SEVEN SEALS
The Pre-Adamic Creation Explained.
Livingstone Fagan
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: Genesis – Creation Revisited.
CHAPTER 2: The Fallen Human Nature.
CHAPTER 3: The Security and Continuity of Creation.
CHAPTER 4: Why Rebellion?
CHAPTER 5: Why Christ?
CHAPTER 6: The Judgement and the Seven Seals.
CHAPTER 7: The Kingdom Comes to Earth.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
“So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it...” [Gen. 1:27-28]
INTRODUCTION
Speaking to His disciples shortly before he would be crucified and later depart from them, Christ reassured them saying, “But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” [John 14:26] During this same conversation He would further go on to say, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” [John 16:12-13] Where He spoke of “...things to come” this took form as the Revelation given to the apostle John who was taken up to heaven to be shown the future. John saw the scene of the book sealed with Seven Seals in the right hand of the Father sat on the throne. [Rev. 4-5:1ff; 10; Dan. 12:8-10] This was a sacred truth to be revealed in the end times. It would help prepare Christ’s true followers for what they would face in the lead up to His return in glory. [Rev. 3:10-12; 7:1-8, 9-17; Matt. 24:21-22]
The purpose of religion was to bring its adherents to a true knowledge of God. [Matt. 5:48; John 17:1-3ff] Ever since the Edenic Fall there have been two key concerns relating to the continued existence of Mankind. The first had to do with addressing his now fallen human nature. Man lost that essential pre-fall nature (and being) that he initially had with God. This was made evident when God appeared to Adam and Eve after they had eaten of the tree contrary to His command. They showed alienation from God. God himself had not changed, they had. A fundamental shift had occurred in Man’s nature. He lost his true self. Instead of the “living” soul created in the image of God he now became a “dying” soul. This alienation has continued as part of the fallen human nature ever since. How to heal it? The second concern, relates to what the Edenic Fall meant for the security and continuity of the earth and creation itself. This deals with the future of Mankind and the earth in terms of the societal and environmental consequence of the fall. Both these concerns have been an ongoing theme of life on earth ever since.
While these concerns are indeed important they don’t exist in vacuum. The Earth and Man is not all there is or indeed the central focus. There are broader realities also to be considered. These are often overlooked but are an essential part of the puzzle. The bigger picture of life and existence itself provides context enabling understanding. You will notice in our opening text, after Adam and Eve were created it was said unto them, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it...” Note where it states, “replenish” the earth. What does this tell us? The word “replenish” means to refill or to put back what was there. This implies there were people from a prior time here on earth before Adam and Eve. Adam’s creation would in fact be made from already used substance. As well as inferences from the scriptures there would also exist artefacts left to be discovered from this prior creation. As the title of this work indicates what I aim to do here is explore what I refer to as this Pre-Adamic creation. This is a quiet thread woven through the biblical narrative. Naturally this has implications for existing views on this subject. Not only for how we understand the Genesis account of creation but the entire bible and what it teaches. In fact, it goes beyond this to the non-religious scientific enquiry into such areas as the origin and nature of the universe. It will be seen that both these domains (religious and non-religious) have come up short in what they understand of existence. Significantly, the separation between religion and science has not helped the cause of truth, quite the contrary. Things remaining the way they are make apparent all human endeavours to address the human condition are doomed to fail. This comes not without cost in the continued diminishing of the soul as Man’s life energy dissipates.
