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Eureka

AN EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE
Sixth Edition, 1915
By Dr. John Thomas (first edition written 1861)

 

 

Chapter 3

SECTION 3

4. The Beginning of the Creation of the Deity.

 


 
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The third designation by which the Spirit characterizes himself, in his address to the ecclesia of the Laodiceans is, that he is "the Beginning of the creation of the Deity" -- !greek!. Now, this phrase might be supposed to mean that Jesus, and Jesus Anointed, were the beginning of the creation of which Moses treats in Genesis; or that they were the chief of that creation. But these suppositions cannot be admitted; for the sufficient reason that Jesus unanointed, or Jesus Anointed, had no existence in the era of the Adamic creation. The anointing Spirit existed then, and was the creating energy; but at the same time an uncreated agent, and therefore not the first of a creation.

In the passage before us the Lord the Spirit, or Jesus Anointed, refers to another creation -- to A NEW CREATION. He is the beginning of that new creation of the Deity; even of that referred to in Apoc. xxi. 5, in which Jesus Anointed says "Behold I make all things new." When all things are made new there will be a new creation upon the earth, adapted in all its elements to the new population prepared in the previous seven thousands of years to inhabit it. Jesus Anointed is the creator of this new creation; and himself also the first element of it that has been created without human intervention. Enoch, Moses, and Elijah were glorified men before his creation; but they were not a direct creation of the Deity; for their paternity was human. Jesus had no human father; but was created by the Spirit as independently of the will of the flesh as Adam, the Beginning of the Animal Creation of the Deity, was before him.

It is revealed that the Eternal Spirit will create from the dust, and establish upon the earth, a population, every individual of which shall be like Jesus is now -- glorious, incorruptible of body, and deathless; the Deity bodily manifested in each of them (Apoc. xxi. 3,4); and that such a constitution and order of things will obtain in relation to them, as will be suitable to pure and immortal beings -- to a world of gods, or elohim. This order, or kosmos, is styled "a New Heaven and New Earth" -- a New Government and New People; a phrase which indicates that, although all men then upon the earth are immortal and free from all the evils of the present state, yet are not all of equal rank and authority; and that government is designed for the purpose of affording scope for a diversity of honors, that he who has distinguished himself more than his fellows in the cause of truth and righteousness in the previous animal existence, may be a more distinguished and brilliant star in the firmament "beyond" the Millennial Aions. This principle of diversity obtained in the kingdom of the Deity when David and Solomon occupied the throne of Yahweh in Jerusalem. Though all were Israelites and a holy people, all were not equal in rank and authority. The principle also obtains in all the kingdoms of the world; all Englishmen are not dukes and princes; nor are all noblemen of equal rank, influence, and wealth, but the diversity in their original patents of nobility is predicated upon what the Devil, who promotes them, considers their merits in his service. No Englishman can become a member of the royal family who is not born such. It is an hereditary distinction, and eminently exclusive. So in respect of the New Government of the Post-millennial Aion, it will, we believe, be restricted to the Saints raised and transformed at the advent of the Amen. Jesus and the Saints anointed will rule the nations as kings and priests during the Millennium; at the end of which the priesthood will be abolished, but not the royalty. This will continue for ever, in an illimitable sense. But the Millennial Earth is to be abolished as well as the priesthood; not the globe, or planet, called Earth, but the world of nations, consisting of mortal men, over which Jesus and his glorified brethren reign during the thousand years. "Though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee, 0 Israel" (Jer. xxx. 11). All non-Israelitish nations are to be abolished. That is, there will be no national diversities in the post-millennial ages. All will be righteous, deathless, and citizens of Israel's Commonwealth, which will continue eternally under a new constitution. There will then be no English, French, Spaniards, Italians, and such like; but all will be Israelites by the adoption or redemption from death, or the mortal state.

The Millennial Earth will then be purged of all sinful elements, and the remnant transformed; so that it will be essentially "a New Earth," or population, subordinate to Jesus and the Saints, who will constitute the luminaries of the "New Heaven," as they will have done of the heaven become old, and called by John "the former heaven." The position of these is fixed; they are the sun and fixed stars both of the Aions of the Aions, and Beyond. "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for the Olahm and Beyond" (Dan. xii. 3). Here is a marked difference, the generality of the saved being as "the brightness of the firmament;" but those who have distinguished themselves in the service of the truth, stand out from the diffused brightness as brilliant particular stars. But one star differs from another in glory in the celestial arch; so will it be in the New Heavens of the Olahm and Beyond !hebrew!. There are places on the right hand and on the left in the glory "for whom it is prepared;" and there is a place for the Sun of Righteousness; and for the Twelve on the tribal thrones of the kingdom; and many situations in the royal house for the saved in general. A place for every one, and for every one a place; but each for the place as appointed. The apostles will certainly shine as a bright constellation, which can be constituted of no other stars than themselves -- a constellation of twelve bright orbs, each one upon a throne of Israel -- the thrones of the house of David. Yet is the least in the kingdom of the heavens greater than the greatest of all the prophets unglorified; so that while there is greatness for all, there will exist the least among the great.

Now this new creation, wonderful in its development and consummation began with the formation of a babe in the womb of the Handmaid of Yah; and ends with the cessation of "every curse" (Apoc. xxii. 3). The power of the Deity overshadowed the daughter of Heli, and in the set time was born Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. Here was a creation of the Deity; but it was only the "beginning of the creation" hereafter to be effected by the same power. When created and anointed this new creation was Eternal Power manifest in flesh; and when resurrected and glorified, that flesh was transformed into Spirit, or Deity -- a substantial corporeal entity, called by Paul a "Quickening Spirit," and "the Lord the Spirit." Hence, viewing him thus, and not as a body of death lying in a sepulchre, the apostle says of him, "who is an image of the invisible Deity, first-born of all creation" !greek!. He then gives the reason why this first-born image of the Deity is pre-eminent over all; "because," saith be, "were created by him the all things; the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth, the things seen and the things unseen, whether thrones, or lordships, or principalities, or authorities; the all things have been created through him and for him; and he is before all things, and the all things by him hold together: And he is the Head of the Body, the ecclesia, who is the beginning, firstborn from among the dead, that among all he might become pre-eminent; for in him it pleased that all the fullness should dwell" (Col. i. 15-19). Compare this with Gen. i. 2, where the creation of the material world is attributed to Spirit of Elohim -- !hebrew!; the same spirit afterwards incarnated in Jesus; so that he, when anointed, was not only the created, but the antecedent and creator of all things defined.

 

 


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