Genesis 3:15, Genesis 49:10, Deuteronomy 18:15, Psalm 2:2, Isaiah 53:2, Matthew 1:22

Summary: The fall of humanity, as recorded in Genesis 3, shows the consequences of rebellion but also the promise of redemption from a merciful God who desires that no one perish, but that everyone would come to Him for everlasting life.

The first eleven chapters of the book of Genesis are an authentic record of the beginning of the universe and the world. It is the work of Almighty God and is a testimony to logic, rationality, meaning, purpose, and the precise design of what we know as science. Within the first two chapters of Genesis, we see the beginning of cosmology, astronomy, meteorology, biology, botany, geology, anatomy, and physiology, and that the idea of “primitive man” is only a whim that unfortunately has been peddled as fact for years, and woe be to anybody who says otherwise.

Within Genesis 1 and 2, we read of an exact area where a literal garden and source of four rivers began. Our origin began in the area known as the “Middle East,” specifically the area of Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and the Persian Gulf (modern-day Iran). This is also the area where our troubles began. We read about it in Genesis 3 and witness the consequences of thinking that we can do a better job than God in running the world.

In Genesis 3:10-12, we see how Adam went from having an intimate relationship with God to accusing Him of creating the woman and then casting the blame for his sin on her. Eve, in turn, did not confess her rebellion but shifted the blame to the words of the serpent, whom the Bible refers to as Satan, “the adversary,” the original rebel against God’s rule that ended up with him being cast out of heaven along with a third of the angels who sided with him (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11- 17; Matthew 25:41; Luke 19:18; John 8:44; Revelation 12:7-17, 20:1-10).

The devil and his angels cannot and will not repent of what they have done. Their fate is forever sealed (Genesis 3:14-15; Matthew 8:29; Mark 1:24, 3:11, 5:7; Luke 4:41). God did not let Adam and Eve off the hook and let things be. Their rebellion and arrogance toward Him merited the sentence of death upon them, both physical and spiritual, and a curse was placed upon the earth (Romans 8:20-22) that would produce thorns, thistles, and difficulty in raising the crops they needed in order to survive (3:14-24). They were driven out of what was their perfect home with perfect conditions. Sin is never overlooked or dismissed by God. The penalty for sin He placed on humanity is just, and we have only ourselves to blame.

Because of our sin and rebellion, any attempt or ability on our part to rectify our condition is futile (Isaiah 53:4-6, 64:6; Romans 3:23). Our sins have placed us on “death row.” If not for the undeserved mercy and grace provided us by God, we would be doomed to a literal and eternal hell. Our sins are the undeniable evidence that prevents us from entering God’s heaven in our own strength (John 3:14-16,14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9).

Yet, even in the midst of the tragic circumstances of the fall, God gave the promise of a coming Redeemer to Adam and Eve and all of humanity (3:15), who would inevitably crush the head of the evil one once and for all and seal his eternal destruction. With that promise, God initiated the first evangelistic message that extends to anybody who is tired of wallowing in the dung and mud of their sin to come to Jesus Christ for rest, freedom, mercy, and grace (Matthew 11:28-30; John 10:28-30). The devil, who tried to destroy Jesus and the promised salvation He provided (1 Corinthians 2:7-8), lost the battle when Jesus, having completed His work of redemption on our behalf upon the cross, rose from the dead in triumph, dealing the final blow to Satan’s deluded beliefs that he would be the victor over His Creator.

I wanted to show you in this brief message the seriousness of sin and how it affected both our ancestors in the past and how it affects us in this day and age as well. The penalty for sin has not changed or been watered down in order to placate our feelings and opinions. God does not and will not change on this issue. He does not give us a multiple choice of saviors and sages from which to pick and choose. His offer of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ is still the ONLY way by which He has sovereignly decreed for us to be redeemed and made whole in order to enter heaven. He will not compromise in order to please us or make us “happy.”

The cross of Christ is a brutal reminder of how horrendous sin is and of the horrendous price that Jesus willingly paid to rescue us from its deadly and horrifying grip on us. God Incarnate lovingly paid our sin debt, and we have absolutely no right or reason to question or reject it.

Adam and Eve attempted to cover their nakedness and shame by using fig leaves, which represents our futile efforts to hide the obvious. Fig leaves decay, fall apart, and do not solve the problem. God provided the means by which we are redeemed, and it was not by a dry leaf but a permanent sacrifice that would cover our sins once and for all. That sacrifice was provided by the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot return to Eden without it. God gave the first evangelistic sermon in Eden, and He still calls out for you to come to Him for salvation.

