The Age of Enlightenment can be illustrated by a famous painting entitled the School of Athens. This painting was one of the commissioned artworks by Pope Julius II when artist Raphael moved to Rome. This two-year project began in 1509 and was completed for public viewing in 1511. The School of Athens contains two great philosophers: Aristotle and Plato. While one scholar points to the sky, the other is pointing to within. This signifies the transition of seeking truth from God above toward humanism, searching for truth from within your own heart and soul.
Now the serpent was more subtle and crafty than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And he [Satan] said to the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat the fruit from the trees of the garden, 3 Except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. 4 But the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die, 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference between good and evil and blessing and calamity, Genesis 3:1-5.
If the serpent above is either the fallen angel Lucifer taking possession of this serpent or merely the first voice of temptation, this is the Bible’s first age of enlightenment. As a former Bible teacher, King Solomon wrote the Book of Proverbs for one of his sons to set spiritual boundaries for life on earth. This invisible line is designed to protect human beings by keeping danger out of their lives. This was likely the same reason God only had one rule in the garden, not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, Genesis 2:16-17. The apostle Paul once urged the Church at Corinth to look for the way out of any temptation, 1 Corinthians 10:13.
When men began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair, and they took wives of all they desired and chose. 3 Then the Lord said, My Spirit shall not forever dwell and strive with man, for he also is flesh; but his days shall yet be 120 years. 4 There were giants on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God lived with the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. 5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination and intention of all human thinking was only evil continually, Genesis 6:1-5.
Jesus refers to the Devil as the father of all lies in John 8:44. The first lie is introduced to Eve as Adam was standing right there with her. Psalm 1:1-3 compares everyday life to talking a walk. Who you associate with, and join will influence the decisions that you make in life. Whenever a lie is passed onto to you, Christians must filter any content with the Bible, Acts 17:10-12, testing this to determine if it’s true. Unfortunately, when lies are repeated over and over again, social media elevates lies to truth status. Rather to repeat historic mistakes by doing what’s right in your own eyes, Judges 21:25, test everything and cling to God’s truth.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 