Creation Week

The Void Filled

Before creation, our planet was a lifeless, bottomless-pit drifting amid the abyss for untold ages. The biblical book of Genesis tells us that our sphere had a three-fold condition:
The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
However, God provides a three-fold solution to this condition, wherever it is found.

1. 1. The Ancient of Days (The Father) fills the void by sending forth His word.
2. 2. The Word (The Son) penetrates the darkness with light.
3. 3. The Spirit of God (Holy Ghost) moves upon the face of the waters.

Word-Light-Jesus-Creation

In the beginning was , and was with God, and was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was of men. shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about , so that all might believe through him. He was not , but he came to testify about . There was THE TRUE LIGHT which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-14 (emphasis provided)

Tests of Time and Character

Such was the first three days of biblical creation. On the fourth day, planet earth was placed in the third orbit from our sun. Tradition holds that creation occurred in the autumn because the trees were already laden with fruit. Just past the equinox, our earth was sent spinning at a mild angle relative to the sun yielding the four seasons and a gentle wobble moving our view through a slow progression of constellations. From horizon to horizon, at the lifting of our eyes, an expansive, vibrant and living canvass was opened to display signs and wonders. The moon was also placed in motion. Like the hands of a meticulous clock, these bodies began marking determined times subset of an infinitely more complex and harmonious timepiece. At the end of the sixth day, the heavens and the earth was finished, and all the hosts of them, and God saw everything He had made, and, behold, it was very good.

Earth was created during a time when there was discord in heaven. The dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan was challenging God's character as expressed by His law. Every imagination of the heart, whether for good or evil, starts from a kernel. A seed of discontent and pride had found itself in Satan, and the seed was nurtured. Lucifer, the covering cherub on the left of God's throne, had particular enmity with Michael, the covering cherub on the right. Satan was an angel of light and was greatly loved. A full third of the stars of heaven (angels) were sympathetic to his cause and others wondered.

Satan was not immediately expelled from heaven. God dared not bring against him a railing accusation. The character of God refuses to accuse. The character of the usurper is to constantly accuse. This fellow cloaks his designs with the false light of a "strange fire". Before Satan could be permanently expelled from the realms of heaven, his true and unrepentant character must be indisputably revealed. The fruit of his seed would be allowed to mature and Satan's heart would be revealed by the nature of his fruits.

Satan was not the only one on trial. The true character of God's law and the fruits of God's nature must be revealed as well. After the fall of Adam, Lucifer assumed himself to be the king of Earth. Our fallen planet would be the proving ground for the manifestation of the character of both God and Satan. Heaven and other unfallen worlds would watch the scenes unfold.

For four thousand years, the contest between Michael and Lucifer had played out in the affairs of men. Many great tests were witnessed. The trials of Job's fidelity, the test of Abraham's faith, the spectacle on Mount Carmel and the fiery trial of Daniel and his companions were all testaments to God's enduring and superior character. However, none of these were sufficient to eternally resolve the dispute.

Finally, in 31 AD, on a hill outside of Jerusalem, the matter was forever settled. Circumstances had come to fruition. The characters of both Christ and the beguiler had been indisputably revealed. One had shown himself to be totally consumed with his own ambitions - even to the point of inciting the murder of God. The other was seen as bent on preserving the life of others - even to the sacrifice of His own. On the sixth day of the week, Christ cried out "it is finished" and rested in the tomb on the seventh day. On the first day, He arose again to start anew as the first fruits of the final harvest of the redeemed.

The End of the Earth

After this, Satan no longer courted sympathy among heavenly creatures. No place was found for him anymore among them. There was war in heaven, and Christ's hosts prevailed. Satan and his angels were cast out. Before His death, Christ saw the events that would transpire after His resurrection, and comforted His disciples with these words: He said to them, "I watched Satan falling from heaven like lightning. Luke 10:18

The work of restoring the Earth was not completed at the cross. A new phase had just begun. The gospel must be heard by every ear, and a decision must be made by each individual while there remains intercession. We are living in the last days of the culmination of God's plan. Heaven was rid of the accusing nuisance, but not the Earth. "For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time." Revelation 12:12

A time of trouble is about to befall the world. Satan is energized with the frenzy of desperation. The Bible says men will destroy the Earth and the earth shall wax old like a garment. Natural disasters will increase in frequency and intensity. Human strife will abound. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. Matthew 24:7 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Satan, the antichrist, will then personate Christ even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people. Revelation 13:13 Many will be fully deceived because they did not prepare and will receive the figurative mark on their forehead; Others know otherwise, but comply to the strong arm of the state. These receive the mark on their hand. A remnant, however, will endure to the end without compromise and will receive the seal of God.

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. Daniel 12:1

For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matthew 24:27

And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. Revelation 11:18

Just as there is no such thing as "secret lightning", there is no secret rapture. For six millenium, man has lived and toiled on our planet. The earth has given up its bounty. The seeds have all been planted and cultivated. The wheat has been separated from the chaff, and the harvest is gathered to the barn. Now is the feast of Tabernacles when the saved are taken away to a temporary dwelling place; the unsaved are laid to the grave for a thousand years awaiting the second and final resurrection.

This is the seventh millenium when our planet rests. God has removed His saints. The tumultuous Earth returns to chaos like a bottomless pit. As was in the beginning, the Earth is again without form and void and darkness is upon the face of the deep. Just as Pharaoh and his army were not allowed to follow God's people to freedom but were swallowed by the Red Sea, Lucifer and his unholy entourage of locusts and scorpions are bound to the uninhabited world. Here is the figurative language:

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the abyss, and shut it , and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time. Revelation 20:1-3

The New Earth

During the 1000 years the the Earth lies waste and rests, God's redeemed have a work to do. The books entailing the lives of the lost are all are opened - even the lives of fallen angels. God's judgments are reviewed. God does not want any to have lingering questions. His judgments must be ratified by His saints. Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?
1 Corinthians 6:3

After the 1000 years, Jesus and His saints return to the Earth with the new Jerusalem to possess it forever. The dead are raised from the grave to receive their judgment. The sea of the lost encompass the capitol city to lay siege. Lucifer is at the head of their armies. This is the sequel to Armageddon. When Michael stands up, the multitude realize their plans are hopeless. As they view paradise lost, there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, and the people, both great and small, turn upon Satan and defile his brightness. God will perform His strange act to destroy those who could never be happy in the new Earth. Like the chaff of wheat cast to the wind, no trace of them will be found again forever. For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. Isaiah 28:21

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. Revelation 20:7-9

Eternity of Peace

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Revelation 21:1-6