“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety,
so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”
(2 Cor 11:3, KJV)
In the previous teaching we came to the conclusion that the snake managed to carry over onto Eve that which had caused him to fall before she could even partake of the wrong fruit. By creating a false expectation which deceived Eve into an imaginary world or thought construct he had ensnared her long before she actually sinned. Jam 1:13-15 explains the process in the following way – “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not placed in the garden by God to tempt man or to potentially trap him or test his obedience. As the fallen angel Lucifer had a right to be on earth (1 John 5:19; Matt 4:8-9); he also had a legitimate right to be in the garden of Eden. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was his offer of power to man. In the teachings of day 41 and 42 it is explained that in paradise the tree of life was the prototypical seed of the kingdom of God , while the kingdom of darkness was represented by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Remember: Satan became proud because of his knowledge – “With your wisdom and your understanding you have gained riches for yourself … By your great wisdom … you have increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches” (Ezek 28:4-5). By choosing from which tree to eat man also made a decision concerning which kingdom he would serve. This “knowledge” is mystic or secret knowledge, Greek gnosis, which can only be accessed once your third eye has been opened. (An important Scriptural error of translation which should be noted – when Satan tells Eve that if they eat of the fruit of that tree their eyes will be opened it should actually read that their eye will be opened – in the original language it is in singular, not plural form.)
In Isa 14:13-14 the Morningstar’s reasons are given for his aspirations to trump God through gnosis – “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ John Daniel points out that the Hebrew word I will links to the word prognosticate, which also means “having cunning knowledge through self-deception”! Satan thus attacks man PRIMARILY through his manner of thinking, and tricking him into a false thought construct which is directed by his sensual desires. God forbid that man touch (Hebrew: “extend to join”) the fruit. The alternative reality that you create already begins when you accommodate a false expectation where you and your desires are at the CENTER. Before Eve had extended herself to join the fruit she already started entertaining the thought of being like God, thus giving Satan the right to seduce her and subsequently miss her mark (=sin). This caused her spiritual death.
- Sela: Study the meaning of the word matrix and how it links with this teaching.
- Read: Jos 18 Ezra 1; Isa 34
- Memorise: Isa 34:8
- For a deeper understanding: Read chapter 3 of John McCarthur’s The love of God.
