Day 2721 – Theology Thursday – “Ruling Over Angels” – Supernatural

Welcome to Day 2721 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Ruling Over Angels” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2721 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2721 of our Trek. <#1.0#> The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#1.0#> Today, we continue with the 16th  and final segment of this series of Theology Thursday lessons. Next week we will begin a new series. Today, I am reading the final chapter of the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, <#1.0#> who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter sixteenth: “Ruling over Angels” <#1.0#> It’s crucial to our faith that we understand who we are as Christians. We are the sons and daughters of God, a re-fashioned divine council that already participates in our Father’s kingdom. But there’s more to it than that. Yes, we are God’s family council—but to what end? While we are already in the kingdom (Colosians 1:13), we have not yet seen the full unveiling of that kingdom—we have not seen the world become Eden. This “already, but not yet” paradox runs throughout the Bible in many ways. In this chapter, I want to give you a glimpse of the “not yet” that answers the question “To what end?” <#1.0#> Let’s look at our Kingdom Participation Now<#1.0#> Our participation in God’s kingdom isn’t predetermined, in this sense: We are not mere robots performing functions programmed for us. That violates the whole idea of being God’s imager, his representative. We were created to be like him. He is free. If we do not have genuine freedom, we cannot be like him—by definition, we would not be like him. We are free to obey and worship, or rebel and indulge ourselves. And we will reap what we sow. Our sowing is not programmed. <#1.0#> But God is greater than we are. He had a plan and it will come to pass. Its success neither depends on nor is forced to adapt to human freedom. We cannot undermine it—nor can the divine beings who are also free to choose. <#1.0#> Think about the heavenly council meeting I showed you in chapter 1. I asked whether you believed the things the Bible says, and then took you to a meeting of God and his heavenly council in First Kings 22. God had decreed (and so it must happen) that it was time for wicked Ahab to die. But God then let the spirit beings in his council decide how to accomplish that (First Kings 22, verses 19–23). <#1.0#> Predestination and freedom work hand-in-hand in God’s kingdom rule. His purposes will never be overturned or halted. He is able to take sin and rebellion and still accomplish—through other free representatives—what he desires. As C. S. Lewis once said of God (in the book Perelandra), “Whatever you do, He will make good of it. But not the good He had...