JEHOVAH GOD is his own Counsellor. He formulates his own plans and carries them out. His counsel, as revealed to man, is set forth in his Word. "Every purpose is established by counsel." (Proverbs 20:18) God has a definite purpose in every thing he does. He employed more than forty thousand years in making the earth. Before he began he knew what he was going to do, and what would be the end thereof, (Acts 15:18) Therefore he had from the beginning a definite purpose in creating the earth as he did create it. His purpose therefore was established by his Word, which is his counsel. We can be certain that he carried out that purpose exactly as he intended from the beginning.
It is written: "I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: . . . I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it." (Isaiah 46: 9-11) "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." — Isaiah 55:11.
It is God's purpose that the earth shall never be destroyed. "The earth abideth for ever." (Ecclesiastes 1: 4) Since the earth is to stand for ever it follows that it is the purpose of God that it shall be used for ever. Upon that point God expressly stated: "God himself
that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else." — Isaiah 45:18.
Not only did he form the earth in the shape of a globe and hang it in space, but with the expenditure of much energy he made it fit to be inhabited by his creatures. He created it to be inhabited, and his purposes shall not be in vain. To inhabit a place means to dwell there and to remain there. Since the earth must abide for ever, and must be inhabited according to the will of the Creator, it follows that there must be some intelligent creature put on it to properly use it.
That creature is man, whom the Lord God created. It is not only an insult to Jehovah but a presumptuous sin to say that man developed himself. (Psalm 100: 3) The theory of evolution of man is an insult to the intelligence of men; and being a greater insult to Jehovah, it is here dismissed without discussion. We either believe God or we do not believe him. If we believe him we will be guided by his Word.
Process of Creation
Many centuries before the creation of man God laid the foundations of the earth. Whether any of his creatures on the spirit plane knew at that time that there was to be a man is not revealed by God's Word. It seems certain, however, that they were informed that some intelligent creature would be the chief one on earth. There was a season of great rejoicing in the presence of Jehovah God at the time of the laying of the foundations of the earth. His two sons, the Logos and Lucifer, joined in a song of praise; and the knowledge of its significance, together with the wondrous melody of the song, caused all the sons of God to shout
for joy to the glory of God. (Job 38:6, 7) Probably the great Creator informed his heavenly sons that the planet he was now developing would at some future day be presided over by an intelligent creature, and the knowledge of that fact caused the heavens to resound with joyful song.
The time came for the creation of the intelligent creature man. It seems certain that Jehovah held conversation with his beloved One, the Logos, concerning his purpose of creating man. The record reads: "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." — Genesis 1:26,27.
The likeness mentioned in this Scriptural proof could not have meant the bodily form, because God is the Spirit Eternal whom no man hath ever seen nor shall see. There is no mention in the record that man should have a body like a spirit being. On the contrary, those who will be changed from human to spirit beings in due course of time will be given suitable bodies for the spiritual realm. There is a spirit body and there is a human body. (1 Corinthians 15:44) It also is certain that the human body is not in the form of a spirit body. (1 John 3:2) In what way then was man made in the image and likeness of the great Jehovah?
The attributes of God, which are inherent in him, are, to wit: wisdom, justice, love and power, all operating in equal and exact balance. This is proven by his revealed plan. The beasts of the field have never possessed these attributes or inherent qualities. Even the imperfect man whom we now see has some wisdom, some
justice, some love, and some power. The fact that these qualities are incomplete shows that the perfect one would have them in perfection and operating equally. It therefore must be that man was made in the image and likeness of God in this respect, to wit: that he was endowed with wisdom, justice, love and power. In addition thereto it may be properly said that God has dominion over all creation. When he gave man dominion over the earth, to that extent also man was in the likeness of God. It cannot be inferred from this scripture that the heavenly creatures did not possess the likeness of Jehovah. It must be understood from the text cited that man was the only earthly creation made in the image and likeness of God.
Jehovah furnished the plans and specifications for the building of the first man. Marvelous wisdom is displayed in those plans. Provision was made for the exact number of bones, to wit: two hundred and six, to form the human skeleton. A perfect system of circulation of the blood was provided. Provision was made for the lungs to keep the blood pure, and to keep up the circulation; and the most marvelous electrical system, which we call nerves, was provided for. It is not the purpose here to set out the plan in detail, but merely to call attention to the fact that all the minutiae were carefully worked out, even to the numbering of the hairs of the head. — Matthew 10: 30.
