Dot # 2. Man was Given a “Voting Booth”
The “Tree of Life” was a daily reminder of the continual loving Providence of their Creator and their dependence on His blessings to live. Beside it, was the “Tree of knowledge of good and evil—the “voting booth” as to which master or God they would serve. They had freedom of choice to disobey and serve a different master at any time.

Dot # 3. The Warning.
Adam and Eve were warned of Lucifer’s rebellion and expulsion from heaven. They knew that a glorious angel had fallen and could seek entrance into their Paradise-Edenic home. But as time went by, Eve wandered away from Adam, and independently examined the two trees. This was Satan’s opportunity.

Dot # 4. Satan Selected a Medium
Satan was not permitted by God to appear in his angelic form to intimidate mankind. Nor did he desire to be recognized. Therefore he needed a disguise. He chose a beautiful creature to be his medium. The serpent then had wings and could fly from tree to tree. He caused this serpent to rest in the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and began a conversation with the unsuspecting woman. She was curious to hear a “talking serpent.” He began his conversation with the word, “Yes.” All restraint was removed. Then he asked a simple question that asked for a response. Eve was drawn into a trap. The subject under question was Satan’s old ground of complaint:--The Original Covenant with its statement of “disobey and die. Gen. 3:1-3. Satan then directly contradicted the word of God. “You shall not surely die.” Gen. 3:4. He then accused God of keeping them in a down-trodden state of ignorance. Gen. 3:5. (The serpent, with forked tongue, is a symbol of Satanic deceit.) He deceives the whole world. Eve chose to believe the serpent, and suspected God of an evil bent. She saw the fruit was good for food, would make her advanced in knowledge, and she felt proud of herself. She touched it, tasted it, ate it. She could hardly wait to give some to her husband. She imagined herself to be in a higher state of being.

Dot # 5. Man Violated the Terms of the Original Covenant
“…and [she] gave unto her husband, and he did eat.” Gen. 3:6. Adam saw her coming. She was holding something in her hands. Bringing something to share with him. Something good to eat! He knew that she was taken from his rib and that she was bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh—they were “one.” He loved her with all his heart. She was smiling and always delighted him with her beauty. He looked down to see what she had brought. He recognized the fruit, and a feeling of horror gripped him. She saw his look of concern. She told him of her strange and interesting conversation with the talking serpent and that he had assured her that she would not die! She told him that the fruit was most delicious and obviously she had not died. He remembered the terms of the Original Covenant and knew that she would die. He made a quick decision. In his love for her, he determined to share her
fate. They would die together. He quickly took the fruit and ate it. It was vey sweet!
He did not anticipate that the Creator God could give him another companion just as lovely. He did not realize that God always has a solution to all problems.

Dot # 6. They Lost their Garments of Light.
“And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked.” Gen. 3:7. After, Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, he noticed that the garment of light, which had clothed Eve, was disappearing. He was startled and shocked. As he looked down, he saw that he too had lost his garment of light and was naked. The invigorating atmosphere suddenly seemed to chill them. They both knew that they needed to be covered. “…they sewed fig leaves together and made aprons.” Gen. 3:7.

Dot # 7. Sin is Followed by Guilt and Shame.
As the evening drew on, they knew that “in the cool of the day” around sundown, that Heavenly beings would visit them, and perhaps it would be Michael, Himself, the Second Person of the Godhead. They dreaded to face Him. They decided to hide behind the large trees in th garden.

Dot # 8. Heaven to the Rescue.
The guardian angels had not been permitted to interfere with the decision or the “vote” at the tree of knowledge of good and evil,” but faithfully took a report of the action to heaven. Angels wept. They were indignant that Satan had used trickery to gain the new, beautiful planet as his proving ground. What could be done for the two miserable victims that had sold out their very lives to that deceiver? The angels offered to die in their place. But Michael told them that they, as angels, were created beings and could die, but not for another. Only that He, as God, had life in quantity and quality to die for others and give life to recreate them again. He assured them that He would go down to the garden of Eden to provide a way of escape for them and their children, if they would be willing to cooperate with the plan of salvation.

