In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth; not the spiritual Heaven, but the material firmament—space, as we term it, with its suns and planets.

This was the beginning of the material creation—that which is to be released through the unveiling of the sons of God.

What existed before the beginning?

We do not know. It was a spirit realm inhabited by angels, cherubim, seraphim, and other creatures. These beings were not material. They were not in the image of God.

Were there trees, grass, animals, birds, hills, valleys in the spirit realm? We do not know. The Book of Revelation suggests a sea of glass, an altar, thrones, but never the paradise we imagine.

It was a marvelous day when God created the heavens and the earth, the material realm. Satan and the fallen angels hurried to leave their first estate and enter the earth. Why? Because the material realm is more desirable than the spiritual.

When God created the heavens and the earth He did not create a lesser realm, He created a greater. He did not create lesser creatures, He created greater. God always moves from the lesser to the greater as all the saints know well.

Now Christians are hoping God will reverse Himself and bring us back to the prior condition. We want to leave the better realm, the material, and go back to the realm of angels.

God has a much better plan than that.

The material realm was created "very good" and still is very good. The problem is in the spirit realm. Wicked, rebellious spirits have entered the material realm, including our physical bodies. These unclean personalities are destroying everything they touch. Satan, their master, is perverse, treacherous, corrupt, lustful, murderous—abominable beyond all we can imagine.

God has no intention of abandoning His creation to unclean spirits. Rather, God is perfecting a royal priesthood consisting of the spirits of righteous people made perfect.

When these righteous spirits have been prepared fully, Jesus and they will return to earth to drive out the evil spirits.

When the evil spirits have been driven from the material creation, Paradise will be restored to the earth. Nature, dead for six thousand years, will praise God once again, being made alive by the touch of the Spirit of God.

The creation once again will be spiritual-material; not a dead physical thing but a living, joyous, singing creature. The wild animals will graze peacefully with the domestic. Nothing will hurt, nothing will dismay God's innocents.

What happened? How did man lose Paradise in the beginning?

We lost Paradise because there was no wall around Eden. There was no voice that said with Divine power and wisdom, "Satan, keep out. The wicked, the deceitful, the rebellious, the violent, the drunken, the unclean, the adulterous, the bestial, are not permitted here."

The wall of the new Jerusalem is being created today in the hearts of the believers. Are you one of those who has determined to come before the Father in stern obedience? Do you long for the new world of righteousness and praise that is to come?

If so, rejoice with us. God has heard our prayers. The earth yet shall be filled with the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (from A Change of Emphasis)