It was noted that the purpose of religion was to bring its adherents to a true knowledge of God. This often gets lost sight of by rituals and religiosity that tend to conceal the absence of true substance. Christ noted this. [Matt. 15:1-14; 23] In the Psalms we read, “The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do [his commandments:] his praise endureth for ever. [Ps. 111:10] Faith is empowered by true understanding. You then know what it is you believe and the reasons why. This strengthens commitment and resolve. But this is not just about acquiring understanding. It is also involves the way we arrive there. The apostle Paul rightly pointed out that spiritual things are, “...spiritually discerned.” [1Cor. 2:9-16] We read where Isaiah wrote of God, “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts. For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little...” [Isa. 28:9-13] The knowledge of God is scattered throughout the scriptures, there to be gathered in order to discern the “whole” truth. The apostle John was told to, “...eat the book”. [Rev. 10:1-2ff, 8-10; compare Ezek. 2:9-10; 3:1-3; Jer. 15:16; Ps. 119:103-104] This enables the Holy Spirit to work empowering us to discern the meanings. [Prov. 1:20-23; 2:1-5(Matt. 11:18-19; Luke 1:26-35, 36-45); John 14:26; 16:12-15ff] This experience is like picking up a signal imbuing the thought processes. With the circuitry of mind and soul having already been prepared (through knowledge of the Word) to receive it. Like the life blood courses through the veins animating the body, so the Spirit courses through mind animating the thought perceptions to understand the Divine. There is a reason things are this way. The thoughts and ways of Man (particularly in his now fallen condition) are not the thoughts and ways of God. [Isa. 55:6-9ff] This hinders his ability to perceive beyond this temporal state to the Eternal. By focusing on the wider context of creation this work aims to provide greater clarity on a much misunderstood but important subject. It brings together its key aspects in a structured layered way in the light of the Seventh Angel’s message. It is hoped this fosters a more informed honest discussion on what the bible actually teaches about creation and how we understand it.
CHAPTER 1
Genesis – Creation Revisited.
It has been a long held belief that the earth and the world in which we now live started with Adam’s creation. This is not entirely true. Many have accepted this, not from a thorough examination of the text but out of religious cultural tradition handed down through the ages. This seems to be as far as it goes, as though there was nothing more to discover. But there was. Further yet; there have been several discoveries that challenged this received view. The stage was set for such challenges by the emergence of modern science. Ironically, it can be said this had its roots in the 16thCentury Protestant Reformation. This challenged the then Roman Catholic Theocracy which ruled for over a Millennium. Did it advance Mankind? Arguably, both material and spiritual progress was stymied. The “Dark Ages” is a term used to describe a significant part of that period. Nevertheless, important to this was a controversy sparked by Copernicus (later Galileo) who proffered a sun-centred rather than an earth-centred view of the orbital arrangement of the sun and the Earth. Science, ironically, stepped out in “faith” challenging the then held view of the Church. Instead of finding acceptance moving understanding forward it was met with rebuff by the then Church leadership. Much like was seen with Christ and the Jewish religionists of His day. [Matt. 21:33-45; John 11:43-50] When we look back at the miracles Christ did, this was revolutionary. Imagine raising the dead. There is a science (and power) behind all that He did. Now 2,000 years on this still has not been mastered.
This revisiting of the Genesis creation narrative challenges both the current religious and scientific view on what Genesis actually teaches. It will become clear that both these communities became more concerned with protecting their “turf” while the truth of creation itself was set aside. The focus of the scientific community was not about God but about the physicality of existence, its forms and processes. For religion, this was more about Church Organization and its baggage of traditions rather than truth. It now felt its temporal authority threatened. Both sides became consumed in their own concerns. Increasingly, the controversy between them became the story, while God and Truth were lost sight of. It has been noted how the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Not that these two parts are the sum or even the whole. But the separation of science and religion leaves either position inherently flawed. What has this achieved in addressing the fundamental issues of the human condition? It has not brought healing to the fallen human nature. Neither has it ensured the security and continuity of the earth. Instead it has served to mask the desolate state of the soul with false hopes and material distractions in the face of creeping environmental and societal decay. Built on a false premise, it would be derisory to have expected this to produce something different. Given the position and role both these institutions play in the world it is not unreasonable to expect better. But so long as this separation remains neither side is positioned such that it can deliver or know the truth. What then is the truth?
