Of Last Things: Part 3 – A Great Kingdom Reversal

So far we have read about the judgement of God that will bring to an end the present material and celestial orders. However, what will become of the new humanity that God is redeeming for Himself? The Bible never gives us a detailed account of God’s plans for the world to come, in fact it specifically tells us that we aren’t even able to comprehend those truths (1 Cor 2:9). That said it does give us several glimpses into that reality, at least in forms that we are able to apprehend, so as to comfort us as we go through afflictions in our present life. These glimpses strengthen the Christian’s resolve to persevere in the faith, knowing what lies ahead. These glimpses are of things promised to us by God Himself and therefore we can be certain that we will inherit those promises if we persevere in Christ.

Of Last Things: Part 2 – The End of the Present Celestial Order

We have seen how the created order consists of both a material and a celestial component and how these realities reflect each other. At Babel God divided the nations as an inheritance to powerful celestial beings called the sons of God. These beings had rebelled against God under the banner of Satan. Earthly nations were ordained to be a manifestation of their rule from the high places. These beings, along with the sons of God and angels who were loyal to YHWH formed God’s Divine Council. This forms the basis for the present celestial order. Even though these beings were cast out of the Divine Council on Christ’s ascension, that established order whereby the sons of God rule over the nations of this world remains - Satan himself retaining the title of god of this world (2 Cor 4:4). However, as we have seen a judgement on a nation was a reflection of the judgement on its gods and vice-versa. Therefore, the end of the present material order also spells the doom of the present celestial order. This doom was already proclaimed in Eden, ushered in at Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension and on the last day, it will become a consummate reality.

Redemptive Kingdom Structure in the New Covenant: Part 3 – King and Holy War

In the Old Covenant, the Israelites waged holy war against the Caananites within the boundaries of the promised land. Likewise the Christian is also engaged in holy war. In the New Covenant, there are two categories in which this war is waged and these categories are not mutually exclusive. Since the Christian himself is the domain of God’s Kingdom, we wage an internal holy war to cleanse ourselves. Then we also wage an external holy war against the forces of darkness. Since the Kingdom of God is not a physical kingdom, this war is not a physical one but spiritual in nature.

The Celestial Order – Part 3 : The Fall from High Places

The Bible speaks of a time prior to the fall of man, when Lucifer, a glorious angel rebelled against God. This rebellion can be considered the true original sin because it was through it that evil entered the cosmos. Corruption of the created order therefore did not begin with the material but rather the celestial. To understand the fall of Adam, one must first understand the fall of Lucifer and its consequences for the entire cosmos. This will also help us appreciate the magnitude of God’s plan of redemption which is far more than a mere legal transaction, it is cosmic in scale. Lucifer’s evil has corrupted this created order, but God has promised to create all things new, and He is redeeming His people so that they will not perish with this failing order, but be rulers again in His new creation.

The Celestial Order – Part 2

The visible world reflects many of these eternal and invisible realities. Since God is the Creator of both the material and the celestial (Col 1:16), His attributes are revealed in His creation. It is as if He has left His fingerprints on His work. This reflection of the invisible in the visible enables us to understand attributes of God and His nature (Rom 1:20). Sadly, humans have corrupted this revelation by causally liking material categories to divine categories rather than seeing them as mere reflections of the eternal. Men thus end up worshipping created things rather than the Creator (Rom 1:23). This is why it is critical to understand the supernatural themes revealed in the Scriptures. They exist to point us to something Greater and are not an end in and of themselves.

The Celestial Order – Part 1

The creation account in Genesis paints an elaborate picture of the purpose of the material order. The Scriptures however, reveal a cosmology that is not merely material but rather supernatural. Scattered throughout the Word of God are accounts of celestial entities, far more powerful than man. The existence of Cherubim, Seraphim, Archangels, Sons of God, Watchers, Princes of Realms that hinder angels, Chariots of Fire and a plethora of other entities are revealed. These entities are not revealed as mere external observers of the fate of man and this world but are shown to be active participants in the affairs of the world.