The André Kim of Heaven

Koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD) Visiting Professor, Department of Liberal Education, Kyungpook National University, Sangju Campus, South Korea

When we end this small reading, we will know more about Fashion than before. The artist paint a picture of Spring using yellow, green and white and some black and a beautiful mountain is there with trees and flowers. When the art is done, all who look at it says: “Wow, it is so beautiful”. But there is one problem. The problem is with the art-piece. It stays always the same. It does not change. There is an Artist that does not stop painting. He paints nature with colors today and while we are sleeping, tomorrow when we wake-up, nature is no longer the same piece of art. It is different and when the Autumn comes, red, yellow and brown are used in various shades of depth to keep painting for humans to enjoy, beautiful scenes. The clouds remain static in earthly artists work but the Artist of heaven’s art is changing moment by moment. Dawkins internal engines inherent in nature to bring these cycles, is absurd. Mars, Pluto and the Moon has nothing. Empty. Not even a trace of life. Strange, that evolution did not leave anything there? Not strange when you are not following Dawkins and his cronies, but believe the Bible and the Creation history.

In Genesis 3:5-7 we learn something about this Fashion Designer of Heaven. Eve was approached by Satan who used the snake as his taxi. He assured Eve that she will become like God if she eat of the tree forbidden. In Isaiah 14:12-14 it is Lucifer who said during the Rebellion in Heaven that he desired to be like God. This is his own desires that he is mirroring onto Eve here. He uses controlling manipulation and thrust it into Eve. In heaven during this event back when Satan was still Lucifer, he was the most shiny angel in heaven. God’s presence and Glory gave a special radiation to him that was not his own. It was derivative. He had this glowing about himself that the other angels did not have. So we are told in Patriarchs and Prophets by Ellen White in the first chapter.

Until he became aware of his own glory and began to compare himself to the other angels and developed a desire to be like God because Christ, Who is God, also had this glowing about Himself. He thus wanted to be like Christ. He became jealous of Christ in Heaven. This is taboo in heaven and on earth. But, Lucifer thought the fashion he was wearing is part of himself and was not given to him by outside Powers bigger than himself. Claiming the fashion as his own product the ran contra the Fashion Designer of Heaven who give people and entities their mandate and decide to take away that mandate.

So in Genesis 3:5-7, Eve consider what Lucifer said deeply. Every creature in heaven and on earth desires to be “like God” since it is part of the plan of salvation as well. We all know that the salvation engine has two parts: one is that Christ is our Substitute since we are unable and the second part is that 1Peter 2:23-25 indicates that we follow the example of Christ. We must desire to be like Jesus but note, not Substitute Jesus but be in character like Him, thus righteous. “If you love Me, keep My commandments”. That is to follow Jesus. It is an attitude also not just a recipe.

So when Eve heard Satan talked this way that she could be like God she was halfway convinced. If her husband was with her during these words, it would not have happened, since two is better than one. He would have seen the deception and they would have discussed it together and the synthesis would have been a strong “No” to Satan. Ellen White says that God warned Eve not to stray away too far from Adam. She did.

Anyway, in her loneliness she met Satan and the snake at the tree with the forbidden fruit.

She reached-out and took the fruit and ate and Adam joined her and she gave him as well and he ate and Genesis 3:7 says they suddenly saw they were naked.

Why naked?

All of us are born naked. We die naked. People put clothes on us but in fact we are naked. We all know it. Adam and Eve had the glory of God shining and glowing around them and that was their clothes. The Fashion Designer designed glowing clothes that covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve. They were wearing the Righteousness of God. What they lost, is the Righteousness of God and what they were in need of gaining was the Righteousness of God.

Said 1 Peter 2:25 that we all stray many times continuously but now the Shepherd looked for us, the straying sheep. No longer lost, no longer straying, but found and following. We are clothed with the Righteousness of Christ and this is the necessary Fashion that we all with have to enter the Great Banquet Hall in heaven for the important appointment that God have with humanity. Only those who wears God’s Fashion will be at this Banquet.

Dear God

All of us desire to wear the Righteousness of Christ as our garment in the Great Banquet in Heaven. Thanks for providing this Fashionable item for us. In Jesus name, Amen.