Man’s Free Will
- Satan’s Target -
History is a very important part of reality because history repeats itself. In Scripture it was revealed that, “there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon … And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him ... Woe to the earth … because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time ” (Revelation 12:7,9,12).
“Yahveh God’s obedient children bear His holy identity by forsaking the desires of the flesh and the things of this passing world to follow Him on the narrow path of righteousness that leads to eternal life””
This war that began in heaven did not end when Lucifer was thrown down to earth. It will increasingly continue until the end of the age when Messiah returns as the all-powerful Conqueror over Satan, his demonic agents, and all those who are led by his deceptive rebellious spirit. We must understand the reality that we are in a battle because this arch enemy, along with his many demons on earth, are continually opposing Yahveh Almighty, Yahshua (Jesus) Messiah, and all of His redeemed children. Yahveh God’s obedient children bear His holy identity by forsaking the desires of the flesh and the things of this passing world to follow Him on the narrow path of righteousness that leads to eternal life.
Biblical history began in heaven but human history began in the Garden of Eden. We read, “God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Through His infinite love, God created man and woman to live in union with Him in His paradise of the Garden of Eden. The heavenly air that permeated the Garden was the Creator’s abiding presence, entirely surrounding Adam and Eve and all of His creation with His unfailing love and grace. In the Almighty’s infinite wisdom, Adam and Eve were given a free will by which to humbly respond to their Heavenly Father with wholehearted love, obedience, and worship. Yahveh God gave one commandment, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17).
“With diabolical cunning, Satan asked a question mixed with a lie, “Did God really say?””
The Father’s holy commandment was honored and obeyed until the “ancient serpent” entered the Garden, it is written “The serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which Yahveh God had made” (Genesis 3:1). This slithery creature was the sly instrument through which Satan chose to speak in order to inject his venom of deception, doubt, and rebellion into the mind and heart of Eve and then Adam. With diabolical cunning, to question God’s sovereign rule and perfect will, Satan asked a question mixed with a lie, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden? ... “You will not certainly die …” (Genesis 3:3-4). Man’s free will is the target that Satan aims for which was being tempted and tested.
Satan understood the power of the free will, which rose up within him and other defiant angels to start the major revolt in heaven against the Almighty Creator of the universe. The prideful misuse of the free will is the nucleus of all rebellion against the Almighty God and Creator. May our Heavenly Father help all of us to seek and recognize His perfect will and to discern the difference between His will, our will, and Satan’s will, which deceptively draws us away from the perfect will of our God and Savior.
“Sin entered and contaminated the entire human race, which no longer reflected the Creator’s holy image!””
The master Tempter successfully lured Eve then Adam under his wicked veil of deception. Through the Ancient Serpent’s powerful lies and enticements, their free will was now satanically influenced to disobey and partake of the “forbidden fruit”. It was not the intrinsic nature of the fruit that caused death if eaten. The cause of death was disobedience! Eve, then Adam, asserted their own free will in rebellion against their Heavenly Father’s will and commandment. This is the definition of SIN and it’s horrifying consequences of eternal separation, far away from the Holy One and His heavenly kingdom. Adam and Eve fell prey to Satan’s deception and lies leading to their rebellion, they now knew “good and evil”. This utmost tragedy led to eternally deadly consequences; sin entered and contaminated the entire human race, which no longer reflected the Creator’s holy image!
