Taken from…

“The White Elephant” - Chapter XVI

A Trunk-Full of Contradictions
Dead Leaves and Ever Greens

Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield unto them

that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words,
lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Proverbs 30: 5, 6

O Once again, Ellen White comes up with an “inspired” statement for

which no real verifiable evidence in the Bible or real world exists.
Simply because she claimed to have received it via Divine revelation, should
it be believed and accepted as fact? Amazingly, there are many, even well
educated SDA’s, who simply on the basis of something that has proceeded
from the mouth or pen of Ellen White, accept it as such. In this case, the
statement in question is related to the first visible effects of sin in the natural
world. Ellen White wrote:

As they witnessed in drooping flower and falling leaf the first signs
of decay, Adam and his companion mourned more deeply than men
now mourn over their dead. The death of the frail, delicate flowers
was indeed a cause of sorrow; but when the goodly trees cast off
their leaves, the scene brought vividly to mind the stern fact that
death is the portion of every living thing. 1

The question that needs to be asked is whether or not the natural decay of
flowers or leaves turning the colours of autumn were simply the result of the
built in process' of nature's cycle or whether it was a direct result of sin

9
coming into the world? There is no doubt, based on Ellen White's
description, that any sign of decay in nature was absolutely unprecedented
until Adam and Eve sinned.
Another Ellen White statement, related to decay in the natural world, is
what she experienced while in vision, when picking flowers in heaven:

I saw another field full of all kinds of flowers, and as I plucked

them, I cried out, "They will never fade!" Next I saw a field of tall
grass, most glorious to behold; it was living green and had a
reflection of silver and gold as it waved proudly to the glory of King
Jesus. 2

Based on these two samples from Ellen White's writings, it is suggested that
in a perfect, sinless environment, whether Eden or Heaven, no decay occurs
in nature. The cycle of nature we witness in nature today, where leaves fall,
buds form, new leaves and flowers appear, etc., is all the result of the curse
of sin. Without even getting into the science of this yet, does such a
proposition even make logical sense? Did Adam and Eve ever pick flowers?
If so, did the flowers they picked, once disconnected from the water and
minerals that the parent tree absorbed from the soil, simply lie on the ground
forever like some “plastic” plant and never fade? Or rather, did the leaves
and flowers they might have plucked become compost for the continued
growth and sustenance of the rest of nature?
When God said, “let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed
and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its own kind, whose seed is in itself . . .”
(Genesis 1:11), Did He create one plant of each variety that would never
reproduce, that would simply stand like plastic creations for the rest of time?
Obviously not. The intrinsic evidence is in the text of Genesis itself. Plants
were created to yield seed, to produce new plants “after its own kind.” A
built in, natural “cycle” is unquestionably implied.
Jesus Himself spoke of the natural cycle of seed bearing plants in John
12:24: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the
ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”
So, when Adam plucked a peach, ate it, and threw the pit on the
ground, did it really remain unchanged? Surely, for it to be the seed that
would give birth to a new tree, it would have to go through the process that
all seeds do to produce new plants or trees. Did God not build a natural cycle
into nature as part of His plan for nature to be self-sustaining – all organisms
dependant on each other, working together as one whole to continually
produce and reproduce? Should the natural cycle really be understood as
DEATH, the curse of sin, or the means of producing new LIFE? Is there not
amazing beauty in the intricate, self-sustaining, biological process' of the
natural world? Is this to be understood as death or sin? When God said that
man would surely die if he sinned, was He suggesting that such a radical,
never before witnessed change would occur in nature, such as a leaf or
10
flower fading and that this was to be understood as part of the sure result of
sin?
I am not suggesting that nature hasn't been affected by sin, it surely has.
The question is whether a fading flower or leaf, the process of which is so
obviously a part of nature's cycle, were really, as claimed by Ellen White,
one the first signs of DEATH in a world turned sinful?
It does not take much to imagine what a populated, sinless world would
look like after a few thousand years of billions of people picking flowers and
throwing them on the ground. The earth would be littered in an ocean of
“plastic” flowers that never faded or went through the natural cycle of nature
we see today. No trees would cast their seed, no new buds would form and
grow into flowers, the promise of fruit to come . . . For any of this to happen
something would have to fall on the ground, whether leaf or flower – leaves
and flowers that would never fade or die? They would simply lie there for all
eternity in their full original colour? If this were to be the case, then why did
God even bother creating plants that yielded seed after their own kind? There
is simply no rational or logical explanation, not even biblical, that would
support Ellen White's claim that “Adam and his companion mourned more
deeply than men now mourn over their dead,” when they saw the first sign of
decay in flowers and leaves. Every time we look at the amazing yellows
oranges and reds of autumn, should we be reminded that it would never have
looked this way if it were not for the curse of sin . . . ?
The following article, Do Leaves Die? by Michael Todhunter, does a
far better job of addressing the questions I have alluded to. It offers solid
rational, biblical and scientific perspectives that reveal the ludicrousness of
Ellen White's so-called Divine insight into the results of sin on the natural
world:

Fall in America and throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere

is a beautiful time of year. Bright reds, oranges, and yellows rustle
in the trees and then blanket the ground as warm weather gives way
to winter cold. Many are awed at God’s handiwork as the leaves
float to the ground like Heaven’s confetti. But fall may also make us
wonder, “Did Adam and Eve ever see such brilliant colors in the
Garden of Eden?” Realizing that these plants wither at the end of
the growing season may also raise the question, “Did plants die
before the Fall of mankind?”

