If we want to have good health, we must be able to trust God. If we are having any doubts that He is all-knowing, we are going to find ourselves standing by the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, just like Eve, getting our health information from the serpent or Satan. We must believe what God has revealed in His Word about health and we must be committed to obeying His instructions.
Adam and Eve were placed in the garden and were warned not to even go near the tree in the midst of the garden. This would be the only place that the fallen angel would be able to tempt them. They needed to believe that God loved them and His law of love must be obeyed. They were told the penalty for disobedience was death. Would they believe and obey, or would they make excuses to disobey as we so often do? Will we also face consequences if we continue to disobey? Will we think that God loves us too much to give us a consequence?
In this post, I will be sharing four important videos where I read from Patriarchs and Prophets, Chapter 4 called The Temptation and Fall, by Ellen G. White. I hope you will find the time to watch all 4 videos to the end.
I had just finished recording the first video, and I needed to change my location for another view of the creek. I was actually wishing for a serpent to video for the next reading since it would be more about Satan tempting Eve through the serpent. I didn’t exactly pray for such a thing, I was just thinking about it. As I was making my way on the trail by the creek, I was surprised to see a rattlesnake. What! How could this be? This was perfect, except for one thing. the snake went under a rock. I’m not exactly afraid of rattlesnakes, but I do have a healthy respect for them. There is always a good dose of adrenaline to keep me ready to react. I grabbed a nearby stick and brought the timid snake out into the open and put it where I thought I could video it. It was watching me, and knowing a bit of snake behavior, I knew it would prefer to lie still and hope I would go away. When a snake is slithering away, it is more vulnerable to attack and can’t strike out to protect itself. I also knew that I if made any sudden moves, it might prefer to flee. So, I was unable to set up my tripod and had to sit just about 5 feet away from the snake holding my camera with one hand while I attempted to read. I was using a Nikon which is much heavier than a cell phone and my arm got very tired. Was I afraid that this snake was going to attack me? No, because it was not aggressive when I brought it out from under the rock.
As you listen to this next reading, bear in mind that the serpent Eve saw was very beautiful and she was not at all afraid of it. Poisonous snakes tend to cause us great fear, for no one wants to get bit by one. Remember this, Satan’s lies are like poison. Don’t believe Him. Put your trust in God for he cannot lie.
In the next video, the serpent is given its consequence for being used as Satan’s medium. It was to be feared and crawl on its belly. Next Eve and then Adam receive their judgments.
After the snake so graciously let me video it, I left it alone so it could carry on with its life. No animals were killed or harmed in the making of these videos. I hope you enjoyed watching it while I read. For the next short video, we are back to seeing the beautiful creek. Don’t skip this video. It is about the sad results of sin and how death is now the portion of every living thing. Be blessed!