We turn our attention then to the Genesis account of creation. Why was this given in the first place and to whom was it directed? This was not just for the benefit of Mankind. It will be seen this was intended for a wider audience, to include the Angels. Apparently nothing is said about their creation, yet paradoxically everything is said about it. Obviously, as the term states, it was intended to make known the “beginning”. How things came to be. Interestingly, it is from the term Genesis we get the word genes or genetics. The idea did not come from science. Given that this has to do with realities that came before Man, this discussion necessitates openness of mind to include information from a source beyond Man himself. So then, “In the beginning God...” is entirely relevant to the discourse. This forms part of how we approaching this subject. The truth is allowed to reveal itself on its own terms, not defined through the prism of separation or the polarised positions of either science or religion. Man did not bring himself into being. Neither was he responsible for the existence of Earth and the Universe. Given that God was there in the beginning before Man ever existed it is not unreasonable that God would know something about it. The book of Genesis is associated with Moses. We are informed he met with God directly. This is on record for all to examine and arrive at their own conclusion as to its legitimacy. [Ex. 3; Ex. 19ff; Num. 12:4-8ff; etc,]
Focusing on the text of Genesis, what I aim to show here is that there was a creation here on earth that existed before Adam and Eve. It too (like Adam’s creation in the days of Noah) had reached a state of such corruption that it was similarly destroyed by a flood. The souls of those who lived back then became the angels in heaven. But they had their birth and beginning here on this planet before being taken to heaven. For how long they were here and the time between their departure and Adam’s creation remains to be answered. Their state of development before their destruction is also of interest. When their souls were taken to heaven the earth was left empty of life and covered up with water. Physical artefacts of them having been here would have remained. The initial verses of Genesis describing the days of Adam’s creation was in relation to both these creations. After the second day (verse 9) attention turned to the “the waters under the heaven...” This became part of the narrative in the lead up to the Adamic creation. This also mirrors what I have referred to as the pre-Adamic creation. As noted, the time difference between these two creations is an unknown length. This could have been many thousands of years. We read where it is written about God, “For a thousand years in thy sight [are but] as yesterday when it is past, and [as] a watch in the night.” [Ps. 90:4] The angels dwell in the presence of the Eternal God. The sense and duration of time would be different than being under the sun as we are today.
In a more detailed look at the text, on the second day of creation the “waters” comprising the great “deep” were separated into three levels or stories. Notice, “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which [were] under the firmament from the waters which [were] above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.” [Gen. 1:6-8] So, we have three levels; the firmament itself (level 2) the waters above the firmament (level 3) and the waters under the firmament (Level 1). The firmament is what we today call space, what is seen when we look up above the earth. [Gen. 1:14-18] As noted this would be the second level. Above this is the third level (the waters above the firmament). These levels (stories) have been depicted elsewhere. [Gen. 6:16; Ex. 26:33; 27:9, 21; Ezek. 40:1-4ff; 41:15-16] Besides mentioning it, nothing was actually said about the waters above the firmament. The “waters under the firmament” is the level of the planetary; in our case the Earth and the other planets orbiting the sun. The waters here were gathered together to reveal the dry land called “Earth”. [Gen. 1:8-10] The “Earth” was there, already formed. It had merely been covered up. It was now being uncovered paving the way to becoming inhabited once again. There was a reason for this. The same as there was a reason why nothing was said about the waters above the firmament. This is the heavens where God dwells. We speak of it as the spiritual realm. Like the waters under the firmament (where the Earth is) it also has form and function. The apostle John was taken up there. [Rev. 4ff; compare 2Cor. 12:1-4ff; Ezek. 1:1ff; Ex. 24:9-10; John. 3:12-13; 14:1-3ff]
Before we go further, I noted where Adam and Eve were told to “replenish” the earth. This meant to re-people it. The same was told to Noah after the flood. [Gen. 1:28; 9:1] There is a reason why all of this was being done. This takes us back to (1) the Pre-Adamic creation, and (2) something that happened in heaven. The rebellion had also now emerged there too. These two events provide the wider context to understand the reason behind Adam’s creation. When the pre-Adamic creation was destroyed (due to rebellion) their souls were saved and embodied as angels in heaven by act of God’s love. But the knowledge of their former state (as men on earth) was lost to them. Lucifer started the rebellion. He was the covering cherub in heaven, the one who communicated the inspiration of God to the angelic host. [Ezek. 28:13-19; Isa. 14:12-16ff; Rev. 12:3-4, 7-13] We see an example of this with the strong angel shown proclaiming, “... with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” when John was taken up to heaven. [Rev. 4-5:1-2ff] Lucifer no longer holds this position having been cast down from heaven to Earth. [Rev. 12:3-4, 7-13ff] Some time after the rebellion emerged in heaven, all of heaven came down from their place above the firmament to the place under the firmament (in space) to see the place of their initial creation. This served two main functions. Firstly to show them what had happened and where their current rebellion would lead. Secondly, in the creation of Adam and Eve this would be a new addition to the family – the grand children, if you will. The angels were the Firstborn. [Heb. 12:22-25; John. 3:3-8; Rev. 4-5:1-11ff] This offered a path to redeem Lucifer and end the rebellion. As noted the Genesis account of creation was given for a wider audience not just for man. There is another twist to this. Given that the rebellion was also in heaven should that be destroyed too? This was of course an option, but then there would be no creation. The alternative was to revisit the waters under the firmament and start again. Only this time, in the event of a rebellion, instead of saving them all (out of His love) as was done under the pre-Adamic creation, they would be left with the choice whether or not to be saved. Similarly, the Angels would have the choice whether to end or continue their rebellion. Lucifer chose to continue his rebellion. He also went on to deceive Man causing him to fall. In the same way God sought to save the angels from their rebellion God would also seek to save Man from his fall. But in both cases this would require them to choose to be saved. It had already been proven that it doesn’t work for God to just save you without you choosing to be saved. The issue here was about freewill. Does force (whether by violence, manipulation, deceit or perhaps even love) meet the requirement of Justice and truth? Is God’s love above justice and truth? What is the premise upon which existence is to rest in order for it to eternally endure? These questions all have a bearing on the security and continuity of existence.
