"Truth about Ellen White Writings"

Chapter IV: Temptation and fall

1.      Description of serpent

SR, 32: “The serpent was most beautiful creature with wings and while flying through the air his appearance was bright, resembling burnished gold.”

PL, Book IX, 482- 515: “With burnished neck of verdant gold, erect amidst his circling spires, that on the grass floated redundant. Pleasing was his shape and lovely; never since of serpent–kind lovelier.”

PL, Book VII, 458 – 491: “Not all minims of nature, some of serpent- kind, wondrous in length and corpulence, involved their snaky folds, and added wings.”

2.      Adam and Eve were cautioned not to separate from each other

SR, 31: “Angels cautioned Eve not to separate from her husband in her employment, for she might be brought in contact with the fallen foe. If separated from each other they would be in greater danger than if both were together.”

PL, Book IX, 244-277: “For solitude sometimes is best society … But other doubt possesses me, lest harm befall thee, severed from me. For thou knowest what hath been warned us; what malicious foe envying our happiness, and of his own despairing, seeks to work us woe and shame … Or this, or worse, leave not the faithful side that gave thee being … safest and seemliest by her husband stays.”

PL, Book IX, 278-311: “From thee alone, which on us both at once the enemy, though bold, will hardly dare.”

3.      Eve separates from Adam

SR, 32: “Eve, unconsciously at first, separated from her husband in her employment.”

PL, Book IX, 210-243: “Let us divide our labour [suggests Eve]: thou, where choice leads thee or where most needs.”

PL, Book IX, 414-447: “He sought them both, but wished his hap might find Eve separate … beyond his hope, Eve separate his spies.”

4.      Satan (serpent) praises Eve’s beauty

SR, 33: “He extolled her beauty and excelling loveliness which was not displeasing to Eve.”

PL, Book IX, 516-549: “Fairest resemblance of thy maker fair, thee all things living gaze on … a goddess among gods … so glozed the tempter, and his proem tuned into the heart of Eve his words made way.”

5.      How Serpent acquired the gift of speech

SR, 34: “He stated that eating of the fruit of the tree forbidden to them was the reason he had attained the power of speech.”

PL, Book IX, 584-617: “Amid the tree now got, where plenty hung [the forbidden fruit] tempting, so nigh, to pluck and eat my fill I spared not…Sated at length, ere long I might perceive strange alteration in me, to decree of reason in my inward powers; and speech wanted not long; though to this shape retained.”

6.      Satan tells Eve that touching the fruit would not harm her

SR, 35: “Now, said the tempter, you are prohibited from even touching it lest you die. He told her that she would realise no more sense of evil and death in eating than in touching or handling the fruit.”

PL, Book IX, 686-719: “Look on me, me, who have touched and tasted, yet both live, and life more perfect have attained than fate meant me, by venturing higher than my lot.”

7.      Satan plucked the fruit and gave it to Eve

SR, 35: “The tempter plucked the fruit and passed it to Eve. She took it in her hand. She ate.”

PL, Book V, 77-110: “So saying, he drew nigh, and to me held, even to my mouth of that same fruit held part which he had plucked… I, methought, could not but taste.”(This was only a dream Eve had and not the real act).

PL, Book IX, 754-787: “So saying, her rash hand in evil hour, forth reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she ate.”

SR, 35: “She then plucked for herself of the fruit and ate.”

Note: According to Genesis account serpent did not give the fruit to Eve, she plucked it herself and ate.

8.      Adam’s reaction to eve’s eating the forbidden  fruit

SR, 35: “I saw sadness come over the countenance of Adam. He appeared afraid and astonished. A struggle appeared to be going on in his mind.”

PL, Book IX, 856-889; 894, 895: “Adam as soon as he heard the fatal trespass done by Eve, amazed, astonied stood and blank, while horror chill ran through his veins, and all his joints relaxed… Speechless he stood and pale, till thus at length First to himself he inward silence broke.”

9.      Adam regrets for Eve’s separating from him

SR, 36: “Adam had regretted that Eve had left his side.”

PL, Book IX, 1128-1161: “Would thou hadst hearkened to my words, and stayed with me, as I besought thee, when that strange desire of wandering, this unhappy morn … We had remained still happy.”

10.  Adam rebuked Eve

SR, 36: “Adam censured Eve’s folly in leaving his side.”

PL, Book IX, 892-923: “How hast thou yielded to transgress the strict forbiddance.”

PL, Book, IX, 1128- 1161: “Would thou hadst hearkened to my words, and stayed with me, as I besought thee.”

