Sometime after the fall of Lucifer, Satan plans his second attack, this time on the unsuspecting inhabitants of planet earth. Unlike his direct attack on God and His angels, his attack this time is very indirect. Satan can be very subtle in achieving his goals, as we will see. Satan chooses Eve as the attack's focal point. He chooses to do nothing (directly) to Adam! Satan simply applies divide and conquer techniques to the situation. And notice that when he attacks Eve, she is all alone! Eve is in a union with Adam, so when Satan attacks her, he is attacking their union. Adam is a part of that union, so Adam is subtly being attacked.
Satan lies to Eve the same way he has lied to every generation; he
mixes truth, with lie and doubt. "The truth is written on every man's heart". So we would easily spot a lie, if it was nothing but pure lie. So Satan suggests things like "did God really say that" to plant his seeds of doubt and rebellion in Eve's mind. Questioning God and doubt are two things she had never experienced.I believe symbols are being used here. tree = God/god and eating of the fruit = living/relying on/learning from, either God or god (satan). The trees are things that can be worshiped. The Tree of Life which bears only good fruit (the coming saviour), or The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Satan and his domain). The fruit is the knowledge each tree can provide. Eating of the fruit is learning the knowledge from that particular tree. Adam and Eve had a choice of learning knowledge from God, and having total trust in the Lord to provide everything they needed, or rebelling against God were the choices. Eve was tricked into stopping her reliance on God for knowledge and spiritual guidance, instead she rebelled against God by starting to follow satan.
Eve was tricked into sinning, but Adam willing took the knowledge from her, without being deceived. She had presented the forbidden knowledge to Adam in her fallen state. Adam was still perfect. He could have turned his back on her at this point, and never see death, but willingly chose to join her in her rebellion. He was not tricked. But, being a type of Christ, Adam knew that if he fell with her, God would have to find a way to redeem them both. And he was right. God comes looking for Adam and Eve and doesn't find them where he usually does. He calls for Adam. Adam tells God that he hid himself because he was naked. Eve has also hidden and was ashamed of her nakedness.
