Welcome to Day 2721 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Ruling Over Angels” – Supernatural

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script – Day 2721

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2721 of our Trek. <#1.0#> The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#1.0#>

Today, we continue with the 16^th  and final segment of this series of Theology Thursday lessons. Next week we will begin a new series. Today, I am reading the final chapter of the book “Supernatural,” written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, <#1.0#> who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter sixteenth: “Ruling over Angels” <#1.0#>

It’s crucial to our faith that we understand who we are as Christians. We are the sons and daughters of God, a re-fashioned divine council that already participates in our Father’s kingdom. But there’s more to it than that. Yes, we are God’s family council—but to what end?

While we are already in the kingdom (Colosians 1:13), we have not yet seen the full unveiling of that kingdom—we have not seen the world become Eden. This “already, but not yet” paradox runs throughout the Bible in many ways. In this chapter, I want to give you a glimpse of the “not yet” that answers the question “To what end?” <#1.0#>

Let’s look at our Kingdom Participation Now<#1.0#>

Our participation in God’s kingdom isn’t predetermined, in this sense: We are not mere robots performing functions programmed for us. That violates the whole idea of being God’s imager, his representative. We were created to be like him. He is free. If we do not have genuine freedom, we cannot be like him—by definition, we would not be like him. We are free to obey and worship, or rebel and indulge ourselves. And we will reap what we sow. Our sowing is not programmed. <#1.0#>

But God is greater than we are. He had a plan and it will come to pass. Its success neither depends on nor is forced to adapt to human freedom. We cannot undermine it—nor can the divine beings who are also free to choose. <#1.0#>

Think about the heavenly council meeting I showed you in chapter 1. I asked whether you believed the things the Bible says, and then took you to a meeting of God and his heavenly council in First Kings 22. God had decreed (and so it must happen) that it was time for wicked Ahab to die. But God then let the spirit beings in his council decide how to accomplish that (First Kings 22, verses 19–23). <#1.0#>

Predestination and freedom work hand-in-hand in God’s kingdom rule. His purposes will never be overturned or halted. He is able to take sin and rebellion and still accomplish—through other free representatives—what he desires. As C. S. Lewis once said of God (in the book Perelandra), “Whatever you do, He will make good of it. But not the good He had prepared for you if you had obeyed him.” <#1.0#>

To what end, here and now, are we God’s family council? To participate with God in liberating people from darkness. To show people how to live justly and with mercy—imitating God for those who need the illustration. To defend and spread truth about the true God in a hostile world under the dominion of envious divine intelligences. To enjoy life as God intended it. <#1.0#>

All these callings are training for the kingdom to come. As Paul asked the Corinthians, who had lost a divine perspective while bickering about the affairs of this world, “Do you not know that we are to judge [rule] angels?” (first Corinthians 6 verse 3). He was serious. Paul was getting at something specific in that statement. <#1.0#>

Let’s explore how we are Set over the Nations <#1.0#>

The final form of the kingdom is yet to come. When it does, the powers of darkness will be defeated. The demonic gods will lose their dominion over the nations permanently—replaced by God’s glorified human family and council. Look at what Jesus said in the book of Revelation: <#1.0#>

Hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. (Revelation two, verses 25–28) <#1.0#>

When Jesus returns to take his throne on a new earth—a new, global Eden—he will share it with his siblings. The principalities and powers will be thrown off their thrones, and we will take their place. Their dominions won’t be given to angels faithful to God—we will outrank the angels in God’s final Edenic kingdom. Jesus will put his human brothers and sisters in charge. <#1.0#>

Are you puzzled by that final statement in Revelation two, 28?  <#1.0#> “I will give him the morning star”? It does sound odd, but it speaks of our joint rule with Jesus over the nations after the evil powers are dealt with. “Morning star” is used to describe divine beings (Job thirty eight, 7). It is also a messianic term. Since the messiah is divine, “star language” was sometimes used to describe his coming reign. Numbers twenty four, 17 says “A star will go out from Jacob, and a scepter will rise from Israel.” In the book of Revelation, Jesus describes himself this way: “I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star” (Revelation twenty-two, 16). <#1.0#>

The wording of Revelation two, 25–28 is powerful. Not only does Jesus say he is the messianic morning star, but he gives to us the morning star—he shares his messianic rule with us. Revelation three, 20–21 takes it one step further so believers don’t miss the point: <#1.0#>

Behold, I stand at the door and knock! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, indeed I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also have conquered and have sat down with my Father on his throne. (Revelation three, 20–21) <#1.0#>

