Steward's Portion

FAR TOO MANY OF US have adopted a syncretic belief system with regard to the gospel of Christ. We have attempted to reconcile our own gospel of redemption with God’s gospel of redemption. The end result? We end up preaching a false gospel in which we attribute the salvific power of Christ to everything from pets to aliens. Therefore it’s absolutely crucial that we understand what the requirements of salvation are before we walk ourselves into contradiction with the promises of God.

STUDY SYNOPSIS:

The fact that all of humanity has shared the flesh of one man is significant. That means that in regard to our humanity, all that we are, and all that we have, came from Adam. In fact, even how God relates to us was established in God’s promises to Adam. This establishes the principle of representation. Adam set the stage for his family. And he didn’t set that stage well. His failure put us in need of another representative for humanity. We would have to be born again from that parent so that we could legally receive a better inheritance than what we received from Adam.

Adam’s failure was not a surprise. It was part of God’s plan. And that plan can be seen in the flesh and the solution that it presented.

The secret of the flesh, which is to say, the mystery inherent in God’s design of our bodies, was hidden from view until God Himself was born into the flesh of Adam. You see, it was the flesh of men that allowed Christ’s resurrection. We’d have no hope without it. Its design is crucial to redemption. It allows for the imputation of sin and the satisfaction of justice against it, which together produce an exclusively human redemption. This has tremendous implications for soteriology which derives it’s understanding of redemption from how God addresses sin.

Need more details? Not convinced? Continue reading for an in-depth study on this subject.

 

QUICK ANSWERS:

(Click for answer):

• Why were angels created as glorious spirit beings in heaven, but our spirits were placed into “meat suits” (bodies) and put on a tiny planet outside of heaven?

• Why does Adam represent us?

• Why should I suffer because of Adam’s sin?

• Why are men appointed to die, even after they receive eternal life?

• Why did God need to become a man in order to save us?

• How is Jesus both Man and God?

• Was the flesh of Jesus the same depraved flesh of Adam?

• How can Jesus be punished for our sin yet be raised to life sinless?

• Can salvation be offered to anyone or anything other than humans?

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FLESH OF MY FLESH

The word of God teaches us that Adam and Eve were the progenitors of humanity. Every man, woman, and child on the face of the earth is a descendant of Adam and Eve. So when we speak of mankind, we are speaking of a single family that has expanded exponentially. Even evolutionists have been forced to concede that the genetic makeup of mankind has come from a single human. However, while they focus on the “mother” of humanity, even calling her “Eve” in a mocking defiance of divine revelation, it’s actually Adam from whom all flesh has come. For even Eve was made from the flesh of Adam (Genesis 2:22-23).

The fact that all of humanity has shared the flesh and spirit of one man is significant. It establishes a principle called “representation.” Representation is what allows the work of one man to affect all others, for better, or for worse.

REPRESENTED BY ADAM

In the beginning, the flesh of Adam and Eve was perfect, and was wholly subject to the will of God’s righteousness within them. However, when their spirits moved to separate themselves from the guiding will of God, the flesh was cut off from the Divine Nature and left alone with its own sensory cortex. This became the basis for self-centeredness. So God cursed Adam and Eve by turning them over to the desires of their own flesh. By doing so, mankind would learn that nothing good comes apart from God and His righteousness. From that day forward, their descendants were consequently born into self-centered flesh, which has resulted in a continuation of sinful choices and condemnation.

For this reason, the word of God tells us:

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8:22, NIV)

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Romans 5:19, KJV)

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1Corinthians 15:22, KJV)

It’s important to point out here that it was not Adam’s sins that were imputed to us, but rather the self-centered nature of Adam’s flesh. Thus, when we, as the descendants of Adam, stand before the judgment seat of God we will not be judged for eating of the forbidden fruit of Eden but judged according to our own sins.

“Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.” (Romans 5:14, NKJV)

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (Ezekiel 18:20, KJV)

This places the responsibility of sin squarely upon the individual who committed it. How would Christ atone for sin if sin cannot be passed on to another? We would have to die in Christ, and be raised spiritually with Him. This is what abiding in Christ is all about.

So then, by the process of physical descent, we are receiving the condemned flesh of Adam. When Adam sinned against God, he became estranged from God, which is to say, separated from God by sin.

“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2, KJV)

Adam became as a foreigner, or a stranger, to God. It’s no surprise to discover, therefore, that foreigners beget foreigners. It’s for this reason that all men are equally estranged from God at birth.

“The wicked are estranged from the womb; These who speak lies go astray from birth.” (Psalms 58:3, NASB)

This is the principle of imputation, wherein the consequences of sin are inherited through birth.

“Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned. {13} [To be sure] sin was in the world before ever the Law was given, but sin is not charged to men’s account where there is no law [to transgress].
{14} Yet death held sway from Adam to Moses [the Lawgiver], even over those who did not themselves transgress [a positive command] as Adam did. Adam was a type (prefigure) of the One Who was to come [in reverse, the former destructive, the Latter saving].” (Romans 5:12-14, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

It was the representation of Adam that allowed death to hold sway, even over those who were not transgressing known laws. The flesh of Adam was sentenced to death long before we received it. And since receiving it, we’ve only continued to add to its list of offences. Thus, regardless of our own guilt, we all share in the need to be rescued from Adam’s flesh.

This reality has come to be known as the “Federal” or “Representative” view of the fall. This view generally teaches that because we have all partaken of Adam’s corrupted flesh and estranged spirit, we shall also share in the flesh’s corrupted nature and the spirit’s estrangement through imputation.

FAIRNESS IN REPRESENTATION:

But what value is there in representation? Why would it be God’s will to subject all of humanity to this?

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; {21} because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Romans 8:20-21, NKJV)

As a natural component of procreation, God saw fit through representation to subject the children of Adam to the futility of estrangement from God. While this may at first appear to be cruel, it was in fact a mercy. God did this to give us hope.

People usually object to the dual idea of representation and imputation because it has the appearance of entrapment. “How can it be fair,” some lament, “that we have not even been given the same chance to live apart from sin that Adam was given? The imputation of representation unfairly subjects millions to a fate they had no choice but to accept.” But consider the alternative for a moment. What would have happened if we had no representative but ourselves. Would we still have hope through Christ?

Remember, Adam represents us because we are extensions of his flesh and spirit, via childbirth. We are “in Adam” because we are in his flesh (1 Corinthians 15:22, KJV). Now consider what it would mean if there was no such thing as “mankind” and everyone was born with unique flesh. Adam would represent no one but himself, and we would represent no one but ourselves. This would surely spare us from the imputation of Adam’s sin nature. However, our relief would be short-lived. Sin would find us, just as it did Adam, thereby placing us back into the very condemnation we sought to avoid by rejecting the flesh of Adam and its condemnation.

“Not so!” some object, “I would have done better!” This claim, while certainly prideful, is always made with the assumption that Adam was a poor choice to represent man. But is that true? Was Adam a poor representative of mankind? Looking to Adam, we find that he was created perfect and without flaw. God beheld Adam and declared that His work “was very good” (Genesis 1:31). In fact, the Hebrew words from which we get “very good” are me’od (meh-ode’) and towb (tobe), which together mean “wholly and exceedingly good as expressed with intense vehemence.” God was wholly and exceedingly pleased with His work. Where, then, shall we find fault?

Those who make this assumption imagine that they could have somehow been more perfectly aligned with God and His will than Adam and Eve were, thereby avoiding sin and its condemnation. But this assumption is foolishness. It’s foolish because it’s impossible to exceed perfection. More than this, the very notion is Satanic. Why? It’s because this idea originated with Satan. Satan was the first to imagine that if he were given the chance, he could exceed the perfection of God that preceded him. For men to assume that, were they given the chance, they could exceed the Divinely established perfection of Adam and Eve, is equally foolish. This kind of thinking reveals just how corrupt our minds have become.

If we admit that God did not err by choosing Adam instead of us as the representative of humanity, then we are in fact admitting that we would have willingly rebelled, as did Adam, or we would have been deceived, as was Eve (1 Timothy 2:14). The omniscience of God knew that every man and woman would have responded in the same way that Adam and Eve did. Thus, we were fairly represented.

So we discover that by rejecting the flesh of Adam with its inherent representation, we would not actually escape sin. In fact, not having Adam as our representative actually poses an even greater threat to us than gaining his corrupted flesh. Here’s why.

After falling into sin, the sins of each and every one of us would have had to be addressed separately and individually by a Redeemer. And if every man and woman had to be represented individually by a Redeemer, there would be no hope for anyone, save one man – Adam. This is because the representation of Christ is for the flesh of Adam alone. Jesus cannot represent the flesh of any other creature while representing the humanity of Adam. This is why God says that all men were made subject to the futility of Adam’s corruption so that we may have hope (Romans 8:20-21). Our hope is found in the fact that God has seen fit to provide a means of redemption for the flesh and spirit of Adam. And we, as partakers of Adam, have access to his hope through the imputation of representation.

We are so used to thinking of Jesus as the representative of the multitude that comprises the church that we have forgotten that this multitude is, in reality, comprised of a single man’s body and spirit. Jesus is the representative of “mankind” which specifically refers to those who share the flesh and spirit of one man, Adam. And so, when Jesus came to represent humanity before God the Father, He was referred to as “the last Adam.” This terminology speaks of Christ as a replacement for Adam, and all who partake of Adam’s flesh.

“Thus it is written, The first man Adam became a living being (an individual personality); the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life]. {46} But it is not the spiritual life which came first, but the physical and then the spiritual. {47} The first man [was] from out of earth, made of dust (earthly-minded); the second Man [is] the Lord from out of heaven.” (1 Corinthians 15:45-47, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22, KJV)

“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” (Romans 12:5, KJV)

Imputation and representation work together to enable a Redeemer to save not just Adam, but “mankind.” Thus, we find that the human “body,” in both its physical and spiritual senses, is crucial to our hope in redemption. This is the will of God, which once was a mystery, but now is made known in the unifying body of Christ.

“Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: {10} That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him: {11} In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: {12} That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:9-12, KJV)

REVELATION OF A MYSTERY:

Now lets look a bit closer. The “mystery” of God’s will does not refer to a single truth, but to many. The role of the flesh in the redemption of mankind is multifaceted. So lets consider some of those facets as they come to light under closer inspection. Specifically, lets look at the steps the Messiah had to take in order to offer redemption to mankind.

STEP ONE: Humanity and Divinity Must Become One in the Messiah

In order to save Adam and his descendants, it was mandatory for the Messiah to be both Human and Divine.

“For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. {17} Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:16-17, KJV)

Why was God compelled to take on the nature of those He intended to save? It was because representation required it. Thus, it’s made abundantly clear that Jesus did not become an angel so as to represent the fallen angelic host. Rather, Jesus took upon Himself the seed, which is to say, the flesh of Adam, within the line of Abraham.

This act has generated much controversy. How could this be done, and why was it done? Lets begin by answering how it was done.

1a) The Mystery of Procreation.

In the book of Genesis, we are taught that God’s creation of Adam was completed in two stages. The first stage involved the creation of Adam’s body. Instead of creating Adam from out of nothing, God first formed Adam’s flesh from the dust of the earth. It may seem strange that a body of flesh was derived from the same chemical elements as rock and soil (such as: oxygen, nitrogen, calcium, water, etc.), nevertheless, this is something modern science has been able to test and examine, and as a result, has confirmed this scientific statement to be true.

While atheistic men do not contest that man’s body came from the natural elements of the earth, they cannot bear to accept the next claim–that life is not derived from the same chemical elements. The living spirit of man has never been identified nor catalogued showing it to be comprised of natural substances. Nor shall it ever be, for a spirit is not natural to the elements of the earth, but is instead supernatural and comes from a Supernatural Creator. It was God Himself who breathed life into the body He formed from the dust of the earth. This is the second step God took to create Adam. God’s “breath” or Spirit, became the life called Adam (Genesis 2:7).

