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The Creation Week | The Spiritual Creation | The Seventh Millennium | Preparing for the Return of Christ

The Spiritual Creation

Introduction

In lesson 1 we considered the scientific reality of the creation or renewal week, and we hinted at the possibility that God patterned His spiritual creation after His physical creation. In lesson two we will show this pattern. When we understand it, we will have to acknowledge that there is a Creator God that has an influence in world affairs, and that His Word, the Bible, is real, and true!

We will now continue with a very short lesson in history. The truth of the Plan of God to save all mankind if possible, even though mankind did not regard God from the beginning, is vast. It will really take a whole year of sermons to complete. This lesson is just a quick overview. The purpose is to show the pattern.

When the disciples were hoping that Jesus would return in their lifetime, the apostle reminded them of God's overall creation plan:

"8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."

(2 Peter 3:8, KJV)

We need to consider also how God views a day. When does a day start? At midnight?

Concerning a festival of the Law of Moses, the following was written, indicating the understanding of when a day start.

"32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath. "

(Leviticus 23:32, KJV)

A day starts in the evening, at sunset. God has ordained it so. The indication is that God allows us to first experience darkness, and then we can comprehend His light, and see the difference. The second time we will make a better choice! His Choice!

This sequence is due to Adam and Eve's choice in the Garden of Eden, when they chose to follow their own inclinations. Hiding their hidden agenda, they introduced darkness.

Therefore God allows mankind to first try their own ideas, and when it all crumbles down, He will intervene and demonstrate His way, and we can see the difference, and acknowledge that His way is best after all. This is the way of mankind since the beginning, the way of teenagers opposing their parent's help, the way we try our own inclinations first, before we seek for help, if we are wise enough to do so.

Hence we can also see that many of the intended creation acts of every thousand years were finally and completely fulfilled towards the end of those thousand years.

We will now consider the pattern of God's spiritual creation, beginning with the first day relating to the first thousand years.

Day One

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

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day."

(Genesis 1:3-5, KJV)

The Word of God defines the knowledge and Spirit of God as light, and Satan's lies and deceit trying out his alternatives as darkness. By demonstrating God's way leading to eternal life, the contrast with the alternatives becomes obvious. If someone does the right thing and reap good rewards, all other alternative actions stand automatically in contrast with the right way. Thus God in effect causes us to comprehend darkness, by contrasting it with His light. God does not created evil deliberately. He creates goodness, and therefore creates the contrast, and in effect we see and comprehend evil for what it is.

"5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it."

(Isaiah 45:5-8, KJV)

So God allowed mankind to multiply in the first thousand years of human history. Mankind in general did their own thing, living their own lives, ignoring their Maker. They were mainly farming to make a living, while others were nomads, traveling from place to place with their livestock.

We can see the contrast between God's way and mankind's way under Satan's influence being demonstrated in many ways. From the beginning Adam and Eve had to make a choice. They chose to follow their own inexperienced inclinations under Satan's guidance in contrast with God's Will, and eventually died. There is still hope for them in the resurrection, but the precise way is a large subject requiring several sermons.

Just consider the difference between Cain and Abel.

"3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him."

(Genesis 4:3-8, KJV)

The precise reason why Abel's offering was acceptable is a large subject, but the point is that Abel's good example showed up Cain's errors. Creating light shows up the darkness for what it is. Abel brought of his best animals and experienced an emotional loss due to the sin sacrifice. Life was given, which is the result of sin. Cain brought of the crops of the field, and experienced no emotional loss, so his sacrifice could not lead to humility before God and true repentance.

We will now consider the timeline.

Genesis 5 is a study in itself, a whole sermon series. We can count the years from Adam to Noah, by adding it all up.

How many years went by till Noah was born?

It all adds up to about 1052 years. We can see that there would be a change in the condition of mankind's existence.

"28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:

29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed."

The first thousand years were over, and God created His light in some selected few people, thereby demonstrating the darkness of the rest of mankind. This period was over, and it was time for a new era in mankind's history!

"6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God."

(Genesis 6:6-9, KJV)

From the beginning of the second millennium, things would change, and even the climate of the earth would improve, making food production easier. The penalty on Adam and his offspring would be lifted to some extent.

