CHECKERS

Having seen Jesus, God was ready for HIS incarnation, and joining forces with Adam, the last Adam, wielding the power resident in Christ, He was able to catch the evil one. The devil is actually the gamer, who played himself into the gallows of hell. The second part of the duel reached its crescendo on the cross where Jesus pointed out, “It is finished!” Satan touched HIS anointed and did HIS Prophet harm (1Chronicles 16:22). He was guilty as charged; he entered the trap! Inside the first Adam in the Garden was the image of God i.e. Christ. Inside the last Adam was Christ (God, the Saviour). Amen.

Satan still plays games. How do I know this is found in 2Corinthians 2:11, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices”. The word ‘ignorant’ {agnoeo (ag-no-eh’-o) ‘1. not to know (through lack of information or intelligence) 2. (by implication) to ignore (through dislike, disinterest, or unwillingness)}’ tells us that we are not without information, and what information? It has to do with the word ‘devices’ which the Greek calls noema (no’-ay-mah) ‘1. a perception, i.e. purpose 2. (by implication) the intellect, disposition, itself’. Noema is an evil purpose, a devilish deception, which enables Lucifer, the dark angel, to enter into our minds (man’s thinking faculty). Satan comes to the only place where he can manipulate man – his mind. Satan enters minds to play his devious games. The word ‘advantage’ is, pleonekteo (pleh-on-ek-teh’-o) ‘1. to be covetous 2. (by implication) to over-reach 3. get an advantage, defraud, make a gain’. This word (pleonekteo) comes from pleonektes (pleh-on-ek’-tace) ‘1. holding (desiring) more, i.e. eager for gain (avaricious, hence a defrauder)’. This is what Satan does all the time: his modus operandi, with a sole intention to have man spiritually derailed.

1Corinthians 2:8 reads, “Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory”. Animals are always trapped for lack of knowledge. The Lord God of Genesis chapter three is the express image of the unseen God (Hebrews 1:3), who made His dwelling inside a man called Jesus. His Jewish people called Him Yhowshuwa` (yeh-ho-shoo’-ah) i.e. Joshua but hidden in Jesus (for God always hides Himself from man’s sinful gaze) is the Messiah, the very God of very God. Maybe Lucifer decided to engage God in a game to prove the stupidity that had eaten deepest into the fabric of his being.

Genesis 4:7, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” This scripture is an attestation that God does not play games or else HE would not tell Cain that, “sin lieth” because ‘sin’, in Hebrew is chaṭṭa’ah (khat-taw-aw’) ‘1. sin, sinful 2. sin, sin offering’. God wanted him to bring an animal (because it has blood – of atonement) as a sin offering, for he will receive forgiveness from God even for a heinous crime as murder. The word ‘lieth’ is rabats (raw-bats’): ‘to crouch (on all four legs folded, like a recumbent animal)’. God wanted to save Cain through a solemn sacrifice. It is a serious matter; no game, (this is) at all. Even after the futuristic deriding laughter at and wrong doers in Psalm 2:4, HE will speak in anger to them in verse five, as a proof of the fact that HE is not engaged in antics.

Does God play games? Does HE hide Himself to perfect His intention to cheat at any game? Does HE even play games by proxy? The Holy Spirit or Jesus Christ could play it for HIM, which gainsaying philosophers will insist on, following the course of dialectics. In what verse of the scripture is Christ or the Holy Spirit found guilty of an underhand play?

Every interaction God brings between Himself and mankind has always been to apprise us of the danger that dwells in any information that tends to make mankind to disobey Him, the Creator. A game is not expected to take away life. A life threatening game can no longer be called a game but what Yoruba people call ‘erekere’ (dangerous play); and this, dear reader, is what Satan is recruiting people to venture into anytime one hears in his mind that which is against the will of God: ‘erekere’!

To read part one click here

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