I was thinking of this the other day in church. If God is omniscient (all-knowing), then He must have known Adam and Eve would be beguiled by the Devil. Yet, He asks in Genesis, “Hey Adam, where are you? Who told you you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” (Genesis 3: 9,11)
This must be a rhetorical question. God knew what had happened. God know what would happen.
So why create all this in the first place? Why would God create man, know we would fail Him, God suffer heartache because of it, God have to send His son to redeem us (more heartache for God), all so we piddly humans could be with Him?
Why bother? Why would God even bother to do all of this? It seems like a lot of work on His part and I’m not sure His reward. Us? From my perspective, we don’t seem worth it.
Logically, it’s because of God’s immense love for us. But I can’t comprehend this. I can’t comprehend God’s love because I believe God loves differently than we love. We are motivated by fear, insecurity, and every other human emotion and circumstance. God isn’t. God’s love is pure.
This is definitely going on my “ASK GOD” list when I get to Heaven. I’ve noticed a lot of these lately are “Why” questions.
God did know that Adam & Eve would be beguiled by the devil. Just as I know that my own children will be beguilded by that same old devil. It is freedom of choice. Does that make me love my children less? Or question: why bother having children? No! And neither did it make God love us less. The love that I have for my children is reflected by the love from God, the Creator. The question we should be asking is why don’t we listen? We ignore God’s instructions for living (don’t eat from that tree), just as our own children ignore our instructions. When all the time we keep repeating God’s words… Listen! Listen! Listen! for their betterment…just as He cautions us all. “If” only we would listen…
Why would God, who created this vast systems of suns, stars, planets, choose one little planet…one little “blue” planet…and put a little speck like me on it? Why would it be important enough for Jesus Christ to become one of these human specks? Most interesting…:)
Oh, Atozmom, I have wondered the same thing all my life and it is one question my husband cannot get his head around. But, unlike my husband, I don’t get hung up on it. God is God. Some things I cannot question. When I read Psalm 139, or think about the fact that there is no one in the world at this moment nor anyone from the past with the same fingeprint that I have and that every species created has its own unique DNA, then suddenly I’m like Isaiah and question myself “To whom, then, will you compare God?” (Is. 40:18). Like you, there are some questions I will ask God when I see Him face to face. I look forward to reading others responses to your question.
A lot of understanding comes with maturing in your relationship with God…We are to pray for wisdom and understanding …He will never let you down….
That only goes to show why we cannot comprehend the logic of God. It is His prerogative to do as He will. That is why I love the mystery of walking daily with Christ.
Following the posting, may I add, would all this heartache have happened if God did not place the tree of knowledge there in the first place. Or perhaps, access not be given to that snake. Or for that matter, not to place or permit the first couple to have any free will (just create robot will do). Then all of creation will be for naught. God will just have to entertain himself because obviously then he would not have us to praise and fellowship with Him.
I think God did not want robots (like the angels). He wanted us to have a choice to love Him or reject Him.
That question is right up there with your question about why God would let you fall so much in love with Bible Study Fellowship and then take you away from it.
Perhaps it is not a trial but a way of getting someone to work towards an online BSF. God may think you are the perfect person to shepherd online BSF into being!!
As others have replied to the Adam and Eve thing, I believe God knew what he was creating. He was creating humans who would strive to be loved through their worship. That is all God really wants – for us to love him as he loves us.
When you decided to have children of your own did you not think about the times they would disappoint you? Times of rebellion? Times of pain and agony they seem to send your way? But you chose to have children anyway…why? God wanted us to have a living, devoted relationship with Him…not as robots, but living, breathing creations after His likeness. why did He not prevent the fall of man? Satan. Yes..He knew all this would happen but He chose to create us anyway out of His tremendous love. He desired us. As you desired to have your children.
Like others, this is one of the questions I’ve had about the Garden of Eden story. Including, since God is all-knowing, knew what would happen, then why get angry about Adam and Eve eating the apple and punishing them afterwards. And even more fundamental questions like since God is all-powerful and created us in his likeness, why we weren’t created more like Jesus, pure of sin etc.?
I’ve read many “new age” texts, and more “modern” religious texts that provide more logically satisfying explanations of the Garden of Eden story, basically offering a different interpretation – some claiming to offer God’s “version” of the story, and positions parts of the Bible as human’s interpretation of the stories, God’s word etc. But I know just because something is more logical, doesn’t mean it is the truth. But I also know that words, even in the Bible, can never convey the whole story about God or people really mean (like the phrase “pictures are worth a thousand words”, concepts are infinitely more complex than words can describe, as well, all people interpret things differently based on their own uniqueness).
Likewise, viewing God’s relationship with us, like our relationship with children seems reasonable (and maybe comforting) but if we believe humans are different from God then this view is not completely logically. For example, many parents would say they always love, forgive and give infinitely chances to their children, but the common Christian theme is that not all people will go to heaven (ie. the all loving, all-powerful God will not be able to or want to “save” everyone?) — whereas, a common theme of the “new age” texts is that everyone will always have a chance for heaven, even after death. And given that we were not created like Jesus, and Jesus said “forgive them Father for they know not what they do (resulting from not understanding the truth etc.)”, then it would seem “logical” that Judgement Day should instead be a day of forgiveness, and educating the human spirits to understand the truth about God, life etc. (and answer all our questions :-)). Or maybe, this is just again an example of human limited thinking.
