Truth Minute: What the Devil didn’t tell you.
Genesis 3:5 (NASB)
5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Pure Goodness is in the presence of God (Light). Pure evil is in the absence of God (Darkness). There was once a Holy being who like all of God’s creation, was granted the gift of free will. Unfortunately he allowed his pride to drive his desire to experience what it was like to exist without God and produce his own “dark” light or illuminated reality. As many of you know he was excommunicated from the presence of God and for eons grew accustomed to being in darkness, so much so until he became the Prince of it. One day he saw the glory of man and sought to distort them by offering his vision of the future to Adam which included both man and woman before the fall as they were not separated in spirit or voice but in physical form. (Eve was not her name until after the fall) Like a snake in the grass, the Evil one despised God so much that he tempted the first couple with the need to know what life was all about. To know both Good and Evil, to control their own world and to know what it’s like to be with him (Good or in the Light) and without him (Evil or in Darkness).
This leads me to think about one of the seldom discussed reasons the Evil one pushed the worldview of consuming both darkness and light as symbolized by the forbidden fruit. I mean who wouldn’t want to be like God right? I mean if God knows about both sides why would he want to hold back such important “information?” Well, the evil one knew that mankind was a created being like himself that was given the “free will” to choose from both realities. So the allure of knowing both Good and evil seems like it covers EVERYTHING in the universe doesn’t it, I mean wouldn’t it be great to know what to avoid (See how disobedience can be rationalized?) But it wasn’t like God hid the darkness…it was always there…in addition, darkness isn’t inherently evil…BUT God knew that anyone who stays in darkness or away from him will eventually commit all types of evil acts. Why? Because without God, men, like the Devil, will LEARN to “love” darkness instead of light and as they distance themselves from the light would rather do what they see is right in their own eyes versus being judged by a Holy God.
So what was it that the Devil didn’t tell Adam and His wife? The answer is the very thing he did not possess and that is “the Wisdom of God to handle both realities which are His and his alone to control…not yours!” Finally, you need to know that mankind was never created in darkness we were created in the light. Goodness was our “original” default, not evil as it is today. You don’t remember the good that someone does in most cases but you surely remember how bad someone treated you. We also were not created to know everything. Only what is necessary. That is why when evil acts happen to us or are done by us, it is destructive to our souls and eventually erases who we were made to be for generations. It is also why when Jesus comes in to your life that was shaped in darkness from birth you feel born again in His Marvelous Light! Remember, just because you know Jesus or have a relationship with God does not make the darkness cease to exist. It’s everywhere and in everyone and we all know of both good and evil. It means that you now have the Holy Spirit to give you the wisdom and strength to know the difference and do more good because of God.
Its revelations like this that bring back memories of hymns like the following:
Walk in the light beautiful light
come where the dewdrops of mercy shine bright
shine all around us by day and by night
Jesus the Light of the World
~ Pastor Andre L Martin
