So if (Jesus) the Son (of God) makes you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:36 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

It might be hard to imagine that there is actually a bigger problem than the majority of humanity being enslaved for two and one half millennia.  But the truth is out:  all of creation is enslaved and has been since Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden.  The Babylonian captivity is just a “small” part of the entire problem, since all of creation includes the entire universe.  Perhaps that will put our problems in proper perspective!

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God…For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.  Romans 8:20,24-25 NASB

The apostle Paul, writing to believers in Rome, explained that the record of Genesis reveals that Adam’s sin caused the entire creation to be subjected to “slavery to corruption”, meaning essentially that everything is proceeding from order to chaos, from fitness to ruin, from organization to dis-organization.  You can easily see this everywhere–just imagine what your yard would look like after a few years of no effort.

But when Father subjected the creation, He also gave it hope for a glory change.  And that glory change is on its way!  It is a change that will be revealed, in a way that can be seen.

The word “glory” is the Greek word doxa (pronounced “dock-sa”).  It has a wide variety of meanings, as can be seen here.  But we believe it hearkens back to the shekinah glory that radiated outward from Father’s presence in heaven or wherever He chooses to dwell.

When Solomon dedicated the Temple which he had constructed in Jerusalem about 3,000 years or so ago, the priests brought up the coffer of testimony, usually called the “ark of the covenant” from the part of Jerusalem known as the “City of David” where it was kept in the Tent of Meeting constructed during the much-earlier time of Moses.  After the priests deposited the coffer in the most holy place (the very inner sanctuary) and withdrew, the shekinah glory (a luminous cloud) filled the entire temple to such a degree that no one could even stand, and the priests could not minister–everyone was face down.  Here is how it was recorded:

It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the Lord,  so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 1 Kings 8:10-11

Our poor description in no way does justice to something which is beyond comparison, but the point is:  it will soon be seen, because it is going to be revealed.  The creation will be moved away from slavery and into freedom.  In short, the curse will be removed.  We realize that many religious insiders believe that very soon, the “great tribulation” will begin which will be anything but “glorious”.  We apologize if we are contradicting their doctrine, but we do not believe hell-fire, brimstone, widespread death and destruction are what the Lord and Paul had in mind when he penned Romans 8.  Most importantly, the doctrine of “Great Tribulation” does not lend itself to the hope Paul wrote about (or any other kind of hope, for that matter).  We do not believe anyone is “eagerly” waiting for the Great Tribulation.

The pieces go together like this:  Radiating light from God–Sons of God–freedom–curse removed–creation released–slavery of every kind is banished.

We would like to point out that Jesus, the firstborn and predominant son, revealed this glory when He walked the earth.  Read it for yourself:

And He (Jesus) is the radiance of His (God’s) glory and the exact representation of His (God’s) nature…Hebrews 1:3 NASB

The “sons of God” will, in just the same way Jesus did, become the radiance of God’s glory change.  Paul says this glory will unveil something not seen at least since the subjection of creation by Adam’s sin, if ever.  Jesus Christ, although He is the pre-eminent son, chose NOT to reveal this glory himself, but instead waited to allow his brothers (and sisters) to reveal it.  These brothers and sisters are the ones who have found freedom in the Messiah, the one who came to set us all free.

By trust, and by faith, they have received the gift of salvation, and have become partakers of the divine nature  of which we wrote earlier, and are believing Jesus to change them from the inside out and make them holy.  The glory change will be revealed into these believers and will somehow break out into a transforming freedom that will literally remove the curse from the earth.  We don’t know about you, dear reader, but we can’t wait to meet these people!

They gave up the slave mentality long ago.  What about you; why wait?  Are you, dear reader, one of the ones the entire creation is waiting upon?  If so, we urge you to be reconciled to God.  Call upon the Messiah and tell him you are ready to do your part, whatever that may be.  May the Lord cause His face to shine upon you and favor you!  May the Lord lift his face toward you and give you his shalom!

Blessed are you, O Lord our wonderful God.  Elohim baruch ha shem.  All creation shouts your praise:  beautiful is our God!  The universe will sing:  Hallelujah to you, our King!

 

 

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