Then the Logos proceeded to execute those plans to build man exactly according to the specifications. It is written that the man is of the earth and earthy. (1 Corinthians 15:47) This is true because he was made out of the elements that form the earth. For this reason the earth contains every element that goes to make up a perfect human organism. The process employed in the creation of man is stated thus: "And the
Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and Breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." — Genesis 2:7.
The animals created prior to the creation of man were also designated souls, because every creature that breathes is a soul. (Genesis 1: 20, margin) There is no intimation in the record that God made man, and then gave him a soul. He formed him, and then into the nostrils of that organism he breathed the breath which he has provided for all living creatures, and a soul resulted. A soul means a breathing, sentient being having life.
Could it be said that because God is immortal and man was made in his image and likeness, therefore God gave man an immortal soul? Such conclusion is both unreasonable and unscriptural. If God gave man a soul, then the record would so state; and if that soul so given was immortal, then God could never put it to death for a violation of his law. That would mean then that when God would start a life he would have no power to stop it; and this is not consistent with his limitless power. Furthermore, it is written that God only hath immortality. (1 Timothy 6:16) From the fact that God is the Life-giver, it follows that he has the power to take away life at his pleasure. The Scriptures show that he reserved to himself the right to deprive his creature of life; therefore it is conclusively proven that man is mortal.
Is not the breath, which God breathed into the nostrils of man, the divine or immortal spark of man which God planted in him? The answer to that must be No, for the reason that the Scriptures show that God did nothing of the kind; but that he made man of the elements of the earth, and when the breath of life was put into his nostrils a moving, breathing creature resulted, which is a soul. The breath which
man breathes belongs to Jehovah, because everything is God's. The right to life proceeded from God. The breath is not immortal. The breath itself possesses no life. The breath is that which keeps the blood in circulation by which the human body is animated. The Scriptures plainly state that the life is in the blood. (Deuteronomy 12:23) Man is the highest order of animal creation. All animals, including man, have the same kind of breath. — Ecclesiastes 3:19.
Human experience conclusively shows that man dies, and any creature that dies is not immortal. A creature to be immortal would necessarily be not subject to death. God created the man as the crowning or highest element of earth's creation. "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? . . . For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things under his feet." (Psalm 8:4-6) God was pleased with his work in the creation of man and pronounced that work "very good". Man was the earthly son of the great Jehovah God, and God loved him. The environment he made for man's happiness.
Home
A portion of the earth, which was called Eden, God had caused to be brought to a perfect condition. It must have been a beautiful place. The man whom he had made for it and to have dominion over it, was perfect; and his home was also made perfect, because all the works of Jehovah are perfect. (Deuteronomy 32:4) How large an area Eden occupied is not disclosed by the Sacred Record, but the conditions described indicate that it was a very large place. There is some evidence that Eden was in that part of the
earth now known as the mountainous country of Armenia.
In the eastern part of Eden God planted a garden which was a veritable paradise. Trees that brought forth marvelously beautiful flowers were there to please the sight of man with their blossoms, and to perfume the air that he breathed. Other trees that bore all manner of fruit were there, and from these man had provided for him his food supply. Every kind of beast was there, but they were not wild. These beasts were gentle, tame and obedient. They walked before Adam, their king, who gave each one of them a name; and they heard his voice and responded thereto. There were found numerous birds with marvelous plumage, the bird of paradise and the bird of song. There the climatic conditions were perfect, and a sweet perfume floated through the zephyrs, which were at the same time filled with song and praise to the glory of God.
A great river went out from the garden, which was divided into four parts and watered the country round about. These streams of water added to the beauty and glory of the place. In that garden were much fine gold and precious stones, which man might use for his own pleasure. The brief sacred record says: "And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
"And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river
is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." — Genesis 2: 8-17.
Then God said: "It is not good that the man should be alone." God would make man's happiness complete. When Adam was enjoying sweet sleep God made him a wife. When Adam awakened there stood before him a perfect woman, the most beautiful thing his eyes had ever beheld. Of course he loved her from that very instant. Then and there they began to enjoy together the beauties and glories of their perfect home. They walked and talked together, and they mingled their voices in song and worship and praise to their great Creator. Such a happy and blessed union has never since been known between man and woman, because no two together have ever been perfect since that time.
