Messianic Perspectives

Liz Aiello: Have you ever wondered what God was doing before He created the world? We'll talk about it today, right here on Messianic Perspectives.

Shalom and welcome to Messianic Perspectives, a daily program where we look into the scriptures from a distinctive first-century Jewish point of view. This is Liz Aiello. Today, we turn our attention to an interesting question: What was God doing before He created this world? According to our Bible teacher, Dr. Gary Hedrick, there are at least seven things God was doing before Genesis 1:1.

I'll be back a little later with information about a special offer, so have your pencil and paper ready. And now, with today's installment, here is Gary Hedrick.

Dr. Gary Hedrick: Thank you and welcome, listening friend, to another edition of the program. It's good to have you with us as we continue our series of studies on what God was doing before Genesis 1:1. The first thing God was doing before the creation was He was communing with Himself. Within the infinite complexity of the Godhead, there is interaction and communication between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

At the same time, He is one God, just like it says in Deuteronomy 6:4: "Sh'ma Yisra'eil, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad." The Lord our God is one Lord. But within that unity is a mysterious complexity that defies analysis. You know, sometimes it's like we want to put God on a laboratory table and dissect Him. Is He one, two, or is He three? Or is He made up of an infinite number of aspects, like the Jewish Kabbalah says? But the God of the universe defies analysis.

Today we come to point number two. The second thing God did before Genesis 1:1 was He created the angels. God created the angels before the foundation of the universe. In fact, they were witnesses to the creation. Listen to this passage from the oldest book in the Bible. It says, "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding... when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4,7).

Who are these sons of God who shouted for joy at the creation? They are the angels. In fact, this Hebrew phrase, "B'nei HaElohim," translated "sons of God," occurs five times in the Old Testament. You'll find it in Genesis 6:2 and 4, Job chapter 1, verse 6, Job chapter 2, verse 1, and Job 38:7, the passage we just read.

The Talmudic writings and Midrashim of ancient Judaism virtually all agree that this Hebrew phrase refers to angels in each of those instances. In fact, it's only been in relatively recent times that Christian scholars have introduced alternate interpretations of the passage in Genesis chapter 6. So these beings, these sons of God who shouted for joy when God created the universe, were the angels of God. They were created before the foundations of the world.

These are supernatural beings, extraterrestrial creatures who visit this planet on a regular basis. What for? They come here first as messengers, and second, they come as ministers. As messengers, the angels are charged with the responsibility of communicating information from heaven to earth.

In the book of Daniel, for example, it was through the angel Gabriel that Daniel received the prophecy of the 70 weeks in Daniel chapter 9. The prophetic vision of Zechariah came from an angel (Zechariah 1:9). And it was Gabriel again who brought the news of the birth of the Messiah. It says in Luke chapter 1, beginning in verse 26, "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary."

Just a few verses before that, it was Gabriel who brought the news that John the Baptist would be born. Except Zechariah didn't know he was an angel. The angel gave Zechariah the message that his wife Elizabeth would conceive and bear a son who would turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. But Zechariah didn't believe him.

What did the old priest say? He said, "What do you mean we're going to have a son? I'm an old man and my wife is an old woman, well-stricken with years." Why should we believe you? He was asking for some credentials. So the angel provides his credentials in Luke 1:19: "And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God." How's that for credentials? He stands in the presence of God.

"I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings." You see, he was an angel of God sent on a mission as a divine messenger. In fact, in Greek, that's what the word "angel" means: messenger. The Greek word is "aggelos," which means messenger. The Greek word for gospel is "euangelion," which means good message or good news. The Hebrew word for angel is "melakh," which means messenger or ambassador.

So the first preacher of the gospel in the New Testament was an angel, Gabriel. Did you know the angels find the plan of salvation intriguing? The Bible says they're curious about it. First Peter 1:12: "which things the angels desire to look into." You see, there is no plan of salvation for angels. The fallen angels are confirmed in their wickedness in such a way that they are irretrievably lost.