How do we explain this? How do we describe the spiritual means by which part of God became a being who was distinct and separate from the Being of God, and yet retained His image? This Divine knowledge has not yet been revealed to the limited minds of men. However, its fundamental principle stands as the foundation for procreation: life proceeds from life, and spirits beget spirits.

When men and women join together in sexual union, they too contribute a portion of themselves to form a new life after their own image. Adam was born directly from God, thus “he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man” because Eve was taken out of Adam (1 Corinthians 11:7, NASB). This means that Adam was a son of God, whereas Eve was a daughter of man. This distinction is made for a reason, the Messiah would be representing Adam’s flesh alone. It was necessary for Eve, therefore, to partake of Adam’s flesh and spirit if she was to have any hope of redemption. We, like Eve, also find our hope in our inheritance of Adam’s flesh. And so it is written:

“…Adam, which was the son of God.” (Luke 3:38, KJV)

“…since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. {8} For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;” (1 Corinthians 11:7-8, NASB)

The fact that God makes this distinction of origin, or direct descent, between Adam and Eve is significant. There is a spiritual transfer in procreation that originates from one’s parents. That spiritual transfer is made, at least in part, through men’s blood.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood…” (Leviticus 17:11, KJV)

When God formed Eve, He took Adam’s rib, containing Adam’s flesh and life-blood (in which resided a remnant of his spirit). God did not breath a spirit into Eve’s body as He had with Adam, no, her life was taken from the life-blood of Adam. While this process was supernatural indeed, it used the same elements found in natural birth. Thus, Eve’s flesh and spirit was formed from the flesh and spirit of Adam. This same process has continued through human reproduction ever since.

In fact, it’s this principle of spiritual procreation that makes the gospel possible. This is because the only way to satisfy the justice of God against the sins of humanity is to partake of Adam’s flesh and spirit, as have all his children, and put the flesh to death but release the spirit into everlasting life. However, the Messiah would have to be sinless, and have access to the power of righteousness, if He were to have any hope of escaping the corrupting nature inherent in Adam’s flesh. It was therefore mandatory that the Messiah be directly descended from both God and man. And so He was.

Consider, therefore, the humanity and divinity of Jesus. We’ll begin with His humanity, and how the Son of Man was joined with the Son of God.

THE HUMANITY OF JESUS:

We are told that the Holy Spirit “came upon” a woman named Mary in such a way that she became pregnant with Jesus Christ (Luke 1:35). But what needed to take place for this pregnancy to produce a being that was both a Son of God, and a genuine son of man? The answer is clear. The descended flesh, blood, and spirit of Adam would need to be offered by Mary, and joined with the Spirit of God.

In this, we must ask a question. Did God mimic the role of a human father? Did God introduce genetic material into the womb of Mary in order to satisfy the natural process of conception? Think carefully! If God resorted to the act of creation, rather than an act of forming or molding preexisting elements, this would have defeated His purposes in a virgin birth. God prophesied that He would produce the Messiah from the seed (the flesh and spirit infused blood) of Eve, who was the offspring of Adam. To create genetic material that would have naturally been provided through a human father would have rendered the virgin birth pointless. If a natural born son was all God needed, God could have simply joined His Spirit with the natural son of Joseph and Mary and accomplished the same feat.

However, Joseph was bypassed for a reason. The combined spirits of Joseph and Mary would have produced a spirit legally subject to the nature of Adam. Thus, a virgin birth was called for, so as to produce a Son who would inherit both the corrupted flesh of Adam and the incorruptible Spirit of God. Therefore, the Holy Spirit moved upon Mary and joined a remnant of her spirit and flesh (passed down from Adam) together with the preexisting, pre-incarnate, Spirit of God the Son. And thus, “God the Son” became “Jesus Christ,” the son of both God and Mankind.

This was not an act of creation, but of formation; it was a molding together of two spirits into one.

“..the LORD…formeth [yatsar] the spirit of man within him.” (Zechariah 12:1, KJV)

• FORMETH: 3335. yatsar, yaw-tsar’; prob. identical with H3334 (through the squeezing into shape); ([comp. H3331]), to mould into a form; espec. as a potter; fig. to determine (i.e. form a resolution):– X earthen, fashion, form, frame, make (-r), potter, purpose.

To form or fashion something is to take preexisting elements and mold them into shape. For example, God created the earth void, and formless, but afterward, He formed its shape to be inhabitable.

“In the beginning God created [bara'] the heaven and the earth. {2} And the earth was without form, and void;….” (Genesis 1:1-2, KJV)

“For thus saith the LORD that created [bara'] the heavens;… He formed [yatsar] it to be inhabited: …” (Isaiah 45:18, KJV)

The Hebrew word bara’ is a primary root word which means “to create,” and can be qualified to speak of formative processes. For example, God created all men, in that He created Adam from whom we have all descended through the process of procreation.

“…I have created [bara'] him for my glory, I have formed [yatsar] him; yea, I have made ['asah] him.” (Isaiah 43:7 (KJV)

In saying that God created all men, must we imply that the reproduction of flesh is purely a supernatural event? Does flesh supernaturally appear from out of nothing? No, flesh is transferred from parent to child through natural processes. And yet, this system of reproduction has been designed and empowered by the ordination of God, and thus qualifies as both a natural and supernatural event. In this way, God can be said to be the Creator of the flesh and spirits of all men, and yet not be held accountable for validating the ungodly and unrighteous conception produced through rape, incest, or even depraved applications of science.

This forming of the Messiah, from the flesh and spirit of Adam, and the pre-incarnate Son of God, created a Man who suffered under the condemned flesh of Adam, but who had what no other man had access to–the Holy Spirit. Thus, the power of Jesus was a power that all men now have access to in Christ; His power was the power of the Holy Spirit who guides men into the truth. In this way, Jesus was Divinely shown how to overcome the desires of Adam’s flesh, and find the true power available to mankind.

THE DIVINITY OF JESUS:

When the prophet Isaiah prophesied the birth of the Messiah, he spoke on behalf of Mary and God, saying:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government [of God] shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. {7} Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7, KJV, italicized content added for clarity)

And in the New Testament, God the Father, says to God the Son:

“But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” (Hebrews 1:8, KJV)

Thus, it is without scriptural controversy that Jesus is understood to be God come in the flesh.

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16, KJV)

Although Jesus has always existed as a Divine expression of the triune Godhead, His humanity was added to Him–it was inherited from Adam. The everlasting Spirit of God was fused with a mortal human spirit so completely as to be inseparable, and yet the Messiah still retained the distinction between His humanity and Divinity so that their union did not form to create something different than God and man altogether. One of the reasons this was possible, no doubt, was that Adam was created in the very image of God and was therefore naturally compatible with God by design. Thus, in taking on the spirit and flesh of a man, God the Son would not be replacing His Divinity, but merely limiting it according to the normal parameters of His newfound humanity.

“Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] {6} Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, {7} But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.” (Philippians 2:5-7, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

Although equal with God, Jesus had come to represent men, and thus He set aside, and made no attempt to access, His omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. Instead, He lived and functioned within the natural confines and limitations of the flesh and spirits of men.

1b) Adam’s Self-Centered Flesh was Imputed to Jesus.

The principles of imputation and representation at work in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, bring to light a startling, and therefore controversial, revelation. Jesus inherited the self-centered flesh of Adam. This is a revelation that’s often ignored or rejected on account of pious ignorance.

When discussing the nature of the flesh that Jesus inherited from Adam, we must be careful of two things. We must be careful to avoid assigning sin to Jesus personally, for He was sinless. And we must also be careful not to ignore the imputed nature inherent in the flesh of Adam. When we speak of fallen flesh, this generally implies guilt by participation in sin. So what shall we say of the flesh passed on to Christ? Did imputation cease? Was the flesh of Christ amoral and indifferent to sin, or was it self-centered?

The scripture teaches us that the flesh of Christ was imputed with the nature of depravity, which is not itself sin, but is only the flesh-centered desire of sin.

“For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.” (Hebrews 4:15, AMP)

The flesh of Christ was tempted with the alluring promises of sin. This means that the flesh of Christ was self-centered, as is the flesh of all men who partake of Adam. But how do we know this? Because we are told that the Spirit of God cannot be tempted:

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man:” (James 1:13, KJV)

If the Spirit of God cannot be tempted with evil, and Jesus is God, then in what way was Jesus tempted? If the spirit of Christ cannot be tempted, then we are speaking of the temptation experienced by Adam’s flesh. So when we are told that Jesus was “tempted of the devil” (Matthew 4:1), we understand that it was His flesh that was being tempted, not the Spirit of Christ.

As a man, how was Jesus able to overcome the self-centered desires of Adam’s flesh? By the power of the Holy Spirit.

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9, NIV)

Jesus was the fulness of God in bodily form (Colossians 2:9), therefore, the will of the Father was made known to Christ through the Holy Spirit (John 5:19). God’s passion was Christ’s passion. Thus, as the Father loved righteousness, so did the Son. All else pales in comparison, making it possible for Jesus to overcome the temptations of the flesh in light of the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2) which is obtained through righteousness.

“But unto the Son He saith, …Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” (Hebrews 1:8-9, KJV)

“For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering].” (Hebrews 2:18, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

By the love of God’s righteousness, Jesus overcame the desires of sin in His flesh, keeping that flesh in submission to the righteousness of His Holy Spirit. In this, Christ both satisfied the divine law of God as a man, and became an example for all men, exemplifying how we must rely upon the Holy Spirit when tempted with the lusts of the flesh.

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: … {4} that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, {5} not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, NIV)

This is how we must understand the temptation of Christ. He was subjected to temptation in the flesh, but was able to overcome it by the love of God’s righteousness. Now His example must become our own.

STEP 2: The Flesh of Adam Must Die

While some might imagine that it’s wonderfully pious and spiritual to teach that the flesh of Christ was not the same self-centered flesh that the rest of us received from Adam, it is in fact a Satanic assertion. This is why Jesus rebuked Peter when he objected to Christ’s revelation that the flesh of the Messiah needed to suffer and die.

“From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. {22} Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. {23} But He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” (Matthew 16:21-23, KJV)

Peter could not imagine why the flesh of the Messiah would need to be beaten and put to death, even though it was not directly guilty of transgression against the law. But he failed to recall the condemnation upon human flesh, or that God would send the Messiah to satisfy this sentence of death upon it. Death is appointed to Adam’s flesh, and is imputed to all men by reason of representation, even upon one who has committed no direct offence against the law, such as the Messiah:

“Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.” (Romans 5:14, NKJV)

“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. {5} Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “ Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.” (Hebrews 10:4-5, NKJV)

It was the flesh of Adam that was prepared for Christ to take to the cross because it was Adam’s flesh that God had condemned to death.

“…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27, KJV)

Ignorance of this fact resulted in Peter’s unwitting alignment with the will of Satan, not unlike many well-meaning saints today. What men like Peter don’t realize is that if the flesh of Christ is not the same corrupt flesh that we all received from Adam, then Christ’s sacrifice profits us nothing. The condemned flesh of Adam must be put to death, and that is precisely why it was mandatory for Jesus to take Adam’s flesh upon Himself and put it to death on the cross.

STEP 3: The Spirit of Jesus Must Live

Resurrection is made possible by flesh. Without it, there would be no such thing as resurrection. For example, imagine if we were just spirits, like the angels. When a spirit sins, the judgment is death. Spiritual death is eternal (Matthew 18:8, 25:41,46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9). All who enter spiritual death remain dead.

Enter the secret of the flesh. The spirit of man is encapsulated in a fleshly vessel. When the vessel of flesh is broken by death, the spirit is released and judged according to the condition in which it is found–be it guilt or innocence. Thus, men are capable of dying twice, once physically, and once spiritually.

