Sermon: To Know Good and Evil

A Crumbling Foundation
#1802

Given 01-Feb-25; 60 minutes

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From time to time, critics of the Church of the Great God accuse us of taking political sides, a charge without merit. The scriptures urge God's people to honor public officials, understanding that God places leaders in power (both evil and good people) for carrying out His divine purpose. The constitutional republic was a revolutionary idea in that it broke from all other forms of despotic rule, adding that in the hands of a moral people it would provide the best opportunity for freedom and individualism. But, according to President John Adams in 1798, if it failed to adhere to moral principle, the constitutional republic would quickly deteriorate, turning to horrible mob rule—the fruits of a reprobate democracy. For 250 years, this country has encountered shock waves of rebellion, including a civil war and five disgruntled presidential candidates refusing to recognize the legitimacy of the opponent's victory. Every human government that has ever existed, from Nebuchadnezzar to the Roman empire, including the American constitutional republic, have been flawed because they allow "a person" or "the people" instead of God to decide what is right and wrong, seduced by Satan just as Eve, convincing her that she would become wise like God. While America has served as a vessel for God's purposes, it will suffer horrible consequences if it relies on human reason rather than divine truth. As the Israel of God, we must focus on our spiritual citizenship in God's Kingdom, realizing that stability and righteousness can come only through Christ, restoring what was lost in Eden.


transcript:

Two weeks ago, at noon on January 20, 2025, the United States once again witnessed the successful transfer of power within the Executive Branch of government, as determined under the Constitution of the United States.

The United States Constitution was formed in 1788 by the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention, whose delegates developed the constitutional concept. It is the oldest and shortest constitution still in force and has been the standard for some 800 constitutions that have subsequently been adopted and amended by independent states around the world.

It was a unique and innovative idea devised by Founding Fathers George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and others as they sought independence from Great Britain.

A constitutional government was a revolutionary innovation that was in stark contrast to the existing governments of the day. As noted, since then, the concept of constitutionalism has been adopted by many other countries seeking to create a new form of government for themselves.

We are going to spend a good deal of the first part of this sermon on this but before going any farther it is important that we review a few very well known scriptures that are foundational to this sermon, and at the very foundation of the lives of everyone called out of this world by the Father to His Son.

Please turn with me to Daniel 2 following Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the image of great and awesome splendor. We will not be addressing the dream but the vital truth of God’s intimate control over everything.

Daniel 2:1-5 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, "I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream." Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation." The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap.”

Carefully examining the scripture, it seems likely that Nebuchadnezzar could not even remember the dream himself but was deeply troubled by it. Apparently, God wanted to make sure that no one could even begin to hazard a guess, as additional proof that this came from Him. But God would bring remembrance to him as Daniel began to recount and interpret it.

Daniel 2:7-8 They answered again and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation." The king answered and said, "I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm.”

Note here that the king was in no mood to allow them to buy time to answer.

Daniel 2:10-13 The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, "There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh." For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

The king was furious, and God allowed the carnage to begin. This is always important, God did not cause this, but He allowed it to suit His purposes.

Daniel 2:14-16 Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, "Why is the decree from the king so urgent?" Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel. So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time that he might tell the king the interpretation.

Note that in spite of the king’s fury and refusal to allow them to buy time, God intervened on Daniel’s behalf. This is another small but notable example of God’s close work with His faithfully wise servants.

Daniel 2:17-23 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king's demand."

There are three things I would like us to note here before we go back to what we may be able to learn from a short overview of the government of the United States.

Number one: Governments throughout history have most often been brutal and self-serving toward an individual, who often was deified.

Number two: God was actually very carefully using these governments as He chose to do so, even while allowing the man-determined atrocities to take place.

Number three: Within this were a few who lived faithfully looking to the Word of God together and continued to seek truth and wisdom, while staying within the bounds of those words no matter what the cost, as we see throughout the book of Daniel.

We can also see, when the time is right God may also use those without His Spirit and faithfulness to testify of His perfect work, as we can see going forward a bit into the book of Daniel.

Daniel 4:30-37 The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?" While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times [seven years] shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses." That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.

And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?" At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.”

Now one more scripture before we go back to our overview of the government of the United States. But as I read the next scripture, please do not consider this an endorsement of any government of this world or government leader. We have too many people writing to us and telling us from something that we wrote that we are supporters of right or left!

