The Devil in Modern Eden

By Tom Graneau

Most people in the world believe in God, a supernatural being who created the universe and bestows nothing but benevolence on humanity. Yet daily, we experience life-threatening conditions such as crimes, disasters, accidents, and sicknesses. Does God secretly possess evil within his nature, or is there another being in the universe whose sole purpose is to inspire mayhem in people's lives?

God proclaimed that the latter is true, and his name is Satan-the Devil. He is treacherously evil, dangerously deceptive, and seeks to covertly control everything within our world. In his book, The Devil in Modern Eden, author Tom Graneau reveals how the Devil scours the earth looking for people to victimize. He is the architect behind political unrest between nations that results in war; the mastermind behind the corruption in politics, religion, and corporations; the manipulator of injustice; and the instigator of various crimes in our schools, cities, and even our homes. No one-Christian or non-Christian-is protected from his evil intentions.

Will you survive the Devil's pernicious attacks in this life and make it to heaven in the next? That depends on how well you can evade his deceptive tactics to control your destiny. The Devil in Modern Eden not only exposes Satan's diabolical schemes in our world, but also shows how you can defend yourself against the most dangerous personality in the universe.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490876344

Tom Graneau

TOM GRANEAU is a former member of the US Navy and a financial management specialist. As an author and spiritual coach, he inspires others to spiritual vibrancy. Presently, he is focused on an educational theme for individuals and families, which he calls the Uncommon Language of Life. He resides in Temecula, California.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

A Mystifying Character

O f all the supernatural beings that exist in the universe, Satan (the Devil) is the most mystifying character to mankind. In general, he is known to personify the very essence of evil and temptation, and has been, and continues to be man’s most formidable adversary on matters pertaining to well-being, and specifically moral issues. Yet, his origin, intent, and mannerisms remain unclear, much of which is revealed by our reaction to his name and personality.

Common Views of the Devil

Astonishingly, most people don’t believe that the Devil exists. According to a survey conducted by the Barna Group (2002), six in ten Americans (59 percent) refuse to believe that the Devil is real. Catholics more than Protestants—75 percent compared to 55 percent, respectively—are inclined to deny the presence of the Devil. Ironically, the same survey revealed a contradiction. The majority of the participants (54 percent) indicated that human beings can be under the influence of demons. The obvious question is how can we be influenced by something that doesn’t exist? Could it be that the same people who believe in demons have a separate classification or concept of the Devil? How is it possible for a person to believe in God and dismiss the existence of Satan? The thinking is irrational. For instance, if God is a loving and harmless character, as many people believe, he can’t be blamed for the human carnage that we experience around the world every day. Who then is responsible? Clearly, there seems to be some misconception about God, but more so about the Devil.

That said, the problem is far more pervasive than the containment of Catholics and Protestants. Various faiths, many of which are represented around the world, remain ambiguous about the nature of the Devil. Consider some of the following points:

• Theistic Satanism, also known as Traditional Satanism (Devil worshipers) purports that Satan is an actual deity worthy of reverence. He is the lord of malevolence who will rain vengeance on the earth at a predetermined time, and followers worship him for favors.

• In Islam, the Devil is known as Iblis whom God created from smokeless fire. He has no power, except the ability to suggest evil thoughts in the hearts of men and women. He is also known as Jinn, who exists in a parallel world to man’s, and by nature, he has the option to be good, evil, or neutral.

• The Baha’i Faith, which is a monotheistic religion, does not view Satan as an independent being. Instead, he is the sub-nature of humanity (the demanding ego) that keeps people from seeking God.

• Raelians Movement reasons that Satan is an Elohim, one of the extraterrestrial species who are responsible for creating life on earth. While most Elohim desire to see man grow and prosper, Satan sees man as a threat and wants to destroy him. According to the movement, Satan is also responsible for many of the major catastrophes cited in the Bible, one being the great flood.

• Heaven’s Gate, a UFO religion which is based on extraterrestrial (ET) concepts, sees Satan as a being who has gone through the mundane level of this life to something higher—a level envied by most believers. However, before gaining complete access to the kingdom of heaven, he and his demons re-embrace the material world and encourage people to do the same. As elevated aliens, they can occupy human bodies and provide guidance into the other world.

