God's Sabbath

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E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

To ensure this, Satan implied that it was no use turning to God, for had He not created the problem? Was it not God who had tried to prevent her and her husband from eating of the one tree which would give them full equality with Himself? God would certainly not clear up the difficulty He had deliberately initiated in order to preserve His own position. Thoroughly captivated by these specious arguments, Eve found herself desiring this promised exaltation more than anything she had ever known, and was convinced that the on ly person to whom she could entrust the problem was herself. The apparent solution was readily accessible, for all she had to do was reach out, pluck the fruit, and eat it, which she eventually did. “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wis dom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her hus band, who was with her, and he ate it.” Genesis 3:6. Satan rejoiced as he saw his objectives realized. He had set out to persuade Eve to transfer the role of Problem Solver from God to herself, and this was exactly what she had done. He knew perfectly well that God had not blundered in His creative work. He understood that the holy pair would die if they ate the forbidden fruit, and was fully aware that he, not God, was the liar. How different the history of the world would have been if Eve and also Adam had known, trusted and followed God’s ways that day instead of their own.

Adam Tempted

Eve did not, of course, have the problems which Satan led her to believe she did, but when she went to her husband carrying Satan’s lies on her tongue and the forbidden fruit in her hands, Adam found himself in a really serious dilemma. He knew that his companion had transgressed the specific command of their Maker and was doomed to certain death. But how could he bear to be separated from her? Should he obey God or comply with his wife’s wishes?