Christ was the Divine Agent through whom God brought the universe and the world into existence (John 1:1–3, 10; Colossians 1:16; Hebrew 1:2). But when God the Father conferred special honor on Christ and announced that They together would create this world, “Lucifer was envious and jealous of Jesus Christ” (Ellen G. White, The Story of Redemption, p. 14) and plotted against Him.
Having been cast out of heaven, Satan decided “to destroy the happiness of Adam and Eve” on earth and thereby “cause grief in heaven.” He imagined that “if he could in any way beguile them [Adam and Eve] to disobedience, God would make some provision whereby they might be pardoned, and then himself and all the fallen angels would be in a fair way to share with them of God’s mercy.”—The Story of Redemption, p. 27. Fully aware of Satan’s strategy, God warned Adam and Eve not to expose themselves to temptation (Genesis 2:16, 17). This means that even when the world was still perfect and blameless, there were already clear restrictions for human beings to follow.
This week we will reflect on the fall of Adam and Eve, on how sin and death took over our world, and on how God planted a seed of hope for humanity even back in Eden.
Thought question: We often say that death is just part of life. Why is that so wrong? Death is the opposite of life, the enemy of life. What great hope, then, is found in this verse: “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26, NKJV)?
Death in a sinful world (Qtr 4 - Week 2: 8 October) Part1
Death in a sinful world (Qtr 4 - Week 2: 8 October) Part2
Audio recordings are available 5-10 minutes after the show has aired.