As fascinating as these concepts may be, they pose a dilemma for people who seek to understand the real nature of Satan. Separately, they represent contradictory formulations about his true character that are confusing. What is also apparent is that with each new religion comes a different construct of the Devil’s image, pointing to a specific conclusion that is understood only by those who manufacture the ideas. Seen from these angles, the Devil appears as an appeasing creature, harmless in some ways, and ready to absolve the aberrant past of humanity for something new. Meanwhile, these characterizations do little to expose the real perpetrator of evil that the Holy Bible reveals. More disturbing is the fact that they explain how little we know about man’s greatest adversary.

The Real Satan

Much of what needs to be disclosed about the Devil will come later in this book. Until then, suffice it to say that apart from a religious context, the name Satan or the Devil is a catchword for many people, a trite characterization that represents human failings and nothing more. Neither the name nor the image carries any permanent consequence in relationship to our present or future existence—life after death.

People who are aware that the Devil exists, on the other hand, understand something entirely different. To them, he is not only real, but also responsible for everything that’s wrong with human civilization. How else can we explain the various forms of murder around the world that are being perpetrated by human beings without the propagation of evil? What compels individuals to commit robbery, adultery, rape, and other heinous crimes other than demonic interventions? Though some of these crimes appear to be less wicked than actually killing someone, their impact is equally devastating to the families who experience them. These and other vile human behaviors can be traced to none other than the most diabolical character in the universe—Satan.

Those who are familiar with the nature of the Devil see no comradeship associated with his image. Though he may appear friendly at first, his objective is to disrupt the loving bond that exists among people. This is done by pitting one human being against another through what appears to be normal, everyday situations. Yet, his overall mission goes beyond the immediate pain and suffering that he can inflict on human lives. More significantly, he endeavors to prevent anyone from developing and maintaining a personal relationship with God. Doing so makes him the perfect antagonist, which is part of his nature. For him, it’s the ultimate victory over God and humanity. For man, on the other hand, the same outcome is rather disappointing. People who attempt to obtain favor through Jesus Christ and fail as the result of demonic interference are likely to be separated from God forever. This means spending eternity in desolation and pain, similar to the fate prescribed for the Devil himself.

Being aware of this situation, neither the Devil’s presence nor his influence should be underestimated. You and I need to accept the fact that he is real, always present, and extremely dangerous. This is the least we can do. However, to protect ourselves from him, we need to do more than just being aware of his existence. Considering all the harm that he has imposed on humanity and the potential threat that he poses to us now and in the future, we need to be knowledgeable about his intent and manipulative tactics in order to avoid being victimized by his devious plots.

Additionally, there is more to Satan than his evil nature, which further mystifies his personality. His very presence is intriguingly questionable. For instance, where did he originate? Where does he reside? What is his main motive? How does he trick us into doing his bidding? Prior to venturing into these areas, we must address some preliminary material relating to the universe at large. This includes probing into aspects of human origin, and specifically God, himself—the creator of all things.

For example, it’s impossible to grasp the scope of Satan without first gaining a comprehensive view of God and his relationship to man. Until these issues are clearly defined, Satan will remain a distorted identity, nothing more than a symbolic character in the minds of people. Meanwhile, he will continue to prey on innocent lives because of spiritual ignorance.

PART I

Understanding God

(The creator of man and the universe)

PRELUDE

(To Chapters 2, 3, and 4)

T he unraveling of the mysterious character known as Satan continues. In fact, more than half of the book is devoted to his clever and devious personality. However, to understand him more thoroughly, God must be brought into the picture, not only to establish a beginning point in the process, but also to illuminate the necessary path to our discovery.

Yet, ironically, God is somewhat puzzling for the masses. Although more people believe that he exists than those who do not, the bulk of his character remains unclear, even to some of his own followers. The issue becomes even more complex when believers attempt to encapsulate him into some form of visible or tangible image. Many do not know where to begin and end.

Therefore, a description of God is essential for the remaining segments of the book. Not only will it provide evidence about the Devil’s existence, but also the eventuality of man, from beginning to end, and the universe itself.

CHAPTER 2

Who is God, Really?

T here is considerable talk about God, both positive and negative. He, however, has the ability to hear what is being said about him, judiciously weigh the matter, and react appropriately though we do not always understand how he manages these occurrences. What is profoundly clear is that nothing said or done in the world of man escapes his consciousness.