Men first die physically. Physical death is the separation of a spirit from the body.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die [in the flesh], but after this the judgment [in the spirit]: {28} So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many [in the flesh]; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time [in the Spirit] without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:27-28, KJV, bracketed content added for clarity by author)

Upon physical death, the spirits of men stand before the judgment seat of God, at which point they are either received into the presence of God, or cast away from Him forevermore. To be cast away from God is to die spiritually. Spiritual death is the separation of men’s spirits from the presence of God. This is the second death.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh [sin by the power of God] shall not be hurt of the second death.” (Revelation 2:11, KJV, bracted content added for clarity by author)

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6, KJV)

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14, KJV)

Once our spirits have been released from our bodies, the spiritual condition in which our spirits are released will be the condition in which they remain; being released either in holiness unto eternal life, or released in corruption unto the second death of damnation. Thus, regardless of how we come to stand before God, in the Day of Judgment it shall be said:

“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” (Revelation 22:11, KJV)

The only reason our spirits can be released free from sin is because when we receive Christ as our new representative by covenant, we are born again in the spirit. Thus, while our flesh continues to strive against our redeemed spirits, at death we are freed from it’s relentless tugging, and remain holy and pure in our cleansed spirits.

Now consider these truths in light of the prophecy given to Adam, Eve, and Satan (the seed of the Serpent).

“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.” (Genesis 3:15, KJV)

When the time had come for this prophecy to be fulfilled, God sent forth His Son to be born in the flesh of men.

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, {5} To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5, KJV)

As the “Promised Seed” of Eve, Jesus was born under the laws of God, which demanded from men the righteousness of faithful obedience. Failure to obey these laws, even in one point, would result in condemnation.

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10, KJV)

And, as we know, the flesh of Adam is weak, and falters easily. Thus the law has condemned all men, and by it no man has ever been able to walk without falling under condemnation. No man, that is, except Jesus Christ. Jesus came both to fulfill the law, and to satisfy the justice demanded by the law. In reference to this calling, Jesus said:

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the [prophetic utterances of the] prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. {18} For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18, KJV, bracketed content added for clarity by author)

Jesus kept the whole law perfectly, thereby fulfilling His own responsibility to it as a man. Jesus accomplished this feat by the power of the Holy Spirit, to whom Jesus was wholly submitted. Thus, what the law could not accomplish in men because of the weakness of the flesh, Jesus accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit.

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, {4} so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3, NASB)

Because men can die twice, Jesus satisfied the requirement of the law, which calls for the death of every sinner, by taking His flesh and offering it to God as a sin offering. In this, Jesus suffered and died in the flesh of Adam. This satisfied the law, which called for the death of sinful flesh.

However, because Jesus had fulfilled the laws of God, and was guilty of no personal sin, His spirit was released in holiness. This is the first resurrection of the righteous unto life in God. There will also be a second resurrection, but it will not be unto life, but unto damnation (Revelation 20:11-15). Thus, Jesus was the first Man to ever be raised to life in God. And only in Him can other men take part in the first resurrection. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power…,” “and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Revelation 20:6, 22:11, KJV).

Therefore Jesus became the “firstfruits” of humanity, which is to say, the first son of Adam to be offered to God and accepted. The concept of “firstfruits” was first introduced by God to Israel, and represents the first grain to be harvested from a crop.

“Celebrate the Feast of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field. Celebrate the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.” (Exodus 23:16, NIV)

This observance foreshadowed Christ, the “firstfruit” of the human harvest (Matthew 9:37-38).

“But the fact is that Christ (the Messiah) has been raised from the dead, and He became the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep [in death]. {21} For since [it was] through a man that death [came into the world, it is] also through a Man that the resurrection of the dead [has come]. {22} For just as [because of their union of nature] in Adam all people die, so also [by virtue of their union of nature] shall all in Christ be made alive. {23} But each in his own rank and turn: Christ (the Messiah) [is] the firstfruits, then those who are Christ’s [own will be resurrected] at His coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

REDEMPTION IS EXCLUSIVE TO MANKIND

These facets of mystery, which allow for the redemption of mankind, also naturally prevent Jesus from offering redemption to fallen angels. In light of what we have discussed thus far, consider the work of Christ as applied to angels.

To redeem an angel, God would be obligated by Divine laws of representation to become an angel. So let us assume, for a moment, that Jesus did take on the nature of angels, and not men as the scriptures teach (Hebrews 2:16). This would, of course, satisfy the first requirement of representation, but only for one angel. Angels were not birthed from parents, as was humanity, but were created as individuals, like Adam. Thus, like Adam, angels serve as their own representative before God. As Adam represents his flesh, so do angels represent themselves before God. This places them under individual representation.

But this is not the worst of it. In order to make atonement for the angels, Jesus must satisfy the requirements of justice that call for the condemnation of angels who fell into sin. Once again, Jesus would Himself have to remain sinless, and yet take upon Himself the sins of demons. But onto what shall that sin be placed? Angels have no flesh, for they are only spirit.

While it is true that angels can take on the form of men, and that their bodily form is real enough to allow them to physically eat (Genesis 18:9; 19:3), this flesh is not theirs by right of original creation. Instead, angels are spirits (Psalms 104:4), and God’s word tells us that, “a spirit hath not flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39).

If God the Son had been formed after the likeness of angels, and then served as their substitute in death, judgment could have fallen on nothing else but His spirit. This would have left Christ’s righteous Spirit with no way to escape the second death–the eternal separation of one’s spirit from God. This is why there can be no redemption for the angels. The freedom of Christ’s Spirit is crucial to His work of atonement.

As clear as this is, there will always be some who insist that God had a “secret” redemption plan; some other way to redeem creation from sin. These alternative gospels are imagined to offer salvation to everything from pets to aliens. Although proponents of these gospels will often confess that scripture does not expressly teach alternative gospels, they assure us that the foundation for their gospels is found in scripture. What they fail to realize, however, is that what the scriptures do teach about Christ’s gospel to humanity utterly eliminates the possibility of redemption for anyone but humanity. Consider carefully why this is so.

1. Christ’s humanity is permanent.

Jesus didn’t temporarily become a man; He became a man for all eternity. This fact rests upon the requirements of representation. Jesus no more temporarily became a man than He temporarily grants us His eternal life when we abide in Him. The means and work of redemption stand eternally.

The humanity of Jesus Christ was appointed by God to stand eternally before God the Father as an eternal High Priest on behalf of Christ’s brothers in the flesh.

“By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. {23} And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: {24} But this man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable [human] priesthood. {25} Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:22-25, KJV, bracketed content added for clarity by author)

This priesthood is established on the laws of representation. It must be a man who functions within the office of high priest. This is because God requires a representative of mankind to present an offering on behalf of humanity. This, again, is why Jesus was obligated to become like His brethren in the flesh so that He could, as High Priest, stand eternally as the atonement for men. Thus, it is the humanity of Jesus that “continueth forever” as “an unchangeable priesthood.”

This is why Melchisedec, the symbolic forerunner of Christ’s eternal priesthood, was introduced to Abraham as one who was:

“Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.” (Hebrews 7:3, KJV)

If the humanity of Christ stands forever in the office of High Priest, then Jesus cannot thereafter cease to be a man, and take upon Himself the nature of any other being. For this reason we must understand that Jesus “…took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham” so that He could live forever in the “unchangable priesthood” of men as “a priest forever” (Hebrews 2:16, 7:24-25; 7:3, KJV, NIV).

2. Jesus died once to defeat the rebellion of creation.

The earth was created for the sole purpose of dealing with sin, once and for all. The work of Christ against the rebellion of sin was in no way limited to the sins of men. On the contrary! From the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God delivered a prophecy in which both men and angels were included. It would be the seed of Eve, Jesus Christ, who would secure eternal life for His brethren in the flesh while at the same time crushing the head of rebellion, Satan, under the heel of human redemption. In this, both the sins of men and of angels are inseparably tied together by the work of Christ.

Jesus will defeat all rebellion through His human form, whether that rebellion is angelic or human. The human Messiah would, through the redemption of mankind, defeat death, and then return as the rightful possessor of the earth and crush all usurping authority of evil under the heels of His feet.

“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. {23} But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him. {24} Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. {25} For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. {26} The last enemy to be destroyed is death. {27} For He “has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under Him, it is clear that this does not include God Himself, who put everything under Christ. {28} When He has done this, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put everything under Him, so that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28, NIV)

The redemptive death of Christ has been revealed to be a one-time event, which can never be repeated.

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, {13} from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool” (Hebrews 10:12-13, NKJV)

This work of redemption eliminates any possibility that an additional sacrifice for the atonement of sin will be made. Jesus did this once, as a man, so as to defeat death and place the rebellion of all beings (all His enemies) under the heels of His feet. Never again must this be done. Never again will redemption be offered, because what it requires can only be offered once. Redemption is now exclusively reserved for humanity. And what shall be our answer to those who suggest that Christ is not the only name under which salvation is offered?

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12, KJV)

3. Angels were created to serve the redeemed, not be redeemed.

“Know ye not that we shall judge angels?” (1 Corinthians 6:3, KJV)

“Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? {2:1} Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” (Hebrews 1:14 – 2:1, ESV)

“It is not to angels that He has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. {6} But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? {7} You made Him a little lower than the angels; you crowned Him with glory and honor {8} and put everything under His feet? In putting everything under Him, God left nothing that is not subject to Him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to Him. {9} But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. {10} In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. {11} Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. {12} He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.” {13} And again, “I will put my trust in Him.” And again He says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” {14} Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— {15} and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. {16} For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham’s descendants.” (Hebrews 2:5-16, NIV)

Angels are “all ministering spirit’s, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14, KJV). It was for this purpose that angels were created.

For the sake of God’s purposes in election, God’s hand of wisdom rested upon two thirds of His angelic host so that they would not be deceived by the deception of Heylel’s sin. These are the “elect angels” who did not fall from their calling (1 Timothy 5:21).

However, the angels who abandoned their Divine calling for the call of rebellion can have no reprieve from judgment. They cannot be saved by the atoning work of Christ (Hebrews 2:16). Thus we are told that:

“…God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” (2 Peter 2:4, KJV)

In fact, Hell and the eternal lake of fire were created expressly for those angels who sinned against God.

“Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” (Matthew 25:41, KJV)

Men simply share the fate of fallen angels when they follow after the similitude of their rebellion. Only those whom God the Father has chosen from among mankind did He “predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren”(Romans 8:29).

4. Aliens are a deception, and not candidates for redemption.

The question of alien redemption is based upon the assumption that aliens exist as a legitimate species of creation. It’s fundamental tenant is the presumption that God secretly created extraterrestrial life on distant planets–life to which mankind would eventually be joined through redemption and eternal union in God.

However, by reason of Christ’s eternal human priesthood, and for many of the same reasons angels cannot be redeemed, extraterrestrial life could never be offered redemption. At best, they would only serve as examples of God’s judicial wrath against sin, for which we have more than enough human and angelic examples.

More than this, we should expect Jesus to have taught about His eternal purpose for extraterrestrial life. We should expect this because Jesus promised us, saying: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15, NIV).

With this promise in view, we must then ask, “Are aliens part of our Master’s business? Has Jesus ever spoken of them?” Yes, actually, He has. However, Jesus has revealed that they are a demonic deception perpetrated against humanity. But the demonic spawn of this “alien” deception is far from an illusion. For those interested in the Biblical chronology of alien deception, please see THE ALIEN DECEPTION.

BUILDING FOUNDATIONS:

These truths stand as the foundation, and basis upon which God offers us hope. To ignore them can lead us into false perceptions of the gospel, or in how sin has been addressed by God. In other words, if you do not understand the requirements of redemption, you will be prone to errant assumptions about who and what can be redeemed. From there, error will only compound itself until you are preaching a gospel contrary to the one originally revealed by God through the Bible.