Brethren, we are not political and never intend to be. We will preach the truth of God’s Word to the best of our abilities, guided by God’s Holy Spirit and the truth of His Word. We will continue to cry out in a world suffering under curses that come from living in enmity to God.

But it is not for us to get caught up in the political fury of the day, while understanding the absolute truth what will read now as stated by Solomon in Proverbs.

Proverbs 21:1-2 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.

God is absolutely in control to suit His purpose, even working within the foolishness of men, who since Genesis 3 are living shortsighted lives, and under the curse of living what is right in our own eyes. Mankind is still trying to cover our nakedness, while foolishly deciding what is good and what is evil apart from God’s perfect way, as we are going to get to in a bit.

Now with all of this in mind, I would like to get back to our historical narrative and hopefully it will help us appreciate just how much God is working things out as only He can do.

The following is from a website dedicated to the history and value of the Constitution of the United States, as it appears under the heading of What is a Constitutionalist.”

The United States of America is a country founded on the principles of freedom and equality. We have come a long way since our founders signed the constitution in 1787, but we must never forget what this country once was and what it can be again if we stay true to our founding principles.

What is a constitutionalist?

A constitutionalist is someone who believes in the principles of limited government and individual rights. The term is often used to describe someone who wants to adhere strictly to the constitution. It can also be used more generally to describe someone who believes that government should be limited by constitutional law.

What is Constitutionalism?

Constitutionalism is a political ideology that stresses the importance of individual rights and limited government. It’s often used as a synonym for democracy, but they are not quite the same thing. A constitutionalist can believe in democracy but may also think that some form of monarchy would best suit their country.

Constitutionalism is a distinctly American ideology. It’s a complex set of ideas that have the potential to lead to many controversies in government.

Constitutionalists value the constitution as our founders envisioned

If you’re a constitutionalist, you value the constitution as our founders envisioned. You believe in limited government and individual rights. You believe that the constitution is a living document that judges can interpret, but only within the meaning of its original intent.

It may be interesting to note here brethren, what most of you probably have heard in the past before going any farther in this sermon, because it is a key that we, of all people, must never forget.

John Adams said the following within a speech to the officers of the Third Brigade of the Massachusetts militia on October 11, 1798. This was during the second year of his four-year term as the second president of the United States.

John Adams said:

While our country remains untainted with the principles and manners which are now producing desolation in so many parts of the world; while she continues sincere, and incapable of insidious and impious policy, we shall have the strongest reason to rejoice in the local destination assigned us by Providence. But should the people of America once become capable of that deep simulation towards one another, and towards foreign nations, which assumes the language of justice and moderation while it is practicing iniquity and extravagance, and displays in the most captivating manner the charming pictures of candor, frankness, and sincerity, while it is rioting in rapine and insolence, this country will be the most miserable habitation in the world; because we have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

Brethren, we are witnessing the very thing that John Adams quite frankly described, as the root problem of the unraveling, not just of this constitutional republic, but of any solution to rule from the minds of men.

The farther away we turn from the great God and allegiance to Him and His own perfect moral government of outgoing concern, the more Satan’s malevolent infectious spirit in the reasoning of men is exposed, according to man’s decision to know good and evil!

Please hang on to what I just said, because, no matter what solutions to relationships—individually or across nations—that come from the minds of men and are determined apart from the unadulterated Word of God, they will eventually lead to painful results.

We are going into this because we must see it is only by the grace of God and His work to accomplish His purpose that this country is still in one piece. We need to see that any way apart from learning and living the truth of His Word is going to cause pain.

As John Adams gave that vital warning during the second year of his presidency, the nation was already being torn. He and Thomas Jefferson, who had crafted the Constitution together, and had been close friends, gradually came to the point in two years of such division they would not speak to one another for years.

John Adams had been the first vice president of the United States and Thomas Jefferson the first Secretary of State. But Adams was a Federalist promoting a strong central government and unity with Great Britain, while Jefferson was a Democratic Republican, who promoted more of individual rule, and he whole heartedly promoted the French Revolution.

During this period the French and the British nations were warring and the battle lines were also drawn in the United States. Adams and the Federalists were pro-British and denounced the French Revolution as “political radicalism and anti-religion frenzy,” while Jefferson and those of his ilk wholeheartedly stood behind the French against the British.

As opposed to George Washington’s presidency of a nation unified under the man, the first election run when he left office between Adams and Jefferson was divisive and bitterly waged with slander and disparaging anger. Also, ironically, because of the way the electoral college that elects the president had been set up under the Constitution Adams became president with Jefferson as his vice president.