So really, who is God? If he does exist, where did he come from, and where does he live? These and similar questions have troubled humanity for centuries, and they still do. Typically, most people find it convenient to simply set them aside as annoyances and to avoid any confrontation on the topics whenever possible. But that too is just as disturbing, because the issues never go away completely. They lie within our consciousness, waiting to be resolved in a manner that will bring peace to our souls.

If you’re one who grapples with the subject of God’s nature, my hope is that this chapter and the next will provide a vivid explanation that will resolve these issues for you once and for all.

A Timeless Ghost

From the beginning, the Bible provides no specific definition about the word God. Yet, the reality of his presence is unmistakably displayed on every page. Biblically, his persona is made up of various attributes that come together to form a complete image that is undeniably real, both physically and spiritually.

One way to heighten your awareness about God is to walk backwards in time to the place where he began to create the universe, a time when nothing existed, except him. To do so, we must unravel the universe piece-by-piece, mentally eliminating the cosmic props that we now see and know to exist, and go back to a time when there was nothing in space.

Let’s begin. Imagine for a moment that the stars in the heavens suddenly disappeared. Depending on where you live in the world, you may or may not notice the difference. City lights have almost obliterated the night skies in some places, making it impossible to enjoy viewing heavenly objects at night. In which case, all you would feel is a difference in mood fluctuation. Astrologers tell us that our moods are directly tied to astronomical influences although we may not always be aware of their influence, or know the causes associated with our physical disposition. To this end, the disappearing stars would be no great consequence to many of us, except to say that the incident is part of a bigger universal transformation that will unravel in the future.

Noticeable or not, the drama in the cosmic world continues to unfold in ways that we can neither change nor stop, and this condition is worsening by the day. What is also true is that our lives remain marginally unchanged since we’re bound by self-imposed obligations to perform in ways that are essential for survival. Much of that, however, is about to change. The same phenomenon that caused the disappearance of the stars have also affected the moon. It simply vanished from the night sky. Apart from the immediate scare, in a matter of weeks, we begin to complain about the various changes that are taking place around the world, particularly in the areas of farming and similar life-supporting systems. Ancient cultures, for instance, have embraced the moon’s influence on matters pertaining to language, the calendar, and the arts. More significantly, we’re told there is a direct correlation between the moon’s gravitational pull and the ocean. High and low tides are interlinked with the rotational pull of the moon on the earth—events that have far greater consequences than most of us realize. In this case, it’s only a matter of time before we feel a much greater impact on the world as a result of our missing, friendly moon.

As calm as we can be under the circumstances, our behavior is remarkably different from the way we reacted when the stars disappeared. Though some people are making adjustments to accommodate the change, millions more around the globe are in a state of panic, based on radio and television broadcasts. The greatest fear of all is that we can’t explain what is taking place. Oh my God, what’s going on? is the common expression on the streets. Everyone is frightened, and they have reason to be. In addition to recent occurrences, the atmosphere remains unstable, suggesting that something else is about to take place.

In general, the uneasiness is justified. The absence of the moon and stars has caused huge cavities in space with unpredictable outcomes. The remaining planets are now attempting to sustain their orbits, but the entire cosmic system is unbalanced, causing pressure points in many places that we can neither see nor hear.

Meanwhile, life continues in a semi-normal sense. This means that we’re attempting to carry on with our normal responsibilities…come what may. Even so, things are visibly different, especially with regard to our moods and state of mind. We’re now experiencing more stress and anxiety, which are connected to fear aroused by unpredictability. More frustrating is the fact that we don’t understand what is taking place in spite of our superior intelligence and sophisticated equipment. Thus, we feel vulnerable and helpless.

In the midst of worldwide tension, something even worse has happened. The sun suddenly exploded without warning, leaving fragments in space that could crash into earth with fatal consequences. The most immediate concern, however, is that the entire world is now in darkness, except for areas that are being lit by electrical or nuclear power plants.

Nonetheless, this situation will be short-lived because of excessive demand for light and power. This means that matters will eventually get worse for everyone on the planet.

As you can imagine, the struggle to survive has intensified. The absence of the sun has made it impossible to conduct business as usual. Since there is no daylight, people are now scrambling for help, and things are getting more chaotic by the second. Movement has been restricted in every corner of globe; work has come to a halt; food has become harder to obtain and prepare; medical services have stopped; and human concerns have escalated to record levels.

