***

God's Overall Plan in a 20 Minute Read!

Introduction (To be Read!)

Upated 12/15/2011, a v signifies a link to a supporting video

What we know about God v1 and His creation v2 is from the Bible, v3 which has been proven to be true v4 with much evidence, v5 including remarkable fulfilled prophecies! v6

So, this summary will reflect the conclusions that serious believers, and Bible scholars, v have drawn from the Bible, not simply my own or other's v opinions.

First, God is Holy, righteous, all-knowing, v has been for all eternity past and has had a perfect plan in His mind that has been revealed in the Bible. This plan will finally be the BEST that you can imagine. Best for God and best for those who trust Him.

So, we know that He created the angels to serve and worship Him of their own free will. (He did not want automatons, forced to do His will). So, His plan allowed for them to fail (sin). The most glorious of these angels, Satan, v7 became full of pride, led a rebellion among the angels and one third of them fell into that sin. God had no plan to save these sinners. He allowed them to exist as demons, "fixed" in their sinful state, under the leadership of Satan, awaiting a future eternal judgement. It may seem strange that a perfect righteous , all-powerful God would be faced with this "problem" of rebellion.

But, rebellion, was (is) a piece of the perfect plan! v8

God went forward with His plan's next step, to create the human race to live in a perfect environment. Again humans have a free will to chose to obey God. (Not automatons). So, He used Satan and the demons to test the humans, and right away, they failed and also became sinners, and the environment was impacted by sin! v

This sinful activity grew in intensity for approximately 1500 years to such an extent, even fallen angels cohabiting with women, that God decided to start over, judging the world with a universal flood. v He did save one family that had lived a "righteous" life in the face of such sin. God instructed Noah to build an ark, large enough to save the family and two of each animal and fowl species to re-populate the earth.

Sadly, the human race, in this "re-start" returned into sinful practice and God's next significant step was to select and work with one segment, a "chosen people", of the human race. He started with Abraham who fathered both the Jewish and the Arab people. God made special promises to Isaac the father of the Jewish, "chosen" group, allowing animosity to sprout between these two peoples that persists to this day. (Today's Islamic people are the result of Abraham's "momentary" lack of faith, taking Haggar, Sarah's servant girl, a 2nd wife, to bear his child Ishmael, when Sarah seemed childless. Later, Sarah did give birth to Isaac, who received God's blessing when Abraham was tested. Then Isaac fathered, twins, Jacob and Esau. The long term hatred was furthered when Jacob the younger of the twin brothers, tricked Esau, fooled Isaac, his father, actually stealing Esau's birthright, Genesis chapters 27 & 28.

Islamic Perspective of Abrahamic Covenant and the foregoing. v9 However, now, 1000s of Muslims are coming to Jesus! PTL! v

You can bet your life on God and Biblical prophecy

Among the promises made to the Jewish people was that a Deliverer/Redeemer v would come through them that would become the ultimate solution for the sin of the race. God's plan was to allow humans to live as best they could, for quite a bit of time, trying in various ways to overcome the problems that their sin had brought upon them. But God had special plans for His chosen people. God introduced His Rules (Law) v10 through Moses, leading ultimately to Christianity. The balance of the race developed various (video) other world religious systems (click for a 90 second interactive world map). v11

God also allowed Satan and his demonic horde to have access to the humans to further test their ability to live successfully within the problems they had brought upon themselves. Sadly, the record shows much failure, even among His chosen people, from this testing.

Now, from the first point v of their sinning, God began to promise that He would eventually send a Redeemer who would save them from their sins if they would believe and trust Him.. This Redeemer, to come through the Jewish people, was going to die for the whole race, shedding His blood, a requirement for forgivness. This coming death and sacrifice was constantly kept before them by instructing them to regularly sacrifice v the choicest of their animals, picturing the coming Redeemer.

And wonder of wonders, this Redeemer v was going to be God Himself. v Now, God had other things to do in addition to the redemption of the human race, such as, keeping the universe going successfully etc.

So while He wanted to make the GREATEST act of LOVE we can imagine, dying in my place v so that I can be forgiven, He also had to run the universe! There was a solution built into His perfect plan! We know from the Bible that God is One being made up of three persons, the Father, the Son v12 and The Holy Spirit.

So the Son could die for us while the Father continued to rule and sustain the universe. Finally God executed this major piece of His plan. He sent His Son to be born of a human mother, v13 to live in this wicked world, live a sinless life, demonstrate that He is (was) the Son of God by showing His power v14 over sickness, even over death also, exerting power over nature etc.

Then, the majority of the humans, v under the influence of Satan and his demons, completely rejected this perfect "man-God" and fulfilled the most important peice of the plan by killing their Creator God, v making the perfect, required sacrifice for sin!

The next, equally, important piece of the plan was His resurrection v16 from the dead! So, Jesus Christ, God Himself, rose from the dead, lived among us for about 40 days, was seen by over 500 persons, left instructions with His followers to spread this great good news among all people.This commission from Jesus launched the Christian church (Time-line). v15 And then He was taken up into Heaven, assuring His followers that He would return and would then complete the plan. End Times.

He would finally make the permanent division between the evil beings, Satan, his demons along with the Christ rejecting humans, sending them into eternal Hell. v While the the holy beings, His faithful angels, and the redeemed believing humans from all ages, will gather together with Him, into His eternal Heaven. Those humans who rejected His plan in times past are spiritually alive awaiting their certain eternal doom. v17 Those who accepted God's plan of redemption are spiritually alive with God v18 awaiting The Judgment Seat of Christ v and then on into the final fulfillment of His eternal glorious plan for them!

Now, to date, it has taken about 7000 years on the earth to work out His plan. It appears that we are living in the time when God will soon v20 complete His overall plan! First, the Rapture, v which could take place at any moment.Then, the 7 year Great Tribulation v which is closed with the Second Coming of Christ in power. This intruduces the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom, v closing with the Great White Throne Judgement. v

And then, finally the New Heaven and the New Earth!

At any point, in the process, that you become convinced that you should really take this account seriously, please return here and see this 35 minute video, titled, "The Ultimate Question". It is one of the best explanations of the Christian faith, that I know of. It will make very clear to you, how you can be certain that you will have ETERNAL LIFE v with God, starting the instant you seriously repent of your sin(s) and accept His wonderful FREE gift of salvation! v22

Praise God! What a Plan!

By your choice, you can have Heaven for your destiny, within His plan! You can bet your life on God and Biblical prophecy! v23

I suggest that you save this web page with the live links for further reference.

Speed the Day! 2 Peter 3:11-12, Phil. 1:21-23 Duane Gilchrist. Updated 12/15/2011 Want many more videos by topic? Click & scroll down!