are　dishonoring　Him；　and　their　influence；　instead　of　drawing　others　to
  Christ；　tends　to　repel
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  them　from　Him。　They　are　unproductive　trees；　that　spread　their　dark　branches
  far　and　wide；　shutting　away　the　sunlight　from　other　plants；　and　causing　them
  to　droop　and　die　under　the　chilling　shadow。　The　lifework　of　these　persons
  will　appear　as　a　never…ceasing　witness　against　them。　They　are　sowing　seeds
  of　doubt　and　skepticism　that　will　yield　an　unfailing　harvest。
  There　is　but　one　course　for　those　to　pursue　who　honestly　desire　to　be　freed
  from　doubts。　Instead　of　questioning　and　caviling　concerning　that　which　they
  do　not　understand；　let　them　give　heed　to　the　light　which　already　shines　upon
  them；　and　they　will　receive　greater　light。　Let　them　do　every　duty　which　has
  been　made　plain　to　their　understanding；　and　they　will　be　enabled　to
  understand　and　perform　those　of　which　they　are　now　in　doubt。
  Satan　can　present　a　counterfeit　so　closely　resembling　the　truth　that　it
  deceives　those　who　are　willing　to　be　deceived；　who　desire　to　shun　the
  self…denial　and　sacrifice　demanded　by　the　truth；　but　it　is　impossible　for
  him　to　hold　under　his　power　one　soul　who　honestly　desires；　at　whatever　cost；
  to　know　the　truth。　Christ　is　the　truth　and　the　〃Light；　which　lighteth　every
  man　that　cometh　into　the　world。〃　John　1：9。　The　Spirit　of　truth　has　been　sent
  to　guide　men　into　all　truth。　And　upon　the　authority　of　the　Son　of　God　it　is
  declared：　〃Seek；　and　ye　shall　find。〃　〃If　any　man　will　do　His　will；　he　shall
  know　of　the　doctrine。〃　Matthew　7：7；　John　7：17。
  The　followers　of　Christ　know　little　of　the　plots　which　Satan　and　his　hosts
  are　forming　against　them。　But　He　who　sitteth　in　the　heavens　will　overrule
  all　these　devices　for　the　accomplishment　of　His　deep　designs。　The　Lord
  permits　His　people　to　be　subjected　to　the　fiery　ordeal　of　temptation；　not
  because　He　takes　pleasure　in　their　distress　and　affliction；　but　because　this
  process　is　essential　to　their　final　victory。　He　could　not；　consistently　with
  His　own　glory；　shield　them　from　temptation；　for　the　very　object　of　the　trial
  is　to　prepare　them　to　resist　all　the　allurements　of　evil。
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  Neither　wicked　men　nor　devils　can　hinder　the　work　of　God；　or　shut　out　His
  presence　from　His　people；　if　they　will；　with　subdued；　contrite　hearts；
  confess　and　put　away　their　sins；　and　in　faith　claim　His　promises。　Every
  temptation；　every　opposing　influence；　whether　open　or　secret；　may　be
  successfully　resisted；　〃not　by　might；　nor　by　power；　but　by　My　Spirit；　saith
  the　Lord　of　hosts。〃　Zechariah　4：6。
  〃The　eyes　of　the　Lord　are　over　the　righteous；　and　His　ears　are　open　unto
  their　prayers。　。　。　。　And　who　is　he　that　will　harm　you；　if　ye　be　followers　of
  that　which　is　good？〃　1　Peter　3：12；　13。　When　Balaam；　allured　by　the　promise
  of　rich　rewards；　practiced　enchantments　against　Israel；　and　by　sacrifices　to
  the　Lord　sought　to　invoke　a　curse　upon　His　people；　the　Spirit　of　God　forbade
  the　evil　which　he　longed　to　pronounce；　and　Balaam　was　forced　to　exclaim：
