THE DRAMA OF THE HIERARCHY OF THE HEAVENS

INTRODUCTION

I am aware that this subject may be new to you.
It is true that to most people, Heaven is some sort of happy place we go to when we die. However the bible gives more than a little insight into the understanding of the mighty heavenly purposes of God, and all that is involved.
Let's see what we can find.
Our thoughts are given a direction from Paul’s letter to Philippians, chapter 3:14

‘I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus’.
The original = ‘on the top’ calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The apostle Paul was, by revelation from the ascended Christ, given this glorious understanding, a personal heavenly calling, and because of it he was prepared to consider everything else as loss that he might realize that to which God was calling him.
Yet Paul, in his human nature, was no different to you and me! He was saved by the same Jesus, saved from the
penalty of sin by the same shed blood, born into new life by the same spirit – and if you and I are redeemed and in living relationship with God, then with Paul we belong to that same called out company, the body of Christ, thus qualifying us for that same desire, to take hold of that same ‘on the top’ or high calling in Christ.

Now Acts 3:21 tells us that:

‘The Heavens have to receive the Lord Jesus Christ until the restoration (or reconstruction) of all things’.
… ‘It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: ‘What is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honour and put everything under his feet.’ (Heb 2:5).

THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION OF ALL THINGS

In Col 1:15 God shows what was the original construction of all things.

‘He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together (exist)’.

So – there are Thrones, & associated Dominions, Principalities and associated Powers.
Thrones = realms of kings, the highest level of the invisible creation, closest to the eternal God, yet with an infinity below that eternal throne of Deity.
This is the hierarchy of the original construction of the Heavens - These were created.
Above all created levels of authority, is God’s eternal throne, above and beyond all created things.

‘When Jesus Christ ascended, he ascended far above all heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.’
The throne on which Jesus is seated today on the right hand of the Father is not a created seat, for that throne is eternal. Beyond and above all created beings is the abode of the eternal Deity himself.
Below that eternal throne is an order of creation. The Bible speaks of there being heavens (plural) and Colossians tells us there are at least two levels of authority in the heavens.
Solomon exclaimed, (1 Kings 8:27)  ‘…the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee...’

When Jesus Christ ascended, He ascended far above ALL heavens.
The higher level then, has to do with God’s highest purposes – perhaps beyond this earth… and God has determined that we (Phil 3:12), sinners saved by grace, should press on (with Paul) towards the mark for the prize of the high (on the top) calling.
The more we study the Word we trust God will allow light to come to us, for God has ordained us for a THRONE. For he has not put into subjection the earth to come to angels, but to men!

THE SUBSEQUENT CORRUPTION OF ALL THINGS

As we come to God’s Word we find that there are two accounts (Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28) of a created being, before Adam was created, who occupied the realm of thrones and dominions.
Named as Lucifer, and occupying a throne he aspired to set his throne above the throne of God.
Col 1:16 speaks of Satan as a king insomuch as he ruled from a throne. were as we know, dethroned, and fell.

‘How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

(Isa 14:13) ‘You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit’.

The prophecy will be fulfilled! Hence the subsequent corruption of all things.
Jesus refers to this in Luke 10. He says in verse 18:

‘I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven’ – referring I believe to his original expulsion from the throne’.
Satan and his angels fell from the realm of thrones and dominions, and there is nothing in the Bible to tell us they were ever replaced by any other order.
The thrones that were vacated are still vacant. In fact we are told emphatically in Heb 2:5 that never again will angels occupy that authority. The new earth will not be subject to angelic power.
Satan and his angels have not yet gone down into hell, as some would claim.
He will be cast into hell or the pit, but though stages he will reach that terrible place, and finally to the lake of fire itself.
Meanwhile he has penetrated and occupied the lower heavens, (Principalities and Powers).
There he is noted as Prince of the power of the air.
So, in the original construction of all things there were three levels of authority.

Thrones and dominions
Lower principalities and powers
Lower again, the earth.

(Note:In the new order there will be 3 callings: The Body (of Christ), The City, and the Nations of the Saved).

THE PRESENT CONDITION OF ALL THINGS

‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms’. (Ephes 6:12)

The struggle is not in the earth, but in the lower heavens, real struggle!
Satan was cast out of heaven. He fell from the realm of thrones and Dominions, and he has usurped authority in the lower heavens (principalities & powers). Satan now holds sway, and from there, with his angels, influences this earth. They influence the nations and constantly oppose the Christian. Hence (Paul) our warfare is against these authorities. There is a stratum of opposition between us and God!

IT’S REAL! It is important to understand - when we pray we are not just getting down saying a few words and
hoping they are going to get home to heaven. Conflict is on our hands, opposition responds to our praying, a hostile force of evil spirit powers. (See an example from Daniel 10).

The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken, that is, created things, so that what
cannot be shaken may remain’. (Hebrews 12:26).
In other words God has said there will be great changes in the invisible as well as in the visible things. The
hierarchy of heaven is about to change.