Adam was the king of the earth; and with his beautiful queen by his side, and with everything provided that the heart might desire, he reveled in his possessions and in his glorious home. Who had provided these marvelous things for man? Jehovah, the great Almighty God, in the exercise of his loving kindness had made them all for him. Created with perfect veneration man must worship his Maker, or something in his stead. The perfect man and his perfect wife pursued the even tenor of their way in peace and complete enjoyment.
But there lurked in the pathway of this happy pair a bitter and subtle foe. Because of this foe their happi-
ness was doomed to be of short duration. There is some Scriptural evidence to indicate that approximately two years of time elapsed during which they enjoyed the blessedness of their home and the beauties of their surroundings and uninterrupted sweet fellowship with each other. Then began the sorrows of man, and since then sorrows have ever been present with the human race. There is a reason for this, and that reason we must understand in order to appreciate the great Creator.
The Test
But why would God permit a subtle enemy to ensnare this perfect pair, one who would interfere with their happiness? God did not make that creature an enemy. Lucifer was his name, and he was one of the sons of God who had joined together in that wondrous heavenly anthem when the foundation of the earth was laid. He was in Eden, the garden of the Lord, wherein man dwelt. God had appointed him to the honorable and responsible position of overlord to man, and had assigned him to his duties in the perfect Eden. — Ezekiel 28:13, 14.
As a spirit being Lucifer was not visible to man, but could employ other means to converse with Adam and his wife. The serpent was a cunning and subtle beast, and at that time walked upright, as did other beasts. It possessed beauty and grace. Lucifer employed the serpent to attract the attention of Eve, and used it through which to speak to her. It is manifest from the Scriptures that the animals were able to convey their thoughts to man and to understand man. — Genesis 3:20; 3:1, 2.
Lucifer knew that God had endowed Adam and Eve with the power of procreation; that is to say, the power of begetting, generating and producing their own kind.
He knew that in time they would exercise this function and would bring forth children, and that these likewise in turn would have children, and that in due course the earth would be filled with a race of creatures all of whom would be proclaiming the praises of Jehovah God. Lawlessness or iniquity then entered into his heart.
The duties of Lucifer were definitely prescribed by God's law, but he had a desire to exceed these and to run ahead of God and to do things his own way. He reasoned thus: "Why should I not be like the Most High God? He has dominion over all of heaven and earth. I am assigned as overlord of man, earth's most intelligent creature; and why should not God share with me in all this glory?" The result of his musing was that he determined to put his desire into action and to establish his own throne in an exalted place and be equal to the Most High God. (Isaiah 14:13,14) That marked the time when iniquity entered his heart and was found in him by Jehovah. He became the enemy of God from that minute, and the subtle lurking enemy of man. As man blissfully walked over beautiful Eden he was ignorant of the malicious intent lurking in the mind of Lucifer.
Of course Jehovah could have prevented Lucifer from carrying out his wicked scheme, but it did not please him to do so. The perfect creature man must be put to the test, that it might be proved whether or not he would remain loyal to God or whether he would turn away from God. If he really loved his great Creator and properly appreciated him, then he would withstand all attempts to turn him away from God, and if under this test he proved himself loyal and faithful he would prove himself worthy of the position he occupied, and worthy to possess in time everlasting life. Man must be put to the test, and it was no injustice to him to put him to the test. Jehovah therefore permitted Lucifer
to go on with his wicked scheme, and permitted man to meet the test.
God had given his law to Adam before the creation of Eve, his wife. Doubtless Adam had told Eve of this law; because Eve knew, when the matter was brought to her attention, the meaning of the law, and so stated it. Of course Lucifer knew the law that God had given to man, and he must now take advantage of that law in order to accomplish his wicked purpose. He concluded that it would be easier for him to convince Eve of the correctness of his position than it would Adam; and that with Eve once on his side, the battle would be more than half won, because she would help to induce Adam to join her rather than to be separated from her. Lucifer knew of Adam's great desire for Eve, and the influence she exercised over him.
Employing the serpent for his purposes Lucifer approached Eve and engaged her in conversation. According to the Scriptures that conversation was in substance thus:
'This is a beautiful home you have here, with all these trees, wonderful fruits and flowers. You are not eating all the fruit, however, because God has said that you must not eat of every tree. Is that why you are not doing so?'
