The snake's deceptive words to Eve at Eden seems very convincing. It sounded very plausible. The devil did a very good job in bending the truth. I guess that was the reason the woman easily heeded to his wiles and ate the forbidden fruit.
What is death? Why did God say to Adam and Eve that they will die if they ate the fruit of the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad? What did God mean by death? Adam and Eve did not die after eating the fruit. Instead, they were even given understanding and learned about their nakedness. Was the devil somehow telling the truth? I don't think so.
I looked for the meaning of death in the dictionary and this one particular definition appeals to me - destruction or extinction. I now understand that death means the destruction of man's beautiful relationship with God. God created man in order to live in a loving relationship with Him. The devil destroyed that loving relationship between God and man by convincing man that he can go on living without God.
When man gained the understanding of good and bad, their view of God has been distorted. Instead of the loving and caring Father that He truly is, they now see God as harsh and judgmental. They hid from Him because they were afraid that He would punish them.
God indeed pronounced His judgement and sent man away from His presence but He still took care of them by sewing them some clothes. I could only imagine the look on God's face as he watches Adam and Eve move out of the garden away from Him. It must be very sad. And even as man went further away, God never stopped pursuing them even to point of giving up His only begotten Son. Isn't that amazing love?