Creation was of much importance to Israel. Seen in their Sabbaths, the Passover and the celebration of the Jubilee every 50 years. Israel had six seasons, and Divine authority tells us; “as long as the earth remained, the seasons will be.” (Ge. 8:22) The feasts of the Lord in Leviticus 23 were based on these seasons.
But are there lessons for us? The epistle to the Romans was written to Gentiles and begins with creation teaching the nations. The diversity and complexity of the universe, and many new discoveries on earth have amazed the human mind, and God is still speaking to man using the marvels of creation. Our intelligence is reached through taste, smell, feel, sight, and sounds. In these several ways creation is informing us, the creator is declaring himself, both as Creator and Preserver, (Is. 40:13, 14; Ps. 22:28) as a compassionate God, and as the source and fountain of all goodness. (Ja. 1:17; Ps. 119:68) “The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works”. (Ps. 145:9) Preservation goodness is demonstrated in the produce of the earth. And many herbs, plants, and trees, are good for medicine and food. (Ps. 104:14, 15)
The stars are silent witnesses, their size, their order, their steadfastness, their splendor, and their mystery, all proclaim the greatness of God. And the more the glory of God strikes our eye, more small and insignificant do we feel in his presence. The stars “look down” upon us, as if to pity, our smallness amide the vast universe, but while the glory of God in the heavens is made to humble us, it also awakens us to the fact that the same God who rules above also rules on earth.
The wisdom of God is seen in the diversity of life on earth and in the complexity of the universe. The heavens captivated the Psalmist, and are plural, comprising the watery heavens with their clouds of countless forms, the aerial heavens with their calms and tempests, the solar heavens with its light of day, and the starry heavens with all the marvels of the night. Creation beauties on earth have captivated many, and the celestial realm has many spiritual lessons which we mean to underline in this booklet.
”Pride is one of the distinguishing characteristics of puny man, and has been one of the chief causes of all the contentions, wars, devastation, systems of slavery, and ambitious projects which have desolated and demoralized our world. Yet there is no disposition more incongruous to the character and circumstance of man. Perhaps there are no rational beings throughout the universe among whom pride would appear more unseemly or incompatible than in man, considering the situation in which he is placed, He is exposed to numerous degradations and calamities, to the rage of storms and tempests, the devastations of earthquakes and volcanoes, the fury of whirlwinds, and the tempestuous billows of the ocean, to the ravages of the sword, famine, pestilence, and numerous diseases; and at length he must sink into the grave, and his body must become the companion of worms! The most dignified and haughty of the sons of men are liable to these and similar degradations as well as the meanest of the human family. Yet, in such circumstances, man – that puny worm of the dust, whose knowledge is so limited, and whose follies are so numerous and glaring – has the effrontery to strut in all the haughtiness of pride, and to glory in his shame. When other arguments and motives produce little effect on certain minds, no considerations seem likely to have a more powerful tendency to counteract this deplorable propensity in human beings, than those which are borrowed from the objects connected with astronomy. They show us what an insignificant being – what a mere atom, indeed, man appears amidst the immensity of creation! Though he is an object of the paternal care and mercy of the Most High, yet he is but as a grain of sand to the whole earth, when compared to the countless myriads of beings that people the amplitudes of creation. What is the whole of this globe on which we dwell compared with the solar system, which contains a mass of matter ten thousand times greater? What is it in comparison of the hundred millions of suns and worlds which by the telescope have been described throughout the starry regions? What, then, is a kingdom, a province, or a baronial territory, of which we are as proud as if we were the lords of the universe and for which we engage in so much devastation and carnage? What are they, when set in competition with the glories of the sky? Could we take our station on the lofty pinnacles of heaven, and look down on this scarcely distinguishable speck of earth, we should be ready to exclaim with Seneca, “Is it to this little spot that the great designs and vast desires of men are confined? Is it for this there is so much disturbance of nations, so much carnage, and so many ruinous wars? Oh, the folly of deceived men, to imagine great kingdoms in the compass of an atom, to raise armies to decide a point of earth with the sword!” Dr. Chalmers, in his Astronomical Discourses, very truthfully says, “We gave you but a feeble image of our comparative insignificance, when we said that the glories of an extended forest would suffer no more from the fall of a single leaf, than the glories of this extended universe would suffer though the globe we tread upon, ‘and all that it inherits, should dissolve.”
