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Almost immediately revenge, jealousy and anger took their toll. Ms. Streep was pushed down the stairs in anger. She was mortally injured, her bones were shattered, her heart quit beating, yet she lived! In her own anger she shot Ms. Hawn in the gut with a shotgun at close range. One could see right through her abdomen, but yet she lived. They were the living dead. They were told to take care of their bodies for the elixir to maintain their beauty. In their anger and jealousy they failed to. As their body peeled and fell part, it was restored by the plastic surgeon/embalmer husband of Ms. Streep.
. The good doctor had the opportunity to live eternally for the purpose of maintaining the women's beauty. He chose temporal life having the wisdom of what eternal life would mean. Hence, the women were left to paint up their own bodies. Within a short time the miserable women had literally fallen apart and their attempts at mutual restoration were amateurish and futile. They were miserable with an eternal life with an imperfect body, whereas the good doctor went on to be successful and happy in life!
. What's my point? Think about it. Consider our forebears, Adam and Eve: They had a youthful, perfect body with no flaws, no stress, no jealousy, no anger and all they needed (provided by God) to live an eternal life. (Even after the sin of Adam he still lived 930 years). Here's what God said:
. (All ESV) Gen 2:8 “And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.... 15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." “
. There are several points here: 1) God planted the garden, 2) God put Adam in the garden because he had created him to be in friendship with Himself, 3) God made the garden prolific and planted all that was needed for sustenance, aesthetics and health, 4) there were two types of trees in the middle of the garden, 5) Adam was to work the garden (an easy job since there was no tares and it was watered by a mist), 6) Adam was to “keep” the garden (he was not to abuse what God had given him), 7) God allowed Adam to eat of every tree of the garden, including the “tree of life”, and 8) Adam was not to eat of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil” or he will die (we find out later that not only will his body die, but for those who are unrighteous they will die spiritually).
. Along came the tempter who lied to Eve:
. Genesis 3:1 “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" 2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" 4 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.””
. The serpent was a good lawyer. His argument involved a technicality. Words have meaning and he twisted God's word... and Eve's thinking. Eve didn't intend to disobey, but still did. That's how Satan works! We are still responsible for our actions although we are tricked. We are without excuse!
. The serpent was just like the Pharisees who tried the same tricks on Jesus. Whereas, Jesus is all-knowing and wise, Eve was not. She was human and fell for “words” in rationalizing her behavior. (We still do that today).
. First off, Eve wasn't told anything about the garden by God. (She wasn't even created yet!) Adam was given the instructions on how to tend the garden and the do's and don'ts (Gen 2:15). Eve was presumptuous in her role. Adam was to be the leader and Eve the helper (Gen 2:18). She placed herself above her role by assuming the authority of Adam. (Feminists today should be reminded of roles assigned by God for each gender). Eve misquoted what God said because she got it wrong. She failed to listen tentatively to the instructions Adam had passed on to her from God. Adam's role was to protect them both from the serpent. He was the spiritual leader... not Eve.
. Talking to the serpent was allowing temptation. Eve was placed in a position of her own accord where she was subject to sin. The right response was to “flee” (James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”). Instead of fleeing, Eve responded and was thus tricked. She never had the wisdom and discernment that Adam had and it paid off... for the serpent.
. There were two trees in the midst of the garden. God didn't say “Don't eat of either tree in the midst.” He did say “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat”. Eve got that wrong too! Likewise, God didn't tell Adam to “not touch” the tree. He said to “not eat” of the tree! Eve was wrong again and this shows the results of “having ears to hear, but not listening”. Finally, God did say " the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”. Outsmarting Eve, the serpent did say “"You will not surely die.” He lied or was just plain ignorant of the wisdom and power of God. Satan (the serpent) had rebelled, yet he was still living!
. Although, Satan yet lives, Jesus will destroy him in the end. Yes, Satan will surely die! What's more, death is much more than our lifeblood flowing from us, it's the death of our soul! Satan never told Eve anything about that! Just as the sorceress lied in “Death Becomes Her” Satan lied to Eve. Whereas, the sorceress never told them about the death inside them, the serpent never told Eve about spiritual death.
. Adam had permission to eat of the “tree of life”. It was a good tree, probably having all the ingredients necessary for health and age-prevention. However, God must allow free will! He gave mankind a choice: eternal life or pride (knowledge of good and evil). Eve chose pride, tempted Adam and unlike the “good doctor” Adam did eat. Adam lost immortality as did Eve and both died spiritually. (That's where the sacrificial blood of Jesus is that “tree of life”).
. Now let's resume with the “Death Becomes Her” analogy: If Eve (and Adam) had obeyed God they would have lived forever, both physically and spiritually. They would have retained youth forever as well as communion with God. By disobedience in eating of the wrong tree, their days were numbered and both died spiritually. Not only that, their disobedience caused our own short lives and spiritual death.
. Ms. Hawn and Ms. Streep, as a result of falling to temptation, died physically the moment they succumbed. They died physically because inside they died spiritually. Their evil pride caused them to destroy others and themselves. For awhile they were beautiful on the outside, but ugly as sin on the inside. That's just like all of us who suffer original sin (due to Adam) and have failed to eat of the “tree of life” (Jesus). We may smile and look great on the outside, but we're the walking dead... just like Hawn and Streep. In their misery they will live forever physically. Unsaved sinners will die physically, but their soul will on! Like Hawn and Streep, it'll be a miserable existence. It will be one of hate and torment.
. It may be that Adam and Eve were made righteous by God for he blessed them. God has grace. God has the grace to call us to righteousness, if we use that same free will to choose as Adam and Eve, but choose correctly. If she makes the wrong choice, that pretty lady you see out there, all painted and partying, without Christ is the “walking dead” just like Hawn and Streep. Surely “Death Becomes Her”! Eat of the “tree of Life”.
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