Genesis Lecture 53 (Dinosaur 1)
Bible passage: Genesis 2:15
"Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it."
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
This is the 53rd lecture on Genesis. In the last lecture, I told you about two beings that stayed beside Adam in the Garden of Eden. They were cherubim and dinosaurs. Cherubim are spiritual beings that originally come from the 3rd Heaven, and dinosaurs originally come from the 2nd Heaven. In the concept of dimension based on spaces, cherubim belong to the 3rd dimension and dinosaurs to the 2nd dimension.
Their roles in helping Adam were also different. Cherubim escorted Adam, and guarded the Garden of Eden. Among the cherubim in the Garden of Eden, those in leading position escorted Adam and followed him wherever he went. Adam closely communicated with those cherubim that were in charge of guarding the border of the Garden of Eden. Protecting the Garden of Eden was a very important duty given to Adam. Simply put, dinosaurs were like pets to Adam. Adam just played with them, and enjoyed their company. In this way the cherubim took the greater role than dinosaurs did in helping Adam. There were many dinosaurs in the Garden of Eden, and the leader of the dinosaurs was very close to Adam. Please remember that the dinosaur that I will be repeatedly mentioning is this dinosaur which was in very close proximity to Adam. When Adam visited the earth, cherubim the followed Adam, but dinosaurs couldn't go with him. Since cherubim were spiritual beings, they could freely visit the earth. On the other hand, dinosaurs would have had to have taken an aircraft to visit the earth just as Adam did because they were made from the ground of the Garden of Eden. However, they didn't actually need to travel to the earth. The reason was because the earth was none of their concern. Even though dinosaurs were loved by Adam, they envied the cherubim which always followed Adam. Dinosaurs didn't have humanity like men. However, they spent many long years with Adam and thus they did know what it was to share love with him. D
inosaurs felt good when Adam was with them, but they didn't when Adam was accompanied only by cherubim. Their envy of cherubim increased as time passed. You can see that even pets become envious and jealous of each other. If you have many puppies at home, they intensely compete with each other to receive more attention and love from the master than others do. Dinosaurs were specially created for Adam in the Garden of Eden by God. They were far smarter than the animals of the earth, and they had excellent ability to commune with Adam. Therefore, they wanted to be loved all the more by Adam, and so they envied the cherubim. This envy of the dinosaurs grew too big, and it finally went beyond the limit. Since dinosaurs were made from the ground of the Garden of Eden, they didn't have evil attributes originally. As their envy grew greater and greater, the possibility that it could deteriorate into evil such as jealousy became high.
Dear brothers and sisters. I said the roles of cherub and dinosaurs were surely different. Dinosaurs couldn't play the role of cherub, and the cherub did not act like dinosaurs. Therefore, dinosaurs only had to be faithful to their role and be satisfied with it. But a problem arose because of the dinosaur's strong desire for increased attention went beyond limits. Each part of your body has its own role. Eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hands, and feet- each all play a very important role. What if feet envied hands and wanted to become hands- What if hands wanted to become eyes out of their envy- The same applies to all the workers in a church. Some duties seem more important according to a situation or time. However, there is no duty that is not important. For example, I am given the duty of Senior Pastor of this church, but if there were no members in this church, what would be the use of the duty as Senior Pastor- Depending on their duties, some people's works are revealed outwardly, but others' works are not at all. However, it is not true that the revealed works are more important than the unrevealed works.
Therefore, all the works should be faithful their duties, and they should also respect other workers who are given different duties. You should understand that all of you are essential to the kingdom of God, and you should cooperate with each other. By the way, people react differently when others are loved and recognized more, and when others enjoy what seems better than what they have. Some people just envy others, and say, "That would really be good!" Some others may say, "He is no better than I am, so why is he the only one who is praised and loved-" In this way they pass judgment and become jealous of others. Still some others say, "He is loved so much, but am I- They lose heart. They feel the situation is unfair and become sad. You should know that the reason for all these reactions is because they have evil in their hearts. But you might think, "Is just becoming envious an evil act-" Envy out of jealousy belongs to evil. Those who truly love God feel thankful for those workers who have the more important and greater duties. How thankful they become because other workers do what they cannot do for the kingdom of God! And thus, they rejoice together, and they try to help them in any way they can.
