War In Your Heart # 50

Two Thrones at War (continued)

The First Sin on Earth

God in Eden with Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:8, 9).

"A garden in Eden" of God's own planting. So it must have been a place of beauty, of order, of plenty, a perfect environment for the man and woman created in His image.

Out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food.

Every tree both beautiful and beneficial. God had beneficially thought into man's every need and lovingly made provision for it so that his first home on earth would be a place of supreme satisfaction and sufficiency.

God gave Adam the privilege of delightful work (Genesis 2:15).

God's Sovereignty over Man (Genesis 2:16, 17).

"The Lord God commanded the man" - God, the Creator of the earth and of man was to be sovereign over both in this beautiful garden spot. From the throne in heaven God would rule over earth, that His will might be done on earth as it is done in heaven (Matthew 6:10). God's will must be done in Eden.

"Commanded - saying." There was a crystal clear declaration of His will through His Word. A decree went forth clearly and tersely stated.

All within God's Will

"Of every tree ... thou mayest freely eat." The God of all grace and goodness must include within the circle of His will everything needful for the good and well-being of man for time and for eternity. Being Himself both Light and Love He knew what was both needful and best, and provided it with lavish prodigality.

All outside God's Will

"Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat." Here was one clear-cut prohibition. Whatever was without the circle of God's will was for that reason harmful and thus was forbidden. In this God's goodness must be trusted and His command obeyed. For disobedience there would be a penalty which in perfect righteousness God declared.

Genesis 2:16 - All is within the holy, perfect will of God. Genesis 2:17 - All is without the holy, perfect will of God. Genesis 2:16 - Man's unlimited freedom of will within the circle of God's will.

Genesis 2:17 - Man's will limited by God's sovereign will.

The one thing the Ruler over all the earth must have from every creature was obedience. God's command provided a test in that it involved a choice. The choice was obedience or disobedience based on the principle of God or self.

satan in Eden

In Genesis 2:8-17 we find two persons in the Garden of Eden. "The Lord God," and "the man," to whom He gave the command in regard to the trees of the garden directly.  Then the Lord God gave Eve as a help to Adam, who in turn taught her the command of God. These three are seen in loving, happy fellowship. In Genesis 3:1 a fourth person comes onto the scene. The noun that identifies him and the adjective that delineates his character are sinister and foreboding. "The serpent ... said unto the woman." An animal speaks. Surely this is something out of the ordinary; in fact, supernatural.

"More subtle" than any beast of the field." A creature called a beast, yet having the characteristic of a person. Surely this requires an explanation, nay, even an interpretation. Where shall we seek for it? Who can interpret the Word but the One who inspired its writing? Who, then, is this serpent that speaks? God leaves us in no doubt whatsoever but states in plainest language who he is.

Revelation 12:9: And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

~Ruth Paxson~

(continued with # 51)