“ON EAGLES’ WINGS MINISTRIES”
“OUR METAMORPHOSIS INTO GOD” by DORA VAN ASSEN—CONTD.
“THE WHOLE CREATION IS GROANING AND WAITING.”
Christ Jesus himself the Spirit within us is groaning to be clothed within and without, covering us completely with his glorious image. All creation is groaning together with groanings that cannot be uttered for this transformation. Even as the mature cells of the moth ate up the dead cells of the caterpillar, so the Life of Christ is consuming the DEAD WORKS of our Old Creation Man. It is a continuous process until the consummation of all things back into God. We were created for this process. God created to make or form all men into his image and likeness. God has given us his Spirit as a pledge or down payment on our complete inheritance in Christ.
But every man in his own order: (1) Christ the first-fruits: (2) afterwards they that are Christ’s at his coming. (appearing): (3) then cometh the end—the rest of the harvest. 1 Cor.15:22-24. I see 3 orders in the Resurrection and all wait upon their own order. In 6000 years, Christ Jesus our Lord is the only one raised from the dead, even Noah, Elijah and Moses died. Jesus said, “No man hath ascended up to heaven.” John 3.13. The appearance of Elijah and Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration was a vision. Matt.17:9. Beloved! In Adam all are dying, except those who are “awake” at the appointed time of his appearing, and they have no advantage over anyone as all are changed together. “That we might be glorified together.” Rom.8,17-18. “And the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we that are alive and remain (survive) shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (Spirit.” 1 Thess. 4: 14-18.
Our metamorphosis is a return into God. Not back into what we were in Adam in the Garden of Eden—but a returning unto our Father from whom we came. We are begotten of God, born of His Spirit. We have a Heavenly Calling, and we are returning home. “God bringeth man to destruction to say: Return ye children of men!” Ps.90:3. In returning and rest shall ye be saved! Isa. 30:15. Our strength for the heat of the day is in confidence and quietness, waiting upon him. Knowing that he who has begun a good work in us will also finish it, changing us from glory to glory into his very own glorious image. Christ all and in all, bringing us together into that place where God our Father is ALL in ALL—in all his creation. “In the dispensation of The Fulness of Times, God will gather together in One Head, all things in Christ, which are in heaven and which are in earth—even in him!” Eph.1:10. The end of this lesson by Dora!
“INTRODUCTION TO: THE EXACT IMAGE.
For years I had trouble combining the first and second chapters of Genesis, regarding the creation of man. These two chapters seemed to portray two separate accounts of the creation of Adam. Though I began to see that this creating and making of man was progressive, I still could not make it all fit together. There were too many discrepancies in the way it was being interpreted. I even considered the thought that perhaps these two accounts were actually given in allegoric form, thus we could choose the account that we thought was the highest revelation. In fact, this interpretation is accepted in many circles of religion. I now understand that it is one account of God creating and making mankind into his own exact image.
Truth marches onward! I soon began to believe that God was actually prophesying what he intended to do, when he said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Gen.1:26. God began to do this very thing when he formed man out of the dust of the ground, as it is recorded in Gen.2,7. I believe that this work was a process, so that man shall finally stand in the very image of God; even as God himself had prophesied. This interpretation satisfied me for a long time until many questions began to arise concerning these scriptures. For example in Gen.1;27, it states that God did CREATE MAN in his own image during the sixth day. But the formation of man in Gen.2,7 does not take place until after the long seventh day of rest which would be the eighth day. Gen.2,2. Could there be another solution to the problem of these two seemingly different accounts?
Light began to break through on the word “IMAGE.” What kind of image did God mean? Was it to be a natural or spiritual image? God is Spirit! What would his image be like? Meditating upon these questions God gave me the word “EXACT.” Therefore, we present these thoughts contained in this article entitled, “THE EXACT IMAGE,” for your consideration. May we be workers together in him, approved of God, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. God’s Word is Truth. Though Truth stands alone, it stands victorious. Only Truth can set free completely from the dogmas of men. Be not fearful! Even error enhances the truth! Only making Truth brighter! “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” 11 Cor.13:8. “For we have no power to act against the truth, but only for it.” 11 Cor.13:8. NEB. This is the end of Dora’s “Introduction” and like you, I am anxious to move forward in this lesson. The Creation Story continues to stir up controversy even in local governments, School Boards, educators, and religious leaders. Let us see what further light Dora can shed on the subject.
From the very beginning it was God’s intention to make man in his own image and likeness. In the first chapter of the Bible we hear him say: “Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness.” Gen.1:26. Here he is stating his divine intention. He has never changed his mind. Neither sin, nor death, nor time, nor spirit, nor any other force can alter, or stop God in fulfilling his plan. He is sovereign in all that he does. “I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever; nothing can be put to it nor anything taken from it: God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” Eccl.3:14.
The words, “Let us make” infers a process. To make anything requires time, and often different methods to reach the intended goal. There is a vast difference between “making” and “creating”. To create is to bring forth the first original idea, or thought-image into visible form. A copy of this first original idea is not created, but made. Thus we find in Gen.1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This original idea of creation came forth out of the Spirit of God by the spoken Word (Logos.) Ps.33:6 Rom.11:36 “It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God’s Word, so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.” Heb.11:3 GNT. “By faith we perceive that the universe was fashioned by the Word of God, so that the visible came forth from the invisible.” Heb.11:3 NEB
How can anything be made plainer than these two translations of this scripture? In the first original creation God simply spoke the Word and it was done! But from Gen.1:2, we begin to see a process. The earth was made, or “became” without form and void. The words, “was made,” or “became” denote a change. We will speak of this in detail later. Right now we want to look into the fact that in the remainder of Gen. 1:2 to Gen.2:3, we find two words used regarding the creation. They are “create” and “make”. We even find these two words used together in one verse. “Created and made” Gen.2:3.(This is rendered “Created to make” in the marginal reference.) Therefore the creation as it is today came forth through a process—and it is still a process. This behooves us not to judge anything yet, for God is not finished. He is still moving all creation unto his own ultimate and glorious goal!
