by Gary T. Panell
When mankind fell into sin through Adam and Eve eating of the forbidden fruit, it caused a catastrophic change in mankind and the world. Now Adam and Eve’s innocence was gone, and all the children born to them would be sinners. Psalm 51:5 says: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” That doesn’t mean it is sinful to have children, it does mean, all children are born with a sin nature, this nature being inherited from their forefathers Adam and Eve.
Concerning the fall of man into sin, the Apostle Paul puts it this way: “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned-“Romans 5:12, and Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We know God allowed this to happen, knowing all along that Adam and Eve would sin. You question, “If God knew Adam and Eve would sin why would He allow this to happen?” The answer goes back to why God created people to begin with; He wanted beings who would have the ability to choose. He wanted to create people who would have a free will. Would it be love if we were created like robots? Anyone can create robots, only God can create beings that can truly make a choice to worship and love Him!
Paul in the book of Romans makes it very clear about what happened when sin entered the world. “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8: 20-23
You see God allowed sin to enter the world only for a few short years in comparison to eternity. God is choosing out a people for Himself. These people are called “sons of God,” when this term is used it means “children of God.” God has been in the process of calling out people for Himself from the beginning of time, and He will continue to do this to the end of time. These people of God will fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit throughout eternity in a wonderful place called heaven.
As we started the first part of this Christian Worldview we used some verses to show what God’s intent was as He began to create, and here are some other verses that drive home the point. Revelation 21: 3-7 “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
“There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’ Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’ And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. ‘He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”
Then too there are some more verses like this if you are not convinced yet about what God’s purposes are. Revelation 22:3-5 “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.”
The angels saw sin enter the earth. They were also listening when God said He would one day send a redeemer through the woman to redeem mankind and the earth from the curse of sin and death. Eve was the first to sin, but she was also promised that one of her male descendents would bring about salvation for the whole world. Look at Genesis 3:15 where it says, “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.” This is the first prophecy of the Messiah who would be the Savior of mankind.”
This prophecy of the Messiah is saying that He will be bruised by Satan on the heal, or in other words He will have a temporary wound. This is exactly what happened on the cross, Jesus did die, but He came alive again the third day. However, the prophecy goes on to say, “He shall bruise your head.” Satan would take a blow to the head which will be fatal. When Jesus died on the cross He defeated Satan, and now it is only a matter of time until Satan’s end comes. It is like a snake that is hit on the head, it may move around for awhile still, but it will die sooner or later.
Even as the thorns would grow on this earth as a result of our forefathers’ sin, so too the Son of the woman, and the Son of God united in one would wear the crown of thorns on the cross. Later He the Son of Man and the Son of God will wear a crown of gold! It is clear that Eve understood this to be true; the only thing she didn’t understand was how long it would take. See what she says in her own words in Genesis 4:1-25 “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, ‘I have acquired a man from the LORD.’ And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, ‘For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.'”
The world of people now consisted of Adam and Eve but when they sinned they were sent out of the garden so they would not live forever in sin by eating from the tree of life.
“Then the LORD God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever’-therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”
Before God sent Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden He did something else to show them that the best was still to come. In Genesis 3:20-21, “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.” This is a picture of Christ who will cover us with His righteousness. The animal had to be killed, and it’s blood shed, just as Jesus would have to give His life’s blood for us to be clothed with God’s righteousness. God explained this to them at this time, and how they must bring sacrifices in order to have fellowship with Him from then on. No more walks with God without the shedding of blood.
The next picture of Christ we see in Genesis is in chapter 4: 3-7, “And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? ‘If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
As sin progressed in the world, Cain killed Abel. Abel brought what God had asked for, a blood offering. Cain on the other hand was too proud to do this, he would not humble himself nor would he be soiled by the blood of animals. He brought the fruit of the ground, the fruit of his own labors. This was a picture of works that could never save. We know now that the sacrifice of an animal as Abel brought is a picture of Christ and His sacrifice of Himself. In fact all through the Old Testament there is this theme of the blood, and pictures of Christ. Look at Luke 24:27 “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”
As time went on Cain killed Abel and was banished. It is interesting to note that he would not shed an animal’s blood for an offering, but he murdered his human brother. Cain’s descendents were not believers in the true God of the universe, but Seth’s descendents were, to begin with… write me at: [email protected]
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