Book X: Obviously, God sees what happens with his two creations. All of Heaven is sad. God tells everyone that it's okay, it was inevitable. He explains the plan for His Son to go to earth, die, and give salvation to mankind. The Son goes down to earth, and Adam and Eve hide when they hear his voice. The Son asks Adam where he is. They both appear. Adam tells the Son that he was hiding because he was frightened and naked. The Son is a little annoyed, and asks if they ate the fruit. Adam tries to talk in generalizations, but eventually admits that Eve gave him the fruit and he ate it. The Son says Adam should have resisted Eve, because he was given the power to rule, not Eve. The Son curses the serpent, making him crawl on his belly for life. He punishes Adam and Eve. He tells Eve childbirth is going to be painful--thanks Eve. She has to be submissive to her husband as well. The ground will not be as fertile for Adam as it had been previously. Let me note here, women get PAINFUL childbirth, while men can't grow as many crops as before. Sweet. The Son then gives them clothes and heads back to Heaven. Meanwhile, Sin and Death are chatting it up, and Sin tells Death that she's pretty sure Satan has succeeded because he hasn't returned yet. They decide to build a bridge from Hell to earth so Satan can easily find his way back. Death says he can smell fresh prey on earth. They start separating the elements of Chaos and build their bridge. They travel the bridge and meet Satan. He tells them he's succeeded. They're all free to run rampant on Earth. He tells Sin and Death to go to Eden, while he informs the rest of his minions. Everyone is pumped when Satan returns. But wait, he and his minions turn into snakes! A nearby grove has sprung up with fruit the resembles the Forbidden Fruit. All the snakes have become thirsty and try to eat the fruit. Problem, it turns to ashes in their mouths. They all eventually get back to their original shapes, but some make this change every year. Back in Eden, Sin and Death run wild. God sees, and blames Adam for these two being in Eden. He says the Son will get rid of them eventually, but that's later. The angels sing as God changes the seasons around and the orbits of the planets. The animals in Eden no longer get along; they kill each other and run away from Adam. Adam feels terrible. He says his children will all be cursed. He eagerly awaits the day he will die. After a little tantrum, Adam realizes God is right in punishing them. He still blames Eve. Eve is upset by this. She cries at Adam's feet and begs him not to leave her. Adam says they've blamed each other enough. Eve says they should now make babies to get back at Satan, and have mankind live on. They both decide it could have been worse. He says they should go pray to God.
Book XI: Adam and Eve both pray. The Son receives the prayers and presents them to God. He asks God to forgive mankind. God says that He will, but Adam and Eve have to leave Eden. Death will be their punishment, but it will lead to a second birth. God tells Michael to go banish the two, but be pleasant. He tells Michael to tell Adam about their future. Adam and Eve finish praying. They go to work. Michael and a few other angels come up to Adam. Michael tells them they must leave Eden, which comes as a shock to the pair. Adam worries he won't have access to God outside of Eden, but Michael says not to worry, God has everything taken care of. Michael shows Adam his future. Adam is shown the story of Cain and Abel. Adam is frightened, asking Michael if that is what death is. Michael says it's one form of death. Adam sees disease run rampant. Michael then shows men and women getting married. Adam is excited by this, but Michael reels him back in, saying these people are descendants of Cain, so they're actually evil. He shows Adam a battle scene, caused by the previous marriage he saw. He is shown many vices, just as lust and greed. Adam is then shown Noah and the flood. Adam doesn't want to see the future anymore. Michael gives him a little hope with the story of Noah and his redemption of man. Michael tells Adam that after the flood, God will never kill all of mankind until the end of times.
Book XII: Michael stops for a moment to let Adam collect himself. He resumes his story, saying that there will be peace after the flood, until a man named Nimrod comes. He becomes a tyrant. He will try to build a tower to rival Heaven. God gets angry at this, and causes everyone to speak different languages so they can no longer understand each other. God will eventually get so tired of everyone's evilness, that he will select one race to be his. This new group will come from a man named Abraham, and he will take the people to the promise land of Canaan. Abraham will leave everything he owns and knows, to be led by God to the Promise Land. Abraham has many descendants. Eventually, God's people will make it to Egypt, where they will be enslaved by a pharaoh. Two brothers, Moses and Aaron, will lead God's people out of Egypt and back to the Promise Land. The pharaoh and his people will suffer with ten plagues being sent to release God's people. The pharaoh will follow his slaves, while Moses parts the Red Sea for God's people, the pharaoh and his men will drown. God will give them the Ten Commandments. They will get to the Promise Land, but not for long. Adam asks why God gives so many laws. There's going to be a lot of sin. A second king--David--who comes from Abraham's line, will come and protect God's people. Solomon builds a huge temple to house the Ark, where the Ten Commandments are kept. Solomon screws it up and the Israelites (God's people) are captured and enslaved by the Babylonians for 70 years. Everything is okay after the Babylonian imprisonment, until they allow a Roman to rule them. Michael tells Adam that the Son will become a man--named Jesus--and will face a terrible death for man's sins. He will rise after three days. In this, Satan shall be defeated. Jesus will be with his disciples on earth for a little, but then return to Heaven. Jesus will come back later to judge the living and the dead. Adam is happy that his mistakes will be made up for. Michael says the future of God's people will be difficult. Bad people will disguise themselves as good, and there will be more evil in the world until Jesus returns. Adam understands everything. Michael tells him to go and get Eve. The angels lead Adam and Eve out of Eden. They take each other's hands and walk through the garden, out the gates.
That's it, everyone. Sunday will be my customary post about the text, then I'll have a final, cumulative post about all I've discussed. I hope you've enjoyed it!
Cassy
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