Friday Morning Manna March 13, 2020
Nathaniel Fajardo email:[email protected]
What Fruit are You Eating? Of the Tree of Knowledge or the Tree of Life?
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
Deut. 29: 19, NKJV
We continue from last week quoting from E.G. White’s “Confrontation,” published originally under the title of “Redemption; or the Temptation of Christ in the Wilderness,” Review & Herald Publishing Association, pp. 12-15. They are in bold face and my comments with necessary references are in regular type:
“Eve went from the side of her husband, viewing the beautiful things of nature, delighting her senses with the colors and fragrance of the flowers, and admiring the beauty of the trees and shrubs. She was thinking of the restrictions which God had laid upon them in regards to the tree of knowledge. She was pleased with the beauty and the bounties which the Lord had furnished for the gratification of every want. They are all ours; for God has said, ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it.’ Gen. 2: 16, 17.
“Eve had wandered near the forbidden tree, and her curiosity was aroused to know how death could be concealed in the fruit of this fair tree.”
Old wisdom tells us not to judge a book by its cover. Just look at the “black old book”– the Bible! We should also not judge the fruit of a tree by how the tree looks. Eve learned it the hardest way possible. It is no coincidence that In the Bible trees are a symbol of man.
Curiosity for curiosity’s sake is bad in itself. But presumptuous and irreverent curiosity is even worse. It is the desire to know what is not necessary and therefore, God, in His wisdom, withholds from mortals. Remember, “Curiosity killed the cat.” Shouldn’t we learn from Eve instead of from the cat? Eve permitted her curiosity to control reason which led her into temptation and sin. Satan exploited the curiosity of Adam and Eve. What was Christ’s example and teaching on the matter? Let us learn from Him on how to deal with the questioner and handle his questions merely to gratify indolent and insolent curiosity—silence is eloquence, golden and is far stronger and more effective than a piercing rebuke!
“Herod was irritated by this silence. It seemed to indicate utter indifference to his authority. To the vain and pompous king, open rebuke would have been less offensive than to be thus ignored. Again he angrily threatened Jesus [God in the flesh!], who still remained unmoved and silent. The mission of Christ in this world was not to gratify idle curiosity. He came to heal the brokenhearted. Could He have spoken any word to heal the bruises of sin-sick souls, He would not have kept silent. But He had no words for those who would but trample the truth under their unholy feet. Christ might have spoken words to Herod that would have pierced the ears of the hardened [Jewish] king. He might have stricken him with fear and trembling by laying before him the full iniquity of his life, and the horror of his approaching doom [ ]. But Christ’s silence was the severest rebuke that He could have given. [Why?] Herod had rejected the truth spoken to him by the greatest of the prophets [John the Baptist], and no other message was he to receive. [The last in the line of these messenger-prophets, beginning with Elijah and on to John, was given as “the spirit of prophecy which is the testimony of Jesus” to the remnant church (Rev. 19: 10) revealed in and through the inspired pen of Mrs. E.G. White. Hers is the last—the very ones we have been quoting alongside in harmony with and magnifying, not replacing the Bible]. Not a word had the Majesty of heaven for him. The ear that had ever been open to human woe, had no room for Herod’s commands. Those eyes that had ever rested upon the penitent sinner in pitying, forgiving love had no look to bestow upon Herod. Those lips that had uttered the most impressive truth, that in tones of tender entreaty had pleaded with the most sinful and the most degraded, were closed to the haughty king who felt no need of a Savior.” (The Desire of Ages, p. 730).
Eve’s first major misstep was to wander away from the side of her husband. This “wandering” may not even be intentional but unconscious. Nevertheless, if commanded by God, it is a duty to Him to be ever conscious not to wander away for therein lies His protection, not yet deliverance. In hindsight the spiritually magnified meaning of this act is obvious and yet the same disobedience is repeated by modern-day Eves and the churches themselves, woman being a prophetic symbol of the church.
“The angels had cautioned Eve to beware of separating herself from her husband [the church separating from Christ!] while occupied in their daily labor in the garden; with him she would be in less danger from temptation than if she were alone. But absorbed in her pleasing task, she unconsciously wandered from his side. On perceiving she was alone, she felt and 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 [as with the three angels’ messages for the last days! Rev. 14: 6-12], 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 [she also audibly spoke out her thoughts], 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. . . . ”
“Such has been Satan’s work from the days of Adam to the present, and he has pursued it with greater success. He tempts men to distrust God’s love and to doubt His wisdom. He is constantly 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 man to disobedience, by leading them to believe they are entering a wonderful field of knowledge. But this is all a deception. [I posed the question in our past issue: “Which is deadlier: Deception of Temptation?” Which comes first?]. Elated with their ideas of progression, they are, by trampling upon God’s requirements, setting their feet in the path that leads to degradation and death.” (Patriarchs & Prophets, pp. 53, 54, 55.)
