A dying man asked his wife and son to walk to the edge of Paradise and beg for mercy. They came back with a prophecy -- and a death sentence.
Adam lay groaning on his bed, the seventy-two afflictions gnawing at his body. He could barely speak. "What shall I do?" he whispered. "I am in great distress."
Eve wept. "My lord Adam, rise up and give me half your suffering. Let me carry it. This happened because of me. Because of me you are tormented." But Adam would not hear of it. Instead, he sent her on a mission.
"Go with our son Seth toward Paradise. Put earth on your heads. Weep and pray that God will have mercy on me and send His angel to the garden -- to bring oil from the Tree of Life. If I can anoint myself with it, perhaps I will find rest from this agony."
So Seth and Eve set out toward Eden.
On the road, a wild beast lunged at Seth. Eve screamed: "Woe is me! On the day of resurrection, every sinner will curse me, saying: 'Eve did not keep the commandment of God!'" She turned to the beast and challenged it: "You wicked creature -- do you not fear to fight with one made in the image of God? How dare you open your mouth against him? You were made subject to us long ago!"
The beast spoke back. It was no ordinary animal. "This is not our concern, Eve -- your greed and your wailing belong to you. It was because of you that the rule of beasts was overturned. How was your mouth opened to eat from the tree that God forbade? Our very nature was transformed because of what you did. Do not blame us if we rise against you."
Seth silenced the beast with a single command: "Close your mouth. Stand off from the image of God until the Day of Judgment." And the beast obeyed. It bowed and slunk back to its lair.
Mother and son pressed on. They reached the gates of Paradise and knelt in the dust, weeping and praying for the Oil of Mercy.
God sent the archangel Michael. But Michael did not bring oil.
"Seth, man of God," Michael said, "do not exhaust yourself with prayers for the tree that flows with oil to anoint your father Adam. It shall not be given to you now. Only at the end of days. Then all flesh shall be raised -- from Adam to the last of the holy people. Then the delights of Paradise will be restored to them, and God will dwell in their midst. The evil inclination will be removed from their hearts, and they will be given a heart that understands only good and serves God alone."
A promise. Magnificent. But distant.
"Go back to your father," Michael continued. "The term of his life is fulfilled. He will live only three more days, and then he will die. When his soul departs, you will behold the terrifying scene of his passing."
The angel vanished. Seth and Eve returned to the hut where Adam lay. When he saw their faces, he knew. They had failed.
Adam turned to Eve. "What have you done to us? You have brought upon us a great wrath -- death itself, lording it over our entire race." Then his voice softened with one final request: "Call all our children and our children's children together. Tell them the manner of our transgression. Tell them everything."
Three days. That was all he had left. And in those three days, the whole story would have to be told.