Why Did God Make Eden?
Passing the Test
Sometimes parenthood can get real interesting, real fast. You’re tired… you’re ready to finish up your own day – and you are unexpectedly asked to give an account for God’s actions in the history of men. We had just read a few pages of “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” and with that in mind I responded with, “Because God wants the story to play out… He wants to see all of history happen.” I then held my breath to see if this would pass muster. I can’t imagine many situations being as tough as this; I felt like a candidate before a confirmation hearing, or a student in a national spelling bee final: I had given my answer to a complex question, and must now await the verdict. My daughter’s approval of my answer was evident in the fact that she moved on to a completely different subject. Trust me, if the answer hadn’t held water, we would have still been talking about it. “But what about…?” Or, “Then why did…?” Really, this question could have been discussed indefinitely by the world’s great theological minds – they would not have quickly exhausted the topic and its implications. I strive to give my young children answers to their questions, without losing them in thought process that produced the answers. As they get older then I begin asking them questions that force them to consider what they know, and will spend more time exploring the “why’s” with them.
Surprise Ending?
This is, nonetheless, a probing question. If He knew the end, why did God bother with everything that led up to it? We see history like a story; it has a beginning and end, with a sequence of events in between that connect the two. Applying that metaphorically, we see history as the story and God as its author. Then we consider all the problems of human history and wonder why God bothered with everything in between. Admittedly, we like a good story and most of us - my wife excluded - like to work from front to back, enjoying the unfolding of the story, and the surprises it brings. However, God is the author, not the reader; there are no surprises for Him in the story precisely because He wrote it. He sees the end from the beginning – existing both in our timeline, and outside of it. So He's not playing out history to see what happens at the end!
All About Him
I think part of the reason behind our “Why did He bother?” question is that we place ourselves in the center of the story. Most of us – even on our bad days – are glad for the beginning; we’re happy to be around. All true believers look forward to what lies ahead, an eternity with Christ – the living hope unique to Christians. However, when we look at the unfortunate things that have afflicted humanity over the ages – above all the curse of sin – we wonder why God let it all happen. Why not create us to be with Christ in heaven from the beginning? Again, I say that this question arises from a preoccupation with ourselves. It reveals a self-concern and unawareness of God’s part in history: history is not primarily about us, it is about God. Even human history is about God, His desires, His plans and intentions. He chose His people before His people were made, gifting them to His Son, who in turn redeems them and gifts them back to the Father! We do not exist for ourselves, but through and for Him.
The End is Nigh
God allows humanity to endure the consequences of their insurgence in order that His plans and desires might be fulfilled. He has written the story and is determined to see it play out, one chapter at a time. I’m looking forward to the end, where,
- "The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Comments
Thanks,
Jason