The Sum of All Hope

By Tim C Hargrove

THE SUM OF ALL HOPE finally fulfills the hope of many people for a book which can effectively summarize the Bible in a quick, easy and understandable format. If you have trouble reading and understanding the Bible, or if you have not had the time to read the Bible, this book is for you!
This book breaks the Bible down into 62 summarizing events presented in the order they happen or will happen in the Bible. From the very first act of creation, to the great climatic events to come, this book was written in a style to get the information into the reader’s heart and mind.
It is fast moving, written with as few words as possible but not fewer than needed. Each sentence brings the reader face to face with the Bible’s great truths. With a clear and concise style, THE SUM OF ALL HOPE presents a short and fast moving explanation of each event. Scriptures are then presented to support the explanation of the event from a Biblical perspective. Each section ends in a short summary of the event along with unique and haunting visual art that imprints the event into the reader’s mind. Understand the Bible and be prepared for the climatic events that are about to happen!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 11, 2004
• ISBN: 9781418473518

Tim C Hargrove

Tim C. Hargrove holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kansas State University. He has held several senior management positions?in engineering,?business and manufacturing. A serious student of Biblical studies for over thirty years, he has used his business communications skills to create a clear and concise work that summarizes the Bible in 62 distinct and ordered events. Tim, a native of northeast Kansas, grew up on the Hargrove family farm near Huron, Kansas. Tim and his wife, Janet, have four sons Joshua, Jeffrey, Tim, and John-Stephen.

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© 2004 TIM C HARGROVE. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher

make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and

in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/22/2020

ISBN: 978-1-4184-4166-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4184-7351-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2004097555

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Appreciation is expressed to my family who has provided me with encouragement to complete this book. My father and best friend, Bill Hargrove, has provided me with support and advice on the visual content. My son, John Stephen, has assisted me with the development and editing of the artwork. For my other sons, Jeffrey, Timmy, Joshua and wife, Farah, I would like to gratefully acknowledge their interest and inquiry. Finally, I would like to express my love and appreciation to my wife of thirty years, Janet, for her unwavering support and endless hours of editing and coordination with the publisher. She has been my inspiration and my passion for more than three decades. Appreciation is expressed to Jim Collier for his assistance in editing.

This book is dedicated to my mother, Helen Hargrove, and to every individual desiring to have a closer relationship with Christ and to those who seek to have a better understanding of the Bible.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Event #        Event Title

Introduction

In The Beginning

Event 1        Creation Of Wisdom

Event 2        Creation Of The Highest Heavens

Event 3        Creation Of The Angelic Hosts

Event 4        Creation Of The Earth And The Heavens

Event 5        God Prepares The Earth For Their Hosts

Event 6        The Creation Of Man

Event 7        God’s Commandments To Adam

Event 8        Lucifer Rebels Against God

Event 9        The Angels Rebel

Event 10      The Test In The Garden

Event 11      The Fall Of Man

Event 12      Adam’s Lost Inheritance

Event 13      Satan’s Government On Earth

Event 14      Redemption

Event 15      Noah’s Flood And The Nephilim

Event 16      God’s Covenant With Abraham

Event 17      The Mosaic Covenant

Event 18      The Covenant With David

Event 19      The Birth Of Jesus Christ

Event 20      Satan Attacks Messiah

Event 21      The New Covenant

Event 22      Christ Defeats Death

Event 23      Israel Rejects The Covenant

Event 24      The Coming Of The Holy Spirit

Event 25      The Church Is Born

Event 26      The Age Of The Church

Event 27      The Beginning Of The Pangs Of Distress

Event 28      The Rapture Of The Church

Event 29      The Judgment Seat

Event 30      Marriage Of The Lamb

Event 31      Sealing Of The 144,000 Of Israel

Event 32      The Tribulation Period Begins

Event 33      Revelation Of The Man Of Lawlessness

Event 34      Rise Of The False Prophet

Event 35      Ministry Of The Two Witnesses

Event 36      Rise Of The Roman Confederation

Event 37      Peace With Israel

Event 38      The Temple Rebuilt

Event 39      Invasion By The Kings Of The North And South

Event 40      Invasion By Armies Of The Beast

Event 41      God Destroys The Northern Confederacy

Event 42      Antichrist Breaks The Treaty With Israel

Event 43      Babylon The Great

Event 44      One World Rule By The Beast

Event 45      Kings Of The East

Event 46      Invasion By The Lord’s Armies

Event 47      Judgment On The Beast, The False Prophet And Satan

Event 48      The Resurrection Program

Event 49      The Regathering Of Israel

Event 50      The Judgement Of Israel

Event 51      The Judgment Of The Gentile Nations

Event 52      1,000 Year Reign Of Christ Begins

Event 53      Marriage Feast Of The Lamb (Christ)