They also try to model themselves after such people, and take the opportunity to further develop themselves. I hope that you will check yourself whether you truly rejoice with the truth in heart through the case of dinosaurs and the cherubim which stayed at Adam's side. Dear brothers and sisters. Dinosaurs were not satisfied with their role. They greatly envied the cherubim. Their envy grew too big and it came perilously close to disaster. There was one being which kept an eye on such dinosaurs. It was Satan. The Garden of Eden adjoins the domain of Darkness. The evil spirits in the domain of darkness always coveted the Garden of Eden, and looked for a chance to bring down Adam. They were always on the watch for a chance to take root in the Garden of Eden. From some moment on, Satan perceived that dinosaurs greatly envied the cherubim. Satan never loses even the slightest opportunity, but grabs it. Satan is like spark of electricity in the air, when it finds a target which may have a thought of untruth, it immediately tries to make contact.
For example, if there is a man who hates someone, Satan can incite the man through his thought. Satan incites the man to keep on misunderstanding, judging, and condemning the one he hates. If there is a man who is greedy for material gain, Satan puts unrighteous thoughts into him. "You should not lose such a great opportunity to earn money. Others are taking advantage of it so, why shouldn't you- You are foolish if you lose this chance." Satan will throw a man far off track of righteousness by moving his thoughts to satisfy a desire held in his heart. Satan transmits her evil thoughts through the air, looking for a man who can accept the projected thoughts. From among the 6.9 billion people of the world, Satan notices precisely the ones whose hearts are moved by untruth. And then Satan injects into him Satan's thought, the unrighteous and evil thought, of Satan.
If the man accepts it, soon the evil in his heart starts to work. When water boils in a container, it may boil over. It might turn into steam and escape from the container. The one who accepts the thought of Satan cannot suppress his ill feelings or lusts, as they 'boil over' they are expressed. A facial expression and the manner of speaking may change. He shows evil acts that go beyond normal behavior. When evil is expressed in action like this, it is the indication that the work of the devil is being accepted. Once a person starts to receive the work of the devil, even more evil actions may be displayed. I hope that you can understand how Satan and the devil work, and that you will never open yourself up to slightest evil. 1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
I urge you to pray fervently all the time to be spiritually awakened. When you spot untruth and evil in your heart and thought, you should immediately turn back, get rid of it, and never provide a place for Satan to work. Now then, the dinosaurs provided room so that Satan could work. How could it be possible for Satan to incite an animal like a dinosaur- Unlike human beings, animals don't have the sense of reason to discern right and wrong; they act almost on instinct. Therefore, animals are easier than men for Satan to incite. When Satan tempted Eve, temptation was accomplished through a serpent. The reason the serpent became an instrument of Satan was because the serpent had such sly attributes. Genesis 3:1 says, "Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made." Among the beasts of the field, the serpent was the craftiest one.
It had many attributes that could be moved by Satan. Satan can control animals like this, but God can also control animals as necessary. For example, there is an account in 1 Kings 17:4-7, that God ordered ravens to feed Elijah. As Elijah obeyed the word of God and went to the brook Cherith, the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and in the evening. In addition, there is a record in Numbers 22:28-30 that God opened the mouth of a donkey to reveal the truth to Balaam. God can control all the animals like these as He pleases. On the other hand, Satan can incite only the animals that have evil attributes. The reason is because such evil attributes as craftiness, envy, jealousy, and greed can become an access point for Satan. Then, how did Satan incite dinosaurs- I said earlier that Satan sensed the dinosaurs' envy of cherubim becoming increasingly stronger. Dinosaurs' envy grew to reach a certain limit that it could deteriorate into evil such as jealousy. Satan began to send the thought wave of untruth to dinosaurs. Satan kept on sending the wave until dinosaurs accepted it. To watch a TV channel, you have to install an antenna to receive the electronic signal. In case of satellite signals, you may receive a better signal if you use a bigger satellite dish than when you use a smaller dish. Likewise, when the envy of dinosaurs was small, the wave of untruth that Satan sent didn't reach dinosaurs.