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9, NKJV)

The requirements of redemption are fundamental to our understanding. The purpose for Christ’s work, both in the incarnation and upon the cross find their rational in what God was required to do in order to redeem mankind. As you do your own study, read with this understanding in mind, and watch the revelation of God’s heart open up to you.

“…Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”  (Revelation 12:12, KJV)

WITHIN A FRACTION OF A SECOND heaven’s mightiest cherubim had returned to the earth.  And though he had fallen as lightning, he did not light the earth with the brilliance of God’s glory as he had on previous visits.  Nor had he come in peace.  For Heylel had become Satan, a most horrific opponent of God, and he was not alone in his judgment.  From their point of impact, the loathsome screeches and banished cries of fallen angels rose, no doubt, with ever increasing intensity as the implications and harsh reality of their judgment settled as an unbearable weight upon their minds.

Turning towards the Garden of Eden, Satan’s eyes bore down, with burning passion, upon the lowly caretakers of the earth – Adam and Eve.  Mankind now stood before him as both a mystery, and a tool for his cause.  Little did Satan know, that the very rebellion he intended to use to control mankind would be the trigger that would set God’s purpose for man into motion.  In fact, the first secret of mankind was “unearthed,” as it were, in response to Satan’s first act of war.  For this reason, we must carefully consider the events that followed Satan’s arrival on the earth as a fallen angel.

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RETURN OF THE CHERUBIM

In his former days of glory, Heylel had walked in the Garden of Eden (Ezekiel 28:13), and observed the differences between man and woman, both physically and emotionally.  For the first time, Satan now observed them through adversarial eyes.

In this darkened light, Eve was clearly recognized as the weaker vessel (1 Peter 3:7), and her submissive disposition as Adam’s helpmate (Genesis 2:18) would render her more susceptible to deceptive instruction.  Adam, on the other hand, posed a threat.  God had given Adam authority over Eve to lead and protect her from deception and overrule any actions she might be tricked into taking (Numbers 30:13-14).  This authority, however, had never been exercised, and its importance was, as yet, unrealized.  If Adam’s authority was not directly challenged, he might be lulled into the role of an observer, and forget the power and importance of his authority.

We are not told if God warned Adam and Eve of Satan’s rebellion.  Nor are we told what relationship, if any, they previously held with Heylel in the days when he walked among them in peace.  What we are told is that Satan chose not to risk approaching Adam and Eve directly, even with his powers of illusion (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).  Instead, he hid himself within the mind of a Serpent.

THE SERPENT

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. …” (Genesis 3:1, KJV)

The word serpent is translated from the Hebrew word nachash (naw-khawsh’) and literally means “a hissing serpent.”   It’s derived from the root word nachash (pronounced slightly differently: naw-khash’) meaning “to hiss, or whisper.”  It’s figuratively used of soothsayers and the whispered sound of their enchantments.  However, as used in this verse, it identifies only the class, or kind of creature in question, namely that it was serpentine in the broadest sense of the word.

God tells us that this particular Serpent possessed a clever intelligence that, today, is only associated with humanity.  This attribute of intelligence has caused much consternation among scholars.

The debate centers on the word “subtle.”  It’s translated from the Hebrew word aruwm (aw-room’), and means  “cunning: crafty, prudent, and subtle.”  When this description is combined with the serpent’s ability to talk, it implies an intellect far above what we observe in animals today, which is why some people have difficulty accepting the literal meaning of the text.  Must we assume, however, that no animal has ever been able to talk?

In scripture, intelligence is always equated with speech.  For example, when God elevated the intellect of a donkey, she spoke to the prophet Balaam in accordance with God’s will (Numbers 22:22-34).  In contrast, when God judged the pride of king Nebuchadnezzar, his understanding was removed and he became as a dumb, speechless animal grazing on grass in the fields (Daniel 4.31-34).

Our only knowledge of creation before corruption and judgment is found in Genesis.  Shall we ignore it’s teaching on the basis of what we have personally observed in today’s post-curse world?  Such an approach to scripture is manipulative and contrary to the instructive purpose of God’s word, especially when it describes a time and place expressly stated to be different from what we witness today.

Lest we mistake the Serpent as Satan in disguise, the cunningness of the serpentine creature is immediately compared with the Serpent’s peers – the animal kingdom.  For “…the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field…”   If we are speaking of the cunningness of Satan, then this comparison is a moot point, for angels are exalted far above any beast of the field by order of creation.  In fact, even men are placed below the intellectual prowess of angels (Psalms 8:5, Hebrews 2:7-9).  But here, the flow of thought is level.  The Serpent is an animal, and it’s cunning is compared laterally with the animal kingdom.  To introduce any other being into this statement is to disrupt the grammatical flow of thought.  Therefore we must understand that Satan and the Serpent are separate beings, and that both maintain their created intellect separate from one another according to their kind. This understanding shall be validated shortly.

With the Serpent introduced, and it’s intellect noted, we are then told that it approached Eve and spoke to her in a language she understood.  There is no mention that Eve was surprised that the Serpent spoke, nor was the fact that the Serpent had spoken identified as unusual.  It’s what the Serpent had to say that was abnormal in the perfection of the garden.

This placed the Serpent at the focus of the offense.  The Serpent, unaware of the Satanic motives behind his intellectual notions, freely embraced them as his own.  So when the circumstances presented themselves, the Serpent casually approached Eve and inquired as to what she actually knew about the commandments of God.

THE DECEPTIVE INSPIRATION

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” {2} The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, {3} but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” (Genesis 3:1-3, NIV)

The Serpent’s question subtly tested Eve’s knowledge of God’s commandment.  So Eve recounted to the Serpent what she had been taught by her husband, for it was to Adam that God had given the commandment not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

After listening to Eve’s second-hand account of God’s command, the Serpent countered God’s warning of judgment with the “new revelation” that had occurred to him through Satanic inspiration.

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: {5} For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5, KJV)

Thanks to Satan’s subtle manipulation, the Serpent likely thought it had realized a profound truth – that creation can advance itself if only it would rebel against the unnecessary restrictions of God.  This was, of course, Satan’s personal sin repackaged for the “consumption” of mankind.  Satan had declared that independence from God was not only possible, but was in creation’s best interest, a lie he not only believed, but also intended to prove.  Having rebelled against God himself and suffered no immediate destruction, Satan assured Adam and Eve through the Serpent that neither would they die if they rebelled.

It was true that God was withholding knowledge that would advance Adam and Eve beyond their present limitations.  This was never in question.  The catch was that in order for them to advance themselves, mankind would first have to defy the will of God.  This was where Eve fell in deception, and Adam fell in willful rebellion.

Eve’s desire to believe the word of the Serpent darkened the word of God in her mind, obscuring it’s meaning and invalidating its hold upon her heart.  In the mind of Eve, the single command of God thus became regarded as an unnecessary restraint placed upon mankind.  After all, if God had restricted the fruit of the tree out of fear, perhaps His fear was unfounded, and His restriction misplaced.  Certainly advancement through knowledge would not result in death, but would only serve to bring Eve closer to God, becoming god-like herself!

 “Adam,” however, “was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was [first] in the transgression (1 Timothy 2:14, KJV, italicized content added for clarity).  In other words, while Eve was deceived into believing that God’s command was nullified in light of a “greater good,” Adam knew full well that to transgress God’s command was explicit rebellion.

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  {7} And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Genesis 3:6-7, KJV)

THE REVELATION OF GOOD AND EVIL

By eating the fruit of the tree, man did not instantly know everything that is good and evil.  The knowledge gained was that of independent awareness, otherwise known as a “conscience.”  The conscience serves God’s instructive purposes.  God knew that the free-will of mankind would inevitably choose to sin, and so God saw fit to introduce a self-judging conscience alongside sin when it arrived.

God would use the newfound conscience of men to hold them accountable, and teach them about the nature of sin.  The fundamental principle of right and wrong, of good and evil, was instantly written upon the hearts of Adam and Eve.  It was not the laws of God that were written at that time, but the principle of law; the identification of lawlessness verses lawfulness.  God would use this Divine principle to hold men accountable, regardless of what they knew of His commandments.

“For when Gentiles who do not have the Law [of God] do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, {15} in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them” (Romans 2:14-15, NASB, italicized contend added for clarity)

“Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.” (Romans 1:19, KJV)

Because the standards by which good and evil are known are also the very attributes of God’s Being, no man can escape the knowledge of His existence. So then, as a result of the lawless acquisition of knowledge, all men have within them the Divine standard of God by which the fundamental identification of transgression is recognized.  For even when mankind governs themselves by laws of their own making, their corruption will manifest, and they will transgress their own standards, which will in turn reveal them as sinners by nature.

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. {20} Therefore by the deeds of the law [be it God’s law or the laws of men] there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”  (Romans 3:20, KJV, italicized content added by author)

“For the Law results in [divine] wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression [of it either].”  (Romans 4:15, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

It’s by the knowledge of this principle that men will be judged.  Because no matter how isolated, or ignorant men are of the specific laws of God, no man will be innocent of wrongdoing, and every mouth will be silenced in light of their knowledge of good and evil.

THE FIRST CALL TO REPENTANCE

“And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? {10} And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. {11} And He said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?”  (Genesis 3:9-11, KJV)

Adam’s conscience revealed itself, and exposed him as a violator of God’s law.  God’s questioning of Adam drew out his confession, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10, KJV).  Adam, however, was not alone in sin, and he quickly moved to identify this fact:

“And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. {13} And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” (Genesis 3:12-13, KJV)

Eve’s conscience also brought forth a confession.  And with the weight of God’s focus upon her, Eve followed her husband’s example and directed God’s displeasure towards the Serpent, in whom Satan was hidden.

“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: {15} 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.”  (Genesis 3:14-15, KJV)

Adam and Eve were to receive redemption from their sin, and so confession had to be made (Romans 10:10).   The Serpent, however, was a different matter.  Two beings were involved in error.

The first being was the Serpent itself.  Having intelligence, the Serpent had been consciously involved in the defiance of God’s command.  Yet no repentance was required from this creature, for as an animal, it’s soul was not eternal and would not be redeemed eternally as man would.  And so, just as the Serpent’s intellect had been compared laterally with the animal kingdom, so was it’s judgment compared laterally, for it was “cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life” (Genesis 3:14).

The fact that this curse caused the Serpent to slither on its belly indicates that the Serpent had not slithered prior to the curse.  If this species of creature still exists today, then it’s limbs and its intellect were removed from it as part of judgment.  It’s relevant to note that this may be why some descendants of the snake species still possess what some refer to as “vestigial” limbs that are connected to the snake’s skeleton.  Evolutionists have assumed this to be an evidence of evolution, when in fact, it may very well be an evidence of a curse and all that is left of an upright animal once able to walk and talk.  This would make snakes the natural antithesis to evolution.

The second being involved in the fall of men was Satan himself.  No repentance was required of him either, for angels cannot be redeemed.  (A fact discussed at length in “The Secret of the Flesh”).  Instead, Satan, in conjunction with the Serpent, was given a prophecy.  This prophecy revealed the existence of God’s plan for both man and Satan alike.  The “seed” that would come out of the woman, and the seed that would come out of the Serpent, would be at enmity with one another, but the woman’s seed would be victorious over the Serpents seed.

THE PROPHECY AND THE DRAGON

From history, we can see the fulfillment of this Edenic prophecy.  From out of Eve came the lineage of Jesus Christ, who secured eternal salvation for mankind.  Out of the Serpent came Satan, who would oppose the purposes of Christ.  Thus, Satan struck out at the body of Christ, and sought to destroy the purposes of God for the Messiah, but the will of God succeeded.  Christ died, and rose again, thereby crushing Satan’s power over men – the power of death brought about by sin (Hebrews 2:14).

When Satan came out of the Serpent, Satan became the typological “seed” of the Serpent, and his new moniker is descriptive of his typological parent – the “Great Red Dragon” (Revelation 12:3).  For opposing God, he was called Satan, the opponent, and on account of the deception he wrought through the great red dragon of the Garden of Eden, he is called the seed of the dragon, and hence, he became viewed as a typological serpent or dragon himself.