Adams received a majority of electoral college vote, but Jefferson finished second from a field of five candidates. This division at the top of the executive branch that was caused by the shortsightedness with the Constitution, need to be corrected by the 12th Amendment to the Constitution, which was not ratified until 1804, after the next highly contentious election in 1800 when Jefferson became the third President after he and his party accused Adams of being a despot and a traitorous supporter of the British.

During George Washington’s second term in office, while John Adams was vice president, America and Great Britain signed the John Jay Treaty of 1794, which addressed issues left over from the revolution and established a trading partnership between the two nations.

There was a great deal of division over this treaty, especially since Adams, Hamilton, and the Federalist party who favored the British monarchy were considered to be traitors to the spirit of the American Revolution.

It was within these often violently contentious circumstances that God used John Adams to deliver his warning in 1798, in a similar way that He had used Nebuchadnezzar and others (like king Cyrus, etc.) to do His will.

As a side note before going any farther (and in keeping with the understanding God has given to those called according to His purpose), the Jay Treaty led to a quasi-war with France, who began attacking American merchant ships trading goods with Great Britain.

France (the descendants of Reuben, the oldest from whom the physical birthright blessing was taken), was attacking the reunited sons of Joseph, to whom the blessings to all the earth was being accomplished by God’s intervention through Ephraim and Manasseh.

Getting back to the contentious division in the United States: Also in 1798, because of the Jeffersonian Democratic Republican criticism of the Jay Treaty, the United States, under Adams and the Federalists, passed the Aliens and Seditions Act that among other things, (1) gave the president the power to deport non-citizens who were subjects of foreign enemies; (2) increased the number of years required for immigrants to become citizens from five to 14; (3) allowed the president to deport any non-citizen from a country at war with the United States; (4) made it illegal to publish or say anything "false, scandalous, and malicious" about the government, the president, or Congress.

This was all aimed at the Jeffersonian Democratic Republicans, who were vociferously speaking out against the Federalist unity with Great Britain and in support of the French, who were at war with the allied United States and Great Britain.

In no small part, this act and the slanderous smearing of Adams as a despot by those supporting Jefferson, led to Adams defeat and Jefferson’s election as president in 1800. It also resulted in something that has become quite familiar to all of us today as we observe the politics of men. It led to Thomas Jefferson’s wholesale pardoning of all those who had been convicted under the Aliens and Seditions Act of 1798!

Brethren, recently it was noted that there was so much animosity after the 2020 election President Trump refused to attend President Biden’s Inauguration that many considered an election by vote fraud.

But did you realize there have been five outgoing presidents that refused to be a part of the new president’s inauguration because of bitter rivalries? John Adams left Washington rather than attend the Thomas Jefferson’s 1801 inauguration. His son John Quincy Adams left town, unwilling to be present for Andrew Jackson’s 1829 Inauguration. Martin Van Buren would not be present for the William Henry Harrison’s 1841 Inauguration. Andrew Johnson conducted a final cabinet meeting rather than attend Ulysses S. Grant’s 1869 Inauguration. And, of course, Donald Trump held a "departure ceremony," and then left Washington, D.C. prior to the Joe Biden’s Inauguration in 2021.

What is going on in politics these days is nothing new. There has always been the strife and turmoil that has collapsed governments all over the world. This is what happens with the governments of men who have taken to themselves the right to decide good and evil.

But for us it must never be far from our minds that everything is being worked out by God in accord with His purpose to do as He determined in creating men in His image according to His likeness in spite of ourselves.

This nation is the longest lasting government on the face of this earth in spite of civil wars and violent attacks from one side to the other such as the cross of gold speech when they went off the gold standard, and the fight that it ensued. But it is only because God has intervened when He determined necessary to hold it together, as it suits His purposes.

All is completely under God’s perfect authority to accomplish His purpose that He declared in Genesis 1:26 to create men in His image, according to His likeness, even within this mess we have made in our presumptuous efforts at determining good and evil.

Although we greatly appreciate the wonderful opportunity God has given us to live within the land that, by His hand has been a blessing to the whole world because of His promises to Abraham, in spite of ourselves, we must not get caught up in its government. Because it, like every other government that has ever existed since Genesis 3, is built on a crumbling foundation established under Satan’s seduction that we should decide good and evil for ourselves. Even in the government that God established Israel to live under, they refused to obey Him, and it cause them much hardship and pain.

