Chp.61 - Man Made In The Heavenly Conversation

“And the same sentiment was expressed, my friends, by the word of God [written] by Moses, when it indicated to us, with regard to Him whom it has pointed out,3 that God speaks in the creation of man with the very same design, in the following words: ‘Let Us make man after our image and likeness. . . ." Justin Martyr. (1885). Dialogue of Justin with Trypho, a Jew. In A. Roberts, J. Donaldson, & A. C. Coxe (Eds.), The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (Vol. 1, p. 228). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. After Justin brings Trypho into the eye witness account of Solomon's engraftment into the heavenly conversation, he goes back to Adam's verbal testimony summarized by Moses (The Genesis Account). Here, Justin carefully brings out how God only speaks in creation through the man that is created through the heavenly conversation (The Holy Spirit). Genesis begins with the Spirit (overshadowing), hovering over, the darkness of the deep and the unformed earth, but in the formation of man the Holy Spirit enters in by the Light and Breath of God. It was the Holy Spirit who gave man Life toward God (Gen.1:1;2:7). Thus man(kind) was to be the Light to the darkness, which gives the understanding (the Word) to the world (Matt.5:14;Jn.8:12;9:5;11:9;2Cor.4:4). But Trypho cannot see out of his darkness/sin without the Light of the world.

" . . . And that you may not change the [force of the] words just quoted, and repeat what your teachers assert,—either that God said to Himself, ‘Let Us make,’ just as we, when about to do something, oftentimes say to ourselves, ‘Let us make;’ or that God spoke to the elements, to wit, the earth and other similar substances of which we believe man was formed, ‘Let Us make,’—I shall quote again the words narrated by Moses himself, from which we can indisputably learn that [God] conversed with some one who was numerically distinct from Himself, and also a rational Being. These are the words: ‘And God said, Behold, Adam has become as one of us, to know good and evil.’5 In saying, therefore, ‘as one of us,’ [Moses] has declared that [there is a certain] number of persons associated with one another, and that they are at least two. For I would not say that the dogma of that heresy6 which is said to be among you7 is true, or that the teachers of it can prove that [God] spoke to angels, or that the human frame was the workmanship of angels. But this Offspring, which was truly brought forth from the Father, was with the Father before all the creatures, and the Father communed with Him; even as the Scripture by Solomon has made clear, that He whom Solomon calls Wisdom, was begotten as a Beginning before all His creatures and as Offspring by God, who has also declared this same thing in the revelation made by Joshua the son of Nave (Nun)." Justin Martyr. (1885). Dialogue of Justin with Trypho, a Jew. In A. Roberts, J. Donaldson, & A. C. Coxe (Eds.), The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (Vol. 1, p. 228). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. Therefore, Justin uses the authority of the infallible and inerrant, trusted Scriptures to open the understanding of Trypho's heart. Trypho (and his friends) already have a confidence in the authority of the Scriptures, but also understand the errancy of man's ability to understand the Scriptures. Therefore they are patient with Justin as he listens to his teaching. Justin begins by reminding them of the traditional but false teaching of their fathers who believe that when Yahweh Elohim said, "Let Us make," that God spoke to the unformed elements, as to Himself (as oneself) in a mirror, as man can and often has done, by which they are not to reassert this understanding to the text. Nor are they to assert that God spoke to angels and that flesh was made through them and for them.

