Created, Separated and Good
With a bit more understanding about the hidden systems locked inside the Bible and how they can help us understand the Bible better, we reach the next most important mountain peak - God's Programme. God's Programme is about God's plan, not about our own. It's about how you should orientate your life so that it forms part of God's plan. God's programme and intent is seen visibly in the beginning. Starting in Genesis 1, we see God forming order out of chaos. He does this by creating something or someone perfectly.
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Gen 1:7 And God made the firmament
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image
But he gave these things purpose through the process of separation or the assignment of responsibility - dividing, breaking up or allocating.
Gen 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Gen 1:6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
Gen 1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
We see Adam and Eve, placed in the garden of Eden, separated from the world and unto a purpose. He created Adam and Eve to replenish the earth and subdue it - to have dominion
The word 'replenish' in the King James Bible is interesting, because it speaks about recovering to former fullness. As if the earth existed prior to the Genesis 1 account of creation. But more about that later.
The last thing to notice, that when God creates something, separates it or gives it responsibility, the next thing He does in that process, is to evaluate it. In Genesis 1, this critical and crucial chapter, we see creation across 6 days, and we see God highlighting 6 times "it was good". Our God evaluated what was created. Right at the start, at the beginning, God is concerned about whether some is good or not good. In fact, in the last verse of the chapter in the Creation account, God takes a step back, and reflects upon His creation, and says "it was very good".
It is not enough, that something is made. It is not enough, that something has purpose. But it is enough, that when something is made, separated unto a purpose, that when evaluated, it is found to be good. For something to be good, it does not have to be like God. God did not have to look out at the oceans, the plants and animals, and all He created and ask, "Is this like me?". Instead, God judged, God discerned and God assessed whether something was good or not, and labelled it such. Good by definition, is what God thinks, believes and calls good. The definition is tied to God's expectations and assessment.
God is not a dictator
He created Adam and Eve perfect, but they lacked character. They were babes in the garden. Highly intelligent, but without character. God could create character if He so chose, but what value is there in creating something or someone if you create them as a robot. What kind of God would He be, if He programmed us to only do His will. What kind of God would He be, if He made us nothing more then algorithms geared to only worship and do his bidding. Our lives would be wholly orchestrated, with no choice, or with the appearance of it, but we would be nothing more then the product of those instructions. Imagine having a friend who was a robot. Your friend would be a mirror of your wants and needs. While I am sure this may be pleasurable for a time, ultimately it would become frustrating and empty. This is not a relationship, this is blind obedience and subservience. At it's core, this form of inter-relationship is selfish and is derived of self. A god of this nature is no god at all, and would be more akin to the many tyrants or dictators who at some point tried to gain dominion of the world or a large populace through violence and denial of the will of the individual.
This is not the God of the Bible. If we were programmed for compliance, then our relationship with God would be a mere illusion. Secondly, opportunity to grow, nurture and define our characters would be lost. A country whose people have no character, are no country at all. Character reflects trial, it reflects ethics, it reflects alignment with purpose, it reflects perseverance despite challenges and it deflects self-centredness.
God's Plan
So then, what is God trying to do with us? He wants to create beings with their own free-will, who will grow to desire Him. A people that would grow in character to love Him and through that love, experience His fullness (goodness). Perhaps that could be construed as "selfish"? Well no it is not. If I have something good, I would want to share it with you or with others. Let's consider a basic example. My daughter loves to bake. And when she does, it delights her soul and livens her up. She experiences goodness. And as much she enjoys the process, the outflow from that goodness, she extends to others in our home. She invites them to partake of her baked goods as a natural outflow from goodness itself. To have someone to partake, is to extend that goodness, to advance it to others - to pass it on to others. And as we partake of her baked goods, she experiences delight and so do we. There is a shared experience of goodness. Goodness is truly good when it is manifest outside of itself.
Psa 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
God by all accounts is the fullness of goodness and His desire is for us to partake of that goodness. It is His desire that we would put our trust in Him. That in our trials, in the challenges of this life, we would grow to desire Him with each new day. To have faith in Him. And through that we may experience His goodness on earth, but ultimately one day, experience the full depth of that goodness in heaven, when we behold Him. Heaven is not desirable of itself because its so good. Heaven is desirable, because it is where God lives and where we can experience Him fully. And because of that, it is good, and thus making it a destination we so look forward too. Heaven is our home, but Jesus is the reason we want to dwell there.
Psa 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
God's Programme
To this end, God has created a programme. A schedule or timeline. The Bible outlines this programme clearly for us.
- God is currently working with His church (those who believe the Gospel) to rapture them and take them Heaven (1 Thess 4:13-18)
- God will judge the Church at the Judgement Seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10), for the degree of goodness of their works.
- God will then usher in the tribulation on this earth (Rev 17:14, Rev 6-19). A time of destruction and tremendous challenge for those who did not believe in Christ as Saviour. The AntiChrist will manifest Himself, and be a force to be reckoned with, demanding absolute power and subservience.
- God during this period, will return to His promises and work with the nation He called and separated in the Old Testament, the Jews or Israel (Rom 11:25, Rom 11)
- At the end of tribulation, Satan will be bound after having deceived many. He will be bound for 1000 years in a bottomless pit (Rev 20:4)
- During these 1000 years, there will be peace on earth, as Jesus will reign as authority and King - the Millennial Kingdom (Rev 20:2-7)
- At the end of the Millenium, Satan will be judged and punished (Rev 20:10-15).
- Thereafter, there will be the Great White Throne of Judgement, for all those who sinned and did not believe in God through faith (Rev 20:14)
- Finally, God will create a New Heaven and a New Earth where the righteous will dwell forever (Rev 21:1-3)
This is God's timeline, and His programme.