Lesson: Creation of the Family of God Page 9
Christian Churches of God
No. CB4_2
Lesson:
The Creation of the
Family of God
(Edition 1.0 20061021-20061021)
God the Father or Eloah did not come into existence. He has always existed. At some point He decided to extend Himself and create a family. In this lesson we will look at the concepts related to the creation of the spiritual and physical beings that make up this family.
Christian Churches of God
PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA
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(Copyright ã 2006 Diane Flanagan, ed. Wade Cox)
This paper may be freely copied and distributed provided it is copied in total with no alterations or deletions. The publisher’s name and address and the copyright notice must be included. No charge may be levied on recipients of distributed copies. Brief quotations may be embodied in critical articles and reviews without breaching copyright.
This paper is available from the World Wide Web page:
http://www.logon.org and http://www.ccg.org
Lesson:
The Creation of the Family of God
Lesson: Creation of the Family of God Page 9
Lesson: Creation of the Family of God Page 9
Goal:
To review the basic concepts related to the creation of Eloah.
Objectives:
- Children will be able to understand that God always existed alone.
- Children will be able to understand what God created first.
- Children will understand when man was created.
- Children will understand how God will reconcile the creation to Himself.
- Children will have a general understanding how the human /spiritual beings will be incorporated into the Family of God.
Resources:
The Creation of the Family of God (No. CB4)
Who is God? (No. CB1)
Who is Jesus? (No. CB2)
What is the Holy Spirit? (No. CB3)
The Angelic Host (No. CB28)
How God Became a Family (No. 187)
http://www.flaghouse.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=10031&iorb=4764
Relevant Scriptures:
John 17:3; 1John 5:20; 1Timothy 6:16
Format:
Open with prayer.
Ask the children what they think the Family of God means.
Read the paper The Creation of the Family of God (No. CB4).
Activity(s) associated with Lesson: The Creation of the Family of God (No. CB4_2).
Close with prayer.
Lesson Introduction:
Read through the paper The Creation of the Family of God (No. CB4), unless it is read as the sermonette.
Review the basic concepts of the paper with the children. Children’s questions are in bold.
Q1. Who alone has always existed?
A. The One True God, Eloah, has always existed (Jn.17:3; 1Jn.5:20).
Q2. Can God die?
A. No, God cannot die. He alone is an immortal being (1Tim. 6:16). God is saying here: "I will be what I will become" (from notes in The Companion Bible).
Q3. Is He (Eloah) the first and last?
A. Yes. He is Alpha (which means the beginning) and He is the Omega (which means the last) (Rev. 1:8).
Q4. What does "I AM WHO I AM” mean from Exodus 3:14?
A. God is saying here: "I will be what I will become" (from notes in The Companion Bible).
Q5. Is the Holy Spirit the power of God?
A. Yes, the Holy Spirit is the power of God, but it did not exist separately from God until God began the creation. So this separation was the first element of the creation. The Sons of God were created after that, as the Spirit was essential for their interaction with the Father. See the paper What is the Holy Spirit? (No. CB3).
Q6. How will the creation be “all in all”?
A. Through the Holy Spirit the entire creation of spiritual and physical beings will become "all in all" (Eph. 4:6). The Holy Spirit is the substance that ties the entire creation together with God the Father.
Q7. Did God create many spiritual sons? Is He then the Father of these spiritual sons?
A. Yes, God created many sons (Deut. 32:8; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:4-7) and He became God as the Father from the creation or generation of these spiritual sons (Heb. 12:9).
Q8. Do we know the exact number of the spiritual sons of God?
A. We do not know the exact number of spirit beings but there are possibly over 100 million (see Dan. 7:9-10; Mat. 26:53; Lk. 2:13; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11).
Q9. Do the spiritual sons of God know everything about God’s Plan?
A. No. Even Jesus Christ needed things revealed to him. That is why Revelation 1:1 states: "the revelation of Jesus Christ (to John) that God gave him to show his servants things which must shortly take place".
The spirit beings needed to demonstrate patience and wait until the Mysteries of God are revealed to humans (in stages), so then they too can fully understand the Plan of God. The Bible tells us "there were things that angels desired to look into" (1Pet. 1:12).
