Against Principalities

Introduction
The text which follows this rather lengthy introduction has resulted following several months of contemplation that was initiated by a discussion I had with my oldest son dealing with concerns he had about the potential impacts on the time space continuum which might result from experiments being done in Europe and the United States involving the Large Hadron Particle Collider in an attempt to discover the Higgs Boson the so called God Particle. Not many men have been blessed with such a son who questions what has been done to mankind by our adversary and what man has also done to himself as a result, but the world would be a better place if more sons had asked such questions. His concern was that men were delving into areas where they had no idea the impacts in order to utilize knowledge that God had never intended for them to be cognizant of. This discussion led to a consideration as to how man had gained knowledge whether it was from God or if it had come from another source. From there we began a discussion of the possibility of the introduction of knowledge from sources outside man and God which men today might attribute to aliens, which from a biblical perspective would more rightly be referred to as angels, whether fallen or unfallen. This discussion moved me to begin a consideration of the various impacts there have been throughout history, the present, and into the future, upon mankind that have resulted from Satan and the fallen angels and how God has responded to them. As I began to consider all this the scope of what I have had to consider in the writing of this article continued to grow and I became amazed at the implications. The number of biblical topics that this touched grew and I began to see that I had reason to reassess some of my own views concerning several passages of scripture. I began to see what appeared to be was truly at the source of Lucifer/Satans fall, how he truly became the god of this world, what his true desire is for mankind, how his attack against both man and God has been a multipronged attack over all of mans history, and how God has responded and how He will respond to all of them. I began to see that part of what God is accomplishing is not only a cleansing of the heavenly realm of Satan and those who would follow him, but also of all on the Earth who would turn away from the true and living God, a God who has displayed, both in heaven and on the Earth, all of His attributes all of which showing themselves to be good and holy. This contemplative journey has also led to a consideration of those who would be saved, both Jew and Gentile, and of the differences seen between the promises made to Israel and to the Church, the Bride of Christ. I began to see the significance of the different workings of the Holy Spirit in relation to the Jews of the Old Testament and of the necessary indwelling of the Holy Spirit characterizing the Church, the Bride of Christ. The significance and importance of the Scripture stating that the first shall be last, and the last shall be first became more apparent, and it began to take on a deeper meaning. I am somewhat apprehensive in the writing of this in that I know some of what I am presenting here will likely be something the reader may have never heard before. I will admit that a major portion of what you are about to read I had never heard either and believe it is an awful shame that someone as pathetic as myself has to be the one offering it. Because some of this is so new to me and I am sure also to the reader, I will offer it as being somewhat speculative, but only because of its newness not because there are no scriptures to support these views. I fear we have often passed over the scriptures which will be considered while either not understanding their full implications or because our minds have been biased and blinded to their obvious

meaning and implications because of prior teachings we have heard that have been colored by a particular denominational or secular view. While I feel this contemplation has led to an increase in my own personal understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of the scriptures and for what God has done, I feel compelled to write and share this because so many people, especially young people, have looked to the church for answers to some of lifes greatest questions, and have come away wanting. They have very rightly come away as skeptical of some of the explanations given for some of the events recorded in the Bible that they have found troubling. One of the reasons most frequently cited by those who have walked away from the scriptures is that they cannot see how a caring and loving God could command that some entire nations of people be utterly destroyed. With the explanations I have heard offered up for this by those considered good Bible teachers, I do not blame them for their skepticism. I believe the Bible shows a clear and justifiable reason for such commands, but the church has danced around it. Neither God nor our adversary has been presented to the world in such a way that gives a very realistic perception of either. I dont think men realize what is truly at stake, of what Satans purposes are, or what Gods plan is. We have lost sight of how vile Satan is and of the fact that God only works for the overall good of mankind. We have lost sight of the fact that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities.