However, as their envy grew bigger, the wave of untruth that Satan sent finally was received by the dinosaurs. Now, what kind of thought of untruth did Satan put into dinosaurs- In the beginning, it was something like this; "You can ask Adam to make you like the cherubim. Then you can follow Adam to the earth, and stay beside Adam all the time." Of course, dinosaurs thought it was they that had this thought of Satan's. "I wish I could become like cherubim. Should I ask Adam to make me like one of them- If I become like a cherub, I can visit the earth, and stay beside Adam all the time." Dinosaurs thought like this. Satan constantly worked to make dinosaurs keep having this kind of thought. Then, the dinosaurs' desire to become like cherubim developed and turned into a clear goal. "There is no reason I cannot become like them. There should be a way. What is it-" Dinosaurs persistently thought of it like this. Satan didn't lose this chance, but tempted dinosaurs even more craftily. It was to incite dinosaurs to ask Adam to permit them to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Satan said, "If you eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you will become like cherubim. So, go and ask Adam."
This thought that Satan gave to dinosaurs was too sweet (for them to resist). Then they completely believed that they could become like cherubim if they could just eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Now, dinosaurs couldn't control such thoughts any longer and they put their thought into action. They actually went to Adam to ask for it. "Those cherubim are so loved, but we are not. Please explain why we cannot become like them. We are sure that the answer must be in the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and so please let us eat from the tree." It was a question and demand which was completely absurd. The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was forbidden even to Adam by God. And Dinosaurs knew about it. But they were tempted by the word of Satan that said that they could become like cherubim if they could just eat its fruit, and they lost all sense of judgment. Of course, Adam didn't meet the demand of dinosaurs. He didn't just say "No" to dinosaurs. He explained in great detail what the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil is, and how God warned about it. He clearly told dinosaurs that not only dinosaurs but also Adam himself should not eat the fruit. However, Adam's word did not convince the dinosaurs at all.
They wouldn't accept Adam's detailed explanation. They were completely captivated by the idea that they had to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Then, an even darker cloud cast over dinosaurs. They began to look for a chance to eat the fruit from the knowledge of good and evil. Dinosaurs were so naive that they thought it was the only way to live more happily with Adam. They couldn't even imagine how huge and terrible the price was that they would have to pay for their work. Once accepting the thought that Satan gave, dinosaurs didn't reject it but kept on accepting it, and as a result, they ended up in a situation that became irreversible. And the dinosaurs finally got themselves into huge trouble. About this trouble, I will explain in the next lecture. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. In this lecture, I explained the progress of dinosaurs being tempted by Satan. However, you should not consider it as mere 'fabricated folklore' which took place in the Garden of Eden. You should rather understand why God the Father gave this detailed explanation about one incident that took place in the spiritual realm.
Dinosaurs lived in the Garden of Eden where there is no evil at all, but they eventually became the target of Satan. What was the reason- It was their envy toward the cherub which always escorted Adam in a close proximity. It was not clear evilness in the beginning. However, they didn't convert it into goodness, but further developed it to eventually make it evil. The attributes of the flesh, evil, and sin are all the same. They seem neither evil nor sin at first, but if tolerated without your notice little by little, they grow too big to control. Regarding this, 1 Corinthians 5:6 says, "Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough-" This is the very same reason why I have spoken from this altar so emphatically against the works of the flesh this year. If you tolerate them, even a work which is too trivial to consider by the standard of this world, little by little you will fall into sin before you know it. However, the children of God should be holy and perfect.