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Every day, and even several times a day, our prayers include all of our loved ones, friends, and even some who aren’t really all that close to us. In those prayers, we ask the Father to somehow touch the hearts of any who do not have Jesus as their Savior. With all that’s taking place worldwide, anyone who has studied end-time prophecy at all can see we’re right at the threshold of being taken up to meet our Savior in the air. There have always been negative issues ever since the original sin in Genesis 3 in the Garden of Eden. However, for all the end-time signs to be present at the same time worldwide, this shouts that the Trumpet of God is about sound, and there will be a call from an archangel. (ESV – all emphasis mine)

Yes, there are the “naysayers” or “scoffers” saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter 3:7). The secular world is comfortable with accepting what this world has to offer without any real thoughts of where their eternal soul will spend eternity. Trying to put this into perspective, we need to know that our Heavenly Father is not bound by the time frame that He created for us. To Him, it’s as if He created the heavens and the earth just a few minutes ago. He is in full control of when the events of this world will take place, and He doesn’t wish for anyone to fail (2 Peter 3:9).

Our Father has given all of us the free will to choose our own forever. He has given us everything we need in His true word to allow for a choice of eternity with Him or eternity in the lake of fire. Anyone who says God “sends” people to hell is not giving the true facts. They have not read His word to see that having an eternal heavenly home is as uncomplicated as A-B-C.

A – admit we’re sinners in need of a divine Savior, as we cannot save ourselves (Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23). B – believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) and that He is truly the Son of God who sacrificed Himself to open a perfect pathway to the Father, and is the only way to Him (John 14:6). C – call on the name of the Lord, and you will be saved (Romans 10:13).

Satan knows his time is getting short, and he has his followers out in full force. Satanic worship is in the open as never before, and anything to do with the Bible, Jesus, or Heaven is open to ridicule. Sadly, there are many people in this world that are falling for his lies.

Anyone who appears at the White Throne Judgment will finally realize just how wrong they were. Prior to entering the lake of fire for their eternal condemnation, they will be shown exactly why they are there and all the chances they had to turn their lives away from sin and call out and be saved by Jesus. There is no forgiveness there, and their judgment will be final.

What we pray for is that all of our loved ones will have received and accepted the free gift that our Jesus provided at Calvary. Those who have this will have their eternity in Heaven. We will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ, not to be condemned but to gain or lose rewards in our Heavenly Home. (2 Corinthians 5:10). No one will be sent to hell from this judgment.

The absolute hope we have is that we will meet all our loved ones right after we get to see and worship our Savior in person for the first time. This will be at the Rapture, where the ones who died in Christ will rise up first, then all who are alive will rise up next. We all will receive brand new made-for-eternity bodies that will never experience pain or death again.

To know that we have loved ones that we will see again and will be with forever makes the thought of leaving this sin-filled earth that much more desirable. In some cases, we will be able to meet those that we share Christian love with but have never met in person. It will be the rising of a new day, in a new world, with a totally new pure, sin-free atmosphere.

Isaiah G. Martin released a song in 1905 called “I Will Meet You In The Morning.” Numerous artists have recorded this. Please consider the thoughts Mr. Martin shared with us.

1.) I will meet you in the morning, just inside the Eastern Gate; then be ready, faithful pilgrim, lest with you it be too late.

Ref) I will meet you in the morning; I will meet you in the morning, just inside the eastern Gate over there. I will meet you; I will meet you; I will meet you in the morning over there.

2.) If you hasten off to glory, linger near the Eastern Gate. For I’m coming in the morning, so you’ll not have long to wait. (ref)

3.) Keep your lamps all trimmed and burning; for the Bridegroom watch and wait. He’ll be with us at the meeting, just inside the Eastern gate. (ref)

4.) Oh, the joys of that glad meeting with the saints who for us wait. What a blessed happy meeting, just inside the Eastern Gate. (ref)

With all this in mind and the words of this beautiful hymn on our hearts, there grows a longing to go Home. All the evil and mayhem that has been taking place in this world started about a decade ago and has only gotten progressively worse by the day. Jesus told us in Luke 21:28 that when we see the beginning of all these signs, He will be close to coming back for His flock.

To take the first stanza of the “Beulah Land” version of a song written by Squire Parsons in 1973, we have even more inspiration.

“I’m kind of homesick for a country to which I’ve never been before. No sad goodbyes will there be spoken, for time won’t matter anymore.”

Patience has never been one of my best virtues; however, the Father has put it on my heart that all will be absolutely wonderful soon. The day or the hour won’t matter when we can finally bow down at the feet of our Savior and thank Him for saving a sinner such as I. The best part of it all, it’s a feeling that will last forever, and we will be thrilled to be able to worship and serve Him forever.

Jesus took the pain and suffering on that cruel cross to pay for our sin debt – my sin debt. How could anyone not be grateful for that? Please take a moment and consider His offer of this free gift if you’ve never truly received and accepted Him as your Savior. It’s a choice that you will never regret, especially when you find yourself rising up to meet Him face to face. He could be calling His flock to come Home at any moment now.

Shalom – Ahava B’Shem Yeshua! (Peace – Love in the Name of Jesus).

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