Obviously, these conditions can’t persist indefinitely. We need help in a massive way, and now! But who can provide it since everyone appears to be in the same predicament? Then, when it seemed that nothing worse could possibly happen, earth unexpectedly exploded into fragments as the result of the cosmic turbulence. Nothing is left—no land, no water, and no life (humans or otherwise)—and darkness now saturates what is known as space. There is nothing in view—no point of reference—no up or down; no East nor West; and no North nor South. There is nothing, except emptiness. Life as we know it has come to an end.

By the way, before going any further with our scenario, if you believe that this situation is farfetched, you need to reconsider your reasoning. The Bible makes it clear that similar events will take place in the future. Consider the following text for example: But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens (the cosmic elements) will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up (2 Peter 3:10). Granted, the order of things may not proceed in a successive manner as depicted in the scenario, and some people’s lives will be spared for the next event that God has in mind. Nonetheless, he has explicitly told us that the earth and what we now see as the heavenly bodies (stars, planets, etc.) will vanish to make room for a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1). How quickly all of this will take place remains undisclosed. God is the only one who has that information.

With this in mind, let us now revisit our scenario. As you recall, the last event left nothing in space, except thick, impenetrable darkness that stretches into infinity. In the midst of the darkness, there is nothing. So it would seem, if we had the chance to look at it. However, this would not be entirely true because it is there, in the center of the dark void, that we find God. He is alone, quiet, invisible, and resourceful. He has no heaven, no throne, and no angels. From this point emerged what we have come to know as the beginning, as indicated in Genesis 1:1, but only in the sense of creation. God has always existed in the still darkness that occupied space, hence the phrase, timeless ghost.

Where did God come from? How long has he been in the darkness? These and similar questions are conceptually inconclusive, meaning they’re irrelevant in God’s world. Since we are creatures of limits, we’re predisposed to frame him within our points of reference, precisely to a beginning and an ending. When he doesn’t fit into our logical framework, we’re quick to conclude that he doesn’t exist. It is, therefore, much simpler to accept the idea that he has always existed, which means that he has no beginning. He said it himself: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is, who was, and who is to come, the almighty (Revelation 1:8). The phrase who is undoubtedly refers to his current status in heaven—a place that did not always exist until he formed it; and who was signifies a time prior to creation, which places him in the original void of darkness where he existed before time; who is to come is a reminder of his return to earth to complete his affairs with humanity.

Moses, one of the few men who were privileged to talk with God directly, expressed his perception of him in this fashion: Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or before you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God (Psalm 90:1-2). What a profound declaration! The phrase from everlasting to everlasting is an extraordinary expression. It is a prophetic insight, meaning that it transcends the realm of human intelligence to reveal a specific truth about God. The phrase conveys endlessness, a time reflecting no specific period in history or the future; and it also speaks of God as the only being who is worthy to be placed in this category. How else could Moses, a human being who was constrained by time and various restrictions, know this unless God had revealed it to him? The rest of us need to simply accept this phenomenon by faith—a concept that defies the limits of science and logic to bring us the truth about the spiritual dimension that can’t be explained any other way.

Nonetheless, questions pertaining to God’s original position in solitude are appropriately intriguing. We’re naturally curious about his personality—the totality of his behavior, including his state of mind; and we wonder about his shape, manner of dress, body temperature, diet, and other concerns. Here again, these issues are relevant only to people, but not to God. With regard to shape, he has none. First and foremost, he is essentially a spirit (a ghost), which is a formless, non-material being who is self-conscious and self-determining (John 4:24; 2 Corinthians 3:17). The term spirit came from the Latin word spiritus, meaning breath. From his original state, God was the breath of life, which means that his mere presence or consciousness was the seed of life itself. Another way to say this is that he was the pulse of life—the actual thump, thump—that’s known as the heartbeat or cardiac cycle of life.

To understand a little bit more about this amazing life form we call God, let us now consider some key characteristics of his makeup.

A Limitless Being

The attempt to categorize God by our way of thinking is natural. Since we live in a material world, things make sense to us when they contain substance such as flesh, bones, metal, wood, rock, and so forth. As they pass through our five senses, our brain gives them meaningful shapes and classifications based on the boundaries that we have placed on familiar objects in the world around us. This also includes the probing eyes of science that attempt to quantify everything in the universe, much of which is built on observation or experimentation. Unfortunately, when things can’t be validated through these human filters, they’re dismissed as metaphysical nonsense, which is the category that God falls into in the scientific community.

