GOD PLANNED MAN’S REDEMPTION IN ADVANCE
By W. G. Guy
God, being all-knowing and omnipotent had full knowledge of what would happen after creating man and placing him in charge of the earth. His previous experience with Lucifer, the archangel who was later called Satan, the Accuser and Destroyer, equipped God with the knowledge of what would eventually transpire after placing man in the Garden. Thus God had already made plans to restore man back into his original state as a son of God. God had this planned out even before he made man.
Ephesians 5:1-3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
1 Peter 1:19-20 – But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
The phrase, “before the foundation of the world” means, “before the human race was established”. This is revealed with the original meaning of the word “world” which comes from the Greek word “cosmos” that refers to the social order of mankind that God put into place on the earth.
It must also be noted that the word “redemption” means “restored to the original state”. People fail to recognize the original state of man when God first created him. When God created man He used Himself as the pattern, as it was written.
Genesis 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.
God breathed His own Spirit, His character and nature, into Adam which made him a living soul, a son of God, with all of His likeness and image.
Genesis 2:7 – And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
God’s purpose was to repopulate the earth with beings that He could personally identify with and who would fulfill His purpose and plan on earth replacing the corrupt forms of life that were previously ruled by Lucifer after his rebellion.
Genesis 1:27-28 – So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Note: not transgender or convertible) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, andsubdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
We fail to recognize that Lucifer (Satan) was previously in charge of earth as the “anointed cherub that covered”. God had to wipe it all out and start over with the six day recreation as recorded in Genesis 1.
Isaiah 45:18 – For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.
In Genesis 1:2, the word that is translated was, as used in “the earth was without form and void,” is the wrong tense of the original word “hayah”, which elsewhere in scripture is translated “became”. So the proper translation is, “the earth became without form and void”. This was a result of God’s dealing with Lucifer, the anointed cherub. (Note: Cherubs are God’s special beings used to shield, protect or cover certain things that pertain to God, like the Tree of Life, as in Genesis 3:24.)
The prophet Jeremiah describes the earth upon God’s dealing with Lucifer;s rebellion.
Jeremiah 4:23-26 – I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger. (Thus describes a change taking place in the earth as a result of God judging Lucifer’s domain. Notice all life forms are no longer in existence.)
Ezekiel records the account of Lucifer, the anointed cherub, and his rebellion against God that led to corruption of the earth under his influence and that had to be reformed and remade for man in six days.
Ezekiel 28:13-17 – Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
The kind of life forms and civilizations that existed at the time of Lucifer’s rule over the ancient earth did not have the spirit of God breathed into them as did Adam. These life forms, or “cave men”, were humanoid beings corrupted by their ruler, Lucifer, who continues, even today, his rebellion against God and His chosen ones, mankind. God set man as His chosen vessel to repopulate the earth and bring it into conformity with His will and plan. This plan is what Satan has warred against since the beginning of mankind.
Satan, being jealous and envious of man taking over his prior domain, used his deceit and subtly to deceive Eve to gain control over the earth, and take charge as the god of this world.
2 Corinthians 4:4 – In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Note: While tempting Jesus, the devil acknowledged that his authority to rule over the kingdoms of this world, was given to him by man back in the Garden.
Luke 4:5-6 – And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
Note also: that man’s dominion, that was lost to Satan, will be re-established by God’s man, Jesus, when He returns to set up His kingdom on earth in the millennium.
God had foreknowledge of Satan’s plans to beguile the woman into submitting to the devil’s deceit, that is why He already had a plan of redemption in place that would then be initiated by Adam’s act. But first, we need to recognize who Adam was, and what He was like, as is indicated in Genesis 1:26.
Adam was actually a son of God, just like Jesus, both had the same character and nature because God placed Himself in both Adam and Jesus. Only two men ever came directly from God; Adam and Jesus: Adam was a shadow, or figure of Jesus, as stated in Romans 5.
