The disobedience to God didn’t begin in the garden of Eden on earth. It didn’t start with Adam. But the first battle in the garden and the first time someone became disobedient to God began in Heaven, in Eden; the garden of God. In this article, the three battles in the garden will be discussed; the battle in the garden of Eden in heaven, the battle in the garden of Eden on earth, and the battle in the garden of Gethsemane.
What happened in the heavenly garden of Eden?
God created, the anointed cherub, that covered, and was covered, with every precious stone. He had placed this cherub upon His holy mountain in Eden; the garden of God. This anointed cherub walked up and down, in the midst of the stones of fire. He walked perfectly before the Lord until the cherub became disobedient to God. The cherub became disobedient and battled against the Lord.
The first battle in the garden of Eden in heaven
The anointed cherub was perfect in his ways, from the day that God created him until iniquity was found in him. By the multitude of his merchandise, they had filled the midst of him with violence and sinned.
Disobedience of the cherub in God’s garden in Eden
The cherub became disobedient to God. Therefore he could no longer stay upon the holy mountain of God in the garden of God in Eden. But God cast him upon the earth (Ezekiela 28:11-19, Isaia 14:12-16).
This perfect covering cherub, covered with every precious stone, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty, became the biggest adversary of God: Lucifer, also named satan or the devil.
The place, which God gave him was not good enough for him. No, Lucifer wanted to be like God.
Lucifer’s heart was lifted up, because of his beauty and he corrupted his wisdom by reason of his brightness. He wanted to be worshipped. Just like God was worshipped by His angels.
Satan was cast upon the earth and took 1/3 of the angels with him.
These angels wanted to follow him, because Lucifer was their leader. Lucifer was one of the three leaders of the angels (next to Michael and Gabriel), whom God appointed.
These angels obeyed Lucifer, and therefore they also became disobedient to God. Lucifer and the other angels preferred the darkness instead of the Light. And so they fell from their position, due to their disobedience to God. They became fallen angels and the earth became their new habitation.
The first battle in the garden began in the heavenly garden of Eden. In this heavenly garden, the disobedience to God began.
The creation
The earth, which God created, already existed. When the devil and the other fallen angels were cast upon the earth, they brought destruction and chaos upon the earth and darkness reigned. The Spirit of the Lord hovered above the waters. He saw that the earth was without form and void and that the darkness was upon the face of the deep.
ANDRIAMANITRA (El-Elohim) created light, which was the first thing that was needed. He divided the light from the darkness and called the light day, and the darkness night.
Then God made a firmament in the midst of the waters. God divided the waters, which were under the firmament, from the waters, which were above the firmament. He called the firmament Heaven.
God gathered together the waters under heaven unto one place, and let the dry land appear. He called the waters seas and the dry land earth.
God said that the earth would bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth.
He created the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the living creatures after his kind in the waters, and on the earth.
God created man in their own image, after their likeness (El Elohim: Jehovah God, the Word (Jesosy), ary ny Fanahy Masina). In the image of God created He him; male and female.
Then God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have Dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moved upon the earth.
God put man in the garden of Eden and gave man dominion
God planted a garden eastward in Eden and put man in the garden. The garden was the appointed place for man, just like God had given an appointed place to the covering cherub, on the holy mountain of God in the heavenly Garden of God in Eden.
Man was put in the garden to dress it and keep it. The Lord God commanded man, that he could eat of every tree in the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Because if he would eat from that tree, he would die.
Adam and Eve walked after the Spirit and were not conscious of their flesh. They walked in obedience to God until the serpent approached and tempted them.
The second battle in the garden of Eden
The devil saw the glory of God, and the position and dominion, that were given to man. This reminded him of the position he had before his disobedience to God. The devil knew, that as soon as man became disobedient to the commandment of God, they would deny God as their Lord and be separated from Him.
He knew, that if he could tempt them and made them listen to him, instead of God, and obey him and bow to him, that they would hand over their rights and authority to him and he would become the lord of their lives. Ary noho izany, the devil started a battle in the garden of Eden.
Man became disobedient to God in the garden of Eden
The serpent approached the woman and made her doubt the commandment of God. How? By asking her, if God really said, that they were not allowed to eat of every tree of the garden. The woman answered and said that they could eat from every tree in the garden, except the tree in the midst of the garden; the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If they would eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they would die.
The serpent said: “You shall not surely die: For God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” The devil twisted the words of God. Just like the devil still twists the words of God.
After the words of the serpent, the woman looked differently at the tree, and lust arose in her. She also wanted to be like God, just like the devil wanted to be like God, and therefore became disobedient to Him.
The woman began to doubt God’s words, His commandment, and His Truth.
At that moment there was a battle in the garden, just like the battle in the heavenly garden in Eden.
The woman and man were seduced by lust and pride and they fell and lost their position. Man lost the dominion and authority that God had given to them.
They lost the battle in the garden and their dominion and authority was handed over to the devil. They gave Ireo fanalahidy of authority to the devil.
