"Hocus-Pocus"

 "I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded." (S.O.S. 6:11)

  Okay then, this is where things get a little strange and out of sorts. If you do a little investigation into this, you will discover that there are several different points of view on what is taking place, who it is that is taking, and where or what they might be talking about. Looking also into the Hebrew, there are several characters or words which have not been totally understood or translated with complete understanding. A brief example to this, is the word, "Garden," as it shows itself to be that which is different from a garden which you would grow fruits and vegetables, but is instead that which is the garden of a palace or a courtyard. There are three other uses for this type of garden, and all three are found in the Book of Esther.

  With that, let me dabble a little carrot here, and let's see where this donkey might take us. Two things come to mind, right off the bat: One is the time when King David takes a Census; the second, is that of Genesis 3:3, "But of the fruit of the tree which is the the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." What do you think those two things have in common? If you think it might be pride, you are not that far off; but if you really want to get right down to it, it is all about sight, perception, and looking; as in, looking in the wrong direction!  

  If God created man with the desire to love Him and hate unrighteousness, as man was intended and best equipped to do, it is a simple observation to assume that most of man's understanding and perception was given or enhanced by sight. Case in point, is that God gave Adam the task of naming all of the animals; a task that not only required man to look at the animal for a name to call it, but to also observe and try and understand the animal's characteristics and mannerisms. 

  If you will, having Eve say that she was told not to touch the forbidden fruit, was something she either was instructed by Adam to not do, or something she conceived in her own heart, as if to say, "If I cannot eat it, then I better not even touch it either!" 'Don't think of pink elephants!' Well, did you obey, or disobey what was said? What I am trying to say, just in case you are lagging: Once you set your eyes on something and desire it, you have opened the door for want. And, what ever it is that you want, from that point on, is totally up to you and the choice you make: 'Do I open that door or not? And when I open that door, what is my reason?' Sound familiar? 

  On the bright side of anything, everything is allowed for in the will of God; nothing is going to take place or happen without Him knowing firsthand that it is going to happen. God does not regret, as if to say, 'Oh, I wish I didn't do that or let that happen.' As a matter of fact, the regret God might have, is not about sorrow or other feelings which are characteristics of man, because He does not change! It is man that has and does change; thus, this interpretation of "regret," in Genesis 6:6 is based upon the perceptions of man, not of God! We see what we want to see, God sees what is and is not; two very distinct differences in ways and thoughts; so, as the story goes...

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall be no flesh justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:19-23)