Here's another thing that I adore about the Word of God: I can read and re-read the same passage over for years and suddenly one day something new will stand out. Last week, I was reading over the account of God's creation of Adam and Eve and the Fall, and I noticed a nuance I had never picked up on before. When Eve chose to take that fateful bite of fruit and Adam chose to listen and do the same, they actually chose knowledge over life. Look with me and see what I mean:
When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up--for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground-- then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. . .
The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." Genesis 2:5-9, 15-17
Notice here that God put at least two unique trees in the Garden; the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, Adam was forbidden to eat from only one of these trees. To eat from the tree of life was permissible, but the fruit from the tree of knowledge was not to be eaten. To reiterate, the thing that astonished me was to see that the first couple chose knowledge over life, preferring to die and be knowledgeable than to live in innocence! They chose to snub their noses at the trusting relationship they had enjoyed with their Creator and eat of the one thing He prohibited. Of course they did not know that their choice would bring chaos, misery, pain, despair, heartache, and desolation for generations, but they could have chosen to trust that their Father's prohibition was for their own protection.
And so the sad story unfolds. They took the gift of life with contempt and decided to follow a path of worldly wisdom rather than keeping faith in their ancient Father and following His footsteps in the path of true wisdom. In doing so they became, as the serpent said, "...like God, knowing good and evil." In becoming "like God" in this way the became repellent to Him, just as like poles of a magnet will inexorably and infinitely repel one another no matter how hard you try to shove them together.
But I cannot judge Adam and Eve too harshly. I am ashamed to admit that I have seen the very same choice at work in my own heart. I have seen myself so eager to show off my knowledge that I chose the silly display of it over the life of various relationships. I have thrown up understanding like a defense, in the process repelling others as surely as my inner heart longed to attract them. Before Christ, I was as foolish as the pair in the garden and now it is only when I am surrendered completely to Him that my choices reflect His wisdom and not my own often damaging knowledge.
On a broader scale, I see this thing pervasively at work in the world. Jesus came to give life, and that abundantly, yet many in the world choose to cling to feeble human "knowledge" rather than humble themselves and accept eternal life. They reject true knowledge--the knowledge and wisdom of the Eternal God--preferring to adhere to their own understanding without seeing how quickly today's science is revealed to be tomorrow's dupe.
And as for dying, I know that the knowledge of good and evil causes me to die a little every day. I see it with my children, for I am powerless to prevent evil from touching them, and I must admit the possibility that they may even be corrupted by it. Only by the grace of God will they see His goodness in the midst of life's pain, and only by their own decisions will they ultimately choose between following Him or the world. I pray ceaselessly that their childish faith will grow into a mighty and unshakable oak of righteousness. I also know full well the evil in my own past, and it still haunts my dreams and led to death when I opted to die to my self and live with Christ. There is no pleasure in knowledge of good and evil. There would have been unimaginable pleasure in choosing the tree of life and leaving the tree of knowledge unplucked and uneaten. We can see now the truth behind the old cliche, "Ignorance is bliss!"
I am sure that once they bit of the fruit and had their first taste of shame, the regret of that very knowledge stalked Adam and Eve until they found respite in the grave. Knowing the pain and shame of my life, I cannot say that I am glad for the knowledge of good and evil, but I am beyond delighted that God made a way to heal the breach and to flip my life around again, making it repellent no longer but once again attractive to Him. How was this done? "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" It is for Him that I can now live, joyful and victorious, despite the ponderous knowledge that I bear. It is for trust in Him that I can rest, unafraid, of the choices my children will make. And it is for Him and Him alone that I now choose to become as a fool to the things of this world.
And so the sad story unfolds. They took the gift of life with contempt and decided to follow a path of worldly wisdom rather than keeping faith in their ancient Father and following His footsteps in the path of true wisdom. In doing so they became, as the serpent said, "...like God, knowing good and evil." In becoming "like God" in this way the became repellent to Him, just as like poles of a magnet will inexorably and infinitely repel one another no matter how hard you try to shove them together.
But I cannot judge Adam and Eve too harshly. I am ashamed to admit that I have seen the very same choice at work in my own heart. I have seen myself so eager to show off my knowledge that I chose the silly display of it over the life of various relationships. I have thrown up understanding like a defense, in the process repelling others as surely as my inner heart longed to attract them. Before Christ, I was as foolish as the pair in the garden and now it is only when I am surrendered completely to Him that my choices reflect His wisdom and not my own often damaging knowledge.
On a broader scale, I see this thing pervasively at work in the world. Jesus came to give life, and that abundantly, yet many in the world choose to cling to feeble human "knowledge" rather than humble themselves and accept eternal life. They reject true knowledge--the knowledge and wisdom of the Eternal God--preferring to adhere to their own understanding without seeing how quickly today's science is revealed to be tomorrow's dupe.
And as for dying, I know that the knowledge of good and evil causes me to die a little every day. I see it with my children, for I am powerless to prevent evil from touching them, and I must admit the possibility that they may even be corrupted by it. Only by the grace of God will they see His goodness in the midst of life's pain, and only by their own decisions will they ultimately choose between following Him or the world. I pray ceaselessly that their childish faith will grow into a mighty and unshakable oak of righteousness. I also know full well the evil in my own past, and it still haunts my dreams and led to death when I opted to die to my self and live with Christ. There is no pleasure in knowledge of good and evil. There would have been unimaginable pleasure in choosing the tree of life and leaving the tree of knowledge unplucked and uneaten. We can see now the truth behind the old cliche, "Ignorance is bliss!"
I am sure that once they bit of the fruit and had their first taste of shame, the regret of that very knowledge stalked Adam and Eve until they found respite in the grave. Knowing the pain and shame of my life, I cannot say that I am glad for the knowledge of good and evil, but I am beyond delighted that God made a way to heal the breach and to flip my life around again, making it repellent no longer but once again attractive to Him. How was this done? "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" It is for Him that I can now live, joyful and victorious, despite the ponderous knowledge that I bear. It is for trust in Him that I can rest, unafraid, of the choices my children will make. And it is for Him and Him alone that I now choose to become as a fool to the things of this world.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.
The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!
Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Psalms 103:1-22
Scripture quotations are from the ESV®
Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News
Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment