Thus far we have examined the first pivotal event in the biblical perspective of man’s history. The Fall of man where Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were put out of the paradise-like existence of Eden and entered into the realm of time whereby their years would become numbered and there would be a beginning and end to all of their offspring which includes every human being that followed. The condition was known as sin, it had become an innate part of everyone’s life from that point on, to think and do things that are inherently evil in God’s sight. Man asked for some rules to live by saying “All this we can do” but they couldn’t and we still can’t because of an inherited fault in our nature. The entire Old Testament speaks of mankind’s continual failures and inability to measure up. We see it in the news every day, nothing has changed about the nature of mankind since Eden it’s only become more cunning and sophisticated in creating chaos in individual lives and throughout the world.
The appearing of Jesus Christ on the world scene, his death and resurrection three days later was the second pivotal event. God in His infinite wisdom having provided the ten commandments, the rules for living a clean and upright life has also provided the punishment for failure to keep those rules perfectly which is death. Not just a physical death but an eternal death in the form of separation from God and His people for eternity.
(Habakkuk 1:13) says that God is of purer eyes than to look on unrighteousness, which means that He isn’t about to wink at even the smallest sin. Let’s go over these important points again; James points out that “whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all” and Paul said, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God!” Although God will not go back on His word He is a loving and compassionate Creator as John points out, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
So the first pivotal event was man’s failure, the second event was God’s offering of salvation and redemption. Isn’t it interesting that all of the religions of the world are built on the idea that somehow man can do certain good works and eventually reach up to and be accepted by God? I find it refreshing that God has rejected that plan completely and has instead reached down to mankind and set the standards for our redemption in His own terms which was pointed out by Paul, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Which simply says that by being a good person isn’t God’s criteria, faith in what Christ has done on the cross in our behalf is what God expects from us, failure to acknowledge Christ’s sacrifice as being sufficient cover for our sins is an affront to the Father and is the only sin which is truly mortal. We as believers then do good works out of a thankful heart and as an amen for what God has done for us and not as a means to work our way into God’s good graces or His Heaven, that’s been secured for us already. No other religion’s central figure has died and been resurrected for it's followers.
Next we will look ahead at the evidence of a third pivotal event which is yet to come!
It would take years to plumb the depth and the riches of God’s word in the old testament, we have just taken a sampling of the Torah, the five books of Moses which gave Jew and Gentile alike the law that is the foundation for all civil law in the Western World. It gave us knowledge of the fall of man and an understanding of why some of the nicest people commit some of the most heinous acts. The first five books gives us a clear understanding of how God cannot tolerate man’s sin, and though He loves His creation that He has to punish those who have sinned against Him. Just as any human father loves his child and gives him boundaries, he is also compelled to punish his child for overstepping the parameters that had been set. The first five books of the bible also makes it clear that from the beginning God knew that man would fall short and fail. However as any loving father would, He has laid plans for man’s redemption but first provided a set of rules to live by that man might try to measure up to and finally understand how impossible it is to follow them perfectly. Knowing God’s criteria is perfection is reason enough for us to cry out, “Save us Father.”
(Proverbs 1:7) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
(Proverbs 9:10) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
(Psalm 14:1) The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none that does good.
We will return to the Old Testament later to look at other scriptural events that are applicable today.
