Transcript
ADAM, EVE & THE SERPENT
Q&A 05: Eve Ate, Appeared Wise, and Did Not Immediately Die
QUESTION
Adam clearly saw his wife eat the forbidden fruit. She did not visibly die at once; instead, she appeared to become wise. Was that not a sign that the Serpent was telling the truth and that Adam should follow her example?
RESPONSE
Adam first observed the apparent sign and wonder of his wife eating from the forbidden tree without visible harm. She even appeared to have become wise. Yet this was a false appearance, and Adam foolishly trusted it at the expense of obeying God. Many Christians are similarly deceived by pastors, general overseers, prophets, apostles, and so-called fathers in the Lord. Their interpretations either force God’s severity and warnings to blend into hyper-grace and prosperity messages, or dismiss those warnings as merely Old Testament ideas and unenlightened opinions from earlier ministers. Such teachers often use false signs, testimonies, exaggerated stories, hype, miracles, signs, and wonders to sell deception to people. Adam likewise believed and listened to his wife at the direct expense of obeying God. The man of God from Judah made a similar mistake when he trusted the signs and words of an elderly prophet instead of obeying God’s direct instruction, as recorded in First Kings chapter thirteen. A visible sign never outranks the direct word of God.