God’s Eternal Plan—From Pre-creation to Christ Before proceeding, let us provide a brief summary of the things we have already examined. We have come to the conclusion that God has always been conscious of the concept of what we call sin, even though He Himself cannot sin, but is perfectly holy, just, and good. That sin, in its most basic form, is against God because it transgresses the law of God; is against the very nature of God; and is the very antithesis of God. Sin is selfishness, it is the opposite of love; it gratifies the sinner at the expense of someone else. Sin is rebellion against God and His rule of authority; it is an attempt to dethrone God and His sovereign government over all of creation; it is the effort of the sinner to deify himself and be his own god; it is the desire to be worshipped and served, rather than to worship and serve God. The Holy God hates sin, and neither sin nor the sinner can dwell in His presence. God’s law condemns sin, and God will execute His wrath in judgment against all who commit sin. However, prohibitions against sin create many questions in the minds of those subjects who are ruled by them, and who have the ability to reason. For example, what makes sin so bad? Did God arbitrarily decide what is sin and what is not? Why does God have to be the sovereign ruler over all? Why must His creatures worship and serve only Him? Why can’t His creatures be their own gods, deciding for themselves what is right; be the captains of their own fate, the rulers over their own kingdoms? What right does God have to punish those who rebel against Him; is He some kind of tyrant or dictator who must have everything His way? Why must sin be punished; why is the punishment so harsh; why are sinners sent to hell for all eternity? These and other questions might be lumped together and called, ‘The Great Sin Controversy.’ Now, while these questions reveal in themselves a rebellious nature or attitude, they are, nevertheless, questions that do exist in the minds of many people. Although the Scriptures can answer such questions with “who art thou that repliest against God,” God chose to allow them to be asked, and indeed, purposed that they would be. Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Eph 3:10 To the intent that now
unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known
by the church the manifold wisdom of God, God, therefore, determined to bring into existence a creation that would be populated by beings that are capable of reasoning, choosing, feeling, and expressing emotions. He intended such creatures for these purposes—that He might express His love to them, to have fellowship with them, and for them to love and enjoy Him forever. However, for such a state of harmony to exist between God and His creatures, the concept of sin must be dealt with—either by suppressing its existence, or by allowing it to be manifested to its fullest extent. The former solution would preclude that these creatures be kept from certain knowledge that would alter their ability to freely, and with all omniscience, express their true emotions and decisions; the later would preclude that God purpose to allow the free reign of sin and rebellion, until the true nature and consequences of sin be displayed for all to see; and that all of creation might see and know for themselves, the awfulness of sin and why it should be forever banished. Having determined to allow the later course, God fashioned, first of all, angelic beings—spirits which were created perfect, and yet possessed the capability of rising in rebellion against God. The arch-angels were the highest order of these spirit beings, and one of them, called Lucifer, was made very beautiful, wise, and powerful. It would be this angel, who drew with him fully one-third of all the angelic hosts, which would lead the dark forces of sin and rebellion against God. In designing the natural world, God created an environment which, although was initially good, could lend itself to all the evils of sin and Satan—the fallen angel Lucifer. Here could be found all the resources that might be used to establish his empire of greed, lust, and power: gold and silver to allure men through the love of money; land, trees, stones, iron, and other minerals with which to fashion things to satisfy man’s materialistic desires; resources to make fortresses and weapons of war—both to defend themselves and to establish empires and domination over other men. Besides all of the natural resources of this earth, there is all the energy forces of nature that were inherent in creation: fire, electricity, nuclear power, solar power, and other forms of energy; that, although meant for man’s benefit, could also be used for evil purposes. All that God made for man’s good, could, and would be used to fuel man’s sinful lusts. This world that God made for His glory, of which man was made the caretaker and lord, would become Satan’s stronghold and the throne of his kingdom. Then, into this, heretofore, perfect world, God made man, and placed him into a garden containing all the knowledge and resources he would ever need to “subdue”, create, and develop his earthly