Why are we here?

Right, now I'm ready to continue on my previous post about the creation. After contemplating a long time I thought for sure I had come up with the reason God placed us on the Earth. I thought the answer was simply;
"thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:11
But I have recently come to realize it's far deeper than that. So let us delve into what it means by for his pleasure.

In the book of Revelations we see Jesus, the lamb that was slain, opening seven seals on a scroll in heaven. As he opens these seals horrific things happen on the Earth.
It is commonly understood in the Christian community that this scroll is the title deed to the Earth, but I dare say it is to the known Universe, which I call the second heaven.

The first heaven is the direct Earthen atmosphere. It extends into space, tapering off into the ozone layer and eventually petering out. The second heaven would be everything our human eyes can observe in "space". Planets, stars, nebulae, and a multitude of things like black holes that we really don't understand completely and probably never will. I would go as far as saying we have a pretty basic grasp of what space is, not a deep understanding.

The third heaven is something we mortals cannot comprehend. We cannot see it, hear it, smell it, touch it or taste it. We have very little record of what it looks like in common biblical canon, and the view we find in the book of Enoch may or may not be divinely inspired. Since we cannot be sure of the authenticity of that book's description of the third heaven and beyond, it would be best to assume we have no clue what it looks like, even though some people point to the "streets of gold" passages in the bible, but that is after the new creation. Even the descriptions given by John in the book of Revelation are difficult to grasp:

"I was in the spirit; and, behold, a Throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the Throne ... And before the Throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal" Revelation 4:2,6

Now since we have covered the basic understanding man has of creation, let us understand that we share dominion over the Earth with something else; Lucifer.

As shocking as it may seem the bible supports this:

"Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." Genesis 1:28

"When I look at Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers,
the moon and the stars which Thou hast established;
What is man that Thou art mindful of him,
and the son of man that Thou dost care for him?
Yet Thou hast made him little less than God,
and dost crown him with glory and honor.
Thou hast given him dominion over the works of Thy hands;
Thou hast put all things under his feet." Psalm 8:3-6

And now for Lucifer:

"Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me" John 14:30

"The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one." 1st John 5:19

"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" Matthew 4:8-10

As we can see, we have dominion over the earth, but so does Satan. The Lord didn't dispute it when Satan offered him all the kingdoms of the world, he simply told him to get away.

Having covered that, let's delve into something even deeper than this. Man was created in the image of God. Jesus is the word, the word is with God and the word is God;
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1
which would mean we were meant to look like Jesus for a reason.

God can never be a liar, and he told Satan at some point in time that he gave dominion to him otherwise he wouldn't call him the Prince of this world. To cancel the rule of the devil, God made an elaborate plan to catch him in a trap. Knowing how cunning and sly the serpent was, he created mankind and gave dominion of the Earth to him.

God knew Satan wouldn't share his rule with anyone, and he also knew that the devil couldn't pass up an opportunity to ruin something God had made. Even more so, he knew that Satan hated him (Jesus), so he couldn't resist destroying something that looked like him. So to defeat him he would create man, reside in the fleshly body of one, and die.

Basically, God won't punish something that doesn't sin, and he himself cannot sin. Mankind was fallen into sin, therefore the flesh of man was cursed to die. Jesus, being without sin and being God, died on the cross. He payed the price for something he didn't do;
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
which is to say, he died and didn't deserve it. Doing this meant he owed himself anything he asked of himself, which was to redeem mankind and allow them to come back into fellowship with him. But it doesn't end here.

Becoming a man gave him something else. God had given dominion to Satan and mankind. God became a man for 33 years, giving himself back dominion over the Earth. Now Satan would have to be in direct competition with God, no longer a fallen race of man. It is here we can see that he takes the title deed in hand in Revelations and begins to open it.

Now, since God cannot lie and won't coexist with evil, he will throw Satan into hell, and also mankind who reject Jesus. It may seem like a cruel thing to many people, but it is a perfect and just plan. By throwing them into hell, he doesn't revoke dominion over the Earth and the second heaven, but simply puts them into a prison which cannot be escaped from which they will have no influence or power over this Universe.

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS" Matthew 25:41


In the end, Jesus and his saints will be the only heirs to the Earth. He shares it with us not because we deserve it, but because he had mercy on us for having to go through a life of sin and suffering and gave grace to us because we beg him for forgiveness.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, but that ALL should come to REPENTANCE” 2nd Peter 3:9