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Adam and Eve: Part 1 - Why are We Here?

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Why Are We Here?

• Why are there hypocrites and backsliders?

• Last week we read the personal testimony of many who started their Christian lives with enthusiasm and commitment, but who were, in a relatively short time, so disenchanted with their faith in that they chose to leave Christianity behind, even inviting others to do the same.

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Why Are We Here?

• What power, what force, would cause people who were so excited about their new-found faith, whose lives have changed so dramatically, to refer to their old way of living?

• To answer that question we must go back to the beginning, not just the beginning of their faith in Christ, though we will do that; not just back to the beginning of Christianity, and we will do that too, but back further, to the beginning of mankind, the beginning of the earth, and even before that.

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Why Are We Here?

• Let us begin with an obscure little sentence at the end of 1 Peter 1:12 --

• "Angels long to stoop and look into these things."

• What things could it be that angels "long" to look into?

• What could it be that humanity has to teach angels?

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Why Are We Here?

• Let us look at the context of the entire verse to see what it might be:

• 12 To them it was revealed that they were serving not themselves but you, when they foretold the very things which have now been openly declared to you by those who, having been taught by the Holy Spirit which had been sent from Heaven, brought you the Good News. Angels long to stoop and look into these things.

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Why Are We Here?

• So there were others involved before us, and they were foretelling things which are now openly declared to us in the good news, the gospel.

• Let us who look at the entire context, then, and see the entire story that Peter is telling:

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Why Are We Here?

• 1 Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ: To God's own people scattered over the earth, who are living as foreigners in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Roman Asia, and Bithynia, 2 chosen in accordance with the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, with a view to their obedience and to their being sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. May more and more grace and peace be granted to you.

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Why Are We Here?• 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, who in His great mercy has begotten us anew to an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance imperishable, undefiled and unfading, which has been reserved in Heaven for you, 5whom God in His power is guarding through faith for a salvation that even now stands ready for unveiling at the End of the Age. 6Rejoice triumphantly in the prospect of this, even if now, for a short time, you are compelled to sorrow amid various trials.

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Why Are We Here?• 7 The sorrow comes in order that the testing of your

faith--being more precious than that of gold, which perishes and yet is proved by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the re-appearing of Jesus Christ. 8Him you love, though your eyes have never looked on Him. In Him, though at present you cannot see Him, you nevertheless trust, and triumph with a joy which is unspeakable and is crowned with glory, 9while you are securing as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

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Why Are We Here?

• 10There were Prophets who earnestly inquired about that salvation, and closely searched into it--even those who spoke beforehand of the grace which was to come to you. 11They were eager to know the time which the Spirit of Christ within them kept indicating, or the characteristics of that time, when they solemnly made known beforehand the sufferings that were to come upon Christ and the glories which would follow.

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Why Are We Here?

• So, the angels are aware of some story that even the prophets of the Old testament were kept in the dark about, that are now revealed in the church age believer

• Two questions come to the mind; what is it that is revealed in the New testament believer, and, what mystery does it answer?

• Is there anything in the Bible that might shed more light on what it is about us that the angels are interested in?

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Why Are We Here?• Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons (the

angels) of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan (the adversary and accuser) also came among them. 7 And the Lord said to Satan, From where did you come? Then Satan answered the Lord, From going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down on it. 8 And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who [reverently] fears God and abstains from and shuns evil [because it is wrong]?

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Why Are We Here?• Aha, an Angel, known as Satan, attends an

Angelic, Convocation, and is called out by God himself and is questioned about a believer!

• While this believer is an Old testament Believer, yet has something to teach the angels; our text in 1st Peter indicates that we as Believers after crucifixion of Christ have greater information to offer!

• Let us look back into history and even pre-history, find out what is going on.

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Creation• Genesis 1:1 IN THE beginning God (prepared,

formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and an empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.

• (Is 45:18 For thus says the Lord Who created the heavens, God Himself, Who formed the earth and made it, Who established it and did not create it without form and an empty waste; He formed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord, and there is no one else.)

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Creation• So, here we have a seeming contradiction, the

second verse of Genesis stating that the earth was formless and void at the creation, and Isaiah, quoting God Himself, that He did not create it formless and void.

• 2 Pe 3:5 For they willfully overlook and forget this [fact], that the heavens [came into] existence long ago by the word of God, and the earth also which was formed out of water and by means of water, 6 Through which the world that then [existed] was deluged with water and perished.

