By Brad Harrub, Ph.D
Evolutionists are in a quandary—they recognize that vision and the human eye demonstrate incredible complexity and sophistication. However, the word design has become taboo—because “design” demands a Designer, and evolutionists are unwilling to consider that possibility. Is it logical or plausible to believe that visual perception is the product of naturalistic changes—that the lens focuses light-waves onto the retina, which is covered with photoreceptor cells (rods and cones)? Those light waves are then converted to neuronal signals that travel down the optic nerve and are processed in the visual cortex of the brain. Not only is the human eye able to accomplish this incredible feat, it can do it in low lighting or on a bright sunny day. Additionally, humans are able to visually perceive images even traveling at great speeds. Vision is the product of the foresight of God.
God recognized that man would need the ability to move the eye and so He furnished six individual muscles that allow man to move the eye in a variety of directions. He also recognized that man would need the ability to see from ‘dusk til dawn’ and so He formed the iris, which controls the diameter and size of the pupil. Additionally, He recognized that blood vessels in the lens would distort vision, and so He created special elongated cells that do not have a specific blood supply like the rest of the body, but rather they get their nutrients from the vitreous fluid. All of this took planning and forethought.
The Kingdom Was Designed with Forethought
If the human eye took special forethought and planning, then what about the church? Did it just spring up after the death of Jesus, or was it a part of God’s greater plan? Doesn’t it make sense that something so important, so vital to the overall plan of redemption would require forethought and planning? In Paul’s second letter to Timothy he admonished,
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the Gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began (2 Timothy 1:8-9, emp. added).
In his letter to the Christians at Ephesus Paul observed, To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:10-11, emp. added).
Just like one cannot look upon the human eye and not see forethought and design, one cannot look at these Scriptures and not see forethought—a plan.
The Kingdom Was Prophesized
But what was the plan? It is hard to imagine that God could look into the future and recognize that man would need eyes that were good not only for “tending and keeping” a garden, but also for reading and typing on a computer. However, God knows the big picture. Likewise, when it comes to the establishment of the church God knew what would be needed before it was even needed! He recognized that those who were redeemed would become a “called out” family who would serve Him and seek to spread the Truth about Jesus Christ. In other words, God knew we would need a church family—people of like precious faith who could encourage and edify us as we walk in the light.
We can look back to the Old Testament and find prophecy concerning this plan for the church. For instance, in Daniel 2:44 we find these words: “And in the days of these kings the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”
What should we take away from this prophecy? Allow me to suggest the following:
- The church (kingdom) would be set up in the days of kings—which occurred in Acts 2.
- It will never be destroyed. Yes, there may be eras in which it is weaker or places on the earth that have come to embrace immorality and thus there are fewer members. But it will never be destroyed. This should bring us comfort as we think about some of the immoral changes happening around us today.
- In discussing the “consumption of all these kingdoms,” it is probably referring to a spiritual victory rather than a physical victory here on earth.
In that same book Daniel later observed, “I was watching in the night visions, and behold One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which will not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14). Clearly the church will not be destroyed.
God knew He needed to establish something that could withstand bombs, trends, political parties, and changes in culture. Thus, He perceived the formation of the church before He created the earth. The prophet Isaiah 2:1-4 declared:
The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Now it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people.
Notice that the prophet Isaiah said, “For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” The word Zion is often a synonym for the word Jerusalem, probably because Mount Zion is located near that city. The indication is that the “law” and “word of the Lord” is coming from Jerusalem. This piece of Scripture fits beautifully with what we read in Zechariah 8:3: “Thus says the Lord: ‘I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be the City of Truth, the Mountain of the Lord of hosts, the Holy Mountain.’” Clearly, the Bible was pointing toward Jerusalem. Now consider for a moment that this was written in approximately 520 B.C.! It is amazing that 500 years before the existence of the church, prophets were already writing about the fact that it would be coming out of Jerusalem.
As an anatomist dissects down into the eye, things begin to make sense. God created a clear lens to allow light waves through. He created specific cells to help detect light during the day (cones) and also at night (rods). Likewise as we dissect down, we recognize that God had a plan from the beginning, and that His church (kingdom) would be started in Jerusalem.
Has This Kingdom Been Established?
On any given Sunday, many denominations will recite the “Lord’s Prayer” during their worship service. Often praying aloud, the congregation will say in unison, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
These familiar words can be found in Matthew 6:9-13 and are sometimes referred to as the Lord’s Prayer (it is more accurately referred to as the model prayer).
Notice one particular phrase in that prayer: “Thy kingdom come.” The implication is that God’s kingdom is coming. But is it still coming, or has it already been established? Well, let us consider the following evidence:
- Peter was given the keys to the kingdom.
Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in Heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven” (Matthew 16:17-19; emp. added).
- Additionally, the Bible records several instances in which Jesus Christ and His disciples declared that the kingdom was “at hand.” For instance, in Matthew 3:2, John the Baptizer declared: “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (see also Matthew 4:17; Luke 10:9). These statements indicate that the kingdom would soon be established.
- The final piece of the puzzle can be found in Mark 9:1 where Jesussaid to them: “Verily I say unto you, that there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power” (emp. added, cf. Luke 9:27).
Clearly this passage indicates that the kingdom would come during the lifetime of some of those present at that time. Those events happened approximately 2,000 years ago—which means that the kingdom—Christ’s church—has already come and been established. (Which begs the question: Why would we continue to pray “Thy kingdom come” if it is already here?)
Who Presides over the Kingdom?
If God had a plan for the church, then surely Jesus was a part of that master plan—because without Jesus there can be no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:11-28). Thus, Jesus must play a crucial role in the church. Just how crucial? Paul, in speaking of the role Jesus plays in this plan, observed, “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22). Clearly, the plan was for Jesus to be the head of the church—not man.
Again, in His wisdom God had foretold thousands of years earlier through the prophet Isaiah that Jesus would be the head of the kingdom,
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this (Isaiah 9:6-7).
I love the way Paul summed it up in Colossians 1:16-18, “For by Him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”
Conclusion
There should be little doubt that God in His forethought and wisdom planned for the church. Just like the human eye, it was intelligently designed. His prophets told of its coming literally thousands of years before its existence. It was all a part of a great plan—a plan that finds Jesus Christ as the head of the kingdom.
Men may try to model visual equipment after the human eye. They may even attempt to create an artificial one in the years to come. However, those weak attempts to replicate an authentic human eye are destined to fail. For you see, the eye was designed with the brilliance of the All-Knowing Creator. Likewise, there may be churches out there that try to replicate His kingdom. They may have some of the very same aspects—but ultimately they too will fail, as they were not designed by God with Jesus as the head. Look around, what do you see? Are you in an artificial church, or the one that He designed from the beginning of the world?
