Sabbath: Crisis in Eden
Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 1:28, Rom. 8:17, Matt. 6:26, Gen. 2:15-17, Gen. 3:1-7, Gen. 3:10-19.
Memory Text: “‘And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel’” (Genesis 3:15, NKJV) .
Image © Lars Justinen Goosalt.com
After the creation of the world, God declared everything was “very good” (Gen. 1:31) . However, it’s obvious now that everything in the world is not “very good.” Despite various -isms and ideologies that, over the centuries, have tried to make things right, our world continues toward chaos, insecurity, violence, war, pollution, oppression, and exploitation. If the 20th century began with all sorts of optimism about the future and what humans could do to improve the future, the 21st century has certainly lost that optimism-and with good reason too.
How did we get into this situation? The answer is found in the great controversy, which, though beginning in heaven, had, unfortunately, come to earth and fairly early on in earth’s history too.
This week we will look at how Satan was able to exploit human freedom and, thus, start the devastation that we all experience even today. The story of the Fall remains a powerful reminder that our only safety as human beings exists in not only believing what God tells us but, more importantly, in obeying what He tells us, as well.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 9.
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It appears, according to Ezekiel, rebellion in heaven, was started by one created being, whom after realising his beauty and his position in the heavenly courts became dissatisfied with the obeisance the heavenly host accorded him. Usually beauty and self exaltation goes hand in hand. Even up to today, humans tend to feel a notch higher than others when they realise their beauty. People spend precious time trying to make themselves beautiful. Others spend very large amounts of monetary resources on beauty therapy and cosmetics. When God created each one of us, behold it was very good. The love for exquisite beauty and social/church positions has killed the spirit of worship in homes and/or churches and truly divert the mind from true worship.
Perfectly stated. Thank you so much. May the good LORD bless you to bless us so much the more.
I agree totally with your statement, and that we as Christians sometime feel that we are better than the other because of our beauty and our status in life and that where we are wrong.
The crisis in Eden may be held by some to be merely an old story, a parable or even a myth. Nevertheless it forms the basis of and reference for everything wrong with the world today (Genesis 3:11). The crisis led to the expulsion of mankind from the Beautiful Garden just as Satan and his angels were previously removed from Heaven (Genesis 3:24; Revelation 12:9).
Adam lived in excess of 900 years and witnessed a lot change from the exquisite perfection of Eden (Genesis 1:31) to the deterioration at the time of his death. However could he have seen our day in vision he might not recognize the planet. As well the present generation has very little conception of how much has been lost and how far the human race has fallen.
According to the apostle Paul the restored earth which will at least match the original is unimaginable (1 Corinthians 2:9).
People get thrilled about modern inventions and exceptional achievements, not realizing that which is currently observed represent only traces of what could have been had mankind retained and developed the original intellectual and physical powers. Likewise it may not be apparent how immoral the world has become (Genesis 6:5, 11-13).
Previously the world’s corruption reached an intolerable point such that Jehovah had to take action and cause a flood which scared the devil (2 Peter 2:4-6). Decisive action will be taken again as the corruption of Noah’s day (and Lot’s day) is repeated (Luke 17:26-30). This time it will be to reverse the crisis, to renew the Creation (Isaiah 65:17).
The faithful will get a new start and experience a Creation which is very good (Genesis 1:3).
Quote : "...we will look at how Satan was able to exploit human freedom".
God says, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and CREATE EVIL..." (Isa 45:7 KJV). God created evil (with the ensuing calamity and woe, etc.) by making it possible for His creatures to reject Him and His way. Satan was able to exploit human freedom, because God [in His infinite wisdom] had made it possible for this to happen.
God takes the responsibility of evil's existence because He created love and a free will to show that love! Man "created" hate when they refused that Agape and wanted God's position of power without the associated love!!
I disagree, God did not great evil. he created a being who possessed free will and became so filled with pride of self that he decided he could do a better job of ruling that his creator and thus BECAME evil. Yes YHVH does take responcibility for its existance. But was not the creator of it.
Hello Rory,
God says, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and CREATE EVIL..." (Isa 45:7 KJV). And if, as in other Bible versions, instead of "evil", the word "calamity", "woe", or "bad" is employed, God is still saying that He created it. I suggest that it is one thing to "rightly divide" the Scripture, but it is another thing to disagree with it.
Hello Stewart,
I was curious about this reference in Isaiah regarding God "creating" evil, so I decided to do a little research. One of the fundamental rules about understanding the Bible accurately is to read a difficult to understand verse in its immediate context, as well as in the broader context of the rest of the Scripture. Another rule is to consider other possible translations of the verse. Psalm 145:17 states that "The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His deeds." and James 1:13 says "Let no one say when he is tempted. "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone." Furthermore, Psalm 5:4 states that "For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You". I can cite many more scriptures that support the view that God is completely holy, righteous and blameless in all his ways AND that evil is not a result of his doing, thus the preponderance of biblical evidence suggests that there must be an alternate explanation of this translation in Isaiah.
