Part 1 – Understanding the Conflict of the Ages and the Pre-Adamic Katabole

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called What God is Doing Today .
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‘The Conflict of the Ages’ is marked by the Biblical fact that today the governments of the lower heavens and on the earth are still under the rule of Lucifer as “The Prince of the (angelic) power(s) of the air” (Eph. 2:2), and as “the god of this world (age) (2Cor 4:4). The Apostle Paul also wrote;

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against [the angelic] principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)  

The governmental structure of the heavenly government that influences the affairs of the earth and its human governments is under the control of the adversary, the enemy, Satan, that Old Serpent, the Devil. Thus, Job was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write this.

Behold, he [God] putteth no trust in his saints [the now ‘fallen angels’]; yea, the heavens are not clean [contaminated] in his sight.: Job 15:15

Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

But, Jesus Christ, by virtue of His death, burial, and resurrection became the basis of a shake-up in Satan’s heavenly government, which is yet to come.

Today the Lord Jesus Christ is reestablishing His OWN government, and one day, He’s going to come back and take up His rightful place as King of kings on the earth… as only Potentate; that is the absolute, supreme, top RULER throughout all the heavenly places” of the universe also. In God’s mind it is FINISHED …. needing only time for its outworking.

Meanwhile, men may be “saved by grace through faith” by placing their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrificial His cross-work on their behalfwho as the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29 (KJV)

It’s important that you understand that God Almighty is interested in the whole universe... not just the earth. God Almighty didn't create any part of the universe without a purpose to it. The ultimate purpose in the totality of His creation is To Bring Glory and Honour To Himself through the Visible and Invisible Expressions of His Love, and Grace toward Israel and in forming “the body of Christ.” As you will see, you and I have a definite part in God’s rulership over the universe, in “the heavenly places.”

The main theme of the Bible is the subject of a Throne and AUTHORITY over the Universe. We need to realize God is interested in who’s running things, and He has a program, a plan to bring the authority of this universe back under His control, under the Headship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ultimately the earth is going to be brought back under His authority Through a Kingdom Vested in the Nation of Israel. God’s Program to establish His kingdom on earth is what we call PROPHECY. God has made this Program known via His spoken “Promises” and His Prophets of Israel. Yet, the cross was never explained in those prophecies concerning what we now know of the lamb slain from the foundation [Gk. *katabole, the overthrow] of the world (Rev 13:8). His purpose in the nation of Israel is to bring “the earth” back under His authority, to rule over the nations and to bring in the headship of Jesus Christ, as King of kings and Lord of lords. One day, the Lord Jesus Christ will come back to establish His Kingdom on earth.

But Jesus Christ’s kingdom is going to extend far beyond the earth. It’s going to extend out through “the heavenly places.” Thus, God Almighty has another Plan and Purpose; that is His purpose for the Church, “the Body of Christ.” The Apostle Paul calls Program and Plan is called “the Mystery (Gk. musterion, the secret plan of God).”

God didn't tell anybody about His Mystery plan from the time He put man on the earth until the time He saved the Apostle Paul, revealing “the Mystery [the secret plan of God]” to Paul “first,” for us. The ascended Christ, from heaven’s glory, saved Paul on the road to Damascus and revealed “the Mystery” to Paul. It has to do with a purpose for which God chose you and me before the foundation [Gk. *katabole, overthrow] of the world(Eph. 1:4). He chose out the Gentile “body of Christ” that He might use it in “the Ages to Come,” to show forth the honour and the glory of His name far above earth in the Heavenly Places.” That's why we of “the body of Christ” are Heaven Bound, as a Heavenly People, having a Heavenly Calling, and a Heavenly Hope.

*Note: The Hebrew transliteration “katabole,” referenced above, is mistranslated as “foundation” in the phrase from the foundation of the world” in the KJV for Eph. 1:4, Rev. 13:8, etc.). ‘Katabole’ actually refers to the pre-Adamic time of the overthrow” of Lucifer being cast out of the 3rd heaven to the lower heavens with 1/3 of the angels, and the “overthrow” of the ‘original earth’ that Satan had ruled and corrupted. This was God’s judgment that destroyed and covered the earth “that then was,” with water, in total ‘darkness,’ which thereby froze the earth. Today, mankind lives on the recreated (renewed) earth as Adam’s human lineage.

All this ‘heavenly’ terminology is not a statement of character, but rather where we are going to dwell in the heavenly places.” God Almighty's purpose is to bring those key “heavenly places” back under the headship of Jesus Christ through the instrumentality of the Church, “the Body of Christ.” Recall that currently the heavens are unclean in His sight,” since Lucifer’s FALLEN ‘angelic host’ that occupies “The Heavenly Places rebelled with Lucifer. That's why we are destined to Replace Them and be His HEAVENLY PEOPLE and why our blessings are in “THE HEAVENLY PLACES” (Eph. 1:3) of Rank and Authority of God’s the Heavenly Government.

Just as He will restore the earth under His authority, through the Nation Israel, which is the subject of PROPHECY, so it is that God’s intention is to bring “the heavenly places” of His heavenly government back under His authority through the instrumentality of the Church, “the Body of Christ.” His eternally planned Program for the Heavens is being made known TODAY during the INTERRUPTION in Israel’s Prophetic Program (cf. Rom. 11:10-11, 15, 25). In these verse Paul explains the fall and casting away of Israel for a time, until the fullness of the Gentiles come in, which will be at the Rapture.

10 Let their [Israel’s] eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their FALL Salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Romans 11:10-11 (KJV) 15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? Romans 11:15 (KJV)
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery [the secret plan], lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. Romans 11:25 (KJV)

It’s IMPORTANT that you understand the differences between the Prophetic Program concerning Israel and The Mystery Program concerning “the body of Christ and their eternal destinies. Don't let anybody come along and try to convince you that these distinctions are not important. You’ll never be able to function for God like you ought to until you understand this. You will never be what God wants you to be, what He's planned for you to be, unless and until you understand some things about the word of God “rightly divided”dividing His plan for Israel  and His Plan for the church, which is His body…  dividing His plan for the earth from that for the heavens.”

This concerns What God Is Actually Doing Today. Today He is training us for functioning one day “in the heavenly places” by learning to trust Him in all the things that we endure while on this earth.

We need to understand the DISTINCTIONS between the ‘Two Programs’ of God as found in our Bibles.

  • That’s why we need to know the DIFFERENCE between what went on with Jesus of Nazareth in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Concerning the Nation Israel, (Matt: 15:24, 10:5-6)
  • and that which you find in Romans through Philemon (Paul's epistles of “the Mystery” as seen in Rom. 16:25, Eph. 3:1-5, 1Cor. 2:7-8), Concerning the Church, the body of Christ,”
  • which is also DIFFERENT from the overarching message seen in Hebrews through Revelation Concerning the Nation Israel. (All the books of the Bible, are for our learning, but not all are about us or apply to us as members of the Gentile “body of Christ.”)

We need to understand some things about “rightly dividing the word of truth” because if you don't grasp it, if you don't think it’s important, if you think it’s just something to KNOW, but not to affect our daily lives, then … the glory that God Almighty desires to express THROUGH YOU in “the heavenly places in “the Ages to Come” will be affected.

20 For our conversation [citizenshipis in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his [Jesus’] glorious [heavenly] body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Philip. 3:20-21 (KJV)

Note that: 12 If we suffer [endure], We Shall Also Reign With Him [Christ]: if we deny him, he also will deny us [from such reigning]: 2 Timothy 2:12 (KJV)

1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle [physical body] were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1 (KJV)