(C.H. Spurgeon, treasure of David)
He who looks up, and then writes himself down an atheist makes himself of little intelligence. David wrote; “the fool had said in his heart, there is no God.” (Ps. 14:1) Others profess to love God but are afraid to fully acknowledge the God-declaring book of nature, they profess “religion” but will “bend” to the evolution theory, and inadvertently give reason to the atheists who out-rightly refuse divine revelation. Wise eternity travelers are all who will trace the goings forth of Jehovah in creation.
David writes of the work of the Lord’s fingers. (Psalm 8) It seems that the creator is portrayed as a workman, to meet the limited comprehension of mortals. It is humbling to find that even when the most devout and elevated minds are desirous to express their loftiest thoughts of God, they must use words and metaphors drawn from the earth. Men are children, and must each confess, “I think as a child, I speak as a child.”
David further writes in Psalm 19 of the heavens declaring or speaking. “Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge” Science tells us that the universe is a continuum of Space, Time, Matter, and Energy. An interaction occurs everywhere throughout Space, and operates in the context of Time; “Day unto day” and “night unto night.” So the heavens declare, or are declaring, for the continuance of their testimony is still evident. God’s existence, power, wisdom, and goodness, are being sounded by the heavenly heralds. He who is in doubt of divine design needs only to gaze upward. He who would “see God” needs only to peer into the boundless span; he who desires to see divine wisdom will consider the balancing of the orbs and the regularity of the planetary motions; and he who will see divine power, greatness, and majesty, will note the forces of attraction, the magnitude of the fixed stars, and the brightness of the whole celestial train.
Creation gives answers to the unanswerable questions of intelligent, planning, controlling, and the preservation of the human race up to this day. No intelligent being can remain unconvinced. The testimony given by the heavens is no mere hint, but a plain unmistakable declaration.
Science tells us that one lightning bolt can discharge 100 million volts of electricity. The charge passes through and heats up the air to over 60,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Air expanding quickly makes a pressure wave or a rumble. Positive and negative atoms are attracted to each other like magnets to metal. When they move through the air they make sparks or a lighting flash.
Some lighting flashes have been estimated to be over 100 kilometers long.
Man has explored outer-space and have found the universe to be without end, which is teaching us of the no- beginning, no-ending God. The marvels of creation moved the writers of the Bible. The doxologies of scripture were inspired by the visible marvels of creation. Many discoveries have been made of before-unseen creation in the last 100 years. If the unbeliever was without excuse in Paul’s day, (Romans 1) how much more so today.
Not only is the universe without end, teaching us of the eternal God, but every planet found is round like the earth. Corners are expressive of a beginning, where there are no corners, we cannot find a beginning.
Science and the Holy Scriptures are not in opposition. They work together in the great labor of the dispersion of ignorance. They both make one foundation, with a very broad base, and they together make one great “temple” reared to the glory of God. Let the one be as the outer temple court, and the other the inner court. In the one, let all look, and admire, in the other, let all kneel, and pray, and praise. Let the one be the sanctuary of human learning. Let the other be the court of a reconciled heart, opened to hear the oracles of the living God.
The greatest creation, or re-creation work is yet to come, when our Lord will raise and change millions of bodies. Jesus raised a few, proving that He can raise all. It is not difficult to see indications of resurrection in creation. Every spring there is a re-growth of many plants and what was buried and seemingly dead grows again. The common fly was frozen and dead but the sun warms the little creature back to life. The great chapter of resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15, compares the resurrection of the body to natural creation growth, and underlines the greatest yet-to-come re-construction masterpiece, which will be our new bodies.
However the loud declaration of creation will not save the soul. For although man is illuminated as to a creator, he is still spiritually blind as to his state. The Holy Spirit must illuminate him, and the new birth is only by the Spirit “moving” as He did over the “without form and void” earth long ago. (Ge. 1:2)
The Living God
When we read of the eyes, ears, legs and voice of God in scripture we understand that the creator is a living being. Although God is a Spirit, He has the capacity of body functions. Every spirit has this capacity, as the Lord teaches us in Luke 16. The soul of Lazarus could feel, and could be comforted. He did not have his body but his spirit still had body feelings.