To what end have we been made partakers of the divine nature? Why does Jesus introduce us in the council as his brothers and sisters? So that God can give us the dominion over the earth he originally desired. Heaven will return to earth in a new, global Eden. <#1.0#>

Let’s consider the Eternal Eden <#1.0#>

From the first chapters of Genesis, Eden was a focal point of God’s plan for man, the rest of his divine imagers, and his kingdom. So it’s neither a surprise nor a coincidence that the last chapter of the book of Revelation takes us back to Eden: <#1.0#>

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation twenty-two, 1–5) <#1.0#>

Did you notice that the Tree of Life heals the nations? The nations, once dominated by principalities and powers, will be ruled by the new sons and daughters of God—you and me. <#1.0#>

This wasn’t the first time the Tree of Life showed up in Revelation. Speaking to those who believe unto the end, Jesus said in Revelation two, 7 and 11, “I will grant [them] to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God … [They] will not be hurt by the second death.” The reference to the Tree of Life is clearly Edenic. The first death refers to physical death, brought by Adam’s sin and expulsion from Eden. Since all humans, believers and unbelievers alike, are resurrected before judgment, the second death is the final judgment (Revelation twenty-one, 8). Those who continue to live with God in a new Eden do not suffer the second death. <#1.0#>

Once again we ask the question, Why This Matters <#1.0#>

Many Christians have an inadequate view of the afterlife. Scripture doesn’t tell us everything about what it will be like, but some aspects are certain. We aren’t going to be playing harps or singing endlessly while floating around on clouds. We won’t just be sitting on celestial couches chatting with departed loved ones or well-known believers from the past. <#1.0#>

Rather, we will be living the life Eden offered—we will be busy enjoying and caring for what God has made, side by side with the divine beings who remained loyal to him. Heaven and earth will no longer be separate places. <#1.0#>

Knowing our destiny ought to mold our thinking in the here and now. As Paul said, “What no one ever saw or heard, what no one ever thought could happen, is the very thing God prepared for those who love him” (first Corinthians two, 9). <#1.0#> Knowing this spectacular, glorious outcome helps keep our present circumstances in perspective. After Paul wrote the words we just read, he said this in his second letter to the Corinthians: <#1.0#>

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction.… For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. (second Corinthians one, 3–9, emphasis added) <#1.0#>

God can preserve us in life. But even in death, we will be raised to sit with Jesus on his throne (Revelation three, 21). <#1.0#>

We either live with our destination in view, or we don’t. And our awareness of our destiny ought to alter our behavior. If you knew you’d someday be sharing an apartment or working in the same office as that person you criticize, belittle, and otherwise disdain, you’d invest a little more effort into being a peacemaker, an encourager, and perhaps even a friend to that person. How is it that we treat fellow believers so poorly, then? How is it that we don’t put as much energy into moving the unbeliever toward Jesus as we do into engaging with him or her as an enemy? We either have eternity in view, or we don’t. <#1.0#>

How much rule does Jesus need to share with you to keep you happy? The question might seem odd, since any such gift from Jesus would be wonderful. Why, then, do we vie with believers for status? Why do we bicker with each other for advantage, attention, and personal gain? Are we no better than the Corinthians, whom Paul had to remind of their destiny? We’re either content to rule and reign with him, or we’re not. <#1.0#>

Christian, it’s time to live as though you know who you are and know the plans God has for you. <#1.0#>

Let’s review the book, Supernatural in our Conclusion

We’ve come to the end of our journey. But it’s probably better to say that we’ve only just begun. We’ve considered some fundamental questions: Do other gods exist? If they do, does that make much difference in how we understand the Bible? What does it mean for our faith if we presume the unseen world described in the Bible is actually real—not just the familiar and accepted parts, but the unusual and often-ignored parts? Once I started catching the drift of the supernatural plotline of Scripture, I realized I needed to think differently about all sorts of things. But I can sum them up in two words: identity and purpose. I hope you have been challenged in both of those areas as you’ve read this book. <#1.0#>

So what is Our Identity—We Have a Home in the Family of God <#1.0#>

What this book has discussed has significant implications for how we perceive what it means to be a Christian​—to be “in Christ,” as the New Testament so often puts it. Once we realize the gods of the Old Testament are real, then the meaning of God’s command to have no other god before Yahweh, the God of Israel, comes into focus. The command isn’t about not giving attention to money or boats or cars. It’s about God’s jealous love for his people. In other words, the command actually means what it says. The insanity of loyalty to any god other than the God of all gods is hard to miss. <#1.0#>

