Genesis to Esther Series – Lesson 8

1. There Was A Time Before The World Was Created. ---- “The Gap Theory.”

The view we present here is debatable. We will not be dogmatic, but we accept what is known as “The Gap Theory.”

I have recommend some books here. The first one listed, I think, is perhaps the better one of the books here.

1. The Invisible War – by Donald Grey Barnhouse.

2. Earths Earliest Ages – by Pember

3. Ages in Chaos – by Immanuel Velikovsky

4. Worlds in Collision – by Immanuel Velikovsky

5. Earth in Upheaval – by Immanuel Velikovsky

Immanuel Velikovsky died about three years ago at the age 84 or 85 years old. He was a tremendous man, and had a tremendous mind. He wrote the book Worlds In Collision back in about 1952, when the scientific world rejected it, but now they are accepting it.

I am going to, begin by reading you something from

Through The Bible Series -- by Vernon McGee. This is from page 18 on the book of Genesis. This well known radio Bible teacher makes this statement regarding the Gap Theory which I am going to introduce.

Although this view has been discredited by many in the past few years, I believe that a great catastrophe took place between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1: 2. As far as I can see, there is abundance of evidence for it. To begin with, look out upon the vast creation. Something has happened to it. Man’s trip to the moon reveals nothing in the world, but a waste land up there. How did it get that way? May I say, there came a catastrophe in God’s universe.

I have quoted him, because I believe that you should know that there are some intelligent men who are still accepting the Gap Theory. Now, I don’t know if you classify me as being intelligent or not, but I still accept it in spite of all that is being written and said today! I will give you the major reasons as we go along, why I accept this.

There was a time before the world, or the earth. We will zero in on the earth, but in some cases, we will use the world of creation.

Before the world was created.

1. Job 38: 1-7

There are those who believe, in the chronological Bible that I have, that most of the book of Job should come way back in Genesis. As we read, I want you to notice, in the beginning, so there is no argument here, it’s the Lord that answered Job. In the first 37 chapters, it is Job reasoning with the wise men of the east. And everything that was said, was not necessarily the complete truth.

But when you come to this chapter (chapter 38), it is the Lord that asks the questions. We won’t take time to go through the whole chapter at the moment, but if you will notice, the Lord is asking questions.

Job 38: 1-7

(1) Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

(2) Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

(3) Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

Over forty years ago, I came out here to Vancouver for a holiday. And a dear brother, whose name was McRitchie, who used to attend the Tabernacle, had written many Bible studies, (and I think he was a great Bible student), invited me to go to his home to have a private Bible lesson.

And so if you can visualize one student with one teacher! When brother McRitchie would look at me, and ask me a question, I can still almost feel it. He started one day when I came to the door. He is a Scot, so he acted like a Scot. He met me at the door, and he didn’t say “hello” or “come in” – he just said “you are late.” So I learned after that, not to be late when he made an appointment.

I went in and sat down, and he opened his Bible to Revelation, chapter six, and said “Who is the rider on the white horse?” In those days, I didn’t have the faintest notion what he was talking about. And I looked at him and I said, “Brother McRitchie, I don’t know.” When that man looked at me, and asked a question, he seemed to have the ability to look right into my soul. Have you ever met people like that? I think the closest man, brother Kosick, seems to fit the description. When he preaches, it looks at times, that his eyes pierce right through you.

Well, you can imagine how Job felt when the Lord said “Now look here Job, I’ve got some questions for you, and I want you to answer me.” It was quite a situation. The Lord is directing questions to Job. What is the first question?

(4) Where was thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?

That goes right back to the beginning doesn’t it -- the foundation. You don’t build the roof before you put in the foundation. So in this passage, what I want you to first notice is, we are going back to the beginning. We are going back to the foundation of the earth. And the Lord said “Job, where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?”

Declare, if thou hast understanding.

(5) Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched the line upon it?

(6) Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner stone thereof;

Now I want you to notice verse seven. Don’t miss the context. Verse 4 is going back to the original laying of the foundation of the earth. And then the Lord says “when I did that --

(7) the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.

Verse seven becomes a very important verse, in my proceeding here. God said to Job “You weren’t around when I created the earth.” And you see, if you believe the Bible story, you know what Genesis tells us – God took dust of this planet, and from dust that had been pre-created, He made the first man. So man was not present before the foundation of the earth. Man was made after the foundation of the earth. Therefore, when the Lord asked this question, and said, there were morning stars that sang, and there were sons of God that shouted, I have to come to this conclusion: Before the earth was created, God had already created intelligent beings. God had created beings that were able to sing. God had created beings that are called sons of God.

Now, let me say this in passing, when it comes to man, (and we read in one lesson from Luke 3) -- from Adam on, all men are not called sons of God, they are called sons of men. The only one in Luke chapter 3, of the whole list that was called a son of God was Adam. Why? Adam came directly from the creative hand of God. And Adam alone, was a son of God by creation. All the rest of us are sons of men by procreation.

And so, we come to this first conclusion. These creatures, whoever they are, pre-date the earth, and secondly, they are not human beings, even though they are intelligent.

These sons of God were not men. Men were created out of the dust of this earth, therefore the earth pre-dates the advent of human beings. I think you can all accept that. Now, think through, -- the earth is older than human beings, for human beings were created after the foundation of the earth.

These sons of God were already created when the foundation of the earth was laid. Therefore, they are older than the earth. Now, that’s something! Those who believe in the young earth, go back at least ten thousand years. Well, if that is so, then these creatures are at least ten-thousand years old. But if you take some of the scientists, who say that the earth is two billion years old -- it doesn’t matter how old it is, these creatures predate them. So they have lived a long while, regardless of where you put it.

Are these part of the Angelic Creation? Our answer is YES. We believe that we are introduced in Job 38: 7, to part of the Angelic Creation. We shall be coming back to this subject later on. I am simply giving you the foundation before the foundation.

John 14: 2

(2)In my Father’s house are many mansions (abiding places.)

I ask the question – are there other creatures – intelligent creatures—besides men and angels? We know that men are intelligent creatures. And we know from the Bible that angels are intelligent creatures, but to answer that question: we do not know, and we are not going to try and pretend to say that we do.

The first thing: before the foundation of the earth, there were

intelligent creations already in existence.

2. 1 Peter 1: 18-20

Here we learn something else in 1 Peter 1:18-20 about Creation.

1 Peter 1: 18-20

(18) Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

(19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

(20) Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

The statement I bring to your attention (verse 20) is that Salvation, and the plan of Redemption, were planned before the foundation of the earth. Salvation was not an “after thought” with God. It was planned before the foundation of the earth. That is, before Genesis 1:1. Before Genesis 1:1, Salvation was in the mind of God.

3. Ephesians 1: 4

This verse in Ephesians, again, is very blessed, and it is something I cannot fully explain – but I fully believe.

Ephesians 1: 4

(4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,

That statement “chosen in Him before the foundation of the world:” – you put Peter and Ephesians together, and you have to come to the conclusion that you are not an after-thought with God.

Jeremiah 1: 5

This enters into a sphere of study that is beyond human comprehension. But, to me, the older I get, the more blessed it becomes.

Jeremiah 1: 5

(5) Before I formed thee (who formed us? – God did.)

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; God says: He is the one who does the forming. And before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee.

Now, just that statement. God said He knew Jeremiah before He formed him. And if that is true of one, I guess that is true of all. The foreknowledge of God is involved in that. Isn’t that amazing – that God knew about you before He formed you, and He made you the way you are. You better not complain about the way you are, because God is the one who made you the way you are. That’s Scriptural.

