The greatest things about stories are the embedded kernels of wisdom within the fictional storyline that illuminates key points of life. The origin of mankind and the politics of the day rarely intertwine, but here’s my example for June 2010:
God was sitting on his throne one day enjoying the adulation and service of the angels when he began to wonder if they would be the same way if they were given a choice. He called Lucifer, the worship leader, over and announced that immediately the angels could choose. If they wished to continue to serve him nothing would change, but if they wished to stop a place other than heaven would be provided for them. They all voted to continue to love and serve him, and so they did. Lucifer continued as their leader.
As time passed, however, Lucifer began to wonder if that adulation and service could be for him instead of God. He decided that rather than ask God for a place other than heaven, perhaps God would share heaven so he approached God with the idea. God patiently explained that angels were created beings, so they could not and did not have the abilities to be God. Lucifer did not understand this at all, so God created a hell and an earth as comparisons to heaven. Lucifer chose the earth and called for a vote.
This second vote by the angels resulted in nearly one third of the angels going to the earth with Lucifer. God decided to make those votes permanent for the angels and created man with choice from the beginning. He set up a system on the earth where the choice of man would become permanent for eternity but include free will during a lifetime on earth. Eventually the system included women, as well as all the plants and animals that would provide sustenance for the men, women and children that followed.
Soon after mankind was created Lucifer tricked the first woman to make the choice of disobedience, followed quickly by the man, so the concept of sin entered the world. When one of their sons killed the other, death became the point where the eternal soul moved to heaven or hell. Lucifer found satisfaction in the obvious grief God exhibited when souls went to hell, so he set out with his band of angels to snare as many humans as possible. After an eternity of loving and being loved God had a situation to deal with.
Since He had provided choice from the beginning the extremes needed to be clear. He sent himself as his son to pay the penalty of sin for those that chose him, and made hell a lake of fire that did not consume, for those that did not. He provided the two options for all humans past and present and changed Lucifer’s name to Satan. He gave his son the name of Jesus, and after death raised him from the dead so all would know who he was. He placed an eternal hedge of protection around children and challenged Satan.
Thousands of years followed with an ever increasing number of souls living out their years with free will in all aspects, but spiritually choosing their eternal destiny. The spiritual battles often became physical battles with wars and rumors of wars commonplace. Many worshiped the name of the Lord, and many chose not to accept the gift of eternal life. Satan offered many false options and proved cunning in his disguises. He taught those that came with him originally to transform into selfishness, control and various addictions.
The grief God felt when souls went to hell grew and grew, as Satan confused, cajoled, or tricked each person into rejecting Jesus. He had allowed the free will for mankind and given Satan and his demons that vote, so that had to continue. His best option was to let everyone know there was a time limit on the existence of the earth. He had revealed that when He provided the writings that became the Bible, but only Satan took it literally. With billions in the world to be told, more specific instructions were needed to capture their hearts.
God chose a date for the end of the world, and notified Satan as well as His followers. Satan’s response was swift, choosing a false Messiah to confuse those who were waiting for the return of Jesus and putting out a movie about Mayans. God’s followers sent out Tweets, posted news on Facebook, and made the rounds of the cable shows with their news of destruction. Satan’s Messiah went on network news channels only and assured the world not to worry, the world would not end. In the end, the election of 2012 did not take place at the ballot box, but in the heart of each human being on the face of the earth.
