At what price, discernment? And who pays?
The snake replied, “…God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad.” The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it. As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding…
(Genesis 3:4-7)
Here the opening salvo in The Game. Would Adam and Eve believe that God had their best interests at heart? (A question we all ask ourselves!) Or would they choose what they saw to be in their own best interests? The freedom of choice was theirs. And they chose SELF. Just as Satan predicted. And the consequences were immediate…
Then the Lord God said, “Now these human beings have become like one of us and have knowledge of what is good and what is bad. They must not be allowed to take fruit from the tree that gives life, eat it, and live forever.” So the Lord God sent them out of the Garden of Eden and made them cultivate the soil from which they had been formed. Then at the east side of the garden he put living creatures and a flaming sword which turned in all directions. This was to keep anyone from coming near the tree that gives life.
(Genesis 3:22-24)
Now we have here the appearance of God being taken by surprise and having to put in place a Plan B for mankind. No paradise. No eternal life. But that is not the end of the story as we read at the end of times…
“Listen!” says Jesus. “I am coming soon! I will bring my rewards with me, to give to each one according to what he has done.” Come, whoever is thirsty; accept the water of life as a gift, whoever wants it.
(Revelation 22:12, 17)
God’s plan all along was for us to enjoy paradise and eternal life. It is, however, a process in getting there as we’ve seen in The Essentials. Satan? Smug no doubt in the thought that he could never be judged as a fair judge between him and God could never be found! As Job would one day say…
If God were human, I could answer him; we could go to court to decide our quarrel. But there is no one to step between us — no one to judge both God and me.
(Job 9:32-33)
Ah, the irony of it all… 😁
Do you not know that we shall judge the angels?
(2 Corinthians 6:3)