“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.”  (Revelation 12:3, KJV)

“…the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan…” (Revelation 20:2, KJV)

Some have misinterpreted Revelation 20:2 to mean that the Serpent in the Garden of Eden and Satan are one and the same.  The confusion arises because Satan is called “that old serpent” which is assumed to be the same Serpent who deceived Eve.  In response, we need only ask one question, “Is the serpent the same as its seed?”  If we answer “yes,” then we must equally assume that Eve is the same as her seed – we must assume that Eve is the Messiah.  If Eve and her seed must be understood to be speaking of separate beings, then so must the Serpent and its seed be understood to be separate.  The messiah would be called human because he came from a woman, and likewise, Satan is called a serpent because he came forth from out of the serpentine creature.

From Satan’s descriptive appellation as a “great red dragon,” we can begin to extrapolate details about the appearance of this great Serpent whose intellect unwittingly served the purposes of Satan in the Garden of Eden.  While it is true that the word “dragon” can be attributed to smaller reptiles such as lizards and crocodiles, the Bible speaks of greater creatures than these that lived in the days of old.  More than this, when the word great is used to describe this Serpent, this would naturally exclude anything small.  For there were indeed huge dragons in the days of Job, Daniel, and the Pharaohs of Egypt, some of which breathed fire, and others which were unstoppable by the men of their day (Job 40:15-41:34; Isaiah 27:1; Ezekiel 29:3; Jeremiah 51:34).

Many Satanically inspired stories, both of old and of present day Hollywood, often portray dragons as regal, wise, and powerful, to which men come for wisdom.  And alternately, there are many more depictions of dragons as evil, crafty, and terribly deceptive creatures.  Both depictions “tip their hat” to the original grand dragon whose mind was influenced with the wickedness of Satan.

It’s not a stretch to imagine Satan possessing a very large, majestic dragon, whose deep comforting voice, would be very persuasive.  The great dragon’s intellect was particularly useful, for it’s mind was capable of expressing Satan’s thoughts without the sound of Satan’s own voice betraying his presence.  Its size would also add emphasis to its words; as that spoken by a creature “greater” than Adam and Eve.

And so, Satan was henceforth called by the description of his “parent” in deception, the Great Red Dragon (Revelation 12:3).  In God’s prophetic curse, the serpentine Dragon was reduced to slither on its belly like lesser serpentine snakes, and its “seed,” which spoke of Satan, was destined for defeat by the future seed of Eve, Jesus Christ.

Satan did not know how God would crush him under the heel of humanity, but there was one thing he did know – he needed to corrupt, and destroy, the woman’s future seed in any way possible.  The promise of Satan’s defeat under the heel of man so terrified Satan that he went to tremendous lengths to rewrite the future that God had secured by His word.

However, even within his apparent victories, Satan consistently found himself defeated.  The greatest of these simultaneous victories and losses occurred when the prophesied seed of Eve was identified as Jesus Christ.  It would be the Messiah who would reveal the next mystery of mankind, the mystery of human flesh.

CONTRASTED WITH THE THEOCENTRIC NATURE OF GOD is the self-centered nature of sin.  Like Theocentrism, the attribute of self-centeredness is most perfectly displayed in the one in whom it was first found.  We know this being today as Satan, but before he fell from purity and righteousness he was known by a different name.

STUDY SYNOPSIS:

Before his fall, Satan held an integral position in the Holy of Holies in connection with the worship of God, perhaps even leading worship with his musical gifts before God’s throne.  But  the guardian became a thief when his wisdom was corrupted by the lustful thoughts of self-glorification, and he began leading worship as if unto himself.

God knew Satan would fall and introduce creation to sin, and fully intended to use it for His own glory.  God would do so by moving in His hitherto unseen attributes (such as judgment, wrath, and forgiveness) to put an end to rebellion and simultaneously reveal the wisdom, power, and perfect attributes of the Godhead.  For this reason, God only need move against sin once, and for all time, in order to demonstrate those aspects of Himself which were not fully grasped in the days prior to the emergence of sin.

When Satan was cast out of heaven, he made five declarations of ultimate rebellion, all beginning with ‘I will.’”

1. He wants to sit as God on the throne of heaven.
2. He wants his angelic brethren to serve him as God.
3. He wants to establish his earthly kingdom in Jerusalem, Israel.
4. He wants to astound creation with a glory greater than God’s.
5. He intends to usurp control of the earth before taking control of heaven.

Nevertheless, by the laws of justice, and hence by God’s command, Satan can only “gain ground” on earth, so to speak, as it is given him willfully by those who have rightful dominion over it– mankind.

To that end, Satan’s bidding is received by the lust of the carnal mind and body, and when acted upon, places men in a legal and willing bondage to the tempting will of Satan.  So then it is not to Satan that mankind sells themselves, but to sin, and are thereby held in bondage to their lusts, which can in turn be manipulated by Satan.  As long as humanity remains captive  to their lusts, Satan can manipulate an unwitting populace.  In this way Satan usurps control over the earth through the manipulation of those who rightfully hold dominion over it.

Ignorance of Satan’s agenda plays a key role in his manipulation of our daily lives.  The sum of this manipulation moves nations.  For it’s through ignorance that the nations are deceived and give support to Satan’s agenda.  And as deception spreads it blinds men and women to the fact that it is Satan’s master plan after which they are incited to lust.

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NAME OF THE HOLY, NAME OF THE CORRUPTED

In the Hebrew tongue, Satan was originally known in the days of his purity by the metaphor, Heylel (hay-lale’), which means “the brightness of the morning star” (Isaiah 14:12).  The morning star appears in the heavens just before dawn, heralding the rising sun.  In astronomy, we know the morning-star, or day-star, as the planet Venus, but it was also known in Latin as Lucifer.  The name “Lucifer” is derived from the Latin term, “lucem ferre,” which means “bringer, or bearer, of light.”  In the fourth century, when St. Jerome translated the Hebrew Scriptures into his Latin Vulgate, he assigned this Latin astronomical derivative, Lucifer, to the Hebrew metaphor, Heylel.  This name was later adopted by the scholars appointed by King James to translate the scriptures into English, and has become widely accepted as the heavenly name assigned to heaven’s most mighty cherubim.  Nevertheless, Heylel is the original Biblical name attributed to Satan’s pre-fall glory.

A DUAL REBUKE

As is typical of Satanic obfuscation, the identification of Satan’s pre-fall name invokes a controversy which rises up to meet anyone who might be instructed about the origin and agenda of Satan.  The controversy debates whether or not the metaphorical name, Heylel, refers to a fallen angel, or is just a poetic appellation given to a human king of earth.

At the heart of this debate are two passages that give us detailed descriptions of Satan before, and after, his rebellion.  However, both passages employ a poetic literary style that draws comparisons between two separate and distinct entities; a human king and an angelic king. In both passages a prophet of God delivers a stern rebuke to a human king, however, in these rebukes, the sins of the kings are then poetically equated with the sins of Satan.

“Not so!” charge the critics, “It’s a human king alone who is addressed by the prophets, and it’s a human king alone who receives the rebuke!”  Critics then demand to know why anyone would think that Satan is brought into the rebuke of men.  The answer to this query is simple.  The kings in question were operating according to the influences of Satan.  And so the Lord’s rebuke, while spoken to men, is simultaneously addressed to Satan.

Dual rebukes, like the dual fulfillment of prophecies, are more common than people seem to realize.  Consider the apostle Peter.  One day while walking with Jesus, Satan quietly inspired Peter to speak against Christ’s revelation that He would be put to death.  How did Jesus respond?

“But when He had turned about and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.”  (Mark 8:33, KJV)

In a rebuke directed at Peter, Jesus spoke to Satan.  Peter was unaware that he was parroting the will of Satan.  As far as he knew, his words were his own.  But Jesus was not deceived, and identified Satan as the true source of Peter’s error.  Thus Jesus rebuked the sprit that instigated Peter’s unwitting defiance against God.  Who would have known that Satan was behind Peter’s words but the Lord?

Consider also the first victim of Satan’s influences, and the dual rebuke handed down upon both Satan and his deceived mouthpiece.  Consider the Serpent in the Garden of Eden.  Satan prompted the intellect of the Serpent to speak according to the deceptive thoughts that were pouring into it’s unguarded mind as if they were it’s own.  When the Lord delivered His rebuke, listen to what was said:

“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: {15} 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.”  (Genesis 3:14-15, KJV)

Even though God’s rebuke is directed at the Serpent, the curse is clearly seen to fall upon both the Serpent and Satan.  It cannot be biblically denied that Satan is the “seed” which came forth out of the Serpent on the day it was judged (Revelation 12:9).  Nor can it be biblically denied that this curse contained the first prophecy that foretold of Christ’s victory over Satan (Romans 16:20).  We conclude, then, that prophetic rebukes can, in fact, speak to Satan even though they are addressed first to men.

Now let’s look at two passages in scripture that teach us about Satan and his agenda in the form of a dual rebuke.

PRINCE OF THE ANGELIC HOST

We find mention of Satan in the Lord’s rebuke to the king of Tyre and to the king of Babylon.  In these rebukes God recounts Satan’s history within the hearing of the kings who were ignorantly working out Satan’s will upon the earth.  These kings would hear of the glory from which Satan fell, and the horrific end to which he had been condemned, for they would likewise partake of Satan’s damnation, having unwittingly participated in his rebellion against God.  Their rebuke would be echoed hundreds of years later to the Pharisees, when Jesus said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do” (John 8:44, KJV).

We begin with the Lord’s rebuke to the king of Tyre, to whom the Lord sent the prophet Ezekiel.  Through Ezekiel, the Lord recounts a relationship – a relationship between God and the being who’s personal history God proceeds to unfold.  Although Satan is not identified by name, he is clearly the only being who fits the details God provides.  The Lord begins by recounting the glory that Satan once had in the days when he walked in righteousness before God as Heylel, and then follows it with a description of Satan’s fall and eternal destiny:

BEFORE THE FALL (vs. 12-14):  

“Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. {13} Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. {14} 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.”  (Ezekiel 28:12-14, KJV)

AFTER THE FALL (vs. 15-19):

“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. {16} By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. {17} Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. {18} Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. {19} All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” (Ezekiel 28:15-19, KJV)

Within this prophetic rebuke, we find that the king is poetically compared to an individual who is, 1) an “anointed cherub” (an angel), 2) who walked both in the Garden of Eden and upon the mountain of God in heaven, 3) who God considered to be the very seal of perfection in creation since the day of his creation (and apart from Adam, no man is ever considered perfect from the day he is born – Psalms 58:3, 14:3, 4) who’s personal beauty could only be compared to precious stones, and 5) who was cast out of God’s heavenly mountain because of sin.

This is why Satan is recognized to be the poetic antitype to the king of Tyre.  As the king’s heart was comparable to the heart of Satan, so would his judgment be comparable. Assuming this to be true for the moment, what does this account tell us about Heylel who would later become Satan?

HEAVEN’S HOLY GUARDIAN

Heylel’s position of service before God was one of tremendous honor, for he was “the anointed cherub who covers” (Ezekiel 28:14, KJV).  The word anointed means, “set aside” or “set apart” and refers to a special position of service.  We must ask then, what was his special place of service before God?

First, we see that Heylel was a cherub set apart from the others (anointed) who “covers.”  The word covereth or covers, is the Hebrew word cakak (saw-kak’), which means, “to protect” or “defend.”  For example, in Exodus 33:22, God tells Moses:

“And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover [cakak] thee with my hand while I pass by:” (Exodus 33:22, KJV)

But in heaven, what is there that needs protecting?  What is it that the cherubim protect through their position as “covering,” or “guardian” angels?  To answer that, we must turn to the book of Exodus.