Think of the light they had. They had been in heaven. They had dwelt in the presence of God. And yet they knowingly rebelled against God. That represents a magnitude of evil that's difficult for mere mortals to comprehend. Let's turn to Ezekiel chapter 28. This is where the prophet Ezekiel gives us a veiled glimpse into eternity past. He takes us back before the foundations of the world, before Satan and his followers fell from heaven.

The immediate prophecy is directed at the King of Tyre. But you don't get very far into the prophecy before you realize there's a secondary application, because the scene switches from earth to heaven. Look what it says, verse 12: "Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum [that is, you were the seal of perfection], full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared for thee in the day that thou wast created."

Ezekiel 28:14: "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire." Now watch this, verse 15: "Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee."

There's a lot of information there, my friend. First, it tells us that Lucifer was created. "From the day that thou wast created," it says. Second, Lucifer and the other angels were created in a state of perfection. "Thou wast perfect in thy ways," Ezekiel says. And third, Lucifer and the angels somehow fell into a state of sin. It says, "till iniquity was found in thee."

What else do we know about Satan and the fallen angels? Look with me at Isaiah chapter 14, beginning in verse 12. Listen to this: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" Here's what went wrong, verse 13: "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."

So Lucifer was one of the anointed cherubim that guarded the Kissei HaKavod, the throne of glory. Kissei HaKavod is the seat of God's presence in heaven. The mercy seat on the ancient Ark of the Covenant, with the cherubim perched over the top on either side, that mercy seat was patterned after this heavenly reality: the throne of glory. And Lucifer's sin was pride.

He was preoccupied with himself. He wanted to usurp the throne of glory. He said, "I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne. I will sit upon the mount. I will ascend above the clouds. I will be like the most High." He had a classic case of "I" trouble. I, I, I. He wanted to usurp God's position.

But his rebellion failed, and Satan was cast out of heaven along with a third of the angels who apparently had joined his insurrection. Jesus said in Luke chapter 10, verse 18, that He beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. He's talking about something that happened long ages ago, either before Genesis 1:1 or else between 1:1 and 1:2, if you happen to subscribe to the Gap Theory. But Jesus is saying that He witnessed the vanquishing of Satan and his host of fallen angels by the angels of God. "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven."

So, there are two categories of angels. First, there are the holy angels who follow God. And second, there are fallen angels who follow Lucifer or Satan. And the holy angels have a twofold function. First, they are messengers, as we've already seen, and second, they are ministers. Speaking of angels, Hebrews 1:14 says, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"

You see, they minister to us. They protect us. They watch out for us. When Daniel was delivered from the den of lions, what did Daniel say? Daniel 6:22: "My God hath sent his [what?] his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me." Psalm 91:11 says, "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways."

After Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights, the Bible says angels came and ministered unto Him (Matthew 4:11). Angels watching over us. It's possible that angels have saved your life at some time and you never even knew about it. And you may have met an angel and didn't even know who he was.

The Bible says that some people have entertained angels unawares. Think about that the next time some street person asks you for a piece of bread. Well, that's all for now, listening friend. Next time, we'll talk about the third thing God was doing before Genesis 1:1. Until then, this is Gary Hedrick saying God bless you. Take care. Bye-bye.

Liz Aiello: Thank you, Gary. And thank you, listening friend, for tuning in today. It's always good to have you with us, whether you're listening from home, at work, or in your car. If you found today's program especially helpful and insightful, you'll be glad to know that we have placed the entire series of programs on one compact disc. The title is "Seven Things God Was Doing Before Genesis 1:1."

It's available for your gift of just $6 or more to help us keep this program here on your station. Just visit our secure online store at messianicspecialties.com to place your order. If you would prefer to order by mail, just address your request to Messianic Perspectives, PO Box 345, San Antonio, Texas, 78292. To order by phone, use our toll-free order line. The number is 1-800-926-5397.

And as always, when you're in touch with us, please mention the call letters of this station. If you're listening to our webcast or podcast, we need to know that too. I'm Liz Aiello. Join us next time, won't you? As Dr. Gary Hedrick continues our series of studies on "Seven Things God Was Doing Before Genesis 1:1," right here on Messianic Perspectives.

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