Rotten Fruit

“Now the serpent was more crafty…He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, ‘You must not…’ for God knows that when you…, you will…’ When the woman saw that the fruit was…pleasing to the eye, and also desirable… she took some and ate it.” Gen. 3:1, 5, 6.

Throughout the Bible, Babylon was a real place of excess, corruption, temptation and sin. It also represents so much more today in our culture which parallels Babylon in attitude. There is nothing for which we consider that cannot be attained through some means, either legally or illegally. Today’s world prides itself for being on the cutting edge when in reality our culture is mimicking the oldest documented interaction between man and temptation – an attitude that I know best, I deserve most and I will seek out what I want to seek out. Instant gratification and pride hung on the tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden just as it hangs in each of our lives.

The first Babylon mentality was the apple at the hand of the enemy. How subtle our Babylon’s can be! Babylon is always offered at the point of discontent and dissatisfaction through Satan. He cannot make us eat our apple but he can put such a shine on it that we cannot resist. His presentation will be pleasing to the eye and satisfying to the concept. He places a wonderful counterfeit of our desire right in the middle of our gardens, the lives we have built for ourselves.

Temptation is never far away and the fruit is always within our reach. ‘From Satan’s first entrance on the stage in Gen. 3, he’s tried to convince believers that God is holding out on them.’ Daniel, Lives of Integrity – p. 123.

Revelation 18:10 echoes the haunting future of Babylon mentality for cultures across the calendars of time. ‘Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come.’ God always keeps his promises for both judgment and blessings.

Just ask Adam and Eve….