The tern, “living God” is found at least thirty times in the Bible. In contrast to the many pagan or dead gods, Jehovah was, and is, the Living God.
However there is another more important reason for this declaration in scripture. Creation identifies different levels or ranks of life; the first is the invisible atom. The second is vegetation life, than animal life, than human life, and angel life is the superior created life. Then there is the life of God. So by creation we learn different levels or more developed life forms. God is the superior uncreated life. He is the LIVING God. We understand less than angels, but more than animals. Animals know less than humans, but more than plants or vegetation life. And every created life form comes short of the ability, and comprehension of the LIVING God.
(The God of the Bible by same author)
The Creation of Eternal Spirits
The principalities, or powers (Col. 1:16; Rom. 8:38; Eph. 1:20, 21; 3:10; 6:12) are invisible angelic creatures. God originally organized the angelic creation into a hierarchal structure, for the purpose of serving more efficiently. They are an organized angelical league, and ministers of the government of heaven.
Some of which fell from their first sinless state, and became the demon organized world of Satan. So Paul wrote; “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.” (Eph. 6:12) it would seem that Satan copied the original angelic structure, and a hierarchy of evil was designed. The same kingdom of darkness is referred to by our Lord in Luke 11. It is this power which is present in our world today, keeping humanity in ignorance, and blinded. (2 Cor. 4:4) It has always been the goal of Satan and his kingdom to destroy the work of God, but we wonder if this has not intensified in our lifetime. Satan opposed the work of God in the Garden of Eden, in the choice of the nation of Israel, and in the great plan of the church. But our generation may be witnessing the final push of this army of evil. Human mind power is seen in the marvels of technology, television and the internet. But hierarchy-evil power is seen in the exploiting of these for world wickedness.
Technology has become the masterpiece tool of Satan. A skillfully organized fine-tuned mind altering machine not equaled in any previous generation. History teaches us that Satan and demons are the instigators of every organized evils, attacking all good and especially the saints. The case of Job proves this; his family, his health, and his livelihood were destroyed. Today we do well to note that theprincipalities-power rulers of darkness have organized an unprecedented attack. An attack on the mind, especially the minds of young men and woman.
The fall of angels is not recorded in scripture, we would assume that Satan’s influence was at work, but every angel is created with a free will, and like man, cannot totally blame Satan for his fall into sin. Jude tells us; “they left their first estate” and that “they are reserved unto judgement.” They were originally holy beings of light, but by sinning they became beings of darkness. Their experience of divine light is no longer, they are in black despair and torments. So Jude, in his short epistle, writes of another company of fallen angels, who are presently in prison, and not in the hierarchy of evil described by Paul in Ephesian 6.
The creator cannot un-create and these angelic being will live, or exist forever. We often say that God cannot sin or ever break His word. But there is another characteristic to consider. Something that the creator can never do. Increase in knowledge. Did Divine Counsel decide, eternal ages ago, to design a life form who could, and would increase in knowledge? Spirit beings were created with the capacity to learn. God created a life form that can do what He cannot. 1 Corinthian 11 tells us that angels learn when they assist church meetings. Will there be an end to their learning? Does the endless universe suggest their endless learning?
Scripture reveals different kinds of angelic beings, we read of seraphim’s and cherubim’s. There are soldier angels, messengers, and the Lord tells us of guardian angels (Mt. 18:10) also stated in Psalm 34:7; Psalm 91:11, Hebrews 1:14. It would seem that angels who have the guardianship of the little ones are among the most noble of the heavenly host, and are the angels of the Presence, who, like Gabriel, stand before the face of God.
The Sovereign creator knew that seven billion babies would each need an angel, so seven billion guardian angels were created before Eve gave birth to Cain outside of the Garden of Eden. The Lord told Adam and Eve to “fill the earth” because he had seven billion angels in heaven who were already created and waiting.
Revelation 12 foretells a war of angels. When the hierarchy of evil angels or demons will meet the original hierarchy of angels. Michel the warrior angel will face his arch enemy, Lucifer or Satan. These 2 powers have been in “cold war” for centuries and will have their final battle just before the Lord’s reign.
