Herbert W Armstrong

Spectacular view of our DEFACED moon as seen through 60-inch telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory. Why does the moon's pockmarked, chaotic surface look like an ancient BATTLEFIELD? What strange story do the craters and streaking scars tell us about its ancient past? The astounding answer is STRANGER than science fiction! This lesson reveals the truth about our BATTLE-SCARRED universe, as it is recorded in God's Word — the Bible!

THE ORIGIN OF SATAN AND SUNDAY

JUST HOW did Sunday — the day of the SUN — originate? Did God create this day to be holy — as so many CARELESSLY ASSUME?

Exactly WHY has a day in honor of the sun been set aside for rest and worship? WHO IS responsible for its origin? And what is the DIABOLICAL MOTIVE behind the institution of the most observed day of this modern world?

The astounding ANSWERS are found in your Bible!

Satan's Great Deception

The origin and background of Sunday observance is one of the most CLEVERLY CONCEALED, diabolical and sinister plots ever devised. And most of the inhabitants of the civilized world have been DECEIVED by it!

Soon most of this present age-end world will find itself under heavy political and military PRESSURE to observe Sunday. Even now vast numbers of people are becoming more and more Sunday conscious.

Yes, there is a sinister and diabolical, little suspected, but very REAL connection between SUNday and a great evil spirit being in an extremely high position!

You need to UNDERSTAND how the day of the Sun originated, WHO the great sinister power is that promotes its observance in our time — why he is so diligent in misleading people to observe it — and WHAT God warns will befall those who observe Sunday!

Since it isn't vital to our salvation to know all about the relationship between God and His angels, He reveals only that which is essential to our understanding. God especially relates to us one great past event — the REBELLION of Satan the Devil and of the angels that followed him. He WARNS US of that awesome event SO WE MAY BE THROWN ON GUARD FOR A GREAT DANGER NOW!

Read and ponder well the pages of this lesson, and your Bible, so you will have the knowledge to PROTECT yourself against the hideously perilous times just ahead!

Angels Once Ruled the Earth

1. Are the Devil and his demons ANGELIC spirit beings? Mat. 25:41. However, did they SIN at some time in the past? II Pet. 2:4.

COMMENT: The Devil and his demons are FALLEN angels.

2. Since they are angelic spirit beings, Satan and his demons originated in the same manner as all other angels. Therefore, how did he and his angels ORIGINATE? Ps. 148:2, 5. Were they created BEFORE the foundations of our earth were laid — that is, before our earth was created? Job 38:4, 7. Do the "stars" mentioned in verse 7 represent angels? Rev. 1:20.

COMMENT: Angels are symbolically referred to in the Bible as "stars." And so the angels had already been created BEFORE this earth was created.

3. What kind of angelic being was Satan originally? Ezek. 28:14, first five words. Was he PERFECT in his ways? Verse 15. And in beauty and wisdom? Verse 12. What was his ORIGINAL name? Isa. 14:12.

COMMENT: God speaks of the earthly human King of Tyre (Ezek. 28:12), through whom the Devil worked, as a TYPE of Satan. Then God proceeds to describe Satan when he was the great anointed cherub named "Lucifer."

"Lucifer" means "light bringer," or "shining star of the dawn." God made Lucifer RESPLENDENT — SHINING — full of WISDOM, and perfect in BEAUTY. In other words, one who had great knowledge and truth and light, and who was to GIVE it to those who were to be placed under him.

4. Did Lucifer COVER something? Ezek. 28:14. What does God sit between? Ps. 99:1. Then did Satan's wings, when he was Lucifer the Cherub, cover the THRONE OF GOD in heaven — the "mercy seat" upon which God sits? Ex. 25:20. Who set Lucifer in this HIGH POSITION of covering God's throne? Ezek. 28:14.

COMMENT: The heavenly throne of God is pictured by the "mercy seat" which God told Moses to build for the earthly tabernacle (Ex. 25:17-22). And it was GOD who gave Lucifer the high position of covering His throne which is apparently located in the northern heavens (Isa. 14:13).

5. Did God later give Lucifer ANOTHER position — one of RULERSHIP? Isa. 14:13. Notice the word "throne." "Throne" means RULERSHIP!

