While reading on www.torahcalendar.com I came across the idea that the early Jewish rabbis and apostles believed that God created all souls, however many billions there are, at the very beginning, before time, in the world before time. The souls are held somewhere in the spiritual realm until time for conception or time to be implanted in an embryo.
I am also reading a book by an unknown, unpublished (at least by a major publishing company) author called, The Universes of God: Chronicles of Angels. The author’s name is
Twe Stephens. The book is a WORK OF FICTION. I came across the same theme in this book, a pool of souls. Only they are not the souls of men. They are the souls of angels.
In the author’s story, the angels had rebelled as a result of Luciah’s (who becomes Lucifer) discovery of the “joy of self.” Basically, he began to become aroused sexually from watching some of the animals God had created copulate. In this book, God had created flesh and blood animals referred as the “cycle of life” to teach the angels about death, and what life would be like without “The One (God). He’d hoped they would be able to learn these lessons without having to experience it themselves. Luciah began to wonder why God had not created any female gender of angels, and that lead to his sin.
Luciah seduces one of the other high-ranking angels sexually, and the sin begins to spread. It was a heinous thought, as the author made it clear that all of the angels were of the male gender. Before you know it, billions of the angels are committing this sin of self-love. Seducing one another, masturbating, and a hundred other sins, the list goes on. Some were complacent about it, condemning those who sinned, thinking they could just stand by and judge while secretly fantasizing about it themselves, falling into the sin of pride.
Finally, it was so bad that God decided to remove their souls from their indestructible bodies and put them into a pool of souls. Then He created the physical universe, created man out of the dirt, and implanted the souls of the angels into man, beginning with Adam and Eve. The rest would enter the earth through procreation with no memory of who they were in the life before. God’s purpose was not punishment, but, in the physical universe He could teach what would happen if they followed the ways of the “joy of self.” Then God himself would enter the creation as a man in order to redeem those who would choose God. In doing this the Lord puts to rest forever the idea that we are just his pets because He will forever live in His glorified body just as we will, making us what He is – flesh.
These were very shocking thoughts and ideas, to say the least. For some reason, I had never ever had any of these thoughts before. I was surprised and taken aback. Sometimes I had a hard time reading the book because some portions could have been written better. There are a lot of grammatical errors, misspelled words, and just bad writing in some places. That said, the book held my attention. The content and storyline in the book are very intriguing.
And by the way, I give this book 5 diamonds…♦♦♦♦♦
Now when I read and hear the scriptures they are colored by these thoughts. And what if it’s true?
Paul says in Ephesians 1: 3-6 that we were chosen before the foundation of the earth. I always interpreted that as we were in God’s mind as foreknowledge, you know, because God knows everything. Aside from the angel thing, could it be true that we (our souls) were created before time began? In Jeremiah 1:5 God says about the prophet, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Are these indicators that we were already in existence in the spirit world, in a pool of souls? Had we rebelled before that, and in order to save us, God created the physical universe in order to redeem us? Is this why the lamb was slain before the foundations of the earth?
Paul writes,
“And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad – in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of Him who calls – she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’” Romans 9:10-13
Was it God’s foreknowledge of them before they existed, or did He already know them in the spiritual world that existed before time?
Trust me, I know these are some strange thoughts; At least they are for me. I am not trying to say that for sure these things are true. I’m not even sure what I think about them yet. I can say that I am searching for truth. I believe I am lead by the Spirit of God. He is my teacher. I believe every step and direction I take is orchestrated by the Spirit of the Lord. John says,
“But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie – just as it has taught you, abide in him.” 1John 2:27
I believe this verse wholeheartedly. I’ve asked for guidance, knowledge, and understanding. And Christ is my wisdom. I believe that everywhere I find myself is by design.
My mind is blown! The more I learn, and think I know, the more I realize that I don’t understand anything. The more I learn the more there is to understand. It never stops.
Hi Tony–
I’ve thought about that very thing many a time. Predestination is a hard one to think about! Like, I have played with the idea maybe God asked us ahead of time before we became a human, this will be your life if you accept me, you will go through many heart aches and troubles but in the end you’ll be with me or, you can have this life and will end up in hell or, just maybe you said you aren’t sure you want to see how things go…. But, the bible throws a wrench in it all cause it says in John 15:16 that God has chosen us and not us choosing Him. So, then where does the free will to accept Him or not come in? If He has chosen us we have no option but to accept Him right? Or, maybe US Christians made it into a choosing thing, telling someone they can choose to accept the Lord or not, God already has or has not chosen them right Ephesians says we were chosen before the foundation of the world. The question is do or did we really get to choose? My bible says God choose! It’s like being picked for a team, the team Captain chooses Who He wants not the other way around. It doesn’t seem fair but, being picked for the ducky team isn’t fair either. I’m very certain God knows things about us that we don’t even know. These are some hard questions to think on. Very mind provoking
, thanks for the good articles Tony. Your friend, Shari
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Hey Shari,
I don’t find predestination so hard.
Paul in Ephesians, in my opinion, is talking about the entire creation being redeemed. So I think he means here that all men were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. However, I don’t think all men will choose Him. I don’t think he will force anyone to choose Him. Some will refuse His Love choosing to be without Him. However, I think when the reality of the decision (especially after death) hits them they may change their minds. And to throw another wrench into the machinery, I have not found any scripture that says the chance for redemption is lost just because a person has died. And that opens up another realm of argument.
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Tony,
This is some really interesting and intriguing topics! This is one that we would talk about for hours if we could get together! This brings up the concept of predestination, and I’ve always had a hard time with that. I don’t know if it is because I am not mature enough, but I don’t really know that I want to think that God knows everything that is going to happen, and then let’s it! Why then, give us free will? The concept that He knew that he would send should to the earth that he created knowing he would have to come through Jesus to give us Grace? That’s a lot of pain and suffering.
I wish that I could be with you to talk about this is person. I miss our fellowship! Sorry this is so quick. I’m already at school. I feel that this will be a popular post for your blog. It is certain to spark some quality dialog and that is always a good thing!
Love you brother!
DC
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I know what you me about the predestination thing. However, I have always gotten comfort from choosing to believe that God has chosen all of us, those who believe or not, in Christ. I supposed He would know which ones would receive His gift. I suppose it’s reasonable to assume that some will not choose life.
TT
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Just for the record, I don’t believe that human beings used to be angels (the premise of the book by Twe Stephens). Still a good book though. I have found a great article that blows the pre-existence theory away. http://www.shieldandrefuge.org/articles/art_preexist.htm After reading this article my disbelief of pre-existence is stronger. Thank God for the Holy Spirit, and good scriptural teaching.
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