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Creation• It was after the creation of angels that this took

place, as they all were present and rejoicing. Job 38:7

• Job 38:4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Declare to Me, if you have and know understanding. 5 Who determined the measures of the earth, if you know? Or who stretched the measuring line upon it? 6 Upon what were the foundations of it fastened, or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

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Creation• The universe was created by the Word of the

Godhead. Ps. 33:6; 2 Pet. 3:5D. • The 2nd person of the Godhead actually did the

speaking and performed the mechanics. John 1:3; Heb. 1:2; Col. 1:16E.

• The Hebrew word, bArA, in Genesis 1:1, indicates that what was created was "ex-nihilo" - out of nothing.

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Creation• The universe and the earth were created perfect.

Deut. 32:4• Isaiah 45:18 describes this perfection.• Not a waste place: not tohu.• Created to be inhabited: organized and stabilized

and populated by a pre-Adamic, non-volitional life.• Probably the prehistoric creatures - dinosaurs and

their contemporaries.

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Creation• Psalm 18:7-15 describes this judgment with

emphasis on the destruction of the physical features of the earth.

• Jeremiah 4:23-26 describes the pre-Adamic earth.• At verse 25, we learn that there were birds present.• Cities in v. 26, refers to the organized living

arrangements of the angels who inhabited the earth.

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Creation

• This act of creation took place before the angelic revolt of Ezek. 28:11-17 and Is. 14:12-17.

• Based on Job 38:7 the purpose for the universe was to promote the greatness of the Godhead in the eyes of his angelic creation.

• Principle of Psalm 19:1

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Angelic Observation

• The creation of angels is an expression of God's perfect character. Psalm 148:2, 13; Col. 1:16

• Why they were created is not directly taught in the bible, but they are "creatures" and have creature limitations.

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Angelic Observation

• The primary activity of angels gives a clue as to why they were created. Psalm 148:2; 103:20; Isaiah 6:1-3.

• To proclaim and reflect the character of God through praise and service and to have fellowship with Him on that basis.

• Angels were created with volition so that worship and service would be an issue of choice.

• God, with His perfect omniscience anticipated the expression of evil by volitional creatures.

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Angelic Observation

• He allowed this to take place in order to once and for all expose, neutralized and judge evil so that in eternity future, evil will never again be an issue for volitional creatures.

• Once evil was expressed by angels, God instituted his plan to judge it by creating an inferior creature with the same volitional capacity - man.

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Angelic Observation

• From the creation of Adam throughout the entire human race, the reality of God's perfect righteousness, justice and love is established through both those who accept divine policy as well as those who reject it.

• Because of this ultimate purpose for man, he is the object of angelic observation.

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Angelic Observation

• Elect angels see the promotion of divine policy in the human race and rejoice at the vindication of what they know to be true.

• Fallen angels see the promotion of divine policy in the human race and realize a confirmation of God's perfect righteousness and justice.

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Angelic Observation

• In the beginning, all angels rejoiced at the initial creation of the world. Job 38:4-73.

• But there was observation and interference in Eden. Gen. 3:1-54.

• There was observation and interference with Cain and Abel. 1 John 3:12; Gen. 4:1-8

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Angelic Observation

• Observation and interference prior to the flood is seen in Gen. 6:1-7

• This resulted in the angelic infiltration of the human race and the judgment on man and angel that followed.

• On man: the flood - Gen. 6:9-13; 7:12. • On angels: 1 Peter 3:18-20; Jude 6; 2 Peter

2:4

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Angelic Observation• Related to this historical occurrence is the purpose

for the woman having long hair. 1 Cor. 11:1-106. • Satan's periodic observation of the earth as his

domain is seen in many passages: Job 1:6-11; 2:1-5 (His domain: Lk. 4:6; Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 1 Cor. 2:8; 2 Cor. 4:4; I Jn.5:19)7.

• Observation and participation at the giving of the Mosaic law. Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2

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Angelic Observation• Periodic observation and participation throughout

the old testament.• Gen. 18 and 19 - Abraham and Lot• Gen. 32:1-2 - Jacob• 2 Kings 6:8-23 - Elisha• The watchers: Dan. 4:17, 1 Kings 22:19-23• "national" demons: Dan. 10:20-21

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Angelic Observation

• When Satan sinned against God, he was sentenced to the lake of fire for all eternity. Ezek. 28.19b; Mt. 25.41

• Mt 25:41 Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!