[Biblemat] A>God Said Nothing (Kent Heaton)

[kerux]

God Said Nothing

(Kent Heaton)

 

The Garden of Eden is where man finds all the answers to the nature of his relationship with his Creator; the responsibility expected of him by the Creator; the judgment because of this relationship and action toward the Creator. Man was placed in the garden to "till and keep it" (Genesis 2:15). "Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (Genesis 2:9). A wonderful paradise is given to man to live and enjoy communing with the Creator. 

This garden of peace did not come without responsibility. As he was responsible to care for the garden, man was also given law - requiring accountability. "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, 'You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die'" (Genesis 2:16-17). The Creator expected man to obey His law: to tend the Garden of Eden and to be careful tending his own heart. 

Adam and Eve understood the nature of their relationship with God. They also knew the responsibility expected of them by their Creator. The Lord clearly laid out the law in terms easily understood. Genesis 3:2,3 reveals this understanding as Eve recounted the command of God to Satan. It was in this moment of temptation that a remarkable thing happened. As the words of deception fell from the lips of the deceiver, Eve looked at the tree and seeing "that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate" (Genesis 3:6). The Creator said nothing. Jehovah God did not come quickly to the ear of the woman and command her to stop. Angels were not sent in fiery chariots to withhold the hand of the woman from the fruit - "she took of its fruit and ate" and so did Adam.

The Garden of Eden establishes the pattern of God's relationship with man. It is selfish man that desires to be admonished in his own selfish acts and blames God when no action is taken. Could God have stopped Eve from taking the fruit? There is no doubt. Was it within the power of God to have removed Satan from the garden and forbid him from speaking to the woman? There is no doubt. Would Jehovah be a righteous, merciful and loving God to have done so and thereby never allow man to make his own decisions? The scriptures clearly teach the pattern of the garden: God establishes His law that man can understand; God expects man to obey His law; God will not interfere when man disobeys. 

We want God to stop us. Our rebellious heart cries out running to rebellion for God to stop us. This removes guilt from our actions. God shows us in the garden and throughout the revelation of His will that He will say nothing. He said nothing when Cain killed Abel; as Abraham lied; when David went into Bathsheba; and so forth. The lesson is that God has spoken and said all that man need know of His will. 

We are responsible for our own rebellion! Our judgment comes from our actions. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body" (2 Corinthians 5:10). What I have done!!!


Kent Heaton
207 NE Fourth Avenue
Trenton, Florida  32693
(Home) 352-463-6916
(Office) 352-463-3793
(Cell) 352-283-3889
kerux at bellsouth.net
www.trentonchurchofchrist.com
www.northfloridabiblecamp.com
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