Eating of the tree of knowledge represents using our own logic and reason to try to figure out and understand the Lord, something which is beyond us and which, ultimately, we have to simply accept. This was forbidden to the people at this stage of the Most Ancient Church because the Lord knew that if they did, they would lose their innocent acceptance of the Lord's love and leading, and would question it instead. This is represented by the idea that they would "die."

(References: Arcana Coelestia 198, 200, 201, 202, 203)

1529. It is very well known in heaven, but not so well known in the world of spirits, where so great a light comes from, namely from the Lord. And what is astonishing, the Lord appears to celestial angels in the third heaven as the Sun, but to spiritual angels as the Moon. There is no other source of light. But the intensity of the light angels experience depends on how celestial and spiritual they are, and the nature of the light depends on the nature of these qualities. Thus the Lord's celestial and spiritual itself shows itself before angels' external vision by means of the light.