Were we in God's Love/Imagination when in the Garden? And then we separated from Him and became fallen with the rest of the Earth?
Do you have a better term to describe what we were before the fall?
Did satan cause the Earth to be fallen when he was cast out of Heaven? Did God create a safe-zone bubble of a Garden?
Did Original Sin add physical history of Man to the fallen Earth (evolution of homo sapiens)?
Hi, pittsburghjoe.
I have a much better term to describe what we were before the fall:
THE SUMMER.
Sorry, I couldn't resist...lol.
On a more serious note, Satan didn't cause the earth to fall, and he hasn't yet been cast out of heaven either.
In relation to this earth's fall, we read:
"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. " (Romans 8:19-23)
Paul said that "the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him", and this "him" is Adam, "who has subjected the same".
In other words, when Adam fell, everything that God had placed under his charge fell with him.
As far as Satan's fall from heaven is concerned, we read:
"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. " (Revelation 12:7-12)
This yet-future angelic battle which will result in Satan and his angels being cast down to this earth was first prophesied by the prophet Daniel:
"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. " (Daniel 12:1)
In both Daniel's and John's prophecies, the time of Satan's casting down to this earth after his battle with Michael triggers "a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time" or what we would call "the great tribulation".
When he is cast down, Satan will come down "having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time", and in several places in the Bible we are told that this "short time" is 3 1/2 years.
Looking back at my citation from the book of Revelation, hopefully you noticed that, prior to his casting down which hasn't yet occurred, Satan is called "the accuser of our brethren" or the one "which accused them before our God day and night". These accusations are still taking place as I write in heaven. In fact, in the book of Job, which transpired long after the events transpired in the garden of Eden, Satan is seen appearing before God in heaven with other angels (Job 1:6-7, 2:1-2).
I hope that this helps to answer some of your questions.