Eve replied: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." — Genesis 3: 2, 3.
Lucifer's next step was to convince Eve that he, Lucifer, was her real friend and the friend of her husband; and that God in fact was their enemy, and for selfish reasons was keeping them in ignorance of many wonderful things that they should know. His argument to Eve was that the tree which she had men-
tioned bore good and wholesome food, that it was even beautiful fruit, and that the fruit was greatly to be desired by any one who wanted to be wise. So he said to her: "Ye shall hot surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened; and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." — Genesis 3: 4, 5.
Eve yielded to the seductive influence, took the fruit and ate it. Then she showed Adam what she had done, and he also ate of it. This was a violation of God's plain statement of his law, and the acts of both Eve and Adam constituted a wilful breaking of that law. From that moment Adam was a bad man, and his wife was also bad. Their conscience smote them and they hid themselves. They had been put to the test; they had yielded to the lawless influence of one who should have taken a different course; and their act had proven themselves disloyal to God, their Creator.
What now must be done to them? Jehovah God is just, which means that he is always right and righteous. To permit his creature to continue in life on earth and to be king of the earth would be wrong on God's part, because such a course would make his law of none effect. Besides if the man surrounded ' by perfect conditions would disobey God, he would continue to do so under all circumstances, and would induce other creatures to be wicked for ever. For man's own good, as well as to uphold the majesty of the law, he must meet the penalty fixed by the law.
Justice demanded that the law be enforced. Adam and Eve admitted that they had violated God's law. They both knew that his law stated: "In the day that thou eatest thereof, dying thou shalt die." God must take some action because of their conduct. His judicial determination or judgment bearing upon the question must be in harmony with his law; hence Jehovah ren-
dered judgment in the case, which judgment is set out as follows:
"Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow, and thy conception: in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life: thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field: in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. . . . Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man: and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden, cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." — Genesis 3:16-19, 23, 24.
The law of God and his judgment prove that God did not create man an immortal soul nor give him an immortal soul. The law had said: "In the day that thou eatest thereof, dying thou shalt die." (Genesis 2:17, margin) The judgment of God entered against man was in complete and exact harmony with that law. Indeed it could not have been otherwise, because God is always consistent. The judicial determination of God, which is his judgment, reads: 'Man was made of the dust and back to the dust he must go.' (Genesis 3:19) From the earth he had been taken, and to the earth he must ultimately return in the form of inanimate matter.
The record of the Lord discloses that only Eden was complete and perfect, and that all other portions of the earth were unfinished. The statement of the judg-
ment, to wit: "Cursed is the ground for thy sake," means that the earth is unfinished for your sake. And why for man's sake? Because now he must go to that unfinished part of the earth which brought forth thorns and thistles, and by his own labor produce the food that was necessary for him. Work has always been a great favor to man. An idle person is no good to himself nor to any one else. It was therefore an act of loving kindness on the part of God that he provided work for man.
God sent man forth from Eden into that unfinished part of the earth and gave him work there for a period of nine hundred and thirty years, and during that time he would have ample opportunity to think about the terrible mistake he had made. Throughout that period he was gradually undergoing a process of death, and at the end thereof he was dead. Of course God could have killed Adam immediately, but it did not please him so to do; and subsequent revelations of God's plan show that the gradual death of Adam will ultimately result to the benefit of the human race and to the glory of God.
In Eden there was a tree designated "the tree of life", because God had named this tree thus; and it is manifest that the creatures whom he should permit to partake of that tree should live and not die. The virtue of life was not in the fruit of the tree. The tree and its fruit were symbols of life, and God's law was and is that if any one proves himself worthy to eat of the fruit of the tree of life then that one shall live for ever and not die. Had Adam proven faithful under the test to which he was put doubtless he would have been permitted, in due time, to eat of the fruit of that tree of life; and thereby God would have testified to him that he was faithful and true, and as such entitled to everlasting life on the earth.
God's law or ride of action never changes. Upon that point his law is: "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) This rule must mean that any of the human family who will ever, under any condition, attain to life everlasting must be put to the test, and must be victors or overcomers in that test, and thereby prove themselves loyal and faithful; and thus gaining the victory they will be entitled to life everlasting. This is further proof that the tree of life is a symbol of life to those who are obedient unto God, and that none except the obedient will ever be granted life everlasting.