11.  Adam resolved to share Eve’s fate

SR, 36: “His love for Eve was strong. And in utter discouragement he resolved to share her fate. He reasoned that Eve was a part of himself, and if she must die, he would die with her, for he could not bear the thought of separation from her.”

PL, Book IX, 890- 923: “…for with thee certain my resolution is to die. How can I live without thee? How forego thy sweet converse,  and love so dearly joined,…should God create another Eve,…flesh of flesh, bone of bone thou art.”

PL, Book IX, 924-957: “However, I with thee have fixed my lot, certain to undergo like doom.”

12.  Adam and Eve realized they were naked

SR, 38: “They felt a dread of the future, a sense of want, a nakedness of soul… This light which had enshrouded them had departed. To relieve their sense of lack and nakedness which they realized, their attention was directed to seek a covering for their forms, for how could they meet the eye of God and angels unclothed?”

PL, Book IX, 1053- 1082: “Soon found thir Eyes how op’nd, and thir minds How dark’nd; innocence, that as a veile Had shadow’d them from knowing ill, was gon, Just confidence, and native righteousness

And honour from about them, naked left To guiltie shame hee cover’d,… Soon found thir Eyes how op’nd, and thir minds How dark’nd; innocence, that as a veile Had shadow’d them from knowing ill, was gon, Just confidence, and native righteousness And honour from about them, naked left To guiltie shame hee cover’d,… Bad Fruit of Knowledge, if this be to know, Which leaves us naked thus, of Honour void, Of Innocence, of Faith, of Puritie, How shall I behold the face Henceforth of God or Angel, earst with joy And rapture so oft beheld?”

13.  Effects of Sin on nature

SR, 38: “The air, that had been of a mild and even temperature, seemed to chill them.”

PL, Book XI, 151-184: “Nature first gave signs, impressed on bird, beast, air – air suddenly eclipsed.”

14.  Sorrow in heaven

SR, 39: “The news of man’s fall spread through heaven – every heart was hushed. The angels cast the crowns from their heads in sorrow. All heaven was in agitation … A council was held to decide what must be done to the guilty pair.”

PL, Book X, 1-34: “Soon as the unwelcome news from earth arrived at heaven-gate, displeased all were who heard. Dim sadness did not spare that time celestial visages, yet mixed with pity, violated not their bliss.”

Note: Though both Milton and Ellen White describe angels feeling sad, Ellen White added an extra detail that, ‘angels cast their crowns.’

15.  God’s council to deal with Adam’s sin

SR, 39: “A council was held to decide what must be done to the guilty pair.”

PL, Book X, 1-34: “Meanwhile the heinous and despiteful act of Satan, done in paradise … was known in heaven … when the Most High Eternal Father … assembled angels.”

PL, Book X, 35-68: “But fallen he is; and what rests, but that the mortal sentence pass on his transgression, denounce that day?”

16.  Adam and Eve believed the lies of Satan

SR, 40: “They had yielded to Satan’s deceptions and believed the words of Satan, that God would lie.”

PL, Book X, 35-68: “Man should be seduced, and flattered out of all, believing lies against his Maker.”

17.  Adam and Eve entreated to be permitted to remain in Eden

SR, 41: “They entreated [Lord or the angel] to be permitted to remain, although they acknowledged that they had forfeited all right to blissful Eden. They promised that they would in the future yield to God implicit obedience.”

PL, Book XI, 253-286, 287-320: Eve laments the thought of leaving Eden and wished to remain in Eden : “How shall I part, [Eve says to angel Michael] and wither wander down into a lower world…how shall we breath in other air less pure, accustomed to immortal fruits?” Although Adam too wished to remain, he well knew that God would not alter His sentence: “And, if by prayer incessant, I could hope to change the will of Him who all things can, I would not cease to weary Him with my assiduous cries. But prayer against His absolute decree no more avails than breath against wind…therefore to His great bidding I submit.”

18.  Angels were commissioned to guard the way to the tree of life

SR, 41: “Angels were commissioned to immediately guard the way of the tree of life. It was Satan’s studied plan that Adam and Eve should disobey God, receive His frown, and then partake of the tree of life, that they might perpetuate a life of sin. But holy angels were sent to debar their way to the tree of life. Around these angels flashed beams of light on every side, which had the appearance of glittering swords.”

PL, Book XI, 100-103, 11119-122: “Take to thee from among the Cherubim Thy choice of flaming Warriours, least the Fiend Or in behalf of Man, or to invade Vacant possession som new trouble raise…Where entrance up from Eden easiest climbes, Cherubic watch, and of a Sword the flame Wide waving, all approach farr off to fright, And guard all passage to the Tree of Life.”