They should be blameless, and spotless. And thus, God the Father told you even about the deficiencies of the body which has room to develop into sin. It is because God truly loves you. Proverbs 13:24 says, "He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently." Therefore, I hope that you can feel the love of God the Father even when I speak so very sternly against the works of the flesh. I once received the word of reproof from God the Father for 7 weeks without any apparent fault I could discern. But I still loved God the Father without change of mind and I gave prayers of thanks in tears.
This is true love. If God the Father is teaching you something you cannot comprehend at the moment by yourself, how much more should you be thankful and be more filled with love- May you understand the deep love of God the Father all the more and become a truly blameless and spotless child, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, I pray! [Amen]
Mafundisho ya Mwanzo 53 | Dinosauri 1
Andiko la Biblia: Mwanzo 2:15
“Bwana Mungu akamtwaa huyo mtu, akamweka katika bustani ya Edeni, ailime na kuitunza.”
Ndugu wapendwa katika Kristo.
Hili ni somo la 53 la Mafundisho ya Mwanzo. Katika somo lililopita, niliwaeleza viumbe wawili waliokuwa karibu na Adamu katika Bustani ya Edeni: makerubi na dinosauri. Makerubi ni viumbe wa rohoni waliotoka mbingu ya tatu, nao dinosauri walitoka mbingu ya pili. Kwa dhana ya vipimo vya anga, makerubi ni wa kipimo cha tatu na dinosauri wa kipimo cha pili.
Majukumu yao ya kumsaidia Adamu pia yalikuwa tofauti. Makerubi waliandamana na Adamu na kuilinda Bustani ya Edeni. Miongoni mwa makerubi wa Bustani, wale waliokuwa na nafasi za uongozi walimsindikiza Adamu na kumfuata kila alikoenda. Adamu aliwasiliana kwa karibu na makerubi waliokuwa na jukumu la kulinda mpaka wa Bustani. Kulinda Bustani ya Edeni lilikuwa jukumu muhimu sana alilopewa Adamu. Kwa ufupi, dinosauri walikuwa kama wanyama wa kufugwa wa Adamu: alicheza nao tu na kufurahia kuwa nao. Kwa hiyo makerubi walikuwa na jukumu kubwa zaidi kuliko dinosauri katika kumsaidia Adamu. Kulikuwa na dinosauri wengi Bustani ya Edeni, na kiongozi wao alikuwa karibu sana na Adamu. Kumbukeni kwamba dinosauri nitakaomtaja mara kwa mara ni huyu aliyekuwa karibu sana naye. Adamu alipotembelea dunia, makerubi waliweza kumfuata, lakini dinosauri hawakuweza. Kwa kuwa makerubi ni viumbe wa rohoni, wangeweza kutembelea dunia kwa uhuru. Dinosauri, kwa kuwa waliumbwa kutokana na udongo wa Bustani ya Edeni, wangelihitaji chombo cha kusafiria kama Adamu. Hata hivyo, hawakuhitaji kwenda duniani kwa sababu dunia haikuwahusu. Ingawa Adamu aliwapenda, dinosauri waliwaonea wivu makerubi waliomfuata kila mara. Hawakuwa na ubinadamu kama watu, lakini baada ya miaka mingi pamoja na Adamu walijua maana ya kushiriki upendo naye.
Dinosauri walifurahi Adamu alipokuwa nao, lakini hawakufurahi alipokuwa na makerubi pekee. Wivu wao kwa makerubi ulizidi kadiri muda ulivyopita. Hata wanyama wa kufugwa wanaweza kuoneana wivu. Ukiwa na watoto wengi wa mbwa nyumbani, hushindana vikali ili kupata uangalifu na upendo zaidi wa bwana wao. Mungu aliwaumba dinosauri mahsusi kwa ajili ya Adamu Bustani ya Edeni. Walikuwa werevu zaidi kuliko wanyama wa duniani na waliweza kuwasiliana na Adamu vizuri. Kwa hiyo walitaka Adamu awapende zaidi, nao wakawaonea wivu makerubi. Wivu huo ulikua kupita kiasi na hatimaye ukavuka mpaka. Kwa kuwa dinosauri waliumbwa kwa udongo wa Bustani ya Edeni, mwanzoni hawakuwa na tabia za uovu. Lakini wivu ulipoendelea kuongezeka, uwezekano wa kugeuka kuwa uovu kama husuda ukawa mkubwa.
