Rebellious Angels Are Cast Out, and Adam and Eve Fall
41
speak. He extolled her beauty and exceeding loveliness, which was
not displeasing to Eve.
Eve was beguiled, flattered, infatuated.—
The Spirit of Prophecy
1:35, 36
.
She [Eve] really thought the serpent had a knowledge of her
thoughts, and that he must be very wise. She answered him, “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.” [
Genesis 3:2-5
.]
Here the father of lies made his assertion in direct contradiction to
the expressed word of God. Satan assured Eve that she was created
immortal, and that there was no possibility of her dying. He told
her that God knew that if they ate of the tree of knowledge their
understanding would be enlightened, expanded, and ennobled, making
them equal with Himself.... Eve thought the discourse of the serpent
very wise.... She looked with longing desire upon the tree laden with
fruit which appeared very delicious. The serpent was eating it with
apparent delight.
Eve had overstated the words of God’s command. He had said to
Adam and Eve, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt
surely die.” In Eve’s controversy with the serpent, she added the clause,
“Neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Here the subtlety of the serpent
[55]
was seen. This statement of Eve gave him advantage.—
The Review
and Herald, February 24, 1874
.
By partaking of this tree, he [Satan] 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.—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 54
.
Eve’s curiosity was aroused. Instead of fleeing from the spot, she
listened to hear a serpent talk. It did not occur to her mind that it
might be that fallen foe, using the serpent as a medium.—
The Spirit
of Prophecy 1:36
.