Daily text, Tuesday, 9. February 2016

[Queen Esther]

Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree?—Gen. 3:1.

After preparing our beautiful planet for human habitation, Jehovah issued three decrees regarding humans: Our God would create mankind in his image, humans were to expand Paradise globally and fill the earth with righteous offspring, and humans were prohibited from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad. (Gen. 1:26, 28; 2:16, 17) After the creation of man, adherence to the other two decrees was all that was necessary to have God’s purpose fulfilled. In a villainous attempt to thwart God’s purpose, Satan the Devil instigated a rebellion. He did so by focusing his attention on the decree he could most easily influence—the one that required obedience on the part of man. He tempted the first woman, Eve, to disobey the prohibition regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and bad. (Gen. 3:1-5; Rev. 12:9) In doing so, Satan challenged God’s right to rule over His creation. w14 10/15 1:4, 5