Event 54      The Millennium Temple Built

Event 55      God Fulfills The Covenant With Abraham

Event 56      Christ Reigns From Jerusalem

Event 57      The Last Rebellion

Event 58      Judgment On The Fallen Angels

Event 59      The Great White Throne Judgment

Event 60      Creation Of The New Heaven And The New Earth

Event 61      The New Jerusalem

Event 62      God Dwells With Man For Eternity

Final Review Of The 62

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

INTRODUCTION

When I talk with people today and the topic turns to religion, I often ask them if they have read the Bible. A common answer I get is I’ve tried to read the Bible, but it just doesn’t make sense to me. People understand parts of the Bible, but few have a grasp of God’s total program. Again and again, I see the need for a simple, understandable book that outlines in order the great events of the Bible and what God’s purpose is in those events. People need to understand the Bible.There’s too much at stake not to!A simple straightforward explanation of the plan of God is why this book was written. It is a biblical chronology from the first event of creation to man and God in eternity.

When reading this book, please keep this in mind.This book breaks down the Bible into 62 distinct events. Each of the 62 events are organized in the order they happened or will happen in the Bible. At the beginning of each event, I’ve written a simple explanation of the event based on scripture.I then present scriptures to support the statement.In a few instances, I’ve supplemented the information from the Bible with other texts from non-canon sources.These non-canon sources aren’t offered as fact, but as supporting evidence for the biblical text presented.Dramatic art in the form of black and white pictures are added at the end of each event explaining the event in visual form.After every twenty events, reviews of the previous twenty events are inserted which will further reinforce your understanding and help you commit the information contained in this book to memory.

Information is presented in as few words as possible, but not fewer than needed.I’ve tried to write each sentence to say something important to the reader. To make it interesting and fast-paced.After youread this book, I hope you come away with a clear understanding of God’s plan.I hope the Bible becomes easy for you to read and understand!God wants you to know that the events portrayed in this book are unfolding dramatically before us today.God assures us that he is in control of those events!

The reader should always check the Bible to verify the accuracy of the information presented here.People should read God’s word in the Bible for themselves.This book is written to get you to do that.You must confirm and convince yourself that what you’re reading is a reasonable and correct approach to God’s word.By doing so, you won’t be fooled or deceived because you’ve read and understood the scriptures for yourself.This book provides a quick reference to major biblical events and their chronological order.

I hope you enjoy reading this book and find it interesting.It’s designed to help you understand and remember God’s whole program for mankind.Use it as a handy quick reference.It is imperative that God’s people understand the great plan outlined in the Bible for mankind.They should understand our purpose and our future. God has a plan!He wants you to know and understand it.Once you do, reading the Bible will become an adventure.The best part, this is not fiction, but fact.It will happen!Those in Christ should not worry about the events in this book.You have a glimpse of the future.The future is assured for those in Christ.If you haven’t made that decision, make it today.I pray the information contained in this book will help you in that decision.

IN THE BEGINNING

THE WORD

Before anything else, there was God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ pre-existed in the far reaches of eternity with the Father.They had no beginning, and they have no end.Before anything was created, Jesus Christ existed with the Father.No matter how far you go back in time—even before time itself was created, Jesus was, is today, and will be forever more.This is hard to imagine. God had no beginning. A beginning denotes time, but time itself was created. In the eternity that has passed, God the Father and God the Son existed.They existed before time.What they did in the eternity before the creation of time, the Bible does not say.But one thing has remained constant, and that’s the love that both the Father and the Son have for you.

SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT

John 1:1

Jesus in eternity

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.He was in the beginning with God.All things came to be through Him, and without Him, nothing came to be.What came to be through Him was life, and this life was the light of the human race."