4. Hebrews 9: 24-26

This verse is an implied truth. What we read from Job, is very positively stated; there were creatures before Creation. From Peter – Salvation was planned before the foundation of the world. From Ephesians – we were in the mind of God before the foundation of the world.

Hebrews 9: 24-26

(24) For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

(25) Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

(26) For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

“For then must he often have suffered SINCE the foundation of the world.”

Here it is implied that sin did not exist before the foundation of the earth. Sacrifice for sin has been necessary only since the foundation of the earth. Can you all see that? From Hebrews, if Jesus could only be sacrificed SINCE the foundation, the sacrifice for sin has been necessary only since the foundation, because it is implied, before the foundation sin did not exist.

5. 1 John 3: 8

Another implied truth.

1 John 3: 8

(8) He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.

It is just that statement that I want to use now. The devil sinneth from the beginning. Here it is implied, again an implied truth, that there was no devil before the foundation of the earth. There was no sin, you see, putting the two together.

Now you can’t come to conclusion number five, without the conclusion of number four. There was no sin before the foundation of the earth – only since. And if that is true, and the devil is the originator of sin, then it is implied that there was no devil before the foundation of the earth. Has the earth become a battle ground, because Satan and sin originated here?

I’m just suggesting things as I go along. I am showing you from Job that creatures existed before the earth was created. Now I am showing you that Satan and sin have come into being since the foundation of the earth.

6. Matthew 25: 41

Matthew 25: 41

(41) 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:

Another implied truth. Demons (devil’s angels) did not exist until after there was a devil, because the lake of fire is prepared for the devil and his angels. Now we conclude. Putting those 4,5, and 6 together.

Before the foundation of the earth -- there was no sin.

Before the foundation of the earth -- there was no devil.

Before the foundation of the earth -- there were no demons.

Before the foundation of the earth -- there was no death.

And when I go on and read the Bible , praise the Lord, there is going to come a time when there will be no more death, and there will be no more sin, and there will be no more devil, and there will be no more demons. The day is going to come when there are not going to be any again. But now they exist since the foundation of the earth. All of that is important in order to get our study.

7. The Age Old Question:

The age old question: “Why did God allow the devil, and why did God allow demons, and why did God allow sin?” I do not have a full answer – I have a partial answer.

Isaiah 55: 7-9

(7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

(8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

(9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The reason we cannot understand why God allowed sin and the devil, and the demons, is because God doesn’t think like we think. And God doesn’t act like we act. And all I can say is, thank the Lord He doesn’t.

Some of these subjects, I do not think we are to delve into too deeply, because Deuteronomy tell us “the secret things belong unto the Lord.” But talking about the Ways of God –

Romans 11: 33

(33) O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

If you think you are going to a perfectly satisfactory answer, you cannot, because the Ways of God are unsearchable.

And there is another little clue here in 1 Corinthians.

Why did God allow the devil, and demons, and sin? Here is a little shaft of light.

1 Corinthians 1: 28-29

(28) And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

(29) that no flesh should glory in his presence.

I think God has allowed the devil and demons and sin to bring flesh (even saved flesh) to this place -- where we do not glory in flesh, but we glory in the Lord.

Jeremiah 9: 23- 24

It tells us what the Lord delights in, and what we are to glory in.

(23) Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

(24) But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.

2. In Genesis 1, There Are Three Time Periods.

I have taken this from G.C. Morgan’s notes.

1. Genesis 1:1 Generation

2. Genesis 1:2 Degeneration

3. Genesis 1; 3-31 Regeneration

Later on, I will use a Scripture that I think, verifies what is stated there.

3. God Created This Earth A Stage

1. Act 1 The Past

2. Act 2 The Present

3. Act 3 The Future

I am of the opinion that those that do not believe in what we call the “Gap Theory,” have not really come up with a full answer for this passage in 2 Peter. It is another one of those basic reasons why we accept what we believe. But in the final analyses, we will have to wait until we get home to Heaven, to find out the whole truth of the matter.

1. Act 1 – Past – The World That “WAS”

2 Peter 3: 4-7

(4) In the last days there will be those saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

It starts back at the beginning of Creation. Don’t miss that. It goes back to the beginning of Creation.

(5) For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.

If you don’t know the problem, you won’t see the answer. If you haven’t looked at this before, maybe you won’t see it now. Somebody comes along and says that these verses are talking about Noah’s world. My answer is NO! Because, in Noah’s world the earth was covered with water, but it says nothing about the Heavens being covered with water. You will notice here – that is exactly what you have in Genesis, chapter one.

(6) Whereby the world that THEN WAS, being overflowed with water, perished:

Have you got that? Peter 3:6, there was the world that WAS. being overflowed with water, PERISHED.

The world that WAS perished. I want you to get that!

Act 1 – a world that WAS – perished.

2. Act 2 - Present – The World That “NOW IS”

2 Peter 3: 7

(7) But the heavens and the earth, which are NOW

Verse 6 -- the world that WAS. Verse 7 -- the world that NOW IS. I want to ask you a question. “Did Jesus Christ belong to our world, or somebody else’s world?” – OUR world! Are you with me? He came into OUR world didn’t He?

That takes us back two-thousand years ago. Let’s go back another two-thousand years. Was Abraham in OUR world, or somebody else’s? I believe that Abraham was in OUR world – don’t you? Well, let’s back up a little further. What about Noah? Was Noah in OUR world, or somebody else’s? And let’s go back to Adam. Was Adam in OUR world, or somebody else’s? And let me quote another verse that applies right back to Adam.

John 3: 16

(16) For God so loved the world, (OUR WORLD)

What world is He talking about? – OUR world!

that he gave his only begotten Son (Into who’s world? – into OUR world.) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

I don’t know if you see what I did. There is a world that DID perish. But, praise God, Jesus came to our world, so that our world would NOT perish. There is a world that WAS that perished. There is a world that NOW IS, that can be saved by the redemption of Jesus Christ

3. Act 3 – Future – The World That “SHALL BE”

2 Peter 3: 13

(13) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

I present to you, as we begin to lay a foundation for our study – Peter teaches that there is a world that WAS. There is a world that NOW IS. And there is a world TO COME. There is a world that SHALL BE. So I take that as the foundation:

Act 1 – The world that “was”

Act 2 – The world that “now is”

Act 3 – The world that “shall be”

God is going to have His way in all Acts. He is going to see to that!

Act 1 – The World That “Was”

1. When Was The Original Earth Created?

Genesis 1: 1

(1) In the beginning God created

That is the “When.” And as far as I am concerned, that is the only answer. Before I came today, my dear wife reminded me that forty-three years ago she said, she might as well have married a book. And she said it again today -- she might as well have married a book!

We have lunch early when we make these videos. We were having our lunch, which is about the only time we can sit down together. I’m eating with one hand, and reading and marking a book with the other hand. I wanted to read it before I got to this lesson, because it is arguing for the young earth, and I wanted to read and see what they had to say.

This article states: the evidence is that this world is ten-thousand years old and older. Now that’s the evidence that these men have gathered. Well, ten-thousand years, so what! Somebody else comes along and says a few million years. I have scientific books in which one states the earth is two-billion years old. And another one states that it is four-billion years old. And when I put that down on a piece of paper, I say that, in any other science, that would be bad arithmetic wouldn’t it? A mistake of two-billion years! I think that’s bad arithmetic!

You see, the point is this: regardless of what you read on the subject, you have to come to the conclusion – everybody is guessing. Everybody – whether he be a believer in the Bible, or a believer in “so called science,” apart from the Bible.

There is no man who can give to us the exact date of the age of this earth. All God says, it was in the beginning. And when that was, I don’t know. And so, I am going to stop where God stops. When was the earth Created? God says – In the beginning. I can’t explain it, but I know it had a beginning, because it is here.

