The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible - Part Nineteen - A May 03, 2020 by: John Herbert | Series: The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible Audio Study Notes PDF https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T012_20200503.mp3 Refresh A Recap from the Sermon 1 Pe 1:4...an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled....... We shall begin today to look at events surrounding the redemption of the inheritance. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday May 3rd 2020 The Word of God A Survey of the Bible – Lesson 19A This My Inheritance 1). 1 Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. When we find ourselves at the Judgment Seat of Christ our ‘living hope’ will have been realized through the appearing of Christ in His glory. And for those who will have earnestly striven in the good contest of the faith, God’s power will have protected them so that they will receive the salvation of their souls. These will be the ones who have been victorious in the spiritual warfare, who will have overcome the world the flesh and the Devil. These are the ones who will be co-heirs with Christ, who will be adopted as firstborn sons, who will make up the Bride of Christ. a). Such is what awaits the faithful Christian who has remained faithfully obedient as they have patiently endured through the trials and testing of this life. b). And as we would know, all of this has Divine purpose, the magnitude of which cannot be overemphasized. c). And it is succinctly put in - Re 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. As we have seen, the end result of the great contest of this age for those who will be victorious is to ‘inherit all things’ as a co-heir with Christ. And to understand what is encompassed by the ‘all things’ that are to be inherited, we can compare Scripture with Scripture - Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And from these verses in Colossians, we can see that ‘all things’ are directly connected with rulership from the heavens over the earth. And rulership with respect to the earth and the heavens and God’s Son has always been God’s purpose – Heb 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; And within this overall context of rulership from the heavens over the earth, if we continue in Colossians, we will see that ‘all things’ that make up the inheritance must be reconciled – Col 1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And the word translated ‘reconcile’ has the idea of bringing something back to a former state of harmony. d). And if we continue to look at Colossians we will also see that the inheritance of ‘all things’, in complete keeping with what we read in Revelation 21:7, is to be given as a reward – Col 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. ‘All things’ which are to be inherited by Christ’s co-heirs are given as a reward for faithfulness. This inheritance as we see is directly connected to rulership and rulership is inextricably connected to the salvation of the soul – Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? The faithful Christian who is to inherit ‘all things’ will himself have been ‘reconciled’, he will have to be brought back to the former state of harmony that existed before Adam’s fall. This is a process that began with the salvation of the spirit as the individual believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and will be brought to its conclusion following the events at the Judgment Seat through the salvation of the soul and the redemption of the body. e). Those identified in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3 as overcomers, as faithful Christians, will be completely reconciled, completely redeemed. They will be in the image and likeness of God and have proved themselves worthy to rule with Christ, restoring harmony. f). This may be too obvious to say, but rulership does not happen in a vacuum. Something and/or someone must be ruled over. And rulership in Scripture has one singular focus, the heavens and the earth and its inhabitants. g). As we have seen the Bride for Christ, comprising the faithful overcoming Christian, will be identified through the judgment of works at the Judgment Seat set out in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3. But as we continue through the Book of the Revelation the Bride is not seen again until Revelation Chapter 19. And in this Chapter the Bride appears in anticipation of rulership, not yet exercising rulership itself. h). Or to present this period of time from another perspective, we know that there is something over 7 years between the Judgment Seat of Christ and the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom, as the final 7 years of the previous dispensation, Daniel’s 70th week, must be completed before the Kingdom can begin. i). And to fully understand the reason why events will happen in this way, we need to go back to the foundation to lay the proper groundwork for our understanding. 