Ndugu wapendwa, nilisema kwamba majukumu ya makerubi na dinosauri yalikuwa tofauti. Dinosauri hawangeweza kutekeleza kazi ya makerubi, wala makerubi hawakutenda kama dinosauri. Kwa hiyo dinosauri walipaswa kutimiza jukumu lao kwa uaminifu na kuridhika nalo. Tatizo lilitokea kwa sababu tamaa yao kubwa ya kuangaliwa zaidi ilivuka mipaka. Kila kiungo cha mwili kina jukumu lake. Macho, pua, mdomo, masikio, mikono na miguu—vyote vina kazi muhimu. Itakuwaje miguu ikiionea wivu mikono na kutaka kuwa mikono? Au mikono ikataka kuwa macho kwa sababu ya wivu? Hali hiyo inahusu watumishi wote wa kanisa. Kulingana na hali au wakati, baadhi ya majukumu huonekana kuwa muhimu zaidi, lakini hakuna jukumu lisilo muhimu. Kwa mfano, nimepewa jukumu la mchungaji mkuu wa kanisa hili, lakini kama kusingekuwa na waumini, jukumu hilo lingekuwa na maana gani? Kazi za baadhi ya watu huonekana wazi kwa sababu ya majukumu yao; za wengine hazionekani. Hilo halimaanishi kwamba kazi zinazoonekana ni muhimu zaidi.
Kwa hiyo kila mtu anapaswa kutekeleza jukumu lake kwa uaminifu na kuwaheshimu watumishi waliopewa majukumu mengine. Fahamuni kwamba nyote ni wa muhimu kwa ufalme wa Mungu na mnapaswa kushirikiana. Watu huitikia kwa njia tofauti wanapoona wengine wakipendwa na kuthaminiwa zaidi au wakifurahia jambo linaloonekana bora kuliko walilo nalo. Wengine huwaonea wivu tu na kusema, “Hilo lingekuwa zuri sana!” Wengine husema, “Yeye si bora kuliko mimi, kwa nini ndiye anayesifiwa na kupendwa?” Huwahukumu na kuwaonea wivu wengine. Wengine husema, “Yeye anapendwa sana, lakini mimi je?” Kisha hukata tamaa, huhisi hali hiyo si ya haki na kuhuzunika. Fahamuni kwamba miitikio hii yote inatokana na uovu ulio moyoni. Huenda mkauliza, “Je, kuwa na wivu tu ni tendo ovu?” Wivu unaotokana na husuda ni uovu. Wanaompenda Mungu kwa kweli hushukuru kwa watumishi waliopewa majukumu makubwa na muhimu zaidi. Hufurahi kwa sababu watumishi hao wanafanya kwa ufalme wa Mungu yale ambayo wao wenyewe hawawezi kufanya. Kwa hiyo hufurahi pamoja nao na kujaribu kuwasaidia kwa kila njia.
Pia hujitahidi kuwaiga watu hao na kutumia nafasi hiyo kujikuza zaidi. Natumaini mtajichunguza kama kweli mnafurahia ukweli moyoni, mkitafakari mfano wa dinosauri na makerubi waliokuwa karibu na Adamu. Ndugu wapendwa, dinosauri hawakuridhika na jukumu lao. Waliwaonea wivu makerubi sana; wivu wao ulikua kupita kiasi na kukaribia kusababisha msiba. Kulikuwa na kiumbe mmoja aliyekuwa akiwatazama: Shetani. Bustani ya Edeni inapakana na himaya ya Giza. Pepo wachafu wa himaya hiyo waliitamani Bustani na kutafuta nafasi ya kumwangusha Adamu. Daima walikuwa wakitafuta nafasi ya kujikita Bustani ya Edeni. Wakati fulani Shetani alitambua kwamba dinosauri waliwaonea makerubi wivu mkubwa. Shetani hapotezi hata nafasi ndogo; huitumia. Yuko kama cheche ya umeme hewani: anapoona mtu mwenye mawazo yasiyo ya kweli, hujaribu kuwasiliana naye mara moja.
