Special Revelation must establish a worldview (where we are at, how we got there, where it is all going) that at the same time, provides answers to all ontological facets of General Revelation (the origin of life, human identity, the purpose of human existence, good and evil, justice, human governance and responsibility, human flourishing and suffering) otherwise it is not special (or divine).
The worldview established by the Bible as Special Revelation (SUMMARY):
There is a galactic war that has been raging since the beginning of God’s ex-nihilo work of Creation. It is the war between God’s kingdom and loyal servants (the kingdom of light or Christ) and those who have chosen to rebel against Him (the kingdom of darkness or Satan and his loyal followers – i.e. the world) (Col 1:13; 1Jo 5:18). Its theater of battle encompasses the entire Creation – the heavens (all the galaxies and planets in our infinite universe) and most especially, planet earth, the home of God’s special image-bearers. Every human being who has ever lived, is living or will live (in the future) is a soldier at the center of this war regardless of their awareness or agreeableness to it. We are born on the battlefield and will eventually die in its combat. This war is therefore the longest and largest war ever fought. It is however not without purpose. As part of God’s justice, those who fight successfully – who fight for the right side (the side of Christ/God versus Satan and the world) – thus proving their loyalty and worthiness, will inherit eternal life in God’s New Creation (one without the possibility of war or rebellion/sin), whereas those who fight for Satan/world will inherit eternal life in the fiery prisons of Hell. Consistent with God’s original design, those worthy to be a part of the New Creation will function as God’s immortal star travelling explorers and planet-improving engineers, bringing the paradise of Eden/heaven to the rest of the galaxies in this reboot of the old.
The above worldview in outline form (EXPANDED AND SUPPORTED):
1. God (the Immovable-Mover, the Un-Created Creator) created out of nothing in six literal days, countless numbers of galaxies and planets – including the planet earth and its special immortal image-bearers, mankind (Gen 1:1, 27; Joh 1:1-3; Heb 11:3; Exo 31:15-17; Isa 55:9 w/Psa 147:5).
2. Earth was to be mankind’s home-base and the place where they would start their God glorifying, image-bearing mission of cultivating and conquering the entire universe thru expanding the borders and replicating the life-giving beauty of Eden - their mountain-top, temple-paradise, garden-headquarters on earth, to the other planets in the vast space of God’s infinite universe (regarding Eden as a mtn [Eze 28], temple [Gen 21:5 – “serve”; 1Ki 6, Rev 21-22]).
That such edenic terra-forming was our mission not only on earth but the rest of the infinite universe is supported by:
2.1. God’s creation mandate (Gen 2:15) “work” = Cultivate and expand. Spreading God’s glory/beauty as represented in Eden until it covered rest of the planet was the mission and expression of mankind as God’s image-bearers. This is how they would fulfill (Gen 1:26-28).
2.2. God’s character: nothing is created w/o purpose (Pro 16:4).
2.3. God’s cosmic design: earth as the prototype for the rest of the universe (Psa 78:67-69 “He built his [earthly] sanctuary [to look] like the heavens [and the heavens] [to look] like the earth [the heavens were made to take the form of the earth – i.e. it is to look like a edenic paradise] [since this is the design of God’s temple/sanctuary - again Gen 2; 1Ki 6; Eze 28; Rev 21-22] which he founded forever [Literally – “to be established in the future” – see Gen 9:12].”).
2.4. God’s confirmed plan for the New Creation (Rom 8:18-23) = The Creation [including the heavens – or galaxies and planets] wb freed from corruption [deadness] and futility [existence w/o purpose] thru our presence [“revealing] on them in the New Creation. Paul’s explanation of the New Creation is contrasted w/the original implying that this was its purpose (as well) before the Fall.
2.5. Mankind’s unceasing drive to reach the heavens(or stars) and conquer/cultivate worlds beyond this one (e.g. Ecc 3:9-11 “Eternity into man’s heart” = Man’s purpose is bigger than just the toil of this world – though there is purpose in it [“everything beautiful/purposeful/meaningful in its time”]. God has wired us to seek our purpose beyond this world in the heavens – a place where we will spend eternity but never run out of new places to cultivate/beautify for His glory as God has made the universe infinite; e.g. The Tower of Babel [Gen 11:1-4] = The problem was not wanting to go to the heavens but to do so before they had completed their mission here; Paraphrasing NASA’s late philosopher Werner von Braun - “We have a duty–in the name of meaning and Being–to spread ourselves out around the cosmos, giving philosophy, virtue, dignity, poetry, and God the longest possible future.”).
3. Shortly after creating the universe, Satan, one of God’s highest ranking angels, abandoned his post as guardian cherub of Eden in an attempted coup against God’s heavenly throne(Isa 14:12-14; Eze 28:13-17). A third of the angels followed Satan’s mutiny (Rev 12:4a - “His tail swept down a third of the stars...”) and a heavenly war ensued ( Rev 12:7 - “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back”).
4. Satan and his rogue angelic armies were defeated and pushed backed to the realm of the earth (Rev 12:4b – “[Satan’s] tail swept a third of the stars and cast them to the earth”; Rev 12:8-9).
5. Realizing his heavenly defeat and relegation to earthly quarters, Satan set his sights on the destruction of God’s Creation and image thru the corruption of mankind - most especially those in covenant relationship with God (Rev 12:12-17 = The “woman who gave birth to the male child” is OC Israel/God’s covenant people given her description in verse 1; Gen 37:9-11). Satan’s mission of destroying God’s covenant people also included the One sent to redeem them (Rev 12:4c = The “woman” is again, OC Israel, the “child” to be “devoured” is Christ based on the further description provided in verse 5).
6. Satan’s primary strategy for corrupting mankind = An anti-God propaganda campaign focused on persuading us that God (or His words) cannot be trusted ultimately leading to our own rebellion/disobedience against Him ( Rev 12:9 – “Satan…the deceiver of the whole world”; Joh 8:44; Gen 3:2-6, 3:13). Satan’s strategy includes also disguising himself (or those working for him) as good and committed to mankind’s good (2Co 11:14).
7. How our rebellion/disobedience destroys God’s image and Creation:
7.1. As it re: to His image = God’s laws/words are an expression of His character – i.e. He is what He says and does. Hence the reasons: 1) There is no deceit/lies found in Him (Num 23:19; Heb 6:18), 2) The Scriptures assign to Him names associated w/His words and actions (e.g.), 3). God obeys His laws (e.g. Jer 3:1 w/Deu 24:1-4). To preserve God’s image therefore requires that we faithfully obey His words (that His laws/words be the expression of our character; that we imitate Him – Eph 5:1; Mat 22:20 – RENDER TO GOD what is GOD’S [i.e. bears His image/likeness/inscription]) otherwise the image we will portray will be a perversion since what worship/are loyal to is a perversion. Instead of image-bearers we become idolatry-bearers. IOW: we become what we worship/are loyal to (Psa 115:1-8//Rom 1:23...
