“Hi Joy, are you ready to go to the Mystery Mansion?” Grace asked.”
“I sure am!” I replied, grabbing my purse. Faith and Hope were already in the car so off we went.
None of us had ever been to the Mystery Mansion but we read that it is a huge mansion with forty rooms. Each person is allowed to ask two questions, so with questions in hand, we started our self-guided tour from room to room to see if we could find the answers to the mysteries man has wondered about for centuries.
“Okay, What are everyone’s questions,” I asked. “Faith, you go first,” I prompted.
“I want to know, like, why did God plant the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and’ like, how does a tree give knowledge? Wait, is that considered two questions?” she asked.
Grace piped up, “No, I think the word ‘and’ makes it one question, so you’ve got one more.”
Faith glanced at her notebook in her hand. “Like, what is the significance of gardens to God because the beginning of life started in the Garden of Eden and the promise of new life was about to be, like, ratified in the Garden of Gethsemane?” Then she said, “Hope, you go next.”
“First question – What was the light that shone on the first day of creation if the sun wasn’t created until the fourth day?”
“Good question,” I said. “What’s your other question?”
“What was it like outside the Garden of Eden?” She looked at me. “Your turn.”
“I would like to know what was the chaos mentioned in Genisus 1:2 before God created the cosmos? I’m just wondering, but this is not my second question,” I said, “but where did the chaos come from?” My three friends looked at me with blank faces, except Faith raised her eyebrows and shrugged. “Never mind, that’s why we are going to the Mystery Mansion, right?” They nodded. “What, where, and why was the deep and darkness on the face of the deep with the Holy Spirit hovering over the face of the waters? You’re next, Grace.”
“Is the universe circular meaning without beginning and end? And will we know each other relationally in heaven as we did on earth?” She shrugged her left shoulder.
“Grace, you are, like, so practical,” Faith laughed.
Grace spoke up, “I have another question if I get the chance to ask it and that is ‘Why did Satan still have access to God’s presence along with the angels in Job 1:6 since he was cursed in the garden, and God does not tolerate sin in His presence?’”
“Hmm,” I said, thoughtfully. “Who knows? But I have an extra question, too,” I ventured. “Is the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden the same Tree of Life in heaven, and if so, what is its significance?” Before anyone could answer, we pulled up in front of the Mansion. The Mansion was set back from the narrow road that was not well traveled. We all marveled at its beauty, and exclaimed our delight that admission was free!
The first of 40 rooms we entered had a sign like that of one extended out over a cobblestone sidewalk that read, “Moses’ Law Office.” On a table to our immediate right stood a table with five chronicles spread out fan-style. On each book stenciled in gold were the names Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. On the opposite wall hung two stone tablets. We perused through the books but did not find answers to our questions.
The next room we entered had a sign plaque above the door – “Isaiah’s Prophecy Chamber.” We scanned his familiar book. We especially loved reading Isaiah’s prophecy of the suffering Messiah in Chapter 53 but did not find the answers we were looking for.
We ventured into “Mark’s Gospel Room.” The room had minimal décor, but the walls were covered with strips of paper from ceiling to floor with the entire gospel – minus chapter and verse numbers – in a lovely handwritten style. We read what we could of the action-packed manuacript that draped the walls looking for our answers. Again, all to no avail.
The next room was “John’s Revelation Room.”
To be continued next week.