Kwa mfano, mtu akimchukia mwingine, Shetani anaweza kumchochea kupitia mawazo yake. Humfanya aendelee kumwelewa vibaya, kumhukumu na kumlaumu anayemchukia. Mtu akiwa na tamaa ya kupata mali, Shetani humwekea mawazo yasiyo ya haki: “Usipoteze nafasi hii nzuri ya kupata pesa. Wengine wanaitumia, kwa nini wewe usiitumie? Ni upumbavu kuikosa.” Kwa kuelekeza mawazo ya mtu kwenye tamaa iliyo moyoni mwake, Shetani humwondoa mbali na njia ya haki. Hupitisha mawazo yake maovu hewani, akitafuta mtu atakayeyakubali. Miongoni mwa watu bilioni 6.9 duniani, Shetani huwatambua hasa wale ambao mioyo yao huvutwa na yasiyo ya kweli. Kisha huingiza ndani yao mawazo yake yasiyo ya haki na maovu.
Mtu akiyakubali, uovu ulio moyoni mwake huanza kufanya kazi. Maji yakichemka kwenye chombo yanaweza kufurika na kuwa mvuke. Vivyo hivyo, anayekubali mawazo ya Shetani hawezi kuzuia hisia mbaya au tamaa zake zisifurike na kudhihirika. Uso na namna yake ya kuzungumza vinaweza kubadilika, naye huonyesha matendo maovu yanayopita mipaka ya kawaida. Uovu unapodhihirika hivyo kwa matendo, ni ishara kwamba mtu anakubali kazi ya Ibilisi. Akianza kuipokea kazi hiyo, huenda akaonyesha matendo maovu zaidi. Natumaini mtaelewa jinsi Shetani na Ibilisi wanavyofanya kazi na hamtatoa nafasi hata kidogo kwa uovu. 1 Petro 5:8 inasema, “Mwe na kiasi na kukesha; kwa kuwa mshitaki wenu Ibilisi, kama simba angurumaye, huzunguka-zunguka akitafuta mtu ammeze.”
Nawasihi muombe kwa bidii daima ili kuwa macho rohoni. Mnapotambua yasiyo ya kweli na uovu moyoni na mawazoni mwenu, geukeni mara moja, viondoeni na msimpe Shetani nafasi ya kufanya kazi. Dinosauri waliweka nafasi hiyo wazi kwa Shetani. Shetani angewezaje kumchochea mnyama kama dinosauri? Tofauti na wanadamu, wanyama hawana uwezo wa kufikiri na kutofautisha mema na mabaya; karibu kila kitu hufanya kwa silika. Kwa hiyo ni rahisi zaidi kwa Shetani kuwachochea kuliko wanadamu. Shetani alipomjaribu Hawa, alitumia nyoka. Nyoka akawa chombo cha Shetani kwa sababu alikuwa na tabia ya ujanja. Mwanzo 3:1 inasema, “Basi nyoka alikuwa mwerevu kuliko wanyama wote wa mwitu aliowafanya Bwana Mungu.” Miongoni mwa wanyama wa mwitu, nyoka alikuwa mjanja zaidi na alikuwa na tabia nyingi zilizoweza kutumiwa na Shetani.