As you correctly stated, the word evil, as translated in Isa 45:7, can have several interpretations (evil, bad, calamity, trouble, etc.), and in this verse it is being used to indicate that evil (however you translate it) is the natural converse of peace (as darkness is to light). We know that God is light and created light in the beginning (Genesis 1:1-5), thus it can said that he really did not have to "create" darkness because it can only exist in the absence of light. Similarly, evil does not have to be "created" because it also exists in the absence of peace. Also, in Scripture God is often represented as causing that which He does not prevent (2 Chron. 18:12-22).
Lastly, God, in Hebrew thought, is considered the final authority over everything. If wars or famine happen, then God has allowed that to occur, and therefore controls evil. He does not initiate any type of evil, thus to "understand" that God created evil is really akin to suggesting that He is the source of it, and if He is the source, then He cannot righteously condemn human beings for a trait that He himself possesses.
Jeff, I certainly agree that the text in Isaiah needs to be "rightly divided" [i.e. rightly expounded or explained], and much of what you've said relates to that process.
Earlier in the thread I commented that "God created evil... by making it possible for His creatures to reject Him and His way." This is a summary of my view on what it meant for Him to create evil.
There is a tendency among some people to make Scripture fight Scripture - so that if a [seemingly] offending text is found, efforts are made to make that text "of none effect". The text is not only ignored, but is often vilified. But of course such efforts are vain and destructive. We do well to guard against the habit of adding to, or taking away from, the Word of God.
If apparent contradictions are found in the Bible, let's acknowledge that both must be true in some sense. Yes, God sowed good seed, (and only good seed!) in His vast field; and yet it is nonetheless true -- God created evil.
I do agree with you! It is quite easy for our minds to want to accept the fact that God created evil but it is not so. Common sense would allow us to see that a God who is the very essence of love, peace, joy etc cannot create something that will in turn destroy the very thing He created in his image and loves so much that He sent His only Son to die for so that that same thing(humans) can be reconciled to Him and live eternally with Him. The only thing He did was give freedom of choice to everyone even the angels. He never impose His love on anyone or force anyone to worship Him.
Lets take a look How Jesus used His Free will/Choice
1.Jesus will and choice is to do Gods will, that\'s why He is always be Right and not lose/fall when Satan tempted Him
2.Evas will is to do her own will and not include Gods will, that is why when Satan tempted her she lose because she didn\'t combine Gods will and her will...the human being can not live Right without God without Him we have no power to do right/ no power to chose right because He created us and filled His breath in us as a power of live If we connect our will to God we can do right choice like Jesus Did.
I think true revival is needed.Lucifer in heaven misused his free will and simillarly human beings have commited all manner of sins-2Timothy 3:1-5 just because they were given free will?
Just thinking on the vision that Eve could see of our 21st century world so deploited. Help me understand with this Did God created deserts? a place very hot, water scarce is part of life, a habitation of all a variety of dangerous Created Animals?
The above post that mentioned that "Satan exploited man's free-will", brought to mind an interesting analogy. The US constitution, at great risk, allows for the welcome mat to be laid out for whoever may come to enjoy the freedoms and opportunities the nation offers. Yet very early in the piece, first Freemasons (see maps of the Capital city Washington and its inherent symbolism with its design) and then Roman Catholics (who had at that time an extremely sketchy relationship with Protestantism) made full use of that opportunity to their great advantage. Prophecy reveals the end result of that modern political and social exploitation and it isn't good. Yet who would claim the constitution a bad document? I am not American yet I recognize the beauty and wisdom inherent in the document. It is a wonderful inspired piece of literature,and despite the fact that some have taken advantage of it, no way ought it be altered or abrogated in any way.
Same with the freedom God gifted to His creation, also at great risk. Regardless of the fact that Satan has exploited that freedom to destroy and kill, who among us would have it any other way?
A comment from Mrs. White on the Memory Text, Genesis 3:15.
"The gospel message does not win a single soul to Christ, or make its way to a single heart, WITHOUT WOUNDING THE HEAD OF SATAN." (4Testimonies p.595)
Every time the gospel message wins or convicts a person, Satan receives a "king hit", and then, for the time being at least, the fight is over.
The scriptures clearly state that God through Christ created us in His Image. If He is righteous, if He is holy, if He is all loving then His children will possess that divine DNA; they will always exhibit a character that is Christlike; doing righteously, seeking after holiness, loving even those who do us evil.
Sin is unreasonable. Period. One thing we have to do realise our sinful nature and learn to depend on Christ for our choices.
Be blesed,its a good lntroduction & may the lord guide us well through this week leason.