From Eternity Past

Page 16

Chapter 3—The Predicament of Our First Parents This chapter is based on Genesis 3. No longer free to stir up rebellion in heaven, Satan found a new field in plotting the ruin of the human race. Moved by envy, he determined to bring upon them the guilt and penalty of sin. He would change their love to distrust and their songs of praise to reproaches against their Maker. Thus he would not only plunge these innocent beings into misery but cast dishonor upon God, and cause grief in heaven. {EP 22.1} Heavenly messengers opened to our first parents the history of Satan’s fall and his plots for their destruction, unfolding the nature of the divine government which the prince of evil was trying to overthrow. {EP 22.2} The law of God is a revelation of His will, a transcript of His character, the expression of divine love and wisdom. The harmony of creation depends upon perfect conformity to the law of the Creator. Everything is under fixed laws, which cannot be disregarded. But man alone, of all that inhabits the earth, is amenable to moral law. To man, God has given power to comprehend the justice and beneficence of His law, and of man unswerving obedience is required. {EP 22.3} Like the angels, the dwellers in Eden had been placed upon probation. They could obey and live, or disobey and perish. He who spared not the angels that sinned, could not spare them; transgression would bring upon them misery and ruin. {EP 22.4} The angels warned them to be on guard against the devices of Satan. If they steadfastly repelled his first insinuations, they would be secure. But should they once yield to temptation, their nature would become so depraved that in themselves they would have no power, and no disposition, to resist Satan. {EP 22.5} The tree of knowledge had been made a test of their obedience and love to God. If they should disregard His will in this particular, they would incur guilt. Satan was not to follow them with continual temptations; he could have access to them only at the forbidden tree. {EP 23.1} To accomplish his work unperceived, Satan employed a disguise. The serpent was one of the wisest and most beautiful creatures. It had dazzling brightness. Resting in the forbidden tree, regaling itself with the delicious fruit, it was an object to arrest attention and delight the eye. Thus in the garden of peace lurked the destroyer. {EP 23.2} The angels had cautioned Eve to beware of separating from her husband. With him she would be in less danger than if alone. But she unconsciously wandered from his side. Unmindful of the angel’s caution, she soon found herself gazing with mingled curiosity and admiration upon the forbidden tree. The fruit was beautiful, and she questioned why God had withheld it from them. {EP 23.3} Now was the tempter’s opportunity. “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Eve was startled to hear the echo of her thoughts. The serpent continued with subtle praise of her surpassing loveliness, and his words were not displeasing. Instead of fleeing from the spot, she lingered. She had no thought that the fascinating serpent could be the medium of the fallen foe. {EP 23.4} 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 15


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Chapter 73 A Man After God’s Own Heart