Day Two

"6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."

(Genesis 1:6-8, KJV)

The spiritual creation process was entering a new phase. We need to clarify prophetic symbolism.

What is the prophetic symbolism of waters?

"15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues."

(Revelation 17:15, KJV)

Waters refer to nations, masses of people. God will begin to divide nations, and a nation for Him. He would not simply show up darkness against His light on a personal basis.

When a whole nation follows God's ways for several generations, the contrast in blessings would be enormous, compared to a whole nation that continues as though there is no God!

At first God would separate a new generation from the masses of people that completely ignores Him, having paid the price in their miserable lives.

"11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth."

(Genesis 6:11-13, KJV)

This process started with Noah, at the beginning of the second millennium. However, God was merciful and gave the people ample time to repent.

How many years into Noah's life did God give them an opportunity to repent?

"6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. "

(Genesis 7:6, KJV)

All this time Noah lived righteously and contrasted his live with the rest around him. Later he started to build the ark over many years. The very act of building the ark was a warning to all that looked upon it from afar. Yet they would not repent.

There is another parallel here. As God gave mankind during Noah's life 600 years to repent before major intervention, so God is also giving mankind 6000 years to repent before major intervention.

Finally God intervened, and demonstrated His power to intervene to eliminate sin and sinful people. But what about the separation of waters, or nations?

This was also in the plan.

Noah had three sons.

"10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth."

(Genesis 6:10, KJV)

God started to separate His special nation that would demonstrate the difference. He started with Shem. We find a chronological order of sons that led from Shem to Abraham.

To Abraham God made the promises of a special nation, of "waters" that would rise above other "waters". This all happened in the second millennium.

"17 The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech.

18 And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber.

19 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name was Joktan.

20 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,

21 Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah,

22 And Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba,

23 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.

24 Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,

25 Eber, Peleg, Reu,

26 Serug, Nahor, Terah,

27 Abram; the same is Abraham.

(1 Chronicles 1:17-27, KJV)

Notice verse 19 in particular.

During this millennium the earth was divided among the nations, and God finally selected Abraham. To Abraham the promises were made, for both the nation Israel, and also of the Seed, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and also to Ishmael.

"1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

(Genesis 16:1-8, KJV)

The "waters" were divided, and the next phase could begin. Abraham lived through the turn of the second millennium to the third.

Day 3

"9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

13 And the evening and the morning were the third day."

(Genesis 1:9-13, KJV)

The nations that were separated could now grow up into empires, some of them dominating as well as benefiting others at times. God compares such empires with trees. A tree was rooted in its land and stood strong and tall. It had infrastructure, with branches in all directions. It was like a major economic power, bearing fruit that benefit others, and providing shelter and safety in the storm. This took many generations to build, with children learning and advancing beyond their parents in knowledge and skill, creating large infrastructure and a predictable and stable lifestyle.

The first one that began to blossom with dominance was the Babylonian empire, during the third millennium. Noticed how God later compared the rebellious house of the king of Israel with that of Babylon. The princes and the provinces that they ruled were compared to branches.

"19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.

20 And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.

21 And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it.

22 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:

23 In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.

24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it."

(Ezekiel 17:19-24, KJV)

See also Daniel 4.

The ability to link together and support each other in a wider national infrastructure allows families to survive and grow, leading to population growth, which is one of the purposes of God. This allows better standards of living, and education, so that knowledge can spread, and essentially knowledge of God. This allows all mankind to seek God.

"25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon."

(1 Kings 4:21, KJV)

This secure life is required to satisfy the basic needs, so that mankind can reach for his real purpose of existence - to seek and find His Maker, and learn from Him, to become more like God, our creator, to backtrack from our first parent's decision to go away from God.

During this third millennium several nations then built vast infrastructures. The nation of Israel grew from within the infrastructure of ancient Egypt. During their Exodus the tree of Egypt was broken down, and after 40 years of wandering due to sin requiring the sinners to give way to their children, and new nation that would have forgotten ancient Egypt's wrong religion, they were granted the privilege to enter the Promised Land. God wanted them to follow Him and His priesthood, but the nation was unable to rise to the spiritual level as a whole. Eventually God allowed an earthly King with princes like the other nations, but held them accountable to the priesthood. King David understood his role, and finally his son, King Solomon firmly established the "tree" of Israel. The Temple of God was finally built, and inaugurated at the turn of the third millennium into the fourth.