So then, with Man in his now fallen condition, a plan had to be devised to save him. What form this would take remained to be revealed. By the time we get to Noah the earth saw ten generations since the fall. Corruption had again ravaged the earth. The knowledge and fear of God was lost sight of as man became consumed with himself. God was left with little option other than to again destroy it. We read, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” [Gen. 6:5-7] As noted, instead of saving everyone out of His love (as He did with the pre-Adamic creation) they would have the option to choose for themselves. This plan came in the form of Noah’s ark. For 120 years Noah preached that a flood would come upon the earth. [Gen. 6:3ff] What Noah did was an act of protest against the prevailing corruption and wickedness of his day. In the end he and his family alone of mankind at that time were saved. When they came through on the other side of the flood and the waters were receded, they were commanded to once again “replenish” the earth as was the case with Adam and Eve in the beginning. [Gen. 9:1ff] Just by way of an interesting titbit, given that the waters of the flood had saturated the ground, where did the waters recede to? Apart from what was evaporated in the atmosphere we find an interesting answer to this question, “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. [Ps. 33:6-7; also Job 38:37] Where do we find these “storehouses” for this enormous amount of water? Keep in mind the spherical shape of the earth, its rotation on its axis, its tilt from true north and the force of gravity.
CHAPTER 2
The Fallen Human Nature
In our introduction it was noted how Man lost that essential nature characterizing the state he was with God before the fall. We saw the initial evidence of this when God appeared to Man after they had eaten of the tree contrary to His command. They exhibited alienation from God. We read, “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where [art] thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I [was] naked; and I hid myself.” [Gen. 3:8-10] Not only did the fall change their own sense of themselves but more important their perception of God. They now showed fear of Him. This was evidence of a fundamental shift in Man’s state of being. The original relationship between Man and God was now broken. Man became separated from God and from himself. Adam’s relationship with Eve had also changed. [Gen. 3:9-12] At a deeper level, instead of the “living” soul created in the image of God that he was, he was now a “dying” soul. He became orientated away from life toward death. This was the underlying cause of the changes. In vain Man’s life would now be lived around trying to secure himself from death. But as things stand He could not escape it. This is the condition in which Man now finds himself. Increasingly he would also become more and more distant from his original sense of himself (created in the image of God) with the passing of time. This alienation has continued as part of the fallen human nature ever since. It has been passed down from generation to generation through the seed of man. Today we have reached a place where a true understanding of God (and our shared humanity) is arguably entirely lost. This invariably impacts how we view ourselves and treat one another. How to heal this? While laws and education may influence or restrain behaviour they are ineffectual when it comes to changing the fallen human nature. This is much more than generational. What then is the solution?
We understand that God is all powerful and yet all loving. His almighty power is constrained by his love. Without this love he would be just that, unconstrained almighty power. Imagine if this was all there is to God. This would be sobering! Still, we read where the scriptures state, “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise [man] glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty [man] glory in his might, let not the rich [man] glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I [am] the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these [things] I delight, saith the LORD.” [Jer. 9:23-24] What sets both man and angels apart as higher beings? It is more than just intelligence and rational thinking, even less so riches and might. Intelligence makes us functional. More often than not, with the fallen human nature this makes man highly functionally evil. He is without the constraints of a comparatively developed conscience. What makes us children of God (created in His image and likeness) is our being possessed of compassion and morality. These higher traits are what afford us conscience and agency defining us as truly free moral beings. This is not a thing of flesh but of the Spirit. [Gal. 5:19-23] We are made to see the true depth and meaning of the Edenic Fall. Man had fallen below the standard of being that made him what he was in his original creation. The Devil and his angels now also showed they too had fallen from the standard of being angels. This was no small matter. The scriptures lament, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how] art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” [Isa. 14:12; compare Ezek. 28:13-18ff] Both the fall of Man and Lucifer was an immense tragedy. This shook heaven and earth. The whole creation was left in mourning and woe.