In Exodus 25:17-22 we find that God commanded Israel to place images of two cherubim at either end of the “Mercy Seat” (a place where the glory of God appeared as a sign of God’s presence with Israel).

“And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering (cakak)the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.” (Exodus 25:20, KJV)

“And over it [the Mercy Seat] the cherubims of glory shadowing [protecting] the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.”  (Hebrews 9:5, KJV, italicized content added for clarity)

“And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.”  (Exodus 26:34, KJV)

“And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.”  (Exodus 25:22, KJV)

The cherubim are thus seen to be the protectors and guardians of The Mercy Seat, which served as the lid of the Ark of the Covenant and was housed in the holiest chamber of the Tabernacle (a transportable Temple of the Lord used by the Israelites during their journey from slavery in Egypt to the land promised them by God).  In the days of the Old Testament, the earthly throne of God was the Mercy Seat, from which He communicated to Israel.

If the statues of cherubim are required to cover God’s throne on earth, that is because they do so literally in heaven.  We know this because the tabernacle, and everything in it was itself an “example and shadow of heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5, KJV).  Therefore, the earthly representation of the throne of God teaches us about the heavenly reality.

When we see how Israel was instructed to position the images of the cherubim in the Tabernacle, and understand that the Tabernacle was a temporal illustration of heaven (Hebrews 10:1-4), we begin to grasp Heylel’s position of service before God.  Satan had once been a guardian of God’s glory, serving God in the sanctuaries of the “Holy of Holies” wherein the worship and praise of creation was presented to God before His throne.

It was before the Mercy Seat that the high priests of Israel were commanded to offer both worship and repentance on behalf of the nation every year.  And it’s before the Mercy Seat of Heaven that the angels offer their worship to Jehovah God.  The Mercy Seat of Heaven is God’s throne, and the Cherubim of glory have been appointed the honor of standing guard over it.

“The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: He sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.”  (Psalms 99:1, KJV)

“…thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.” (Psalms 80:1, KJV)

The cherubim are thus understood to have a unique guardian relationship in regard to the offering of worship before God.

A LEADER IN WORSHIP

This connection between the cherubim and worship is further clarified by the gifts given Heylel for service before God.  Heylel was designed and equipped with musical ability on the day he was created:

“…the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.”  (Ezekiel 28:13, KJV)

The word tabrets is translated from the Hebrew word, toph, meaning “a tambourine: tabret, timbrel” and comes from the prime root taphaph, meaning “to drum, i.e. play (as) on the tambourine: taber, play with timbrels.”  Whether we understand these gifts to be external instruments, or simply the internal ability to sing more beautifully than any other created being, music is implied by the word, toph.

God does not give gifts that He does not intend to be used in His service.  The worship of God through song and dance is spoken of in the book of Psalms:

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power. {2} Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness. {3} Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp. {4} Praise Him with the timbrel (toph) and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. {5} Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals. {6} Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.”  (Psalms 150, KJV, emphasis added)

 Considering the sum of these truths, it becomes clear that Heylel held some integral position in the Holy of Holies in connection with the worship of God, perhaps even leading worship with his musical gifts before God’s throne.

In this capacity, the worship of heaven would have been in very capable hands.  Tragically, Heylel would forfeit this place of honor, and violate his very purpose for being.

“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. {16} By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. {17} Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. {18} Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.” (Ezekiel 28:15-18, (KJV)

STRONGS EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE:  

• MERCHANDISE  7404. rekullah, rek-ool-law’; fem. pass. part. of H7402; trade (as peddled):–merchandise, traffic.

• VIOLENCE  2555. chamac, khaw-mawce’; from H2554; violence; by impl. wrong; by meton. unjust gain:–cruel (-ty), damage, false, injustice, X oppressor, unrighteous, violence (against, done), violent (dealing), wrong.

The “merchandise” Heylel was “peddling” was God’s glory and worship, and his heart was filled with “violence” – the unrighteous desire of unjust gain; gain of what belonged to God alone.  His heart was lifted up in pride because of his beauty and his covetous heart corrupted his wisdom (vs. 17).  It was corrupted with the idea that he had some worthiness in and of himself that was deserving of glory and worship.

What other currency is there in heaven but the glory given through worship?  What else is there to guard and protect but the proper focus of heaven’s worship?  What position could be closer to God than a covering cherub created to lead and direct the rapturous chorus of heaven’s worship directly to the throne of God?

Oh but what tragedy and what loss has Heylel brought upon himself!  Designed to reflect God’s greatness, he instead exalted the image of the mirror over the One reflected therein; he exalted himself as if he were God.  Well has God asked through the pen of the apostle Paul:

“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”  (1 Corinthians 4:7)

Heylel’s rebellion was not a simple desire for respect.  He was not misunderstood.  He saw all the glory and worship that was passing through his hands (merchandise), and indeed it was glorious.  There is a fine line between directing worship, and glorying in it.  Heylel “trafficked” in the “merchandise” of God’s glory and committed the “violence” of directing or receiving worship as unto himself.  The guardian became the thief when his wisdom was corrupted by the lustful thoughts of self-glorification.

THE GENESIS OF WAR

There was no remorse in Heylel’s response to God’s rebuke, rather, he declared war against his Infinite Creator, “…for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45, KJV).   To declare war against an almighty God is indeed laughable.  Especially when one considers the futility of such a war, wherein a finite creature strives against “The Infinite Omnipotent” who has no limit to His knowledge or power.  One would think that the sheer hopelessness of such an endeavor would have been a deterrent to the very thought of war against God.  However, we must also grasp the nature of those things that blinded this mighty cherub, namely his beauty, splendor, and wisdom.

Consider Heylel for a moment from the viewpoint of his peers.  He was creation’s greatest wonder.  With power and strength unmatched in creation, who could stand against him?  Brilliant and cunning even in God’s eyes, who could argue against him?  His beauty was so stunning and luminous, what was there in creation that could be compared with him?  With God out of view, the answer to all these questions is no one.  Therein lay the problem.  Self-centeredness removes God from the forefront of our desires.

When Heylel sinned against God, all his attributes were corrupted.  His might and strength no longer served the will of God, but the evil of his corrupted will.  His genius and cunning no longer operated in the truth, but instead wrought unparalleled deception and lies, deceiving even himself.  The deception of sin on this magnitude can only be overcome by the wisdom of God.  And so, seeing that his splendor truly surpassed all other created beings, and that in God’s own eyes he stood as the “sum of perfection,” Heylel gloried in the light of his own being and called his peers to do the same.  Thus it was by these corrupted attributes that Heylel convinced one third of his angelic peers to follow and obey him (Revelation 12:4); an amazing feat that gives testimony of the power, beauty, and greatness of Heylel, Heaven’s highest cherub.

IGNORANCE AND REVELATION

It staggers the mind that anyone would choose a creature, no matter how magnificent, over the Infinite Creator.  But our minds are staggered only because we have received enlightenment.  Our understanding of God today is far more advanced than the understanding that Heylel had before he fell in sin.  Therein lays one of God’s purposes for allowing sin to manifest itself and come to full fruition.  Only when God moves against sin is the fullness of His nature seen clearly.

For example, what can be known of wrath, judgment, or reverent fear, before God moves against sin?  What can be understood about the depth of Divine love, mercy, or forgiveness apart from God’s work of redemption in men?  While the angels knew God in part, they could never have known God for who He truly is before sin called His hidden attributes into action.

Thus, in some regards, the angels were as children, having limited comprehension of their Father.  And to a child, what good is a warning apart from the identification of its object of concern?  And how does a parent introduce a child to the horrors of sin?  As a perfect parent, God did not introduce thoughts of evil into the minds of His children.  Instead, He taught them the ways of righteousness.

However, God knew that it would be Heylel who would introduce creation to sin, and fully intended to use it for His own glory, in that He would move in His hitherto unseen attributes to put an end to rebellion and simultaneously reveal the wisdom, power, and perfect attributes of the Godhead.  For this reason, God only need move against sin once, and for all time, in order to demonstrate those aspects of Himself which were not fully grasped in the days prior to the emergence of sin.

SERVANTS OF SIN

The deceit wrought in the mind of Heylel perverted his reflection of God, and his cunning, strength, and beauty swayed the hearts and minds of many within God’s angelic host, and thereby sealed them in the blindness of sin.  This tragic deception has continued to be perpetuated in the hearts of men.

Having successfully introduced the blindness of sin’s logic to many of his peers, Heylel declared his intents openly before God’s throne.  The result was nothing short of staggering.  So much so, that had Heylel not first stood before his peers to convince them of his worthiness, they would never have followed him upon seeing God’s judgment against him.  And staggering God’s judgment was.

God cursed Heylel, and every angel who stood with him in agreement, and cast them out of heaven as profane beings before His sight. This judgment was so powerful that they fell to earth with the blazing impact of a lightning strike (Luke 10:18).  In that instant, their inward corruption was released, transforming them from the image of God’s glory to the hideous image of their perversion.

The objects of Heylel’s pride, and in which he had gloried, were cursed.  Where the glory of God had once radiated, a horrific blight of darkness now writhed in its void, astonishing all who knew him (Ezekiel 28:19).  By this visible curse the corruption of his spirit was made manifest before all of creation.

It would be upon the earth, before God’s bride, that Satan’s end would be secured as a witness of what evil brings to those who embrace it.  The fires of God’s righteousness, in which Heylel has once walked, would now be used to consume him; setting fire to the corruption that now subsumed his being.  It was this judgment of which the prophet Ezekiel spoke when he rebuked the king of Tyre, saying:

“Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. {18} Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. {19} All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” (Ezekiel 28:17-19, KJV)

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

The only reference to Satan’s first name, Heylel, is found in a passage describing his original perfect nature and service before God.  But God has thereafter only spoken of him in relation to his corruption, and uses such descriptive names as, Satan (pronounced: saw-tawn’ in Hebrew) which means “adversary or opponent,” and Diabolos (pronounced: dee-ab’-ol-os, in Greek) which means “false accuser, slanderer.”  The angels who followed Satan in his rebellion are now called daimonizomai (dahee-mon-id’-zom-ahee) also known to us as devils or demons, and carries the meaning, “ministers of the devil.”

A FIVE-FOLD PLAN

To the king of Babylon, God sent the prophet Isaiah.  Once again, the Lord gave a dual rebuke to the king and the spirit manipulating him from behind the scenes.  Only this time, the spirit’s name is given – Heylel.

Having been cast out of heaven, Heylel made five declarations of ultimate rebellion, all beginning with the words, “I will.”  These boasts of pride were recounted to the king of Babylon who shared in their aspirations.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer [Heylel], son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! {13} For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: {14} I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. {15} Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”  (Isaiah 14:12-15, KJV, emphasis added)

These five declarations are recorded in scripture so that we may know to what end Satan and his minions work.  Here again are the five primary goals that Heylel claimed he would accomplish:

1)    “I will ascend into Heaven.”  The prophet Ezekiel had informed the king of Tyre that Heylel was cast out of Heaven, out of the mountain of God from the midst of the stones of fire, for presuming to be worthy of the throne of God.  Now, the prophet Isaiah revealed to the king of Babylon that, in response, Satan has declared that the day will come when he rises to heaven as an ascended master, replacing God upon the throne of heaven.

2)    “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.”  The word “stars” is translated from the Hebrew word kowkab (ko-kawb’), which literally means “a blazing star,” but figuratively means “a glorious prince.”  God’s word tells us that the glory of angels is as “a flame of fire,” and that God’s “stars are the angels” (Revelation 1:20) who are assigned to the church as “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). Having once been the most glorious of all God’s star-like princes, Satan intends to rise once again above them in glory, and establish his throne as the center of their worship.

