“No more let sins and sorrow grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessing flow, far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found. He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove, the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love, and wonders of His love, and wonders, and wonders of His love.” “Joy to the World” Isaac Watts
“A few years ago I had taken the “Old Testament Survey” course at the Keswick Institute of Biblical Studies (KIBS). For my final exam I had to write an essay based on the last two verse’s of “Joy to the World”. They are not sung very often but they are very significant to the hymn. For the next few Freedom Fighters I am going to share with you what I wrote in that essay. If you have any thoughts or disagreements I would like to hear them.”
I have often wondered about the fall of man. I have always attributed it to his being niaïve and Lucifer out to prove that to God. But as I have grown into this faith that Christ Jesus has accepted me into I have formed an idea that just may be plausible. This idea has its root in the Book of Isaiah 14:12-15:
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!”
How you are cut down to the ground, you who have weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart: “I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.”
Scofield points this out as the moment when sin began. I agree. What I see is the very first act of rebellion from the creation. I see a jealous angel out to destroy the throne right in front of the Creator. THEN along come Adam and Eve. The Creator loves this marriage and a fallen angle’s jealousy increases. “I WILL” screams Lucifer and the plot ensues.
God was very matter of fact with Adam, “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 surely die.” Adam had to have passed this on to Eve. But maybe because she is not created with the same dirt that Adam was, or Adam may not have been clear with God’s command something got lost in translation. Enter the fallen angel…..
The peace has been comprised in heaven and now it is comprised on the earth. Lucifer has taken a world of love and turned it into a ball of hate. “I WILL!!” I guess Lucifer is proud of himself. Some of the events that occur as results of this turn are basic. We have an account of the first act of murder. The creation now kills its creatures. The motive? Jealousy!! Fear then rears its ugly head as Cain’s punishment leads him to believe that vengeance shall be taken on him.
I will be continuing this with my next Freedom Fighter. -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent Freedom Fighter contributor
Digging Deeper: Proverbs 5; Genesis 13-15; Matthew 5:1-26Dig This Quote: “I rejoice that God has reduced you to weakness. You will not be convinced of or delivered from your self-love by any other means. Self-love finds hidden strength and secret hiding places because of your natural strength and ingenuity for survival. You cannot see your selfishness. Selfishness feeds on the subtle poison of an apparent
generosity in always sacrificing for others. God will force out your old nature to cry out loud and come out in the open. See how jealous you really are?” The Seeking Heart Fenelon
Determined Digging -- Level 1 -- Deuteronomy 7:9 Level 2 -- Joshua 1:6-9
Determined Digging -- Level 1 -- Deuteronomy 7:9 Level 2 -- Joshua 1:6-9
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