Although the earth was blighted with the curse, nature was still to be man's lesson book. It could not now represent goodness only; for evil was everywhere present, marring earth and sea and air with its defiling touch. Where once was written only the character of God, the knowledge of good, was now written also the character of Satan, the knowledge of evil. From nature, which now revealed the knowledge of good and evil, man was continually to receive warning as to the results of sin.

Skønt jorden var ramt af forbandelsen, skulle naturen stadig være menneskets lærebog. Nu kunne den ikke kun være et billede på det gode; thi alle vegne var det onde til stede og fordærvede jorden og havet og luften med sin besmittende virkning. Hvor engang kun Guds tanker og viden om det gode stod skrevet, stod nu også Satans tanker skrevet, en viden om det onde. Fra naturen, som nu åbenbarede kundskaben om godt og ondt, skulle mennesket bestandig modtage advarsler om syndens følger.