John 1: 15

His pre-existence

"John testified to Him and cried out, saying, ‘This was He whom I said, the one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because He existed before me.’"

John 17:4

His pre-existence

"I glorify you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.Now glorify me, Father, with you with the glory that I (Jesus Christ) had with you before the world began."

Job 38:1-7

His pre-existence

"Where were you (Job) when I founded the earth?Tell me if you have understanding.Who determined its size: Do you know?Who stretched out the measuring line for it?Into what were its pedestals sunk and who laid the cornerstone while the Sons of God (angels) shouted for joy?"

SUMMARY

The scripture from John 1:1 establishes the fact that Jesus was with God in the beginning.John the Baptist says that He existed before he did, even though John was born before Him.By this statement, John himself acknowledges His pre-existence.In the Gospel of John, Jesus asked His Father to glorify him with the glory he had before the world began, again showing Jesus had a previous glory with God the Father in heaven.In the Book of Job, the Lord was questioning Job, and he asked Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the world?Yes, this is Jesus who laid the foundation of the world.John says nothing was made except it was made through Him (Jesus).In all scripture, Jesus is always seen as pre-existent in eternity with the Father.The scriptures listed above bear this out.In these few scriptures, it is very clear Jesus Christ not only existed before anything was created, but that He has always existed with the Father in eternity.It also states clearly that the act of creation was accomplished through the Word, which from the Gospel of John is seen to be Jesus Christ.

1

CREATION OF WISDOM

Scripture indicates that the first thing ever to happen was the creation of Wisdom.Wisdom was created by Jesus Christ.Sometimes, Wisdom is reportedas a living being.At other times, it’san object.Wisdom, once created, was a constant companion to the Word, Jesus Christ.Wisdom was the craftsman or the active agent of the Word (Jesus Christ) used to create all things in the universe, including the physical and the spiritual.In the Bible, God instructs man to seek Wisdom.Wisdom, God says, would keep man in the paths of righteousness and guard him from sin.Solomon wrote much about Wisdom.God instructed His people to seek Wisdom.Since Wisdom was the first created thing, it was the basis from which all things were made.John says all things were created by the Word.God the Father gave Jesus this authority.That establishes who did the creating.No other person or other god was involved.It says all things came to be through Him (Jesus Christ).It did not say some or most, but all.The Book of Proverbs states that Wisdom was the firstborn of God’s ways.Firstborn means first in order of birth, or born first or created first.From this simple scripture, we establish that Wisdom was the first act of creation by Jesus Christ.The Word (Jesus Christ) then used Wisdom, as His companion as He created all other things.

SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT

John 1:1-3

Jesus the creator

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God.He was in the beginning with God.All things came to be through Him (Jesus) and without Him, nothing came to be."

Proverbs 8: 22-31

Jesus creates wisdom

"The Lord begot me (Wisdom) the firstborn of His ways, the forerunner of His prodigies of long ago; from of old, I (Wisdom) was poured forth, at the first, before the earth.When there were no depths, I was brought forth when there were no fountains or springs of water; before the mountains were settled into place, before the hills, I was brought forth; while as yet the earth and the fields were not made, nor the first clods of the world.When Jesus Christ established the heavens, I (Wisdom) was there.When He marked firm the sky’s above and fixed fast the foundations of the earth; when He set for the sea its limit, so that the waters should not transgress His command; then was I beside Him as His craftsman, and I was His delight day by day, playing before Him all the while, playing on the surface of the earth; and I found delight in the sons of men."

SUMMARY

Jesus Christ and God the Father were in the beginning.They were there before time began.They were without beginning and without end.Through Jesus Christ, all things that were created were made through Him.The very first thing that was ever created by Jesus Christ was Wisdom.Jesus calls Wisdom the firstborn of his ways.Wisdom was present and used by the Word as his craftsman when Jesus created all things in creation.