-------------------
Man’s right of to life and being (upon which hang all his rights) is as he retains the image of God in which he was created. To fall short of this he has no right(s) of being. This is why death enters into the equation. He brings death to himself. Death isn’t something God arbitrarily imposes. It comes as a result of matter returning to its primordial state of formlessness and void. As the Spirit and Word of God that forms and animates creation is withdrawn (having been rejected) the way is open for this to occur. [Gen. 1:1-2ff; 2:7; Prov. 8:1-5ff, 22-36; Ps. 104:29-30] As noted there is a standard by which life is made possible. Short of this is death. Eventually, death itself is destroyed. However, God is eternal. He lives forever. His eternal existence has its unique essence by which it consists. Such realities as love, truth and justice arise from this and it is in light of it their true meaning is perceived. Like with the testing of Adam and Eve at the tree, it was also not arbitrary or by accident that God gave Commandments and Laws to the children of Israel – which they would rebel against. These came of the life of God much like the “breath of life” breathed into Adam at the beginning animating his lifeless form. We read concerning this, “When Israel [was] a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. [As] they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.” [Hos. 11:1-4] Here, Israel was being animated as a nation. Borne by the principle out of which God’s eternal life consists. Them becoming and continuing as a nation was inextricably tied to obedience to God. Similarly, this is seen in God commending His love in the giving His only begotten Son to save Mankind. Having fallen, Man would thereby be made able to meet the standard of life by which life consists. In this profound act of love, fallen man is again enjoined to God through His Son, Christ. To be made like the Son of God, what greater security than that? To fall short of this we are otherwise lost and rightly so. Despite how we may flatter ourselves we are just garbage, made of the rotted carcases of things once destroyed. This allows us to see why in the end it comes down to right or wrong, truth or lie, life or death. There is no in-between or mixing of the two. Good AND evil cannot work. Speaking in relation to the sin against the Holy Ghost Christ said it this way, “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit.” [Matt. 12:33; compare Rev. 3:14-22] The Wheat is separated from the Tares, the Righteous from the Wicked. [Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43] This comes as a matter of the principle of life. We understand why the apostle John wept when no one was found worthy to open the book. When he was taken to heaven he saw the standard of righteous required for life. Despite having been with Christ he couldn’t see how he could possibly be saved. The prophet Isaiah saw this too. [Isa. 6:1-5ff]
-------------------
The pre-Adamic creation was destroyed. By reason of rebellion they had corrupted themselves as was the case with the antediluvians in Noah’s day. It was noted how God saved all their souls embodying them as angels. This was done purely out of His love. Although God knew what was done, the angels did not. Their memory of what happened was lost during the process of them being destroyed and their souls embodied as angels. You will recall where King Solomon wrote, “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any [thing] that is done under the sun.” [Eccles. 9:5-6] While the angels had no knowledge of what had happened, the fact of it was not erased from existence. As already noted, God knew about it. [Gen. 3:22] Today when a child is born into the world does it retain a memory of being formed in the womb? The parents know about it. They also know what preceded it giving it context. The issue that arose in heaven centered on freewill. Lucifer was the covering Cherub. You will recall there were two angels (one on the left and one on the right) whose wings stretched over the Mercy Seat where the Shekinah Glory (Light) was. This was above the ark in the Most Holy place. [Ex. 25:10-22] Lucifer was the covering angel on the left. He communicated the light (from God) revealing God’s character and will to the other angels. This placed him in a somewhat unique position in relation to the angels. To be like God (perfect) was a thing much desired in heaven. What higher aspiration is there? You will note where Christ said to his disciples, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” [Matt. 5:48] In the course of time Lucifer came to think of himself as the “source” of the light. Only to find out he was a “reflector” of it. This caused an eclipse in the light. Like when the moon eclipses the sun blocking the sunlight while casting its dark shadow on the earth. You can almost see Lucifer there, in his injured pride complaining his freewill (thinking himself the source of the light) was infringed. There is more to this, including the identity of the other angel on the right. Who was He? For our purposes here, something happened in which a dispute arose that led to the rebellion in heaven. The scriptures hint at this. [Ezek. 28:11-19; Rev. 12:3-4, 7-13] We read, “Thou [art] the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee [so:] thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” [Ezek. 28:14-15] The apostle Paul speaks of the “mystery of iniquity”. [2Thess. 2:3-12] Not wanting to get too far ahead of myself, this mystery was being revealed. Not as something talked about as a theory but a living reality being enacted.
