the original plan

When God first made Adam and Eve, he wished them to enjoy a joyful life on a beautiful earth. He invited them to care for their home and filled them with qualities like his own. We picture that first couple, taking in the sights and sounds of a world with no limits, free to explore every corner, share in the beauty of creation, and pass these blessings on to their children. The earth was perfect, and every child born into this world would have grown up surrounded by peace.

God’s gift was more than a lovely home; he gave our first parents the chance to live forever in Paradise. This was their opportunity for endless life, to learn about their Maker and take delight in all he had given. We read:

“The heavens are the heavens of Jehovah, but the earth he has given to the sons of men.”
(Psalm 115:16)

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has even put eternity in their heart; yet mankind will never find out the work that the true God has made from start to finish.”
(Ecclesiastes 3:10, 11)

God’s Instructions for the First Humans

When they began life, Adam and Eve had the freedom to enjoy every good thing. They were part of God’s family, but this freedom came with wisdom—God gave them guidance so they could use their freedoms well. He explained what was right and wrong and spoke honestly about what would happen if they chose to ignore him. If they listened, their happiness and life would last forever. If they ignored his loving direction, they would lose everything. God trusted them with choice, and their decisions would carry weight—not just for them, but for everyone after them. As we read:

“And Jehovah God also gave this command to the man: ‘From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.’”
(Genesis 2:16, 17)

The Start of Trouble

Peace didn’t last. A spirit person, later called Satan, turned against God first. Then our first parents, tempted by this one, chose to follow him instead of their loving Creator. With this choice, Adam and Eve made themselves imperfect and started to die.

“So all the days of Adam’s life amounted to 930 years, and then he died.”
(Genesis 5:5)

The Lasting Results for Us

Adam and Eve’s actions changed the story for all of us. By turning away, they lost their innocence and the hope of endless life. Now, their children came into a world marked by pain and loss. Sin took hold in every new life, and death would come for all, not just those first people.

God never wanted us to face this. His goal was life for all. But because sin came with Adam and Eve’s choice, it touches each of us.

“That is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because they had all sinned—”
(Romans 5:12)

Who Is Satan?

Before life on earth began, God created angelic sons. One of these angels wanted more than his place. He chose the name Satan, which means “Resister”, as he took aim at God’s right to lead. He didn’t object to God’s strength; he challenged God’s right to rule.

This rebellious angel did not stop at his own defiance. He worked to turn the first people away from God. He lied to the woman, promising freedom from God’s rule, claiming that they could decide right and wrong on their own. As we read:

“At this the serpent said to the woman: ‘You certainly will not die. For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.’”
(Genesis 3:4, 5)

The World Under Satan’s Rule