Why have we spent so much time looking at this overview of the United States? It is because it is vital for us, who have been given God’s Holy Spirit to live now in the letter and the spirit of His Word, to see that anything that has its foundation outside the Word of God is going to have to deal with the curses that go along with it.

We can see this from Adam and Eve until now. We could consider any time in history to see the painful consequences throughout 6,000 years that everyone has endured. I am merely using the United States to try to get three points across.

Number one: Anything built on sin and man’s determination to know good and evil will have curses that come with it.

Number two: God is always in charge and is moving everything in the direction He wants it to go, even as mankind refuses to live the truth of His Word.

Romans 3:1-4 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: "That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged."

I want to emphasize this because even with the faithlessness of men, God will accomplish His work.

Number three: We must recognize this very thing, while working within these circumstances without being involved in them, as we learn to apply the truth of His Word in everything we do.

But let us begin to look at the big picture by turning to Revelation 12:9, where we will be reading it within the context of verses 7 through 12:

Revelation 12:7-12 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."

Now, I would like to read verse 9 thru 12 from the Amplified, while focusing on how the Amplified translates verse 9:

Revelation 12:9 (AMP) And the huge dragon was cast down and out—that age-old serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, he who is the seducer (deceiver) of all humanity the world over; he was forced out and down to the earth, and his angels were flung out along with him. Then I heard a strong (loud) voice in heaven, saying, “Now it has come—the salvation and the power and the kingdom (the dominion, the reign) of our God, and the power (the sovereignty, the authority) of His Christ (the Messiah); for the accuser of our brethren, he who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and night, has been cast out!” And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing]. Therefore be glad (exult), O heavens and you that dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in fierce anger (fury), because he knows that he has [only] a short time [left]!

While keeping how the Amplified referred to Satan in verse 9, as the “seducer of all humanity the world over,” please turn with me all the way to the other end of the book and where it all started for mankind.

Genesis 2:15-17 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

Genesis 2:21-25 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Genesis 3:1-11 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

Genesis 2:22-24 Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"—therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

There are three words in Genesis 2:25-3:11 I would like for us to consider in light of what we read in Revelation 12:9.

First is the word snake or serpent. This is the Hebrew word “nachash,” a shining one.

Hold your finger there in Genesis and please turn with me to II Corinthians.

II Corinthians 11:1-4 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me; for I am jealous for you with godly jealousy; for I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

II Corinthians 11:13-14 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Now please turn with me to Ezekiel 28.

Ezekiel 28:12-15 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.”

This was not some talking snake that Eve found fascinating, this was a very powerful shining spirit that God allowed within the Garden of Eden. His seduction of the whole world began right here, as it continues to this day. But she could have resisted, just as we can resist through Jesus Christ.

Turn with me to Romans 8.

Romans 8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

With this in mind turn with me now back to Genesis 3.

Genesis 3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

They knew they were naked and immediately began deciding for themselves how to restore what had covered them before. They had been created in the image of God. But that glorious beauty had now faded and they determined by their own thinking how to cover up, when the only thing that would restore things had to be given by God in the glory of Jesus Christ.

Let us add one more factor to this, as stated in Genesis 2.

Genesis 2:24-25 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

That word ashamed in verse 25 is bûsh (boosh). As noted in Strong’s, it is a primitive root; properly to pale, that is, by implication to be ashamed; also (by implication) to be disappointed or delayed: (to be made to cause) shame; to be confounded; to become delayed. They were confounded. They had lost Who had covered them.

One of the other word studies I looked into said this, which clearly ties back into what God said about wisdom being with Him from the beginning. The study said: Moreover, to act shamefully is equivalent to acting unwisely.

Please turn with me to Proverbs.

Proverbs 10:5 He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.

Proverbs 14:35 The king's favor is toward a wise servant, but his wrath is against him who causes shame.

Proverbs 8:1 Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding lift up her voice?

Proverbs 8:4-8 To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand prudence, and you fools, be of an understanding heart. Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things; for my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; nothing crooked or perverse is in them.

Proverbs 8:11-23 For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth. I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me. Riches and honor are with me, enduring riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver. I traverse the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice, that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries. The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I have been established from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth.”

This is what Adam and Eve had in full before taking from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This absolutely solid foundation built on the truth of God’s Word and wisdom!