I. The Creation
I did not intend in this volume to delve deeply into all the events of the creation though I will admit to believing in a six day creation. (It was a miraculous event-time is not a party to a miracle.) God could have taken six days, six million years, or 6 seconds and one would have been no less of a miracle than another. Time has no significance to God-it is a dimension by which He is not bound, so when the Bible records that the creation was completed in six days it is for us time bound beings-it is as a concession for us day, month, and year people so that we might know its order and its length. In my discussion of the creation Im only going to consider three aspects of it-the creation of man, the creation of Earth as a whole and all the life there on, and the creation of the angels, specifically Satan. Let us begin with Satan. Though we do not have absolute proof, it would appear that of the created beings Lucifer/Satan was at the pinnacle. Satan was the highest display of perfection of all created beings. He was beautifully and fantastically adorned with all manner of precious stones. It appears there were portions of his being that were musical instruments. He was a guardian cherub in the court of God, of splendid beauty, beauty capable of producing music meant only for the throne room, and chief of all the angelic creation. We should honestly give him his due. And while now an adversary, he is still worthy of respect and is given such by the other angels in that even they make no riling accusations against him. It is the Lords place to rebuke him. As he was a marvel of the angelic creation he is likewise an awesome foe and should be respected as such. [1] But let us look at the nature of angels as created beings. The angels are shown that, like Adam, they are a direct creation by God. We are told that they are to be ministering spirits. We are told they are spiritual creatures that do not marry or are given in marriage. Theres no record in scripture of the angels having any ability to reproduce themselves. There is no record in scripture of any female angels or demons and there is no means provided for them to reproduce after their own kind. When we die, even little children, we do not become angels as so many

seem to commonly believe. Theres no record in scripture of angels being given possession, or dominion, over any part of the creation. Angels in the created order are above humans, and probably even more so than we are above the lower classes of animals here on Earth. Angels are very powerful and unless restricted by God are not subject to the limited dimensional world of humans, but are able to interact with the creation in much the same way that God can interact, with at least one major exception-they have no ability to create. In their inability to create they are much like men in that they can only build from what already exists-though one would expect them to be unbelievably creative. Angels have knowledge we do not possess. There are two broad classes of angels with those being obedient and disobedient, which are commonly referred to as unfallen and fallen angels. Whether fallen or unfallen, the activities of all angels are limited by God Himself. And while at first difficult to grasp, all angels, whether fallen or not, accomplish Gods will. The unfallen angels accomplish this through perfect obedience and are always working for the good of mankind. The fallen angels accomplish Gods will through their constant efforts to usurp Him resulting in a disciplining and refining of the righteous and in the destruction of those who have eternally turned away from God-have not believed God, but rather have believed the lies of Satan our adversary. [2] Man on the other hand, though magnificent, was created a lesser being than the angels. Man was designed to live within a created world-a world that could be related to with the senses-it could be touched and felt and experienced. And while we see examples of angels being allowed to experience such things when they appeared as humans, such as when they appeared to Abraham and to Lot, such a tactile world was not a normal part of their existence. Man, like all that was created, was created perfect-he was unblemished. Man was created both male and female with the ability to reproduce his own kind and with the blessing of God to do so. Man was given Earth to possess and tend and was to maintain dominion over it and all of its creatures. Like the angels he was to live with dependence on God and in obedience to Him, but like the fallen angels the one man chose disobedience and fell-and all mankind fell with him. [3] But man wants to look out across the vastness of space and, because of its vastness, very foolishly assume on the basis of some probability that there are very likely other planets out there that contain life. What he fails to consider is the infinitely small probability that the Earth should even exist in this vast emptiness and darkness while containing all of its diversity of life, atmosphere, and balance of sunlight and temperature. There are so many chemical and physical properties that are variant in some compounds when compared to others on which our existence depends that one can only stand in awe of the balance which exists in enabling life. I will give only one example of this to show how fragile this balance is. If like almost all other compounds water had a higher density at the point of solidifying from liquid water, life on this planted would be impossible. If water did not deviate from this common rule, lakes and oceans would freeze from the bottom up, ice would not float and the entire planet would become a barren frozen waste incapable of sustaining any life. The Earth is exquisitely unique in all the universe and in this lies one of our greatest problems. The rest of the universe is lifeless and dead. There is nothing there to interact with; there are none there to talk to.

II. The Fall

The Bible tells us that Satan has come to steal, kill, and destroy. I would ask the obvious question what has he come to steal, kill, and destroy? Is there anything he can steal from God? I think not. Can he Kill or destroy God? He cannot and if we were to assume he could, which would be a very rash assumption; this would only serve to destroy himself for it is in God that all things are held together. So on the whole, he can have no real impact on God. So what has