3)    “I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.”  Satan also intends to establish his earthly throne of authority in Israel.  The “congregation in the sides of the north” refers to Mount Zion in Jerusalem:

“A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. {2} Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.” (Psalms 48:1-2, KJV, emphasis added)

“Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: {34} But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: {35} Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.” (Matthew 5:33-35, KJV, emphasis added)

Why would Satan want to rule the world from the city of Jerusalem?  Because God has prophesied that He will reign over the world from Mount Zion in Jerusalem:

“Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously.” (Isaiah 24:23, KJV, emphasis added)

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. {3:1} For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, {2} I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.”  (Joel 2:32-3:2, KJV, emphasis added)

It’s interesting to note that this is the only claim that Satan even remotely comes close to accomplishing. The prophet Daniel tells us that in the last days, Satan is allowed to take control of Jerusalem through his willing human vessel, a man who is distinctly anti-Christ, “and he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain…” (Daniel 11:45, KJV).  The phrase, “Between the seas,” likely means between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, placing his base of operations in “the glorious mountain,” that is, Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

This man of sin, who is often referred to as “the Antichrist,” will stand in the temple of God in Jerusalem and declare himself to be God, in keeping with Satan’s claims.  In fact, the Jews are warned to flee when they see the Antichrist’s armies occupy and surround Jerusalem, because it will be shortly thereafter that he will exalt himself as God and slaughter all those who deny his self-proclaimed deity.

“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. {21} Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. {22} For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.”  (Luke 21:20-22, NIV)

“Therefore when you see the  ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), {16} “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. {17} Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. {18} And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.”  (Matthew 24:15-18, NKJV)

“Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; {9} that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, {10} and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. {11} For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, {12} in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”  (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12, NASB)

At the height of Satan’s rule through the Antichrist, he will rule from “the sides of the north” in Jerusalem.  God will allow this satanic regime to prosper for a short time as a “punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written” (Luke 21:22, NIV).  It will be a punishment because under the threat of death, and with the allure of Satanic signs and wonders, the hearts of men will reveal where they truly stand before God.  Men will either overcome fear and deception through the power of God, or they will succumb to fear and deceived wonderment, “in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:12, NASB).  And when this has fully been accomplished according to God’s word, Christ shall return in vengeance against every wicked heart, be it angelic or human.

4)    ”I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.”  These “clouds” are not what we see in the sky, but are instead the visible glory of God for which there is no adequate word to evoke the proper image in our thinking.  For example, the prophet Ezekiel recounts seeing the glory of God fill a house like that of a cloud:

“Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’S glory.” (Ezekiel 10:4, KJV)

Other examples can be seen in Exodus 16:10, 24:16; Numbers 16:42; and Luke 21:27.

In his insane pride, Satan imagines that he can exceed the infinite glory of God.  In essence, Satan has stood in God’s presence and foolishly proclaimed that he will go: “To infinity, and beyond!”  Having tasted the euphoria of God’s glory, Satan intends to “ascend above the heights of the clouds (of glory),” thereby exceeding even God Himself in grandeur and majesty.  It is not possible to exceed infinite glory, but if one is already striving for the impossible, why not at least succeed in foolishness?

5)    “I will be like the most High.”  God is revealed as El Elyown, the “Most High God.”  The Most High God is “the possessor of Heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:19-20, 22).  Satan intends to begin with the conquest of earth through global domination, and upon defeating God’s will for men, he intends to ascend into heaven revealing himself to “be like the most High.”  But in the end, Satan will only prove that “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18, KJV).

These five “I will’s” are the desires of Satan’s heart.  To this end does he war against God.  We must be instructed from these declarations, for by knowing what his goals are, we’ll be better prepared to recognize the means Satan is using to achieve those goals, and seek after what the Lord would have us do in response.

PROVING THE CLAIM

Satan’s grand aspirations were pronounced folly, and everything he had envisioned for himself condemned.  His pride was hurt, his beauty corrupted, and his future damned.  But according to the justice of God’s plan for rebellion, Satan was granted time to demonstrate his claims against God.  Satan’s freedom is ticking away, and his only “hope,” vain as it is, is to succeed against God.

But Satan must proceed by observing the rules of God’s “court.” In other words, he is not ultimately free to do anything he wishes.  He and his demons are bound by the parameters that God has set upon creation.  God retains His Sovereign power over all, and only allows evil to work out its will within the scope of its claims according to the will of God.  “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain” (Psalms 76:10, KJV).  Much like a beast is allowed to mark out its territory within the confines of its cage, so is Satan bound by the limits of God’s will for rebellion.

In order for Satan to establish his abode in heaven, he must first establish himself as ruler over his current domain of relative freedom – the earth.  If he fails to place the meek inhabitants of the earth under his rule, he can have no chance of overthrowing the might of heaven.  Humanity must be conquered and brought under the claimed “divinity” of the devil.  Satan must therefore raise his sphere of authority over man.  The question is, how will he establish dominance over the earth?

Some might think that the easiest way to gain dominion over the earth is by brute force.  Many venues of entertainment have centered their story lines on this premise.  However, Satan cannot take control of men by direct angelic force, even though the combined strength of creation’s strongest cherub and his fallen angelic followers could easily be used to overrun the earth and make mankind their unwilling slaves – especially in the days when there was only Adam and Eve.

However, by the laws of justice, and hence by God’s command, Satan can only “gain ground” on earth, so to speak, as it is given him willfully by those who have rightful dominion over it – mankind.

THE LEGALITY OF DOMINION

God gave dominion over the earth to mankind alone (Genesis 1:28), and that dominion was not to be given to any other.  By the power of this Divine ordination, Satan cannot take by force what God has bestowed upon another.  Therefore, Satan must usurp it from its rightful owners, according to the allowances of the law.  He is able to do so through man’s slavery to the lusts of their flesh.

“For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” (Romans 7:14, KJV)

 ”…for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” (2 Peter 2:19, KJV)

 It’s this principle of sin that is key to Satan’s intended victory.

Moving behind the minds of fallen man, just as he did with the Serpent in the garden, Satan is never directly seen, nor directly responsible for men’s actions – such as would justify one to say, “the devil made me do it!”  Satan temps men, either directly or by preexisting earthly temptations, to lure them along the path he would have them go, and when they willingly bite the lure, it becomes a horses bit to them, and they can be led by that lust.  In effect, Satan capitalizes upon human depravity, a depravity that sprang from the seeds of sin he planted and even now seeks to reap as a harvest.

In this way Satan’s bidding is received by the lust of the carnal mind and body, and when acted upon, places men in a legal and willing bondage to the tempting will of Satan.  So then it is not to Satan that mankind sells themselves, but to sin, and are thereby held in bondage to their lusts, which can in turn be manipulated by Satan.  As long as humanity remains captive to their lusts, Satan can manipulate an unwitting populace.  In this way Satan usurps control over the earth through the manipulation of those who rightfully hold dominion over it.

The means by which Satan is gaining ground on earth far exceeds vices such as drugs or sexual immorality.  Enticing humanity to bind themselves in fleshly sins is useless to Satan unless it plays into his global agenda.  Ignorance of Satan’s agenda plays a key role in his manipulation of our daily lives.  The sum of this manipulation moves nations.  For it’s through ignorance that the nations are deceived and give support to Satan’s agenda.  And as deception spreads it blinds men and women to the fact that it is Satan’s master plan after which they are incited to lust.

Just as nations are conquered and ruled over by men, so are they conquered and ruled over spiritually.  Satan, by reason of his victories over the peoples of the earth, has set up principalities (princes), powers, and rulers over the empires of the world and their geographical domains.  This is why God’s servants are told:

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. {12} For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  (Ephesians 6:11-12, KJV)

True to his stated goals, Satan would be “god” over the earth.  To this end, the “father of lies” (John 8:44) has consistently confused men’s knowledge of God on a global scale.  Between the fallen minds of men and the deceptive “inspirations” of Satan, religions, philosophies, and the false “sciences” of the world sprang up where the knowledge of God was suppressed; each faith denying the truth of God, and each binding it’s followers against the One True God.

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: {4} In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”  (2 Corinthians 4:3-4, KJV)

“O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:” (1 Timothy 6:20, KJV)

We would do well to note the stated goal’s of Satan, and their global applications, “lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).  We must not be ignorant because we have his agenda, his modus operandi, recorded for us in the Bible, which we have been commanded to study diligently (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; 2 Timothy 2:15).

Satan is very active on planet earth according to God’s permissive will for rebellion.  Satan intends to achieve his five stated goals on the earth that he may justify his claims before creation as one worthy to be praised.  Satan fights against a ticking clock, as was prophesied in Eden, and works endlessly towards his aspirations.  Let us not fail to identify the signs of these goals, recognizing them to be global in scale, personal in application, and governmental in their enforcement of his Satanic will for universal domination.

ANYONE WHO HAS ATTENDED MAINLINE CHURCHES on a regular basis can cite the fundamental facts of creation, sin, and redemption.  But reconciling these facts with our fallen heart and logic has proven troubling for those who are unfamiliar with God’s revelation of Divine purpose.  In the absence of knowledge, many questions can overshadow the wisdom of God in our minds.

STUDY SYNOPSIS:

When recounting the acts of God, wherein the facts alone are offered as a reason to believe, the will of God can easily be perceived as absurd, foolish, and even cruel.  This is because we, as personal beings, neither live nor act on facts alone.  There is always a motive, a desire, a heart behind every thought, word, and deed.  Therefore when a void of personality is left, we are quick to ascribe our own fallen natures to the mind of God.  In this way God is demeaned and mocked by the myopic wisdom of man.

In this study, we’ll discover that the treasure of God’s heart is Himself.  While some have erroneously attributed this focus to selfcenteredness, it is not.  It’s something called Theocentrism, a beautiful Divine focus that benefits all of creation, as as such, is a focus all of creation is to have themselves.  In fact, the Theocentric nature of God is what renders sin an irony, because God desires to give righteously what sin desires to take unrighteously. Thus, Theocentrism is more than a mere focus; it is an expression of love.  A love that doesn’t seek after self, but after Divine good, is perfectly Theocentric.  As such, it is the primary component of everything that God does.

As we adopt the Theocentric nature of God, we’ll share in the joys and righteous pleasures of God.  In fact, those pleasures will be expressed through us.  And as God expresses His wisdom and righteousness through us, we’ll share in the very nature of God.  This is what it means to be filled with the fullness of God’s Theocentric nature.

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THE TREASURE OF GOD

This is where we must begin, with the Divine heart behind the history.  What were the motivations of God’s heart when He begat creation?  There is no better way to understand someone’s motives than to find the treasure of their heart:

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21, KJV)

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”  (Luke 6:45, KJV)

Just as this is true of men, so is it true of God, who’s image men reflect (Genesis 1:27).  Thankfully, finding the treasure of God’s heart, and thus the purpose behind His actions, is as simple as asking one question: “In all that exists, what has the most value, the most beauty, the most wisdom, the greatest power, the greatest joy, the greatest peace, the greatest purity, is most trustworthy, is most dependable, is infinite in it’s every quality, and never changes, thus making it more desirable than anything else?”  If we answer with anything other than “The Being of God,” we blaspheme, and fail to grasp The One True God, our Creator.  There is nothing more desirable than God Himself.  Thus, the treasure of God, is the nature of His own Being.

It was for this reason that God told Abram, “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1, KJV).  The greatest gift God can give is Himself.  If this were true of a man or woman, especially in our fallen state, we would cringe to imagine the ego and self-centeredness this reality would generate.  So what do we find when we examine the heart of God?

DEFINING THE HEART OF GOD

Some have wrongfully concluded that because God treasures Himself above all else, God must therefore be self-centered by nature, and consequently self-serving.  But is this really an accurate description of God?  Is the Divine Nature of God self-centered?  Is that the nature to which we have been called?  Certainly not!  But this question does bring to our attention an important perspective that is often missed about God’s exaltation of His own Being.  God is Theocentric.

