Preface: This little story has very little to do with the Bible, with Evolution, or with Creation. The message is not specifically for Christians, nor does it have much to do with Christianity. It is for all of God’s children, all of the flocks, even those that do not believe. It was written long ago, awaiting a preordained time to be released into a world that would be filled with division, a mere parable to make a point, and send a message to the children of this world. Now it is time.
A long time ago I was in a Bible Study group. It was a good group for several reasons. Everyone learned a lot, but most importantly everyone was growing together in friendship and respect. But that all changed one day.
On that day the topic of creation came up. Now there are several different beliefs on the creation of the earth, and on how man came about, but the two most prevalent are:
#1 – God just “created” everything
#2 – Everything evolved as a process of evolution.
Well that day this group of loving “friends” got pretty divided and hateful on the subject very fast. As with all groups there are usually “leaders” for each side – those that are willing to speak up louder than the others and to try and push their ideas. This group was no different, and soon we had two distinct groups of thought, each being led into argument by a leader.
Personally I had never given it much thought, because it just didn’t seem all that important to me. I mean it happened a long time ago, and I wasn’t there, and up until that day I had never really figured that it had a lot to do with how I lived my life.
At one point the leader of the “Evolutionists” asked the leader of the “Creationists” how he accounted for all the fossils, dinosaur bones and other geological evidence that pointed towards evolution. The leader of the “Creationists” answered with the following:
The “Creationist” pointed out that before the Great Flood of Noah’s time, there were “bad angels/demons” that had come down to earth in disobedience of God. He said that when the flood wiped out all of mankind, that it didn’t kill these bad angels, but that for many years they lived on the earth without many men around to see what they were doing. So during that time Satan, their leader, got the idea to have all these bad angels make up a bunch of fake fossils and dinosaur bones and bury them all over the earth to trick future generations of men – and to lead us astray.
Well, my first reaction was to kind of laugh silently to myself. (It’s always been my policy to allow everyone their own beliefs, especially when I don’t have 100% direct knowledge myself – and at this time I didn’t figure I knew for sure, because as I’ve said earlier – I’d never really given it much thought, nor searched for the answer.) You see, I had this instant mental picture of a bunch of little red-suited, pointy-tailed, horned little devils all running around with picks and shovels. I pictured two of them talking together, and one saying, “Hey, let’s take this duck’s beak, an elephants leg bone and a lion’s teeth and put them all together. Boy that’ll really mess ’em up!!!” Well I just had to laugh because to me that was just about the silliest thing I had ever imagined.
But I did decide on that day, that it was extremely important to seek the truth in this matter of “Creation vs. Evolution.” NOT because the subject was intriguing to me – or even that I thought it was important. But because the subject was so divisive. I watched the very quick and complete meltdown of a loving and friendly group into a bunch of angry, hateful and arguing people. So as far as I was concerned, the subject was now pretty important to me.
For the next month I read and reread the first few chapters of Genesis over and over, sometimes several times a day. I meditated on it. I compared it to other scriptures. I prayed on it. I looked towards the face of the Lord and sought his guidance on the subject for weeks. And then one day the Lord showed up, and we had a little conversation on the subject. I like to keep things simple and loving, so I will put it in the friendly conversational terms that friends share. It is after all how I talk to the Lord 🙂
The Lord: “Hello David! I’ve been watching and listening to you. You’ve been looking into this Creation/Evolution thing pretty hard for a while. Figured it all out yet, or do you need some help?”
Myself: “<Laughing> Well I think I need some help. I mean I’m a bit stuck on the whole thing.”
The Lord: “Tell me what you think so far. I mean tell me what you’ve come to believe in YOUR heart on the subject.”
Myself: “Well Lord, I don’t see why the two can’t exist together. I do believe you created everything, but when I look around at nature and everything – I see that you generally work patiently through a process. So it seems to me that you did create everything, but that you used the PROCESS of Evolution to accomplish it over time.”
The LORD: “That’s pretty good!”
Myself: “Wow! You mean I got it right?”
The LORD: “Oh I didn’t say that. David, you have to understand that it was a very complex process. I mean there just isn’t all that much that can tire me out so much that I need to take a day off to rest afterwards:) But seriously David, there’s so much more to it than you can imagine. Your mind just couldn’t handle it all – so I’ve just given it to you in the form of little parables. But now let me ask you something, David. Do you believe I could have done it completely by Pure Instant Creation like many people believe?”
Myself: “Yes Lord I do.”
The Lord: “Well do you believe I could have done it through evolution?”
Myself: “I sure do. I figure you could have done it either way. So tell me. How did you do it?”
The Lord: “<Laughing> Maybe one day I’ll tell you David, but for right now I’m going to give you something more important. I’m going to give you the answer to the real question you’ve been searching for. You see you were right to never worry about how I did the creation. Creating, after all, is My job, and My business. But I am impressed with why you began to seek me in finding out the truth on this subject. Is it not true that the real reason you sought the answer was so that you could bring peace between people, and to destroy the divisiveness which arises between men, when the subject is brought up?”
Myself: “Yes. That is exactly why I am looking for the answer.”
The Lord: “Well then let me be very clear on something. It isn’t given to men to know all of the things of heaven. Even if I were to tell men, they wouldn’t be able to grasp it. So let me tell you why that’s in the Scriptures. It’s just a simple test. Have you ever noticed how people are pretty well split on the issue – some believing honestly in their hearts that it’s “Creation” and others believing it’s “Evolution?”
Myself: “Yes, I’ve noticed that, and it seems to me that in most people it’s a pretty firm conviction. As a matter of fact I’ve found extremely good people on both sides of the argument. I mean they are very good people, for the most part – until this subject comes up.”
The Lord: “And that, David, is the test. You see, it’s not important how I did it. What is important is how each of you reacts to another when you come together with different beliefs. I have put the beliefs in men’s hearts one way or the other to see if you can act lovingly in the face of differences. None of you are wrong – until you begin to judge each other intolerantly, and allow hatred to creep into your lives. And it’s not just about creation either. Actually it has little at all to do with creation. You see, there are differences on all levels of everyday life between men, and you are tested in my eyes each and every day as to how you act towards one another.
Myself: “Lord, that’s the best answer I’ve heard yet. Although I reckon it only figures since you’re the one telling me. But I still have to ask you something. Something I’m all too afraid that I already know the answer to. This test – how are we doing?
The Lord: “David, most of mankind is failing, and this is a test you have to pass. You must tell them this.”
In delivering this message I find peace. I have faith that if you share this message, you will find peace in your heart on many matters of division as well. This is about working to find common ground, listening, compromising, respect, and picking your battles. This is not about agreeing with all opposing beliefs, nor embracing them, nor about ignoring injustice. Indeed, some beliefs are worth fighting for, or against. But mankind is being divided against itself by technological forces it does not understand, and is only just now beginning to recognize the existence of. The Beast is coming and it will take unity to defeat. Some will side with the Beast, and some will side with humanity. It is time to pick sides in the coming fight, but in doing so to recognize that you will not always agree with everything those onyour side belief in. It’s ok. It is a big world, and there is room for diversity and variety of thought and lifestyle. But first mankind will have to survive the reign of the Beast, and to do so we must pass the test of being able to work togther, with all of our differences, ethnic backgrounds, nationalities, religions, etc — for humanity has a common enemy. Yet most of humanity is failing this test, and consequently will not survive the coming years. Those that do shall enter into a time of Peace never before seen in this world before; but now the Tribulations, the Beast, the Judgement.
May Peace Be To You,
– david