The apostle Paul makes the following prophetic declaration: “For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body” (Rom.8:20-23). Paul is revealing that a dark and malignant being subjected the whole creation of God to a slavery of corruption. This evil power is so great, that the ones who were saved by Jesus through faith also moan, laden, waiting for the return of Christ, so that our body will be redeemed by resurrection; for Paul himself says: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor.15:52-53).
– What intrigues the Bible reader about the Old Testament is that Jehovah says of himself: “See now that I, even I, am he, there is no god with me. I kill, and I make alive. I wound, and I heal. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand” (Deut.32:39). And Abraham said more: “I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless” (Gen.17:1). The Almighty is the one whose power is the greater power, in other words, he can everything. In the above text Jehovah declares that there is no power above him and that no one escapes from his hands. However, Paul reveals that there was another power, and it was evil, which submitted all his creation and creatures to a regimen of slavery to corruption. And there was more: This slavery to corruption will be destroyed only at the return of Jesus Christ, through the resurrection of the dead.
The doubt that arises is: Either the power of evil is greater than the power of Jehovah, and when he affirms to be El Shaddai he lies, or Jehovah is conniving with the darkness of Satan (Acts 26:18; John 3:19-21; Eph.5:3-8). Jehovah is always surrounded by darkness (Ex.20:21). And Jehovah hides in darkness (Ps.18:11).
– The second shocking declaration of Jehovah says: “This is the plan that is determined for the whole earth. This is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. For Jehovah of Armies has planned, and who can stop it? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” (Is. 14:26-27)? What did he determine? Did he determine that the slavery to corruption is going to go on, that every creation will continue to moan under the power of darkness, which subjected all things under the slavery of corruption? If Jehovah is the one in charge of the regimen of corruption, he is either the author of the slavery to corruption, or receives orders from the one who subjected it.
– The third declaration of Jehovah is the following: “‘I myself am Jehovah; and besides me there is no savior. I have declared, I have saved, and I have shown; and there was no strange god among you. Therefore you are my witnesses,’ says Jehovah, ‘and I am God. Yes, since the day was I am he; and there is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I will work, and who can hinder it?’” (Is.43:11-13). Let us ponder: Whom did Jehovah save, if all creation was subject to vanity — not of its own will, but because the one who subjected it — and all creation waits to be set free from the slavery to corruption? Jehovah says more: I have announced and I have saved. Those he saved he killed in the desert (Jude 5). Not even the savior that Jehovah sent to save them was able to save himself (Deut.34:1-5). How could Jehovah boast so much under the yoke of slavery to corruption, and that without producing anything?
– Jehovah holds a high position in this dark world. He reigns over the nations: “For the kingdom is Jehovah ‘s. He is the ruler over the nations. All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can’t keep his soul alive” (Ps. 22:28-29). If all creation is subjected to evil and to corruption, the author of this work should rule over the nations, and not Jehovah, unless he is the author of the bondage to corruption. The ones who come down to the dust are the dead (Ps. 22:15). And will these bow down before Jehovah? Is he the god of the dead and not of the living? How can Jehovah be the king in a regimen of corruption and bondage? Thank God Jesus said: “You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world” (John 8:23). Jehovah is, therefore, the god of this world (2 Cor.4:4). It is written that Jehovah dwells in Jerusalem (Ezra 2:68); Ps.135:21). Where does he dwell? Jeremiah answers: “At that time they shall call Jerusalem ‘The throne of Jehovah;’ and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem” (Jer.3:17). But the kingdom of Jesus and the Father is not on the earth, but in heaven. Paul says: “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom” (2 Tim.4:18). And he said more: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself” (Phil.3:20-21).
By Pastor Olavo Silveira Pereira