Me and My Shadow - The Rise of the Guardians - Chapter 11
God was aware of all that had transpired that tragic morning. He had witnessed the brutal slaying of Hope as well as Lucifer’s subsequent foul deception of Eve. He watched anxiously as Eve slowly approached his sacred tree. He knew however that he dare not interfere with the chain of events lest he risk completely destroying the “Perfect” world he had sought to create.
If God were to directly interfere with Eve’s exercise of Free Will the consequences would be catastrophic. Eve’s actions and decisions must be both voluntary and completely her own. Perhaps if He could distract her she might be given ample opportunity to give further consideration as to the possible consequences of her actions.
God watched and waited patiently for the appropriate moment to attempt his diversion. It was a long shot however the future fate of all mankind hung in the balance. As Eve approached the sacred tree she was mesmerized by its beauty. Its perfectly formed branches bristling with dark green leaves were weighted down by the rich bounty of fresh ripe fruit which filled the air with a heady perfumed fragrance. Inhaling this heavenly scent served only to increase her hunger and desire to sample this supernatural treat.
As Eve reached out to grasp one of the heavenly jewels that hung within her reach a large flock of ravens suddenly flew from out of the wood and a crossed the meadow. So great were their numbers the sky above her darkened. The sound of their screeching calls was nearly deafening as they flew over Eve’s head passing by her so closely she could feel the gentle breeze generated by their wings. For a moment Eve hesitated, slowly lowered her arm and looked around her. Perhaps it was her natural intuition warning her or the sudden arrival of so many birds may only have startled her however for a brief instant Eve remained motionless.
It seemed odd to her that such a large tree… one with such perfectly formed fruit would remain pristine and untouched. There were no traces of fallen fruit on the ground or of partially eaten or decaying fruit on any of the branches. Surely the sweet perfume of this fruit alone would have attracted the attention of any hungry beast.
God watched with great anticipation and intense interest for He dearly loved Eve and loathed the thought of possibly having to punish her. Lucifer was likewise watching closely. He was a powerful angel and not without influence even as a prisoner within this physical realm. The effects of His interference were of no concern to him whatever. Seeing that God was attempting to save Eve from herself by creating a distraction Lucifer, no longer in his serpentine disguise, began flapping his large angel wings. The breeze he created wafted the sweet scent of the fruit in Eve’s direction.
God watched with a tear in his eye as Eve, unable to resist the temptation, grasped a piece of the sweetly smelling fruit and took a large bite of it. Although he would be severely punished Lucifer knew he had won the battle for Eve’s immortal soul. With a tear in his eye God pondered how this tragic event would impact Adam who was as yet innocent and untainted by evil.
Good and Evil within His physical realm were not polar opposites but rather alternative options each with their own rules, incentives rewards, restrictions and results. Good could only confine Evil or lessen its negative impacts. Evil could not destroy Good it could only taint it with its dark influence. That is the reason why God was unable to completely vanquish Lucifer from influencing His physical world. He was only able to confine him within the separate spiritual realm of Hell. This confinement had a twofold purpose. Hell was God’s punishment for Lucifer’s disobedience, however it likewise reduced his evil influence from further directly contaminating the physical world.
The ever changing balance and equilibrium between Good and Evil is determined and maintained by Free Will which is the dynamic force powering the eternal battle for the souls of mankind within the physical realm. Without the conflict and motion created by the choices initiated by the exercise of Free Will the material realm would no longer serve any useful purpose within the celestial order. It would stagnate and cease to exist. For the realm of the physical world to continue to exist the process of perfection must remain random, continuous and ongoing.
Both Adam and Eve had been granted Free Will allowing them the choice whether to accept or to reject God’s guidance. Adam had been forewarned of the severe consequences of disobeying God’s mandate regarding his sacred tree and the fruit it bore. Would he remain faithful to his oath of obedience… or would he forsake his immortal soul for his beloved mate Eve ?