2. How Was It Created?

I wish I could claim to be a Hebrew scholar, and I wish I could be more dogmatic here, but I have to take what I gather from others.

Isaiah 45: 18

(18) For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it NOT IN VAIN.

How did God created the earth? He created it NOT VAIN. Now that phrase NOT VAIN means “good.” It is the same Hebrew word in Isaiah that is used in Genesis 1:2 where the word is translated “Void.”

Genesis 1: 1-2

(1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

(2) And the earth was without form, and VOID.

That word, I am told by Hebrew scholars, is the same word that is in Isaiah 45: 18 “VAIN.” That which is VAIN is VOID. That which is VOID is VAIN. And you go on and read the rest of the chapter where we read about God’s recreation in Genesis – what did He say at the end of the first day? – Everything was GOOD. What did He say at the third day?- everything was good. What did He say when He finished the fourth day? – everything was good. You come to man and all the creation is good.

Now, I am of the opinion, and I hope it is an informed opinion, that God does not create vain things. When man makes a car, and you see a wrecked car, that isn’t the way it came off of the assembly line. God doesn’t do things by starting out with a wreck, with a void. God did not created the world vain. I am told that.

DID GOD CREATE A “VOID” ?

It was not so with Adam. Adam was perfect in the day of his creation.

Genesis 1: 27

(27) So God created man is his own image, in the image of God created he him;

The King of Tyrus of whom we read in Ezekiel, was perfect in the day of his creation.

Ezekiel 28: 12-14

(12) 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.

Both fell and were ruined by the fall. I am persuaded that God does not create “Void.” The earth was not created void – it became void after its creation. We will talk more about that as we go on.

3. Why Was The Earth Created?

The first question – WHEN?

The second question – HOW?– not vain, not void.

The third question – WHY?

Why was the earth created?

Isaiah 45: 18

(18) For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it NOT IN VAIN, he formed it TO BE INHABITED: I am the Lord; and there is none else.

Could language be plainer than that? God not only created the earth, He had a purpose in creation. He formed it to be inhabited.

4. Who Inhabited The Earth At The Beginning?

Who inhabited the earth at the beginning? The answer is only an implied truth, and I want you to see that. From my brethren, who are objecting what I am teaching you, (and what is being rejected by many of the younger generation, because they think we have swallowed evolution, because we accept this teaching) – I have not yet had an answer to what I am going to present to you.

Genesis 9: 1

(1) And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and REPLENISH the earth.

The new translations will read – fill the earth. Are we not knowledgeable to know that there was something in the earth, and God removed it? And now Noah is told to go back and refill.

REPLENISH – I like the word. I did that to go back to Genesis 1: 28: (At the very beginning of the human creation – when God created man and placed man on this earth.)

Genesis 1: 28

(28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and REPLENISH the earth.

Whatever way you look at it, God said the same thing to Noah as He said to Adam. Or, I can put it the other way around. God said the same thing to Adam as He said to Noah. In the case of Noah, when God said “Noah replenish the earth,” there were people on the earth before Noah.

The word RE in our English language: – those of you who have cups in front of you, you cannot REFILL a cup that hasn’t once been filled. You can not RETURN to some place where you haven’t been. You cannot re-do something that hasn’t been done. And you cannot replenish a table that was not first plenished. All down the line, RE always implies you are going to do it again. And so God said to Adam, Replenish the earth.

Job 38: 7 (at the foundation of the earth)

(7) When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.

We have established the fact that these sons of God who are doing the shouting at the time of creation – are not men. They are definitely not men! And I repeat – man, as we know him, was made out of this earth. These creatures were before the earth, and they are shouting.

I illustrate this way: Did you ever see a boy come home when he is hungry, and he steps in, and his mother is making a pie? Do you know how he conducts himself? – he starts dancing around and shouting for joy. What makes him shout? – because of the creation of the pie. What for? – he plans to have part of it, that’s why.

Now, I think that is an illustration. These sons of God were interested in what God was doing when He created the earth – at the foundation, at the beginning. And they are making a noise because they have a personal interest.

What are we gathering? – we are gathering from the Bible, and please listen carefully: Although Adam was the first to inhabit this earth as a human being, Adam was not the first inhabitant of the earth. There was somebody here before Adam, because Adam was told to replenish the earth. So, who was it? That’s the next question. If Adam was not the first inhabitant, who was?

Back to Job 38: 7. The Lord is talking to Job. That is very positive in verse one.

Job 38: 1, 4, 6, 7

(1) Then the Lord answered Job

God talks about laying the foundations of the earth.

(4) Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understand.

(6) Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner stone thereof;

(7) When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

At the time of the laying of the foundation of the earth, we have this statement: The morning stars (whoever they are) sang together. Notice that phrase MORNING STARS that sang together.

And all the sons of God shouted for joy

This part we shall talk about later.

Now, with that in mind, let us go to Isaiah. Here are intelligent creatures. They are singing and shouting when the earth has its foundation laid.

It is rather interesting, as I read. I wish that the Lord had seen fit to tell me more than He has, but we’ll have to settle for what He has told us.

Isaiah 14: 12-14

(12) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (What does Lucifer mean?— there it is) son of the morning! (literally, bright morning star)

What did we read back to Job 38:7? When the earth was created, the morning stars sang together. And here now we have a word Lucifer, and I repeat: Lucifer means son of the morning – literally bright morning star.

It goes on to say:

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 put it this way: you can’t go upstairs, if you are not first downstairs. And so when we leave a room in the basement, we ascend. So Lucifer said:

I. I will ascend into heaven.

That implies that he wasn’t in Heaven when he said that.

II. I will exalt my throne

That indicates, although it doesn’t say in so many words, if Lucifer had a throne, then it’s implied that he is a king, does it not? – For only kings have thrones. And so Lucifer is below Heaven, and he has a throne, and is therefore a king. And then will you notice:

III. I will exalt my throne ABOVE the stars of God.

I don’t think he is merely talking about other created planets, because Job 38:7 talks not about A morning star, but about morning stars (plural). And here is one who said: I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.

IV. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of

e north:

(14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the most High.

Anyone who has done any flying knows that if you are below the clouds, you are on the earth. And so verse fourteen, I believe, is very positive.

You put it together: here is an intelligent creature, who has a throne, and he is not satisfied to remain where he is. He wants to go above the clouds, and he wants to be like the Most High, which back in Genesis 14 is possessor of Heaven and earth. He is king of the earth. He’s not satisfied with that. He wants to be possessor of Heaven and earth, and be like God Himself.

Before we proceed, I want you to note this:

Adam was the first man. Don’t ever back away from that. The Bible is so plain on that. Adam was the first man as we know men, but, it is implied in Scripture he was not the first inhabitant of the earth.

In Job 38:7 at the foundation (verse 1) creatures sang because they were interested in what God was creating.

In Isaiah 14: Lucifer- means “Bright Morning Star.” May I stop for a moment before I go on: That bothers some. Is there not Scripture elsewhere, that calls Jesus the “Bright Morning Star?” – Yes. But let me put 2 and 2 together. Is there not also Scripture that calls Jesus the “Last Adam?” – Yes. I think that is significant. Adam the first is mentioned, and then Adam the last. Lucifer the first, (and I say it reverently,) and Lucifer the last – The Bright Morning Star.

What is all this about? I believe, long before Adam appeared, Lucifer appears. And I believe that Lucifer appeared as the first king of the earth. And, Lucifer, by his sin, lost his dominion.

Then later on, that same dominion, being taken from Lucifer, was given to the first man Adam. Then Adam sinned. And by his sin, he lost his dominion.

