Fall 1996
Divine Purpose
Nancy Warner

"In the beginning, God created the heaven
and the earth" Gen 1:1a.

God is eternal, having no beginning or end. All else to which we relate is subject to time, having both a beginning and an ending.

In the first chapter of Genesis, the word "God" is mentioned 32 times. In the first verse, the Hebrew word for God is plural. Here, the Godhead is being introduced.

"In the beginning, God" - The Father.

"The Spirit of God moved" - The Holy Spirit.

"Let there be light" - The Son, Jesus.

"And the earth was without form, and void; and
darkness was upon the face of the deep" Gen 1:2a.

It is very probable that this had been an unblemished creation, for whatever God touches is beautiful. But something happened, because we are told that "The earth was without form, and void." Certainly, the Lord did not create an earth like that.

"The word "was" can also be translated, "The earth became without form." This may be the right understanding of this passage of Scripture. Thus, something awful had happened in the heavens, which left the earth in a terrible state of darkness. Although Genesis does not reveal what happened, Isaiah 14:12-17 tells us about the pride and fall of Satan.

"And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of
the waters" Gen 1:2b.

This is the redemptive nature of God, beginning a process of restoration to again bring life upon the earth.

"And God said, Let there be light: and there
was light" Gen 1:3.

Here, we have our first view of Jesus becoming active in the process of redemption.

"When He prepared the heavens, I was there:
when He set a compass upon the face of the
depth ... then I was by him, as one brought
up with him: and I was daily His delight,
rejoicing always before Him" Prov 8:27-30.

David understood this, for he said,

"The LORD is my light and my salvation" Psa 27:1a.

Thus, Jesus is the Lamb who was slain from before the foundation of the world.

"Who verily was foreordained before the foundation
of the world, but was manifest in these last times
for you" I Peter 1:20.

Jesus, who in the Godhead is without beginning, through the determinate counsel of the Father, became the Lamb who is now introduced into this darkness, as God begins to move in redemption.

God formed man and breathed life into him, that He might through mankind, restore the worship which was lost when Satan, who had been created to worship (see Ezeliel 28:12-19), fell from that place. Adam was then told to replenish the earth.

Man was created from two elements; dust, which related him to the earthly; and the breath of God, which gave him the capacity to function in the heavenly. He could choose the heavenly and fulfill the purpose of his Creator, or he could go his own way and partake, in self satisfaction, of all the possibilities of the earthly.

God then made a covenant with Adam. He blessed him and gave him dominion over the earth, but required of him faith and obedience. This was tested by placing a tree in the garden of which man was forbidden to eat. Adam was to believe what God said, and in total dependence, be obedient in not partaking of the forbidden tree.

Satan came, desiring to break this covenant relationship between God and man. He knew that he could not get God to break His promises to man, so he deceived man into breaking the terms of his covenant with God. He imparted doubt concerning what God had said, and caused him to think that something was good for him, which God had said was not. As a result, Adam gave up his dependent relationship to God and chose his own way, the earthly, as he ate from the forbidden tree.

When the Lord came to fellowship with Adam, he hid from His presence. An animal was slain, and Adam and Eve were covered with its skin. This began the process of redemption, which will lead to the restoration of worship in the heavenlies.

The penalty for sin is death. A substitutionary death took place, that man might live and continue in fellowship with God. God made a covenant with man, which was the first in a progression of redemptive covenants, leading to the New Covenant, which became effective through the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross.

In the old covenant, after the animal had died, there was no life in the blood that could continue working in the life of the one who had been forgiven, which would bring him to perfection. Continual sacrifices had to be made, just to cover his sins.

These substitutionary deaths were but a shadow of the complete propitiatory death that Christ would make for our sins, as he shed his blood and offered it once, obtaining an eternal redemption for us.

The penalty for sin is death. Blood atones for sin, but only life can atone for death. An animal could not do this. It could pay the penalty of death, but it could not give life because it had no life once it died. Therefore, perfect atonement could only be made by Jesus, as He alone has the power of an endless life in his blood, which not only obtained forgiveness upon the Cross, but continues to forgive and generate new life, for ever and ever.

Therefore Christ entered once, by His own blood, into the Holy Place, sprinkling His blood on the Mercy Seat, obtaining eternal redemption for us. No other sacrifice is ever necessary. That blood lives forever on the Mercy Seat, crying out in intercession for us. This eternal redemption is appropriated through faith.

As a token of this New Covenant with man, through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, God gave His Holy Spirit, to enable man to keep the terms of this New Covenant with God. God requires of man, repentance, faith, and obedience. If man does this, he becomes recipient of all the redemptive promises of the New Covenant, such as salvation, healing, deliverance, miracles, eternal life.

This Covenant relationship is available to every kindred, nation, tongue and people, who will accept its terms through Jesus Christ our Lord. Those who refuse its terms, rather than blessing, must suffer its curse of eternal separation from God. Man may personally accept or reject the terms of this Covenant, but cannot alter its effect.

The Lord is bringing forth those who are choosing to be in Covenant relationship with Him. During this probationary time, the very thing that caused Satan to fall - self will, or "I will," is being dealt with, and transformed into - "Thy will."

In our submission to God as worshipping overcomers, we are being brought into the governmental area of heaven, in a restored place of dominion, or rulership of the earth, and are being formed together for the choirs of heaven.

"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy
to take the book, and to open the seals thereof:
for Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by
Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and
people, and nation; And hast MADE US unto our
God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the
earth" Rev 5:9-10

All of this will happen because of Christ's blood, the life that is in His blood, which now works in redeemed man, enabling him to overcome.

"Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins
in His own blood, and hath MADE US kings and priests
unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion
for ever and ever. Amen" Rev 1:5b-6

"And they overcame him by the blood of the
Lamb, and by the word of their testimony;
and they loved not their lives unto the
death" Rev 12:11

As our self life, the "I will," is put to death, a new life comes forth in which man is eternally joined to God in His higher purposes. This is a submissive relationship to God, which restores to man the dominion which was lost in the Garden of Eden, as man once again is placed in rulership over the earth; but this time, a man who has qualified and will obey.

Most important of all, a restoration of worship in heaven is taking place as those who fell are replaced by an overcoming group of people who will ascend in worship forever and ever, before the Throne.

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with
Me in My Throne, even as I also overcame and am
set down with My Father in His Throne" Rev 3:21

Notice the progression that leads to this,

"And they sung a new song ... thou hast redeemed
us ... and hast made us unto our God kings and
priests: and we shall reign on the earth ... and
worshipped Him that liveth forever and ever" Rev 5:9-10,14.

The ultimate redemptive purposes of God has to do with this restoration of harmony and government in the heavenlies. The creation and redemption of man has a part in this greater restoration that is to take place. Today is the day in which we may qualify to be a part of this.

Lord, may I have a part in the restoration of worship round about Your Throne. Enable me to qualify in becoming a part of Your governmental people, and bring me through to the place where I might participate in the choirs of heaven, to partake of your highest and best, in Jesus Name we pray, Amen.