did God say “don’t touch” to Eve?
Post edited June 19, 2008
Regarding God telling Adam and Eve to not touch the forbidden fruit:
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ti: Spiritual Gifts. Volume 3
pr: 2
pg: 35In the midst of the garden, near the tree of life, stood the tree
of knowledge of good and evil. Of this tree the Lord commanded our
first parents not to eat, neither to touch it, lest they die. He told
them that they might freely eat of all the trees in the garden except
one; but if they ate of that tree they should surely die.
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ti: The Spirit of Prophecy Volume One
ct: The Temptation and Fall
pg: 27
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In the midst of the garden, near the tree of life, stood the tree
of knowledge of good and evil. This tree was especially designed of God
to be the pledge of their obedience, faith and love to him. Of this
tree the Lord commanded our first parents not to eat, neither to touch
it, lest they die. He told them that they might freely eat of all the
trees in the garden except one; but if they ate of that tree they
should surely die.
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pt: Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald
dt: 02-24-1874
at: Redemption, No. 1
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Eve had overstated the words of God’s command. He had said to Adam
and Eve, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt
not eat of it; for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die.” In Eve’s controversy with the serpent, she added the clause,
“Neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Here the subtlety of the
serpent was seen. This statement of Eve gave him advantage, and he
plucked the fruit, and placed it in her hand, and used her own words,
“He hath said, ‘If ye touch it, ye shall die.’ You see no harm comes to
you from touching the fruit, neither will you receive any harm by
eating it.”
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So yes, the Lord DID tell them not to even touch the forbidden fruit. Eve did not tell a lie or even overstate by telling the serpent that they were not supposed to touch the fruit. She was just repeating what the Lord had told her.
How can this be when the Bible only mentions about God’s command not to eat of the fruit? God did not have the Bible writers say anything about touching the fruit, but in giving an expanded view to Ellen White, God chose to tell her about this fact. The Bible does not directly say either that the Sabbath issue will be the great issue in the last days, but that information WAS given to Ellen White. It doesn’t contradict the Bible at all, just gives added information so that those who live in the last days can prepare better to withstand Satan’s temptations.
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I have studied quite a bit of material with Ellen White’s name on it, and the ONLY instance i have ever seen of any contradiction in that material before 1881 is this question about whether God said to not touch the forbidden fruit or not. After her husband died in 1881 tho, and the chief editor changed, there can be found many contradictions. Just as in the case of the Bible, i believe that with material with Ellen White’s name on it, the closer we go back to the originals – the better.