2). Ge 1:1 In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. In beginning God created the heavens and the earth to be ruled over by the angel He had created for that purpose, the one we know as Satan, and an unspecified number of angels who would rule with him. However, because of Satan’s rebellion, he and those who rebelled with him, ‘fell’ and became corrupted because of sin, they became disqualified rulers. a). And most importantly, as we see from Genesis 1:2, the place over which Satan was created to rule, the earth, was also ruined through his sin – Eze 28:18 “You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; And in its ruined state the earth is described as ‘formless and void’, with darkness covering the waters, that covered the earth. b). Then immediately, with respect to the ruined earth, God’s redemptive process begins – Ge 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And this redemptive process began through God’s sovereign intervention in line with His purpose for the earth and His Son. Although redemption was provided for the ruined material creation, there was no redemption set in place, nor ever will be set in place, for Satan and his angels. c). They had, because of their rebellion, disqualified themselves to rule the earth and they would remain forever within the consequences of their sin, ruined creatures with only ‘death’, the wages of sin, awaiting them. d). But even though Satan and his angels became disqualified to rule, it is a scriptural principle that a ruler, even one having forfeited the right to rule, would remain in office until another was found worthy to replace him. And we can go to the account of David and Saul to see how this is played out through a type. Where David is a type of Christ and Saul a type of Satan. e). As we continue in Genesis Chapter 1 though, we see that God’s redemption of the earth, ruined through Satan’s sin, was completed in 6 days and on the 6th day an entirely new being was created to take Satan’s place – Ge 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion…[Lit. Rule] And with respect to the redeemed earth God decreed that a Man and a Woman, created in God’s own image and likeness, were to rule together in the place of Satan and his angels during the 7th Day, a day when God would rest from the work of His redemptive process. f). There are 2 vital elements that we must keep in mind from this. Firstly, the earth had been completely redeemed from the consequences of Satan’s sin. And secondly, a Man and a Woman in the image and likeness of God were now present with a view to taking Satan’s place. Ge 2:21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. The Woman had been created in the Man from the beginning and was then subsequently removed from the Man but remained an integral part of him – she was bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh. g). The Man was not complete apart from the Woman and the Woman could never be complete apart from the Man. Only when the Woman was presented back to the Man would they together form a complete being, ‘one flesh’, in order that rulership could follow – ‘let them have dominion…’. h). And because of the way God brought this about in the beginning, it is clear that apart from the Man and the Woman being together in a marriage relationship, rulership is not possible. Why? Simply because this is the way that God has established matters from the beginning. And that which was established in the beginning remains crucial because of what we read in Isaiah – Isa 46:9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ As it was established in the beginning is exactly how it will be at the end Eph 5:30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. And so, within these first 2 Chapters of Genesis we have the unchangeable, foundational process concerning God’s purpose for the earth and rulership laid out for us in its skeletal form. i). To review then, because of ruin brought about by another’s sin, there was a redemptive process sovereignly enacted by God that took 6 days during which the ruined material creation was reconciled. And at the conclusion of this redemptive process a Man and a Woman were seen in a marriage relationship with a view to ruling together in the 7th Day in the place of Satan and his angels. With respect to the rulership of the restored earth this is the pattern that is now set, that can never change. j). Simply then, there must be redemption which produces reconciliation and when this has been accomplished then rulership is to follow. 3). Ge 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. As we continue in Genesis, the incumbent ruler, that serpent of old, through deception, brought sin to God’s new creation resulting in the ‘fall’ of Adam and the Woman. The Man and the Woman, God’s created beings for rulership were then ruined because of sin. They experienced spiritual ‘death’ being separated from God’s purpose for them, they had a corrupted soul and a body without glory, subject to decay. And as had happened with Satan’s sin there was the accompanying ruin of the realm over which they were to rule – Ge 3: 17b…… “Cursed is the ground for your sake; Because of sin, Adam and the Woman forfeited their created purpose to rule over the earth leaving the ‘cursed’ earth under the continuing rule of the disqualified Satan and his angels. Because of sin both Mankind and the earth would now have to be redeemed so that God’s purpose for creating Man will be realized. a). And this situation that existed following the fall of Adam and the Woman parallels the situation that existed following Satan’s rebellion. And because of the previously established, unchangeable pattern this was a situation that would again require 6 days of God’s sovereign redemptive work, with a view to a Man and His Wife, redeemed and reconciled, ruling together in the 7th Day. b). And it is now that our foundational skeleton can begin to take on more form. c). For Satan and his angels following their sin, there was no redemption, but for Adam and the Woman, who had both been made from the dust of the redeemed material creation, redemption was provided – Ge 3:21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. Following the ruin of the earth through Satan’s sin God began by redeeming the material creation, but following Adam’s sin the material creation is left under the ‘curse’ placed upon it, while God began the process of redeeming fallen Man. This is a process that again requires 6 days of redemptive work to complete and must also include, before its conclusion, the redemption of the earth which is at present under a curse 2 Pe 3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. The 6, 24-hour days set out in Genesis Chapter 1 are now seen to comprise days of 1000 years each with a 7th 1000 years day to follow, when God will rest from His redemptive process of the previous 6000 years. d). Only once the Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, is together with His fully redeemed Bride can the redemption of the ruined earth, the inheritance, begin - Ro 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Here in Romans Chapter 8, this order of events is laid out for us. The revealing of the sons of God is exactly what we have seen will take place at the Judgment Seat. And the creation ‘eagerly waits’ for this so that it can itself ‘be delivered from the bondage of corruption.’ A bondage it was subjected to ‘in hope’. If we then go to Psalm 2, we will find this - Ps 2: 7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.’ ” The earth was to be Adam’s possession, but it became forfeit through Adam’s spiritual ‘death’ and consequently has remained in the hands of Satan and his angels under the bondage of corruption. But as we see from Psalm 2, that which was forfeit and its inhabitants are to be the inheritance of the last Adam and therefore the inheritance of those who will be co-heirs with Him once God’s redemptive process for Man is complete – Re 2:26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels’—as I also have received from My Father; Now, as we know, the redemption provided for Adam and the Woman through the death and shed blood of the animals killed to clothe them didn’t place them back in the position they were in before the fall. The earth was forfeit and they remained apart from the image and likeness of God, separated from rulership. But the provision of redemption made certain that, that which had been forfeit could be redeemed and that Man could also be fully redeemed to once again be in the image and likeness of God. e). And the same remains true because of God’s provision of eternal salvation through the death and shed blood of Christ. That which the first Adam lost can be regained by the last Adam, and we can all, through God’s process of redemption, receive the salvation of our soul and the redemption of our body at the Judgment Seat. Being in the image and likeness of God. f). And this of course is where our study of the Judgment Seat of Christ has brought us. The separation of the faithful from the unfaithful. The separation of those who will participate in God’s purpose for their eternal salvation from those who will not. g). And it is because of the identification of the faithful Christians, now fully redeemed, spirit, soul and body that the events of Revelation Chapter 4 take place – Re 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads…………9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” But this will have to wait until next time – if the Lord is willing. The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible - Part Nineteen - A May 03, 2020 Speaker: John Herbert Series: The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible Category: Sunday Morning https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T012_20200503.mp3 Download Audio x
Refresh A Recap from the Sermon 1 Pe 1:4...an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled....... We shall begin today to look at events surrounding the redemption of the inheritance. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday May 3rd 2020 The Word of God A Survey of the Bible – Lesson 19A This My Inheritance 1). 1 Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. When we find ourselves at the Judgment Seat of Christ our ‘living hope’ will have been realized through the appearing of Christ in His glory. And for those who will have earnestly striven in the good contest of the faith, God’s power will have protected them so that they will receive the salvation of their souls. These will be the ones who have been victorious in the spiritual warfare, who will have overcome the world the flesh and the Devil. These are the ones who will be co-heirs with Christ, who will be adopted as firstborn sons, who will make up the Bride of Christ. a). Such is what awaits the faithful Christian who has remained faithfully obedient as they have patiently endured through the trials and testing of this life. b). And as we would know, all of this has Divine purpose, the magnitude of which cannot be overemphasized. c). And it is succinctly put in - Re 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. As we have seen, the end result of the great contest of this age for those who will be victorious is to ‘inherit all things’ as a co-heir with Christ. And to understand what is encompassed by the ‘all things’ that are to be inherited, we can compare Scripture with Scripture - Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And from these verses in Colossians, we can see that ‘all things’ are directly connected with rulership from the heavens over the earth. And rulership with respect to the earth and the heavens and God’s Son has always been God’s purpose – Heb 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; And within this overall context of rulership from the heavens over the earth, if we continue in Colossians, we will see that ‘all things’ that make up the inheritance must be reconciled – Col 1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And the word translated ‘reconcile’ has the idea of bringing something back to a former state of harmony. d). And if we continue to look at Colossians we will also see that the inheritance of ‘all things’, in complete keeping with what we read in Revelation 21:7, is to be given as a reward – Col 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. ‘All things’ which are to be inherited by Christ’s co-heirs are given as a reward for