6. Was Lucifer's assigned place of rulership AWAY from God's throne in heaven? Ezek. 28:13, first nine words.

COMMENT: God assigned Lucifer to rule over other angels which He — God — had put ON THIS EARTH. Lucifer's throne was in the pre-Adamic, wonderfully beautiful Eden — a fabulous "garden" spot located somewhere in the area now known as Palestine. From Eden, Lucifer RULED over millions of angelic subjects.

7. Was Lucifer PERFECT at that time? Ezek. 28:12, and the first 13 words of verse 15.

Lucifer Rebels Against God

The wise, bright and shining, powerful Prince Lucifer was perfect in all his ways while he was ruling the pre-Adamic earth from his throne in Eden. That is, until Lucifer DEVELOPED an overwhelming and obsessive desire for EXPANDING HIS RULERSHIP where it was NOT GOD'S WILL that he should exercise it! An obsessive desire that caused his very DOWNFALL!!

Learn now of Lucifer's great and terrible sin which resulted in his becoming "SATAN the Devil" — the CONTINUING "adversary" of both God and man!

1. What CHANGE came about in the heart — in the mind — of Lucifer because of his great beauty? Ezek. 28:17. Did he become INORDINATELY PROUD of his beauty? And did his brightness as Lucifer, the angel of light, affect his WISDOM and general balance? Did Lucifer go so far as to commit "iniquity" — SIN? Verses 15-16.

COMMENT: Lucifer had become "lifted up" — PUFFED UP — because of the unusual BEAUTY of his body, which had the brightness of a star.

2. What did Lucifer, the angelic cherub, who was NOT of the GOD Family in any sense of the word, ambitiously make up his mind to do? Isa. 14:13

COMMENT: Lucifer said he would RISE from this earth — depart from the position of rulership God had placed him in — and ASCEND to God's throne in the northern heavens. He wanted to exalt himself to a position of rulership OVER ALL the "stars," or angels of God!

3. What did Lucifer say he would thus become? Isa. 14:14.

COMMENT: Lucifer said he would MAKE HIMSELF the Most High God! He would pick the position of rulership HE would choose!! He no longer was willing to be RULED BY GOD!

From the pre-Adamic Eden, Lucifer arose through the clouds into the heavens to BATTLE the Supreme God and His angels for RULERSHIP of the universe!

4. How MANY angelic warriors ("stars") did Lucifer take with him? Rev. 12:3-4.

COMMENT: Lucifer was prepared for great AGGRESSIVE battle! Lucifer's strength and influence was so great, that he persuaded ONE THIRD of all the multiple millions of angels ("stars") of God to aid him in his revolt!

SPACE WARFARE!

1. Did a TREMENDOUS BATTLE take place in the heavens when Lucifer and his angels ascended to seize God's throne? Rev. 12:7.

COMMENT: What Satan is soon to attempt again, he did FORMERLY. There was "WAR IN HEAVEN"! God's angelic armies met Lucifer and his angelic armies as they ascended to heaven. A spectacular battle occurred, the like of which DEFIES THE IMAGINATION!

The objectives at stake in that war were our own solar system and the UNIVERSE AROUND us!

There was TREMENDOUS DESTRUCTION!

Planets may well have been thrown from their orbits! Space debris and great clouds of gas were formed by exploding stars.

In our solar system scientists have observed graphic evidence that a planet disintegrated — the debris of which undoubtedly formed the thousands of asteroids, or planetoids, which continually orbit the Sun.

Giant comets were created, tracing gaseous trails in their space-wandering orbits. Huge chunks and masses of smashed planets crashed into the twisted wreckage of other planets. Great gaseous comets blazing mute testimony of their ancient origin, broken asteroids, and flaming meteors still falling nightly — after so long a time — all tell the SAME STORY!

Our own moon has long borne mute testimony of SPACE WARFARE. The void, dismal surface defaced and pockmarked by thousands of impacts telling a graphic story.

When Ranger VIII focused its six television cameras on the moon in 1965, an incredible close-up view of the pockmarked, ravaged surface of the moon was revealed. Thousands of impact craters and streaking sears gave the undeniable appearance of an ancient battlefield.

The very substrata of our OWN EARTH itself reveals the same twisted chaos and ancient violence.

And now, the PLANET MARS bears testimony as well.

The spectacular radio telephotos of Mars taken by Mariner IV in 1965, reveal that the whole face of our solar system has been changed!

In an article in the Chicago Sun Times, scientists stated that the BATTERED face of Mars was a MAJOR SHOCK!