In Revelation 12:7 (the tribulation period) Michael has the job of ousting Satan, and this battle takes place in
the lower heavens. (Rev 12:7).
 

‘…and there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the
dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place
in heaven.
The great dragon was hurled down… that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who
leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him’ .

This is the mid-tribulation point – and we, (the Church) will be looking down on it from up top!

So this is the next stage downwards – at the present time the devil and his angels are still in the lower
heavens, until cast to earth, thence to the pit, and ultimately into the lake of fire.

God has done a wonderful thing. As this order has fallen, God has come to sinners, found them bound for
a horrible pit, put their feet on a rock, established their ways, and is transforming them from glory to glory.

We are bound for ascension! Meriting nothing, we are what we are by the grace of God.
See (Psalm 8)... Jesus…form of a man…obedient to death...raised mankind to honour and glory … to occupy
thrones which were once the domain of Satan and his hosts. This lower order of creation, made lower than
the angels – will be crowned with glory and honour.
God has taken man above principalities and powers, there is a time coming when there will be a new order
of things – God will repopulate the heavens!

So – shortly the Lord will leave the right hand of the Father – coming to the air He will descend with a shout
to call up the whole body of Christ. Then will start the times of the restitution of all things.

In stages – the rapture – tribulation – when a rebellious world, rulers, kings, powers, nations, Satan brought
under control (Zech 14).
At the end of the great tribulation, Messiah’s feet will stand on the earth. Nations will be gathered for
judgement as sheep are separated from goats.
Messiah will set up his kingdom and millennial reign over the earth.
This is the promised Kingdom proclaimed by John the Baptist, Jesus during His earthly ministry, and by
the twelve apostles.
The Millennial reign, is part of the ‘times of the restitution’.
1000 years–Satan released–final rebellion – fire from heaven, final destruction–elements melt with a
fervent heat–a new heaven and new earth!

THREE GREAT ETERNAL PURPOSES - POPULATING A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH.
An almost perfect age, free of the influence of Satan.

The Adam Purpose
The Abel Purpose
The Ascension Purpose

THE ADAM PURPOSE
The first man, Adam was made a living soul. – Genesis in Eden – Red Earth.
Body made from the earth – God breathed into him the breath of life.

(Gen 1:26) – Man made in image of God – dominion over creation – blessed – commanded to be fruitful &
multiply. A plan revealed to inhabit the earthly paradise, and immortality.

Adam never had a spiritual body, and was never promised one.
God is going to have a new earth, and people (immortal, see Rev 21), nations of them that are saved will walk
on it.

(Paul tells us that we, the church, are not like that – we are going to have a spiritual body).

THE ABEL PURPOSE (Lower heavens purpose).
(Rev 21:2) ‘I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride
beautifully dressed for her husband’.
So here is another company, the Bride, a city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.

Heb 11 tells us of a list of people who had superior faith, lived their days traced back to the time of Abel, and
many of course many more in addition, having one thing in common, a particular revelation, seeing beyond the
blood sacrifice of animals, for Jesus tells us, ‘Abraham saw my day and rejoiced …’.
By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did
Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

‘For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is
God’. And verse 16… ‘Instead, they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one’.

They had the promise of that city – for as yet they were pilgrims on this earth, which they were not prepared
to accept as an inheritance. They had a revelation of a calling into the heavens, and this was to a city, which
the angel showed to John in Revelation 21.

(Heb 11:39) These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had
been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us
would they be made perfect.

That purpose cannot be made complete until the Body is complete.
So the city is descending, from a place of its preparation to a lower plain. It is not the highest calling, for it
descends from that level.
In fact to close proximity to, or contact with the earth, the lower level of the heavens now occupied by
principalities and powers.
It says that nations shall walk in the light of that city. Infusing the world for good.
What a contrast to the present with the powers of darkness influencing for evil. This will be part of the
shaking of the heavens, as well as the earth - the removal of the places of residence occupied by the evil
principalities and powers, and a new city will fill this space, with its new rulers.

THE ASCENSION PURPOSE
A New Testament revelation. Conceived in mystery – the highest purpose of God for us!
We/you were chosen in Him. A revelation concealed throughout the course of human history until revealed by the apostle Paul, though of course provision was made for it in the prophecies preceding the revelation of it.

Constructed in Mystery (John 3:8) Any member to enter this Body is by the immersing work of the Holy Spirit.
Every member linked to another, sustained by that which each joint supplies. The Church draws its life from an
invisible head, enthroned in glory, at the right hand of God.
Consummated in Mystery (1 Cor 15:1) ‘Behold I show you a mystery’. (1 Thess 4) describes this mystery.
 

‘According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till
the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord
himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel
and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words’.
 

NOTE: The Church rapture - God has not appointed us to wrath. (1 Thess 5).
This is the highest calling, the Church, the Body of Christ.
This company of the redeemed will not descend, their representatives - 24 elders enthroned in Revelation Ch 4.
represent a multitude in the Church of every kindred, tribe and nation.

As members of the body of Christ, we are destined for the realm of
Ruling and Reigning with Christ.