INTERVIEWING GOD
(Serialized Version)
by
Michael A. Lawrence
Part III
“The Trees, the Fruit, the Snake, the Seed”
SO THE TEST CAME – THE TREES, THE FRUIT, THE SNAKE AND ALL THAT – BUT THEY DIDN’T REALLY DIE. THE WAY I REMEMBER IT, ADAM AND EVE WENT ON TO PRODUCE SEVERAL CHILDREN. WHAT DID YOU MEAN, “SURELY DIE?”
Let’s say you enter a brightly lit walk-in closet like yours at home – the big one with all those pretty shoes. Close the door behind you, turn out the lights, and you will begin to experience darkness. One might say that darkness is just the absence of light. In the same manner, one might say that death is just the absence of life.
When the first Adam followed Eve and put his allegiance in the usurper’s camp, I
withdrew my very life from him. They had traded light for darkness, experiencing spiritual death. No longer of the family of the living, by default, they had joined the family of death.[1] A threefold perverted principle of pride, rebellion, and self-willed legalism rules the spiritual family of death., so things went downhill for a time after that.[2] The first parents began to reproduce after their own infected kind. Meanwhile, I kept my eye peeled for someone in the lineage we could work with – at least on some useful level.[3]
WHO WOULD THAT BE?
Things were kind of bleak until Noah came along. Then there was Abraham and, of course, Moses.
I’M CONFUSED. WHY WERE THE FIRST PARENTS DRIVEN OUT OF EDEN
To dissipate the infection via the generations, longevity had to be governed. Constantly feeding from the tree of generated life would postpone death indefinitely. Such privilege had been sacrificed by their disobedience.[4]
GENERATED LIFE?
We created the first Adam because of my love and desire for a family of faithful obedient children which would render the rebellious inoperable. If the first parents had chosen to obey and to eat from the tree of life, their seeds would have started to develop, they would have become full partakers of our very nature – a generated eternal life. That didn’t happen. The created man failed our test. A second man was needed – only he would be generated, not created. My son is that man – aka the last Adam, the second man. His role would be similar in some respects, even though things had been compounded by the first man’s debacle.[5]
VERY INTERESTING. YOU BROUGHT UP MOSES. I’VE ALWAYS BEEN CONFUSED ABOUT MOSES AND PHAROAH – ALL THAT WENT ON DOWN THERE IN EGYPT
I’m in charge and chose to exact justice in that case. I am totally just, among other things. For example, without justice there would be no such thing as mercy. Subtract justice and just any old conduct equals any other. Sovereign justice serves a broad curriculum designed to teach my ways.[6]
I HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING PAST THIS – WHY DID YOU HAVE TO KILL ALL THOSE EGYPTIAN BABIES?
Well, baby Moses wasn’t the first boy baby to be floating in the river. At least he was face up.[7] You must remember that Pharaoh got nervous about the birth rate of the foreigners whom he had enslaved and ordered their male babies to be thrown into the river.[8] He had to know that was not very nice. His predecessor had been an excellent role model.[9] He could have followed his example. Besides, I had promised Moses’ ancestor, Abraham, that I would repay anyone according to how they treated his people.[10]
That was covenant. How could I be trusted if I didn’t follow through on that? I had turned all of Pharaoh’s waters into blood.[11] Don’t tell me he couldn’t see the symbolism in that. No, Pharaoh’s babies had to go or, I should say, come to me. Be careful not to get hung up with the time dimension as you know it. Before those little ones were born, their angels gazed upon my face in heaven as they still do.[12] But Pharaoh – I hardened his heart in order to exact justice.
BUT YOU’RE IN CHARGE. DON’T YOU DECIDE ELECTIONS? DON’T YOU RAISE UP ONE PHARAOH AND PUT DOWN ANOTHER? YOU HAD TO KNOW THIS FELLOW WOULD BE ABUSIVE, RIGHT?
You’re very astute.[13] Remember the pattern in Eden
WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SEED PRINCIPLE?
My son used a teachable moment to illustrate this right after he rode into Jerusalem
My players must forget who they are or lay down who they think they are in order to become the characters that we are aiming for – those with family resemblance. In my project, whom they become on stage is reality – not whom they thought they were at audition. In order to become who they really are, whom they think they are has to go.[18]
The process involves suffering and can be quite painful. Like I said, actors can be a proud lot. Nonetheless, it has to be according to script. My son followed closely my prompting while adding: “. . . whoever desires to save his life will lose it.”[19]
End of Part III
Coming soon: Part IV, “Why Parables?-True Bible Study-Authority Revisited”
[1]Unless otherwise noted, all scriptural references are from the New King James version. All parenthetical items contained within scriptural references are my emphasis.
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life’” (John 8:12). “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do” (John 8:44a). “. . . And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14b). “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men . . . “ (Romans 5:12a).
[2]“. . . a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12b).
[3]“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9a).
[4]“. . . through one man’s offense judgment came to all . . . “ (Romans 5:18a). “Then the Lord said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever’ – therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken” (Genesis 3: 22-23). “. . . on either side of the river, was the tree of life . . . The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2).
[5]“And so it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. . . . The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven”
(1 Corinthians 15:45, 47).
[6]“(They) saw My works forty years. . . . ‘And (still) they have not known My ways’” (Hebrews 3:9b, 10b).
[7]“. . . she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank” (Exodus 2:3b).
[8]“So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, ‘every (Hebrew) son who is born you shall cast into the river . . . ‘” (Exodus 1:22a).
[9]“Then (the previous) Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. And he had him ride in the second chariot . . . (and) he set him over all the land of Egypt
[10]“I will bless those that bless you, and I will curse him who curses you . . .” (Genesis 12:3a).
[11]“And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood” (Exodus 7:20b).
[12]“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10). “For He will deliver the needy when he cries . . . and will save the souls of the needy (the helpless). He will redeem their life from . . . violence; and precious shall be their blood in his sight” (Psalm 72:12a, 13b, 14). “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. . . . Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed. And in Your book they were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:13, 16).
[13]“For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the judge; He puts down one and exalts another” (Psalm 75:6-7).
[14]“Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job?’” (Job 1:8a). “And the Lord restored Job’s losses when Job prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10).
[15]“Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place . . . to comfort him” (Job 2:11). “Then Job answered and said: ‘How long will you (fellows) torment my soul, and break me to pieces with your words?’” (Job 19:1-2). “ . . . the Lord said to (Job’s friends), ‘My wrath is aroused against you . . . and My servant Job shall pray for you . . . lest I deal with you according to your folly . . .’” (Job 42:7b, 8b). “But they (Israel Israel Israel
(Exodus 17:8-9a). “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear flanks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God” (Deuteronomy 25;17-18). “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel , how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt
[16]“. . . He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem
[17](John 12:24)
[18]“Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:11). “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
[19]“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25).
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