Have you ever wondered why we live in a world of escalating troubles? As one problem appears to be solved, three more take its place. With humanity’s vast fund of knowledge and technology, why is man unable to solve his problems? History reveals that civilization has progressively grown worse. Why? What has led up to today’s conditions?

Being born in today’s world is much like starting a book at its last chapter or breaking into a movie just before the end. You find yourself in an age filled with awesome technological advancements. It is hard to fathom how anyone could have lived before our time without electricity, air conditioning, automobiles, air travel, camera cellphones, computers or MP3 players.

Yet we find ourselves threatened with total annihilation from nuclear warfare! This world suffers from poverty, impending plagues, disease, hunger and illiteracy. Add to this the breakdown of a society with rampant violence, crime, drug use and sexual perversions. Millions live discontented lives, having no hope for the future.

How and why did this come to be? Why can’t human beings work together to solve these problems?

The answers to these and other questions are revealed in the pages of the Bible. God has not been mute about the problems facing humanity. Let’s look into His Word to see what He has to say.

(1) How did the apostle Paul characterize the world of his day? Galatians 1:4. How did he describe “the last days”—the time in which we are living? II Timothy 3:1-4. Did Jesus Christ warn that human existence would be threatened during this same time period? Matthew 24:3, 21-22.

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus foresaw the age in which we live, a time when mankind has the ability to erase all life!

(2) Does the Bible point out that for every effect, whether good or bad, there is an underlying cause? Proverbs 11:18; 22:8. Therefore, there must be a reason for the frightening and sad state that we find the world in today. Galatians 6:7.

God’s Word clearly points out that we will reap what we sow! The wars, violence, suffering and social ills we see are a direct result of mankind choosing to follow a certain way of life.

(3) Is there a way of life that leads to abundant blessings and happiness? Deuteronomy 28:1-14. How did Jesus summarize that way of life? Matthew 22:36-40. What are the results of living the opposite way of life? Deuteronomy 28:15-19.

As we can see, there are only two ways of life. One is the way of give; the other is the way of get. The way of give causes one to have outgoing love and concern for the well-being of other people. This is God’s Way and is a part of His great Law, which can be summed up in one word: love.

Imagine how different things would be if humanity followed God’s way of give. We would be living in a world filled with universal peace, happiness and prosperity! Instead, the world follows the way of get, resulting in selfishness and greed.

(4) Let’s take a look at when mankind first came to a fork in the road and took the wrong path in the Garden of Eden. What kinds of trees did God plant there? Genesis 2:8-9. What instructions did God give Adam concerning two specific trees? Verses 15-17.

In this beautiful, lush garden were many trees that produced fruit for the first human beings. Yet God gave specific instructions regarding two of the trees. One was the tree of life. Eating of its fruit symbolized obedience to God’s Law and receiving the Holy Spirit, which would have given Adam and Eve spiritual understanding. This tree also symbolized eternal life, which they would have received as well.

The other tree was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eating of its fruit symbolized disobedience to God’s Law, deceiving man into believing he is capable of deciding for himself what is good and what is evil—relying completely on himself rather than God. We are witnessing the results of eating from this tree.

(5) Was Eve cleverly deceived into doubting God, leading to disobeying His direct command? Genesis 3:1-6. How did Adam respond? Verse 6.

(6) Who was this serpent that convinced Eve to believe a lie, causing her to disobey God? Revelation 12:9.

The serpent who lied to Eve and craftily deceived her into doubting God’s instructions is Satan the devil, who was formerly Lucifer, a powerful spirit-being. This same Lucifer had rebelled against God long before man’s creation (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:13-15).

Notice he is portrayed in John 8:44 as the father of lies. Lying is his specialty!

(7) What was the outcome of Adam and Eve disobeying God? Genesis 3:22-24.

When Adam and Eve ate of the wrong tree, they actually rejected God Himself. As a result, they cut themselves off from Him (Isaiah 59:2). God needed to prevent them and their descendants from having access to the tree of life, whose fruit symbolized eternal life. Had He not done so, they would have been confined to a state of misery for eternity.

Also, being cut off from God resulted in mankind being limited to physical knowledge.

(8) Despite humanity’s fund of knowledge, there is something that has caused this world to be in its current state. What does God say is lacking? Hosea 4:6; Isaiah 59:8.

From the moment the first parents rejected their Creator and the way of give, God has allotted 6,000 years for mankind to learn and experience the effects of its ill-chosen path of life. Left without God’s help and guidance, human beings are reaping the fruits of lives devoid of spiritual knowledge and understanding.

Mankind continues to reject God. History demonstrates that physical knowledge alone is not enough to solve even the basic problems of man’s interpersonal relationships, such as how to get along with one’s neighbor. Such problems are spiritual in nature—and require spiritual remedies. This is why humanity finds itself on the brink of total destruction!

(9) Have humans continued to be influenced by the same being, Satan the devil, as were Adam and Eve? Revelation 12:9. How large is Satan’s sphere of influence? Is it possible for him to be an invisible ruler of this world and continue to influence people to disobey God, just as he did with the first human beings? II Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2.

Mankind has been under the invisible sway of Satan for nearly 6,000 years. Under the devil’s influence, human beings have set up and organized their own societies, education systems, governments and even their own religions—all based on what seems right to them. But these lead only to warfare, poverty, starvation, terrorism, crime—and ultimately death (Proverbs 14:12)!

In spite of all this, there is light at the end of the tunnel. God reveals in His inspired Word that all human suffering will be eliminated. An entirely different world is coming—one of peace, prosperity and happiness, where the way of give will be practiced by all!