Satan come to steal, and who is he intent upon killing and destroying? Are we not told that Lucifer/Satan was in the Garden of God in the beginning? Was not this prince above all angels present in a perfect garden on a perfect Earth at the beginning of creation? Aside from God himself, he above all could appreciate the Earths uniqueness and beauty. This world, this thing that contained life was an intriguing and wonderful mystery. But Lucifer was not alone in the garden a lesser being had been planted there, and it was before this lesser being that God had paraded all the other animals so man might name them. From those, there was none other like man found so God took a portion of the man and created another being in all ways of the same kind, but at the same time uniquely different. Like the other animals the two were uniquely suited so that they were equipped to couple and, from that coupling, produce offspring like themselves of the same kind. It was to these lesser beings and their offspring that God gave possession and dominion of this gem of the universe. The Earth was not created to be a possession or a direct benefit to the angels but it became clear that Gods intent in creating the Earth centered instead on this smelly biped. It was at that point that Satans pride sprang forth. God had in essence called upon the angelic hosts to bow before this man, not because man was created greater, but because it was Gods will that man be given the preeminence of all created things and there were some within the angelic hosts that would not bow. What then was it that man possessed that Satan was intent upon stealing? Was it not the Earth and mans right of dominion over it? And who would he like to kill and destroy? Do you not know that Satan is the author of death and from the beginning would like nothing more than to wipe every human from the face of the Earth, and it has only been Gods restraining hand that has prevented him from doing so and even then, not because of mans obedience and devotion to Him, but for the sake of His own name? Satan would like to kill every mothers son of us, even though we have already foolishly relinquished dominion and kingship of the Earth to him and, out of our disobedience and rejection of God, have become willing participants in our own destruction. Yet through Gods mercy towards us and through His restraint upon both us and the principalities that would destroy us - even up and against Satans rage, we still remain, and Gods purpose for mankind has not been altered. Many pronged has been Satans attack many methods have been tried but God has thwarted them all. In his small victories, which in truth are not victories at all but instead the vehicle through which God works out all of His good will, Satans covetousness and pride have grown to the point where he thinks he can usurp God his ultimate goal. Lets now look at weapons that have been used by principalities intent upon stealing from, killing, and destroying us to see what supposed successes they have had, in order that we might better understand their tactics, not be surprised by them, and become wise to stand against them in the future. [1]

III. The Coming of Death to Man, Disobedience, and the Forfeiture of Dominion
Let us survey the condition of man in his original situation in the garden. He had been provided a perfect mate and helper of his own kind. The conditions in the garden were such that all his needs were met all things provided him were good there was no evil, nor did he have any knowledge or concept of evil. He was unencumbered of clothing, and of shame, and of any other need of wearing clothing - and that was good. He had ready access to the tree of life so disease and death were concepts he had no understanding of. He had no need of shelter he lived in a perfect climate in perfect abundance. There was but one rule, but one law, placed upon him by God where by both he and the heavenly hosts would be tested, with that being that in the midst of the garden there stood a tree from which he must not eat, because on the day he would eat of it he would surely die. But what was death? He knew nothing of it. He ate of the fruit of the

trees and the animals ate of the herbs and grasses of the fields and all things remained unchanged, all things remained as they had been created. There had been no death. Therefore how could he understand it? Knowing this warning and relying upon his own craftiness and mans lack of understanding of what was truly at stake, Satan by action revealed the sin of pride that had grown and swelled within him, and for which he alone was at fault. He saw his chance to destroy this lesser being and claim the prize that should have been rightfully his considering his magnificence compared to the Adam. God had named the punishment Himself. It would be God who would perform the necessary task all he need do was get the loathsome creature to eat this fruit for which the eating was forbidden. Would it not be best to go to this second creature to whom the message had only been related? Would he not find her more pliable and already more accustomed to being led? We know the story well. Did God really say? Did He not know? Would it not be good to obtain? Is He not withholding? Satans tactics have not changed, even unto the present they have not had to they work so well. Doubt is cast upon the purposes of God is He not knowingly withholding something really good from you? Is He not just holding you back, and preventing you from becoming just like Him? Isnt God really uncaring, unloving, self centered, and selfish? The tempted woman, the weaker by Gods design of the two vessels, was drawn in by Satans deception and she ate. One down and one to go. But is that really true? This first marriage this first coming together of man and woman, like all marriages, should be a picture of the relationship between Christ and the Church. It is we the Church that have fallen for deception, have sinned and have need of a Savior. And what did that first Adam do but in full knowledge and understanding, and of his own accord, take the sin and shame of his bride upon himself suffering its consequences and remaining united with her? Adam [the first Adam] in part was a foreshadowing of what was to come in Christ [the second Adam] in that without being deceived He stayed united with His bride the difference being that Adam accomplished this through an act of sin himself but Christ through perfect righteousness. Man did indeed gain some things, with gain failing as a proper description, as a result of his actions here. The ground they walked upon would continue to support them, but only at the pain of great labor. A sinful man dare not be suffered to have much free time with which he could multiply his tendencies toward evil. Women would have much pain in childbearing and would be made in her sinful condition subject to her husband a position she would learn soon enough to loathe. Man gained the audacity at this tempters prompting to believe he had the ability and right to proclaim what was good and evil a prerogative that is only a possession of God. Satan would be taken from the highest of created beings to eventually a position of crawling in the dust. By following Satans lead they had in reality made him their God and as such had forfeited their right to the garden through having touched evil and, having been partakers of evil, they had become unsuitable for residing in the garden. It had become impossible for them to reside in the presence of God. They had made Satan the God of this world, a realm he still resides over by forfeiting their dominion over the Earth. Their desire was to be more than what God had intended for them at least at that time, and that desire still dominates to this day. [1] But they had not fallen down dead as Satan might have assumed and anticipated. Satan had encountered unforeseen difficulties in his plan he underestimated both Gods regard for man and the fact that God would complete with man that which He had purposed. Though man would now have to embrace physical death as a penalty for his transgression, his punishment would be eclipsed by that which would come to the initiator of the sin. God himself shed the blood of the innocent to make a covering for the shame of Adam and Eve a covering for their sin. No covering was made for the willful sin of the adversary of man but instead a great promise was made him that from the seed of this same woman he had deceived there would come one, that though Satan might bruise his heal, this same one would crush the head of Satans seed. [2]

