The Curse of Sin
As I awake this morning, I hear the abundance of rain. My mind begins to shift from one thought to another, pondering the question words in English…who, what, when, where, how, and why.
I wrote an article with these questions once, but from a different perspective.
My thoughts this morning are carrying me down a different path. The reality of sin and redemption, the very essence of life and death, seems to prompt the relevance of the questions.
The first picture/thought I had in my mind was watching a tsunami bring its destructive waters upon the earth and the force with which it can in a matter of minutes totally change its surroundings. An act of Mother Nature we say from a scientific point of view; an act of God from an insurance point of view.
Then my mind went back to the garden of Eden, where we usually consider the birth of the curse of sin.
But, that’s not where the concept of sin was actually birthed. The serpent began the discourse with Eve which ultimately led to their downfall. But he had already sinned. He just birthed actual sin upon the earth at that point.
Isaiah, the prophet, tells us in ch.14, v.12 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”
Five times we read the words, ‘I will’. God had initially created Lucifer and all the angels to worship and serve Him. For what period of time this lasted is unknown, for the Bible says in 2 Peter 3:8- “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day...”
Moses even recorded the same in Psalm 90:4, “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”
During the course of God’s time, Lucifer became prideful, which is the root of every sin, and decided he was greater than His Creator. Big mistake!
God cast him out of Heaven, and created earth for his dwelling place until the end comes when he and all his followers will burn in the lake of fire…hell, forever and ever.
Isaiah had a picture of it in his prophetic writings, in chapter 5:14, “Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:”
Some teach that hell is in the bowels of the earth. Some say Jesus went to hell during His death before His resurrection and preached to those who had died before grace. I won’t split theological hairs on this subject.
As I grow older, my concept of hell has come to the place that if it is in the bowels of the earth, then it won’t be difficult for it to be enlarged when the time comes, because man now has the capability with nuclear power to blow up the world, to be destroyed by fire. And God will no doubt look over the portals of heaven and shake His head as his creation literally destroys itself.
Peter prophesied about it in 2 Peter 3:10, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
John, the beloved disciple whom Jesus loved, recorded in his 21st chapter of Revelation, which is the final book of the Bible, the culmination of the whole plan of God; in v.1, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”
So…
Who instigated sin? Lucifer
What did it cost him? Kicked out of Heaven with no hope of redemption
When did the curse of sin begin? When satan incognito as a serpent beguiled Eve, then Adam
Where did the curse begin? For them, In the garden of Eden
How did he convince them? Deception, a half truth, which equaled a whole lie
Why did he do it? He was trying to prove he could be like God, but he continues to fail miserably.
Moses recorded in Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
Paul recorded in 1 Corinthians 8:6, “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”
Moses recorded in Psalm 90:2, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
So, as we watch prophesy unfold, let the facts of the Word of God be a stern reminder…the curse of sin continues to visit the fathers and their children, even to the 3rd and 4th generations. We see it vividly, as families enlarge and great grandparents live to see their 3rd and sometimes 4th generations before death.
The blessings of redemption break the curse many times, but no one is exempt, and the consequences of sin are a part of the sowing and reaping process. Few escape it. Those who do should be very thankful. Those who live in rebellion keep the curse alive. So daily we are given the opportunity to make choices. Choose wisely.
The curse of sin…the penalty is death in hell for eternity.
The blessing of redemption…Accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior in this life so we can spend eternity in heaven with Him and all who accept Him.
Maranatha!
D. S. Mullis
Copyright .2020