With regard to the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” why was it there in the first place. There is a reason why Adam and Eve were tested by it, beyond just themselves. This had to do with the issue of freewill. Lucifer levelled the charge against God that creation was not free. Freewill is at the heart of freedom. The choice of God to save those under the pre-Adamic creation was out of His love. Lucifer would come to argue this was an infringement of their freewill. Thereby implying they were not truly free. He seemed not to grasp that it was also out of God’s love they were created in the first place. Like with Adam they had no say in it. This is where love comes into it. To be born of love or not at all? Interesting how Lucifer positioned himself as the voice of the angels. Indeed that’s what he was as the covering Cherub. Nevertheless, whatever he perceived God’s love to be; in Lucifer’s mind freewill was above it. This he argued not because there was any merit to it, but iniquitously he thought to use it as a pretext to exalt himself above God. In his pride he did not think to consider that maybe God’s mind might just be above his mind. What is the mind of the created to the mind of the creator? Here, with Lucifer being so close to God (covering cherub) he thought to seize what appeared to him as an opportunity to usurp the throne of God. This meant instead of being the covering cherub on the left, he would actually sit upon the Mercy Seat where the “Light” was. The created would seek to set himself in the Seat of the creator. This is like a son angling to replace his father with himself. A key strategy to achieve his designs was to use his position as covering cherub to misrepresent the character and person of God while promoting himself. Feeling secure in his position he gambled there would be none to challenge or expose him. This strategy is common among men and women today in the slimy game of power and rule. But as with Eve at the tree, they become seduced by this. Thinking to gain an advantage, but unmindful they are being ensnared. As shown here, this is of the Devil. What Lucifer appears not to have grasped is the significant difference between him and God. Without the creator the created could not be. We see this today with those who seek to deny God as the creator of heaven and earth in order to make way for their own ideas. As if their theories of the universe are of any relevance to the universe actually coming into existence. We read where the scriptures state, “Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?” [Isa. 29:16] Further, “Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass [yourselves] about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks [that] ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.” [Isa. 50:11]
In these modern times much information and thinking about the universe has emerged. The scientific community now find itself in crisis about what they thought they knew. The irony here is that this came about by their own hand. They were in fact no different than the religionists before them and from whom they separated themselves. Instead of God being their supposed focus as was the religionists, their focus became the forms and processes of creation. But they too pontificated as though they were the voice of truth on these matters, albeit a little gingerly by presenting what they deduced as “theories”. This gave them wiggle room to be wrong without losing face. This could also make what they were doing more insidious than the religionists. It risked them becoming like Lucifer, overreaching themselves by thinking they are the “source” of light rather than a “reflector” of it. To fall to this merely required them to subtly deny God while promoting themselves. They too would come to establish structures of “scientific orthodoxy” reminiscent of the religionist’s dogma of the Dark Ages. Seemingly to accord them some measure of “righteousness” with which to entrench themselves. This would also come to appear as almost all-encompassing. But while this may be of significance among their peers, what is it to God? It is like the thousands of man-made satellites orbiting the earth compared to the one moon God made to light up the night sky. Or even their interstellar space probes and telescopes (Voyager, New Horizon, Hubble, and JWST etc,) sent into the firmament of space, as compared to the door opened in the third heaven through which the apostle John entered. Their search of space was not to find God, rather to add weight to their theorizing about the heavens to promote themselves. Setting aside God left them without what to truly evaluate themselves and what they were doing. This made them a law unto themselves. But this also had consequences for Mankind. They are still as Christ said about the Jewish religionist of His day, “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” [Matt. 15:14] The only thing that really changes in this game is the name, science instead of religion. Valuable time and resources have been expended for vanity. We have seen the pretty pictures of the universe. In light of these new observations, attempts to now dust off and revise their “theories” are proving insufficient leaving them in freefall.