IV. Murder and Violence Man Killing Man

Satan now had an ally in his desire to thwart Gods plan and in doing so usurp Him. And while man had become a willing participant in disobedience, Satan would never cease in his attempts to completely destroy him. In his craftiness, Satan learned to foment jealousy and hatred in men, even those who were in no wise opposed to one another. He learned to tempt one to take out his anger upon another who had done him no wrong. He learned to incite violence and hatred between men even brothers. He learned how to eliminate men by inciting them to eliminate one another. They became unknowing accomplices in their own destruction. And so it was with the first two brothers to exist. God had provided the example to their parents that there was no covering for sin without the shedding of blood. And so it was that even in their first attempts to make offerings to God from the fruits of their labors Satan was able to creep in upon the errors of the one to instill within him both hatred toward God who offered only correction, and also a hatred for his brother whose offering had been acceptable. His proper choice should have been to correct his method of sacrifice; instead he foolishly chose to kill his brother who had conducted himself wisely. It is now part of mans corrupted nature to never allow a helpful bit to be placed in his mouth so that he might be guided down a path leading to safety, especially if that guidance comes with a measure of redirecting pain at times. [1]

V. Increases in Sinfulness and Corruption of the Race

Men multiplied upon the Earth and with them sin also increased. Satan recognized that while God indeed had been gracious toward men, at the same time He would have little hesitance in destroying those who would continue to thumb their noses at Him after being given ample warning to repent. Man was coming along quite well as willing sinners and destroyers of one another, but still there were those who believed what God had revealed of Himself and looked to Him for their supply. Instead of God killing these smelly creatures at their first sign of disobedience as he had hoped, Satan found that instead they lived long lives before death would overtake them. These righteous ones were able to live through many generations teaching the righteous requirements of God so a way needed to be found to eliminate them. Satans next ploy was to corrupt the human race itself, not just morally, but to strike at the very genetic makeup of the species so that what resulted would not even be human. It would not be necessary to corrupt the entire race though to do so if possible would be fine they need only corrupt the race in such a way that the blood lines of the righteous be cut off. At this point it becomes obvious that Satan has heavenly followers. We can only assume that through his craftiness and the making of clever promises, or merchandising that which he in truth did not possess (like selling the Brooklyn Bridge), he was also successful in heaven in convincing lesser angels to follow his path of rebellion. On the Earth we see the influence of the fallen angels manifested on two main fronts which I believe are firmly connected. First was to corrupt the race physically, with the second being to further corrupt the race morally. I believe the first assault involved angels casting off their habits (heavenly vestiges, heavenly prerogatives, and heavenly natures) and taking on the habits of men. When done for righteous reasons, i.e. within the will of God, angels have been able to minister to men face to face bringing warning, bringing message, giving instruction from the very throne room of God. When done by fallen angels it is for the most vile and evil of purposes. So that they might corrupt the bloodline of humanity and also further corrupt the heart of man, angels first looked upon the human female with desire. The Bible tells us that they coupled with any women they pleased. I would speculate that these angels were enticed by Satan to take this action by convincing them