This "Tree" that God built in Israel was so much better, it motivated the leaders of other nations to come to learn from them. The example was to some extent fulfilled, at least in their leadership. God's model "tree" existed, at least for a while. We have the example of the Queen of Sheba that came from Ethiopia, a very long distance away.

"1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not."

(1 Kings 10:1-3, KJV)

The creation of "trees" was fulfilled.

Day 4

"14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day."

(Genesis 1:14-19, KJV)

By now the analogy should be easy to see. The further creation of God's "light" through His way of life being lived by individuals in His chosen nation should be a light to the other nations around them.

"4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people."

(Isaiah 51:4, KJV)

This did unfortunately not happen in the long run. All twelve tribes of Israel were finally taken captive and removed from the Promised Land. A new covenant had to be established.

"31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people."

(Jeremiah 31:31-33, KJV)

What was the problem? Why could the nation not really produce the lights that God really needed for all to see? In the book of Hebrews the problem was discussed. It was with the people, not the Commandments.

"8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:"

(Hebrews 8:8-10, KJV)

The problem was with the people. God would devise a far better way for people to be converted and to love Him and His laws. The old way involved punishment for sin through animal sacrifices, to try and prevent further sin.

The new way involves seeing our Savior, the Son of God, being crucified due to our sin. This requires a book to fully comprehend. We need to understand that the real lights could not shine till the Messiah came.

Ezra and Nehemiah was allowed to return to Jerusalem mainly with the tribe of Judah to build the second Temple and to implement the whole Law of Moses in preparation for the coming of Christ, and His Passover Sacrifice. The real lights started to shine when He came! This finally happened at the end of the fourth millennium.

"6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."

(John 1:6-9, KJV)

Jesus was the great light, which finally fulfilled the purposes of the events surrounding Jerusalem in the fourth millennium.

"19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:"

(2 Peter 1:19, KJV)

A very short discussion concerning the first coming of Messiah is found in Revelation 12. It talks of the twelve tribes of the nation Israel in which the light of God's Law shined, and a moon that will follow, as the Church of God.

"1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

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 which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne."

Most scholars accept that the Moon represent the Church of God. Jesus started this at the end of the fourth millennium.

Most people have been misled by the falseness of keeping a festival that is not from the Word of God. Jesus was not born at Xmas! He was born just in time to be circumcised and his earthly family purified so that He could be carried into Jerusalem as a newborn boy on the Feast of Trumpets. This announced the arrival of the New King with trumpets blowing, fulfilling the festival. We can prove this in sermons. We need to understand that Jesus was therefore born around September. By counting from His birth instead of His Sacrifice, mankind has got the dates wrong.

Jesus became the great light and started the Church, the "moon" with "stars", the apostles, at the end of the fourth millennium, finally fulfilling the fourth day. His ministry, death and resurrection marks the turn of the fourth millennium to the fifth.

Day 5

"20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day."

(Genesis 1:20-23, KJV)

We have seen earlier that waters represent nations. Now God will create life in those waters. Jesus declares this as the purpose of His coming.

"10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

(John 10:10, KJV)

This new life will start and spread in the fifth millennium.

"20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life."

(Acts 5:20, KJV)

This new life was also preached to the gentiles, and it was carried in all directions across the earth.

"48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed."

(Acts 13:48, KJV)

Eternal life was granted to people in many nations. Spiritual life was created in many nations, or "waters". But a false church would be created to suppress the true Church, to oppress and deceive. It formed an unholy union with governments and influenced them to oppress the saints. As fish have to hide in waters, so the saints had to operate in many nations, spreading the true knowledge of salvation and eternal life whenever and wherever they can. Revelation 12 tells us more about the true Church of God during this period.

"6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."

(Revelation 12:6, KJV)

We find the day for year principle in prophecy.

" ... I have appointed thee each day for a year."

(Ezekiel 4:6c, KJV)