The Last Enemy, Death, Brought to Nothing - A LOVING WARNING

Although they had the prospect of living forever, Adam and Eve were not immortal. To keep living, they had to breath, drink, sleep, and eat.  More important, their lives depended on their relationship with their Life-Giver.  (Deuteronomy 8:3) Accepting God's guidance would be essential  for their continuing to enjoy life.  Jehovah made this clear to Adam  even before Eve was created. How? "Jehovah God also gave this command to the man: 'From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction.  But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must  not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die."' - Genesis 2:16, 17.

"The tree of the  knowledge of good and bad" stood for God's right to determine ultimately what is good and what is bad.  Adam, of course, already had a sense of good and bad; he was created  in God's image and had a conscience.  The tree would indicate to Adam and Eve that they would always need Jehovah's direction. For them to eat of the tree would be claim moral independence, which would cause  enormous damage  to them and to the offspring the would produce. God's command with its penalty conveyed the gravity of such a course.

Next time: The Last Enemy, Death, Brought to Nothing - HOW DEATH ENTERED THE HUMAN FAMILY

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