that God had unfairly supplied to this lesser creature something that they, a greater creature, had been denied. In other words, God was holding back. We see here basically the same tactics used again that had worked so effectively with Eve in the Garden; an enticement toward something presented as being beneficial to you when in fact to embrace it means destruction. Covetousness and pride performed its work on them as it had done on Satan, though the object and the purpose were different. While angels had no ability or capacity to procreate in their own kind, nor any ability to create, they did apparently have the ability to take on a human likeness sufficient, though unnatural, to produce a hybrid offspring through sexual intercourse. From our perspective, what the angels engaged in could have been in measure likened to bestiality. The products of these unions were not human and they were not angels they were monstrosities the walking dead or the dead walking. The shining ones produced the dead ones. At that time, though it is doubtful that they must always be manifested this way, these creatures were mighty warriors giants of great stature. All of the offspring that resulted from this initial period of coupling with humans would have been corrupted both genetically and spiritually. We will come back to this later, but it is extremely important to note here that these offspring could only result from sexual union and that, while there were vestiges of both parents apparent in them, they were not of the same kind with either their angelic father or their fleshly human mother. [1] Both by the direct influence of these fallen angels and through their gigantic offspring the minds of men were further corrupted until men were consumed with evil continually. It would appear that Satan had accomplished what he had set out to do. The piper was playing his tune and everyone, or almost everyone, was dancing. However there was another tune to be played , another gospel to be preached and, in His graciousness giving all a chance to repent, God suffered it to be preached for 100 years through Noah, a ridiculed, faithful one, and his family by the sounding out of a hammer to build a boat on an Earth which had never experienced rain. [2]

VI. Punishment for Sin and the Cleansing of the Race

It is difficult to know how many men dwelt upon Earth prior to the flood. Due to their living to be of great age and taking into account that many took multiple wives, it is very likely that the number of men upon the Earth at that time was great. The bodies of men had not yet been so ravaged by the effects of sin that they did not still possess a remnant of the great natural strength and health present in their original creation. It is clear from Scripture that it was a time of violence and moral depravity. It is to be expected that the inclination of both had come through the influence of fallen angels and the offspring they had sired upon Earth. First the angels who had coupled with women (and likely men and animals too) were judged by God and bound in everlasting chains and held for final judgment so they could have no further evil influence upon Earth. Of all the men upon Earth, only Noah and his family met the criteria of being both unblemished and righteous. God had shown patience with mankind even to the last man, as would later be repeated with his dealings with Abraham and Lot, allowing time for repentance from evil, but there was no repentance. God then destroyed. With the exception of Noah and his family and the animals God called to enter the Ark, God destroyed everything that had breath in it from off the face of the Earth. The Earth was very effectively cleansed. [1]

VII. Babel and the Scattering of Man

Following the flood as mankind began to increase in number, it is very likely that a fallen angelic onslaught began again upon the Earth. Seeing that corrupting the minds of men had nearly

induced God to destroy them all, it certainly was worth making another attempt. A great and violent ruler, a hunter of men, came up upon the Earth very likely the offspring of another fallen angel and a great city was constructed. It was not constructed of natural stones that God had made but with manmade bricks held together with pitch. This speaks of the fact that men would depend less upon God for their well being and more upon their own resourcefulness and the products of their own labors while exploiting the Earths natural resources to fuel their desires. Men would use oil to hold together that which was truly important to them on this quest to be equal with God. In their foolish arrogance men determined that with a great tower they could reach God, or more rightly, they could reach what the tempter had originally laid before that first man in the garden they could become like Gods. Due to these outward evil influences compounded by his own evil inclinations, man was once again abandoning God. What we have before us are evil men moving toward an industrialized society whose main goal is not only to lessen their dependence on God not to just deny His existence, but in truth to establish and enshrine themselves as God. I have here inserted a poem describing mans historical efforts to gain his freedom from his supposed tyrant. [1]

Brick By Brick
Scott Glover

Higher, higher buildings climb reaching, reaching for the skies. Upward, round and round they go, always upward they must grow. Spiraling ramparts through the clouds, builded by mans hoards and crowds. Working up toward heavens place, and there with God, come face to face. Brick by brick, with mortar of oil, mans progression linked with toil. As his ziggurat doth climb, to gods abode that he can find. [A] Was it with the turning wheel, or was it with the flash of steel, or printed word, or tilted keel, that made him think that he could deal, with providence and sovereignty, with grace born in humility? Or was it through the molded plow, or gristed meal for then and now, or was it through the paving stones, that cities came with all their homes, and men depended then on men, than God who had created them? So, brick by brick, with mortar of oil, mans progression linked with toil. As his ziggurat doth climb, to gods abode that he can find. Seeing Gods unsure supply,

cursed with toil till they should die, men turned instead unto themselves, to break Gods curse without His help. Let us specialize our toils, let us cease to work His soils, let us build and build and build, upward to His Holy hill. We can get to God ourselves, we need not wait upon His helps. [B] So, brick by brick, with mortar of oil, mans progression linked with toil. As his ziggurat doth climb, to gods abode that he can find. So many things impede our labors, some of them must lose our favors. Our numbers do contend to grow, impeding our pure freedoms flow. So graveyards now are lying empty, of those who were denied their entry. Instead they lie in jumbled pieces, in cans of steel with greatest neatness. What we have done we must do rightly, we must insure its not unsightly. [C] So, brick by brick they build their stairs, with brick by brick they mask their cares. Spiraling onward ever higher, with towers of steel and lofty spires. A tabernacle in the clouds, abode of man who is so proud. Just see, I have no need of God, there are no problems we cant solve.