In agreement with science, the bible indicates long progressive periods of development in the creating and making of mankind, into the exact image of God. With these thoughts in mind let us study in detail the profound scriptures recorded in Genesis. “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Gen.1:26-27. Notice that the man is both created and made. In his first creation man is both male and female in one spiritual body.
The way man is formed today out of dust he could not be two flesh bodies in ONE body. Only two or more spirits could be together in one body, occupying the same space. When we are joined to the Lord, we are ONE SPIRIT. 1 Cor.6:17. God is Spirit! Therefore, in creation God brought forth spiritual beings out of himself. The bible confirms this! “God is the FATHER of spirits.” Heb.12:9. God speaks of Adam as both “him” and “them” singular and plural. Also in Gen.5:2, “God called their name Adam.” Both male and female are called “man” or “humanity” showing their perfect unity in bringing forth creation. Furthermore God commanded that THEY were (while yet in this high spiritual state) “to be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion. Gen.1:28. They were to do this while yet in their ONE SPIRITUAL BODY.
Immediately after God commanded Adam to be fruitful and to multiply, we find God resting on the seventh day. Gen.2:2. This seems very strange! At one time in my searching after truth, I thought that God was idle for at least a thousand years. Just think after pronouncing that everything was very good which God had created made during these first six days, I now had God resting, just letting everything lay idle and dormant until God again began to work toward his plan by forming man out of the dust, according to Gen.2:7. Praise God! Light is finally penetrating my subconscious mind. This rest of God was not inertia! For God never slumbers nor sleeps! He is always active! Nothing is ever halted, stagnate nor void! In majestic stages God is moving all creation, visible or invisible onward into his intended goal.
I fully believe that this Spiritual Man, Adam, in his glorious dual body of male and female began to produce after his own kind: this is, Spiritual Beings! He became fruitful and multiplied and replenished the earth. God had set his plan in motion to bring many sons to glory in his own image and likeness. After starting things off (so to speak) during the first six days of creation, we read that God rested on the seventh day from all that he had created and made. To be sure God rested from this work of creating, but Adam obeyed his command. He started to work, bringing forth myriads of Spiritual Beings, according to God’s command and plan. The word “multiply” means to increase by division. Could this be an increase in development by one cell dividing into two cells, and two cells dividing into four cells, etc? even as an embryo is formed in the womb? Let that be as it may, it was a Spiritual Multiplication in order to replenish (fill up again) the earth. Praise God, they stood integrated together in perfect unity, subduing the earth; having dominion over all the work of God’s hands. This will again be seen in greater measure in the GREAT BODY OF CHRIST: male and female swallowed up in him---many members in ONE CHRIST EXPRESSION, filling the universe with his glory.
Adam (male & female) in this Spiritual Creation did not receive his flesh body until after the seventh day in which God rested. In Gen.2:7, we read that God made an earthen vessel for this man to dwell in. “God formed man out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man BECAME a living soul. Gen.2:7. The identity, personality, character and nature are found in the soul. We know each other by our spirit-soul expression. The flesh changes in appearance continually, from our pre-natal conception, through baby-hood, childhood, manhood into full age. Our flesh bodies have gone through many stages of growth, yet we know each other. This dust formation of man is marvelous to consider. He was made from the highest dust of the world. Prov.8:26. We cannot go into this aspect of this soulish formation at this time, neither can we explain in detail the meaning of the word “became”. Just hold it in mind that it means a CHANGE HAD BEEN MADE FROM ONE REALM TO ANOTHER REALM.
As soon as this soulish flesh man is formed, we find that God places him in the Garden of Eden to “till and keep (guard) it. Gen.2:15. We can readily see why God needed a fleshly material man to work in this material world; for at this point in his plan, “there was no man to till (cultivate) the ground. Gen.2:5. Only a mist arose from the earth to water the ground. Man has now become a triune being: spirit, soul, and body. In his spirit he is God-conscious; in his soul he is self-conscious; and in his body he is material-conscious. Only in this bodily aspect of his being could he till the ground, or become visible to the animal world around him; thus having fellowship with the natural creation.
Though he now had to eat food to sustain his natural body, I am sure he enjoyed cultivating the ground, as there were no noxious weeds and thorns to oppose his efforts. In this peaceful state of innocence we can see that Adam enjoyed the natural things around him. Especially the animal world! He learned all about them—their habits, character, and nature. When God paraded them before him he was able to name each one according to their nature. In his close observation of them he noticed that each had his, or her mate. Only he himself was the only one who had no visible, bodily mate. We soon read that it was “not good” for man to live alone in this state. “And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help MEET for him.” Gen.2:18. God did not say that he would make a HELP-MATE, but a HELP-MEET (fit-worthy) for him. An animal would not do, neither anything lower than himself. She had to be his exact counter-part, standing face to face with him, therefore had to be taken out of his own body. Continued next issue!!