The Chicago Tribune also said that Mars is a world BRUTALLY pockmarked by huge craters that make it more like the moon than the Earth. "Mars," the article continued, "meaningfully named for the god of war — has a landscape resembling a BATTLEFIELD — the craters are believed caused by GREAT METEORS, or heavenly fireballs — DWARFING THE H-BOMB — hitting the planet in a bombardment."

The official report on Mariner IV's findings released by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, reasoned by analogy with our Moon that these craters were formed 2-5 billion years ago!

Some of the Mars photos reveal craters estimated to be 13 THOUSAND FEET DEEP!

And so what the astronomers see through their telescopes today is not an evolving universe, but the WRECKAGE OF A TITANIC BATTLE waged by spirit beings throughout space — a battle fought long BEFORE man's creation!

2. Did God's angelic forces REPEL Lucifer's (Satan's) invasion by casting him and his angels BACK TO THIS EARTH? Rev. 12:8-9; Isa. 14:12 and Luke 10:18.

COMMENT: Notice the words, "Lucifer ... thou are cut down to the ground," in Isa. 14:12. Lucifer tried to make himself God. But he failed. He and his angels were east back down to this earth. (You should review Lesson 11 for more details about Lucifer's rebellion and the resultant destruction that was wrought on this earth.)

Lucifer BECOMES SATAN — God's "Adversary"

1. What was Lucifer called after his rebellion against God? Rev. 12:3, 9.

COMMENT: God names one for what he IS or HAS BECOME! God CHANGED Lucifer's name when his CHARACTER changed. At the time of Lucifer's fall, God changed his name to Satan, which means "adversary" — one who OPPOSES or RESISTS. Lucifer became a REBEL against God! We find Satan the Devil in direct and active opposition to God and EVERYTHING that has to do with His EXPANSION of the God kingdom — God's ruling family.

God also renamed the angels that followed Satan, "demons." (The word "devils" used in the Bible is a mistranslation — it should be translated "demons.")

So GOD DID NOT CREATE SATAN, the Devil! God created a cherub named Lucifer — PERFECT IN HIS WAYS, but with the POWER OF FREE CHOICE — and LUCIFER TRANSFORMED HIMSELF INTO A DEVIL by his rebellion against the government of God! By his rebellion, Lucifer BECAME Satan. By his OWN CHOICE in OPPOSING God, he made himself God's adversary.

Lucifer, by the time God speaks of him in the Book of Revelation, had become PERVERTED IN ALL HIS WAYS — even in his APPEARANCE. Now Satan looks like a voracious red DRAGON!

2. Satan and his demons were forced back to the EARTH. But do you think for one moment that Satan who, for eons of time, has been obsessed with the idea of gaining dominion of all things in the heavens and earth, would now cease his pursuit of this goal? Of COURSE NOT!

Will Satan, the dragon, make ANOTHER ATTEMPT to WREST DOMINION from God in our time — in the very short time now left before Christ's second coming? Rev. 12:7. But will he be cast down to our earth again? Verse 9. Does verse 10 show that this obviously happens shortly BEFORE Christ's coming?

COMMENT: Revelation 12:7 is DUAL in meaning. There will be "war in heaven" ONCE AGAIN — just before the second coming of Christ. And ONCE AGAIN Satan will FAIL!

Satan's Great Mistake

Let's understand what terrible mistake Satan made which led him to sin against God.

1. Did God charge certain angels with FOLLY? Job 4:18.

2. Why did God charge these angels with folly — did God begin to find "iniquity" (SIN) in perfect King Lucifer of the earth? Ezek. 28:15.

3. Did King Lucifer begin to GREEDILY seek even MORE riches and authority than he had already received from God? Ezek. 28:16. Did he even begin to seek them with VIOLENCE, and thus begin to SIN — become disobedient to God? Same verse.

COMMENT: Lucifer was created PERFECT in all his ways. But God did not create Lucifer incapable of sinning. Notice it: Lucifer was "perfect in his ways TILL ..." (verse 15) — until he EXERCISED his will AGAINST God!

Lucifer began to be vain about his great beauty and authority. He began thinking about EXPANDING his rulership.

Instead of REJECTING those wrong thoughts, he entertained them — he began to ENLARGE UPON those wrong ideas until he actually SINNED against God Almighty!

Lucifer did NOT RESTRAIN himself and submit to the will of God! Despite all of his perfection and knowledge, LUCIFER DID NOT EXERCISE PERFECT CHARACTER!

Character involves individual DECISION — and the exercise of the will in the RIGHT DIRECTION! But Lucifer would not control his desire to "get." He had the will and power to DO what was right, but he did not and does NOT CHOOSE to be OBEDIENT to God.

4. Although God had already rewarded Lucifer with a throne of great power and influence on this earth, what did his uncontrolled desire to "take" finally cause him to plan? Isa. 14:13-14.

COMMENT: Lucifer LUSTED for MORE power — MORE authority! Lucifer said, "I will ascend to Heaven and SEIZE God's throne. I'm going to take God's PLACE and be the God of the universe."

Lucifer wasn't willing to be content with his own jurisdiction. He was, and is out to rule the whole universe!

The Devil's sin was INSUBORDINATION! Attempted seizure of a throne is TREASON!

Lucifer REBELLED! He would not be ruled by God any longer. He refused to carry out GOD'S GOVERNMENT on earth. Lucifer wants to substitute his OWN government.

5. What is the BASIC reason why NO angels will ever be in the supreme GOD-RULING FAMILY, however they may try, by deceit and trickery, to seize supreme rule? GOD reveals the answer in Heb. 1:5.

COMMENT: The great Lucifer and all the other created angels were never destined to be more than just the angelic SERVANTS of mankind (verse 6).

PHOTO CAPTION: Halley's Comet perpetually bears mute testimony of Satan's rebellion and resultant WARFARE in the heavens! Below left, is the debris of a star that exploded. At right below, spectacular close-up photo of Mars shows the planet to be a vast, BATTLE-SCARRED wasteland like our moon!

NONE of the angels can be begotten and born of God into the very God Family as mankind can be. ONLY MEN are DESTINED TO become the SONS OF GOD (Gen. 1:26). Only MEN have been promised by God that they may be begotten and receive the power of the Holy Spirit by which they can become God's Sons!

The Devil and his demons KNOW and HATE this fact!

Satan Opposes God's Plan

Satan HATES God! Of all things Satan does not want, it is for MORE begotten sons of God to be BORN into God's very own family, with the very POWER of God! Satan will attempt to prevent THAT at all costs!

1. But even as Satan desires to bring about the ETERNAL DESTRUCTION of all mankind, what does God say HE intends to DO with man? Gen. 1:26, first 13 words.

COMMENT: "Let us make man in our IMAGE," says God. Make man completely in God's image — NOT in outward form and shape alone — but SPIRITUALLY CREATE mankind into "character images" OF GOD — into spirit-born Sons with PERFECT GODLY CHARACTER! A creation HIGHER than the angels. VERY SONS OF GOD! TERRIBLE FOR SATAN'S PLAN!!

2. So what ARE Satan and the rest of the rebellious fallen angels NOW DOING on this earth? How are they attempting to THWART God's plan for mankind, and strengthen their own plan of universe rule for themselves? II Cor. 4:4.

COMMENT: Satan is STILL the "GOD" of THIS EVIL WORLD. He is God's Adversary and is OPPOSED TO God's plan for mankind. It is he and his demons who are HIDING the true gospel from mankind — the true way to BECOME very Gods within God's Family.

And especially does he HIDE the truth about KEEPING THE KEY TEST COMMANDMENT OF GOD — the SABBATH DAY — and SUBSTITUTE another day — a day of DAMNATION — a day of HIS OWN!! A clever and effective counterfeit — an extremely effective strategy to DO AWAY with mankind for eternity!

We will learn more about this later.

Angels Created to Be Servants

1. Does God positively state that "the world to come" — the Millennial one-thousand-year-age and thereafter — will NOT be ruled by angels? — no matter how hard the rebellious ones may now try to place themselves in such a position? Heb. 2:5.

2. If we become the born Sons of God, are we promised rulership OVER all the angels? Heb. 2:7-8 and I Cor. 6:2-3.

COMMENT: Notice that God is speaking of angels here, and is pointing out that man (Heb. 2:7) has been made a LITTLE LOWER than the angels for NOW, but will be placed OVER God's "works" — His CREATED works, including the angels and all the rest of God's creation.

No wonder ambitious Satan and his rebellious fallen angels want to see all mankind destroyed forever. For man's destiny is that of becoming GODS — very SONS of God's divine, ruling Family!