Theocentrism focuses itself entirely upon the essence of Holy Divinity.  For this reason we must not speak of God as self-centered, for it is more accurate to say that God is Theocentric, or God-centered.  This is not a matter of semantics.  The difference between self-centeredness and Theocentrism is simple, yet profound.  A self-centered being will exalt itself over others even after being proven unworthy, whereas a Theocentric being will shift it’s focus to whatever source proves to be more worthy than self.  There is no self-centeredness in Theocentrism.

This means that God treasures Himself only because there is no other God beside Him, nor one more worthy than He (Isaiah 43:10-12).  For example, the word of God tells us that when God confirmed His oath to Abraham, He validated it by swearing by the trustworthiness of His own Being, “because He could swear by no greater” (Hebrews 6:13-14, KJV).  If there were a greater being than Jehovah, the Lord would devote Himself to that being as its most faithful servant of righteousness. For the Lord loves all that is righteous, and will exalt the ultimate source of that righteousness, wherever it is found.  It just so happens that the infinite source of all that is good is the very Being of God Himself.

This Theocentric disposition is part and parcel of the Divine Nature that forms in men through the sanctifying work of God (2 Peter 1:4).  And if the nature of God is Theocentric, and we are made to be partakers of His nature, then God is calling us to be Theocentric.  As this nature begins to form in us, the stark contrast between our self-centered natures and God’s Theocentric nature will be readily apparent.  This contrast helps us comprehend the value of God’s nature over what is natural to us.

First, consider our fallen nature.  Every fallen being is self-centered.  The degree of this condition varies within men, but exists as a component of sin nevertheless.  Because of this, everyone will at some point abuse, neglect, and generally deprive others of that which is beneficial to them in favor of self.  This is true no matter how much pleasure a self-centered individual derives from seeing others get what they want.  This is because a man’s desires can be detrimental to their own well-being, and must therefore be regulated with wisdom.  Failure to properly regulate human desire is most commonly known as “spoiling” someone.  So even the most altruistic of men will inadvertently bring harm to others for lack of wisdom or knowledge.

Theocentrism, as exhibited perfectly by God alone, ensures that every possible benefit – every good which can be experienced by a created being – is made available and kept accessible through godly means.  This naturally means that some seemingly good things are withheld from men by the same loving wisdom of God.  Only the infinite wisdom of God can faultlessly judge between what is truly beneficial and what is not.

Thus, the will of God for mankind is governed by a loving wisdom that may not immediately be recognized as beneficial by the limited wisdom of men.  This is where sin is found to be at its strongest.  For sin counters the wisdom of God’s goodness with the fallen logic of rebellion, and advises its victim on how to obtain the good that God apparently failed to deliver, or at the very least, failed to deliver in full.

THE IRONY OF SIN

The irony of sin is that it attempts to achieve, through godless means, what God intends to give freely through Divine means.  Satan sinned when he attempted to receive, for himself, the glory due God alone.  Yet, it was God’s intent from the beginning to bring the angels ever deeper into His glory through His work with mankind.  The sin of Adam and Eve was born from their attempt to “be as gods” (Genesis 3:5) and to obtain the knowledge of good and evil apart from righteousness.  Yet, it was God’s intent all along to become one with mankind and make them partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:2-4) thereby granting them unrestricted access to His infinite knowledge.

In fact, every sin committed thereafter has been the result of an unrighteous pursuit of what is Divine by nature.  For example, in the pursuit of happiness, the lie of sin is that a greater happiness can be found apart from God than can be found in Him.  Ironically, it is the desire of God’s heart to bestow upon creation the greatest joy and happiness that can possibly be experienced by a created being, and God knows this can only be accomplished by sharing Himself fully with creation.  In the pursuit of peace, the lie of sin tells us that peace can be found in a world living contrary to that which actually delivers peace – the righteousness of God.  Ironically, eternal peace is what God created us to experience in Him.  And in the pursuit of freedom, the lie of sin tells us that we cannot truly be free unless we are allowed to make choices opposed to the nature of God.  Ironically, it is only when men partake of the nature of God that they can keep themselves free from the woes and sorrows of sin’s bondage and achieve eternal freedom.

Sin is truly the ungodly pursuit of the essence of God.  This is ironic because there is, in fact, a godly means of becoming like God, possessing the Divine Nature, and of sharing in a glory so profound no words can adequately describe it.  The process is called “salvation,” and its author is Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate (God manifested in the flesh).  The message of Salvation has thus become known as the Gospel of Christ, which calls all men to seek and obtain God through the only means by which He is obtainable.  Herein lies the heart of God.  Herein lies the purpose for salvation, which was God’s intent for mankind all along.

SHARING THE WEALTH

The Theocentric nature of God is what renders sin an irony.  It is God’s unwavering exaltation of the Divine nature that ensures the righteous delivery of every good thing to creation.  Theocentrism allows nothing to rise up and hinder the attributes and character of God from being expressed perfectly towards us.

This is because Theocentrism is more than a focus; it is an expression of love.  It is a perfect love.  For we are told in 1 Corinthians that love “is not self-seeking” (1 Corinthians 13:5, NIV).  If love does not seek after self, but after Divine good, then love is perfectly Theocentric.  As such, it is the primary component of everything that God does.

During Christ’s ministry a Pharisee (who was also a lawyer) attempted to trap Jesus with His own words by asking Him what the greatest commandment of the Law was.  If Jesus focused on any one law over another, His audience would certainly have found fault.  So what was Christ’s answer?

“Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him, and saying, {36} Master, which is the great commandment in the law? {37} Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. {38} This is the first and great commandment. {39} And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. {40} On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”  (Matthew 22:35-40, KJV)

Now when we speak of love as being the “greatest law,” or the “greatest attribute” of God, this is simply saying that love encompasses and contains every other law and attribute of God.  Anything done apart from love is ungodly, which is to say, un-God-like (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
When considering the “greatest law” of God, the Law of Love, we must first ask, “What is the Law?”  We are not asking what the law says, but rather, what the law is.  Every recorded law and commandment of God is simply the character and Being of God displayed in static, factual form.  In other words, the laws and commandments of God are the essence of His Being.  We know this because the Word of God is said to be God, and was exemplified in the Divine person of Jesus Christ.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  (John 1:1, KJV)

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  (John 1:14, KJV)

The Law, or Word of God manifested Himself in bodily form as a living example of a static record.  Christ is the living will of God’s word. He is God manifest in the flesh of men.  He is the life by which the Word of God is said to be living and powerful.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. {13} And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”  (Hebrews 4:12-13, ESV)

God is synonymous with His word.  There is no variance between what God is, what God says, or what God does.  For example, the greatest law of God is also His greatest attribute.  The law commands us to live by love.  Is this law the very essence of God Himself?  It most certainly is, for “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him,” “therefore love is the fulfilling of the law,” “for all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this:…love…” (1 John 4:16; Romans 13:10; Galatians 5:14, KJV).

Is God consistent with this law?  Indeed He is, for God is Theocentric and loves Himself with infinite love thereby fulfilling the great commandment, which commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind.  God also loves us as He loves Himself (John 17:23), thus fulfilling the second great commandment to “love thy neighbor as thyself.”  In this way God’s Being is the law, His word establishes the law, and His actions fulfill the law.  God is synonymous with His word, His will, and His ways.

THE FULNESS OF GOD

Part of Christ’s ministry, with regard to His humanity, was to demonstrate how the Theocentric nature of God’s love can righteously extend to a corrupted humanity.  Because God is righteous, His love must operate within the Holy standards of His Being, which is to say, God cannot “lovingly” ignore sin.  So God came in the flesh to address the sins of men, and provide them with righteous access to the love of God.

Access to God is made possible through Christ’s atonement for sin, and through the power the Holy Spirit sent in His name.  Together, they enable men to abide in a living faith, made alive through the righteous works of obedience.  In other words, if you repent and turn to God for the power to obey, it will be “…God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13, KJV).  And because our obedience is the very righteousness of God expressed through us by the Holy Spirit, so shall the fruits of God’s Being also flow through us.  This is the reality to which God was inferring when He said that, “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death” (Proverbs 12:28, KJV).  And conversely,  “As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death” (Proverbs 11:19, KJV).

As we obey by the power of God, we can share in the joys and righteous pleasures of God as God expresses them through us.  And as God expresses His wisdom and righteousness through us, we share in the very nature of God.  This is what it means to be filled with the fullness of God.

“For this reason [seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, {15} For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named [that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name]. {16} May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. {17} May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts!  May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, {18} That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; {19} [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!”  (Ephesians 3:14-19, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

“He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. {31} Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”  (1 Corinthians 1:30-31, ESV)

We have these things in Christ as we live by the love of His will.  This is what Jesus promised us, saying:

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. {11} These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. {12} This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 15:10-12, KJV)

Jesus tells us that, in His humanity, He lives in the love of God because He loves righteousness (Hebrews 1:9) and has wholly submitted Himself to the guiding will of the Holy Spirit (John 5:19).  As the righteousness of the Holy Spirit flowed through Him in obedience, so did the joy of God.  In light of this example, Jesus tells us that we must keep His commandments by the same power of God, so that the love of God may fill us and flow from us to others.  This is how a Theocentric love is extended to mankind, thereby filling men with the very same joys and righteous pleasures that God experiences.

Unfortunately, remaining in the love of God is easier said than done, because as much as we desire to express ourselves through greatness and well doing, we cannot stray for long from the nature of sin, to which our flesh is enslaved.  Only when God begins to work in us can we see the sharp contrast between the nature of sin and the nature of righteousness, and how they strive against each other, being incompatible.  The apostle Paul lamented this reality, saying, “…the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Romans 7:19, KJV).

Nevertheless, by the power of God men overcome the flesh, and with every act of submission to God, a man learns “how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour” (1 Thessalonians 4:4, KJV). “Or are you [so blind as to] trifle with and presume upon and despise and underestimate the wealth of His kindness and forbearance and long-suffering patience? Are you unmindful or actually ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repent (to change your mind and inner man to accept God’s will)?” (Romans 2:4, italicized content added by AMP Bible).

Understanding the heart of God is paramount to accurately interpreting His every thought, word, and deed.  When the Lord said that “…the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men,” He was referring to men’s interpretation of His logic (1 Corinthians 1:25, KJV).  For even when God is perceived to be foolish, on account of men’s ignorance, that “foolishness” is still wiser than the motivations that spring from the treasures of men’s hearts.

Thus, because “the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21, NIV).  Why did it please God to preach what appeared to be a “foolish” message?  Because by doing so, only those who truly seek after His heart will understand the wisdom of that message.  This is why “we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, {24} but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. {25} For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength” (1 Corinthians 1:21-25, NIV).

In this, we are edified, educated, and put at ease by the discovery of God’s treasure.  This is because the Theocentrism of God ensures that He will always treasure the nature of Divinity.  The love of God ensures that what He treasures will always be shared with creation to the fullest extent possible.  And the self-consistency of God ensures the invariable dependability of His exaltation of the Divine Nature, and it’s blessing to all who abide in Him.  In this way God shares His wealth; the glorious treasure of infinite perfection and joy.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

• “There is nothing more desirable than God Himself.  Thus, the treasure of God is the nature of His own Being.”

• “…a Theocentric being will shift it’s focus to whatever source proves to be more worthy than self.  There is no self-centeredness in Theocentrism.”

• “God is calling us to be Theocentric.”

• “The irony of sin is that it attempts to achieve, through godless means, what God intends to give freely through Divine means.”

•   …There is, in fact, a godly means of becoming like God…the process is called salvation…”

• “…the laws and commandments of God are the essence of His Being.”

• “Because God is righteous, His love must operate within the Holy standards of His Being, which is to say, God cannot ‘lovingly’ ignore sin.”

• “And as God expresses His wisdom and righteousness through us, we share in the very nature of God.”

•  ”Why did it please God to preach what appeared to be a ‘foolish’ message?  Because by doing so, only those who truly seek after His heart will understand the wisdom of that message.”