Men and women now alike, can take their pick, its quite all right. We fear no famine, plague, or rain. Our women birth relieved of pain. No need to bend our backs in toil, to earn our bread through way of soil, in air conditioned solitude, I now can feed a multitude. We irrigate, we need no rain from God to nourish through our grain. What need of God and His sweet graces, His curse our toil soon erases. So, brick by brick, with mortar of oil, mans progression linked with toil. As his ziggurat doth climb, to gods abode that he can find. And who shall we install on high,

once that we have reached the sky? The same that we installed below, the one with homage we bestow. The one who saw our tear stained faces, and eased our pain through toilsome graces. Who found a way to slow our numbers, who prompt the aged and ill toward slumbers. [D] Lets take our worship to the one, who solves all problems neath the sun. Lets worship he who packed the bricks, who used the oil to make them stick. Who mounted up the stairs on high, to tabernacle in the sky, who thinks that heaven can be reached, through works of men and diligence. Lets place his likeness on the shelves, in tabernacles to ourselves.[E]

God has acknowledged the fact that the potential of evil men is great. He acknowledges that if all evil, scheming men are allowed to put their heads together with a common purpose there is nothing they cannot accomplish. But God also knows that with that same capacity and with a measure of naivet, man left to his own devices would destroy himself. Gods solution for slowing down the progression of evil in the world was to confound their language and to scatter them across the face of the Earth. What we would now call progress, or the industrialization of human society, would be greatly impeded and forestalled. [2] What does this mean? Does this mean that all of what we call progress is evil? On the whole, I would say yes. It has come to us not as a helpmeet for maintaining righteousness before God, but rather on the basis of our desire for sin and through the workings of sin. What need would we have of medicine today if we still had access to the tree of life? Does not our desire for sin separate us from it? What need would we have for heating and cooling if the climate was perpetually and uniquely maintained at the level of our maximum comfort? What need would we have of homes or shelters if there was nothing we needed sheltered or protected from? What need would we have to work toward the production of food when the trees and plants freely provided and willingly gave up to us all that we needed? What desire could there have been that would not have been fully met? And most importantly of all, we could have face to face contact with the very God who had formed us and all that there was from nothing. [3] But we forfeited that world. We gave it away, and with our sin show that it should rightly be denied us. We live in a sin filled dangerous world. We have need of shelter, food, clothes, and heat. We need protection from the sun, wind, rain and storm. We do get sick and at times need an appropriate medication to aid in our recovery. We do at times need to cut away parts of our bodies that if left in place would otherwise kill us. There are lots of us so there must be places for us to work and ways for us to get to work. And while I believe none of this and what we would call technology will be a necessary part of the world God intends for man, much of it is a necessary part of our present condition. I believe the minerals and fuels God has graciously placed beneath our soils were placed there anticipatorily with His knowing what our needs would be during this time of trouble. He has not left us naked He has provided for us even in our sin. His grace has been abundantly poured out upon mankind, very undeservedly, with His desire that none should perish. So while it might be that technology may have come to us as a result of