paradise. In this garden God and man had fellowship, even though Adam fell far short of the glory of God. This was possible because of man’s innocence—the holy God could walk among His creatures, and they were not afraid to walk and fellowship with Him. God withheld nothing from man, even the knowledge of what was good and evil was made available, although man was warned about the consequences of partaking of its fruit. This was the one and only prohibition that was placed upon man, in order for this Edenic paradise to continue forever. However, as we have seen, Satan had other plans of his own, for man, and for this world. Man himself was seduced into reaching for something better than this paradise; and God, through the instrumentality of Satan and man, purposed to settle the sin question forever. The actual manifestation of sin into the world began when Eve was deceived by Satan. She partook of the forbidden fruit and then gave it to her husband, who also joined in her disobedience. We have studied the effects of that fruit upon the life of man, how it revealed him to be a sinner, condemned his disobedience to its demands, revealed to man the depths of sin, and drove man into greater sin; how sin brought death upon man—first by the spiritual separation of man from God, then by the decaying effects of sin upon the body and soul of man, and finally, the second death—the eternal separation of man from all goodness, mercy, light, and life. We saw how Adam’s sin was inherited by his whole posterity; how that by his disobedience we all were made sinners; and how death came upon us all. Next, we examined what God’s response was to Adam’s disobedience. How in mercy God sought him out, even though Adam was now a guilty sinner and had hid himself from God. We saw the symbolic meaning of the fallen couple being clothed with the skin of an innocent animal; and how it pictured for us what Christ would eventually come and do for sinners, by His life and sacrificial death. We looked at the purpose of the curse, which caused man to labor for his sustenance, to keep him from falling even deeper into the abyss of sin; and why man was sent from the Garden—to keep him from the Tree of Life. Going on from our brief summary, probably the most important event in the Bible concerning God’s plan in dealing with the sin problem, outside of the crucifixion of Christ, was the founding of God’s covenant relationship with Abraham. Through this Covenant we see the precept of righteousness by faith and the establishment of the promises God made to Abraham. God had already promised Eve that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head, and thus the ultimate victory of Christ over Satan was foretold. Now, some two-thousand years later, God establishes and enlarges upon that promise to Abraham. It would be through this man’s progeny that the “seed” by which the promises would be fulfilled would come—who is Christ. It would be to this man and his “seed, which is Christ,” “that the covenant” would be “confirmed.” It would be through Abraham’s “seed” that Satan, sin, and death would receive their fatal blow.
Gen 15:1 After these things the word
of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram:
I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Gen 17:1 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.
Gal 3:16
Now to Abraham and his
seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of
many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
1 Cor 15:55 O death, where is thy
sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The important things to consider about this covenant were: 1. That it was “an everlasting covenant”—meaning that for Abraham and his “seed” it was the promise of eternal life; for what good is “an everlasting covenant” if a man is dead? Thus it would be through this man’s “seed, which is Christ,” that the resurrection of the dead and eternal life would become a reality. Gen 17:7 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. John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 1 John 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 2. It was the promise of a new earthly paradise, because the land was given “for an everlasting possession.” It meant that all those who are a part of the “seed” would one day see a “new heaven and a new earth” that would never pass away. Gen 17:8 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. 2 Pet 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 3. This covenant was unilateral—meaning that it was God who would fulfill all the demands necessary to guarantee its establishment and perpetuity. Man would have nothing to do to fulfill any part of it—to make it effectual or to keep it in continuance. Man’s only part would be to have faith, or trust in God and His promises. Even as Abraham “believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness,” so those who place their trust in the God of Abraham and the Gospel of his “seed, which is Christ,” are accounted righteous and receive the blessings of Abraham.
Gen 15:7 And he said unto him, I am
the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee
this land to inherit it.
