In our previous article we laid forth the two spheres of purpose with which God has dealt, deals, and will deal--Heaven and Earth. What we will explore in this article are the boundaries of each purpose and who the players are in each of them. It is the hope of the author that any reader who finds himself/herself unattached to a purpose or following an incorrect calling of purpose will by faith accept their true calling by God and receive the Blessed Peace that comes from knowing that one is truly in God's will.
When we read the first verse of Genesis, we must remember that the heavens and the earth were not created in one fell swoop, but the heavens first and then the earth. We see that in Job 38:6,7 that the sons of God sang for joy as the Lord God laid the foundations(sockets) of the earth. And no one would celebrate as these sons of God did unless that creation of earth was magnificient and beautiful and just waiting to be inhabited. So then what happened? As we see in Verse 2 the earth is in a condition that is totally different than what was first set forth by God, (Isa 45:18 KJV) For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
Genesis 1:2 sets the stage for the Earth Purpose of God--an earth that had become "tohu va bohu", .(Gen 1:2 KJV) .....was without form, and void; .....--with the restoration by God of an earth that was able to be inhabited by God's creatures including the yet to be created Adam (man). In another sense, this temporary condition of the restored earth is to be used by God as a battleground in which to draw to it the enemy and his hosts(armies)in order that all who choose not the Will of God, both human and spiritual beings, will be destroyed. Not only these beings, but also this restored earth and the heavens above it,
(2 Pet 3:10 KJV) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Then, a new heaven and earth in which all beings who then remain shall receive the unconditional love of God and such love will be exactly returned to God as they received it, 1 Cor 15:28.
So, the earth purpose of God as laid out in the first few verses of scripture will unfold over most of the pages contained in the Bible. In fact, 59 books of Scripture provide the account of the earth purpose and the human beings called by God to participate in it. The other 7 books of scripture will deal with the heavenly purpose to which other human beings are called. Curious about this heavenly purpose? More about it later. Most of Scripture then has to do with this earth purpose.
Who are the players in this earth purpose? In Genesis 3:15 we see the overall scope of the purposes of God, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." The conflict's participants are now revealed--the Seed of Woman and the seed of the Serpent. The outcome is even published in this verse and so known. But the rest of scripture recounts to the reader this conflict between the two seeds (Seed of Woman and Seed of Serpent)and the ultimate triumph which is yet to come of Christ over Satan. As we continue our study, we will see that after several attacks by Satan on the "seed line of Woman", those progeny that eventually would lead to the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, were protected and defended, by God. After many attempts by Satan to foil the purpose of God and destroy the Seed of Woman, God called a man, Abram, to be the Father of Great Nation, Israel, which ultimately would be a "light of Salvation unto the rest of the nations". It was through the progeny of Abraham that the Seed of Woman was to be born.
From the time of the creation of Adam to the calling of Abram (later Abraham), was approximately 2000 years. From the time of Abram to the birth of the Seed of Woman, the Lord Jesus Christ, was another approximate 2000 years. In scripture, the history of the first 2000 years occurs from Gen 1:1 to Gen 11:25. From Gen 11:26 to Matt 1:16 the account of the battle for the survival of the seedline of Christ is set forth culminating with His birth. This seedline came through this nation fathered by Abraham. This nation is called Israel. This nation is God's "particular treasure". This nation will inherit the earth. This is the nation and only nation chosen by God to execute his plan to restore his creation to what it was in the very beginning--sinless (John 1:1). This nation shall rule and reign with Christ on Earth during the millenial reign--the nations (gentiles) shall be subservient to Israel during the millenial reign. Christ shall rule with a rod of iron, meeting out justice daily. More about the Earth purpose later, but please note the lack of participation of the gentiles then, and now, and in the future, in this Earth purpose.
The Heavenly Purpose and the calling was kept a secret for those first 4000 years by God. He revealed this secret to no one, Col 1:26 and Eph 3:9, until the revelation of this secret (mystery) was given to the Apostle Paul, Eph 3:7,8 and to Paul alone to share with the gentiles. This message of Paul is seen in the last seven epistles he wrote, which were written after the completion of the Acts period and this message lays forth the Heavenly Purpose of God. This purpose of God has been active and known to man for the last 2000 years. So, 6000 years, from Adam until now, and all accounted for perfectly by God. The culmination of this conflict has not yet occured, but awaits the perfect time, His time.
So, to which purpose are you called, believer? Make no mistake that you HAVE been called. Have you accepted a calling, i.e. believed in one for yourself? If so, have you correctly, per the testimony of Scripture, accepted the correct calling? We will help you ascertain the answers to the questions posed here in our next article.
More to come.
DLB
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Two Purposes of God--Earth Purpose Heavenly Purpose
In our last article, we discussed that in the first verse of Scripture two spheres are mentioned and that each of these spheres, Heaven and Earth, had attached to it Godly purpose or intent. These two purposes culminate ultimtately in "....God may be all in all" 1 Cor 15:28. In order to achieve this end, God had plans and strategies in mind that were to be implemented. What follows Gen 1:1 is the account of His "earth purpose" and His "Heaven purpose".
