What do you think of the Great Cosmic Conflict as outlined below?  How do you think it should influence how we live and what we do with our lives?

The Great Cosmic Conflict

·        In eternity past God was the one and only, undisputed, absolute divine authority in heaven.  He alone was the object of all praise, honor and glory.  All creatures and all things were in complete submission to his divine rule and will.  He alone was respected, honored and worshiped as the only supreme and almighty God.

(Isaiah 40:25) 

·        Pride was born in the heart of Lucifer, a mighty and beautiful angel, and he determined in his heart that he would rise up in rebellion against God, overthrow the throne of God, and assume for himself the very position of God.

(Isaiah 14:13-14)

·        Satan persuades one third of the angels in heaven to enlist in his rebellious sedition. (Revelation 12:4)

·        War breaks out in heaven as Satan and his fallen angels fight to overthrow the throne of God and take over heaven. 

      (Revelation 12:7)

·        Satan’s attempt to topple the throne of God is defeated.  He and his demons are cast out of heaven and hurled to the earth.  (Revelation 12:9; Isaiah 14:12)

·        Satan becomes the prince of this earth.  (Ephesians 2:2; I John 5:19)

·        God creates mankind in innocence as the object of his love.  God gives mankind only one prohibition; you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; thus providing mankind the opportunity to submit to God’s divine authority, rule and will.  (Genesis 1:27, 17)

·        Since Satan was unable to overthrow the throne of God through brute force, he switches to plan “B” in his attempt to harm the heart of God: he quickly tempts mankind and lures them into disobedience and rebellion against God.  Satan apparently scores a massive victory as he aligns mankind with him in opposition to the divine authority of God.  (Genesis 3:1,6)

·        God immediately sets in motion his plan of salvation to rescue and redeem mankind back to himself.  God loves mankind too much to let them go.  He will fight to make them his own again.  At the center of God’s plan to redeem mankind is the gospel; the death, burial and resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. 

      (Genesis 3:15,21; John 3:16)

      ·        Planet earth becomes the primary stage for the ongoing cosmic 

           conflict as the war continues to rage between Good and evil for

           the soul of each human being.  First Satan attempted to overthrow

           God through the war in heaven.  Now he isattempting to prove he

           is more powerful than God in the great war being waged on planet

           earth.  Satan is filled with fury, and in a rage is making war against

those who would obey the commandments of God. 

(Revelation 12:12,17)

·        In the middle, acting as the pawns in the game, are you and I along with every other person who has ever lived on planet earth.  It is a giant, awesome, astonishing cosmic conflict, and the stakes are incredibly high!  God is fighting to bring every living soul back from the place of autonomous rebellion to the place of intimate fellowship and willing submission to his absolute divine authority. Satan is attempting to incite autonomy and rebellion against God in the heart of every living person as he fights to deeply harm the heart and throne of God by destroying human lives.  (John 10:10; Matthew 28:18-20)

·        The cosmic conflict rages on.  Christians are called to the front lines of battle, and invited to ally themselves with the throne of God as the sacrifice of their lives contributes to the furtherance of God’s kingdom and the ultimate defeat of evil.  This is accomplished as we bring ourselves back into God’s original design of complete submission to his divine authority, rule and will: Not my will but thy will be done. 

      (James 4:7; Ephesians 6:10-18; II Corinthians 10:3-6)

·        Ultimately God will win and evil will loose.  Satan and his evil cohorts will be cast forever into the lake of fire, and the dominion of God’s throne will be reestablished forever; Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  Once again God alone will be the only, undisputed, absolute divine authority in heaven and on earth.  He alone will be the object of all praise, honor and glory.  All creatures and all things will once again be in complete submission to his divine rule and will.  He alone will be respected, honored and worshiped as the only supreme and almighty God.  All things will be under his feet.  The cosmic conflict will be over, God will be exalted, and we will spend eternity worshipping and enjoying who he is.  The circle back to the undisputed glory of God will be completed.

(Philippians 2:10-11; Revelation 20:10; Revelation

21:1-7)

Posted by Tony Ingrassia on 2/10/04; 5:07:07 PM