11min
pages 304-307

Chapter 71 David’s Sin of Adultery and His Repentance

11min
pages 291-294

Chapter 72 The Rebellion of Absalom, David’s Son

25min
pages 295-303

Chapter 70 The Prosperous Reign of David

17min
pages 285-290

Chapter 69 David at Last Crowned King

5min
pages 283-284

Chapter 68 David’s Heavy Trial

8min
pages 280-282

Chapter 67 Ancient and Modern Spiritualism

5min
pages 278-279

Chapter 65 The Largeheartedness of David

17min
pages 269-274

Chapter 66 Saul Takes His Own Life

8min
pages 275-277

Chapter 63 David Kills Goliath

9min
pages 261-263

Chapter 64 David Flees

14min
pages 264-268

Chapter 62 David Anointed as King

5min
pages 259-260

Chapter 61 Saul Rejected as King

11min
pages 255-258

Chapter 60 Saul Makes a Terrible Mistake

11min
pages 251-254

Chapter 59 Saul, the First King of Israel

17min
pages 245-250

Chapter 57 Punishment: The Ark Taken

17min
pages 236-241

Chapter 58 The Schools of the Prophets

8min
pages 242-244

Chapter 55 God Calls the Child Samuel

6min
pages 232-233

Chapter 54 Samson, the Strongest Yet Weakest Man

14min
pages 227-231

Chapter 56 Eli and His Wicked Sons

5min
pages 234-235

Chapter 53 The Judges, Deliverers of Israel

20min
pages 220-226

Chapter 52 Annual Feasts of Rejoicing

7min
pages 217-219

Chapter 51 God’s Care for the Poor

9min
pages 214-216

Chapter 50 The Blessing of Tithes and Offerings

2min
page 213

Chapter 49 The Last Words of Joshua

5min
pages 211-212

Chapter 48 Home at Last

17min
pages 205-210

Chapter 47 A Canaanite Tribe Deceives Israel

5min
pages 203-204

Chapter 45 The Miraculous Fall of Jericho

14min
pages 196-200

Chapter 46 The Blessings and the Curses

5min
pages 201-202

Chapter 44 Crossing the Jordan

9min
pages 193-195

Chapter 37 Moses Fails on the Border of Canaan

9min
pages 165-167

Chapter 43 The Death of Moses

11min
pages 189-192

Chapter 41 How Balaam Led Israel Into Sin

11min
pages 182-185

Chapter 42 God Teaches His Law to a New Generation

9min
pages 186-188

Chapter 40 Balaam Tries to Curse Israel

16min
pages 176-181

Chapter 39 The Conquest of Bashan

8min
pages 173-175

Chapter 38 Why the Long Journey Around Edom

14min
pages 168-172

Chapter 36 Forty Years of Wandering in the Wilderness

5min
pages 163-164

Chapter 35 Korah Leads a Rebellion

11min
pages 159-162

Chapter 34 Twelve Spies Survey Canaan

11min
pages 155-158

Chapter 33 The Terrible Murmurings of God’s People

11min
pages 151-154

Chapter 31 The Sin of Nadab and Abihu

2min
page 145

Chapter 32 The Grace of Christ and the New Covenant

14min
pages 146-150

Chapter 30 The Sanctuary: God’s Dwelling Place in Israel

20min
pages 138-144

Chapter 29 Satan’s Hatred of God’s Law

14min
pages 133-137

Chapter 28 Israel Worships a Golden Calf

19min
pages 126-132

Chapter 27 God Gives His Law on Mount Sinai

14min
pages 121-125

Chapter 26 Israel Meets With Difficulties

14min
pages 116-120

Chapter 25 The Israelites Leave Egypt

8min
pages 113-115

Chapter 23 The Ten Plagues of Egypt

20min
pages 103-109

Chapter 22 Moses, the Leader of God’s People

18min
pages 97-102

Chapter 24 The First Passover

9min
pages 110-112

Chapter 21 Joseph and His Brothers

28min
pages 87-96

Chapter 20 The Amazing Story of Joseph

11min
pages 83-86

Chapter 19 Jacob Comes Home

11min
pages 79-82

Chapter 18 Jacob’s Terrible Night of Wrestling

11min
pages 75-78

Chapter 17 Jacob’s Flight and Exile

12min
pages 71-74

Chapter 16 Jacob and Esau

8min
pages 68-70

Chapter 15 Isaac’s Marriage: The Happiest in the Bible

11min
pages 64-67

Chapter 14 The Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah

14min
pages 59-63

Chapter 13 The Offering of Isaac: Test of Faith

14min
pages 54-58

Chapter 11 Abraham, the Father of All Believers

8min
pages 46-48

Chapter 12 Abraham, a Good Neighbor in Canaan

14min
pages 49-53

Chapter 10 When Languages Were Changed

5min
pages 44-45

Chapter 9 The Beginning of the Literal Week

8min
pages 41-43

Chapter 7 When the World Was Destroyed by Water

15min
pages 34-39

Chapter 6 Seth: When Men Turned to God

12min
pages 29-33

Chapter 8 After the Flood, a New Beginning

3min
page 40

Chapter 5 The First Murderer and His Victim

8min
pages 26-28

Chapter 3 The Predicament of Our First Parents

14min
pages 16-21

Chapter 4 The Plan of Redemption Is Unveiled

9min
pages 22-25

Chapter 1 Why Was Sin Permitted?

11min
pages 8-11

Chapter 2 Creation: God’s Answer to Evolution

9min
pages 12-15
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