HOW THE FAMILY OF EARTH SEPARATED FROM THE FAMILY OF HEAVEN.
By B. G. Wilkinson
In the past, great events must have taken place to produce the present condition of affairs in the universe. Great events must have occurred to break asunder those ties which bound together the heavenly family. Before God made this earth, there was only one family in all the universe, and that family lived together in peace and unity. This we may read from the words: “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, . . . Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. . . . Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner-stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Job. 38:1-7. Now if all the sons of God shouted for joy when God laid the corner-stone of this earth, it is evident that there was but one family in the universe, and that family was the family of God. But does that condition of affairs exist at the present time? Do the children of earth unite in their songs with the sons of God in heaven? Can we see also that those songs are songs of joy?—No; if we stood now at the throne of God, we would hear, going up from all sides of earth, the great cry of human woe. Heaven has vailed its face from the sins of humanity, and the loving angels minister to us in unseen dress. The family of earth is separated from the family of heaven, and that fact, not only human reason, but also God’s Word declares. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Cor. 6:14, 17, 18. This solemn appeal tells of a different condition from that told in the words of the Lord to Job. There, all were united; here, God earnestly calls for a separation. But why this call? Why is this separation necessary? We saw that at the foundation of the earth there was but one family in the universe. And we must all believe that when God created man, and launched forth the human race, He certainly destined this new family to be one part of the magnificent whole. Then if at the foundation of the earth there was but one family in the universe, and afterward there were two, some event at the time of man’s creation must have caused that separation. And moreover that separation must have excluded only man. For, from the scripture I have just quoted, God calls for mankind to separate from the unrighteous and become His sons and daughters. No wonder, then, that the apostle Paul declares, “For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God.” The line of separation puts on one side, as bound together, the former creations of God, but excludes from that family, on the other side, the human race. But were they to be excluded forever?—No; thank God that He now calls upon us to step over the line, and He will receive us as His sons and daughters. But we need clearer views. What caused this separation? Who is the father of this new family? And how has the great God of love made it possible that we may be reunited with the family of heaven? The answer to the first question may be seen foreshadowed in the words of God to Job: “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” Who are or were the morning stars? We know one immediately: “I Jesus . . . am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright and Morning Star.” Rev. 22:16. Here is the first Morning Star. It is Jesus Himself, the Son of God. Can we find another morning star?—Easily: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer [or day-star], son of the morning!” Isa. 14:12. Here are now two morning stars. The first is Jesus; the second is Lucifer, who fell from heaven. Then the second must be Satan; for Christ said to His disciples, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” Luke 10:18. Can we not here see the line of separation beginning to appear? A fallen angel! one who once sang in the courts of heaven! And we have every reason to believe that he was an angel of superior rank; an angel endowed with capabilities and powers not given to man; and that angel who doubtless once held the rank next to Christ; of him Jesus says, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” Where did he go? And to what purpose did he use his great knowledge and power?—He came to our earth, and used his powers to tempt a newly-created race to sin against their Creator. When this beautiful new earth came forth from the hands of the Creator, in it God placed a lovely garden. To the man and woman He said, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it.” What! A tree of evil in the midst of the garden? Had not the great Creator just pronounced every tree good? Then if every tree was good in itself, what made this tree evil?—Because through this tree, and through this tree only, was Satan permitted to have access to the newly-created pair. God beheld the efforts of Satan to tempt Adam and Eve, and He limited his means of approach to but one, and that one was through the branches of the very tree God had warned man to shun. How wonderful are God’s commandments! They are given us that we may be warned away from the spot where the enemy lurks to spring upon us. This is sure. We see in the present case that Satan had taken his position amid the branches of the tree. He became what he is called in Rev. 20:2, “the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan.” After man’s fall, God degraded the serpent; so before the fall that animal must have been a beautiful and attractive creature. Therefore Satan assumed the appearance of the serpent. But one thing is astonishing. None of the animals that God had created could hold converse with man. For when the Creator sought for a creature fit to be a companion for Adam, He could find none suitable; therefore as a companion God gave Eve to Adam. But when Eve stood before the tree which by the presence of Satan became evil, the serpent opened his mouth and talked. Certainly Eve must have been astonished. But more! she ought immediately to have suspected something evil, and to have been on her guard. But no. Now comes the conversation between Eve, and Satan speaking through the serpent. A great question was at stake. Would Eve obey the commands of her God, or would she listen to the argument of this beautiful creature, who could speak with her just as Adam could? Was not this a new companion? Did he not present convincing arguments? Did he not promise her a better existence if she would disobey God’s commands? Alas, how many Eves there are to-day! Flattered by the belief that they will secure greater advantages in spurning God’s commands, they turn to the path of disobedience. But for them there awaits the same result as came to Eve: “The wages of sin is death;” and worse than death, separation from the presence of God. Separation is necessary; for of this great Creator I read: “A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.” God is a God of truth. Can He dwell with those who do not follow the truth?—No. For by Himself is this question asked, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”—It is impossible. Here came the parting of the ways. God wished one thing; Eve another. It was nothing arbitrary which God demanded; it was for Eve’s best good; it was truth. Eve disbelieved. They were not agreed. Persuaded directly contrary to the loving command of their Creator, Eve chose evil, and Adam joined her. The separation came. The new-created man and woman chose a new head, and the family of earth separated from the family of heaven. There were now two families.