But since the moment they took from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil the foundation of everything men have ever done has been cursed with cracks apart from the foundation that is in Jesus Christ.

Why did we take all the time talking about the United States and the Constitution for a moral and religious people and then head back to the Two Trees and nakedness before God not doing anything that was shameful until seduced by the shining light?

Because the U.S. government is a perfect example of all that men have ever done in trying to metaphorically create coverings for themselves what can only come from the pure word of truth through Jesus Christ.

I do not want to go back there but please listen to Genesis 3:22 as it is more clearly stated in the “A Faithful Version” translation where it says:

Genesis 3:22 (AFV) And the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to decide good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever—"

The word for to know or to decide, as it is written in the AFV is transliterated from the original Hebrew and is #3045 in Strong’s is yâda‛ (yaw-dah'). It is a primitive root; to know (properly to ascertain by seeing).

In the original Hebrew it is a pictograph of a door and of the eye. It indicates, through the eyes how one experiences his world, and learns from it. Combining these pictures means, "the door of the eye.” The eye is the window into the man’s very being. Experience is gained through visual observation. Knowledge is achieved through these experiences. However, decisions based on anything other than the truth of God’s Word, will never create a solid foundation for what is built on it.

Here is the reason why I believe Herbert Armstrong kept going back to Genesis 2 and the Two Trees. It is from this point that everything man has done going forward, although still regulated by God to accomplish His purpose, has been under Satan’s powerful “seduction” as the Amplified put it, to decide what is good and evil for themselves.

What God is offering us now through Jesus Christ is a precious return to living [through His Holy Spirit within the clarity and sanity of His Word,] within this insane world under Satan’s seduction. But we cannot get tied into its ways, even when they may seem right, because, brethren, in the end they are only the result of the original sin that has infected all men to decide for ourselves what is good and evil. That is never going to work!

We used the short overview of the United States and all its chaotic problems that have been there from the beginning, as an example of God working to accomplish His purpose. This nation has long endured for almost 250 years, but only by the hand of God, as He saw fit to accomplish His purpose according to His will, within the foolish and sinful choices of men.

Men build things on foundations that are directly in opposition to God’s Word and God shows us they will ultimately crumble because sin will always find you out.

The United States has been a true fulfillment of God’s promised blessing to Abraham for the whole world and it certainly is a blessing to live here. But please allow me to read a section of the foundation upon which men determined to build this nation, as opposed to the perceived tyrannies around them.

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel to the separation.

We hold these truths self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; And accordingly all experience has shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable than to write themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses an unusual preparations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to produce them under absolute despotism, it is their right it is their duty to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies and now is and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government.

We do not need to go any farther than this into America’s Declaration of Independence from the British monarchy. There is enough said here to show why America has suffered through vociferously vile disputes of men even to the point of civil war in determining for itself what is good and what is evil.

This country has been a blessing to the whole world and lasted for almost 250 years because God continues to work out His purpose, as He sees fit, using whom He wants when He wants.

Most of you should still be there in Proverbs, so please turn to Proverbs 24.

Proverbs 24:1-4 Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them; for their heart devises violence, and their lips talk of troublemaking. Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Proverbs 24:21-22 My son, fear the LORD and the king; do not associate with those given to change; for their calamity will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin those two can bring?

Brethren, whenever a foundation is established under the determination of good and evil from the minds of men in direct contravention to God’s pure and wise words of truth, it is going to suffer through the consequences of sin. This has been the case since Genesis 3.

But you have been given the blessing of learning and living what the world cannot through Jesus Christ, connecting us once again to what Adam and Eve lost.

Please turn with me to Matthew 20.

Matthew 20:20-23 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom." But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."

Brethren, I hope we all realize how precious our calling is and the need for us to be fully committed to learning and faithfully living by every word of God, as the Father is preparing each of us for the place He has determined.

It is not our place to become involved in body, mind, or spirit in any of the determined ways to good and evil that come from the minds of men. Although God will use them to make His plan work out, our job right now is to become holy as God is holy through Jesus Christ.

Please never let it be far from our minds that our citizenship right now is in the Kingdom of God and our responsibility is to learn and live by every word of God. We are not to become involved with building on the corrupt foundations determined as good and evil from the minds of men but determined by the absolute commitment to the Word of God.

This is our job going forward, especially as Dave Maas said last week, we need to consider these things, and what we can do to prepare for the Passover, and the tremendous blessing we have been given through Jesus Christ.

MS/rwu/drm





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