(See angel booklet on this web-site)
The Creation of Man
God created man in His own image and likeness; in the image of God created He him, male and female created He them. (Ge. 1:27) To deny this distinct statement is to deny the eternal word of God. If man is made in the image of God, it is logical that he will be conscious of God. If God consciousness is at the base of his nature, he will seek God. Is this not a first step to salvation? For if man, in the secret and mystery of his soul will realize that God is creator, he will also realize that He is His creation. And that he has sinned in the presence of his creator. It will be at such a moment that the Spirit will reveal the great mystery of grace. That the precious blood, redemption, forgiveness, and the glory of the gospel message will be made clear.
Love was never created, it always existed between the Father and the Son. But how can this love be shown? How can the creator demonstrate that love to intelligent beings? God created angels, and He created man. But will there be return love? From angels and from humanity? Will there be voluntary return love? Not only so, will there be voluntary love after sin?
Many gods have been fashioned from the imaginations of men, to be at the service of men, but the God of scripture created man for His service. Indeed, every creature has a purpose and is at the service of the creator.
Humanity, unlike angels, was created with its own reproductive system. And as we will later note; man will eventually be a superior creation. He will have an eternal body.
The Creation of the Human Mind
Not only has the creator designed a perfect education program, He has also created an intricate vessel to receive the divine information. The human brain is articulately designed with millions of neutrons and cells, working in perfect order, processing all information received. It seems that the creator has so impeccably made the human mind that there is no limit to its storage capacity, sin has damaged the mind and we forget what is stored, which will be corrected in our new bodies. But sin has not succeeded in damaging its unlimited storage capacity. In this way we are created in the image of God, and again, creation proves the omnipotent eternal creator.
The mind is found over 800 times in the Bible. Using 25 Greek and Hebrew words. It is translated heart, thoughts, spirit, conscience and mind. The mind is our reasoning and imagination engine. Given us to understand truth, and to worship God. We associate the mind with memory, and as mentioned, many of us have to admit that hearing something is not always storage. It may be what the Lord meant when He said; Let this saying sink down into your ears. (Luke 9:44) And the Psalmist said; thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psalm 119)
But our mind is more than a storage chamber. It is capable of devotion and love. Many creatures are capable of some devotion, your dog or cat will express it, and the animal creation will express love in their family realm. We can express love in a more intelligent way, and amidst much hate love is still expressed in the world, thus showing the love of God, for it is the creator who gave us the capacity to love. Sin has caused hate, but has not, nor will not, eliminate love.
Of course the devotional or emotional part of us was formed to love God, and the Lord spoke of love “with all our soul, our heart, our strength and our mind.” (Lu. 10:27)
We know the well-known words of Philippians 2; “Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.” In the French translation the word mind is translated sentiments, or feelings. Our Lord had true feelings for His Father and for all individuals. “He loved the church and give Himself for it.” (Eph. 5:25)
The scriptures teach mind control. (Heb. 4:12) We have experienced this power at conversion. The word “sharp” is the cutting power of the word. Some of us were into sin and needed the sharp two-edged sword, its dividing power, of right from wrong. Scripture can control the mind, and has controlled men and nations, and the nations who have turned away from the Bible have, and are reaping the results today. Scripture also divides soul and spirit, or my self-consciousness from God-consciousness.
The mind can also be controlled by the fiery darts of the wicked. (Eph. 6:13) In many mind controlling cases, Satan uses religion, knowing that the mind was created by God to respond to devotion. Mind manipulation is clearly seen in our generation. Young minds are told that they should kill, and that they go from a self-inflicted explosion to paradise. But the word of God tells us that all murderers shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. (Rev.21:8) The root problem of terrorism is not young men and suicide explosions. It is old men teaching darkness powered doctrine. They prey on vulnerable minds, minds absent of inspired scripture truth, unguarded, unprotected and exposed.