Review

In the beginning the word

The creation of Wisdom

2

CREATION OF THE HIGHEST HEAVENS

Nehemiah states the Lord Jesus Christ next created the highest heavens. These heavens are not the same heavens where the celestial stars are. God did not make the stars until the fourth day of creation as stated in Genesis.The highest heavens are the dwelling place of God the Father, Christ the Son and the angelic hosts of heaven.From logic, one concludes God would create a place for His creatures to dwell before He created the creatures.After Wisdom and by Wisdom, God created the highest heaven—the future dwelling place for the angelic hosts.This served as the home of spiritual beings called angels as well as the place where God and the Word (Jesus Christ) would dwell.God’s throne is also located here.In the far future, this will also become the home for the Saints.The Bible does not mention where heaven is. Righteous men have been taken there, and some have returned.Enoch the scribe was righteous before God, and he was no more, for God took him to heaven.Elijah was taken to heaven in chariots of fire.The apostle Paul was taken into the third heaven where he witnessed a vision.Heaven is a place of indescribable beauty, and where rewards will be given to those who believe and accept the name and person of Jesus Christ.It will be the eternal home of those who love and have accepted Him.This is the place they will live after they leave this earth.It’s not a place where flesh and blood can live.It’s a place where only those in spirit can live.It will be a place where only the righteous will live in eternity.

SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT

Nehemiah 9:6

Jesus Christ creates the highest heavens

"The Ezra said, ‘It is you, O Lord (Jesus Christ), you are the only one; you made the heavens, the highest heavens and all their hosts."

Psalms 136:5

Christ creates the highest heavens

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for His mercy endures forever.Who made the highest heavens in Wisdom, His mercy endures forever."

Proverbs 3:19

Thru Wisdom, Christ creates the highest heavens

"The Lord by Wisdom founded the earth, established the highest heavens by understanding (Wisdom)."

Psalms 103:19

Christ lives in heaven

The Lord established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.

Psalms 123:1

Christ rules from heaven

To you, I lift up my eyes who are enthroned in heaven.

Isaiah 66:1

Christ rules from heaven

Thus says the Lord, ‘The heavens are My throne, the earth is My footstool.

Matthew 5:12

Rewards given in heaven

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

2 Corinthians 12:2-4

Paul taken to heaven

I know someone in Christ who, 14 years ago—whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know, God knows—was caught up in the third heaven.And I know this person was caught up into paradise and heard ineffable things, which no one may utter.

SUMMARY

Through the use of Wisdom, Jesus Christ created the highest heavens, the dwelling place for all spiritual life.The highest heaven is the place where God and angels dwell.It’s also the place where those who belong to God and his Son will dwell in eternal life.The Christian belongs to God and so this will become the eternal home where he will dwell with God.

Review

In the beginning the Word

The creation of Wisdom

Creation of the highest heavens

3

CREATION OF THE ANGELIC HOSTS

God next created a spiritual order of creatures known as angels.Angels are like us, but not like us.They are thinking creatures.They have emotion and exercise free will. They are spiritual beings and not made of flesh.They are very powerful.Angels were created in ranks, varying in power and position of authority before God.Angels were created to serve and worship God.They live in the highest heavens, but have access to the earth.

Job states that the angels (the sons of God) were created before the earth.Notice from scriptures that angels were present to shout with joy when Jesus Christ laid the cornerstone of the earth.They also proceeded the creation of the sun, moon, and the stars because these weren’t created until the fourth day of creation.

What do the scriptures listed indicate?They state Jesus Christ first created Wisdom.He then used Wisdom to create the highest heavens. God then populated the highest heavens with spiritual creatures called angels.The number of angels He created is vast.Scriptures indicate their number was myriads and myriads, and 10,000 times 10,000.The dictionary defines myriads as innumerable, a vast number.

God created the angels to do many things.Angels roam and patrol the earth to fulfill their assigned duty to safeguard and report our activities to God.These assignments may begin at our birth.They carry the prayers of the saints before God. They intervene and do battle for us against evil spirits and principalities in the heavens.God uses angels to punish an individual, a group of individuals or a nation according to His will.Holy angels are very concerned with the fate of every individual and celebrate whenever one sinner turns to God.Angels themselves can be tempted and fall from grace just as man can.

Angels can appear in many forms and can travel among us, often in secret.They seem to be able to travel great distances in moments of time.They can also cause great physical destruction to man and nature. Angels are not governed by the same physical laws that govern mans physical universe.Angels were created with different levels of power and authority, the highest position of authority in the angelic ranks are archangels.Angels of high rank seem to be assigned to nations, and they stand before God on behalf of their assigned nations and peoples, interceding on their behalf before God.Fallen angels can tempt and destroy man while holy angels wage war on behalf of mankind and God against the fallen angels.Angels will carry out devastating judgments against the world, and will gather and separate the righteous from the unrighteous.Angels will be present when judgment is pronounced upon each and every person on the earth.Angels will also raise their voices in praise alongside each Christian in heaven when praising God and His Son in the future.

