Why Was There Rebellion In God's Plan?

Why Was There Rebellion In God's Plan?

Series: Why Did God Create Us?

https://vimeo.com/455552190

Why is there evil in this world?

Because God gave us the freedom of choice.

26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us... (Genesis 1:26a NLT)

We were made like Him, but we are not Him.

What Does The Bible Say?

Four Rebellions

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1 NLT)

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1–2 NLT)

First Rebellion, in the heavenly family, Satan disobeyed.

6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. (Genesis 3:6–7 NLT)

Second Rebellion, in the human family, Adam and Eve disobeyed. 

Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden of Eden.

Satan’s home for eternity will be hell.

Then the people began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them. 2 The sons of God saw the beautiful women and took any they wanted as their wives. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.” 4 In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times. (Genesis 6:1–4 NLT)

Third Rebellion, sons of God (God’s heavenly children) produce mixed race children on earth to image themselves.

Their offspring became rivals to God’s human family.

4 For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment. 5 And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood. (2 Peter 2:4–5 NLT)

6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. (Jude 6 NLT)

These sons of God are now in hell.

However, the damage was done.

5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:5–8 NLT)

So God started over.

Fourth Rebellion, after the Tower of Babel, other sons of God led the nations of the earth astray.

8 When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court. 9 “For the people of Israel belong to the Lord; Jacob is his special possession. (Deuteronomy 32:8–9 NLT)

God divided the nations of the earth among His heavenly council.

So, God started over again.

God started a new nation. (Genesis 12)

God pronounced judgement on these sons of God. 

God presides over heaven’s court; he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings: 2 “How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked? (Psalm 82:1–2 NLT)

6 I say, ‘You are gods; you are all children of the Most High. 7 But you will die like mere mortals and fall like every other ruler.’ ” 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations! (Psalm 82:6–8 NLT)

Didn’t God see these rebellions coming?

God knew that making us like Him would lead to rebellions.

But the result was better than not having a human family at all!

How Can You Obey?

Join God’s family by becoming a child of God.

Before Jesus arrived on earth, you could join God’s family by rejecting all other gods, believing in Him, and taking the sign of God’s covenant.

Today, to become a child of God, acknowledge and repent of your sins, put your faith in Christ and follow Him.

Additional Notes:

If you would like to use your home to disciple others, check out our training at https://courses.crosswavesu.com/courses/cross-waves-host-training. Cross Waves has produce short videos to train you how to use your home to reach others for Christ. So please check it out.

Explore:

This series comes from the book, What Does God Want? Michael S. Heiser and Blind Spot Press, 2018.

Explore:

Verses 1–5 describe the dialogue that leads to the descent of Adam and Eve, and verses 6, 7 describe the couple’s actual descent into the pit. The surprise here is that the initiator of the dialogue is a talking snake! And more, it is not a bad snake—because everything that God created he called “good.” Neither is it a good snake gone bad. Sin had made no entrance into the world at this point. Its description as “crafty” (or “shrewd”) does not imply evil. The word has the idea of being wary and of knowing when dangers lurk. The Scriptures encourage the naive and simple to cultivate such an attitude (cf. Proverbs 1:4), but if it is misused it becomes guile (cf. Job 5:12; 15:5; Exodus 21:14; Joshua 9:4).

This is a snake, a naturally shrewd creature, under the control of Satan—and a natural tool. The New Testament identifies this serpent as the devil, referring back to this scene in paradise (cf. Revelation 12:9; 20:2). The snake’s designation as “more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made” may suggest that it was not a common part of the garden’s pet population and may also explain why Eve was not put off by its talking.

Hughes, R. K. (2004). Genesis: beginning and blessing (p. 66). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

Explore:

Satan has been caricatured so much by writers, artists, actors, and comedians that most people don’t believe the devil really exists; or if they do believe he exists, they don’t take him seriously. For example, the English novelist Samuel Butler wrote, “It must be remembered that we have heard only one side of the case. God has written all the books.” And Mark Twain wrote, “We may not pay Satan reverence, for that would be indiscreet, but we can at least respect his talents.” A popular television comedian always got laughs when he said, “The devil made me do it!”

Although we don’t understand much about his origin, we know that Satan is real, Satan is an enemy, and Satan is dangerous. Here in Genesis 3, Satan is compared to a serpent, an image that’s repeated in 2 Corinthians 11:3. In Revelation 12, he’s called a dragon; and both names are combined in 20:2. But Satan is not only a serpent who deceives, he’s also a roaring lion who devours (1 Peter 5:8). Among his names are “Abaddon” and “Apollyon” which mean “destroyer” (Rev. 9:11); “Satan” which means “adversary”; and “devil” which means “slanderer.”

In John 8:44, Jesus called Satan a murderer and “the father of lies.” He also called him “the evil one” (Matt. 13:19) and “the prince of this world” (John 12:31). Paul and John also called the devil “the evil one” (1 Thes. 3:3; 1 John 3:12), and Paul said Satan was “the god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4), the ruler of the world system (Eph. 2:2), and the leader of demonic forces of evil (Eph. 6:10–12).

In short, Satan is no pushover, and God’s people must be careful not to give him a foothold in their lives (Eph. 4:27). That’s why we’re studying God’s Word and seeking to understand the strategy of Satan (2 Cor. 2:11).

Wiersbe, W. W. (1998). Be basic (pp. 58–59). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub.

Question 1 of 5

Why is it important that there is a cause for everything that begins? 

Question 2 of 5

Why does the universe need a driver, and why does it make sense that the driver is the God of the Bible?

Question 3 of 5

Why is there evil in the world?

Question 4 of 5

Why did God not flood the earth again before He started a new nation with Abraham?

Question 5 of 5

Would you have been as patient as God was with His heavenly and human families through their disobedience and rebellions? Why or why not?