TWO
So, let’s bring together these two points: the development of intellect and the development of faith.
Today, humanity in general has a highly mature intellectual capacity with a foundation where we need to resolve the issues of faith not “as a child, thinking and reasoning as a child”, but “as a man, setting aside the childish (aka immature and intellectually contradictory) interpretations and understanding of scripture. We need to reach for an understanding that allows us to bring together all the things we know in a framework that is clear and logical, that resolves the contradictory issues and allows us to grasp the scripture and the work of God in a way that is unified with our intellect and grasp of the reality of the physical universe.
Based on such an objective, let's think of some questions to which we might apply the same level of intellectual understanding we have about the material universe (laws of biology, chem, physics, math, etc) but applied to the matters raised by scripture.
For example: Scripture says Adam and Eve would die when they ate the fruit, but also that Adam lived hundreds of years after that. So, what actually happened? Also, what was the fruit? Was the fruit a material fruit? Was it symbolic? What were the actual consequences or results of the mistake that they made? How do those consequences manifest in their world and our world?
And why did God actually give the commandment? How can we reconcile, logically, the idea that God is a loving father with the idea that he placed his children in a situation where they could die? Could it be a test? No loving parent would devise such a test. So, why? How?
Also, the Fall of Adam and Eve became the origin of sin. Why is sin inherited? How is it inherited? Why do successive generations also have sin? Why doesn’t it stop with one generation?
What about Christians? Why is it that even if the parents are ‘saved’, and then give birth to children, why do those children also need to be saved? Why aren’t they ‘saved’ already?
What about resurrection? What actually happens? Is it material? Spiritual? Or what? What are the mechanisms by which resurrection takes place? Is it instantaneous, or does it happen over time? What are the laws which govern resurrection? If there are laws of physics, are there laws that govern resurrection? If so, what are they?
What about our spirit? How is it structured? The laws of physics, chem, biology, etc, control and determine our physical health. Are there laws that determine our spiritual health? If so, what are they? How can we be sure they are actual laws, and not just ideas? What does sin do to us, and our spiritual capacity and function?
Many of these are reasonable questions that believers over the last 2000 years may have grappled with at some point, but which few, if any, could resolve clearly without appealing to the solution I mentioned before: either dismissing intellectual knowledge and logic (i.e. about the laws of physics, chemistry, etc) or dismissing the one or more parts of the evidence of scripture.
However, if God created us with the capacity to understand the material world to the level that we currently do, isn't it logical to think that he also created us to understand the world of spirit and heart, etc., to the same level?
The logical conclusion to that question is that the Fall of Adam and Eve was not just a spiritual and moral fall, but also an intellectual one. Humanity fell into ignorance, both about spiritual things (the nature of God, the nature of our own spirit and existence, the purpose of creation, how God works to resolve sin in us) and about material things (the nature of God’s created universe, including the biological, chemical, and physical laws that govern it. If this is a logical conclusion, is it borne out by what we know about history, and scripture? Yes.
Over the history of God's providence (revealed in scripture) we can see that intellectually humanity has risen from ignorance to knowledge with regards to the material world. But also, this is true of the spirit. Ignorance about the nature of God has been removed step by step by knowledge about God - who God is, what his nature is, what this purpose is, etc.. that has been imparted in stages via God’s Word over time.
Abraham's understanding of God was very different (greatly developed) compared to other people of his time. The Israelites were educated to understand that God is one, and that all the other 'minor' gods are false. Later, Jesus brought an even clearer understanding of God, and attempted to educate his people in that regard. How there was something even greater or deeper than “the Law”.
And yet, Jesus also said: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now."
Let's put it all together. The truth about the material world has been revealed more and more to humanity (particularly in the last 500 years) via the path of science. The truth about God and the spiritual reality has been revealed more and more to humanity via the path of Faith and religion (aka via God's word).
But as both Jesus and Paul indicate clearly in the scripture, our level of understanding God is not (or was not) complete, and at some point, it is destined to increase to a complete level: "Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
At some point, the internal spiritual knowledge we have gained and the external material knowledge we have gained need to be brought together in a unified God-centered framework so that our experience of contradictions between the two are satisfactorily resolved.
Applying this logic to the question of the nature of the relationship between Revelation and the Great Awakening (where we are now in history), we logically need to do a few things. One, we need to grasp clearly what Revelation is all about. Two, we need to have some standard or criteria for evaluating that.
The key to understanding Revelation is actually found in Genesis. Genesis is about the start of the so-called history of humanity. Revelation is about the conclusion of the history of humanity. The scientific approach we apply in the material world works because we have come to grasp clearly that there is a direct relationship between cause and effect. Via effect, we learn about cause. Likewise, to grasp Revelation, we need to grasp Genesis first.