Shetani anaweza kuwatawala wanyama wa aina hiyo, lakini Mungu pia anaweza kuwadhibiti anapoona inafaa. Kwa mfano, 1 Wafalme 17:4–7 inasimulia kwamba Mungu aliwaamuru kunguru wamlishie Eliya. Eliya alipotii Neno la Mungu na kwenda kwenye kijito cha Kerithi, kunguru walimletea mkate na nyama asubuhi na jioni. Hesabu 22:28–30 pia inaeleza kwamba Mungu alifungua kinywa cha punda ili kumfunulia Balaamu ukweli. Mungu anaweza kuwadhibiti wanyama wote apendavyo. Lakini Shetani anaweza kuwachochea tu wanyama wenye tabia za uovu, kwa sababu tabia kama ujanja, wivu, husuda na tamaa zinaweza kuwa njia ya kumfikia. Basi Shetani aliwachocheaje dinosauri? Kama nilivyosema, alitambua kwamba wivu wao kwa makerubi ulizidi. Wivu wao ulifika kiwango ambacho ungeweza kugeuka kuwa uovu kama husuda. Shetani akaanza kuwatumia wimbi la mawazo yasiyo ya kweli na akaendelea hadi walipolipokea. Ili kutazama chaneli ya televisheni, unahitaji antena inayopokea mawimbi ya kielektroniki. Kwa mawimbi ya setilaiti, sahani kubwa inaweza kupokea mawimbi vizuri zaidi kuliko ndogo. Vivyo hivyo, wivu wa dinosauri ulipokuwa mdogo, hawakupokea wimbi la mawazo yasiyo ya kweli lililotumwa na Shetani.
Wivu wao ulipoongezeka, hatimaye dinosauri wakapokea mawazo hayo. Basi Shetani aliwawekea wazo gani? Mwanzoni lilikuwa kama hili: “Mwombe Adamu akufanye uwe kama makerubi. Kisha utaweza kumfuata duniani na kuwa karibu naye daima.” Bila shaka, dinosauri walidhani mawazo hayo yalikuwa yao wenyewe. “Laiti ningekuwa kama makerubi. Je, nimwombe Adamu anifanye mmoja wao? Nikiwa kama kerubi nitaweza kutembelea dunia na kuwa karibu na Adamu daima.” Shetani aliendelea kufanya kazi ili waendelee kuwaza hivyo. Tamaa yao ya kuwa kama makerubi ikakua na kuwa lengo bayana. “Hakuna sababu ya mimi kushindwa kuwa kama wao. Lazima kuna njia. Ni ipi?” Dinosauri waliendelea kuwaza hivyo. Shetani hakupoteza nafasi hiyo; aliwajaribu kwa ujanja zaidi, akiwachochea wamwombe Adamu awaruhusu kula matunda ya mti wa ujuzi wa mema na mabaya. Shetani aliwaambia, “Mkila matunda ya mti huo, mtakuwa kama makerubi. Nendeni mkamwombe Adamu.”
Wazo hilo la Shetani lilikuwa tamu mno kwa dinosauri kulikataa. Wakaamini kabisa kwamba wangeweza kuwa kama makerubi kama wangekula tu matunda ya mti wa ujuzi wa mema na mabaya. Hawakuweza tena kujizuia na wakaanza kutenda kulingana na mawazo hayo. Kweli walimwendea Adamu na kumwomba: “Makerubi wanapendwa sana, lakini sisi hatupendwi. Tafadhali tueleze kwa nini hatuwezi kuwa kama wao. Tuna hakika jibu limo katika matunda ya mti wa ujuzi wa mema na mabaya, kwa hiyo tafadhali turuhusu tule.” Lilikuwa ombi lisilo na msingi kabisa. Mungu alikuwa amemkataza hata Adamu kula matunda hayo, na dinosauri walijua hivyo. Lakini walishawishiwa na maneno ya Shetani kwamba wangekuwa kama makerubi wakila matunda hayo, nao wakapoteza uwezo wa kuhukumu. Adamu hakukubali ombi lao. Hakusema tu “Hapana,” bali alieleza kwa kina matunda ya mti huo yalikuwa nini na Mungu alivyokuwa amewaonya. Aliwaambia wazi kwamba si dinosauri pekee bali hata Adamu mwenyewe hawakupaswa kula matunda hayo. Hata hivyo, maneno ya Adamu hayakuwashawishi hata kidogo.
