The Creation and Fall of Man
By Liaf
Oftentimes we hear heated debates about creation v.s. evolution. Some believe the Earth is very young and seemingly ignore vast amounts of paleontological evidence while others believe the earth is very old and thus cast doubt on the creation story. Actually, there is evidence to support both views in light of proper understanding of Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. The Bible says the Earth "was without form and void". Here is where we can shed some light. It can equally be translated "became a waste and desolation". God would not create a planet "without form and void". Some cataclysm occurred. What happened? Jeremiah 4:23-26 gives us the scenario. Jeremiah used the same phrase as in Genesis 1:2. As a matter of fact, some Bible cross-references allude to Genesis in this passage. He was alluding to a flashback about a cataclysm that once occurred on the Earth to be likened to the judgement of God that he was prophesying about. What was the Earth like then? The Earth was a fruitful place with mountains, hills, and birds. It was as Eden. There was no man (i.e., Adam is the literal) that was yet created. This was a pre-Adamic time. And get this; there were cities. We would often wonder who (or what) lived there? Then the Lord’s fierce anger broke down everything and there was no light (as was the condition in Genesis 1:2 and 1:3). Something happened. Some sin entered. What could have caused all this? If we turn our attention to two passages of scripture, Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-19 we see the prophecy to these kings as applicable to Lucifer because as the book of Daniel clearly teaches, human rulers are within the spiritual domain and influence of demonic forces. Therefore, these two passages personify Lucifer. Notice in the Isaiah passage Lucifer was proud and wanted to exalt himself to God’s level. Why? Ezekiel explains it.
Lucifer was created with beauty and wisdom and dwelled in Eden. Obviously he had stewardship here on Earth as an angelic "Adam" over all creation. He was an angelic being in the order of the cherubim class. As a matter of fact, he was "the anointed cherub that covereth" i.e., was the leading angel at the throne of God. Therefore Lucifer also had access to the heavenlies. Cherubim are stated in scripture as the beings that surround the throne of God (Revelation 4:6). They are extremely powerful only surpassed by God. But Ezekiel goes on to say that Lucifer’s heart was lifted up because of his beauty and power. This sin caused his fall, and as with Adam, any life here on Earth prior to Adam would have been affected by death and destruction. It is between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 where prehistoric life with all the fossils we find fit in. Even scientists agree that some cataclysm, such as a comet, may have caused destruction here on the Earth.
From this point onward, it would be better to see the Genesis creation as really a recreation and this is supported by some apocryphal works and Jewish thought. Notice that this recreation affected both heavens and Earth. Yet the old fossils or whatever that we find today would still be here. When God created Adam in Genesis 1:26, we see that Adam was created in God’s image. He had all the attributes of God as a created god being. God gave Adam dominion over all the Earth as a steward. And note, in verse 28 God told Adam to replenish the Earth. If we go to a carnival and ask for our souvenir soda cup to be refilled, the assumption was that it was filled the first time! Likewise, this passage in itself assumes previous life that was lost due to Lucifer’s fall. (See Genesis 9:1). If Adam had this stewardship power, one can see why this replacement would tick off Lucifer. Lucifer was NOT about to worship a mere clay being even if he was created in God’s image! He wanted to find a way to kill God’s creation and assert his power! (See Ephesians 6:12.)
Adam then was vegetarian, and God placed much good food to grow in Eden for him to eat. In that garden was also the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam had to be tested, i.e., the Lord God created Adam with the freedom of choice in the path he was to choose. The lesson was whether he would trust God as Lord by not eating of the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil or whether he would act as Lucifer did by wanting to become prideful and self-sufficient independent of God.
By chapter three, we see Lucifer’s plot to destroy Adam. Notice that through the serpent he deceived the woman to get to Adam. Woman was probably the superior of the two (in my opinion) because had Lucifer tempted Adam first, probably the woman would not have fallen for that trick! But if he could trick the woman, what man never gives in to his wife? Therefore if he succeeded with the woman, man was sure to follow! Notice what the serpent said, "God said you cannot eat of every tree of the garden?" That’s not what God said and the woman quickly corrected the serpent. There was only one tree that they could not eat from. Already Lucifer was trying to twist what God had said and make God into a liar. Lucifer wanted them to eat of the tree that God said would bring death, but God wanted them to eat from the tree of life. Lucifer said that it would not bring death, that God was a liar. He said that man would attain to the god level and that was not what God wanted. Indeed, Adam was already created in God’s image and was already there. That was Lucifer’s ploy. He effectively said, "You are crap. God is trying to keep you a piece of crap. Become wise and enlightened and as God himself!" What man did not realize was that he was already there, but must be done God’s way, not his own way. That was what the test and lesson here was about. The woman did fall for Lucifer’s trick and so did Adam by eating of the forbidden tree. Notice here the "passing of the buck" when each tries to blame the other. But Adam’s fate was sealed as God had said: death. And also notice that the self-righteous act of covering oneself with fig leaves does not cover sin. God did promise One who would come to rescue fallen man in Genesis 3:15. The woman’s seed, Christ, would come but not without a constant battle between Lucifer’s kingdom (he has dominion over one third of the angels that fell with him) and God’s kingdom. That is the dualistic theme of the Bible throughout. God’s kingdom v.s. Lucifer’s kingdom. God’s way v.s. Lucifer’s way. Eternity v.s. "here and now". Also, for the superior woman, God gave an unimaginable punishment. That "dud" Adam of hers would now rule over her. Sorry folks. That’s the result of sin. Had Adam eaten of the tree of life, that would have established spiritual sons of God. That tree represented God’s Spirit and the Spirit of Life. God wanted to reproduce himself through the tree of life. Therefore, mankind was created to become of the God-type superior to angels. No telling how life would have been then. Obviously, there would be no need for another Adam (Christ) to save mankind. But because of the fall of Adam, God would give mankind another chance through Christ and at the same time teach the hard lesson as to the consequences of disobedience. In other words, God wants those who trust him. If God would allow man to attain righteousness through self –effort (represented by the fig leaves), isn’t that the very thing that caused Lucifer to fall? God cannot contradict himself. Therefore, we read in Genesis 3:21 where God made a covering for them with animal skins. An animal had to be sacrificed, and blood shed to obtain those skins. This foreshadowed that Christ, the last Adam, would secure spiritual sons though his death and resurrection. And lest the man would now take of the tree of life and live, he had to be chased form the garden. Adam blew it. Had God allowed Adam to take of that tree, he would not have died and that would have made Lucifer’s earlier statement that death would not happen to be true! (Needless to say, that would have been a disaster to allow mankind to live eternally in sin!) No, man had his choice. He had to die. Eternal life must now come through a new Adam. This new Adam, the very Son of God himself, had to show that only God himself and through God himself can one keep the standards and commands of God. And we will see later that one attains this through identifying with the One who could do this. That very act in essence is the same as taking of that tree of life.
These events set the stage for a chosen line of people, and ultimately Christ who would again usher in God’s rule and kingdom here on Earth. And God would accomplish his purpose by a select few who would operate in the faith realm and submit to God’s ways unlike Lucifer and Adam who failed.