3. Does God declare He has a great overall plan — "declaring the end FROM THE BEGINNING" (the start)? Isa. 46:10. Did God have a purpose exactly in mind for us to fulfill even BEFORE He created this earth? II Tim. 1:9. Notice the words, "Holy calling." So we see God does have a PLAN for us.

4. Now just where do angelic beings PROPERLY fit into God's great plan? Are there CHERUBIM at God's throne? Ps. 99:1. And ELDERS? Rev. 4:10. Do ARCHANGELS serve God? Jude 9. Are others disciplined into ARMIES? Rev. 19:14. Do others WATCH OVER — minister to — God's spirit-begotten people here on earth? Heb. 1:13-14.

COMMENT: There are countless millions of other angels performing OTHER duties. TWO THIRDS of the angels still serve God in the duties He created for them.

But Satan and the millions upon millions of the other THIRD of the angels (Rev. 12:4) seek to wrest dominion from God. These are the inordinately ambitious, unscrupulous and ruthless angels who, NOT being Gods, seek by any and every way they can, to MAKE OF THEMSELVES the universe-ruling "Gods" OVER and ABOVE the Supreme CREATOR God and His Family — the Kingdom of God!!

5. What does God say regarding the attitude of these rebellious angels who are in revolt against Him? Does He say that they should not strive with Him because He created them for their particular purpose? Isa. 45:9.

COMMENT: Should a STONE that God made say to God, "I do not want to be a stone, I want to be a God"? PREPOSTEROUS! Yet this is the very ATTITUDE of all fallen angels. They do not want to SERVE God or man!

6. What other verses show that no created being should strive with God because God has created him for a SPECIFIC PURPOSE? Rom. 9:20, last 16 words; and verse 21, first eight words.

COMMENT: Satan and his fallen angels are in A COMPLETELY WRONG ATTITUDE in their determination to see us — we who may become very Sons of God - COMPLETELY DESTROYED. Nevertheless, they persist in attempting to cause this very thing to happen!

Satan Unintentionally Contributes to Character Building

Without intending to do so, Satan and his demons have a PART in producing God's character in us. Let's learn how this comes about.

1. How does God propose to elevate man ABOVE the angels as His Sons? — through a certain amount of SUFFERING? Heb. 2:9-10. Notice the words, "make the CAPTAIN (Christ, and likewise us, his FOLLOWERS) ... perfect through sufferings." See also I Pet. 2:21.

COMMENT: This is where the SEDUCTIONS of Satan and his demons come in to strengthen our character. It is by their subtle presentation of improper choices which WE must CHOOSE to reject!!

2. Does God promise the supernatural POWER OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT to miraculously strengthen us in making the RIGHT CHOICES, and then following through in our OBEDIENCE TO GOD? Heb. 2:3-4 and Phil. 2:13.

Having the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to obey God and develop His character, is there NO EXCUSE for our not achieving this wonderful goal of becoming very Sons of God — regardless of any trap the Devil and his demons will set to destroy us? Same verses.

COMMENT: After one is finally born of God he CANNOT SIN because he WILLS not to sin! For God's "seed" — the FULL POWER of the Holy Spirit and God's divine character — will REMAIN in him (I John 3:9).

Hebrews 1 and 2 reveal that we are destined to be over God's created angels — provided we learn to OBEY GOD HERE AND NOW!

There is the CRUX! OBEDIENCE! OBEDIENCE TO GOD!!

Now for the proof.

Recall that the very next two chapters (Hebrews 3 and 4) tell us explicitly that we must KEEP God's Holy Sabbath — the test commandment — if we expect to be born of God and rule in the World Tomorrow.

We must keep HOLY the seventh day of the week — God's holy Sabbath Day — and not observe the Devil's FIRST DAY of the week — SUNday!

By avoiding Satan's snare — SUNDAY OBSERVANCE — and by keeping all of God's commandments, we will become Sons of God — very Gods in the Kingdom of God. We shall then REPLACE Satan and his fallen angels and be granted DOMINION over this earth with Christ!

Expansion of God's Family Begins

This earth was terribly marred as a result of Satan's rebellion against God. It was desolate and covered with water. But finally the time came to move ahead in God's great plan.

Notice what God did next. 1. Did God REFASHION the earth's surface to make it habitable for man? Gen. 1:9, 16.