Dot # 9. Sinners Blame God for their Problems.
When the Lord [Michael] called to them, “Adam where art thou?” Adam confessed “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Gen.. 3:10. The Lord then asked him, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded you that you should not eat? It is almost impossible for sinners to take the blame or responsibility for their mistakes and sins. They use devices to deny their errors:--justification, denial, projection, finger pointing, excuses, and blame one another. Often the blame is laid upon God, Himself!

Dot # 10. Satan Quaranteened to this planet.
Adam blamed the woman that God had given him. Eve blamed the serpent that God had made and said that “he beguiled (trapped) me.” Gen. 3:12-14. Neither one was aware nor mentioned the part that Satan had done. But the Lord Michael immediately addressed the real culprit. He spoke to the serpent,but only as a symbol of Satan. He said to the serpent, “You are cursed…[your wings are being removed] upon thy belly shalt thou go, and thou shalt eat dust [of this planet] all the days of thy life.” Gen. 3:14. To Satan he was saying, “I am removing your “wings” [so that you are no longer free to roam the universe but will be quaranteened to this planet, earth, and will live on its dust and in the dirt, all the rest of the days of your life.] Satan was permitted to attend the counsels in heaven as representative of this planet to take Adam’s place, but not to roam the universe to annoy the intelligences of other worlds. (See Job 1:6-12. and 2:1-7.)

Dot # 11. God’s Curses Were to be Blessings to Fallen Man.
To the woman, who had been made from a rib in Adam’s side which made her his equal, The Lord, Michael, predicted the results of her sin: her husband would rule over her and she would bear children in pain. God knew the end from the beginning and saw that most of the world would be lost, so that to bring forth enough to establish His kingdom here on earth, multitudes would be lost along the way. Therefore, he said, “I will multiply thy sorrow and thy conception. Demotion is always a “bitter pill.” But the Lord knew that in a world of sin, every household would become a scene of strife and hate unless one should be the head, and the other submissive. At the same time, by her submission, she would gain her husband’s protective devotion and love. By learning obedience, she would receive the blessing of a happy home and her load would be lightened along the way. She would be the queen of her household, respected and admired. But she must learn the lessons of unselfish service, of respect and submission.

Dot # 12. Work is a Blessing to Man.
Man must learn lessons of unselfish responsibility. To Adam, the results of sin and disobedience were given as follows: A. Out of the ground you were taken, for dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return. [ According to the terms of the Original Covenant you will finally die.] B. Cursed is the ground for your sake. [Hard work will be good for you.] Thorns and thistles shall It bring forth, and by the sweat of thy face, you shall eat bread.” C. Sorrow and disappointments will follow you all the days of your life. You were on a “fruitarian” diet. But now “thou shalt eat the herb “vegetables” of the Field.” Now that sin will affect your body and you will deteriorate, you will need the green herb to act as medicine to prolong your life. Gen. 3:18. In every curse there lies a hidden blessing. Satan planned to have mankind eat of the Tree of life and live as his slaves where he and his angels could cause misery and suffering forever. But death was a relief provided by God to escape the tormentor. Work in the fields, even contending with weeds and bad weather, has been a great blessing to man as he gets satisfaction from his work so that he can accomplish much and support his family. The sorrows of life are a school in which patience and kindness are learned, and the character is fitted for heaven.

Man must learn the consequences of disobedience before he can become a citizen of God’s sinless society of heaven or the New Earth. He must die to self serving and learn the Law of Love. He must be re-educated to reflect the character of God. He was created “in the image of God” and must return to that state to fit into God’s kingdom. When he understands all this, and determines to serve and love God with all His heart, and soul and mind, there is a plan of salvation, by which he can attain eternal life.
That is the next picture that may be drawn by connecting the dots.