Last week, we investigated a murder. While we were successful in unraveling the case, there is one question that might still be lingering in peoples minds....
Didn't our findings point the finger at God, because it was His plan, and He ALLOWED the deaths of millions of humans, and even killed off a large population of them?
Can we call the author of all LIFE a murderer if He chooses to take back what He gave?
Lets talk about that today, and for that, we will structure our discussion on the three words in the title, before we start pointing fingers or using big words we don't understand.....
A> LIFE
Genesis shows the creation of life in many forms. Plants are created FIRST, and they are created as FOOD for animals and man (yes everyone was vegan then ... not even eggs or fish).
" And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, -----wherein there is ----life------, I have given every --green herb-- for -----meat: and it was so. " - Gen 1:30
No one today loses much sleep over eating plants that were once alive, or plucking fruit from a tree. You got to do what you need to live right?? ?
-----So eating to survive (sustain LIFE) was prebuilt into creation BEFORE there was a curse!---
Where there is LIFE, there is the possibility of -death ... or the ending of it.... which brings us to....
B> DEATH
We just found out that anything living ---can--- die if it does not sustain itself. This ending can come via many ways..
1. Natural causes... no food, natural disasters, accidents
2. Being killed, for food! .... (probably post the Curse, or post Noah)
3. Killing for other reasons ... self defense, aggression/domination, to save another life
4. Killing out of hate /anger/ envy ... ====
C> MURDER !!!!! (Cain is the human poster child..)
Man in the garden had a need to eat as well. Gen 1:30 does not distinguish between the needs of man and animals. So yes, Man could PHYSICALLY die.
Whyy else would God put a TREE OF LIFE in the ----MIDST OF THE GARDEN---- and ---NOT PROHIBIT --- MAN FROM EATING ITS FRUIT? ----- even when telling him that eating of the other tree would cause him to die?
Because He Loved him!! & didn't want to see him die....
Why death then? The answer is simple...
---- to put a limit on the amount of sin a person can do in his/her lifetime, and therefore also to limit the amount of suffering, FREE WILL DISOBEDIENCE would bring into His Creation.
"And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is ----become as ----one of us, to ---know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and ---live--- ----for ever: ------Therefore----- the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. " - Gen 3:22
Eating to live would now be difficult - Man will have to work for it, and even then, his life will be limited. WORK is another means to keep us BUSY & OCCUPIED so that we have even LESS time to SIN.
Solomon says WORK is good , to be busy, to enjoy the fruits of your labors, but work knowing that it is all VANITY (emptiness).
You brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that you can take nothing out.... therefore if you have food, clothing and shelter (LIFE!) you should be well content!!!!! Godliness with contentment is great GAIN! ( " 1 Tim 6:6-10 " )
Death had to be inflicted on all Mankind to save the as-yet UNBORN ELECT!
RIGHT AT THE END OF THE REVEALED WORD we find this!
In the Book of Revelation, "Blessed are they that --do-- his commandments, that they may have -----right to the tree of life----, and may ---enter in through the gates into the city----. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. " -- Rev 22:14,15
In the new planet, man (and new kids being born) must eat of the tree of life to live for ever. Those that SIN, are never given access... only those that live in HARMONY with the commandments of the LORD are allowed to enter and partake, so that they and their children, can live for ever.
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The LORD is both the GIVER, TAKER AWAY OF, KEEPER OF OUR SPIRITS and RESTORER of LIFE.
He did it to His Son, and what HE went through, we ALL must endure.
The TRUE murderer tempted mankind into disobedience out of hate.
God permitted it to happen so that He could restore Heaven and Earth back into relationship with Himself, out of LOVE, not HATE.
It is tough love to be sure, but we are hard, stiff-necked and like sheep in our disobedience.
We Praise God for His wisdom, power, foreknowledge and Love, and give Him all the glory!!
Hallelujah!!