faithfulness. This inheritance as we see is directly connected to rulership and rulership is inextricably connected to the salvation of the soul – Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? The faithful Christian who is to inherit ‘all things’ will himself have been ‘reconciled’, he will have to be brought back to the former state of harmony that existed before Adam’s fall. This is a process that began with the salvation of the spirit as the individual believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and will be brought to its conclusion following the events at the Judgment Seat through the salvation of the soul and the redemption of the body. e). Those identified in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3 as overcomers, as faithful Christians, will be completely reconciled, completely redeemed. They will be in the image and likeness of God and have proved themselves worthy to rule with Christ, restoring harmony. f). This may be too obvious to say, but rulership does not happen in a vacuum. Something and/or someone must be ruled over. And rulership in Scripture has one singular focus, the heavens and the earth and its inhabitants. g). As we have seen the Bride for Christ, comprising the faithful overcoming Christian, will be identified through the judgment of works at the Judgment Seat set out in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3. But as we continue through the Book of the Revelation the Bride is not seen again until Revelation Chapter 19. And in this Chapter the Bride appears in anticipation of rulership, not yet exercising rulership itself. h). Or to present this period of time from another perspective, we know that there is something over 7 years between the Judgment Seat of Christ and the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom, as the final 7 years of the previous dispensation, Daniel’s 70th week, must be completed before the Kingdom can begin. i). And to fully understand the reason why events will happen in this way, we need to go back to the foundation to lay the proper groundwork for our understanding. 2). Ge 1:1 In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. In beginning God created the heavens and the earth to be ruled over by the angel He had created for that purpose, the one we know as Satan, and an unspecified number of angels who would rule with him. However, because of Satan’s rebellion, he and those who rebelled with him, ‘fell’ and became corrupted because of sin, they became disqualified rulers. a). And most importantly, as we see from Genesis 1:2, the place over which Satan was created to rule, the earth, was also ruined through his sin – Eze 28:18 “You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; And in its ruined state the earth is described as ‘formless and void’, with darkness covering the waters, that covered the earth. b). Then immediately, with respect to the ruined earth, God’s redemptive process begins – Ge 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And this redemptive process began through God’s sovereign intervention in line with His purpose for the earth and His Son. Although redemption was provided for the ruined material creation, there was no redemption set in place, nor ever will be set in place, for Satan and his angels. c). They had, because of their rebellion, disqualified themselves to rule the earth and they would remain forever within the consequences of their sin, ruined creatures with only ‘death’, the wages of sin, awaiting them. d). But even though Satan and his angels became disqualified to rule, it is a scriptural principle that a ruler, even one having forfeited the right to rule, would remain in office until another was found worthy to replace him. And we can go to the account of David and Saul to see how this is played out through a type. Where David is a type of Christ and Saul a type of Satan. e). As we continue in Genesis Chapter 1 though, we see that God’s redemption of the earth, ruined through Satan’s sin, was completed in 6 days and on the 6th day an entirely new being was created to take Satan’s place – Ge 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion…[Lit. Rule] And with respect to the redeemed earth God decreed that a Man and a Woman, created in God’s own image and likeness, were to rule together in the place of Satan and his angels during the 7th Day, a day when God would rest from the work of His redemptive process. f). There are 2 vital elements that we must keep in mind from this. Firstly, the earth had been completely redeemed from the consequences of Satan’s sin. And secondly, a Man and a Woman in the image and likeness of God were now present with a view to taking Satan’s place. Ge 2:21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. The Woman had been created in the Man from the beginning and was then subsequently removed from the Man but remained an integral part of him – she was bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh. g). The Man was not complete apart from the Woman and the Woman could never be complete apart from the Man. Only when the Woman was presented back to the Man would they together form a complete being, ‘one flesh’, in order that rulership could follow – ‘let them have dominion…’. h). And because of the way God brought this about in the beginning, it is clear that apart from the Man and the Woman being together in a marriage relationship, rulership is not possible. Why? Simply because this is the way that God has established matters from the beginning. And that which was established in the beginning remains crucial because of what we read in Isaiah – Isa 46:9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ As it was established in the beginning is exactly how it will be at the end Eph 5:30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. And so, within these first 2 Chapters of Genesis we have the unchangeable, foundational process concerning God’s purpose for the earth and rulership laid out for us in its skeletal form. i). To review then, because of ruin brought about by another’s sin, there was a redemptive process sovereignly enacted by God that took 6 days during which the ruined material creation was reconciled. And at the conclusion of this redemptive process a Man and a Woman were seen in a marriage relationship with a view to ruling together in the 7th Day in the place of Satan and his angels. With respect to the rulership of the restored earth this is the pattern that is now set, that can never change. j). Simply then, there must be redemption which produces reconciliation and when this has been accomplished then rulership is to follow. 