Q10. Was Jesus Christ the first one or beginning of the creation of God in the spiritual and physical sense?
A. Yes, Jesus Christ was the beginning of the created (or generated) spiritual Sons of God. (Rev. 3:14), and the first-begotten or first-born physical son of God (Col.1:15). God the Father did the creating.
Q11. Who developed the administrations or organizations of the spiritual Temple?
A. Christ developed the administrations of the spirit beings (Col. 1:16).
Q12. Who was slain or known to have to given up his life for man and the fallen Host from the very beginning?
A. Messiah was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8).
Q13. Who was anointed above his partners?
A. Christ was completely loyal to the Father’s Plan and fulfilled all aspects of the Plan. By his death Jesus Christ fulfilled his part in redeeming man and Host to the Father. He was anointed above his companions, or fellow spirit beings (Ps. 45:7; Heb. 1:9).
Q14. What is the first thing God created?
A. The spiritual creation (angels).
Q15. Describe what God’s Throne looks like?
A. Before the Throne there is a sea of glass like crystal, and in the centre, around the Throne, are the 4 Living Creatures (Rev. 4:6). Jesus Christ is now sitting at the Father’s right hand (Mk. 16:19; Lk. 22:69; Acts 7:55; Rom. 8:34). Revelation 4 and 5 tell us God is sitting on His Throne in Heaven with a rainbow around the Throne (Rev. 4:3). There are also 24 thrones with the 24 Elders sitting on these thrones, clothed in white garments and with crowns on their heads (Rev. 4:4). There are seven lamps of fire burning before the Throne. They represent the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 4:5).
Q16. Is there a congregation or a group of spirit beings around God’s Throne?
A. Psalm 82:1,8 also talks about God in His congregation and describes how He judges. Other references to God’s Council are found in Psalm 86:8; 95:3; 96:4,5; 97:7,9; 135:5; 136:2; 138:1.
Q17. Do we have any idea where God’s Throne is?
A. Yes, it is in the sides of the north from Isaiah 14:13, and 2Corinthians 12:2 tells us it is in the third heaven.
Q18. What do the seven Spirits before God’s Throne represent?
A. Revelation 1:4 tells us that there are seven Spirits before God’s Throne. And Revelation 4:5 informs us that there are seven lamps burning before the Throne of God, which represent the seven Spirits of God. Zechariah 4:3 describes the two olive trees on the sides of the golden lamp stand with its seven lamps, from which the Holy Spirit flows through to the Seven Churches. Revelation 1:20 indicates that the seven lamp stands are the Seven Churches, and the two olive trees are the Two Witnesses (Zech. 4:11-14).
Q19. Which quadrant or area is each of the four living creatures responsible for?
A. Lion in the east, man in the south, bull in the west, eagle in the north (Ezek. 1:5-28; Rev. 4:7-8).
Q20. What do the 24 Elders look like and what is their “job”?
A. They are dressed in white robes with gold crowns on their heads (Rev. 4:4); they worship (Rev. 5:8; 19:4) and monitor the prayers of the saints (Rev. 5:8).
Q21. How many Elders are there in each quadrant?
A. There are six Elders assigned to each one of the four quadrants or areas (6 x 4 = 24).
Q22. How many beings are there in the Inner Council or group after Messiah was anointed above his partners?
A. There are 30. 1- God the Father, 1- Messiah, 4- Living Creatures, 24- Elders (1+ 1+ 4+ 24 = 30).
Q23. How many Elders in the Outer Council? How many in the total Council?
A. 40 Elders in Outer Council; 70 Elders in total Council.
Q24. What else do we know of that has 70 or 72?
A. There are numerous references to the number 70 in Scripture. Historically, Moses ordained 70 (Num. 11:24-26). Even the Sanhedrin (or Council of Elders), which was Israel’s governing Council, was based on the number 70 (see also Ex. 24:1,9; and Lk. 10:1,17).
Q25. What did God create first, the angelic Host or the Earth?
