The cycle of birth and death has slowed down humanity’s ruin after being tossed from the Garden of Eden.

Genesis 3:22-23

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil.” Genesis 3:22a. In this verse, the “Us” refers to the Trinity of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The first humans were created with the knowledge of good only and were unaware of any evil. This was the beauty of the Garden of Eden. The Holy Trinity, however, has always had the knowledge of good and evil and that is why they can judge between them. When humankind decides they know the difference between good and evil without God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, they make their life worse. Humankind cannot be like the Godhead, but they have attempted to be like God and live without His Holiness.

“The Lord God banished him from the garden of Eden, so that he would not reach out his hand and eat from the tree of life, and live forever.” Genesis 3:22b-23a. Considering the sinful nature of humankind, we should praise God for his mercy. Imagine how much worse the world would be if destructive humans could live forever. They would surely be unfit for a place as pure as the Garden of Eden. Although we lost eternal life, the cycle of birth and death delays the destruction of humankind and the planet. New generations replace the old ones, bringing some hope and change. That is one of God’s ways to shorten the days of humankind and ease their suffering.

Banishing humankind from eternal life and Heaven on earth is seen in other ways as well. Genesis 6 (Click here for a post on Genesis 6) reveals to us that humankind had so polluted the earth with the corruption of sin that God had to shorten their days, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” Genesis 6:5-7

While the flood in Genesis 6 shortened the days of sinful humanity, it also happened with Sodom and Gomorrah, “For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” Genesis 19:13 Also, on the Day of the Lord, the days of the global culture of the beast will be cut short. “For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.” Revelation 18:5-6

“And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” Matthew 24:22 When the flood came, the days of humanity were shortened for the sake of Noah, his sons and their wives who were saved. When Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, there the days of humanity were shortened for the sake of Lot and his two daughters who were saved. When this world’s system is destroyed, the days of humanity will be shortened for the sake of us who stay loyal to Jesus Christ who will be saved.

In today’s world, we witness the spread of characteristics of psychopathy such as egocentrism, antisocial behavior, absence of guilt and compassion, and criminal inclinations. Such characteristics promote a state of anarchy or lawlessness that will inevitably shorten the days of humanity. People no longer function through human conscience, but instead follow the entity giving them what that to feel, think, say, and do. The global culture has become self-centered and feel empowered to exalt their own sense of good and evil above the authority and Holiness of God our Creator. They have their own sense of good and evil and do not experience any guilt or regret. They reject the notion of being sinners who need Jesus Christ’s forgiveness. They believe they can abuse, exploit, oppress, and kill the Holy Spirit according to their own moral standards.

Living among hardships and troubles, people have to strive for their existence, and they can do so by planting the seed of Christ’s Gospel in their own spirit and soul. “…to till the ground from which he was taken.” Genesis 3:23b.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11