We read where the scriptures speak of God saying, “For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” [Isa. 55:8-9] Given that this is the case how far can man come (by his own thoughts) to the true understanding of the heavens? Keep in mind also his now fallen human nature, of death rather than life. Would his capacity of mind and thought limit (or deny him) ability to independently comprehend what comes of the mind of God. This would include what God creates. Could he, by thinking, free himself of his fallen mind? It would appear that some things by their very nature must therefore come by way of Divine revelation not by sight alone. This is an argument against the notion of the separation of science and religion. As for Lucifer and the angels the same is true. God’s thoughts are the verity of wisdom and understanding. His love is eternal, unsurpassed. There is life affirming meaning to this and value to be gained in searching it out. This is beautifully captured in Psalm 19. God is before all things and by him all things exists. Lucifer was unhappy with things being this way. It gave him no room to boast himself. This was the crux of his motivation against God. On the surface he would contend that in view of this his freewill was infringed. This defies all reasonableness and understanding. What you get with God is Truth. Where there is Truth in verity, where is there need of argument? Truth is not a place you come to argue. It is place you come to rest. We read, “LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou [art] God.” [Ps. 90:1-2] Further, “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness [is] unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.” [Ps. 119:89-90] The whole of existence would need to be overturned in order to give way to what really amounts to Lucifer’s ego. The reflection of this has come to epitomise life among men and women on earth under the Devil’s system and rule. [Matt. 4:8-10; Rev. 2:13; 13; Ps. 2:1-2ff; etc,] This is the real threat to the security of heaven and earth. Let’s not forget it was the Devil who caused the Fall of Man. It was also prophesied that to secure his rule on the earth he weakens the nations. [Isa. 14:12; Rev. 12:7-12]
-------------------------
An important point to note here, God’s love is indispensable to the equation of existence. To remove this would be to remove God. To remove God there would be no creation. There would be nothing. No creation to rebel against, no Lucifer to complain about his freewill being infringed. Nothing! Indeed, in the end this is what Lucifer resorts to in pushing his now exposed hollow argument. Rather than admit he was wrong he seeks that there would be no punishment for the wicked and no reward for the righteous, but that existence would return to a state as if it had not been. This seems to have been his backup plan in the event his rebellion failed. This would mean he would avoid justice and regard himself as some kind of “hero” despite the misery he caused. But this will be denied him. The devils rebellion has been the cause of evil in the world. His evil is given expression through the ungodly among men who follow in his ways. [Job 1-2; Isa. 14:12ff; Luke 22:1-6; John 8:44; etc] Now hardened in his position this is how deranged he has become. But while God is a God of Mercy, He is also a God of Truth and Justice. The security and continuity of existence rests on there being Truth and Justice, even demands it. While the saved will inherit eternal life, Lucifer and those joined with him have their part in the lake of fire. [Rev. 20:7-15; 21:1-8; Matt. 25:31-46]
Interesting also, those under Adam’s creation are saved because of God’s love. His ultimate plan to save Mankind arises out of His love. As noted before about His almighty power being constrained by His Love, how can it be otherwise? We read again where Christ stated, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” [John 3:16-17] This is just how it is! It shows the immutability of life. Out of God’s love the option is made available for us to choose to be saved. Those who are lost will ultimately be destroyed not because of any ill will God has towards them, but because they refused His salvation. [Isa. 27:4-5; 55:6-7; Ezek. 18:31-32; 33:11] It should also be understood that the opportunity of Salvation is not without limit. It is a grace period extended to Man and Angels. There comes a point where it ends. Beyond this nothing can be done. For them to be kept alive eternally in their corrupted carnal state (unrestrained by God) would be an eternal hell. By destroying them this too can be seen as an act of God’s love. As for Satan’s argument about freewill, he gets his wish, in that he will be no more. But what of those who in the exercise of their freewill chose life and God. Are they to be denied this and destroyed to satisfy Lucifer in his unwarranted contention? What about their freewill? Left to Lucifer they would have none. We see here the despicable self-serving iniquity of the Devil’s position. It was a ruse from the very beginning. Is this the foundation upon which to set existence? Is this iniquity to be placed above God’s love? Is death preferred above life? These are the issues at stake for which our decisions determine where we stand.
CHAPTER 3
The Security and Continuity of Creation
Out now, click below to purchase!