By Gary Mordaunt
For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies ——-the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits of the spirit world. Ephesians 6:12 (LNT)
A long time ago, in a Galaxy far, far away, in a place called Paradise.
All heaven looked in horror as Adam and Eve ate from the tree of good and evil. Knowing what happened in the war in heaven, Lucifer and his angels were cast out of heaven for being disobedient to God’s laws. What was going to happen now? How was God going to handle this apparent crisis?
Was God caught out and had to deal with this new problem? Did God have a dilemma in dealing with these two newly created beings? If God destroys Adam and Eve and start again, how would the heavenly beings react to that? The war continues on planet Earth.
When God had said to Adam and Eve Ge 3:11. . . . Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Eve began to blame the serpent and Adam indirectly blamed God for placing Eve with him in the garden.
God could have zapped them there and then and started again. But this is not God’s way. God is love. His creation is not to serve God out of fear, but by love for Him .God gave us free choice to serve Him by our own free wills, not by force, but by love for Him. Did this event take God by surprise? Ellen White gives us this insight in a vision she had on this apparent crisis.
The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. It was a revelation of “the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal.” Rom. 16:25, R. V. It was an unfolding of the principles that from eternal ages have been the foundation of God’s throne. From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency. So great was His love for the world, that He covenanted to give His only-begotten Son, “that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. {DA 22.2}
Right from the outset of sin here on this planet, God promises us a Saviour that would be victorious in the battle for this planet.
Gen. 3: 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
The Promise
In this provision that God makes to our first parents, it is necessary to require a sacrifice for the atonement for our sins. We see this in the garments God had given Adam and Eve, it was animal skins. To acquire skins there must have been the death of an animal. And so the sacrificial system began. This was a continuing reminder and a pointer to a future Redeemer who would die for the sins of the world.
Isaiah 60:1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
A Preview
In a story in the OT, Abraham was to take his only son to Mt Moriah, and sacrifice him there. Notice the imagery in this story. Genesis 22: 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, In the NT, what was placed on Jesus as he was about to be crucified? A wooden Cross.
Now here is an amazing prediction. 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
Prediction Fulfilled?
John 1: 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Of course the eventual sacrifice was a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. (For more insight on this story, see the Blog-Tidbits of Truth.)
Hope
Many prophecies have been made about a promised Messiah, a Redeemer that would come and save us from our sins. This war is far from over. God has not left us without hope.
In the book of Daniel, Daniel was given a vision of the exact time the coming prince would appear.
Daniel 9: 25 “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.
God had set up his presence in Jerusalem as his earthly headquarters. In opposition to this, Satan set up his headquarters in Babylon. And at every opportunity, Satan waged war against God’s people, and Jerusalem. The dark side was very active in seducing God’s people into practices that God had warned about.
When we look at the events of this war that is continuing through the flow of history, it’s not all doom and gloom. We look at the heroes on God’s side, such as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Job, King David, the prophets, such as Daniel, Isaiah, Elijah, Ezekiel. These men stood up against the powers of the dark side and rallied in defence of good over evil. Led by God, they became the heroes of the OT. They were not afraid to stand up against the powers of the dark side. But there is one thing that we must always remember in this warfare:
1 Samuel 17: 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the Lord’s. . . . .
For centuries men have lived in gross spiritual darkness, and under Satanic rule of the dark side, many have succumbed to his temptations, Israel, God’s chosen people have been subject to the whims and fancies of Satan’s schemes. Through their kings they went in and out of idolatry, copying the pagan practices of the nations about them. Because of this, Israel went into captivity under the Assyrian yoke, and Judah into Babylonian captivity.
The history of God’s people is not a pretty sight Many of God’s faithful were looking for the promised light that would dispel the spiritual darkness of this world. Many prophecies were given by God’s messengers the prophets as to how the promised Messiah Prince would appear.
Prophecies such as, he would be born of a virgin: Isaiah 7:14.
Even where he would be born:
Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
How he would be anointed at the exact time. Daniel 9:25.
How he would minister to the people.
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion– to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendour.
Psalm78:1 O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.2 I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old.
Jn 6:45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’
And also that He would pay the ultimate price for our sins; he would be cut off from his people.-More of that in Part IV.
