Our perceptions of God are sketchy. They run ahead of any evidence we have of God and his immediate environs. I image the abode of God as a great city with suburbs. He never leaves that city. There is no better place to be. He knows what is going on everywhere, and is as alert to the universe as he is to the central capitol. When it is reported that he said or did something that message or act was done through an ambassador of first rank for Adam, Moses, Samuel, Isaiah and many others – even Satan (Job 1: 6-12). We may think of them as angels or archangels, perhaps seraphim. For some events he sends lesser representatives: an ass to Balaam (Numbers 22); a witch to Saul (1 Samuel 28:7); and, a man of his own realm to Belshazzar, the prophet Daniel and a hand, writing on the wall – Daniel 5:13-28. Except for the mediator, Jesus Christ, and his administrator in the Holy Spirit, it is not likely that God has provided any personal/private presence outside his abode. As the earth is one planet in a solar system of planets, so God’s abode is identified from all other of God’s universes. All this is too much for us. As the earth is to the animal all that there is and known only for limited participation, and the universe mankind inhabits is only partly known above the human perception of earth awareness, so is the habitation of God even less known for mankind. What is known is granted by revelation so is not amenable to the research of nature’s verifiability by mankind. God is quite able to manage fully, informing Daniel – and by extension to all who share faith in God: But go thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. Periodically this assurance is given to readers of faith. (Revelation 22:11-16)
We little understand the meaning of mediation, but we use it often if we understand the invisible machinery of the creation. Without it we would long before this destroyed ourselves on the altars of our ignorance and arrogance. Mediation saves marriages, restores relationships, solves social problem between communities and nations. Mediation is vital to treaties, to contracts, to neighborhood conduct. Mediation plays to our better selves. It presumes that situations may conclude as win-win exchanges. When it is rejected there is decline, likely affecting all parties negatively. Woodrow Wilson went to Europe at the end of the World War I, the most popular man in the world. He wanted to mediate a peace that would make the Great War the end of all wars, and that peace should not perish from the earth. He couldn’t gain agreement for his dream either at home or abroad. Instead, the seeds were sown for a second even more devastating war a bit over twenty years later. The second war, after a pause, completed the first one.
God sent his Son, in the roll of mediator between God and mankind. The powers that be rejected the Mediator and crucified him, so to place the outcome fully in each individual to decide which direction to regard. Scripture makes clear that all persons are the physical creation of God, but we are prodigals, and must decide whether or not to return to the father’s house. God will mediate to the benefit of the returning child, the fatted lamb is prepared, and the feast of the family of God follows. Thereafter is elevated God-life over temporary life, larger knowledge over natural knowledge, immortal purpose over human – all in the context of peace, realization, righteousness, fulfillment, love and offering understanding for all that preceded to relating to God and all of creation. We begin by getting over our pride – that we can make do on our own, gain fulfillment on our own, that we can even as self-conscious animals achieve enough to make a natural journey worthwhile – on our own. It can’t be done, even if we are brave for the purpose. It begins with willingness to find the humility for surrender, choosing the standards and life outcome in the family of God. With whatever time period remains we live out the culture in obedience to God’s order. How much evidence do we need in the light of so large testimony of benefit, of so certain an end to the natural sojourn, of so magnificent the vision, of so tight a spiritual plan for winning, of so perfecting of life culture? To do less is to lose respect for self and what we have in creation. Even though the theology of the whole scenario is intellectual in faith presuppositions, involved in complexity, is bathed in supernatural vision, the essentials are simple to believe (faith) and apply to divine promise of immortality. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020