COMMENT: God made the SUN to shine again on this earth which had been darkened by thick clouds.

2. And what did God then say regarding the creation of man? Gen. 1:26, 27. Also read Rom. 8:29.

COMMENT: Remember by the references in Genesis that man is already created in God's "likeness" — in outward form and shape. But Romans 8:29, I Corinthians 15 and many other scriptures show that we may become further created into the SPIRITUAL CHARACTER "IMAGE" of God and ultimately become Spirit beings — just as Christ and the Father are today.

WE MAY BECOME MEMBERS OF THE VERY GOD FAMILY! This is what Satan and his demons fear above all things.

God has a great plan for mankind, but Satan IS NOT in agreement with it at all! For through God's plan, Satan and his demons will LOSE THEIR RULE OVER THIS EARTH!

Satan Views Men as "Usurpers"

Satan views human beings as "usurpers." A USURPER is one who seizes or exercises authority or possession WRONGFULLY.

Yet this is exactly what SATAN had become. He began to exercise his office as ruler of the earth WRONGFULLY. Then he tried to wrest dominion from the Supreme Ruler of the universe!

With his perverted and twisted mind, Satan now looks upon mankind as the "USURPERS" because God has destined man to replace him and his demons as rulers of this world!

And so what could be better, Satan reasons, than to cause these "usurpers" to disobey God and thereby DISQUALIFY themselves so God cannot use them!

We need to understand HOW the Devil and his demons work!

1. Was the serpent on hand to cause God's new creation — man — to DISOBEY God, shortly after he was created? Gen. 3:1. Notice the word "serpent." Who was this SERPENT — Satan, the Devil? Rev. 12:9. Are we told that Satan is extremely SUBTLE? Gen. 3:1 and II Cor. 11:3. Are we also warned against wicked spirits — "spiritual wickedness" — in high places? Eph. 6:12.

COMMENT: Satan is "prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2:2), and ruler over a vast number of wicked demon spirits. We are WARNED to be on guard against these CLEVER and DEADLY FOES!

Satan, aided by millions of fallen angelic demons, is the "god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4) — the invisible ruler of this world who INCITES MANKIND TO DISOBEY GOD! He has been its ruler from the very time Adam rebelled against God and obeyed the Devil!

The Devil is also the unseen, but extremely REAL POWER behind an AGES-OLD SUCCESSION OF WORLD-RULING EMPIRES (Rev. 13:1-2) — empires which have swayed this earth to Satan's will for thousands of years!

Satan and his fallen angels love "this present evil world." It REFLECTS their perverted character. It agrees with their evil natures because the very nature of mankind is basically the same as the evil, perverted nature of the Devil.

The Devil and his demons are organized to run this present evil world and they want to REMAIN here. It is their "home," a place they can rule over "AS GODS." And it is their "first foothold" toward what they would like to see as UNIVERSAL DOMINION for themselves!

They want to RETAIN THIS EARTH — this dominion — and EXPAND THEIR DOMINION FROM HERE THROUGHOUT ALL THE UNIVERSE!

Therefore, they do NOT want OTHER sons born of God. They fight God and His plan to beget and have born other Sons of God at every turn!

Adam and Eve Attend First "Sunday Service"

1. On what day did God create man? Gen. 1:27, 31. And did God's holy SABBATH DAY immediately follow? Gen. 2:1-2.

COMMENT: God created man on the sixth day of the week. And on the next day — the SEVENTH DAY, God's HOLY commanded Sabbath (REST) DAY (Gen. 2:2) — God instructed the man and woman. He revealed the Sabbath and instructed them in His other commandments and laws on that FIRST Sabbath Day (Gen. 2:16-17).

2. But what immediately happened on the very NEXT DAY AFTER the Sabbath Day of God's instruction? Did Satan at once begin talking to God's new creation on the first of the six ORDINARY days of God's week? Gen. 3:1-4.

COMMENT: Satan, the adversary — the one who REBELS against God — LOST NO TIME! He was at once having his own "church" service — NOT on God's holy commanded Sabbath Day — but on the day FOLLOWING God's Sabbath. He was conducting his own "church" service on the FIRST day of the week — on Sunday!

Satan was already having his own "church" service on the day which was LATER to be tagged SUNDAY by his human instruments.

And Satan, the serpent, was ever so subtly INSPIRING DISOBEDIENCE to God's commands during this, the first "Sunday service"!