There are two logical sections to Genesis actually. One is the creation of the universe and man by God, pre-sin. Two, is the Fall of man into sin, and an unfolding of the consequences. Only a satisfactory, logical and clear grasp of both of these topics can be the basis for understanding not only revelation, but the whole of scripture comprised of the Old and New Testament, because the Scripture itself is the explanation (even if not 100% clear) of how God is resolving the second point: the consequences of the Fall.
That’s a lot to unpack, I know, but I mention all this because the Great Awakening is about humanity waking up to understand the actual mechanisms by which Satan has been exercising his sovereignty of the world. But there’s a really interesting part of Genesis that gives us a clue as to how we can understand the larger dimensions of God’s providence as well as what is happening now.
Look at the process by which God “created” Adam. “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.”
So, this is God’s creation process for man: First, God formed Adam’s flesh using the material elements of the universe. (This is symbolizes by God using the dust of the ground. It’s written using that language and that metaphor because that is all that the people of that day – Moses time, could grasp. They knew almost nothing about atoms, about the vast material universe, etc.). Second, God invested his spirit into Adam (the “breath of life”).
God’s providence of salvation is the providence of God’s recreating us, restoring us from a sinful state to a non-sinful state. The Great Awakening is happening first, revealing and exposing the external, material mechanisms of Satan’s ruling over our world. Following the Great Revelation, humanity will be exposed to the truth about all the secrets of how Satan has interfered with humanity spiritually and continually led us to sin. (i.e. the many things Jesus Christ had to share with his people and his disciples, but which they could not grasp or bear; i.e. the knowing clearly even as I am known that Paul could foresee). External knowledge first, internal knowledge second. Dust first, breath of life second.
That, at any rate, is, in part and in very broad strokes, my understanding of where we are and how the Great Awakening relates to the unfolding of God’s truth.
Thanks for the opportunity to share. Can go more into Revelation another time, perhaps.
Note: In the above, I put aside any contemplation of how the Cabal may have distorted the historical record here. I know there are people who do subscribe that that direction of thinking (just like there are flat-earthers), but let me just say, for me, such theorizing is not helpful at this juncture, imo. I accept scripture as it is, and believe that God is speaking to us through scripture. However, it also seems clear that the Old Testament and the New Testament both contain many, many issues that can only be resolved by gaining a deeper and clearer insight than has, up to this point, been available to us.
TWO
So, let’s bring together these two points: the development of intellect and the development of faith.
Today, humanity in general has a highly mature intellectual capacity with a foundation where we need to resolve the issues of faith not “as a child, thinking and reasoning as a child”, but “as a man, setting aside the childish (aka immature and intellectually contradictory)* interpretations and understanding of scripture. We need to reach for an understanding that allows us to bring together all the things we know in a framework that is clear and logical, that resolves the contradictory issues and allows us to grasp the scripture and the work of God in a way that is unified with our intellect and grasp of the reality of the physical universe.
Based on such an objective, let's think of some questions to which we might apply the same level of intellectual understanding we have about the material universe (laws of biology, chem, physics, math, etc) but applied to the matters raised by scripture.
For example: Scripture says Adam and Eve would die when they ate the fruit, but also that Adam lived hundreds of years after that. So, what actually happened? Also, what was the fruit? Was the fruit a material fruit? Was it symbolic? What were the actual consequences or results of the mistake that they made? How do those consequences manifest in their world and our world?
And why did God actually give the commandment? How can we reconcile, logically, the idea that God is a loving father with the idea that he placed his children in a situation where they could die? Could it be a test? No loving parent would devise such a test. So, why? How?
Also, the Fall of Adam and Eve became the origin of sin. Why is sin inherited? How is it inherited? Why do successive generations also have sin? Why doesn’t it stop with one generation?
What about Christians? Why is it that even if the parents are ‘saved’, and then give birth to children, why do those children also need to be saved? Why aren’t they ‘saved’ already?
What about resurrection? What actually happens? What is the mechanism by which it happens? Is it instantaneous, or does it happen over time? What are the laws which govern resurrection? If there are laws of physics, are there laws that govern resurrection? If so, what are they?
What about our spirit? How is it structured? The laws of physics, chem, biology, etc, control and determine our physical health. Are there laws that determine our spiritual health? If so, what are they? How can we be sure they are actual laws, and not just ideas? What does sin do to us, and our spiritual capacity and function?
These are reasonable questions that believers over the last 2000 years have grappled with, but which few, if any, could resolve clearly without appealing to the solution I mentioned before: either dismissing intellectual knowledge and logic (i.e. about the laws of physics, chemistry, etc) or dismissing the one or more parts of the evidence of scripture.