Even so, God remains unapologetic about his makeup. Our inability to conceptualize him in any form is not his problem. Instead, the situation highlights our human limitations, which is inherently based on known physical deficiencies primarily in the areas of visual perception and spiritual experiences. In other words, God can’t be validated by any pre-defined framework, formula, or other man-made devices. If that was possible, he could not be an immaterial being who lives in a dimension uninhabited by man. On the other hand, he has supplied us a simple technique by which we can see him without any problem. It’s called faith. Through faith, we can peer into the distance beyond any high-powered telescope, cosmic order, or astrological mapping sequence and bring him close to us, as close as a whisper. Then, what we see is a deity that human language can’t describe, a presence deserving nothing less than absolute admiration and reverence from mankind. His word (the Bible) further amplifies his personal qualities in the following fashion:

• God is infinite in presence. Since he occupies space, distance is not an issue for him. Everything in the universe is immediately accessible. Yet, this is not the same as the pantheistic doctrine that claims that God is in everything and, therefore, promotes the idea of worshiping all things. It simply means that wherever you go, God is immediately there as well (Psalm 139:7-10).

• God is infinite in wisdom. This condition signifies that he is comprehensively abounding in all things. For example, he does not depend on a step-by-step process, like people, to arrive at a conclusion. He eternally knows all things (past, present, and future), and his knowledge can neither increase nor decrease. The Bible further encourages those of us who lack wisdom to ask him for it because he provides it liberally, without reproach (James 1:5).

• God is infinite in holiness. The Bible portrays holiness as a state of being clean or pure. This attribute is part of his central character. As such, he demands holiness from those who commit to follow him (Leviticus 11:44-45).

• God is infinite in justice. In this case, justice refers to his administrative balance between reward and punishment for all creatures, and specifically mankind who is his prime creation (Isaiah 61:8).

• God is infinite in goodness. In this context, goodness is seen as his favorable conduct toward humanity—his unfading love and patience, his common grace to all, and his special grace for those who desire to know him as Lord and Savior (Exodus 33:19; Psalm 33:5).

• God is infinite in truth. This attribute establishes the basis for logic and rationality within the universe and among people. The axiom of logic, mathematics, and reasoning are all characteristics of truth which are integral components of his character. The Bible indicates that God can’t lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2), which means that he can’t deceive anyone through bluffing, exaggeration, fabrication, or pretense.

• God is eternal. He had no birth; therefore, he won’t experience death. Since he has no beginning, he has no ending. This also means that time, the factor responsible for aging, is irrelevant to him. Hence, he is ageless (Revelation 1:8).

• God is unchangeable. The Bible has countless references pointing to the self-consistency of God’s character. He is neither contradictory nor forgetful. He brings to pass (on time) all promises or events with regard to reward and punishment. An example of this is seen in his promise to Israel. All his promises made to Abraham eventually came to pass, even hundreds of years later (Joshua 21:43-45).

Considering our shortcomings, these features are nothing short of God-like qualities. Together, they shape a being that is literally out-of-this-world. Yet, they do little to describe his complete deity, which is impossible to accomplish in this world. When we think of him, it seems ironic to attempt to define someone or something that is undefinable. He said it himself, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). The tone is sobering; and the concept is almost unthinkable. Yet, the universe provides undeniable proof of his existence and commanding influence in our lives.

What is also thought provoking is that mankind will never attain God-like status. No matter how smart or powerful we are, or become, God remains superior in all aspects of human aspirations. It is he who endows us with the capacity for knowledge, wisdom and understanding (James 1:5); it is he who forges the opportunity for mankind to excel in places of influence; and it is he who permits the position of power and notoriety among people in our world (Psalm 75:6-7). Indeed, everything we see as blessings or goodness in this life comes from his unlimited power and resources.

A God of Steel and Velvet

In light of God’s boundless attributes, he is unquestionably the most powerful being in the universe. The names Lord, and almighty God, are unique identities frequently used in both the Old and New Testaments to depict his strengths. Yet, there are other aspects to his character that are often overlooked, and when they are brought into focus, he can be seen as a perfectly rounded personality. Naturally, as you may have surmised, both the previous and following information about his deity became known only after creation. While he was in solitude, there was no way of knowing anything about him. There was no one to probe his existence, and he had no reason to tell about himself. Therefore, in order to provide some details about the subsequent phases of his character, we must peek ahead to a time when he began interacting with human beings, specifically during the time he dealt with ancient Israel—his beloved chosen people. His experience with the group will give us some insight into man’s behavior toward him and life in general.

