1950 This Means Everlasting Life - A2Z.org

36 "THIS MEANS EVERLASTING LIFE"
no one say : I am being tried by God .' No ; for
with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he
himself try anyone. But each one is tried by being
drawn out and enticed by his own desire . Then
the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth
to sin ; in turn, sin, when it has been accomplished,
brings forth death."-James 1 :13-15, NW .
12
In Eden, the anointed cherub that covers had
a pure and clean assignment, to serve God's sovereignty
over the earth in connection with man . This
was no temptation to wrong-doing, but an opportunity
for showing love to God and man and for
vindicating Jehovah God's righteous sovereignty
over earth and mankind . But the chance for one
to pervert the divine favor and his position of
power and influence was also there as an opposite
of the course of obedience . The anointed covering
cherub saw this chance ; by it he could exalt himself
over all the race of mankind with which Jehovah
commanded Adam and Eve to fill the earth .
Yes, he could replace Jehovah as ruler and god
over mankind. Desire for this formed in the covering
cherub's heart. He became tempted when he
was drawn out and enticed by his own selfish desire
. The desire, being cultivated and yielded to,
became fertile . It produced or gave birth to sin,
the sin of rebelling against Jehovah's Godship and
universal sovereignty. The sin turned him into
Satan. How he fell through pride the apostle Paul
suggests, when he warns against elevating novices
in the congregation, saying : "Not a newly con-
12 . How did this prove true of the anointed cherub that
covers?