A Moral Issue Was Raised

This rebellion in Eden raised a moral issue, a challenge of universal importance.  The human rebels called into question whether Jehovah properly exercised his rulership over his creatures.  Did the Creator have the right to require full obedience from humankind? (Yes) Might people be better off if they acted independently?  (No, are you kidding?)

Jehovah handled this challenge to his rulership in a way that demonstrated his perfect balance of love, justice, wisdom and power.  He could have used his power to crush the rebellion immediately.  That might have seemed just, since he had the right to do so.  But doing so would not have answered the moral questions that had been raised.  On the other hand,God could have simply overlooked the sin.  Such a course might seem to some today to be a loving option.  Yet, this too would fail to address Satan's claim that humans would be better off ruling themselves.  Furthermore, would such a course not encourage still others to deviate from Jehovah's way?  The result would be endless suffering.

In his wisdom, Jehovah has allowed humans to go their own way for a time. Even though this has meant permitting evil to remain temporarily, humans have thus had the opportunity  to show whether they can successfully rule themselves independent of God, living by their own standards of what is right and wrong.  (yeah, we all saw-see how that turned out.  We can't do diddly without God. We are a bunch of horny, greedy, non compassionate, selfish people without God. Should I go on?)  What has been the result?  Human history has consistently been characterized by war, injustice, oppression, and suffering. (just to be kind. I tell it like it is)  The ultimate failure of the rebellion against Jehovah will settle the issues  raised in Eden once and for all time.

Meanwhile, God has displayed his love by providing His Son, Jesus Christ, who gave up his human life as a ransom sacrifice.  This enables obedient humans  to be freed from the condemnation of sin and death that resulted from Adam's disobedience.  The ransom has opened the way to everlasting life for all who exercise faith in Jesus. -John 3:16

We have Jehovah's comforting assurance that human suffering is temporary.  "Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more," wrote the psalmist.  "You will certainly give attention to his place, and he  will not be.  But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace." -Psalm 37:10, 11.

Next time: A Future of Security and Happiness

The Watchtower, 2002