The human organism is of flesh. The mind is the intelligence, or that faculty of the being by which the creature reasons and reaches a conclusion. Will is that faculty of the creature by which the creature determines to do or not to do a certain thing. The temptation was presented to Eve in three forms; namely, a test of the flesh, a test of the mind, and a test of the will. She saw that the tree bore good fruit to eat; and she reasoned, 'That would be good for my body or organism. I will use my powers now for the gratification and welfare of my flesh.'
And she saw that it was pleasant to the eye. It appealed to her fancy, and she was pleased with its external appearance. It was beautiful to look upon and she desired it. Hence she said, 'I will have this most beautiful fruit.' She saw that it was a tree to be desired to make one wise. It appealed to her pride or her sense of her own importance and worth, and she desired to be wise even though before God's time. She determined to exercise her will contrary to God's will. Therefore she said, 'I will eat and become wiser than other creatures, yea, even as wise as God himself.'
Upon all three points Eve was tempted, and upon each one she yielded and fell. She was so impressed with her own importance that she gave the fruit to her husband, and he did eat. He did not want to be separated from her. He knew that what she had done would separate her from God, and he preferred to yield to the desire of his flesh rather than to be obedient to God and he ate. He saw that she was beautiful, appealed to his eye; and he desired to possess her and to be with her; and he yielded upon this point. He knew that it was the will of God that he should not eat. He knew that he could exercise his own will contrary to God's will and thus run ahead of Jehovah. Doubtless it was God's purpose to let him eat of that fruit some time. To exercise his will in a selfish way Adam yielded upon this point. Upon all three of the temptations man fell.
Subsequent revelations of God's Word show that these three methods of temptation God has permitted, and has not hindered, Satan to present in a subtle form to every one of the human family that has claimed to be in harmony with God. It is written in his Word: "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (1 John 2: 16, 17) This is further proof that any one of the human family that is ever granted eternal life must be put to the test, and under the test prove his loyalty and faithfulness to Jehovah.
Adam and his wife were expelled from their paradise home. They went out in disgrace and under the sentence of death. The Lord set a watch at the entrance of the garden to prevent their return. They had wilfully broken the law of God, and now began their
punishment which the law inflicted upon them, When in their Eden home their food was perfect. Outside of Eden grew thorns and thistles, and trees which produced poisonous foods. From these by laborious efforts they must obtain the food which in course of time would poison them, overcome them, and cause them to die. It was a dark day for them when they left Eden, and it continued dark. Their long journey of sorrow had begun. At the end of nine hundred and thirty years in darkness and sin Adam went down into the pit, and the earth closed over him.
Another part of the judgment was: "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow, and thy conception: in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." (Genesis 3:16) Six thousand years of the suffering of women in giving birth to children abundantly testify to the enforcement of this part of God's judgment. The Lord had good reason for this punishment, and in due time it will prove a blessing to man. It was there expressed as the law of God that the woman must be subject to the man. There was good reason for that rule also. Because that rule has been so frequently violated, much suffering has resulted and many families have been disrupted.
Valuable lessons are usually dearly bought. For their own good God would have his creatures learn the lessons which he has provided for them. In due time all men must learn that Jehovah God does everything orderly. They will learn that man is the head of the woman, that Christ Jesus is the Head of his church, and that Jehovah is Head of Christ and the Most High God over all. The enemy Satan has busied himself to see that this rule has been violated in almost all homes. He has made of the husband a beastly and vicious overlord, and it has thereby been easy to induce the
woman to believe that she should not be subject to him. Discord and sorrow have been the result.
When God created Adam and Eve he said: "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth." There he expressed his will that they should produce a race of their own kind, and for such human race he created the earth. When Adam and Eve left Eden they had not exercised this divinely-given function. Later their children began to be born. (Genesis 4:1, 2) What kind of children should be expected to be born of imperfect parents under the sentence of death? It must be borne in mind that Adam had no right to life, and therefore he could not transmit to his offspring the right to life. In addition to the absence of a right to life, Adam was undergoing the process of death, and it follows that his offspring under such circumstances could not be perfect.
Both Adam and Eve now were sinners. Therefore their children of necessity must be born in sin. Later one of the prophets of God recorded Jehovah's rule governing all cases: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51: 5) Upon this same point another of God's inspired witnesses wrote: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." (Romans 5:13) These scriptures, stating the rule of Jehovah, explain why all children have been born imperfect and without the right to life, and why in due course of time they become sick and die.