But praise God, in the fullness of time, a greater Lucifer, and a greater Adam has come. Jesus Christ, who is now the Bright Morning Star, and the Last Adam, by what he did on Calvary, has redeemed to Himself all that Lucifer lost, and all that Adam lost.

The kingdoms of this world belong to our Lord and His Christ. So it really is a story that interlinks and intertwines together.

Going back to Isaiah 14, Lucifer means “Bright Morning Star.” And according to Isaiah, he had a throne, and he had a kingdom, which again implies subjects. If he is a king with a kingdom, he has subjects. And furthermore, his kingdom is below the clouds. Evidently, his kingdom was on this earth.

5. What Happened?

What happened? We have read from 2 Peter 3:6

The world that was perished. That does not mean annihilation. It perished, it is not annihilated. Remember another fact, all of Noah’s world did not perish. In Noah’s world, eight souls were saved in the Ark.

Genesis 1:2 and in 2 Peter 3:6 – in both cases, it talks about the Heaven and the earth were covered with water.

Now let’s turn to another passage of Scripture. It is rather interesting, and although I am not a Hebrew scholar, you can check me on this. You can look up the first chapter of Genesis and you will find a word “Bara” that has to do with creating something out of nothing. But then you will find another word that is not “create,” but “MADE.” It is all together different.

When it comes to Easter time, and I only use this as an illustration, you will hear people advertise “Women, come on down to my store and see my new creations.”

The fellow is talking about dresses and hats. And sometimes I think, that those creations are out of this world! But that is beside the point. When a man advertises a hat that he has created, or a dress that he has created -- that is not creation. All man does, is make. When it comes to making you have material to start with, out of which you make. But when it comes to creating, you have nothing to begin with. God created the Heaven and the earth out of nothing. That is creation. But now I said all that to have you observe:

Isaiah 24: 1

(1) Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

Behold, the Lord maketh (it doesn’t say created) the earth empty and maketh it waste,

He didn’t create it that way, but He made it empty. I should have brought a glass of water with me to illustrate. It is impossible to make something empty that doesn’t first have something in it. And so it is implied there was something in the earth, and the Lord emptied out what was there.

The Lord maketh the earth empty.

That is the same word as Genesis 1:2 – the earth was without form and void. Same word.

He maketh it. He didn’t create it that way. He created it not void, but now He made it void. And how did He do it?

And turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

If you turn something upside down, what is on the bottom is going to come to the top. And what is on the top is going to go to the bottom.

Have you ever found someone who has climbed up mountains? I remember talking to an old fisherman who one time said:

“I crawled up to the top of these mountains out here in B.C. – and low and behold, on the tops of the mountains, I found fossilized fish. How in the world did fish get up on top of the mountain?”

For many years I lived in Eston where I lived in the worst possible mud in which to live. There isn’t any mud like it, in my opinion, in Western Canada. But you know what it is? I found out it is old Sea bottom.

How in the world did the bottom of the Sea get on top at Eston? And how in the world did that which was in the sea, get on top of the mountains? I think the evidence is everywhere. When God said He turned things upside down, the evidence in the world is there. The world has been turned upside down and, if you will -- inside out. And then there is another interesting thing.

He scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

There must have been inhabitants when he did that. And so another implied truth – He scattered abroad the inhabitants.

Now will you go back, and I want you to notice something that we want to weave into this lesson. Have you ever thought “What was the first sin?” Let’s go to the Bible for the answer.

Proverbs 6: 16-17

I find it arresting to notice the first thing in this list.

(16) These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

notice the order

(17) A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.

Why is a proud look at the top of the list? Well, let’s go from there to Ezekiel, where I believe we have another passage that is making reference to this one called Lucifer.

Ezekiel 28: 12-17

(12) 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;

Now skip down to verse 14, so we won’t miss something.

(14) Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth;

I am not going to take all the phrases in this passage, but let’s just look at the surface. We are introduced to a king of Tyrus in verse 12 – he sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Verse 13 – he was in Eden, the Garden of God. And in verse 14 he is called the anointed cherub – therefore, he is not a mere man. I think you can all see that. Cherubs are not men. They belong to the angelic creation. And so, here is one who belongs to the angelic creation.

(15) Thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

What was the iniquity? – verse 17

(17) Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty,

In one word, if your heart is lifted up, what is that? – PRIDE! What sin does God hate first? – PRIDE. Why does God hate the sin of pride first? Because it is implied in the Bible that that was the original sin of the king of Tyrus and of Lucifer.

Now we go to Obadiah and we have another illustration of the same thing. It is an illustration of why God hates pride.

Obadiah 1: 3-4

(3) The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee

(4) Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.

Because of pride -- that’s in the context.

What am I showing in these last two references? Although they are not directly related to Lucifer or Satan or the Devil, they still show you what God does when pride comes.

Genesis 11: 4-8

(4) And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

(5) And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

(6) And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

(7) Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.

(8) So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

God scattered them, basically because of pride. And so God judges pride, and pride is the first sin.

“Pride” Makes God A Liar

Genesis 3: 5

(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.

1 John 5: 10

(10) He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

Now we go on to another Scripture. I don’t want to get too far removed from our subject. The reason these verses are connected with this lesson, is because, once more, you have the same Hebrew word.

Jeremiah 4: 23-27

(23) I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void:

(the same words as Genesis, chapter 1, verses 1-2)

I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

(24) I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.

(25) I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.

(26) I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.

(27) For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate;

In the context of Jeremiah 4, there is a dual application. Now, that is not strange when it comes to Scripture. What happened to Israel in the prophet’s day? -- The days of Jeremiah, or the coming of the Babylonians, is likened to something that happened in the past. The prophet is looking ahead, and telling Israel what is going to happen. And when he does that, he said: “in my vision I saw what happened in the past, and what happened is a type of what is going to happen in the future.”

Now I ask some questions. What is coal? When you went to school, did you get a definition? My definition, if I remember correctly, was that coal is compressed vegetation. I think you were all taught that.

What is oil? It is something that has come from prior vegetation. The source is the sun. What is chalk? Well, it was living organism at one time, that has now become dead. That’s what chalk is. All are from previous vegetation and living matter.

When you think of all the coal that they have been digging out of the earth, and all of the oil that they have been pumping out of the earth, and all of the chalk that they dig out of the earth; there must have been a time when this earth was very, very fruitful, and very, very productive.

Isaiah 14: 12- 14

(12) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, 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.

Luke 10: 18

(18) And he (Jesus) said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

In Isaiah, Lucifer fell from Heaven. And Luke records Jesus saying that He saw Lucifer fall from Heaven. We repeat, although Adam was the first man, he was not the first inhabitant of the earth. We are going to summarize all of this a little later, so I am not going to state it now.

Now we go on and make another observation.

6. If There Was A Pre-Adamic Creation,

Were There Also Pre-Adamic Animals?

If there was a pre-Adamic creation – and we believe there was, were there also pre-Adamic animals? We know that animals perished in the flood. There is absolutely no question about that.

And since the flood, there have been other catastrophes. For instance, on Joshua’s long day. You would know that when the sun stood still in Joshua’s day, that would cause trouble on the earth. And when Hezekiah’s sun dial went back ten degrees on the sundial, that would cause another catastrophe. This earth is a vast graveyard, indicating catastrophe that did involve great animal and vegetable creation. The evidence is in our earth.

7. Another Kind Of Animal Creation In Heaven.

Now, perhaps in thinking this way, it will help us if we notice that there is another kind of animal creation in Heaven. That bothers people, wherever I go and dare to talk about an animal creation in Heaven.