  〃How　shall　I　curse；　whom　God　hath　not　cursed？　or　how　shall　I　defy；　whom　the
  Lord　hath　not　defied？〃　〃Let　me　die　the　death　of　the　righteous；　and　let　my
  last　end　be　like　his！〃　When　sacrifice　had　again　been　offered；　the　ungodly
  prophet　declared：　〃Behold；　I　have　received　commandment　to　bless：　and　He　hath
  blessed；　and　I　cannot　reverse　it。　He　hath　not　beheld　iniquity　in　Jacob；
  neither　hath　He　seen　perverseness　in　Israel：　the　Lord　his　God　is　with　him；
  and　the　shout　of　a　King　is　among　them。〃　〃Surely　there　is　no　enchantment
  against　Jacob；　neither　is　there　any　divination　against　Israel：　according　to
  this　time　it　shall　be　said　of　Jacob　and　of　Israel；　What　hath　God　wrought！〃
  Yet　a　third　time　altars　were　erected；　and　again　Balaam　essayed　to　secure　a
  curse。　But　from　the　unwilling　lips　of　the　prophet；　the　Spirit　of　God
  declared　the　prosperity　of　His　chosen；　and　rebuked　the　folly　and　malice　of
  their　foes：　〃Blessed　is　he　that　blesseth　thee；　and　cursed　is　he　that　curseth
  thee。〃　Numbers　23：8；　10；　20；　21；　23；　24：9。
  The　people　of　Israel　were　at　this　time　loyal　to　God；　and　so　long　as　they
  continued　in　obedience　to　His　law；　no　power　in　earth　or　hell　could　prevail
  against　them。　But　the　curse　which　Balaam　had　not　been　permitted　to　pronounce
  against
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  God's　people；　he　finally　succeeded　in　bringing　upon　them　by　seducing　them
  into　sin。　When　they　transgressed　God's　commandments；　then　they　separated
  themselves　from　Him；　and　they　were　left　to　feel　the　power　of　the　destroyer。
  Satan　is　well　aware　that　the　weakest　soul　who　abides　in　Christ　is　more　than
  a　match　for　the　hosts　of　darkness；　and　that；　should　he　reveal　himself
  openly；　he　would　be　met　and　resisted。　Therefore　he　seeks　to　draw　away　the
  soldiers　of　the　cross　from　their　strong　fortification；　while　he　lies　in
  ambush　with　his　forces；　ready　to　destroy　all　who　venture　upon　his　ground。
  Only　in　humble　reliance　upon　God；　and　obedience　to　all　His　commandments；　can
  we　be　secure。
  No　man　is　safe　for　a　day　or　an　hour　without　prayer。　Especially　should　we
  entreat　the　Lord　for　wisdom　to　understand　His　word。　Here　are　revealed　the
  wiles　of　the　tempter　and　the　means　by　which　he　may　be　successfully　resisted。
  Satan　is　an　expert　in　quoting　Scripture；　placing　his　own　interpretation　upon
  passages；　by　which　he　hopes　to　cause　us　to　stumble。　We　should　study　the
  Bible　with　humility　of　heart；　never　losing　sight　of　our　dependence　upon　God。
  While　we　must　constantly　guard　against　the　devices　of　Satan；　we　should　pray
  in　faith　continually：　〃Lead　us　not　into　temptation。〃
  （531）
  Chapter　33
  The　First　Great　Deception
  With　the　earliest　history　of　man；　Satan　began　his　efforts　to　deceive　our
  race。　He　who　had　incited　rebellion　in　heaven　desired　to　bring　the
  inhabitants　of　the　earth　to　unite　with　him　in　his　warfare　against　the
  government　of　God。　Adam　and　Eve　had　been　perfectly　happy　in　obedience　to　the
  law　of　God；　and　this　fact　was　a　constant　testimony　against　the　claim　which
  Satan　had　urged　in　heaven；　that　God's　law　was　oppressive　and　opposed　to　the