Based on all that we know about God, he is, fundamentally, an emotional being, not in the sense of being soft, weepy, and weak, but rather in temperament fluctuation. Just as he is strong, powerful, all-knowing, etc.; he is also gentle, loving, caring, and so forth, which is the perfect representation of a steel and velvet character. He has the capacity to become angry, remorseful, and to exhibit other emotions that are common to man. This means that people who perceive him strictly as a loving image and one who could do no harm to anyone in spite of the provocation will be disappointed with the following information. For example, God loves everyone, but seeing him solely as one who dispenses love and nothing else is an unrealistic, one-sided view of his image. Instead, throughout history, he has exposed various sides of his personality, some of which may come as a pleasant surprise if you’re unfamiliar with them.

God’s Propensity for Anger

The display of anger is generally connected to an emotional outburst about what is perceived as a provocation or something wrong. The immediate reaction is to retaliate against the perpetrator with some form of vengeance. People commonly get angry for various reasons and their reactions can be unpredictable, depending on the nature of the problem. Like humans beings, God also gets angry, and when he does, the outcome can be consequential. People get hurt or die.

What could possibly drive God to a state of anger, or with whom could he possibly get angry? There were various occasions where he displayed bouts of anger during his interaction with Israel because of their constant rebellion. Often, he referred to them as a stiff-necked or stubborn people, and a few times he wanted to decimate the entire nation. Consider the tone of one of those expressions: And the Lord said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! Now therefore, let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, and I will make of you a great nation’ (Exodus 32:9-10). This situation developed as the result of Israel’s desire to have an image as a representation of their god instead of the living God who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They had built a calf out of gold and began to worship it while Moses was away receiving the Ten Commandments from God. That day, God withheld his wrath against Israel, not because the people changed their attitude, but because Moses prayed to God on their behalf (Exodus 32:11). Even so, three thousand men lost their lives in the aftermath of the incident (Exodus 32:28).

We see a similar display of God’s potential anger in a stern warning given to Moses regarding idol worship. The abhorrent practice bothered God, and he did not want Israel to get entangled in the habit of giving reverence to man-made images like other nations. When Moses died, Joshua (the man who assumed the role of taking Israel on the remaining journey to Canaan – the Promised Land) felt it necessary to repeat the admonishment for safety. He reminded the people about the danger they faced if they refused to keep God’s law: Then my anger shall be aroused against them in that day; said God, and I will forsake them; and I will hide my face from them; and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, ‘have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’ (Deuteronomy 31:17). In this case, the warning served as a strong deterrent to the practice of idolatry. It also depicted God’s attitude toward the behavior, and his likely reaction to the problem should the people disobey his commandment.

These two situations are by no means the only times that God has shown displeasure with undesirable human attitudes or actions. He has also shown disapproval toward certain individuals who did not do as they were told. For instance, Moses recalled an unfortunate outcome in his life that took place while leading the children of Israel to Canaan: Furthermore, the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, he said, and swore that I would not cross over the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. But I must die in this land… (Deuteronomy 4:21-22). The exact reason behind this situation is not quite clear. The language seems to suggest that God had instructed him to do one thing, and he did something else. So he was held responsible for his action until the day of his death. As punishment for his error, he was permitted to see Canaan from a distance but not set foot on the land.

Another individual that found himself on the wrong side of God’s favor was King Solomon, the third and last king of the united Israel. Solomon lived a prosperous lifestyle resulting from God’s blessings, but his desire to please all the women in his life led him to idolatry, which turned his heart away from God. Part of the final account of his life reads as follows: So the Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice (1 Kings 11:9). His disobedience affected both his physical and spiritual life and caused a ripple effect in generations after him. God took the kingdom away from him and gave it to his servant, Jeroboam. However, out of respect for his father David, the dissolution of Israel did not occur during Solomon’s lifetime. It took place during the reign of his son, Rehoboam (1 Kings 11:12).

Moses and Solomon were not the only individuals who experienced God’s wrath. From time to time, King David, Solomon’s father, was also firmly reprimanded for some of his actions. Also, well