Eve’s second misstep was a direct result of the first. She not only temporarily wanders away from the side of Adam and then quickly returns to him when she senses it, instead she continues to wander farther away from him—and not towards the unforbidden tree of life but towards the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil! Inspiration tells us that these two trees stood close to each other right in the midst of Eden. – “At the very beginning of man’s existence a check was placed upon the desire for self-indulgence, the fatal passion that lay at the foundation of Satan’s fall. The tree of knowledge which stood near the tree of life in the midst of the garden, was to be a test of the obedience, faith, and love of our first parents.” (Patriarchs & Prophets, p. 48).
The falling away towards perdition is a gradual process of deterioration until one commits sin that merits death spoken of in Rom. 6: 23. See James. 1: 13-15.
“She was surprised to hear her queries taken up by a strange voice. ‘Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’ Eve was not aware that she had revealed her thoughts in audibly conversing with herself; therefore, she was greatly astonished to hear her questions repeated by a serpent. She really thought that 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 on the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
Notice: Eve said, “Neither shall ye touch it.” – “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 that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” In Eve’s controversy with the serpent, she added “Neither shall ye touch it.” Here the subtlety of the serpent appeared. The statement of Eve gave him advantage; he plucked the fruit and placed it in her hand, using her own words, He hath said, if ye touch it ye shall die. You see no harm comes to you from touching the fruit, neither will you receive any harm by eating it.” Confrontation, p. 14.
“Eve yielded to the lying sophistry of the devil in the form of a serpent. She ate the fruit, and realized no immediate harm. She then plucked the fruit for herself and for her husband . . . . Adam and Eve should have been perfectly satisfied with their knowledge of God derived from His created works and received by the instruction of the holy angels. But their curiosity was aroused to become acquainted with that of which God designed they should have no knowledge. It was for their happiness to be ignorant of sin [“the knowledge of evil”!]. The high state of knowledge to which they thought to attain by eating of the forbidden fruit, plunged them into the degradation of sin and guilt.” – Ibid, p, 15.
God’s specific warning and the corresponding consequences/rewards of its transgression are attested to by a plain “Thus saith the Lord” and “it is written” (spoken and written) command not to add or take away from His spoken and written word, were first given to ancient Israel, God’s chosen people up until the time they crucified Him, and onwards to spiritual Israel, the church of the Christian era. Hear and read the first one: “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you. You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take anything from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” Deut. 4: 1, 2, NKJV.
Now here’s its antitypical repetition embracing all mankind but particularly the Christian churches of the last days—spiritual Israel (divided into apostate Israel and faithful Israel, “the remnant of her (church) seed” “who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” : “For I testify to everyone who hears [spoken] the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city [the New Jerusalem from heaven], and from the things which are written in this book.” Rev. 22: 18, 19, NKJV.
“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 she and her husband should eat of the tree of knowledge [in contradistinction to the tree of life], their understanding would be enlightened, expanded, and ennobled, making them equal to Himself And the serpent answered Eve that the command of God, forbidding them to eat of the tree of knowledge, was given to keep them in such a state of subordination that they should not obtain knowledge, which was power. He assured her that the fruit of this tree was desirable above every other tree in the garden to make them wise, and to exalt them equal with God. He has, said the serpent, refused you the fruit of that tree which, of all trees, is the most desirable for its delicious flavor and exhilarating influence.” –Ibid, p. 14.
The fruit of disobedience appears “more desirable,” tastes “more delicious” and gives that “high” of an “exhilarating influence” to the yet-carnal in mind and heart—“the old man” in his “body of sin.” This is why all sincere, all-out, all-in efforts and methods to cure all kinds of addictions will not last. Fallen human nature, with all its accumulated sinful propensities for disobedience, inherent tendencies and weaknesses, the power of heredity and the moral depravity and spiritual degeneracy ravaging earth in these last days, as prophesied, are all conspiring against truth and righteousness. Satan is still very much alive, and in fact “knows his time is short” and is preparing for his last campaign against God’s truth and His people. The only way to obtain the complete victory over deception, temptation, the world, the flesh and the devil is to make sure we are partaking of the fruit of the tree of life, not of the tree of knowledge, living Christ’s life and putting on His s robe of righteousness. Here’s how:
“When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness.” COL 312. (To be continued next week)