The majority of Believers in Christ today have never stopped to consider, and to search and see what their particular calling in Christ may be and to what purpose they have been called. Shortly after God created man, He placed Adam in the garden with the express purpose to "dress and keep it". Note that the word translated keep means to guard, guard against an enemy. It is extremely relevant in our understanding of the purposes of God and our part with them to grasp that an enemy was known by God and that Adam was put on alert in regards to this enemy. As we discussed in the previous article, in the very next chapter of Scripture, the enemy presents himself to the woman and begins his attack on God's Word and upon God's creation, man. Without digging into Scripture, the believer may tend to believe that this was the first appearance in age times of this evil-doer. But a comprehensive study of Scripture will find that prior to this attack on man by the serpent (translated Nachash in Hebrew, meaning "shining one"), this enemy had already willfully chosen to disobey God and his will and had corrupted other beings into following his will rather than God's will. This particular confrontation with God, we discover, took place in the heavens. Man's creation in God's image and God himself taking on the form of Man,
(Phil 2:6 KJV) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
(Phil 2:7 KJV) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
(Phil 2:8 KJV) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
(Phil 2:9 KJV) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
(Phil 2:10 KJV) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
(Phil 2:11 KJV) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
was God's strategy to be used in the eradication of this enemy and his followers who oppose the will of God.
So we have the entrance of sin into this world in the garden, brought to it and to man by Satan. But we know also that prior to this thrust upon man and this earth, Satan had already opposed God's will in the heavenlies and corrupted many of the spiritual beings who reside there (Isaiah 14,Job 25). So what we have going on now is warfare, not only in the earth but in the heavens also. And man was created by God to play a role, and it must be said NOT apart from God but with Him, in this conflict and in the resolution and riddance of sin and the sinners(those found in judgment to be unrighteous), not only in the earth but the heavens also.
So believer....to what purpose are you called? Earth or Heaven? If you believe the Word of God and you are "studying to show yourself approved", 2Tim 2:15, then I know that you will have the appropriate answer. If not, further study will help you find the answer. There are two Great Commissions given to believers regarding the Two-fold Purposes of God. The first we find in Matthew 28:
(Mat 28:18 KJV) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
(Mat 28:19 KJV) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
(Mat 28:20 KJV) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The second Great Commission is found in Ephesians 3:
(Eph 3:10 KJV) To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
(Eph 3:11 KJV) According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
Both of these Great Commissions are God given and for His purpose--to turn human beings towards the True and Living God and to do likewise unto spiritual beings in the heavenly places. So with which purpose, which commission believer do you associate? Earth or Heaven? Let us search the scriptures to find the answer as to what purpose of "the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Tit 2:13) you have been called.
More to come.
DLB
The majority of Believers in Christ today have never stopped to consider, and to search and see what their particular calling in Christ may be and to what purpose they have been called. Shortly after God created man, He placed Adam in the garden with the express purpose to "dress and keep it". Note that the word translated keep means to guard, guard against an enemy. It is extremely relevant in our understanding of the purposes of God and our part with them to grasp that an enemy was known by God and that Adam was put on alert in regards to this enemy. As we discussed in the previous article, in the very next chapter of Scripture, the enemy presents himself to the woman and begins his attack on God's Word and upon God's creation, man. Without digging into Scripture, the believer may tend to believe that this was the first appearance in age times of this evil-doer. But a comprehensive study of Scripture will find that prior to this attack on man by the serpent (translated Nachash in Hebrew, meaning "shining one"), this enemy had already willfully chosen to disobey God and his will and had corrupted other beings into following his will rather than God's will. This particular confrontation with God, we discover, took place in the heavens. Man's creation in God's image and God himself taking on the form of Man,
(Phil 2:6 KJV) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
(Phil 2:7 KJV) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
(Phil 2:8 KJV) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
(Phil 2:9 KJV) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
(Phil 2:10 KJV) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
(Phil 2:11 KJV) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
was God's strategy to be used in the eradication of this enemy and his followers who oppose the will of God.
So we have the entrance of sin into this world in the garden, brought to it and to man by Satan. But we know also that prior to this thrust upon man and this earth, Satan had already opposed God's will in the heavenlies and corrupted many of the spiritual beings who reside there (Isaiah 14,Job 25). So what we have going on now is warfare, not only in the earth but in the heavens also. And man was created by God to play a role, and it must be said NOT apart from God but with Him, in this conflict and in the resolution and riddance of sin and the sinners(those found in judgment to be unrighteous), not only in the earth but the heavens also.
So believer....to what purpose are you called? Earth or Heaven? If you believe the Word of God and you are "studying to show yourself approved", 2Tim 2:15, then I know that you will have the appropriate answer. If not, further study will help you find the answer. There are two Great Commissions given to believers regarding the Two-fold Purposes of God. The first we find in Matthew 28:
(Mat 28:18 KJV) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
(Mat 28:19 KJV) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
(Mat 28:20 KJV) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The second Great Commission is found in Ephesians 3:
(Eph 3:10 KJV) To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
(Eph 3:11 KJV) According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
Both of these Great Commissions are God given and for His purpose--to turn human beings towards the True and Living God and to do likewise unto spiritual beings in the heavenly places. So with which purpose, which commission believer do you associate? Earth or Heaven? Let us search the scriptures to find the answer as to what purpose of "the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Tit 2:13) you have been called.
More to come.
DLB
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