The promise of the Seed
Man had obeyed the devil and therefore they yield themselves to him. The devil became the god of the world and the god of fallen man and the father of sinners. Ny olona tsirairay, who would be born of the seed of man would be born under his authority and become a child of the devil.
But God promised,that the Seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head. And that’s what happened, when Jesus Christ, the Son God and the living Word, came to this earth and became flesh. The Word was reincarnated in the flesh and became the Son of man.
Jesus had a mission to fulfill, namely, to take back the dominion and authority, which the devil stole from man, and give it back to man, heal man from his fallen state, SY reconcile man back to God.
Jesus came to break the power and authority of the devil over fallen man. He would deliver man and reconcile man back to God and give back the dominion, that God originally gave to man. That was Jesus’ mission.
Jesus was without sin. Although Jesus was fully human, His body was not affected by sin. Because Jesus was born of the Seed of God by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was not affected by evil, ota,, Aretina, disease, and death. He was pure, MASINA, and righteous. He had the ability to sin, because He was fully human. But Jesus didn’t sin, because Jesus loved His Father above all. Therefore He stayed obedient to Him. His love for His Father was so great, that no temptation could make Him leave His Father’s will and sin.
Jesus became the Substitute for fallen man
But then the moment came for Jesus to become the Substitute for fallen man and take care of the sin problem of fallen man and restore (heal) man in his position, toetra, and relationship with God. The moment came, that He would conquer death and legally take back the keys of death and hell.
Jesus had to endure the worst thing, that could happen to Him. He would become a Partaker of sin and come under the authority of the devil.
Jesus would be made sin and be separated from His Father. God couldn’t have communion with Jesus, because God can’t have communion with sin. Ary noho izany, Their unity would be broken.
Jesus was tempted in the garden of Gethsemane
These thoughts, that He would be separated from His Father, that He would become a Partaker of sin, and that the devil would become His master and would have authority over Him, frightened Him even unto death. That’s why Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane to conquer the temptation of fear. (Vakio koa: ‘Ny fanomboana ny fanahy').
The third battle in the garden of Gethsemane
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the greatest battle took place between Jesus and this deathly fear. In the Garden where the cherub, and man became disobedient to God, Jesus would battle these forces in order to stay obedient to God.
The fear of becoming a Partaker of sin, Aretina, and death, was so intense, that this deadly fear made His sweat become great drops of blood drops, which fell on the ground.
Jesus prayed a first time, then a second time, and then a third time.
Jesus continuously prayed the same words: “Father if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.”
Then an angel appeared unto Jesus from heaven and strengthened Him. When Jesus overcame and conquered this deathly fear, Jesus was ready to go to the whipping post and the cross, to carry all the sins and iniquities of the world upon Him.
Jesus conquered deadly fear
Fear tried to take hold of Jesus and take Him captive. A deadly fear tempted Jesus to not go the way of the cross, so that Jesus would become disobedient to God. But Jesus was not tempted by fear. He overcame the last temptation: fear and stayed fully Mankatò an'Andriamanitra.
After Jesus overcame fear, Jesus continued His way to lay down His life and fulfill Ny drafitr'Andriamanitra for His life (Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Lioka 22:39-46).
Therefore does My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father (John 10:17-18)
Jesus stayed obedient to God in the garden of Gethsemane
In the garden where the cherub Lucifer, Devoly, and Adam became disobedient to God, Jesus conquered the fear and stayed obedient to God. In the garden, He conquered His last temptation.
The spirit of rebellion entered the garden in the life of Lucifer (through pride), and entered the garden in the life of Adam (through pride). But the spirit of rebellion didn’t enter the life of Jesus (through deathly fear). Jesus won the battle in the garden and stayed obedient to the will of God.
Jesosy became sin
At the cross Jesus became sin. Jesosy, Who knew no sin, became sin. Jesus drank the cup, and became a Partaker of sin and death. He became equal to fallen man. He became the Substitute of fallen man, and carried all the iniquities; all sicknesses, and all the sins of humanity upon Him.
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, darkness came over the land. For three hours, the darkness reigned.
At the ninth hour Jesus cried: “Eloï, Eloï, lama sabachtani?”, which means: My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?.
Someone gave Jesus a sponge upon a reed filled with sour wine, to drink. Jesus cried again with a loud voice: “Father into Your hands I commend My Spirit”
When Jesus yielded up the ghost, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. The earth did quake and the rocks rent.
The graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.(Matthew 27: 45-53, Mark 15:33-38, Lioka 23:44-46)
Through His obedience, Jesus restored the union between God and man
He carried the result (the punishment) of disobedience to God. Through His redemptive work He made a way form man to be delivered from the power of the devil. IREO, who believe in Him, and hate their lives as a sinner (as fallen man) and repent and become born again, become a new creation in Him and have eternal life.
Through His work at the cross and by His blood, Jesus reconciled man back to God and restored (healed) the position and nature of fallen man.
Through Jesus Christ and regeneration in Him, the new creation is able to walk in obedience to God according to His will. All the new creations have been given power to become sons of God (both males and females) and walk in obedience to God after the Spirit, and establish His KIngdom on earth.
“Meteza ho fanasin'ny tany”
