We continue with the subject of,

The Millennium and the End of Sin

The New Earth? And who Adventist believe will dwell there

In our previous post we had taken a look at the spiritual application of the statement taken from John 14:2, viz.,

In my father’s house (place of residence, abode, home, Strong’s # 3614) are many mansions (habitations, dwelling places, an abiding, an abode, Strong’s # 3438; conditions or levels of being).

Now as to the literal application, the literal habitation or heavenly abode in which God abides. We believe that this consists of many “mansions”, or levels of (spirit) beings, the lowest of which we know to be the angelic host whom the scriptures inform us are but one step above that of perfect man on the earthly plain of being. We have little information as to how many levels exist above this, although the scriptures do mention cherubim and seraphim, however these  appeared to be more related to position or authority than to a separate level of spirit being. Nevertheless, what we do know is that the highest level of existence on the spirit plain is the divine plain or immortal plain, and that presently this plain is inhabited by only two individuals our Lord and the Heavenly Father Himself.

That there exist different levels of beings on the spirit plain we surmise partly from what the scriptures reveal to us and partly to how the same pattern is found on the earthly plain. On the earthly plain there are various natures both animate and inanimate. For example, animal beings ranking from the lowest to the highest, fish, fowl, brute and human. Vegetation from, mosses, grasses, shrubs and trees. Minerals likewise follow the same pattern, iron, copper, silver and gold.

Note carefully that while the classes named above are distinct and separate, yet a comparison between them may be instituted, thus: The highest grade of mineral is still inferior to, or a little lower than, the lowest grade of vegetable (moss), because in vegetation there is life. So, the highest grade of vegetable (a tree) is a little lower than the lowest grade of animal life (a fish), because animal life, even in its lowest forms, has intelligence enough to be conscious of existence. Likewise, man, though the highest of animal or earthly beings, is “a little lower than the angels,” because angels are spiritual or heavenly beings.

Another thing we gleam from our text, John 14:2, 3 is that this new place or plain of existence which our Lord had gone to prepare is not the same place (seat or honor) as that presently occupied by the Heavenly Father Himself.

Why is this?

One because it did not yet exist at the time, and two because we know the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY occupies the highest place, the highest seat and honor of all,

“The highest heavens belong to the LORD…” (Psa 115:16)

“The honor and prerogatives of His office God will give to none other. He will always be preeminent over all other beings in the universe. The principle is expressed in Isa 42:8,

“I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory (honor, abundance) will I not give to another.”

God does not share coequal honor with Christ.

This is fully attested by the scriptures, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.” (Phil 2:6)

“For “He (God) has put all things under His (Christ) feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Cor 15:27,28)

Jesus is the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega, as (1) the first and only directly begotten Son of God and (2) the first and last head of the Church, the head of the body. That headship Jesus will not share with another. Thus, there are two headships, one subordinate to the other. God is the head over Christ, and Christ is head over the Church. Underneath are all other beings, both angelic and human.”

Thus, seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high is our Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 1:3), and seated just below or next to her Lord is the Church.

Another thought to consider in our Lord’s statement, “I go to prepare a place for you” is that the Lord was leaving to prepare the future home or habitation of the Church.

So why would the Lord prepare a new dwelling place for the Church in the heavenly realms, on the spirit plain if they were intended to live on the earth eternally as our Adventist friends suggest?

And yet still another thought based on our Lord’s words here, viz., “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.”

This statement seems quite clear. ‘I go to prepare a place for you’, and after this, after I have prepared this place for you to dwell, ‘I will come again and will take you to myself that you also may be where I am’, seated on the right hand of the Father in heaven.

“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24)

Why then would any surmise that the earth was to be the eternal home of the Church, the scriptures completely contradict such a notion?

It is the direct results of not distinguishing between the two salvations and the two phases of the kingdom, between the earthly promises made to Israel and the rest of mankind and the heavenly promises made to the saints. Our Adventist friends are attempting to combine the two sets of promises as they hold out no hope for the remainder of the world.

We will return to this in our next post.