Instead, Justin takes them to the following context which explains the heavenly conversation before man (and the angels) were created. Justin, therefore, reminds them of what Yahweh Elohim saw in the sin/darkness of man when Adam breached his created order under God. The commandment was "in the day that you partake," that is from the heavenly perspective, in which God foresaw Adam partake, having already called the tree the knowledge of good and evil. It was called good and evil because God saw that man would be called good until he breaches the Lord's sovereign right (over him) to restrict. The LORD also said, ". . . the day in which (you) shall," (that is evil ordained), he shall be called evil, in the rebellion of the commandment. Therefore, in the foreknowledge and heavenly conversation of God, Jesus willingly volunteered to be the "one of Us" that would create man in the heavenly conversation. It should be noted that Jesus was not eternally "one of Us" in functional form. For Christ had to be made like man, in weakness, in order to perfect man unto God. Therefore, it wasn't until man sinned that Yahweh Elohim revealed to him the created, predestined, though redemptive, plan of God. In saying this, God had revealed to Adam that her seed, though absolutely divine, would redeem the soul of man, which Adam lost for all mankind (Gen.3:21). Eve is given a promised Savior through her curse that would separate the spiritual seed of the angelic lie--the created snake--who is called the Devil between the Offspring of her confession--the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom.3:26;1Jn.1:9). This "one of Us" must be both Yahweh and man to be the Redeemer of those born of truth because creation still speaks. And this creation (of the snake) still speaks lies, which have corrupted the Father's world, and those born of Truth (the Light of God) must overcome them (1Jn.2:13-14;4:4;5:4-5). It is only in this heavenly conversation that the serpent's head is crushed. Without being drawn into this Holy, Holy, Holy conversation mankind is born into the world under the headship, that is the mind of the serpent, and is cursed forever under the image of his sin. But if you are drawn into this heavenly conversation, the sacred Head--the mind of Christ--has crushed the mind/head of the serpent under His eternal feet through the pouring out of his blood in death and the offering of his eternal life in his flesh--the bodily resurrection. Only in his death are we made in the image of Yahweh Elohim (Jn.6:37,44;14:6;17:11). And only in the sons of God is the Truth proclaimed in the world, being one with the Father (2Cor.4:6). Joshua 5:13–15 (NKJV) 13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” 14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” 15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Now Justin draws Trypho's attention to him who is called Head of the children of Israel. Trypho would have been most likely aware of this context where Joshua has been awaiting instruction from the LORD before taking the city of Jericho. The backdrop gives us the perspective of why this man identifies himself, though in angelic form, as Head of the army of Yahweh. All the men who were left uncircumcised in their wanderings in the wilderness were to be circumcised before Joshua was permitted to take the city. This was to show their loyalty to the Headship of Yahweh and that they would have no other Executive. In other words, God would not bless them with the land until they were set apart to the holiness of the LORD. For this ground would be holy to the LORD! This would be the place that God sets up to signify the separation of the children of the devil and the children of Yahweh Elohim. It is here, to the children of Israel, where God reveals Christ as "Captain/Head" of the army of the LORD. It is here, at Jericho, where the Head crushes the serpent, from which the city of the serpent cannot be rebuilt (Rev.2:13;17:5). But Jerusalem shall be the city and the holy ground upon which the LORD establishes the eternal and unshakable foundation of faith where righteousness shall dwell (Rev.21:2,10). It shall be holy ground upon which the Captain of our souls shall separate the wheat from the chaff! Hebrews 2:5–14 (NKJV) 5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the *Captain* of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” 13 And again:

“I will put My trust in Him.”

And again:

“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.” 14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, . . The Captain of Joshua's soul had to be made lower than the angels in order to be the perfect (Foundation ESV) and REST for Joshua's sanctification (Heb.4:8). This Captain/Head is the holiness of Joshua's engraftment into the heavenly conversation when he saw the LORD and worshipped at His feet (Heb.12:14). Apart from this Captain/Head, Joshua (and the children of Israel) would have perished in the city of Jericho by the drawn sword of the LORD (Jos.5:13;Heb.4:11-13).

And the Lord’s Captain says to Joshua, Loose the shoes off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. And Jericho was shut up and fortified, and no one went out of it. And the Lord said to Joshua, Behold, I give into thine hand Jericho, and its king, [and] its mighty men.’ ”8 Justin Martyr. (1885). Dialogue of Justin with Trypho, a Jew. In A. Roberts, J. Donaldson, & A. C. Coxe (Eds.), The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (Vol. 1, p. 228). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.