With all of their strength, beauty and splendor, angels will serve and be judged by the saints of the church in the end.The scriptures below offer a flavor of their nature, duties and responsibilities.

SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT

Job 38:1-7

Angels created before the earth

"Where were you when I founded the earth?Tell me if you have understanding.Who determined its size: do you know?Who stretched out the measuring line for it?Into what were its pedestals sunk and who laid the cornerstone while the Sons of God (Angels) shouted for Joy?"

Job 1:6-7

Active on the earth

"One day, when the Sons Of God (Angels) came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan also came among them.And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Where do you come? ‘ Than Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘From roaming the earth and patrolling it.’"

Hebrews 2:7

Men of flesh lower than angels

"What is man that you are mindful of Him, or the Son of Man that you care for Him?You made Him for a little while lower than the angels; you crowned Him with glory and honor, subjecting all things under his feet."

2 Peter 2:11

Superior to human strength

"Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to revile glorious beings, whereas angels, despite their superior strength and power, do not bring a reviling judgment against them from the Lord."

2 Kings 19:35-36

Carry out judgment

"That night, the angel of the Lord went forth and struck one hundred and eighty five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.Early the next morning, there they were all corpses of the dead.So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, broke camp, and went back to Nineveh."

1Corinthians 6:3

Judged by Christians

"Do you not know that the Holy ones (Church) will judge the world?If the world is to be judged by you, are you unqualified for the lowest law courts?Do you not know that we will judge angels?

Luke 15:10

Watch over mankind

"In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Luke 12:8-9

Present during judgment

"I tell you, everyone who acknowledges Me before others, the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God."

Mark 1:13

Tempt mankind

"At once, the Spirit drove Him (Jesus) out into the desert, and He remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan."

Matthew 26:53

Involved in warfare

"Do you think that I cannot call upon My Father and He will not provide Me at this very moment with more than twelve legions of angels?"

Revelation 12: 7-9

Involved in warfare

"Than war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it."

Matthew 24: 31

Involved in judgment

"And He will send out His angels with a trumpet blast, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."

Matthew 13:39

Involved in judgment

"The harvest is at the end of the age, and the harvesters are the angels.Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.The Son Of Man will send His angels, and they will collect out of His kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

Matthew 18:10

Personal protectors

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of the heavenly Father."

Matthew 4:11

Personal protectors

Then the devil left Him and, behold, angels came and ministered to Him (Jesus)."

Matthew 4:6

Tempters

"If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning you, and with their hands they will support You, lest You dash Your foot against a stone."

Psalms 91:10-11

Personal protectors

"No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, for to His angels He has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways."

Genesis 19: 12

Carry out judgment

Then the angels said to Lot, Who else belongs to you here?Your sons (sons in law) and your daughters and all who belong to you in the city—take them away from it!We are about to destroy this place, for the outcry reaching the Lord against those in the city is so great that He has sent us to destroy it."

Hebrews 13:2

Travel among us

"Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels."

Psalms 148:2

Serve and worship God

"Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the heights, praise Him, all you His angels, praise Him, all you hosts."

Psalms 103:20

Serve God

"Bless the Lord all you His angels, you mighty in strength, who do His bidding, obeying His spoken word."

Hebrews 1:6-7

Worship God

"Let all the angels of God worship Him.Of the angels he says, ‘He makes the angels winds and His ministers a fiery flame.’"

Revelation 5:11

Worship around God’s throne

"I looked again and heard the voices of the many angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders.They were countless in number, and they cried out in a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory, and blessing.’"

1 Peter 1:10-12

Not all knowing

"Concerning this salvation, prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and investigated it, investigating the time and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the suffering destined for Christ and the glories to follow them.It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves, but you, with regard to the things that have now been announced to you by those who preach the good news to you (through) the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things which angels longed to look."

Other Scriptures

Angels will be used extensively to carry out judgments upon mankind.This is evident in the Book of Revelation.They are seen blowing the seven trumpets in Chapters 8, 9, 10 and 11.In Chapter 17, they pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God."