However, if God created us with the capacity to understand the material world to the level that we currently do, isn't it logical to think that he also created us to understand the world of spirit and heart, etc., to the same level?
The logical conclusion is that the Fall of Adam and Eve was not just a spiritual and moral fall, but also an intellectual one. Humanity fell into ignorance, both about spiritual things (the nature of God, the nature of our own spirit and existence, the purpose of creation, how God works to resolve sin in us) and about material things (the nature of God’s created universe, including the biological, chemical, and physical laws that govern it. If this is a logical conclusion, is it borne out by what we know about history, and scripture? Yes.
Over the history of God's providence (revealed in scripture) we can see that intellectually humanity has risen from ignorance to knowledge with regards to the material world. But also, this is true of the spirit. Ignorance about the nature of God has been removed step by step by knowledge about God - who God is, what his nature is, what this purpose is, etc.. that has been imparted in stages via God’s Word over time.
Abraham's understanding of God was very different (greatly developed) compared to other people of his time. The Israelites were educated to understand that God is one, and that all the other 'minor' gods are false. Later, Jesus brought an even clearer understanding of God, and attempted to educate his people in that regard. How there was something even greater or deeper than “the Law”.
And yet, Jesus also said: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now."
Let's put it all together. The truth about the material world has been revealed more and more to humanity (particularly in the last 500 years) via the path of science. The truth about God and the spiritual reality has been revealed more and more to humanity via the path of Faith and religion (aka via God's word).
But as both Jesus and Paul indicate clearly in the scripture, our level of understanding God is not (or was not) complete, and at some point, it is destined to increase to a complete level: "Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
At some point, the internal spiritual knowledge we have gained and the external material knowledge we have gained need to be brought together in a unified God-centered framework so that our experience of contradictions between the two are satisfactorily resolved.
Applying this logic to the question of the nature of the relationship between Revelation and the Great Awakening (where we are now in history), we logically need to do a few things. One, we need to grasp clearly what Revelation is all about. Two, we need to have some standard or criteria for evaluating that.
The key to understanding Revelation is actually found in Genesis. Genesis is about the start of the so-called history of humanity. Revelation is about the conclusion of the history of humanity. The scientific approach we apply in the material world works because we have come to grasp clearly that there is a direct relationship between cause and effect. Via effect, we learn about cause. Likewise, to grasp Revelation, we need to grasp Genesis first.
There are two logical parts to Genesis actually. One is the creation of the universe and man by God. Two, is the Fall of man into sin, and an unfolding of the consequences. Only a satisfactory, logical and clear grasp of both of these topics can be the basis for understanding now only revelation, but the whole of scripture comprised of the Old and New Testament, because the Scripture itself is the explanation (even if not 100% clear) of how God is resolving the second point: the consequences of the Fall.
That’s a lot to unpack, I know, but I mention all this because the Great Awakening is about humanity waking up to understand the actual mechanisms by which Satan has been exercising his sovereignty of the world. But here’s a really interesting part of Genesis that gives us a clue as to how we can understand the larger dimensions of God’s providence as well as what is happening now.
Look at the process by which God “created” Adam. “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.”
So, this is God’s creation process for man: First, God formed Adam’s flesh using the material elements of the universe. (This is symbolizes by God using the dust of the ground. It’s written using that language and that metaphor because that is all that the people of that day – Moses time, could grasp. They knew almost nothing about atoms, about the vast material universe, etc.). Second, God invested his spirit into Adam (the “breath of life”).
God’s providence of salvation is the providence of God’s recreating us, restoring us from a sinful state to a non-sinful state. The Great Awakening is happening first, revealing and exposing the external, material mechanisms of Satan’s ruling over our world. Following the Great Revelation, humanity will be exposed to the truth about all the secrets of how Satan has interfered with humanity spiritually and continually led us to sin. (i.e. the many things Jesus Christ had to share with his people and his disciples, but which they could not grasp or bear; i.e. the knowing clearly even as I am known that Paul could foresee). External knowledge first, internal knowledge second. Dust first, breath of life second.
That, at any rate, is, in part and in very broad strokes, my understanding of where we are and how the Great Awakening relates to the unfolding of God’s truth.
Thanks for the opportunity to share. Can go more into Revelation another time.
Note: In the above, I put aside any contemplation of how the Cabal may have distorted the historical record here. I know there are people who do subscribe that that direction of thinking (just like there are flat-earthers), but let me just say, for me, such theorizing is not helpful at this juncture, imo. I accept scripture as it is, and believe that God is speaking to us through scripture. However, it also seems clear that the Old Testament and the New Testament both contain many, many issues that can only be resolved by gaining a deeper and clearer insight than has, up to this point, been available to us.