Romans 5:14 – Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's
transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Christians only recognize Adam after the fall due to sin. They fail to recognize what Adam actually did for his wife, Eve; which was the same thing that Jesus did for all of us. Adam was used of God to initiate God’s plan of redemption which required the shedding of blood. Consider who shed the first blood for covering sin: it was God Himself when made animal skins to cover them.
Genesis 3:21 – Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (Note: God shed the first atoning blood to cover sin.)
The church erroneously teaches that Adam was a traitor by bringing condemnation upon mankind through sin. This error is taught by Satan, “the Accuser of the Brethren”, who wants believers to despise Adam. Scripture says that it wasn’t the man because it was the woman, Mrs. Adam, that transgressed. Yes we blame Adam, only because he took responsibility for Eve’s transgression, Adam took it upon himself, just as Jesus took responsibility for our sin upon Himself.
1 Timothy 2:14 - And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Adam committed an act of love, but Eve committed and act of lust. So we blame Adam, but that actually refers to Mrs. Adam because God called her Adam. It was Adam that named her Eve.
Genesis 5:1-2 – This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
What happened in the garden needs to be understood in more detail. The devil, in his deceit, went after Eve, the weaker vessel, tempting her with the same means that led to his own rebellion and downfall. This consists of the lusts of “I want, I will, and I am”.
1 John 2:15-16 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (Lust of flesh = I will; lust of the eye = I want; pride of life – I am.)
The devil was likely constantly and repeatedly tempting her, because he is insistent in his endeavors to subjugate victims to bow down to his evil ways. When she saw the forbidden tree she could no longer forebear, and her lusts took over her actions, and she took and ate. Adam, who was standing next to her was shocked at what she did; and he saw her die spiritually. This meant that immediately she lost her spiritual covering and became naked and exposed: separated from God and Adam.
At this point Adam could run to God and say, “This woman you gave to me just blew it and sinned, and died spiritually. She can no longer have communion with you or with me. So how about giving me another woman to be my wife.” What do you think God would have thought of Adam’s love for his wife? Remember, God put His own character and nature into Adam. And God is LOVE! Thus Adam had God’s love in him for his wife. Just like Jesus has God’s love in Him for us! Adam had knowledge that God placed in him, which means that Adam knew that God had a plan of redemption because it was established “before the foundation of the world”.
How did Adam know God had a plan of redemption? Remember, Adam had walks with God in the Garden in the cool of the day, Genesis 3:8). This means they had fellowship and communication. So Adam had knowledge of what God had planned concerning him. Thus Eve gave Adam the forbidden fruit, and He ate it knowing that God had a plan to redeem them. Adam then lost his righteousness, the image and likeness of God that was placed in him. Thus we only consider what Adam was like after the fall, and not before it.
Adam’s love for his wife was so great that He gave of himself for her, just as Jesus did for us.
Ephesians 4:25 – Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (How many husbands today would do such a thing?)
God’s plan of redemption is designed to bring all of fallen and sinful mankind back into the full glory of being God’s divine children: sons and daughters of God. This is all accomplished by what Jesus Christ did for us that was completed on the cross. All we need to do is believe on Him and His atoning work on our behalf; repenting and embracing Him. God has provided all that we need to be restored (redeemed) to Him as His divine children as recorded below.
John 1:12 – But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Romans 8:14-19 – For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Galatians 4:6 – And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Philippians 2:15 – That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
1 John 3:1-3 – Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Redemption is God’s divine plan because of His great love for us, and that He intends for us to be conformed to His image and likeness as His own children. This is REDEMPTION! Why did He do all this for us? Because God is LOVE, and love needs an object to love, and desires to be loved in return. This is the great command, to love God and others. Love is redemption’s story!
Why was God’s plan of redemption established before He placed man on the earth? Because God knew the devil’s purpose, personality and plan to oppose Him.
John 10:10 – The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
This sums up Jesus’ message of the kingdom that He preched. It is the redemption of mankind back to the original image and likeness of God and Christ so we can have eternal fellowship with Him as His beloved children. God wants His family fully
restored to be with Him. This is accomplished only one way:
John 14:6 – Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
