The Right Tree

The Right Tree

Genesis 2:15-17
"15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 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.”

When God created everything, and ultimately man, it was perfect.  He said of His creation that it was good.  But of man He said it was VERY GOOD!  It was never His intention for man to die.  Death, in fact, is the last enemy that will be put under Jesus' feet.  

After He created everything He gave Adam the "keys" to the kingdom, so to speak, on a temporary lease.  He said "6 days shall you labor."  Remember that? Our lease was for 6,000 years because a day, to God is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.  (See 2 Peter 3:8)  Our lease will be up very soon.

 

We all know that Adam and Eve both ate of the forbidden tree.  That's a fact.  But when everything was created, Adam was the only one there.  He is the beginning of the human race and he heard ALL that God had said.  When Eve came along a bit later, all she got was the cliff notes, so to speak. 

So, one day the serpent came along and spoke to Eve to tempt her.  The reason Adam is credited with the fall because HE WAS RIGHT THERE NEXT TO HER while the serpent made his pitch YET HE SAID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to contradict the devil's lies.  
Genesis 3:6
"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."

As the head or leader of his house, he was responsible for his family which at that time, of course, was only Eve. The serpent was telling half-truths, as usual, making God appear stingy.  The fact is He told Adam that they could "FREELY EAT" of every tree.  The serpent left out the word, "FREELY," you notice.  Eve, not having heard the whole truth and not being corrected by Adam, who was standing right next to her, was deceived.  So she gave the fruit to her husband, who should have known better and spoken up, and sin entered the world.

 

What Adam did, in effect, was to give God up for a bite to eat.  In so doing, he bowed his knee to satan and gave him "keys" to death and hell.  That's how sin passed to all mankind and the curse came upon all creation.  Adam forfeited earth's inheritance to that outlaw spirit and the earth was sealed with those seven seals detailed in the book of Revelation:  Sealed with #1: Deception; #@: False doctrine:  #3: Violence;  #4: Famine;  #5: Lack; #6: Disease and #7: Death.

BUT, HALLELUIA!  EVERYTHING THAT THOSE SEALS BOUND TO THE EARTH IS UNSEALED OFF THE LIVES AND THE EARTH OF US WHO BELONG TO JESUS.  

Our forfeited inheritance has been restored to us by our Goel--our Kinsman Redeemer--JESUS!  They cannot happen to your earth and my earth.  We have been redeemed from every curse, every lack, every disease....even death is kept at bay!

God has--and I say this reverently--selfish reasons for wanting us to live a long and healthy life:  SO WE CAN GO AND BE A WITNESS OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!  He is long-suffering and willing that NONE should perish!  

Of course, the devil HATES God and thereby HATES man who is made in His image and he HATES the gospel.  He wants to kill us to get back at God who banished him and prevent the spread of the good news, thereby condemning to hell as many of God's beloved creation as possible.  S

So far he's done a real bang-up job of giving God a bad name.  Don't believe the hype about God judging the earth with the evil happenings and catastrophes, especially of late.  GOD DID NOT BRING THIS NONSENSE TO EARTH:  Man did.  It is a consequence of the fall and, last time I looked, the earth is still fallen.  

Those who are outside of Christ are still sealed with those curses.  Their "earth" is cursed.  They are at the whim of the devil who can trouble and afflict them any time he wants.  Jesus is the only ONE Who can unseal them.

But not us, Church.  Our earth is NOT cursed!  You and I have been UNsealed!!   Whatever happens to their earth will not affect your earth.  You are God's elect.  

HOWEVER.....those believers don't believe or understand that they are exempt, who believe they must obey the Law to be acceptable to God will, unfortunately, experience the curse.  Hmmm.....believers who don't believe.  That's kind of an oxymoron.

NOW HEAR THIS CHURCH:  WE STAND NO CURSE GROUND BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.  Our salvation is Jesus plus NOTHING.  Our blessings are Jesus plus NOTHING.  Our favor and provision is Jesus plus NOTHING.

When the devil tries to attack YOU--and he will--The Holy Spirit raises a standard:  a rainbow, over Your head that says, "No judgment ground!  DO NOT ENTER."  You can say to him, "You lying devil!  Be gone in Jesus' Name,"  and he has to flee at the sound of The Name!  You are preserved in the midst of the storm!

You are preserved because you chose to eat of THE RIGHT TREE.