Man "Falls" for Satan's Lie — Disobeys God

Adam and Eve were actual people who lived in the Garden of Eden. The events in Genesis and other books of the Bible actually occurred.

God inspired the events of Genesis 2 and 3 to be placed at the very beginning of the Bible to show, in BROAD OUTLINE — through the actions of Adam and Eve — exactly what the tendency of man would be down through the ages.

Let God now reveal to you in Genesis 2 and 3, in thumbnail form for your urgent WARNING, the insidious principle and plan by which Satan is intensely working in "this present evil world" to bring you — and all mankind — to ETERNAL DEATH!

1. Did God make eternal life available to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? Gen. 2:8-9, 16. Notice the words "tree of life" and "freely eat."

COMMENT: Adam and Eve were mortal, human beings. But God offered them ETERNAL life if they partook of the fruit of the "tree of life."

God commanded them (note the word "commanded" in verse 16) to partake, or CHOOSE, ONLY of the many GOOD, right and lawful things of life — "of every TREE (the MANY trees) of the garden thou mayest freely eat ..." (Gen. 2:16), and of "the tree of (ETERNAL) LIFE" (Gen. 2:9).

If they had partaken of the fruit of the "tree of life," they would have ultimately received ETERNAL life!

They would have received the Holy Spirit which would have revealed SPIRITUAL knowledge and understanding, and given them the supernatural POWER of God to make possible their obedience to His commands — the laws which point to all the good and right things of life.

And the Holy Spirit would have PERFECTED the very CHARACTER of God in them, and finally changed their mortal bodies into spirit-born Sons of God!

2. But, at the same time, what did God warn would happen if they chose to DISOBEDIENTLY partake of the tree of the "knowledge of good AND evil" — if they CHOSE to REJECT God's revelation and experiment with sin for themselves — would they "SURELY DIE"? Gen. 2:17.

COMMENT: God solemnly warned Adam and Eve: "In the day that thou eatest ... ("of the tree of the knowledge of good AND evil") thou shalt surely die"! (Gen. 2:17.) Wasn't that just the thing Satan wanted to happen to RID himself of man, whom God had planned to be born into the ruling Family of God?

3. What did Satan, the deadly serpent, at once urge Eve and Adam to do — partake of this forbidden "tree" — the tree of the knowledge of "good AND evil"? Gen. 3:5. By influencing them to sin, wasn't Satan actually committing murder? Doesn't Christ call Satan a murderer to this very day? John 8:44.

COMMENT: Satan urged them to indulge in this disobedient action — this SIN — which would result in DEATH.

The Devil suggested to the woman that she partake of what he KNEW WAS EVIL — to become disobedient — so she could not qualify for rulership of the world.

4. Did Satan, in order to make certain that Eve and Adam would fall into his deadly trap, LYINGLY PROMISE them they would NOT DIE by partaking of this mixture of good AND evil — that they already had eternal life? Gen. 3:4. And did Satan SUBTLY IMPLY that God was HIDING certain vital "knowledge" from them which they ought to have? Verses 5-6. Notice the words "make one wise," in verse 6.

COMMENT: Adam and Eve did NOT have to learn the meaning and resultant curses of sin by EXPERIENCING it — by disobeying God's commands. They could have learned this from the terrible example of Lucifer's and the other fallen angels' sin. But with the deceptive lie and subtle promptings of Satan, the serpent, carnal man rather CHOSE to learn the meaning of sin BY ACTUALLY EXPERIENCING IT!

No, man did NOT have to sin to learn to live God's way of obedience, to build God's character, and finally be born into God's Family. Man could have learned to live by God's will without experiencing sin, SUFFERING and DEATH!

But once man did sin, God allotted mankind 6,000 years to learn, once and for all time, that following the natural tendencies of the carnal mind RESULTS ONLY IN SUFFERING AND DEATH. The record of human history bears this fact out for those who have the wit to see it!

5. Did Eve and Adam "fall" for the Devil's lie? Gen. 3:6. And were they thus DENIED the privilege of access to the Holy Spirit and eternal life AT THAT TIME? Verses 22-24.

6. Does God call the Devil a liar, the father of lies, and a murderer from the beginning? John 8:44. And are all those who are MISLED by Satan to teach his line of lies, also liars and murderers? Same verse.

