Creation And The End Times

This is the final installment in the current series on the Doctrine of Creation. We have examined the how and the why of Creation, as well as looking at the importance of this doctrine and most recently, we examined how in more detail how the rest of the bible stems from this doctrine. Now let us turn our attention to a somewhat unusual: the end times. This post is essentially about sovereignty, and God’s ability to carry out His will in exactly the manor and timing of His choosing.

I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ Isaiah 46:9-10

Something that is clearly lost when the doctrine of creation is denied, is the doctrine of sovereignty. And God’s sovereignty pertains over not only past and current events, but future events also. As Isaiah 46:9-10 says above, God knows the end from the beginning, indeed it goes further, it says that God declares the end from the beginning. In the same way that He knows and ordains that which happened in the beginning, so He knows and ordains that which happens at the end. How do we know that Christ will return? Answer, because He said He would. How do we know that Satan, sin and death will finally be defeated and the curse removed? Because He promised that He would do it. But there are more ties to this than just that.

Why is it that we look forward to the day that Satan is cast into hell? because of all the destruction that he has cause throughout the history of creation. That all started in Genesis 3. How about sin, the scourge of humanity, will be finally removed, that those who are born again and have been fighting to remove it from our lives, that will be gloriously completed for us by Christ; it all  started back in Genesis 3. Why is it that we are so looking forward to the end of death? Because since our forefather Adam sinned, death as been the single constant factor that has haunted all humanity. This was warned about in Genesis 2:17, and began happening to us after Adam sinned, Genesis 3. Or the curse, that which has made men live, by working hard, sweat pouring off our brow, and women, having pain in childbearing, and always desiring to take the man’s curse also. Ah the rest that will be at that time. That all started in Genesis 3:16-19.

I would like to make a hermeneutics clarification though. The bible is meant to be taken literally, not allegorically. That is why we use what is called the, grammatical-historical hermeneutical method. Basically, we read the verse, understand and interpreting it from within its own grammatical and historical contexts, to get an understanding of the text. I make this clear because I am not trying to draw a direct line of parallel between the events of Genesis, and of Revelation. People may be tempted to infer that I am saying for example, that the 7 days of creation, line up with the 7 years of tribulation or 7 trumpet judgement or whatever. Bad hermeneutics. Also consider that that Genesis is historical narrative and revelation is apocalyptic literature. They are not parallel. Apocalyptic literature is full of imagery and literal events; and the bits that are imagery are clearly that. Genesis is not full of imagery. It is historical, although sometimes poetically written.

But regardless of literature type the point is clear. God can, does and will do everything according to the council of His sovereign will.He determined, designed and did (sorry couldn’t think of a better word that kept the alliteration) the beginning. All of His creative process came to pass. Then He predicted how it wall all end. He has determined each detail of the end, and will carry each point out, till there is a new heaven and a new earth and the old has passed away Revelation 21:1.

To put it in a sentence, “Trust God, He can, will and does everything He says He will, just as He has in the past.

Gareth Palmer

Sinner saved by grace, proclaiming Him