperature,
seemed to chill them. The guilty pair had a sense of sin. They felt a
dread of the future, a sense of want, a nakedness of soul. The sweet
love and peace and happy contented bliss seemed removed from them,
and in its place a want of something came over them that they had never
experienced before. They then for the first time turned their attention to
the external. They had not been clothed but were draped in light as were
the heavenly angels. This light which had enshrouded them had departed.
To relieve their sense of lack and nakedness which they realized, their
attention was directed to seek a covering for their forms, for how could
they meet the eye of God and angels unclothed?
Their crime is now before them in its true light. Their transgression
of God’s express command assumes a clearer character. Adam censured
Eve’s folly in leaving his side and being deceived by the serpent. They
both flattered themselves that God, who had given them everything to
make them happy, might yet excuse their disobedience because of His
great love to them and that their punishment would not be so dreadful
after all.
Satan exulted in his success. He had now tempted the woman to
distrust God, to question His wisdom, and to seek to penetrate His all-wise
plans. And through her he had also caused the overthrow of Adam, who,
in consequence of his love for Eve, disobeyed the command of God and
fell with her.
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The news of man’s fall spread through heaven—every harp was
hushed. The angels cast their crowns from their heads in sorrow. All
heaven was in agitation. The angels were grieved at the base ingratitude
of man in return for the rich bounties God had provided. A council was
held to decide what must be done with the guilty pair. The angels feared
that they would put forth the hand and eat of the tree of life, and thus
perpetuate a life of sin.
The Lord visited Adam and Eve, and made known to them the
consequence of their disobedience. As they heard God’s majestic
approach they sought to hide themselves from His inspection, whom they
delighted, while in their innocence and holiness, to meet. “And the Lord
God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I
heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I
hid myself. And He said, Who told Thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou
eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?”
This question was asked by the Lord, not because He needed information,
but for the conviction of the guilty pair. How didst thou become ashamed
and fearful? Adam acknowledged his transgression, not because he was
penitent for his great disobedience, but to cast reflection upon God. “The
woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and
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I did eat.” The woman was then addressed: “What is this that thou hast
done?” Eve answered, “The serpent beguiled me,