3). Ge 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. As we continue in Genesis, the incumbent ruler, that serpent of old, through deception, brought sin to God’s new creation resulting in the ‘fall’ of Adam and the Woman. The Man and the Woman, God’s created beings for rulership were then ruined because of sin. They experienced spiritual ‘death’ being separated from God’s purpose for them, they had a corrupted soul and a body without glory, subject to decay. And as had happened with Satan’s sin there was the accompanying ruin of the realm over which they were to rule – Ge 3: 17b…… “Cursed is the ground for your sake; Because of sin, Adam and the Woman forfeited their created purpose to rule over the earth leaving the ‘cursed’ earth under the continuing rule of the disqualified Satan and his angels. Because of sin both Mankind and the earth would now have to be redeemed so that God’s purpose for creating Man will be realized. a). And this situation that existed following the fall of Adam and the Woman parallels the situation that existed following Satan’s rebellion. And because of the previously established, unchangeable pattern this was a situation that would again require 6 days of God’s sovereign redemptive work, with a view to a Man and His Wife, redeemed and reconciled, ruling together in the 7th Day. b). And it is now that our foundational skeleton can begin to take on more form. c). For Satan and his angels following their sin, there was no redemption, but for Adam and the Woman, who had both been made from the dust of the redeemed material creation, redemption was provided – Ge 3:21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. Following the ruin of the earth through Satan’s sin God began by redeeming the material creation, but following Adam’s sin the material creation is left under the ‘curse’ placed upon it, while God began the process of redeeming fallen Man. This is a process that again requires 6 days of redemptive work to complete and must also include, before its conclusion, the redemption of the earth which is at present under a curse 2 Pe 3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. The 6, 24-hour days set out in Genesis Chapter 1 are now seen to comprise days of 1000 years each with a 7th 1000 years day to follow, when God will rest from His redemptive process of the previous 6000 years. d). Only once the Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, is together with His fully redeemed Bride can the redemption of the ruined earth, the inheritance, begin - Ro 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Here in Romans Chapter 8, this order of events is laid out for us. The revealing of the sons of God is exactly what we have seen will take place at the Judgment Seat. And the creation ‘eagerly waits’ for this so that it can itself ‘be delivered from the bondage of corruption.’ A bondage it was subjected to ‘in hope’. If we then go to Psalm 2, we will find this - Ps 2: 7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.’ ” The earth was to be Adam’s possession, but it became forfeit through Adam’s spiritual ‘death’ and consequently has remained in the hands of Satan and his angels under the bondage of corruption. But as we see from Psalm 2, that which was forfeit and its inhabitants are to be the inheritance of the last Adam and therefore the inheritance of those who will be co-heirs with Him once God’s redemptive process for Man is complete – Re 2:26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels’—as I also have received from My Father; Now, as we know, the redemption provided for Adam and the Woman through the death and shed blood of the animals killed to clothe them didn’t place them back in the position they were in before the fall. The earth was forfeit and they remained apart from the image and likeness of God, separated from rulership. But the provision of redemption made certain that, that which had been forfeit could be redeemed and that Man could also be fully redeemed to once again be in the image and likeness of God. e). And the same remains true because of God’s provision of eternal salvation through the death and shed blood of Christ. That which the first Adam lost can be regained by the last Adam, and we can all, through God’s process of redemption, receive the salvation of our soul and the redemption of our body at the Judgment Seat. Being in the image and likeness of God. f). And this of course is where our study of the Judgment Seat of Christ has brought us. The separation of the faithful from the unfaithful. The separation of those who will participate in God’s purpose for their eternal salvation from those who will not. g). And it is because of the identification of the faithful Christians, now fully redeemed, spirit, soul and body that the events of Revelation Chapter 4 take place – Re 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads…………9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” But this will have to wait until next time – if the Lord is willing.