The Need for a Redeemer

God denied access to the tree of life to Adam and Eve and their descendants until the promised Seed, the MessiahA Hebrew word meaning literally "anointed one," synonymous with the Greek word christos, translated Christ. "In ancient Israel both persons and things consecrated to sacred purposes were anointed by having oil poured over them ... The Israelites did not think of crowning a king but of anointing him when he was enthroned ... [The future Messiah] is to destroy the world powers in an act of judgment, deliver Israel from her enemies, and restore her as a nation. The Messiah is the King of this future kingdom to whose political and religious domination the other nations will yield. His mission is the redemption of Israel and His dominion is universal. This is the clear picture of the Messiah in practically all of the OT passages which refer to Him" (The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary, "Messiah")., would appear and redeem them and permanently reconcile them to God.

What was the result of Adam's and Eve's sin?

"So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of EdenThe land in which the Lord planted a garden for Adam to live in (Genesis 2:15). It was located at the branching of 4 rivers: the Euphrates, the Hiddekel (the Tigris), the Pishon, and the Gihon (Genesis 2:8-14). It was also the location of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life (Genesis 2:16)., and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life" (Genesis 3:24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of EdenThe land in which the Lord planted a garden for Adam to live in (Genesis 2:15). It was located at the branching of 4 rivers: the Euphrates, the Hiddekel (the Tigris), the Pishon, and the Gihon (Genesis 2:8-14). It was also the location of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life (Genesis 2:16). Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
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God banished Adam and Eve and their descendants from the Garden of EdenThe land in which the Lord planted a garden for Adam to live in (Genesis 2:15). It was located at the branching of 4 rivers: the Euphrates, the Hiddekel (the Tigris), the Pishon, and the Gihon (Genesis 2:8-14). It was also the location of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life (Genesis 2:16).. But something else happened to them that was even more far reaching. God denied access to the tree of life to Adam and Eve and their descendants until the promised Seed, the MessiahA Hebrew word meaning literally "anointed one," synonymous with the Greek word christos, translated Christ. "In ancient Israel both persons and things consecrated to sacred purposes were anointed by having oil poured over them ... The Israelites did not think of crowning a king but of anointing him when he was enthroned ... [The future Messiah] is to destroy the world powers in an act of judgment, deliver Israel from her enemies, and restore her as a nation. The Messiah is the King of this future kingdom to whose political and religious domination the other nations will yield. His mission is the redemption of Israel and His dominion is universal. This is the clear picture of the Messiah in practically all of the OT passages which refer to Him" (The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary, "Messiah")., would appear and redeem them (1 Peter 1:18-21 [18] Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
[19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
[20] Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
[21] Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

See All...) and permanently reconcile them to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-21 [18] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
[19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
[20] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
[21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

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Their choice to listen to Satan started man down a path of ignoring God's instruction and way of life. They chose instead "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." They chose to determine for themselves right and wrong. They embraced "a way that seems right to a man" but in the end will always produce an abundance of tragic consequences (Proverbs 14:12There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
See All...; 16:25). It is the pathway of sin, which leads to misery, violence and death (Romans 3:15-16 [15] Their feet are swift to shed blood:
[16] Destruction and misery are in their ways:

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What happened in the lives of Adam's and Eve's descendants?

"The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth" (Genesis 6:11-12 [11] The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
[12] And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

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As people developed their civilization apart from God, the consequences of choosing their own way of life quickly became apparent. Beginning with CainFirstborn son of Adam and Eve (Genesis 4:1), he was a farmer, or tiller of the ground. He committed the first recorded murder when he killed his younger brother, Abel (Genesis 4:8). After the murder of his brother, Cain settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.'s murder of his brother AbelThe second born son of Adam and Eve, he was a shepherd (Genesis 4:2). He was murdered by his brother Cain (Genesis 4:8). (Genesis 4:8And CainFirstborn son of Adam and Eve (Genesis 4:1), he was a farmer, or tiller of the ground. He committed the first recorded murder when he killed his younger brother, Abel (Genesis 4:8). After the murder of his brother, Cain settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. talked with AbelThe second born son of Adam and Eve, he was a shepherd (Genesis 4:2). He was murdered by his brother Cain (Genesis 4:8). his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that CainFirstborn son of Adam and Eve (Genesis 4:1), he was a farmer, or tiller of the ground. He committed the first recorded murder when he killed his younger brother, Abel (Genesis 4:8). After the murder of his brother, Cain settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. rose up against AbelThe second born son of Adam and Eve, he was a shepherd (Genesis 4:2). He was murdered by his brother Cain (Genesis 4:8). his brother, and slew him.
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By the time of Noah, the world had became so corrupt that "the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart" (Genesis 6:6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
See All...). Except for Noah and his immediate family, everyone lost his life in the great flood that followed (Genesis 7:23And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
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How do God's words to Noah after the flood compare to His original instruction to Adam?

". . . In the image of God He made man. And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it" (Genesis 9:6-7 [6] Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
[7] And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

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In reminding Noah that God created human beings in His image, He reemphasized the key to right relationships. God wants people's behavior to reflect His character and way of life. That is the only way a civilization can develop peacefully and productively. It is the only way to avoid the evils that caused the flood.

The lessons of the violence and destruction before and during the flood were soon lost on the descendants of Noah. Genesis 11 describes humanity, after the flood, again openly opposing God's rule. At a place that came to be called Babel, or Babylon, men built a tower that stood as a lasting symbol of their renewed determination to build their civilization apart from God's instruction.

The very name Babylon ( Babel in Hebrew) became a biblical epithet for the kingdom of Satan. In the last book of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. we find that Satan's kingdom at the end of our age is symbolically referred to as Babylon (RevelationThe disclosure of God's Word and plan to mankind. In the Bible this refers to making obscure things clear; bringing hidden matters to light; causing especially called individuals to see, hear, perceive, know and understand the things of God; the unveiling of biblical mysteries (Romans 16:25). 14:8And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
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