Simply, in few words, Genesis, the first book of the Bible, explains the origin of the universe: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) After God created plants and animals, he created the first humans, Adam and Eve. They were different from animals because humans have a measure of God’s own qualities, including free will. Thus, they were responsible for their actions. If they obeyed God’s instructions, they could share in God’s purpose as the first parents of a global human family that would enjoy peaceful, perfect life on earth forever.

However, a certain angel, or spirit creature, seized the opportunity to use humans to his own selfish advantage. He thus became Satan, meaning “Resister.” Speaking through a serpent, Satan deceived Eve, telling her that she would be better off without God’s guidance. Adam and Eve followed Satan, breaking their tie with their Maker. Because of their bad choice, our first parents lost out on endless life and passed on to all of us sin, imperfection, and unavoidable death.

Immediately, God declared his intention to rectify this sad situation and give Adam’s descendants a way to gain endless life. God foretold that a “seed”—a special individual—would ultimately destroy Satan and undo all the suffering that Satan, Adam, and Eve had caused. (Genesis 3:15) Who would that “seed” turn out to be? Time would tell.

In the meantime, Satan constantly tried to thwart God’s good purpose. Sin and wickedness spread rapidly. God determined to destroy the wicked in a flood. He instructed righteous Noah to build an ark—a huge floating box—to save himself and his family, along with the animals that he was instructed to take into the ark.

A year after the Flood began, Noah and his family stepped out of the ark onto a cleansed earth. But the “seed” had yet to appear.

—Based on Genesis, chapters 1-11; Jude 6, 14, 15; Revelation 12:9.