The Fall of Mankind

Genesis 3:1-7 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

The fall of man or the sin that every man is born with is the result of this conversation between the serpent and Eve and the direction of our lives was changed forever because of their act of eating the forbidden fruit. This is something most ‘rational’ human beings find impossible to believe because we know serpents don’t talk and accepting Adam and Eve as the start to humankind is impossible because we are different races, cultures and live in different locations that makes drawing our lineage from this one couple seems over the top.

What is God speaking to us through this incident and is there anything for us to understand from this fall of man?

The Question of Choice

Genesis 2:7-9,15-17 Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil… Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

To many, the concept of man being created is heresy because it means that there is someone or something out there that is beyond us and we do not like not knowing or being called inferior. This account of creation is ridiculous to them that would rather put their faith in believing that we are a result of chance, a chance so great that it was the lottery of lotteries because everything as we know it just ‘happened’.

What is God’s purpose in creation and why would a creator give the keys of creation to the ones He created?

The Final Message

Revelation 22:10-21 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. “Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.” “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

I am amazed how this challenging book of Revelations turned out not to be as hard as I imagined because it is nothing but a revelation of Jesus Christ who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

This book has been used and still is used by several scholars to predict the future (now mostly past) and to determine the Lord’s coming. There are other great scholars who have shown Revelation reveal itself through the ages and trying to determine when the Lord will return. However, we are reminded in verse 18 and 19 that we are not to add or take away from these words because these are from God to us. Also, we are not to belittle John or the words of this prophecy as a dream and disregard them but accept them as God’s word to us and that we are to ask God for wisdom to reveal and He will do so.

What then is the purpose of this book if not for the doom and gloom, pain and suffering and poetic words that make little sense?