Rom 4:1 What shall we say then that
Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed
God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
1 Cor 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I
declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye
have received, and wherein ye stand; 4. The greatest blessing of this Covenant to consider is—that the Holy God established a relationship with a man who was a sinner; and also promised to his posterity that “I will be their God.” We see in God’s fellowship with Abraham the reinstitution of that which was lost in the Garden of Paradise—which was God’s presence among men. In the Paradise of the New Heaven and Earth to come, God’s presence among all the children of Abraham will be the everlasting joy of all of God’s people. Gen 17:8 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. Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 5. Lastly, it would be through this “seed” of Abraham that “all the nations of the earth” would be blessed. The promises were not just made to Abraham and Israel, but to all believers, of whatsoever race or nationality they are. Abraham was not just the father of the circumcision, Israel, but of all those who have put their faith in Christ; who are now also “Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto
Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from
thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gal 3:8 And the scripture,
foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith,
preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all
nations be blessed. We also find, in the Biblical account of Abraham, one of the clearest presentations of the Gospel of Christ—which would secure all of the promises and blessings God made to Abraham and his “seed.” Apart from what Christ would do as our sacrificial lamb, these promises could not be fulfilled. Therefore, in the testing of Abraham’s faith, we see all of the elements of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. In the following account, if we view Abraham as a type of God the Father, Isaac as God’s Son, the wood as the cross, the knife as the crown of thorns, the nails, and the spear, and the fire as the sufferings of Christ—we see the crucifixion of Christ. In that Abraham fully intended to sacrifice his son, “Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead”, we see the burial and resurrection of Christ. When Isaac questioned his father, “Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”, Abraham prophetically said, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering”—meaning that God would not only provide the lamb, which would be His Son, but that God Himself, in Christ, would be the lamb. In that Abraham would not withhold his son, his only son, even so God “gave his only begotten Son,” that all of the promises might be fulfilled.
Gen 22:1 And it came to pass after
these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him,
Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he
was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises
offered up his only begotten son, 2 Cor 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The next important event concerning God’s purposes in allowing sin to be manifested, is the giving of the Mosaic Law upon Mt. Sinai. This Law, also known as the Ten Commandments, along with the accompanying statutes, judgments, regulations, and sacrifices, compromise much of the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Now, some may question the intention of this law, because man has already partaken of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; and is already under the condemnation of the much more expansive Law of God. Therefore, it might be asked, what purpose does this Mosaic Law serve? Although these laws have formed the basis of many of the modern legal systems found in our world, initially they were given to form a special covenant with the people of Israel—the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the nation through whom the Messiah would come. They were not given as an extra set of rules for all of mankind to obey, but provided a means by which the Israelite society would bond itself together, become a testimony to the world of God’s special blessings, and preserve this chosen people so that God’s promises to the Fathers might be fulfilled. Furthermore, although many nations have come to enjoy the benefits of structuring their societies upon the precepts of these laws, Israel, the chosen people of God, had a special relationship with God based upon the laws of this covenant. For them, obedience to these laws was the requirement to remain in the Promised Land and to enjoy the special blessings of God. This new covenant had nothing to do with the covenant that God made with Abraham. As we have seen, the Abrahamic Covenant was unilateral—meaning God alone would fulfill all that was necessary in order to secure the promises. The Mosaic Covenant however, was bilateral—meaning the people of Israel would have to fulfill certain conditions before God would grant them the blessings. We can see, in looking at the history of Israel, that no nation has ever been as highly exalted and blessed because of their obedience to this Covenant; nor has any nation suffered such indignation and cursing because they forsook this covenant.
Exo 19:1 In the third month, when the
children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the
same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
Deut 4:1 Now therefore hearken, O
Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you,
for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land
which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.
Deut 4:23 Take heed unto
yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which
he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness
of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. What may we see were the chief differences between the eternal law of God and the Mosaic Law? When Adam became aware of the vast difference between himself and the Holy God, it was through the internal revelation received in eating of the forbidden tree. This fruit emblazoned upon the heart of mankind the awareness of good and evil; it gave mankind a consciousness of doing right or wrong. However, because of the inability and weakness of man’s flesh to obey this standard of righteousness, this internal awareness has been corrupted by man’s sinful desires, and has led to all kinds of perversions about what is acceptable behavior. Also, this consciousness of good and evil has been “seared” in the minds of many who refuse to hear its voice, whose desires are to partake of sin’s pleasures.
Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which
have not the law, (the
Mosaic Law) do by nature
the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a
law unto themselves: 1 Tim 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; However, the law that was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai was of a different nature, it was written externally on two tablets of stone. From the Biblical account in Exodus, we find that there were actually two sets of these tablets. The first tablets were carved from stone by the hand of God and written with the finger of God. However, this set was broken by Moses upon returning down from the mountain and seeing the Israelites already given over to idolatry. The breaking of these first tablets symbolized mankind breaking God’s Law even before these commandments were given, and prophetically symbolized the impossibility of Israel ever keeping to perfection God’s Law. The second set were carved by Moses and written by God. On these tablets contained the actual Ten Commandments that almost everyone is familiar with; however, God also gave to Moses the instructions for building the Tabernacle, the statutes regarding sacrifices, and other laws that would regulate the life of Israel. On these tablets and parchments were forever recorded the written and unchangeable laws, judgments, and sacrificial duties of the Mosaic Law. There might be human error in the interpreting of these writings, and indeed there was, but there would be no denying what God had said to Moses. Exo 24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. Exo 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
Exo 32:15 And Moses turned, and went
down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his
hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side
and on the other were they written.
Exo 34:27 And the LORD said unto
Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I
have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
Matt 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes
and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, The Mosaic Law, though much like a mini-version of God’s eternal law, provided the means whereby God would have a relationship with this chosen people of Israel. It could by no means make them righteous before God, but, through the accompanying sacrifices their sins were temporarily covered; and through obedience to these laws, blessings were given. There were many Israelites like Saul, who later became Paul the Apostle, that professed to be blameless according to this law; and who erroneously made it their own personal righteousness before God. As a whole however, the nation of Israel failed miserably in their commitment to keep this law, showing the inability of even a favored people to obey any standard of acceptable behavior before God.
Matt 5:17 Think not that I am come to
destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to
fulfil.
Matt 5:27
Ye have heard that it was said by them
of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: Phil 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Rom 10:2 For I bear them record that
they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
Jer 44:1 The word that came to
Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt,
which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the
country of Pathros, saying, The Mosaic Law also provided an undeniable evidence of man’s condition. It was an indictment given by God Himself against every member of the human race—that we are sinners before Him. While some may debate the inner voice of man’s conscience, or the law written upon man’s heart, there can be no such contention when presented with the evidence revealed by the written law found in God’s Holy Word; and although the Mosaic Law was given specifically to the nation of Israel, that does not excuse the Gentiles from God’s judgment; for they were already condemned before the written law was ever given. Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 2:12 For as many as have sinned
without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have
sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man
sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned: The Mosaic Law was never meant to be a system of works whereby man could be counted righteous before God. Israel failed to keep this covenant with God because they did not see the end, or purpose behind it. The Law of Moses was meant to be a schoolmaster, to show Israel their need of a Saviour, as was pictured in all of the accompanying sacrifices of the Law. Howbeit, they viewed these sacrifices as another part of their personal righteousness, a means whereby they covered up their “little mistakes.” They did not mix this revelation from God with faith, so that they might receive the promise God made to Abraham their father. Therefore, when their promised Messiah did come, they could not see their need for a suffering Saviour. What they looked for was a conquering king that would restore their former glory to them as the chosen people of God.
Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the
promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which
could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the
law.
Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a
promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should
seem to come short of it.
Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire
and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. The Law of Moses, given hundreds of years after God’s promise to Abraham, was only a temporary measure until the purpose of God in sending the Messiah would be fulfilled. However, even to this day, many Jewish people still hold on to keeping this system of laws as a means of righteousness before God. Indeed, many Gentiles have also adopted various parts of this law as their own means of obtaining salvation. Many there are who erroneously believe that by keeping the Ten Commandments they will be justified before God.
Gal 3:1
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not
obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been
evidently set forth, crucified among you?
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