But is there a more subtle manipulation of the mind? Are the many different Bible based religions today a skillful Satan organized scheme to discredit the Bible? How many false teachings are Bible based? It is of the utmost importance to come to the Bible in right attitude of soul. No one will get God’s message who has not intelligently despised sin and earnestly desired the truth. If I come to the Bible only to condemn others or to organize a new religion I will not get God’s message. The pride of ignorant men are teaching out-of-context Bible verses to forward their religion, with disregard of many well-known Bible students who have understood the passage differently. All right teaching will agree with others unknown to me. The rule of God has always been “two or three witnesses” and it is most important to note that the witnesses be not influenced by each other. In the Bible we have many same revelations to men who lived in different centuries. Details of the revelations were different, telling us of no copy. But the basic revelation is the same, telling us that the revelation was not the fabrication of one person or religious movement.
The intelligent mind understands the difference between mind teaching and mind manipulation. Our convictions must be the result of Bible revelations to us, not the convictions of others forced upon us.
The power of darkness, already described from Ephesians 6, has been in our world since Adam. Spiritual wickedness in high places has always been active. In the days of Noah, and through many dictatorships of men. Today Satan has billions of minds to work with, there is an absence of the fear of God as never seen. If an armour was needed in Paul’s day. How much more today. The seven part armour is absolute protection when it is complete. It must be the WHOLE armour of God. Paul also wrote of the weapons of our warfare in 2 Corinthians 10, and of the armour of light. (Rom. 13:12) He exhorts the Romans to put on the Lord Jesus Himself.
Long before these words of Paul the apostle were written, are found the well-known words of Isiah; “Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.” (Is. 26:3) the word “stayed” is the same word as “uphold” in Psalm 51. “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and “uphold” me with thy free spirit.” To “stand fast”, (Psalm 111) and to “be established” in Psalm 112 is again the same root word.
It is well said; a mind stayed is a mind saved. A mind stayed is a mind used. We know the word; “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Ps. 111:10) We should also know; “the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Pr. 9:10) the fear of the Lord is only the beginning, I must also have the knowledge, the Word of the Lord. True wisdom is a mind enlightened by the Word of God.
The mind is our intelligence, our memory, our will, our conscience, our affections. It is our understanding capacity. Man is the Lord’s distinct creation; fashioned with a mind or inner perception of a creator and with an independent will. The mind can produce voluntary love, voluntary hate, or voluntary indifference.
Creating and Forming
Creation describe the foundation elements; the earth, life and the spiritual image of God in man. (Gen 1:1, 21, 27) These God called into being by His Word. Everything else, He made, or formed. It is important to note that the words made or formed are used apart from the word created in scripture. The word “created” is found forty-six times in the O. T. and twelve times in the New. But the word “made” is found over two thousand times in the O. T., one hundred times in the writings of Isaiah alone. The word made or formed is written more than 250 times in the N. T. So the scriptures tell us of the Creator and the Maker of all things. In the creation of Adam, the body was made from the ground, the man or soul was created. The body of the woman was made from the man, and her soul, or the person living inside the body, was created.
Forming or re-making is first recorded in Genesis 1:2. We are not told how long the earth was without “form and void.” It is possible that the earth and all other planets were created millions of years ago, and that six thousand years ago humanity was created. It is also possible that an “aged” earth was created six thousand years ago. How old was Adam when he was created? When he stood on his feet he was minutes old, however we would think he was about 30 years old. Likewise the earth could have been created with 6 billion year old molecules and matter.
However the reforming of the earth by the moving of the Spirit in Genesis 1:2 is clear.
A second reforming of the earth was during the flood. The earth was again re-made, but probably to a lesser degree then the remaking of Genesis 1. During a forty-two month period after the church is raptured, the earth will be re-made again. And a final more complete reforming will be after the millennium reign.
Psalm 79:69, tell us that creation is forever, but God is still making or forming. As was seen in the days of Noah, when the few animals multiplied and became the variety presently known on earth, and still today there are new animal breeds born. There is also a remaking of plants and vegetation life, the creator is using man to remake life forms on earth, and the creator is reforming planet structures in space.
Inside every human body is an eternal embryo. Created by God it can never be un-created. As the angels who sinned, men and women who sinned will exists forever. Angels never had a body so will exist as spirits forever. Men and women who sinned did so in a body so will exist in a body forever, and both will exist in a lake of fire. (Re. 20:11-15)
The saints have the embryo of a body which will be perfected at the resurrection. God will take the germ creation of our bodies and make a new eternal body. As the earth will only be complete and perfect at its renovation, so the body of the saints will be complete and perfect at the resurrection.