Indeed, why create something you are certain you will punish harshly- to satisfy a sadistic nature? to disappoint yourself? To see a reflection of your own disappointments, aspirations, dreams that can’t come true? To wonder if hope could survive if you could just start over and have some omniscient guiding hand leading across the pitfalls?
Does it hurt him more than us to punish us? Was banishment the answer? And where was the experiment headed? What was the point of the entire Adam exercise?
Imagine this. I create a luscious garden in my backyard with a succulent, prized raspberry tree in the center. I’m very proud of my accomplishment but it feels incomplete, so I adopt dog and let him roam free in it. He loves it. He runs, he jumps, he marvels. But he gets lonely, so I get him a female companion. He’s as happy as ever again but something’s wrong. I notice they want to get close to my raspberry tree. I shoo them and tell them only bad dogs go near there, but they persist.
One day, the dog shows up with raspberry stains on it’s paws. I say in anger, ‘What have you done?!!!!” I go and check the garden. Sure enough, my tree has been ravished by these two mutts. I grab them by the collar and throw them out of the garden to the streets. I kick the girl dog in the stomach for not knowing better than to lead my boy dog to such shame.
Sound harsh? Barbaric even?
I don’t think God is sadistic or evil or any of those things. I just think the bible is a man made work and nothing more. I believe it was written with the best of intentions and people who wanted to bring out the best in others but I just don’t believe it is the full or even partial story of God and God’s attitudes. It is our hopes, dreams and wishes, and quite a bit of imagination all for the sake of hope for those who have little, guidance for those who really need it. But it is not God. God is God. Is our God ‘good’? The bigger question would be, who are we to judge? Especially since we can never really fully comprehend God. And it is good we can’t comprehend God because if we understood God we could control him like the weather. Understanding implies knowledge of a system we can alter.
if there is a God (which I believe there is), that God did intend for the Bible to be written because it was. But perhaps the same God hoped we would use our best judgement and do what we can to make our lives, and hopefully others, a little better. Maybe. I don’t know, I can’t and won’t speak with any authority for God.
That said, if the bible turns out to be 50% true, 50% inspired balogney should we throw it out and no longer go to church? Well, I think that would be throwing the baby out with the bath water. For all the abuses commited in its name and under it’s roof, many members of churches actually do their best to help others. And the truth is in any given church we can never fully know what any single person truly believes. We can’t assume to understand one’s faith just by their presence in a building- though many do.
Also, churches are much nicer places to be than say a porn set, prison cell, cock fight, lynching, empty bar or other sad gathering place that many find themselves in. I’ll take people going to church on Sunday over a crack house or casino any day of the week. I don’t think we have to take the bible literally but I don’t think we have to make a major case or beat anyone over the head with our ideas either. Prideful righteous indignation always comes back to bite those who express it, no matter what banner they stand under.
Hope that helps.
Reblogged this on Atozmom's Blog and commented:
This is a post I wrote over a year ago and I’m resurrecting it because we talked about this in lecture. The point: we are unworthy and God loves us anyways. So when we feel completely inept in life, remember: God loves you anyways!
Did God know the outcome?….I’m sure…but he already had a plan in place. God wanted Adam and Eve to love him and obey him of their own free will. Just as He wants our praise, obedience, and worship to be our choice. Just as He allowed Job to be tested…He placed them in the same situation.
So, they did have a choice…Once they chose to disobey…God scarified an animal (most likely a lamb) so that he could use the fur to cover their nakedness…Yes, he punished them, He could not give them access to the Tree of LIfe….they had to leave the garden and He made their life more difficult so that they would see their need for Him in their lives. He cursed the serpent and promised him that his head would be crush by the One He would send.
In these verses we see that He instituted the practice of sacrifice, so that the blood would be spilled and their sin would be forgiven. He immediately put His plan in action; His son would come and die for us, because regardless of our intentions, we are too weak to save ourselves…
What a wonderful and glorious God I serve!
It is funny that I read your blog yesterday and then this morning during my devotion I read this “knowing that Adam and Eve would disobey the one rule God gave them, He created them anyway. He had a plan to redeem His wayward creatures. God Himself, through Christ, would bear the judgment for the sins of all mankind. Why would He do such a thing? The answer is love. Charles Colson wrote, “God loved us so much that even when He foresaw the sin and suffering that would darken and distort His creation, He chose to create us anyway. That is the most profound mystery of all, and one that inspires our hearts to worship.”
What a loving and merciful God we have.
I found this on line and I’m not sure where I got it but in regard to the question did God know
Adam would eat the apple? I thought this thought interesting.
Adam and Eve could not reproduce as they did not experience any physical drives, they did not have to search for food. Their life was idyllic! For man to develop he needs challenges, experiences and a sense that he has control. Adam had none of these. So it was Gods plan. Man must take the initiative to develop and grow. And Adam took the challenge.
God did not say if you eat of this you will surely die. He said (when) you eat of this.