The Spiritual and the Material Realms

We have stated previously that there are spiritual or heavenly counterparts of the workings of redemption in the earth. When we grow from one level to another in the Lord Jesus Christ it is as though we pass from one spirit realm to another.

There seems to be a close relationship between the earth and what must be the lower or first Heaven. Satan is referred to as the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). It is likely that there was a close link between Heaven and the Garden of Eden. The Greek term translated heaven in the New Testament writings does not distinguish between the spirit realm and the space above the surface of the earth. In fact, in the Scriptures, "heaven" sometimes is presented as being not much higher above us than are the clouds of the sky:

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, . . . . (John 17:1)

And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:10,11)

And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. (Acts 7:56)

It seems clear from the above verses that the spirit Heaven is not beyond the galaxies but begins immediately overhead.

The Garden of Eden, as we can observe, was a joining of two worlds—the spiritual and the material. This dual quality was revealed in the tree of life and in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, neither of which is a tree that grows in the natural world. Also, we are not accustomed to having reptiles speak and advise us.

The two worlds were mingled and working together in the Garden of Eden and no doubt in the remainder of the material creation. Adam and Eve enjoyed the fullness of the blessing of both the material and spirit realms just as God has ordained for the new heaven and earth reign of Christ.

Christ reflects in His Person the union between the spiritual and material domains. Each saint who is changed into the image of Christ will reveal in himself the union between the two domains. Each saint will be filled with Christ who in turn is filled with God the Father. This is the Kingdom of God.

The establishing of the Kingdom of God on the earth is the integrating of the righteous spirit realm with the material creation. The coming of the Kingdom will restore to the earth all the heavenly blessings that were lost in Eden. This is why the coming of the Kingdom is "Good News."

When the Kingdom of Heaven rules in the earth, all that is of sin and rebellion is judged and removed. The inhabitants learn righteousness. The spiritual quality is restored so that the material world once again possesses its rightful inheritance of peace, joy, and animation. The restoration of rightful inheritance is termed redemption.

Unfortunately, sin entered Eden, and God cannot dwell where there is sin. The spirit part of the Garden of Eden and of the physical creation withdrew, leaving only the dead material form—dead because of the absence of spiritual life. The material realm is little more than a prison when the spiritual qualities are not present to give life, peace, joy, and the Presence of God. The physical world is the "valley of the shadow of death" when it is cut off from its spiritual counterpart.

When we receive the Lord Jesus Christ and are saved we become heirs and citizens of Heaven. Although we do not see the fullness of the effects right away, the spiritual blessings of Heaven gradually come to us. Our material existence is touched with the life and climate of Heaven. Our life on earth takes on peace, joy, and an inspiration that is unknown to the unsaved who must depend on material resources in order to draw any pleasure from life.

The unsaved are poverty stricken though they be millionaires when compared with the least person in the Kingdom of God.

When a true Christian dies he immediately passes over into the spirit realms of light, there to dwell in the beautiful, peaceful, joyous world of the redeemed souls and the holy angels of God. This is one of the benefits of being saved.

All levels of Heaven touch the material world in many ways. The third Heaven is the place of supreme authority. In the Lord Jesus the third Heaven strode among men and laid down the terms of the Kingdom of God. Christ was crucified by His own consent. If He had wished He could have resisted. He possesses the power to dissolve the galaxies into their original energy.

When an adult or child receives Christ, Heaven reenters the material world, pointing toward the glorious day when the earth again will enjoy the fullness of the blessings of the life and joy of the spirit realm.

On the advice of Satan, sin entered the material creation. Judgment and death followed immediately as they always do. The kingdom of Satan then was established on the earth. To the day in which we live, the kingdom of Satan still is corrupting the earth.

God has planted the cross of Christ, the beginning aspect of redemption, in the center of Satan's kingdom. The cross still is in the world, in the center of the kingdom of darkness. All who embrace the cross pass from the authority of Satan to the authority of Christ.

Christ met Satan on the cross, and the authority over the earth and its inhabitants passed into the power of Christ. Although Satan still has his kingdom in the earth, any individual who chooses to do so can pass from the power of Satan to the power of God by receiving Christ as his Lord and Savior.

There is a close relationship between what takes place in the spirit realm and what takes place on the earth. In the lower spirit realm, in the vicinity of the surface of the earth if we can think of it that way, the cross of Christ has been established, and is available as a gift to every person who will accept it from God.

Here on the earth, where the vilest of sins are practiced under the advice and inspiration of Satan, and where the joyous qualities of the higher heavens have been lost, we pass from the kingdom of darkness to the authority of the Kingdom of God as soon as we receive the Lord Jesus Christ. We receive in our soul in a small measure the joy and peace of Paradise.

This is not the end of our struggle against the rulers of the darkness of the world, as we understand from Ephesians 6:12. It is the all-important beginning. From this point onward we are to fight our way into the fullness of victory in Christ, relying on the Holy Spirit to bring us into freedom from all guilt, tendencies, and effects of the kingdom of darkness.

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