A. The angelic Host was created first then the Earth. (Gen. 1:1; Job 38:4-7).
Q26. Who was placed in charge of the Earth? What does his name mean?
A. Lucifer (which means light bearer) and the other Sons of God were placed in charge of the planet and directed to take care of it and the people who would be placed on it.
Q27. Was Lucifer created prefect? Was he at the very Throne of God?
A. Yes, he was created perfect and functioned as a Covering Cherub at the Throne of God (Ezek. 28:12-15). He was in the south/man position and was given huge responsibility over God’s spiritual creation, and later the physical creation. He held the rank of Morning Star of the planet (Ezek. 28:12).
Q28. Did Lucifer remain perfect and loyal to God and His Law? Does God “make” any of us (man or Host) always obey Him?
A. No, Lucifer was perfect until wickedness or iniquity was found in him (Ezek. 28:15). Lucifer attempted to lead a rebellion to replace God the Father. He said: "I will make myself like the Most High" (Isa. 14:13,14). Lucifer and one third of the Host rebelled against God (Rev. 12:4). Some sources believe that half of the Inner Council joined with Lucifer in the rebellion against God the Father. God gives man and Host “free moral agency” which means God allows us to choose to obey or disobey. God did not make us robots that will always obey Him; we have to want to obey God and His Law.
Q29. Did Lucifer’s name remain the same after he rebelled?
A. No, his name was changed to Satan, which means the adversary, or accuser of the brethren (1Pet. 5:8; Rev. 12:10; Zech. 3:1). An adversary is someone who is always trying to hurt us.
Q30. Did Satan keep his “job” as Covering Cherub after he rebelled?
A. No, Satan’s role as Covering Cherub over God’s Throne became vacant after his rebellion (Ezek. 41:18-19).
Q31. Though the Earth was created perfect did it remain in that state?
A. No, the Earth became formless and empty (Gen. 1:2). It is thought that this happened when Lucifer rebelled. He and the fallen Host were cast back to the Earth and it became tohu and bohu, which means chaotic and empty.
Q32. Was Satan left in charge of the Earth and future people of the Earth?
A. Yes, Satan is the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2) and the god of this world (2Cor. 4:4).
Q33. Who created the humanoids?
A. There were human-type creatures that lived on the Earth a very long time ago, and they are referred to as humanoids. They only had limited things in common with modern man. They walked on two feet, but they thought and acted very differently from modern man. They were the creation of the fallen Host. God the Father never intended for them to be on the Earth. Remember, the angels did not know God’s entire Plan and this was one of Satan’s many attempts to take over God’s Plan. The One True God never ordained the creation of these beings; therefore, they did not have access to God’s Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us this creation will not be in the resurrection (Isa. 26:13-14).
Q34. How many days in a week?
A. There are seven days in a week.
Q35. Which day of the week is the Sabbath? How many days are we to work?
A. The seventh day (Saturday) is the Sabbath. We are to work on the other six days. The Sabbath, or seventh day is our time to spend learning of and worshiping the One True God.
Q36. How many “days” was Satan given to work on the Earth and care for the Adamic or human creation? What happens when Satan’s time is finished?
A. God works things out in His time-frame. God allowed about 6,000 years for the current system under Satan's rule, since Adam was created. We are nearing the end of that 6,000-year period now. Satan’s time will be cut short and the 1,000-year millennial reign of Jesus Christ the Messiah, the new Morning Star of the planet, will soon begin. This is referred to as the Period of Just Rule.
Q37. Did God know that some of the spiritual creation would rebel even before He created them?
A. Yes, God knew everything from the beginning; He knew some of the spiritual Host would rebel. Therefore, the One True God, in His infinite love and wisdom, created two systems: one spiritual and one physical. Each type of being has the capacity and freedom to make choices. Each type of being has certain responsibilities.
Q38. What are the specific jobs of the spiritual and physical beings?
A. The spiritual sons of God are to help care for humans and the planet. Once humans were created some of spiritual Sons of God acted as messengers between God and man. We, as humans, are to worship the One True God, care for our families and the planet, and help all people to understand the One True God. Both the spiritual and physical systems are tried and tested in their respective duties.