The Creation of Time
We must remember that God knows no time, He lives in the eternal NOW, and his years have no end. (Ps. 102:27) Time commenced when our world was created. This lesson we cannot miss from Genesis 1. The N. T. begins with the creator stepping into His time creation, and submitting to time, into natural growth and into manhood. Time advises man of coming death and meeting God. We experience the summer of life, the fall of life and then the winter, but some will experience the spring, or the resurrection. Indeed, the greatest lesson of time was preached by the Apostle to the Corinthians. “Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2)
God is orderly in all his plans. And a clock began to tick when man was created. It will tick for six thousand years. Highlights within this time setting are noted. The creation of Israel, the church and the birth and death of our Lord are in this time frame. As there was a time allotted to Israel, so there will be for the church. All began and will end on schedule. The nations also have a specific time. (Called the time of the Gentiles) Mary was told that Messiah would reign forever, but one thousand years is specifically mentioned in connection with the kingdom reign of the Son of man. (Revelation 20)
Peter tell us that a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Pe. 3:8) Man, created on the sixth day, is given six thousand years. The seventh Day of creation was marked by rest and is figurative of the new world, when the perfect Man will have His day. Man’s time on earth will soon end. The seventh thousand year, the reign of Christ is about to begin. Man thinks that he has control of the calendar, and believes he is in the year 2020, but the Jewish calendar does not agree with the Roman calendar, and in all probability, it is also wrong. We don’t want, but must admit, no one knows what year it is. But we know that the Lord’s time table is exact.
Man’s life span is also timed by the creator. And it seems that the physical life of men and women will change in the kingdom age. No one previous to the kingdom lived a thousand years. Adam and Methuselah lived long, but the Millennium reign will first see one thousand years of life.
Time is also needed in the systematic order of creation. Earth’s moving around the sun, and it’s spinning, as it moves through space, is the chief lesson as to perfect time order.
John, in the second chapter of his Gospel, writes that his Lord was the master of time. The first miracle needed fermented grapes to make wine. But the master of time bypassed both the growing of grapes and the fermenting process.
The Care-Plan of Creation
It is no accident that out of a million planets earth alone is life producing. For life to exist there must be several factors. The sun must be the right distance from earth, it must be over one thousand times larger than the earth, and must burns at 35 million degrees Fahrenheit. The earth must rotate always at a fixed distance from the sun, and the moon has a large part to play. The earth must have topsoil, in order to produce food. There must be a right balance of gravity to keep us on the earth. There must be air, water and oxygen producing plants for the preservation of life. Then there must be a systematic operations of these together. They must operate automatically, and without any fuel or any outside energy.
Scripture reveals that these same elements are at the creator’s disposal, and the wise man will note when God is speaking through them. We have record of such wise men in scripture. Every wind or rain storm is not God speaking in this way, it is the systematic moving of creation, but the creator can use the elements as His “army” to judge evil or to protect his people.
We know more of this Creator-protection-care in our era. Many planets are many times larger than the earth and move through space at tremendous speed, many fragments of other planets or asteroids have hit the earth, yet humanity has always been preserved from earth destruction.
Man will disregard these facts and ridicule a God creator, but even the atheist and the agnostic is given life and protected by the almighty creator. The Lord, while here, spoke of animals caring for their young, reminding men that a heavenly Father cares for his creation.
The Ultimate Reason for Creation
What is seen in creation should awaken man’s desire for more light and a fuller knowledge of God. The Christian has found this full knowledge in Jesus Christ. He is perfect God and perfect Man. So is the only mediator between God and man. (1 Tim. 2:5)While on earth he perfectly express God’s mind and will. He is the true Immanuel – God with us (John 14:9, 10) The Father has given all to Him and has ascribed Him to be first and the sovereign monarch.
It has often been preached that the great motivation which fosters Christian living is our “great salvation.” (Heb. 2:3) A second motivator is the influence we have on others. We influence our family and young believers. Another motivation is the coming kingdom and what our part will be in it.