  good　of　His　creatures。　And　furthermore；　Satan's　envy　was　excited　as　he
  looked　upon　the　beautiful　home　prepared　for　the　sinless　pair。　He　determined
  to　cause　their　fall；　that；　having　separated　them　from　God　and　brought　them
  under　his　own　power；　he　might　gain　possession　of　the　earth　and　here
  establish　his　kingdom　in　opposition　to　the　Most　High。
  Had　Satan　revealed　himself　in　his　real　character；　he　would　have　been
  repulsed　at　once；　for　Adam　and　Eve　had　been　warned　against　this　dangerous
  foe；　but　he　worked　in　the　dark；　concealing　his　purpose；　that　he　might　more
  effectually　accomplish　his　object。　Employing　as　his　medium　the　serpent；　then
  a　creature　of　fascinating　appearance；　he　addressed　himself　to　Eve：　〃Hath　God
  said；　Ye　shall　not　eat　of　every　tree　of　the　garden？〃　Genesis　3：1。　Had　Eve
  refrained　from　entering　into　argument　with　the　tempter；　she　would　have　been
  safe；　but　she　ventured　to　parley　with　him　and　fell　a　victim　to　his
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  wiles。　It　is　thus　that　many　are　still　overcome。　They　doubt　and　argue
  concerning　the　requirements　of　God；　and　instead　of　obeying　the　divine
  commands；　they　accept　human　theories；　which　but　disguise　the　devices　of
  Satan。
  〃The　woman　said　unto　the　serpent；　We　may　eat　of　the　fruit　of　the　trees　of
  the　garden：　but　of　the　fruit　of　the　tree　which　is　in　the　midst　of　the
  garden；　God　hath　said；　Ye　shall　not　eat　of　it；　neither　shall　ye　touch　it；
  lest　ye　die。　And　the　serpent　said　unto　the　woman；　Ye　shall　not　surely　die：
  for　God　doth　know　that　in　the　day　ye　eat　thereof；　then　your　eyes　shall　be
  opened；　and　ye　shall　be　as　gods；　knowing　good　and　evil。〃　Verses　2…5。　He
  declared　that　they　would　become　like　God；　possessing　greater　wisdom　than
  before　and　being　capable　of　a　higher　state　of　existence。　Eve　yielded　to
  temptation；　and　through　her　influence；　Adam　was　led　into　sin。　They　accepted
  the　words　of　the　serpent；　that　God　did　not　mean　what　He　said；　they
  distrusted　their　Creator　and　imagined　that　He　was　restricting　their　liberty
  and　that　they　might　obtain　great　wisdom　and　exaltation　by　transgressing　His
  law。
  But　what　did　Adam；　after　his　sin；　find　to　be　the　meaning　of　the　words；　〃In
  the　day　that　thou　eatest　thereof　thou　shalt　surely　die〃？　Did　he　find　them　to
  mean；　as　Satan　had　led　him　to　believe；　that　he　was　to　be　ushered　into　a　more
  exalted　state　of　existence？　Then　indeed　there　was　great　good　to　be　gained　by
  transgression；　and　Satan　was　proved　to　be　a　benefactor　of　the　race。　But　Adam
  did　not　find　this　to　be　the　meaning　of　the　divine　sentence。　God　declared
  that　as　a　penalty　for　his　sin；　man　should　return　to　the　ground　whence　he　was
  taken：　〃Dust　thou　art；　and　unto　dust　shalt　thou　return。〃　Verse　19。　The　words
  of　Satan；　〃Your　eyes　shall　be　opened；〃　proved　to　be　true　in　this　sense　only：
  After　Adam　and　Eve　had　disobeyed　God；　their　eyes　were　opened　to　discern
  their　folly；　they　did　know　evil；　and　they　tasted　the　bitter　fruit　of
  transgression。
  In　the　midst　of　Eden　grew　the　tree　of　life；　whose　fruit　had　the　power　of
  perpetua