unconsciously wandered from his side. On perceiving that she was alone, she felt
an apprehension of danger, but dismissed her fears, deciding that she had sufficient
wisdom and strength to discern evil and to withstand it. Unmindful of the angels’
caution, she soon found herself gazing with mingled curiosity and admiration upon
the forbidden tree. The fruit was very beautiful, and she questioned with herself why
God had withheld it from them. Now was the tempter’s opportunity. As if he were able
to discern the workings of her mind, he addressed her: “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall
not eat of every tree of the garden?” Eve was surprised and startled as she thus seemed
to hear the echo of her thoughts. But the serpent continued, in a musical voice, with
subtle praise of her surpassing loveliness; and his words were not displeasing. Instead
of fleeing from the spot she lingered wonderingly to hear a serpent speak. Had she
been addressed by a being like the angels, her fears would have been excited; but she
had no thought that the fascinating serpent could become the medium of the fallen foe.
To the tempter’s ensnaring question she replied: “We may eat of the fruit of the
trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God
hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent
said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat
thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and
evil.”
By partaking of this tree, he declared, they would attain to a more exalted sphere
of existence and enter a broader field of knowledge. He himself had eaten of the
forbidden fruit, and as a result had acquired the power of speech. And he insinuated
that the Lord jealously desired to withhold it from them, lest they should be exalted to
equality with himself. It was because of its wonderful properties, imparting wisdom
and power, that he had prohibited them from tasting or even touching it. The tempter
intimated that the divine warning was not to be actually fulfilled; it was designed
merely to intimidate them. How could it be possible for them to die? Had they not
eaten of the tree of life? God had been seeking to prevent them from reaching a nobler
development and finding greater happiness.
Such has been Satan’s work from the days of Adam to the present, and he has
pursued it with great success. He tempts men to distrust God’s love and to doubt his
wisdom. He is constantly
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seeking to excite a spirit of irreverent curiosity, a restless, inquisitive desire to
penetrate the secrets of divine wisdom and power. In their efforts to search out
what God has been pleased to withhold, multitudes overlook the truths which he has
revealed, and which are essential to salvation. Satan tempts men to disobedience by
leading them to believe they are entering a wonderful field of knowledge. But this is
all a deception. Elated with their ideas of progression, they are, by trampling on God’s
requirements, setting their feet in the path that leads to degradation and death.
Satan represented to the holy pair that they would be gainers by breaking the law
of God. Do we not today hear similar reasoning? Many talk of the narrowness of those
who obey God’s commandments, while they themselves claim to have broader ideas
and to enjoy greater liberty. What is this but an echo of the voice from Eden, “In the
day ye eat thereof”—transgress the divine requirement—“ye shall be as gods”? Satan
claimed to have received great good by eating of the forbidden fruit, but he did not let
it appear that by transgression he had become an outcast from heaven. Though he had
found sin to result in infinite loss, he concealed his own misery in order to draw others
into the same position. So now the transgressor seeks to disguise his true character; he
may claim to be holy; but his exalted profession only makes him the more dangerous
as a deceiver. He is on the side of Satan, trampling upon the law of God, and leading
others to do the same, to their eternal ruin.
Eve really believed the words of Satan, but her belief did not save her from the
penalty of sin. She disbelieved the words of God, and this was what led to her fall.
In the judgment men will not be condemned because they conscientiously believed a
lie, but because they did not believe the truth, because they neglected the opportunity
of learning what is truth. Notwithstanding the sophistry of Satan to the contrary, it
is always disastrous to disobey God. We must set our hearts to know what is truth.
All the lessons which God has caused to be placed on record in his word are for our
warning and instruction. They are given to save us from deception. Their neglect will
result in ruin to ourselves. Whatever contradicts God’s word, we may be sure proceeds
from Satan.
The serpent plucked the fruit of the forbidden tree and placed it in the han
