by Rick Combs
The rebellion of Lucifer, now Satan the deceiver and accuser wreaked everything in God’s creation. Worst of all, for the first time God is separated and isolated from His creation causing judgment.
An open singular heaven now suddenly becomes three heavens. The Apostle Paul describes the third heaven as the domain where God lives, paradise (2 Corinthians 12:2). Then there is the second heaven known as the universe which is now cold and dark. This is ruled by Satan along with his principalities and powers. Lastly, we have the first heaven of our earth’s atmosphere. Satan also has access to this heaven from which he influences the nations.
One third of the angels who were once united in service and worship to God are now rebelling with Satan. Man, who once walked with God in the newly re-created garden on earth is now cut off from Him. Death and destruction are everywhere.
When you are separated from the source of Life Himself, only death can result.
Things were much different before Lucifer’s rebellion and fall. Genesis 1:1 simply says that “In the Beginning, God created the heaven and earth.” Notice the phrase “the heaven”. This indicates a singular heaven. I do not believe this is an oversight. God created a singular heaven that was open, full of light, and glorious. God moved throughout the open heaven from His Throne in unity and communion, unhindered with His creation. One thing that is certain is that where God is, there is light because God IS light. There is no darkness in Him (1 John 1:5). This open heaven was bathed in light.
Because of the fall and rebellion caused by sin found in Lucifer’s heart, man cannot see into the third heaven. God has placed a cloud and a “sea of glass” between it and the heavens below. Job 26:9 says, “He holdeth back the face of His throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it”.
Gary Paul Miller in his book, CREATION “In The Beginning” on page 103 makes this observation in relation to Job 26:9, “When God divided the original heaven, He divided it with a cloud. This cloud prevents God’s light from passing through into the heavens beneath. God’s throne is also found in the third heaven; and, it is also not visible because of this cloud. God has ‘holdeth back the face of his throne’. It cannot be seen from the heavens beneath.” Additional scriptures for reference are Job 22:12-14 and Psalms 97:2.
Then Miller makes this very interesting statement on page 105 in his book in reference to Revelation 4:6 and 15:2, “God sealed off the third heaven from the heavens beneath it with a sea of glass and a cloud. This prevents the darkness of Satan from corrupting the third heaven.”
It is chilling to realize that the domain where God lives, the third heaven is separated from His creation.
In addition, we see God walking with Adam and Eve in the garden in full fellowship. Unity is the picture. We get a glimpse of this in Genesis 3:8 “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day”. Then things suddenly change. “And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself”.
Where there was fellowship with God, now there is fear and hiding among the things of creation. Since that day, man hides from God in fear among the things of creation. Sin entered due to disobedience and now they are separated from God. They are also driven out of the garden so there is no access to the Tree of Life. Allowing Adam and Eve to be fruitful with a prodigy that would live forever would cause havoc, destruction, and death throughout creation. Sin had to be contained. Man, now infected with sin also must be contained.
Genesis 3:22-24 “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: 23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life”.
We will consider the plight of the human race in our next post.
Until then, the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.