COMMENT: Here we see the first and GREATEST LIE ever told to mankind — that man would NOT DIE by partaking of a mixture of BOTH obedience AND disobedience. Satan, in fact, told the first human beings that they had an "immortal soul" that could not die! This was, and IS, the GREATEST LIE EVER TOLD!

God calls Satan a MURDERER from the beginning because he is the greatest of all murderers. By far the greatest this world has ever known. You now know the reason WHY. He wants to be RID OF ALL MANKIND FOREVER!

Why the VAST MAJORITY Disobeys God

1. Does God warn us TODAY that the Devil — the sly and subtle serpent — is on the job as much as ever to lyingly deceive mankind, and thereby murder man — cause mankind to cease to exist forever? II Cor. 11:3. Has he deceived the WHOLE world? Rev. 12:9.

COMMENT: We have just seen that Adam and Eve were "thumbnail" types who represent what would be happening to man throughout the ages. And God tells us that Satan has deceived the entire world.

Yes, the WHOLE WORLD!

Satan's plan is working very well, thus far. You have God's Word for it!

IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!

Here we see God's WARNING for mankind TODAY — that you and I should NOT be misled by Devil-inspired LIES from the simplicity of PURE OBEDIENCE as taught by Christ. This is where Satan LIED, and STILL LIES TO MAN TODAY.

Through this world's established societies — its ways of life, modes of communications; its entertainments and philosophies — Satan is continually feeding mankind the SAME OLD LIE he told Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden!

Satan and his demons continually whisper to mankind, "You can do evil — DISobey God — and still have eternal life as God."

A DELIBERATE AND VERY DECEPTIVE LIE!!

God commands us, "Be ye (STRIVE to become) ... PERFECT (perfect in all things — PERFECT IN OBEDIENCE to God's laws and commands which express God's own character) ..." (Mat. 5:48).

2. There were MANY trees in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:16). But only ONE "tree" to eternal life (Gen. 2:9) — only one single, solitary tree. There was, and is today, only ONE WAY TO eternal life! Did Jesus say this way is very NARROW and hard to find? Mat. 7:14.

3. But what about the other "tree" — the "tree" of death of which so many are symbolically partaking today? What does God say about it? Gen. 2:17 and Mat. 7:13.

COMMENT: "BROAD IS the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many (the MAJORITY) there be which go in thereat" (Mat. 7:13).

THIS tree — this WRONG WAY — IS POPULAR with this evil world.

4. WHY IS this evil tree sought after by the vast majority of "this present evil world"? WHY are people's minds drawn to it as if by a magnet? Know and HEED the answer in Jeremiah 7:9!

COMMENT: "THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS, AND DESPERATELY WICKED"! THAT'S WHAT OUR HEARTS ARE LIKE — LIKE THAT OF THE DEVIL HIMSELF!

We and the Devil agree by NATURE!

As if by a magnet, we are DRAWN by our inherently evil natures and by Satan's supernatural promptings, to this God-forbidden, death-dealing tree to partake willingly of both good AND evil!

We tend to deceive ourselves — "kid" ourselves — FROM obedience to God, even when the Bible plainly states, for instance, that we are COMMANDED to keep the key test commandment — God's SABBATH DAY.

We would by nature rather keep SOME OTHER DAY than God's Sabbath. For "the CARNAL mind is enmity against God ... not subject to the law (like the SABBATH command) of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).

It can be seen that Satan has a "holiday," so to speak, with the minds of the people of this world.

God says to the vast majority of this world who would rather keep a DAY or commandment which is contrary to the commandments of God: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the LUSTS OF YOUR FATHER ye will do" (John 8:44).

Satan is a SPIRIT being. We desperately need the SPIRIT OF GOD to COUNTERACT the influence of the Devil and his demons!

And so the carnal mind with which we are born, plus the evil influence of Satan and his demons, cause the MANY — not the few, but the MANY — to NOT NOW find the way to eternal life (Mat. 7:14).

It's a CLOSE RACE! "If the righteous SCARCELY be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (I Pet. 4:18.)

But an UNBEATABLE combination?

NO!!

NOT if you have the POWER of God's Holy Spirit and STRIVE FERVENTLY IN DOING YOUR PART TO BECOME PERFECT!! (Mat. 5:48; I Pet. 1:14 and II Cor. 10:5. Be sure to WRITE OUT these three very important references!)

You are in on this close race, or you would not be this far along in these studies!

(To be continued in Lesson 30)