It reminds me of a story, that maybe I told you before, in another study. Some years ago, at Bible school at Eston, there were three young fellows who were living in their “seventh heaven.” I don’t have to explain that. You see, the Bible only talks about three Heavens. And the only way to get in your seventh heaven is to fall desperately in love. I mean DESPERATELY in love!

These fellows were desperately in love, and I can still see them walking back and forth in front of my window. I am sitting in the office, looking at them, and finally, they came to the door. One fellow knocked, one stayed, and one ran away. And the one young chap looked into my face and said “Brother Pritchard, we have a very serious question.” Well, what is it? “Will there be any females in Heaven?” That was their serious question. I think it was a good question.

I said that, to say this: The way they were feeling at that particular time – if there would not be females in Heaven, it wouldn’t be Heaven!

Well, now, I add further – there are some people who are so in love with animals, that if there aren’t any animals in Heaven, how can Heaven be Heaven? Let’s go back and look at the Scripture. The moment that I suggest that there are animals in Heaven, somebody thinks it is time I saw a psychiatrist. Let’s go in our Bible and read a few things, and see if we agree with what the Bible says.

Revelation 19: 11

Don’t forget that the Bible says Jesus went bodily into Heaven.

(11) And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True,

There is a rider coming out of Heaven. I believe with all of my heart, that horse must be as real as Jesus! And if the horse isn’t real, then how in the world can you believe that Jesus is real? Somebody says “I can’t believe that Jesus will ever ride a horse.” Well, I simply remind you that when He came to earth the first time, He did ride a donkey. And if He rode a donkey, I haven’t any problem with Him riding a horse. A horse, coming out of Heaven? Let’s go to the Old Testament.

2 Kings 2: 11

(11) And it came to pass, as they (Elijah and Elisha) still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Those horses and that chariot were so real that they parted them asunder. That is, they came between Elijah and Elisha. Now go to the sixth chapter.

2 Kings 6: 17

(17) And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

You can’t tell me they weren’t real. The only problem was, the eyes of the young man had to be adjusted in order to see them. And then I go from there to:

Isaiah 31: 3

(3) Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit.

So I learn from the prophet, and I learn from the Old Testament, that there are horses that we know about, made of flesh, but there are horses that belong to Heaven that are made of spirit. God says so.

1 Corinthians 15: 39-49

(39) All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

We all understand that, because that pertains to our world.

(40) There are also celestial bodies (celestial means Heavenly) and bodies terrestrial (terrestrial means earthly):But the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

(41) There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

(42) So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

(43) It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

(44) It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

(45) And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

(46) Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

(47) The first man is of the earth earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

(48) As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

(49) And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

And the Heavenly will be no less literal than the earthy. And so, when you put the whole passage together, and look at the whole context, there are bodies on earth that are tangible and real, but there are bodies in Heaven that are tangible and real. If it doesn’t mean that, then the Bible has mislead us.

8. Review -- Evidence Of Recent Catastrophe.

We are going to review again, and see what we have been stating. We have stated: there is evidence of recent catastrophe. Our mountains are estimated to be only 5,000 years old by some. I cannot prove or disprove that, but I know there are those who believe that. There is evidence also of ancient catastrophe.

Act 1. –

The World that WAS – gives a brief consideration to

the possible origin of the Devil and Demons.

I am not dogmatic, but I think there is an answer here of the origin of the Devil and the Demons. It also helps to explain the Devil’s interference with this present earth and with man upon it. Now that statement is my major reason for accepting what is called “The Gap Theory.” Will you remember that? The Gap Theory between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 – (between the original creation and re-creation) – is the major reason to give place for the origin of the Devil and the Demons. And whether we accept that as the time of their origin, or not, we certainly have to accept the fact that the Devil and the Demons do exist!

9. A Summary Again

THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT THREE WORLDS.

2 Peter 3: 6, 7, 13

(6) Whereby the world that THEN WAS, being overflowed with water, perished:

(7) But the heavens and the earth, which are NOW, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

(13) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for NEW heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

1. We have suggested that the world that WAS--

is connected with the world that NOW IS.

2. We hope to show that the world that NOW IS, will

have a connection with the world TO COME.

3. We suggested – Angelic beings inhabited the

world that WAS. Lucifer had a throne on earth.

Isaiah 14: 13-14

(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.

He was then king of the earth. Lucifer and those in his kingdom, had material bodies. More about that later. There could have been pre-Adamic animals. We suggested that Lucifer, because of pride, rebelled against God. And therefore, pride becomes the first sin.

5. Lucifer’s Subjects Followed Him

Matthew 25: 41

(41) 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:

The lake of fire is prepared for the Devil and his Angels!

Revelation 12: 3,9, 4,12

I believe that we can learn something from this passage. I’m not interpreting it, but I am certainly applying it to what we are talking about here.

(3) And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon,

Now look down to verse 9. When the interpretation is used, by a symbol, the explanation is always near by. I know the dragon is a symbol, but what does he symbolize? – verse 9.

(9) And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,

And so in that verse:

you have Satan,

you have the Devil,

you have the serpent,

and you have the dragon.

They are four names for the same person.

Let’s back up and read from verse 3.

Revelation 12: 3

(3) And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon,

We know who he is. It is talking about the Devil.

having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. He is crowned, therefore, he is a king.

(4) And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman….

I simply want you to notice, that the dragon has power over one-third of the Stars of God. And so, whoever these Stars are, when the Devil fell, apparently, they fell with him.

a. Result of Lucifer’s Rebellion -- Judgment

1. As a result of Lucifer’s rebellion, the world that WAS, fell under judgment. The evidence of catastrophe is everywhere.

2. Remember, after Adam’s fall, this earth, our world, was cursed.

Genesis 3: 17-18

(17) And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

(18) Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

These verses suggest that the world, since Adam’s fall, has never been as productive as it was once before. The fact that so much wealth (coal and oil) is buried in the earth, indicates a time of great productivity.

b. Judgment brought The Devil And Demons Into Existence

Everywhere in the New Testament, Demons are presented as disembodied spirits – not bodiless spirits.

I believe that the average person, and Christian, has the idea that demons and angels are bodiless spirits. It does not present them as bodiless, it presents them as dis-embodied.

What is the difference? Bodiless would imply that they never had a body. Disembodied implies they had bodies and lost them. Did you get the difference? They had bodies, but now they do not have bodies. Therefore, they, like Satan, seek to inhabit bodies (e.g. the pigs) –

Matthew 8: 28-32

(28) And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

(29) And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

(30) And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.

(31) So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

(32) And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

When you read the story, it tells you that there was a dialogue – not primarily between the man and Jesus -- but a dialogue between the demons and Jesus. The demons knew who Jesus was, and they knew that He could put them out of the men. And they said: Why have you come to torment us before the time?

That’s interesting! And what was torment to them? “If you cast us out” It seems to me, the story involves, that, for a demon to be outside a body, is to be in a state of torment. And they said to Jesus: If you cast us out, cast us into these pigs. That was the request of the demons. They would rather be in the body of a pig, than to be disembodied, because they desire to have bodies.

Somebody says: Why did the Lord allow them to go into the pigs? Well, I think there is only one answer. That was in Jewish territory, and Jews were not supposed to have pigs; so Jesus did a double judgment. He not only saved the men from the demons, but he saved that company of keepers from their pigs. And their thousands of pigs went running down into the sea. Jesus destroyed the pigs and sent the demons to their abode at the same time.