Hawakukubali maelezo ya Adamu. Walinaswa kabisa na wazo kwamba walipaswa kula matunda ya mti wa ujuzi wa mema na mabaya, kisha wingu jeusi zaidi likawafunika. Wakaanza kutafuta nafasi ya kula matunda hayo. Dinosauri walikuwa wajinga kiasi cha kudhani hiyo ndiyo njia pekee ya kuishi kwa furaha zaidi pamoja na Adamu. Hawakuweza hata kuwazia gharama kubwa na mbaya ambayo wangelazimika kulipa. Walipokubali wazo la Shetani, hawakulataa bali waliendelea kulikubali; matokeo yake, wakajikuta katika hali isiyoweza kubadilishwa. Mwishowe dinosauri wakajiingiza katika matatizo makubwa. Nitaeleza kuhusu matatizo hayo katika somo lijalo. Ndugu wapendwa katika Kristo, katika somo hili nimeeleza hatua kwa hatua jinsi Shetani alivyowajaribu dinosauri. Msilichukulie kama hadithi ya kubuni tu iliyotokea Bustani ya Edeni. Badala yake, eleweni kwa nini Mungu Baba alitoa maelezo hayo ya kina kuhusu tukio moja lililotokea katika ulimwengu wa rohoni.
Dinosauri waliishi katika Bustani ya Edeni pasipo uovu wowote, lakini hatimaye wakawa shabaha ya Shetani. Kwa nini? Kwa sababu waliwaonea wivu makerubi waliomsindikiza Adamu kwa karibu. Mwanzoni huo haukuwa uovu ulio wazi. Lakini hawakuugeuza kuwa wema; waliukuza zaidi hadi ukawa uovu. Tabia za mwili, uovu na dhambi zinafanana kwa namna hii: mwanzoni hazionekani kuwa uovu au dhambi, lakini ukizivumilia bila kutambua, hukua kidogo kidogo hadi zinakuwa kubwa kupita kiasi na kushindwa kudhibitiwa. Kuhusu jambo hili, 1 Wakorintho 5:6 inasema, “Hamjui ya kuwa chachu kidogo hulichachua donge lote?” Ndiyo sababu mwaka huu nimezungumza kwa msisitizo mkubwa kutoka madhabahuni dhidi ya matendo ya mwili. Mkiyavumilia, hata jambo dogo sana kwa viwango vya dunia litawapeleka dhambini hatua kwa hatua bila kutambua. Lakini watoto wa Mungu wanapaswa kuwa watakatifu na wakamilifu.
Wanapaswa kuwa bila lawama wala doa. Ndiyo sababu Mungu Baba aliwaeleza hata upungufu wa mwili unaoweza kukua na kuwa dhambi. Anafanya hivyo kwa sababu anawapenda kweli. Mithali 13:24 inasema, “Yeye asiyetumia fimbo yake humchukia mwanawe; bali yeye ampendaye humrudi mapema.” Kwa hiyo natumaini mtaweza kuhisi upendo wa Mungu Baba hata ninapozungumza kwa ukali sana dhidi ya matendo ya mwili. Wakati mmoja nilipokea karipio la Mungu Baba kwa majuma saba bila kuona kosa lolote lililo wazi kwangu. Hata hivyo, sikuacha kumpenda Mungu Baba na niliomba sala za shukrani huku nikilia.
Huo ndio upendo wa kweli. Mungu Baba akiwafundisha jambo ambalo hamwezi kulielewa wenyewe kwa sasa, mnapaswa kushukuru zaidi na kujawa na upendo zaidi. Ninaomba muelewe kwa undani zaidi upendo wa Mungu Baba na kuwa watoto wake wasio na lawama wala doa, katika jina la Bwana Yesu Kristo! [Amina]