The awfulness of living with the consequences of how God judged the gods and their people (the “nations”) is also pretty obvious. We were once disinherited, enslaved to the corruption and exploitation of other gods. We were, as Paul says, alienated from God and outsiders to his covenant love (Ephesians two, 12). We were lost, enslaved to darkness, enemies of God in the service to unseen overlords (Ephesians four, 18; and Colosians two, 21). <#1.0#>

Having a grasp of that situation makes doctrinal concepts like adoption and inheritance more meaningful. It gives them context. God was unwilling to void the plan of living on earth with his family, enjoying the created world that came from his own hand. Yes, at Babel he turned his back on humanity, but in the next moment, he called Abraham to raise up a new family—and to be the conduit through which those disinherited could find their way back to him (Acts ten, 26–27). <#1.0#>

Embracing the supernatural reality of the spiritual world of the Bible is essential for understanding the Bible. It explains why, as the Old Testament moves forward, the sin of idolatry will not just be like any other sin. It will be the sin. Israel was created to be loyal to God; when she turned to other gods instead, she was sent into exile, cast off like the other nations. This is a central reason why salvation in the Bible is always described in terms of faith. God is not ultimately looking for better behavior. He is looking for faith—for believing loyalty. When we choose to align our hearts with the God of gods, he will save us. When we choose another, we are sowing what we will one day reap. <#1.0#>

For us today, believing loyalty means embracing what Jesus did on the cross, because he was God in flesh. Our ethics and behavior (our works) aren’t about becoming loyal enough for God to embrace us. We follow his commands because we’ve already chosen him. And his commands will lead to our happiness and contentment because they steer us away from the destruction of self and others. They provide a glimpse of life in harmony with God and the rest of his family—our family—seen and unseen, in his kingdom, the new Eden. <#1.0#>

So what is Our Purpose? <#1.0#> We All Play a Part in God’s Plan to Restore Eden <#1.0#>

Membership in God’s family has only one condition: unswerving faith in the God of gods, come to us in the person of Jesus Christ. That membership not only bestows wonderful privileges, but also provides us with a clear purpose in life. <#1.0#>

The members of God’s family have a mission: to be God’s agents in restoring his good rule on earth and expanding the membership of his family. We are God’s means to propel the great reversal begun in Acts two, the birth of the church, the body of Christ, until the time when the Lord returns. As evil had spread like a contagion through humanity after the failure of the first Eden, so the gospel spreads like an antidote through the same infected host. We are carriers of the truth about the God of gods, his love for all nations, and his unchanging desire to dwell with his family in the earthly home he has wanted since its creation. Eden will live again. <#1.0#>

It’s a scientific fact that the world’s continents move farther apart every year. But the progression of “continental drift” is undetectable to human senses. We only know it occurs because of observations we can make after the fact. So it is with the steady, unrelenting advance of the kingdom of God. We can’t perceive with the naked eye how each day shrinks the domains of the gods, the powers of darkness, or how the gospel liberates, one by one, those held under dominion. But it is an indiscernible certainty. <#1.0#>

The key to seeing ourselves in this picture is to firmly grasp that God is still working his plan even when we can’t see it. We cannot genuinely claim to believe in the unseen, supernatural world while not believing that God’s intelligent providence is active in our lives and the affairs of human history. God wants us to live intentionally​—believing that his unseen hand and the invisible agents loyal to him and us (Hebrews One, 14) are engaged in our circumstances so that, together, God’s goal of a global Eden moves unstoppably onward. <#1.0#>

Each of us is vital to someone’s path to the kingdom and the defense of that kingdom. Each day affords us contact with people under the dominion of darkness and opportunities to encourage each other in the hard task of fulfilling our purpose in an imperfect world. Everything we do and say matters, though we may never know why or how. But our job isn’t to see—it’s to do. Walking by faith isn’t passive—it’s purposeful. <#1.0#>

Join us next time on Theology Thursday as we begin a new series. <#1.0#>

If you found this podcast insightful, subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’…. <#1.0#>

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal…  <#1.0#>

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: <#1.0#>

Live Abundantly… <#1.0#>

Love Unconditionally… <#1.0#>

Listen Intentionally… <#1.0#>

Learn Continuously… <#1.0#>

Lend to others Generously… <#1.0#>

Lead with Integrity… <#1.0#>

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day… <#1.0#>

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to <#1.0#>’ Keep Moving Forward,…’  <#1.0#> ‘Enjoy your Journey,…’ <#1.0#> and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday!… <#1.0#> See you next time for more daily wisdom!