There is something rather sad about that story. It doesn’t really have to do with this part of my lesson, but if you read the story -- The moment after Jesus had taken the demons out of the men and put them into the pigs, the men of that city besought Jesus to leave. Do you know why? They didn’t want to lose any more pigs! They were more concerned about their pigs, than they were about the state of a man. I think that says a lot about humanity. And things haven’t changed very much. We are more concerned about material gain, than we are about spiritual good. And we learn that from Matthew, chapter eight. I refer to the story because those demons requested to go into animal bodies.

Alright, the world that WAS perished totally. Here is what I believe that means: When you read: God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,-- it is talking about eternal separation from God.

I said that, to say this: There is no salvation for the Devil and the demons. The world that WAS, totally perished, and both the devil and the demons are interested in this world of men that NOW IS. Why are they interested? I believe it is evident. They are interested in us, and they are interested in the earth, because they were the first inhabitants of this earth.

There has been conflict in the past (Job 1). I think so often, that when we think of the story of Job, we get so occupied with his boils and with his troubles, that we forget, in the first part of the story, the conflict was not basically between the devil and Job, nor was it a mere human conflict.

The conflict was between the devil and God.

And that’s why Job found himself in trouble – because of the unseen conflict.

Job 1: 6-12

(6) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

(7) And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

(8) And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

(9) Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

(10) Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

(11) But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

(12) And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

The conflict was between God and Satan. Furthermore, there is a conflict today!

Ephesians 6: 11-12

(11) 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.

1 Peter 5: 8

(8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

c. In The World That NOW IS:

1. As we shall see, in the world that NOW IS, Adam was given dominion.

Genesis 1: 26

(26) And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

2. Through the fall, Satan stole man’s dominion.

3. Satan offered that dominion to Christ for a price.

Matthew, chapter four, begins with the word “then.” And it is always interesting and worthy of note, that as you read the last three verses of chapter 3, Jesus had gone down to the Jordan.

Verse 16 -- the Spirit of God descended upon Him. And a voice from Heaven said “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And then, at that particular time, when looking at it from the human aspect, when He had had one of the greatest experiences of His life on earth, it was at that point – (Matthew 4:1) Jesus was led – Please notice – NOT OF THE DEVIL, but He was LED OF THE SPIRIT into the wilderness.

Have you not noticed, as Christians, that it is often immediately after you have had a great, blessed experience, you go right into the wilderness? It is right after you have had a real high, you have a real low. – Well, here it is:

Matthew 4: 1-10

(1) Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit. He was not out of the Will of God. He was IN the Will of God. And in the Will of God, He was led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Don’t think you are above your Master, you read John,

the fifteen chapter. If this happened to your Master, it’s going to happen to you. You can be led of the Spirit, right into the path of the devil. Don’t forget that!

(2) And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.

Physically, He would be weak. I find that word “afterward” very important. It is not my purpose now to talk about fasting, but in this regard, I think this very, very important. There are human fasts, but there are Spiritual fasts. Jesus was on a real Spiritual fast. And because He had separated Himself so unto God, He was able to say in another place, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” Did you notice what He said? – He was afterward an hungered. What is implied? While He was fasting, He was not hungry. Why? – He was being fed with the Bread from Heaven. And He was so satisfied, that He was not hungry until after the forty days. That’s a real fast!

I remember, I was at a home, sitting at the table visiting at lunch time. A nice salad was prepared and being passed around. The lady of the house gave it to me and I took it and passed it back to her. She started to put it on her plate, and then suddenly she said, “Oh no, I forgot, I’m fasting.” Now, that’s many years ago, but I learned something from that lady, and I think of it every time I read this. She might just as well have eaten her salad, in my opinion. If her fast was so important that she forgot it, she might as well have eaten. Do you see what I’m getting at? In no way would Jesus forget what He was doing when He was on this fast. This was not a fast for His health. Now, there is such, and that’s alright, and I’m not talking about that. But if you are on a Spiritual fast, I’m persuaded it can be so real that you will not be hungry while you are on it.

he was afterward an hungered.

After fasting for forty days, and being a man, He would be as we would – physically weak.

(3) And when the tempter came to him, he said, (that’s always when the tempter comes – when you are physically down) If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

In other words, if you are a King’s kid, why suffer? If you are a child of the King, you shouldn’t be without. If you are a child of the King, all you have to do is say it, and you’ve got it. But, it doesn’t work that way!

(4) But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Satan addressed Him as the Son of God, but Jesus did not answer as the Son of God, He said, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

(5) Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and sitteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

(6) And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

If you are the Son of God, prove it! – take up a rattle snake – take up a poisonous serpent, and wrap it around your neck – let it bite you, and prove to everybody you are a Son of God. Again, there are people who fall into the trap that the devil set.

(7) Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God,

(8) Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

(9) And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

I am always arrested, not only by what is stated in the Bible, but what is not stated. If the kingdoms of this world, at that particular time, did not belong to the devil, then Jesus should have said so. Jesus should have said, “Devil, they are not yours to give.” But that passage of Scripture proves, by the silence of Jesus, that at that particular time, the kingdoms of this world were in the possession of the devil himself.

Jesus answered:

(10) Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Although it doesn’t bear on our lesson, I cannot leave it, without saying this: The Lord put two things together. He put worship and service in that verse. You go back and read what the devil said. The devil hadn’t said one thing about service. The devil had simply said, Fall down and worship. He did not say serve.

But the Lord put His finger on it, and the Lord revealed this fact – What you worship is what you serve. Therefore if you serve the Lord, it’s because you worship the Lord. And if you worship the Lord, you will serve the Lord. But if you do not worship Him, you will not serve Him. Service does not produce worship – it is worship that produces service. Always remember that.

4. Jesus, By His Cross Destroyed The Works Of The Devil

1 John 3: 8

(8) He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Jesus, by His cross, destroyed the works of the devil. He will yet put all enemies under His feet visibly. We know that they are not yet under his feet because:

1 Corinthians 15: 25-26 says

(25) For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

(26) The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

He has redeemed to Himself all that Adam lost. He is the Last Adam.

1 Corinthians 15: 45

(45) And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Jesus is called the Last Adam. He has redeemed to Himself, all that Lucifer lost. He is the Bright Morning Star.

Revelation 11: 15

(15) And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

What the devil promised to give to Jesus, He is going to take, not because the devil gave it to Him, but because He wrestled it from the devil when He died on the cross. And so, a new world is coming.

5. Act 2 – The World That Now Is

1. Genesis 1: 3-31

Genesis 1: 3-31, we have re-creation. Or like a believer – regenerated.

Genesis 1: 1-

(1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

(2) And the earth was without form, and void;

I have said nothing about those who are persuaded this could be translated – “the earth became without form, and void.” I am not a Hebrew scholar, so I cannot argue that.

and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

This is the first time the word “darkness” is found in the Bible.

Throughout the Bible:

“darkness,”

“the realm of darkness,”

“the place of darkness,”

“the powers of darkness,”

are all phrases connected with the Devil and his final dwelling place. This is one of my reasons for accepting the view that there was a fall after Genesis 1:1, before the creation of man, and the later fall of the human race.

So you have an earth that is degenerate -- an earth that is in a broken-down state. You have an earth that is covered with water -- And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

(3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Now you have two things. In verse two – the moving of the Spirit. And in verse three – The Word of God. The Spirit and the Word. Did you get that? Now, according to the New Testament, what are the two elements used in relationship to our regeneration?

1 Peter 1: 23- 25

(23) Being born again,

(being regenerated -- A man cannot be born again without being regenerated by the Spirit of God. ) not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

(24) For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

(25) But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

And so you have the Word, the Gospel, and Regeneration in that passage.

2 C orinthians 4: 6 See how it fits with Genesis 1: 2-3

(6) For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,

Genesis 1: 3

(3) God said let there be light and there was light. God who commanded light to shine out of darkness,

What is He talking about? Shining over a dark, dull, void earth, that in no way of itself, could respond.