SUMMARY

Jesus Christ creates the angels and places them in their dwelling place in the highest heavens.They are His servants.Angels are made spiritual and are very powerful.They provide worship to God.They carry out the judgments of God and are very involved in the affairs of men.They live in the highest heavens with God, but they roam and patrol the earth.They move among us seen as well as unseen.God directs their activities in the affairs of humankind on an individual, national and global basis.They are created eternal beings and have tremendous powers and intellect.They were the first creation of life by God.Like man, they were created to serve and worship God the Creator.Their home was established in the highest heavens.

Review

In the beginning the word

The creation of wisdom

Creation of the highest heavens

Creation of the angelic hosts

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Jesus creates the angelic hosts and places them in the highest heavens.

Image10459.tif

Jesus Christ and Wisdom look on as the angelic hosts assume their position

in heaven.Their numbers were myriads and myriads.

Image10466.tif

The angelic hosts worship Jesus Christ their creator.All is well in heaven.

4

CREATION OF THE EARTH

AND THE HEAVENS

The creative work of God was not over.God had created the highest heavens and the angelic hosts of heaven.God was now working toward another great work.He was preparing a special home for a special creature.Jesus was about to create the physical universe and our home called earth.God says that in the beginning, he created the heavens and the earth.In this creative act, he laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens.The earth was formless and void.The interstellar heavens were void of any stars.The sun and the moon had not yet been made.Through God’s creative power, he was shaping and preparing the earth to become the home of mankind.

SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT

Genesis 1:1

Earth formed from water

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."

Job 38:1-7

Earth formed after angels

"Where were you when I founded the earth?Tell Me if you have understanding.Who determined its size: do you know?Who stretched out the measuring line for it?Into what were its pedestals sunk and who laid the cornerstone while the Sons of God shouted for Joy."

SUMMARY

God creates the celestial heavens and the earth.This was God’s first step in the creation of a home for mankind.Scriptures indicate that the angels or Sons of God were present when Jesus laid the cornerstone of the earth.The earth is without form, but God’s active spirit is working to form it into a home for mankind. By forming the earth, God took the first step toward preparing a home for mankind.See Appendix A for theory of creative process.

Review

In the beginning the word

The creation of wisdom

Creation of the highest heavens

Creation of the angelic hosts

Creation of the heavens and earth

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God creates the first heaven and the earth. God is the source of

light upon the earth.

5

GOD PREPARES THE EARTH

FOR THEIR HOSTS

God now takes the earth and molds it into a home for man.He provides all that’s needed for the earth to support and sustain physical life—light, land, water, air, vegetation, fish, mammals and more.God completed this process in six creative days.All that He created on this place called earth was made in perfect harmony. Just as the angels had their perfect dwelling place in the highest heavens, the earth would also be the perfect dwelling place for man.

This place called earth was different than all other creations.Up to this point all the hosts, which God had created, were spiritual in nature.Man, who God was about to introduce, would be created a physical being.God made the earth and all things upon the earth in six days.Everything He created upon the earth was perfect in all ways.Everything was good in the eyes of God.Everything upon the earth would work together to support man whom God was about to create.Every need and want was to be provided in this perfect home that God called earth.

SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT

Genesis 1:4-5

God creates light and darkness

And God said, ‘Let there be light, and there was light.’And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.And God called the light day and the darkness he called night.And evening and the morning of the first day.

Genesis 1:6-8

God divides the waters

And God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.’And God made the firmament, and divided the waters, which were under the firmament from the waters, which were above the firmament: and it was so.And God called the firmament heaven.And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Genesis 1:9-13

Creation of land and vegetation

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.And He called the dry land earth, and the gathering together of the waters, He called seas; and God saw that it was good.And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb-yielding seed, and the fruit tree-yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth, and it was so.And the earth brought forth grass, and herb-yielding seed after its kind, and the tree-yielding fruit, whose seed was in it self, after its kind, and God saw that it was good.And evening and the morning were the third day.

Genesis 1:14-19

Creation of the sun, moon and stars

"And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night, and let there be signs, and for seasons, and for days and for years. And let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,’ and it was so.And God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day (sun), and the lesser light to rule the night (moon), and he made the stars, also.And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness,