In our study of Mark we are holding at Mark 12:37; and have taken up the study of the doctrine of negative volition and the doctrine of operation footstool because they came up in Jesus' confrontation with the Jewish leaders.
Last time in our study of the doctrine of operation footstool we saw that at after everything has been concluded with the judgment of mankind the fallen angels are the only category of enemies who keep on being enemies who remain to be defeated, deposed and consigned to the lake of fire per God's original sentence of them after their rebellion. Matt 25:41;
In order for operation footstool to be accomplished and for God to do all that He could do for mankind Jesus was made lower than angels so that He could die a substitutional spiritual death for every member of the human race. Rom 5:8; Hebrews 2:9
After his resurrection through His ascension and session God placed His glorified humanity into a position that was is higher than the angels. Heb1: 13; 1Pet 3:22;
He remains in session at the right hand of the Father for an indeterminate period of time because of satan's propaganda and deception of mankind that results in mankind's negative volition to God's plan.
The session lasts until His enemies are made His footstool, an idiom in the ancient languages that refers to the fact that your enemies are conquered. Heb 10:13;
Jesus session at the right hand of the Father occurred at the beginning of the Church Age indicating that the Church would be involved in the process of making His enemies His footstool
When Church Age believers made ready and the Church Age is concluded Jesus' session will be terminated because operation footstool is complete. Heb 10:12; Acts 1:8. Rev 19:7;
Believers in the Church Age are in Christ and are therefore God has made them positionally higher than the angels and co-inheritors because of their union with Jesus. 2Cor 5:17; Heb 1:14;
When Church Age believers return with Christ at the second advent they will be higher than angels in their resurrection body, without an old sin nature and without human good.
Body of Christ that is comprised of Church Age believers is being completed on earth by the conversion of individuals and when completed it is transferred into heaven via the exit resurrection. 1Thes 4:16,17.
Col 2:14,15; shows that Jesus Christ triumphed over the fallen angels at the cross positionally and will triumph over them experientially at the second advent. Col 2:10; Zech 13:2; Idols refers the demons as unseen the false gods behind visible the idols.
Jesus is to sit and wait until His enemies are made His footstool so when He leaves His seat at the right hand of the Father this indicates that God has defeated His enemies and made them into His footstool.
At the exit resurrection or rapture of the Church, Jesus Christ leaves heaven to get His Church so at that point in time He is no longer seated. 1Thes 4:16;
At the exit resurrection or rapture the body of Christ is complete and since Jesus does not leave his session till that occurs the conclusion is that the body of Christ is involved with making His enemies His footstool.
This implies that at the point of the exit resurrection or rapture a number of believers in the body of Christ equals the number of fallen angels that are Jesus' enemies.
A question that could be posed is why aren't the fallen angels deposed at the exit resurrection or rapture of the church?
The reason is that the body of Christ not only needs to be positionally higher than the angels it also needs to be experientially higher than angels.
This occurs at the judgment seat of Christ that occurs in heaven during the seven years that the tribulation occurs on the earth
The judgment seat of Christ is where the body of Christ that comprises His body is completely prepared to become His bride.
God has promised Israel seven more years according to the seventy weeks of Daniel the last week or seven years are the years of the Tribulation that complete the Jewish Age.
These seven years have to be completed before the commencement of the Millennium and during the seven years of the tribulation the demons are still operational on the earth.
They are not deposed and removed from the earth until the beginning of the Millennium when satan is imprisoned and all demons are removed to make way for the perfect environment of the Millennium. Rev 20:2;
When a Church Age believer in resurrection body deposes each fallen angel the fallen angels will have demonstrated proof that God has replaced them with the lower creation that He created to resolve the angelic conflict.
God created angels with volition and the angelic conflict occurred when Satan acted independently of God with his five" I wills." God sentenced Satan and the angels who followed him to the lake of fire in Matt 25:41;
Satan impugned the character of God with his allegation regarding "How can a loving God cast His creatures (angels) into the lake of fire?"
Human viewpoint that is based on satanic viewpoint does not consider God's entire essence it attempts to appeal to his love without regard to His perfect holiness that is comprised of His righteousness and justice.
God's answer was to create mankind with free volition. Satan thought he could get mankind to decide against God by getting man to sin,
Certainly God would not send mankind to the lake of fire. God loves His creatures too much. Satan reasoned, if man doesn't have to be punished, why should he (Satan)?
Satan thought he could prove God's unfairness by getting mankind to sin but God trumped Satan's evil intentions through grace and the ultimate good of Jesus Christ and His work the cross whereby He unilaterally reconciled mankind to Himself. 2Cor 5:19;
So now every time a member of the fallen human race, created a little lower than the angels, chooses for God by simply believing in Jesus Christ, the character of God is vindicated and Satan loses the argument.
This testimony ultimately resolves the angelic conflict with the execution of operation footstool.
This brings us back to study of Mark in Mark 12:37b; where Jesus turns his attention from the Jewish leaders and begins to address the crowd who is listening to Him.