INTRODUCTION

The humans in Eden showed their lack of faith, which led to lack of resources and to slavery, not rulership. The humans failed to trust and obey the Creator, who had said, 

You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die. (Genesis 2:16-17)

They disrupted the Creator’s plans to expand Eden throughout the whole Earth. He sent the disobedient unbelievers to a place of toil for resources, of potential harm from people and beasts, of working for others instead of for one’s own purpose. This meant the loss of rulership and enjoying the value of one’s work. Disobedience led to the shame of nakedness.

SERPENT BROUGHT AN ALTERNATIVE WAY OF THINKING

This shrewd, sentient creature of the field came to Eve and challenged the Creator’s word. It said God lied. “You will not die.” This rebel accused the One who provided all things of holding out on the humans. “You will become like God. You will be able to judge good and bad. Then you can act on your own.” (pic: )

The woman reached out, took, and ate the fruit forbidden to her. (This began the pattern of bad behavior throughout the Bible.) She also gave some to her husband and he ate.

HUMANS CHOSE TO BELIEVE THE ENEMY

The humans failed to trust and obey the Creator. They acted independently of Him and disobeyed His command. They and their descendents became slaves of this Enemy of the Creator and His Creation. By giving their loyalty to him, they became unable to refuse his suggestions/ temptations/ orders. They perpetrated theft, murder, destruction, and enslavement of others.

The humans lost the conditions of Eden. There was no more easy access to resources: food, water, shelter, healing from the Tree of Life. Illness, injury, decline of health took over their bodies. Violence against one another led to walled cities, which led to Babylon and Assyria (Genesis 10:8-12).

There was no more absence of flaws: willful disobedience, the passing of blame, the process of decay and death. Instead, there was shame in being exposed, the need for covering by dead animals.

God’s Remedy

Fortunately for the Creator’s plan of redemption and for disobedient unbelieving humans, He sent His Son to proclaim the restoration of the Kingdom in the whole world (John 3:16-17). 

On the Cross, Jesus bore all the sins of all Humanity for all time. In His exposure on that Roman torture device, He also bore all the shame deserved by all of Humanity. Enemies of the Kingdom may seek to humiliate Kingdom citizens with similar torture, shame, and death. However, we are united with Jesus in His sufferings and can, therefore, reign in life with Him, untouched by that shame and death.

Questions 

Does your life reflect the shalom (health, wealth, wellbeing) of God’s Kingdom because of your surrender to the King?

Or does your life reflect the illness, poverty, or mental or emotional chaos of believing the lies of the Enemy?

The Creator has made you to rule in your life under His reign. Surrender to Him will deliver you from bondage and poverty into His shalom.