God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Now, can you all see that Paul connects what happens to the believer with what happened in Genesis 1? What happens to the believer? – we are regenerated by the Word of God, through the movement of the Spirit of God. And without the Spirit of God, and without the Word of God, we would remain in our spiritual darkness, and in our spiritual death. But as God moved, back in Genesis 1: 2-3, God has moved in our hearts, and we have been regenerated by what God has done. Therefore, I suggest to you, that on the basis of the New Testament, Genesis 1: 2-3 indicate, not generation, but regeneration.

2. Genesis 2: 7

Man, as we know him, was placed on this earth by God.

3. Genesis 2: 14

Genesis 2:14 names four rivers.

Genesis 2: 11-14

(11) The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

(12) And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

(13) And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.

(14) And the name of the third river is Hiddekel (the Tigris): that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

The last two are easily found on the map today. So, when you read verse 14, you have a general idea as to where Adam was placed in the world. He was placed at the cradle of humanity – the middle east.

4. Genesis 10: 25

In Genesis 10: 25, we learn something else, by looking at the world that NOW IS.

Genesis 10: 25

(25) And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided;

So I have another statement. The earth as it NOW IS, is not as it was in the days of Adam or in the days of Noah. And that could easily account for the fact that we cannot find the trace of at least one of those four rivers. Here is a passage that tells us that the earth was divided. You look at a map, and it looks as though the western hemisphere has just parted from the eastern hemisphere. It looks as though they have been divided. And that is exactly what the Bible tells us.

Incidentally, there are those who believe that Noah belonged to the Chinese race. Have you heard that? – that he was likely the first Chinese. That’s always interesting to me, because the Chinese are Oriental, not Occidental.

We think that all the Orientals belong in Asia don’t we. That is where the Orientals come from. But, stop and think for a minute – what are Eskimos, if they are not Orientals? How in the world did they get in the wrong hemisphere? Well, it’s rather easy if you believe Genesis 10:25.

Let’s suppose there are 10 Irishmen on an iceberg and the iceberg breaks and five Irishmen go south and five go north. – You are going to have Irishmen on both Icebergs. That might be a crude illustration, but it looks to me as though that is how the Orientals got over here in the land of the Occidentals. Well, so be it.

5. Romans 5: 12

Man did not originate sin, but man let sin enter the world that NOW IS.

Romans 5: 12

(12) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world

Man let sin enter the world that NOW IS. You certainly have to believe that man is here. And you have to believe that sin is here. And how did sin get into this world? Man let it in.

6. Genesis 3: 17

The present earth is under the curse.

Genesis 3: 17-18

(17) And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

(18) Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee;

Thorns and thistles are proof of that verse.

7. John 3: 16

John 3: 16

(16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

It’s of this world. How blessed – into our world -- into the world that NOW IS. Of this world, it is written:

God so loved the world, (the present world, the world that NOW IS,) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

There is no word like that for the world that WAS.

That word, that Gospel, belongs to the world of men that NOW IS.

And thank God, we are part of the world into which the Savior came.

For the Savior is the only One who could give us hope for the world TO COME.

As we pointed out from 2 Peter 3: 6-7, it talks about a world that WAS, that perished, then the world that NOW IS, which is also heading for judgment. Into this world Jesus came to suffer and die.

John 3: 1-2

(1) There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

(2) The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God:

Nicodemus approached Jesus, merely as a teacher come from God. That was a speech, but it wasn’t the truth. Jesus was not a mere teacher come from God. All of the prophets were that, but Jesus was God come to teach. And so, with that background, we look at the following Scriptures:

2 Corinthians 5: 19

(19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,

The words I want you to observe – God was in Christ. And God was in Christ in a way that He was never in any other man. And we understand that, as we go back in our Bibles to:

Matthew 1: 23

(23) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us.

1 Timothy 3: 16

(16) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.

And so when Jesus came into the world, He was not just a good man. He was not a better man, but He was God manifest in the flesh.

8. 1 Corinthians 15: 1-3

1 Corinthians 15: 1-3

(1) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

(2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

(3) For I delivered unto you first, of all which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

Jesus came into the world that NOW IS. Here He died. Here He was buried. And here He rose again.

9. Acts 1: 1-3

Acts 1: 1-3

(1) The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

(2) Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Spirit had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

(3) To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

To this earth, Jesus returned for forty days after His resurrection.

10. Acts 1: 10-11

Acts 1: 10-11

(10) And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

(11) Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Zechariah 14: 4-5

(4) And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

(5) And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

To this earth, -- the earth that Jesus came 2000 years ago, Jesus is coming back again. And this becomes a very exciting subject that we are going to deal with a little later on.

Additional Notes

We have stated, Jesus came to this earth for forty days after His resurrection.

Luke 24: 37-39, 42-43

When Jesus appeared on the evening of Resurrection Day, He came in and stood in the midst, and we have these words recorded:

(37) But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

(38) And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

(39) Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

(42) And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

(43) And he took it, and did eat before them.

It is interesting to observe, not only what is said, but what is not said. On the Resurrection Day, it talks about Jesus having flesh and bones, but there is no reference to His blood.

1 Peter 3: 18

(18) For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

This Scripture tells us that He was put to death in the flesh. He was quickened by the Spirit. His blood was not resurrected. There was no blood in the body of the Lord Jesus after His resurrection.

John 21: 14

(14) This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

Jesus showed Himself. These things, we have talked about, but I couldn’t leave them out now. He showed Himself after His Resurrection.

Colossians 1: 18

(18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

He is FIRST. That, by the way, is after Lazarus was raised. What does it mean when it says that He is the first begotten of the dead? Well, we turn to 1 Timothy 6:16 and we read a fact regarding Jesus that is not true of any other man to this moment. I want to emphasize the fact that He not only came to die, but He came back into this world in this form.

1 Timothy 6: 16

(16) Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Jesus Christ, when He rose from the dead, received His body that put on immortality. And in that body, He came back to this earth.

Romans 6: 9

What does it mean to have a body that is immortal?

(9) Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

This is the One that came back after His Resurrection.

The Question Now Is:

So, the question now, is, Does the Bible teach that Jesus is coming back to this earth again? And if so, for how long? Remember, He has already been back for forty days. I’m going to skip over this next portion very rapidly. But, it is important

for you to know it.

The A-Millennialist Answers:

Those that are called A-Millennialist, answer the question: NO, Jesus is not coming back. He is not coming back to this earth at all. Whether you are aware of that or not, there are many people who believe that, and I confess, I reject that.

The Pre-Millennialist Answers:

The Pre-Millennialist answers: YES, He is coming back to this earth for 1000 years.

The Post-Millennialist Answers:

The Post-Millennialist answers: YES, He is coming back to this earth, after man has produced 1000 years of peace! My answer to that one, always is, “If Jesus is going to have to wait for man to produce peace, then He will never come back!” And so I object to this answer. There is no room for that at all.

When Is Jesus Coming Back Again?

Further to this, those who believe that Jesus is coming back to earth again, ask “When is He coming? -- before, or after the Great Tribulation?” This question involves three major subjects, and they are not our subjects for these lessons, but we have to insert them.

1. The Rapture

The removal of the Church

1 Thessalonians 4: 13 -18

(13) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

(14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

(15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

(16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

(17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

(18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

2. The Tribulation

Matthew 24: 21

(21) For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

3. The Return Or Revelation Of Christ

Revelation 1: 7

(7) Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wait because of him. Even so, Amen.

The Answers are many

The answers are many to the question: “When is Jesus going to return?”