sin and may even be used to multiply sin, it is very likely indispensable during this present age. As such it in and of itself is not evil, but if not used just to meet our basic needs and for beneficial purposes, it can be used to promote and greatly magnify evil. Man corrupts everything he sets his hand to. As for the sources of technology, I would say they are mostly outside us and from both good and evil sources. Men have agile minds and, if properly prompted with either virtuous or evil thoughts, can find either beneficial or destructive uses of technology. Technology is like the tongue of our society it can speak either good or evil about us, with it often revealing mankind to be mostly evil. We, even as believers in a Holy God, are passing through the valley of the shadow of death. At present that shadow rest upon each of us and all of the creation. The Earth itself and all creation upon it groan under the weight that our sin has placed upon it. You might say that you have never heard the Earth groan or that you have never heard it cry out. Are we so dumb of hearing and so blind of sight that we are no longer sensible of its lament? Have you not seen the trees of a forest once they have been ravished by a terrible storm with their clothes torn and their heads bent over in sorrow from what has befallen them? Have you not heard and felt the Earth rumble and shake as it is rent asunder in its bowels groaning of the unrest and trouble that has taken hold of it? Have you not heard the cry of the bird, the waling of the rabbit, or the bellowing of the ox when some powerful predator has seized upon it and begins to devour it alive? Have you not seen the violence of the lightning and heard the great claps of thunder as the Earth cries out her pain when bolts pierce and scorch her? When the air of fall turns chill, the sunlight draws dim, and the days are shortened have you not seen the trees weep as their only sources of life and nourishment die and fall to the ground? Have you not heard the thud upon thud that is heard when man makes his journey back to the Earth from which he was made while his mother is thrown scoop by scoop to cover his now lifeless face? Have we become so numb that we are no longer cognizant of the fact that none of these things were a part of what God originally provided for us and that they have come upon us only through the workings of evil and sin that have resulted from the rejection of our maker? Do we not understand that though we must suffer this for a time, in this time of testing of all things in both heaven and on Earth, that this is not what God intends for man, nor will it be his final estate. God has always worked for the good of mankind and our adversary has always worked for our annihilation. [4] God will accomplish His purposes for mankind no matter the onslaught that might come from the evil one and no matter how willing a participant he finds in us to be drawn astray. As we saw with the flood, if God brings but one man and his family through the onslaught just enough to maintain this race, this portion of His creation, then He has won the conflict. Humanity looking to God for its provision survives. This is not a battle where the victor is decided by how many combatants leave the field. This is a battle requiring eventual total, eternal, complete elimination of the enemy. When a battle is fought, if there are combatants left on both sides of the field, no matter how small the number, then it is certain that they will meet again on another day. And while by tallying numbers the evil one may seek to claim victory, in truth God is victorious in every conflict to the rage and confounding of His enemy, who only finds the outcome of every battle to only accomplish Gods purposes. [5] Following the flood, with the obvious re-embracement of sin and evil by man, Gods prerogative already displayed toward mankind was more fully revealed. It became clear that from the beginning Gods electing hand had been upon certain individuals within the human race. The story of Lot is one of many recorded in the Old Testament. After the flood we see this provision

falling on the lineage of Shem, with that provision and protection later most fully and decidedly coming to Abram. Faith, saving faith, is defined clearly in Abraham. Its formula is clear and simple and is as true today as it was then and even back unto the days immediately following the fall. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. But what does this mean?. The statement is simple but its meaning is complex. The action is simple but the completion of it is complex. The price of it seems small but the payment of it is beyond comprehension. Within the faithfulness Abraham displayed, tremendous promises were made to him, his offspring, and to all the nations of the world. Had these promises come from anyone other than God Himself sworn only to Himself, because there was none greater to swear by, they would have seemed pretty boastful, especially considering the so called victories Satan believed he had thus far won. To make His plan even clearer, though veiled from His enemy, great foreshadowings of Gods plan were portrayed through events recorded in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, along with many other accounts recorded in the Bible. God began to ramp up the stakes and challenge the enemy to the field to prove to him time and again He could not be beaten. The enemy also began to pull his entire arsenal on to the field to challenge Gods choice and to now center his attack upon this chosen people. Satan no longer had to worry himself with all the other peoples and nations. As a whole they were his. In one manner or another they worshipped him but in truth he had no real interest in what they worshipped as long as it was not the true and living God. If they burned their children in the fire thinking that it pleased Him, that was fine because Satans intent was to eventually destroy them all. Satans concern was now centered on this stiff necked, obstinate, not particularly obedient little group of people that for some reason, making no sense at all, God had chosen to rest His favor upon. Not only had God made great promises involving their progeny, but He had also made promises concerning a specific portion of land that they at that time had no title to other than on the basis of Gods promise. [6] Satans focus now came upon this people and this land. Famine came upon this land much to Satans surprise and the little band of his focus was forced away for want of food. But before doing so, and through the acts and evil intentions of both men and Satan, God in His sovereignty had brought out a savior before them from their own people one rejected and sold, but who once brought up out of prison was elevated to set at the right hand of the king with all power and authority granted him in the stead of the King. Joseph, a great foreshadowing of a coming Savior, all the particulars of which were yet unknown, saved his own from death and brought them into a place of great blessing. Due to Gods restraint, and for a time, Satan had little hold on these people. God let it be known that for four hundred years these people would be away from the land God had promised. For 400 years Satan laid his minefield using an angelic invasion of the land they had left and which God had promised. He did this by further corrupting the minds of the lands current inhabitants and by angels once again coupling with women producing another corrupted race of Giants. These monstrosities, these truly living dead or dead ones, were considered mighty men who corrupted the inhabitants of the land in both mind and desire. Homosexuality was rampant. They worshiped idols and things made with their own hands. Sexual immorality became a common part of their worship. While the Israelites were away from the land, Satan had stacked the deck, and on their return Satan was ready to play. But before they returned to the land, God displayed Himself to them mightily. He gave his people the Law a picture of the mind of God in terms of how they should conduct themselves before Him and with one another. They were taught the meaning and value of obedience and the price which must be paid for disobedience. They were now without excuse they knew they could be measured. [7]

