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Patriarchs and Prophets
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 seeking to
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