Adam and Eve arrived on Earth over 37,800 years ago to uplift our ancestors culturally and genetically.[1] For nearly a hundred years their mission proceeded well, but problems arose because our planetary prince (Caligastia) joined a rebellion against universe authority and was working against them and their mission.
Planetary rebellion
Even though Caligastia was in rebellion, he was not removed from our planet, Urantia, and he is still free on this planet to carry out his plans. Since he is invisible we have no awareness of his work amongst us.
Caligastia offered crafty and effective opposition to the Adamic mission; … this archrebel, by a wily stratagem, outmaneuvered the Edenic pair and entrapped them into a violation of the covenant of their trusteeship as the visible rulers of your world. The traitorous Planetary Prince did succeed in compromising your Adam and Eve, but he failed in his effort to involve them in the Lucifer rebellion. (Urantia Book 583.3)
Caligastia was set on disrupting the efforts of Adan and Eve; Caligastia’s “wily” plan compromised their regime; he somehow influenced the situation to thwart the newly established Garden of Eden. He was not an idle bystander but exactly what did he do?
The plot
His first tactic was to try the direct approach, he had conferences with Adam and Eve in an attempt to convince them directly but they resisted his proposals to join the rebellion. How then could Caligastia bring about the downfall of Adam and Eve? He cannot influence anybody against their will, but as we shall see, all he had to do was to encourage and possibly change the focus of actions that were according to the individual’s will. It is entirely possible he could make subtle suggestions to the mortals in order to direct them in the way he wanted. None of the Urantians could see him, they might have thought these ideas appearing in their minds were their own; also both of the Urantians involved in the plot, Serapatatia and Cano, were supporters of the plans of Adam and Eve and thus might be susceptible to suggestions aimed at “improving things.”
The following discussion fleshing out details of the plot is based partly on conjecture, but it is consistent with the information we have.
The most advanced group of humans then was the Nodites; perhaps their leader had more than one possible successor. Caligastia could have manipulated the various contenders so a new leader would be susceptible to his plans and could become interested in the work of Adam and Eve. As a result of these manipulations, when Adam had been on Urantia for one hundred years Serapatatia became the chief of the Nodite tribes.[2] It may have taken a hundred years to set up this plot, but another consideration on the timing was Caligastia would want to wait for the right time before springing the trap; he would want Adam and Eve to become thoroughly frustrated with their lack of progress and wanted to be certain Adam would be kept busy running the Garden leaving Eve time for the solitary talks with Serapatatia crucial to his plan.
After several visits to the Garden the Nodite leader announced he would form an affiliation with Adam and Eve and the majority of his people joined him; he became an important part of the garden work and was totally sincere in his activities, thinking he was working for the good of the Garden when in fact he was doing the opposite.[3]
Adam had set up the Garden so it was functioning reasonably well, but outside the Garden, resistance was instigated by Caligastia; this constant struggle kept Adam fully occupied. While Adam was thus busy with affairs of the garden, Eve would meet with Serapatatia; these private meetings gradually increased in the confidentiality of the subjects discussed; the entire process proceeded so gradually Eve was caught off guard.[4] During one of these talks Serapatatia got the idea of doing something to immediately help the nearby tribes. He wanted to make a shortcut and mix the violet race of Adam and Eve with the evolutionary races before they were ready; he fully supported the long-term goal but was impatient and wanted to see something in his lifetime. The process was quite gradual; these plans were secretly discussed for five years before Eve agreed to meet Cano who was a handsome and sincere spiritual leader of the friendly neighboring Nodites.[5]
Without laboring the point further, the deed was done.
Consequences
Adam chose to share the fate of his mate, Eve, and as a consequence of their actions, both were declared in default of their mission to our planet, meaning they lost their immortal status and became mortals of the realm.
The immediate result was a complete collapse of the Garden regime; Adam and Eve were declared in default; Serapatatia drowned himself in despair; Cano was killed when the angry inhabitants stormed out of the Garden.
The focus of Adam and Eve was on doing God’s will even after realizing they had done wrong; they continued to strive toward doing His will. They were not overwhelmed by apparent defeat and as a result they made a mighty contribution to our planet.
Never, in all your ascent to Paradise, will you gain anything by impatiently attempting to circumvent the established and divine plan by short cuts, personal inventions, or other devices for improving on the way of perfection, to perfection, and for eternal perfection.[6] (Urantia Book 846.4)
Eve thought there was a way to find a short cut; God whispers into our soul the true way and if we faithfully follow His guidance, we will prevail and leave this world a better place. There are no shortcuts, no easy path toward the doing of God’s will; if we dedicate ourselves to doing His will in all things, we will prevail and leave this world better because of our being here.
Further reading
“Light of Truth: Anticipating the Triumph of Righteousness”