Scott Glover January 2013

I.

CREATION
1. Satan: Ezekiel 28:11-19; Zechariah 3:1-2; Job 1:6-12 & 2:1-6; 2 Peter 2:10-12; Jude 8-10 2. Angels, fallen and unfallen : Colossians 1:15-16; Mark 12:24-25; Hebrews 2:5-7; Luke 1:26-28; Genesis 16:7-13; Acts 10:1-8; Matthew 25:41; Job 1:6-12 3. Man, male & female: Hebrews 2:5-7; Genesis 1:26-30 & 3:1-13; Romans 5:12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:22- & 45-49

II. THE FALL

1. Satan seeks to destroy: Job 1:6-2:6; Zechariah 3:1; Mark 4:15; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 Satan in Eden: Genesis 3:1-24 Satan created higher than man: Ezekiel 28:11-19; cf Luke 10:18; Hebrews 2:5-7

III. THE COMING OF DEATH TO MAN, DISOBEDIENCE, AND THE FORFEITURE OF DOMINION
1. Mans original situation and fall: Genesis chapters 2 & 3 First Marriage/ Christ & Church: Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5:21-32 First and second, or last, Adam: 1 Corinthians 15:20-49; Romans 5:12-17 2. No salvation for Satan/fallen angels & their ultimate defeat: 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 20:10

IV. MURDER AND VIOLENCE MAN KILLING MAN

1. The first murder: Genesis 4:1-12

V.

INCREASES IN SINFULNESS AND CORRUPTION OF THE RACE

1. Fallen angels and Nephilim: Genesis 6:1-4; Numbers 14:31-33; 2 Peter 2:4-10; Jude 6 7 2. Gods message in an object lesson: Genesis 6

VI. PUNISHMENT FOR SIN AND THE CLEANSING OF THE RACE

1. See Gods message in an object lesson: Genesis 6 above

Fallen angels, everlasting chains and final judgment: Jude 5-25; 2 Peter 2:43:18 Gods mercy to Lot: Genesis chapters 18 and 19

VII.BABEL AND THE SCATTERING OF MAN

1. Fallen angelic onslaught: Genesis 6:1-4 Violent Ruler/Hunter of men/Great city: Genesis 10:6-10 Tower of Babel: Genesis 11:1-9; cf Revelation chapters 17 and 18 POEM BRICK BY BRICK A. Genesis 11:1-4; Revelation chapters 17 and 18 B. Soil and labor cursed: Genesis 3:17-19 First city built by Cain, tools forged: Genesis 4:13-22 C. Reference to abortion D. Reference to euthanasia E. The spirit behind the ages: Psalm 53:1-4; 2 Timothy 3:1-5 2. Man capable of great achievement: Genesis 11:5-6 Confusion of language: Genesis 11:7-9 3. Had man not rejected God: Genesis chapters 1 and 2; Revelation chapters 21 and 22 4. Effects of mans fall on the whole of creation: Romans 8:18-25 5. The final victory is the Lords: Revelation chapters 1 through 22 6. Abrahams faith counted as righteousness: Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1-25; Galatians 3:6-9 God swore by Himself: Hebrews 6:13-20 Israel alone is Gods chosen nation: Genesis 17:3-8; Deuteronomy 7:6-11, and 14:12; Isaiah 41:8-10; Jeremiah 33:14-26; Zechariah 12:1-10; Romans chapter 11 7. Joseph/Israel in Egypt: Genesis chapters 37 through 50 Following Egyptian slavery Israel confronts giants in the land: Numbers 13:31-33 NJV and NKJV Deuteronomy 2:10-21 and 3:11 KJV and NKJV; Joshua 12:4-5, 13:12, 17:15 KJV and NKJV; 2 2 Samuel 2:16-22 KJV, NKJV, NAS 1995 update, and ESV; 1 Chronicles 20:4-8 KJV, NKJV, NAS 1995 Update, and ESV