Before we can answer this question, we must consider the definition

of die. We commonly use the word die to describe when plants,
animals, or humans no longer function biologically. However, this
is not the definition of the word die or death in the Old Testament.
The Hebrew word for die (or death), mût (or mavet), is used only in
relation to the death of man or animals with the breath of life, not
regarding plants. This usage indicates that plants are viewed
differently from animals and humans.
11
Plants, Animals, and Man—All Different

What is the difference between plants and animals or man? For the
answer we need to look at the phrase nephesh chayyah. Nephesh
chayyah is used in the Bible to describe sea creatures (Genesis
1:20–21), land animals (Genesis 1:24), birds (Genesis 1:30), and
man (Genesis 2:7). Nephesh is never used to refer to plants. Man
specifically is denoted as nephesh chayyah, a living soul, after God
breathed into him the breath of life. This contrasts with God telling
the earth on Day 3 to bring forth plants (Genesis 1:11). The science
of taxonomy, the study of scientific classification, makes the same
distinction between plants and animals.
Since God gave only plants (including their fruits and seeds)
as food for man and animals, then Adam, Eve, and all animals and
birds were originally vegetarian (Genesis 1:29–30). Plants were to
be a resource of the earth that God provided for the benefit
of nephesh chayyah creatures—both animals and man. Plants did
not “die,” as in mût; they were clearly consumed as food. Scripture
describes plants as withering (Hebrew yabesh), which means “to
dry up.” This term is more descriptive of a plant or plant part
ceasing to function biologically.

A “Very Good” Biological Cycle

When plants wither or shed leaves, various organisms, including

bacteria and fungi, play an active part in recycling plant matter and
thus in providing food for man and animals. These decay agents do
not appear to be nephesh chayyah and would also have a life cycle
as nutrients are reclaimed through this “very good” biological
cycle. As the plant withers, it may produce vibrant colours because,
as a leaf ceases to function, the chlorophyll degrades, revealing the
colours of previously hidden pigments.
Since decay involves the breakdown of complex sugars and
carbohydrates into simpler nutrients, we see evidence for the
Second Law of Thermodynamics before the Fall of mankind. But in
the pre-Fall world this process would have been a perfect system,
which God described as “very good.”

A Creation That Groans

It is conceivable that God withdrew some of His sustaining

(restraining) power at the Fall when He said, “Cursed is the
ground” (Genesis 3:17), and the augmented Second Law of
12
Thermodynamics resulted in a creation that groans and suffers
(Romans 8:22).
Although plants are not the same as man or animals, God used
them to be food and a support system for recycling nutrients and
providing oxygen. They also play a role in mankind’s choosing life
or death. In the Garden were two trees—the Tree of Life and the
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The fruit of the first was
allowed for food, the other forbidden. In their rebellion Adam and
Eve sinned and ate the forbidden fruit, and death entered the world
(Romans 5:12).
Furthermore, because of this sin, all of creation,
including nephesh chayyah, suffers (Romans 8:19-23). We are born
into this death as descendants of Adam, but we find our hope in
Christ. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22 KJV). As you look at the “dead”
leaves of fall and remember that the nutrients will be reclaimed into
new life, recognize that we too can be reclaimed from death through
Christ’s death and resurrection.

What determines a leaf’s colour?

When trees bud in the spring, their green leaves renew forests and
delight our senses. The green colour comes from the pigment
chlorophyll, which resides in the leaf’s cells and captures sunlight
for photosynthesis. Other pigments called carotenoids are always
present in the cells of leaves as well, but in the summer their yellow
or orange colours are generally masked by the abundance of
chlorophyll.
In the fall a kaleidoscope of colours breaks through. With
shorter days and colder weather, chlorophyll breaks down, and the
yellowish colours become visible. Various pigments produce the
purple of sumacs, the golden bronze of beeches, and the browns of
oaks. Other chemical changes produce the fiery red of the sugar
maple. When fall days are warm and sunny, much sugar is produced
in the leaves. Cool nights trap it there, and the sugars form a red
pigment called anthocyanin.
Leaf colours are most vivid after a warm, dry summer followed
by early autumn rains, which prevent leaves from falling early.
Prolonged rain in the fall prohibits sugar synthesis in the leaves and
thus produces a drabness due to a lack of anthocyanin production.
Still other changes take place. A special layer of cells slowly
severs the leaf’s tissues that are attached to the twig. The leaf falls,
and a tiny scar is all that remains. Soon the leaf decomposes on the
forest floor, releasing important nutrients back into the soil to be

13
 recycled, perhaps by other trees that will once again delight our
eyes with rich and vibrant colours. 3

In reference to the redeemed and eternal life, Revelation 21:4 says there will
be “no more death . . . neither shall there be any more pain,” because, “the
former things have passed away.” The Bible is not talking about the natural
cycle of nature – the natural cycle is not death even though it feels the effects
of sin. On the New Earth the redeemed will eat the fruit of the tree of life and
of all the other fruits, grains and nuts, etc., God created for them to use. Each
time the redeemed have picked all the fruit from a tree that tree will not just
remain bear for the rest of eternity. Small sprouts will spring up, flowers will
bud, seeds will drop . . . new fruit will grow and the cycle of life will
continue – not a sign of sin or death as a result of sin, simply part of God's
plan for nature to replenish itself.
Thus, the question of leaves fading as the result of sin is simply one
more example, among many, where Ellen White claimed Divine insight that,
when critically examined, does not vindicate her but rather puts her and the
institution she helped found, the SDA Church, in an extremely embarrassing
light.

SCOURCES

1. Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 62. Emphasis & italics supplied.
2. Ellen G. White, Adventist Home, p. 546. Emphasis & italics supplied.
3. Do Leaves Die? by Michael Todhunter, on September 6, 2006; last featured October
15, 2007. https://answersingenesis.org/biology/plants/do-leaves-die/.

14