All of this trouble has been caused by sin. And what is sin? Sin is a transgression of God's law. (1 John 3:4) All lawlessness therefore is sin. To be lawless means to be disloyal to God. Lucifer knew the law of God and broke it. Adam knew the law of God and he transgressed it. The wages or penalty for
sin is death. (Romans 6:23) There is no departure from these rules, because God changes not. — Mal. 3: 6.
The Devil
Lucifer was the first one of God's spirit creatures to sin. Adam was the first one of the world, and the first of the earthly creatures, to sin. By his unlawful act sin entered into the world. Is the death penalty to be inflicted upon Lucifer for his transgression of God's law? The judgment of God is that he must die and remain for ever dead. (Ezekiel 28:15-18; Hebrews 2:14) The penalty for his violation of the law will be enforced in God's due time. God has a due time for everything he does.
The name Lucifer means light-bearer, or morning star. After his sin he was known by the names of Dragon, Satan, Serpent and Devil. (Revelation 20:1-3) When Jehovah gives a creature a name that name carries with it great significance. Dragon signifies devourer; Satan means opposer, or adversary; Serpent means deceiver; while Devil means one who slanders. These names indicate the wicked and completely abandoned course that the Devil has pursued since the crime of Eden.
From then till now he has been the enemy and opposer of God. and likewise the enemy and adversary of every one who has tried to be obedient to God's law. One who therefore has been thus opposed by Satan has to that degree been put to the test. It is evident from the Word of the Lord that Jehovah purposes to give all of his creatures an opportunity to choose to follow the Devil or to be obedient to God, and this explains why the execution of the judgment against Satan is so long deferred.
Ray of Hope
Another part of the judgment entered by Jehovah at the time Adam was sentenced is this: "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:15) There is a twofold meaning to this Scriptural statement. The serpent, then a beast walking upright, was sentenced to ever after crawl on its belly in the dust, and to be despised and killed by man. The serpent, also being used by Lucifer, became a symbol of deceit, representing the Devil. The "seed" of the Serpent here mentioned means those creatures who would become tools or wilful representatives of the Devil. — John 8: 40-44.
The woman is a symbol of God's organization called Zion, which gives birth to the "seed of promise". That "seed" is The Christ, God's anointed one. (Galatians 3:16, 27, 29) The judgment states that there would thereafter be enmity between the "seed of the serpent" and the "seed of the woman". The Devil and his angels and visible representatives have openly and violently opposed every one who has earnestly sought to serve the Lord and follow in the footsteps of Christ Jesus. The fight has been and is between the anointed of the Lord on one side and the Devil and his angels on the other. — Ephesians 6:12.
In this part of the judgment there is a vague promise made of victory by the "seed of the woman", in this, that the "seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head". It follows that the "seed" must be brought forth and until that time God would permit the enemy Satan to go on with his nefarious work and to do his worst, and this he has done. But God's promise is that Satan shall meet defeat, and that in due time he shall be bruised under the feet of the Anointed One. (Romans
16: 20) The fact that the head of the enemy is to be bruised, and that it is to be done by the "seed of the woman", causes a ray of light to shine upon the pathway of man and indicates that there is a better time coming in the future.
Since that better condition must be brought about by "the seed of the woman" as God's instrument, such "seed" must be made perfect and in complete harmony with God. That this may be done, it follows that there must be a "new creation" brought forth by Jehovah before the better condition of man can be had. A few of the offspring of Adam have tenaciously held to that ray of hope. This has been true of some of them even though they could not comprehend its meaning. But today the student of the divine plan who with thankful heart reverentially pursues the unfolding of God's purposes rejoices in this faint ray of hope held forth in the judgment entered long centuries ago.
From the day that God entered that judgment he knew every detail of his plan concerning man. His love, which is the perfect expression of his unselfishness, provided all the details of that plan to be carried out in due time. That plan provides for the recovery of man by and through the means of a new creation. The wisdom of God directed the unfolding and carrying out of his plan gradually. When it is completed it will reflect his glory, his wisdom, his justice, his love and his boundless power. In faith let us now hasten on to learn more of God's wonderful works, because one learning will find the way that leads to life and happiness. — John 3:17.