1. The Pre-Tribulationists Say:

Christ will Rapture the Church, before the Tribulation, and return to earth immediately after the Great Tribulation. And that is what I believe.

2. The Mid-Tribulationists Say:

Christ will Rapture the Church mid-way through the Tribulation, and return to earth immediately after the Tribulation.

3. The Post Tribulationists Say:

Christ will Rapture the Church at the time He returns to earth, after the Tribulation.

4. The Partial Rapturist Says:

Only “Spiritual” people – those walking with the Lord, will be raptured before the Tribulation. Others will be left behind to be purified by the Tribulation. And without saying much about that – those people do not see the Grace of God at all.

Note: All Pre-Millennialists agree that Christ will return to this earth after the Tribulation.

Matthew 24: 29-30

(29) Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

(30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Now, believing these to be real facts, there are exciting things still to come to the world that NOW IS. The King of Glory is coming. What a Day of Glory it will be for Him, when He comes back to this earth! It will be a Day of Glory for Him, because the Word of Scripture will be vindicated, and verified.

Men have scoffed at the idea of Jesus coming back to this earth. Men will not believe. Men have ridiculed the whole idea, but there will be no scoffing then. There will be no ridiculing then. All will bow before Jesus, The King.

It will be the great Day of Glory for Him, for He will see the travail of His Soul, and will be satisfied.

He suffered, but when He comes back, He is going to come back to REIGN.

He bore the cross. He is going to come back to wear the CROWN.

It will be a Day of Glory for Him, for He comes in His Own Glory. He comes in His Father’s Glory. He comes in the Glory of His Holy Angels, for all the Holy Angels will come with Him. He will be the conquering King.

Colossians 2: 14

(14) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

He went to the Cross in victory – He now returns in Victory. He will be the Victor, showing to His creation that He is King of kings, and Lord of lords.

He has a timetable. He has a plan. He has a purpose. And nothing can ultimately hinder that purpose. He will be the Victorious, Conquering King.

It will also be a Day of Glory for us. The Church needs His coming. And by that, I mean every aspect -- all that makes up our blessed hope. Like David’s men, who followed him in his rejection -- the men who hid in the mountains and joined hands in the battle; One day David took them out and he listed them as his mighty men.

I do not know how God makes opals out of sand. I do not know how God makes diamonds out of carbon. I don’t even understand how God can make butterflies out of worms. I just know that God does it! And how He can make mighty men and mighty women out of the likes of us -- only His return will reveal what the Lord has in store for us. Remember this: it will be worth it all when we see Jesus.

It will be a Day of Glory for Israel. For national Israel needs His coming. She faces her darkest hour. She will no longer write on the walls. This was found on the walls in Paris, some time after the last war, when a Jew had written in the darkness:

“I believe in the Sun, even when it is not shining. I believe in the wind when it is not blowing. I believe in God, even when He is silent. For when she is surrounded by her enemies, the Lord will come, and fight for her, and bring her victories.”

Zechariah 14: 1-3

(1) Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.

(2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

(3) Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

It will be a Day of Glory for the world. The world needs His coming. Disarmament will come then, for nations will beat their swords into plowshares. The Ecologists will no longer be needed, for all gardens will be looked after. There will be no more economic problems, because the curse will be removed.

And when I think of all of that: the teaching regarding the Lord’s return, is consistently connected with the individual’s life. Our Lord clearly stated that the hope of His return, and all of the ramifications, should have a bearing on the way we live.

If we believe that Jesus is actually coming back to earth again, what are we worrying about now? We have something about which we can lift up our heads and rejoice! A better world is coming, because the Lord is coming again.

6. Act 3 – The World That Shall Be

We have talked at length, about the world that was. We have talked a little bit about the world that is. And now, the world that shall be.

Psalm 78: 69

(69) And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

There is a statement here that I cannot ignore. It is often by what we ignore, that creates the problems in Bible interpretation. He has established the earth for ever. Isn’t that something! There is going to be a new earth, according to the book of Revelation, but I am now of the opinion, as I read the Bible, that the new earth is somehow going to be formed out of the earth that now is.

It is like a seed. You put a seed into the ground, and that seed disappears, but from it comes a new seed, and in the new seed, the old seed is preserved. You put a worm into a cocoon, and out from the cocoon will come a brand new butterfly. And yet in that butterfly, is preserved something of the worm. You take a human body, put it into the ground, and God says, the day is going to come when that body is going to be resurrected in a new body, and therefore, the old body is preserved in the new. And it seems to me that’s what God is going to do with the earth. He is going to make a new one out of the old one.

Now let’s turn to Isaiah, and read one or two things about this. I sometimes say, as I read these Scriptures, I wish God had seen fit to tell us more, but He hasn’t. And so we will have to wait until the time comes to find out more about it.

Isaiah 65: 17

Talking about a world that is to come:

(17) For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

The former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. There are two ways of looking at that. I read in the Bible, that God remembers, but I also read in the Bible, that God has the ability to forget our sins. He has the ability to remember what is worth remembering, and He has the ability to forget what is not worth remembering. There are things in this life that are not worth remembering. And praise God, when the new earth comes, the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. That settles a lot of problems for me.

I can think in terms now, of people I have known, neighbors and relatives, and somebody says “If my relatives are not all in Heaven, if my neighbors are not all there, how can I be happy?” Well, there is only one answer. The former shall not be remembered, nor shall it come into mind. That simply means, for me and for you, the day will come when you will forget that you ever sinned. Oh, what a day that is going to be!

The day will come when you will forget that you ever were sick. What a day that will be. The day will come when you will never remember that you ever stood beside a grave. The former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. I find great blessing in that.

There is a world that is coming, that is going to be so new and separated from the world that now is, that we shall have the ability to be like God, and remember those things that are worth remembering, and forget those things that are not worth remembering. The only problem in this life is, for me, I have the ability to remember those things that aren’t worth remembering, and I forget those things that I should remember. But praise God, there is going to be a reverse. When the new Heaven and the new earth comes, we shall not remember those that are not worth while.

Revelation 21: 1

(1) 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 then John goes on to describe it.

We turn back to 2 Peter, and see what Peter says about it.

2 Peter 3: 13

(13) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth (not reigneth, but DWELLETH) righteousness.

It doesn’t say that righteousness is going to reign in the new Heaven and earth. It says righteousness is going to dwell. It is going to take up its permanent abode. And what is the word righteous? – right. The day is going to come, when there will be a new world, and everything will be right. There are so many things that seem so wrong in the world that now is. I’m glad I have a revelation beyond it, that there will dwell righteousness in the world that shall be.

Ephesians 3: 21

I confess as I read this again, for years I didn’t pretend to understand it, because I couldn’t, and I really can’t understand it now.

(21) Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,

If you go back to Ephesians 2:7 – Paul writes:

Ephesians 2: 7

(7) That in the ages to come

Don’t miss the word. It doesn’t say merely age to come, it says ages to come.

Ephesians 3: 21

(21) Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Has anybody the capacity to even think that through? In this world, everything seems to have an end, but there is coming a world that will not end. Praise God Eternal, a world without end – beyond my mind, but thank God I believe it.

Recommended Books:

1. THE INVISIBLE WAR by Donald Grey Barnhouse

2. EARTHS EARLIEST AGES by Pember

3. AGES IN CHAOS by Immanuel Velikovsky

4. WORLDS IN COLLISION by Immanuel Velikovsky

5. EARTH IN UPHEAVAL by Immanuel Velikovsky

I did mention earlier that there are books that I recommend – especially INVISIBLE WAR by Donald Grey Barnhouse. The others are perhaps along different lines, but that first one covers a lot of this material that we have talked about.