See the series here
As noted, I have written extensively about The Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ from every angle imaginable. It dawned on me that I have yet to examine the possible strategic rationale for The Millennial Reign age. So let’s continue to dig in and see what The Lord reveals. Keep in mind the apparent strategic objective of His multi-millennial strategic plan for humanity:
To recruit, orient, train, then ‘harvest’ from humanity a tested, proven, righteous remnant to whom He will show everlasting Grace and Mercy as immortal, ‘like-angel’ beings
(but not angels!)
(NB: The strategic objective of any strategy is not the goal or purpose. It serves as a high bridge between periodic programs, projects and activities, each with their purposes and objectives. The intent of this series is not to address these, but to examine The Lord’s likely highest level, over-arching principle that is governing achievement of His multi-millennial strategic plan for humanity. I trust this is clear.)
Continuing from Part 1…
The Lord’s Physical Sojourns on Earth
The Bible affirms The Lord has thus far had two, extended, physical sojourns on Earth, namely:
1. During the (re)creation event reported in the first two chapters of Genesis. (Could the condition of Earth in Genesis 1:2 have been triggered when Lucifer and his cohorts fell across the universe, and spiritually slammed onto the Earth? This would have been the first stains and impacts from sinfulness entering into the perfect universe. (See: Gap Creationism and Anti-Christ: Summary Review (Part 5))
Towards the end of this sojourn, The Lord spent time with Adam and Eve,
(a) developing critical relationships,
(b) orienting them to His plans,
(c ) teaching Adam how to tend the Garden, and
(d) possibly warning him about His enemy, satan, and his cohorts.
This sojourn ended shortly after Adam and Eve sinned. They were driven out of Eden and from the presence of The Lord, lest they and all mankind would be irretrievably lost in sin forever. We could only be delivered from that condition when His plan of salvation would be fully implemented thousands of years later.
2. During His 33-year life as a man. During this sojourn, The Lord grew up among us, then as a 30-year old adult, He selected and began to spend time with His disciples and other followers:
(a) developing critical relationships,
(b) orienting them to ‘The Kingdom of Heaven’ vs. the kingdom of satan,
(c) giving them insights into Father God’s plan of salvation for all humans, and
(d) planning the establishment of His ‘Church’.
Only after His death and resurrection did a few people begin to understand the latter two points.
Between these protracted, physical sojourns on Earth, He appeared once in physical form to Abraham, for a short visit to confirm His promised about the birth of Isaac, and to command the cataclysmic destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. During this visit, He and His angelic entourage enjoyed a (physical) meal Sarah, Abraham’s wife, prepared. Other times, He appeared to Old and New Testament prophets in spiritual visions, which do not equate to protracted, physical sojourns.
Of course, we do not know the length of time The Lord actually spent physically with Adam and Eve. I surmise it was likely quite short. Here’s why.
The Bible reports the serpent in the Garden was ‘more cunning than any other beast’. (Genesis 3:1) With hindsight, we know it was possessed by satan, ex-Lucifer, a former high-level angel who had led a failed rebellion (coup) to replace The Lord God in Heaven. Intensely jealous, Lucifer wanted to be worshiped, and to be in charge of The Lord’s innumerable angelic hosts! Because of his rebellion, he was thrown out of Heaven, along with his angel cohorts who had joined in his rebellion. As immortal beings, they would not be destroyed, and their final judgment would be significantly delayed. They were very likely on Earth to witness, not only the creation of Adam and Eve, but also the installation of Adam as The lord god of Earth! I imagine this triggered satan’s intense jealousy, and he simply couldn’t wait to attempt a coup on Earth! Hence, Adam’s time in this role may have been quite short. It quickly ended The Lord’s physical sojourn on Earth when satan ‘legally’ became Earth’s god. Imagine what you will…
Strategic Objective Progress To-date
History reveals, from age-to-age, The Lord has gradually broadened and intensified efforts to achieve His strategic objective. No surprise to Him, His multi-millennial focus on Israel was not entirely successful. But His resurrection (from His cruel death that leading Jews in Jerusalem demanded and orchestrated) provided an excellent launching pad to move to the third phase of His strategy, the Church age. During this age, He is extending His strategic objective to ALL mankind. Hallelujah, that includes you and me!
The purpose of His life as a man was not to broadcast to all, ‘I AM The Lord God Almighty!!!’ Rather, He only established sufficient basis for Jews and Gentiles alike to develop faith that He IS The Lord God, Creator and Sustainer of all things. Such faith is the kingpin of Heaven’s plan of salvation. It is absolutely required given His physical absence from Earth during this age. Remember this point.
Thus far, there has been incredible success toward achieving The Lord’s strategic objective, even with considerable devilish resistance, and without The Lord’s protracted, physical presence on Earth! But obviously, these achievements are woefully inadequate, especially since many believers have ‘become lukewarm’ and have ‘fallen away from the faith’, just as Apostle Paul and Jesus predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 and Revelation 3:14-16, respectively.
Continued in Part 3