But men and woman of old were motivated by who God was and what He had done. Meditation on the greatness of God inspired them to Live, to serve, and to write. Living for God was not for fear of punishment or for expectancy of reward, but because of the greatness of the creator.
Many Psalms are doxologies, or an exclamation of the “cup running over.” It is the soul enthralled with the awesomeness of God.
Saints of the N. T. also praised the Son creator. Paul writes that Jesus created all things (Col. 1:16) and also said; “By Him all things consist” (Col. 1:17) then he wrote that the Son will reconcile all things unto Himself. (Col. 1:20) He wrote to the Ephesians of a gathering together of all things unto the Son. All things which are in heaven, and which are on earth. (Eph. 1:10)
Again, in the first 2 chapters of the book of Hebrews we read that the Son made the worlds, that He upholds all things by the word of His power, and that the Son was appointed heir of all things.
Peter writes of the word of God creating the heavens and the earth, (2 Pe. 3:5) and by the same word are kept in store, (v.7) and also of the promise of new heavens and a new earth. (v.13)
The pre-eminence of Christ is underlined in the Colossian epistle. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell. (Col. 1:19) Our Lord as Head of the church is underlined in Ephesian, our Lord’s superiority over the angels is underlined in the Hebrew account, and Peter emphases the Creator-Son in his second epistle.
Creation magnifies the glory of the Son. All that God does and will do, involves the Son. All things were created by Him, visible and invisible, thrones, dominions, principalities, powers. We noted these powers in the Ephesian epistle. In the Colossian epistle the apostle underlines the Son’s victory over the principalities and evil powers. (Eph. 6:12) He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them. (Col 2:15) Through death He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (He 2:14) and so we read; neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom. 8:38)
But there is a laps of time between the victory won at the cross and world control taken. We are in that time frame now. We read of a future time, when all rule, all evil authority and power will be put down. (1 Cor.15:24)
While we meditate on the subject of creation, we do well to note what was never created; Love, life, light, and truth always were. The creator desired to declare these uncreated virtues to others. He created many angelic beings, and told man to multiply.
But the Son is the ultimate reason for creation. In the eternal counsels of the triune God of past ages was decided that the Son would have a body. That the Son would have a triumph over death. And that the Son would have a people. This is presently the declaration of the church. The creator is declaring the Son to the world. God spoke directly to men in ages pass. Job tells of dreams, and visions of the night. God declared his mind by visions to priest, kings, and prophets. There was voice communication when man was created, Holy Spirit communication, after sin and until Noah. Then communication got restricted to one people. And Hebrews 1 tells us of direct Son communication. Today there is written word communication. And there is creation communication.
The sceptic and unbeliever will say; why was not man created perfect? Why was sin permitted?
The Bible in the greatest history book given to man. It tells of creation, of Adam and Eve and of Noah and the world-wide flood. It also tells of Abraham who left a world of idolatry to create a new nation. And Abraham’s children (Israel) are still on earth today. But why did Israel go into Egypt? The all-powerful creator God could have placed Israel in their new land without the misery of Egypt.
But how then would the power of divine deliverance be demonstrated? How would God display his power and glory to Pharaoh?
How would God display His faithfulness to his people in a wilderness? Most important, how would God display images and metaphors of His Son? As seen in the sacrifices and in the tabernacle in the wilderness?
Likewise we believe that the Lord allowed sin so that His love would be displayed in the midst of hate. The Father allowed sin to display His grace, and to especially display the character of his Son in the lives of millions of individuals.
The Lord allowed sin so that His Son would receive voluntary love. To receive voluntary love from angels was a display of the power of God. For the creator God will not force angels to love, as the fall of many angels tells us. But it seems that there must be more power, more love, and more glory shown. There must be voluntary love from beings who have chosen sin. God will make a saint, a worshiper, out of a being who has given himself over to sin. And no force, no mind manipulation, no imposing will be used. Love will be the weapon used to woo the sinner. Hence the greatest power of God is seen, more than the mighty works of creation. Indeed, the salvation of a soul is the ultimate, the mighty power still displayed in our world today.
And so we quote the words of the 24 elders:
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
(Rev. 4:11)