Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Like a Red Rag to a Bull (11/28/13)
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TITLE: Danger Ahead | Previous Challenge Entry
By Janice Kelley
12/03/13 -
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The arena is jam-packed with cheering, gasping, wide-eyed spectators. The matador steps into the ring, the bull shoots out of his stall, the match is on. Who will win: the brave matador or the raging bull? The matador takes a defiant stance, whips the red flag from behind his back and shakes it challengingly in front of the one thousand pound bull. The goliath hurls himself toward the matador, head down, haunches up, eyes blazing. We can readily understand there is DANGER AHEAD.
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The day dawns bright and beautiful in the lovely garden of Eden. Mrs. Adam stretches lazily, enjoying the gentle breezes while she plans the activities for her day. One of the garden’s inhabitants, Mr. Snake, approaches Mrs. Adam with a cheery, “Good morning, ma’am.” In a pleasant voice he innocently inquires, “Did God really say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?’”1
Mrs. Adam correctly answered, “from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die.’”2
Incredulous, Mr. Snake entices authoritatively, “You surely shall not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”3
The Great Deceiver spoke God’s very own words with one small addition. Uh-oh! DANGER AHEAD.
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The Israelites started their great adventure with joy and enthusiasm. They witnessed the death of Egypt’s firstborn while they were spared. On the 25th day of travel they crossed the Red Sea in safety while the pursuing Egyptian army perished. On the 32nd day they dined on manna from heaven. On the 46th day they drank water from a rock. Every day of this miraculous journey they followed their God-given roadmap of a cloud and every night they were guided by a pillar of fire. Shortly after the sixtieth day, while resting leisurely at the foot of Mt. Sinai, the people assembled about Aaron and said, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”4
Then Aaron, brother of Moses, spokesperson for God, replied: “Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me….and he took this from their hand and fashioned….a molten calf, and said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt…”5
Moses’ right-hand man and all of Israel turned their backs on the one and only living God, the Creator of the universe, and bowed their knee to a dumb and deaf manmade idol. Caution: DANGER AHEAD.
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On a brilliant winter night the brightest star ever appeared in the eastern sky heralding the arrival of a wondrous gift from God….His one and only Son sent to mankind in earthly form. He grew in stature and learned the carpentry trade. At the age of thirty he began a ministry that culminated three years later with the religious leaders of that day railroading him to a cruel death on the cross. But Jesus was the Son of God and no grave could hold him. He rose triumphantly and with his resurrection came the hope of resurrection for ALL who love and obey Him and His wondrous Father. For those who reject God and Jesus there is DANGER AHEAD.
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And what of us in the year of our Lord 2013? It seems that the world has gone mad with vulgarity, violence and vivid immorality. Selfishness, greed, cruelty, insults, sexual sin are shaping the hearts and minds of God’s humankind into depravity and hopelessness. There is DANGER AHEAD for all who turn their backs on the God of the Universe and His only begotten Son. We have a choice: to wave a flag of disobedience and disrespect in the face of God or to bow humbly in gratitude and faith before His throne.
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New American Standard Version
1 Genesis 3:1
2 Genesis 3:3b
3 Genesis 3:4-5
4 Exodus 32:1
5 Exodus 32:2-3
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You brought that out very well.
Nice read.