Read

The History of the Ages – Lesson 2

Since one of the purposes of these lessons is to refute the theory of evolution and other related human ideas, we should briefly discuss the difference between so-called scientific law and divine law and other, related issues. 

Now, you may detect in my language from time to time a certain bias, maybe even a hint of sarcasm (as in the use of “so-called” above), as I defend the Scriptures and the integrity of God. I can offer no apologies for this, as my loyalty and love for God constrains me. So, let’s continue.

  

1. The term “scientific law” is a misnomer, since science did not produce these laws and cannot enforce them. When God created the universe, He determined that certain things would be true. These principles then govern and sustain the universe (as we will discuss in later lessons) and are, then, to be understood as divine laws.
2. The continuation of these laws, which govern the universe, the earth and its atmosphere and the life it supports, depends on the ability and the immutability (unchangeableness) of the One Who created it in the first place.
3. God has already decreed that, for some, the physical laws that govern the earth following its first restoration (Genesis 1:1b and following that will be discussed in detail in future lessons) will not govern the earth following its second restoration. This second restoration is briefly mentioned in II Peter 3:10-12 and Revelation 21:1 that speak of a “new earth” that follows the renovation of this current one. The word “new” is kainos and means, qualitatively new or different.

This new earth will be governed by different physical laws; and while we may not understand them entirely based on our own personal experience, we can at least get a glimpse of them by observing the suspension of certain physical laws by the actions of Christ following His resurrection (traveling long distances in an instance, passing through solid walls, etc.).

1. Natural born men on the earth will live through the future renovation of the existing earth and its atmosphere and will then be governed by new divine laws concerning time, space, matter and energy. Hebrews 12:26-28 tells us that God has already shaken the earth once (His partial destruction of the original earth, as will be discussed later) and will shake it once more bringing about a new earth that cannot be shaken (destroyed), an eternal kingdom governed by permanent divine laws obviously different than those we currently understand. If you stop and contemplate what I just said, you will get a glimpse of what is in store as you progress through these lessons and develop a new, or at least clearer, understanding of the plan of God for the future. 
2. When you consider the Scriptures, there can be what might appear to be contradictions. These “contradictions” can usually be resolved by understanding our lack of knowledge as we relate it to our experience; they may be a result of unfortunate translations from the original languages; or, they may be the result of what is often called “modern scholarship”, often crafted to question the accuracy or validity of the Scriptures. Further, when we read the Scriptures there are questions that should naturally arise. For instance: How can God be one and three at the same time? Or, how can God be everywhere or anywhere at the same time? Or, how can God know everything from the past, everything in the present and everything that will happen in the future? And my personal favorite, how can God pre-determine everything that will happen in the future and still give us the freedom to choose our own path and destiny? Head scratchers, all.  
3. In the past several years, discoveries have been made that have may expand our understanding of God. These discoveries have to do with black holes. Scientific law had always told us that gravity requires mass. However, we now know that black holes have zero mass, but also possess tremendous gravitational pull. So now science has added quantum mechanics to its understanding and can explain how gravitational pull can be achieved by the application of weightless energy. Has the divine law of electromagnetism always existed? Of course it has! The only thing lacking was our knowledge and experience.
4. Here’s something else to consider. Our understanding of the world and the universe until recently has been mostly limited to four dimensions: time, height, width and depth (literally, time and three-dimensional space). Our existence, and therefore our experience and understanding, is limited to these four dimensions. However, in their discoveries regarding black holes, scientists believe they can now account for the possible existence of as many as 10 dimensions.
5. Until now, it has always been assumed that the physical universe operated only in these four dimensions (that is, the time-space continuum). However, black holes have placed that assumption in serious doubt. Now, if there are really 10 dimensions, what does that tell us about God? If you go back to part 5 above and the questions asked there, then the application has to be made. If 10 dimensions exist, they certainly are part of divine law. The logical conclusion then is that the creator of these 10 dimensions cannot be confined to only four of them (as we currently are), but can actually move in all of them!
6. Can God exist in multiple time dimensions? Yes, He can. To Him, time is not a single line that moves only forward. Instead, it is a three-dimensional sphere. He can elasticize time or compact it. He can be anywhere in time that He chooses and can stay there as long as He likes. He can go back in time, be present in time or go forward in time. Can He exist in multiple time-space dimensions? Apparently He can. So we can now begin to try to understand how He can know everything from the beginning to the end and how He can carry out to completion all that He has decreed that is yet future.
7. Jesus in the past existed in these multiple dimensions. During His time here on earth in human form, He limited Himself to only four dimensions. After His resurrection, He obviously was no longer limited to four, but existed in multiple dimensions again. Believers will survive the second renovation of the earth because they also will be enjoying the benefits of existing in these multiple dimensions, as we will see when we examine the Millennium in future lessons.

In the next few lessons we will examine the 13 events described in Scripture that took place leading up to the phrase found in Genesis 1:2 “And the earth became without form and void”. These events are as follows: God in eternity past; God’s eternal plan; creation of the heavens; creation of the spirit realm; creation of the earth; creation of the “world” (kosmos – the original social order, often referred to as the preAdamic race); Lucifer’s reign over the first earth in loyalty and obedience to God; placement of angelic rulers over other parts of the universe; God’s existence as the Supreme Governor of the universe and His Kingdom in complete harmony; Lucifer conceives a plot to overthrow God; Lucifer’s rebellion; Lucifer is defeated, cast out of Heaven, confined to earth; Lucifer’s earthly kingdom destroyed leading to the statement found in Genesis 1:2 quoted above “And the earth became without form (uninhabited) and void (an empty waste)”. This will be fully explained in Lesson 7.