TOPICAL NOTE 10: WHY GOD CREATED the UNIVERSE with INTELLIGENT LIFE

Genesis 1:1 stated “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”(NIV)- the universe, but without explaining why.   

Why would a spiritual God create a physical universe populated with free-willed, eternal spiritual beings who live in temporary physical bodies? The cited bible verses below provided theologians with evidence for why God created this completely new physical realm of existence.

Before God created the physical universe with humans, heaven was filled with angels He had created in the spiritual realm and Lucifer* was God’s most powerful, talented, and highest-ranking angel. However, he was prideful and desired to be worshipped like God by the other angles (Isaiah 14:12-14)*.  So, he offered them what he could- more permissive policies for governing his heaven if they left God to worship him instead. God, Who is all-knowing, knew Lucifer was enticing many angels to consider this rebellion but He didn’t stop it immediately apparently to not violate their free-wills that He had created them with (internet, Lucifer’s rebellion). The absence of an early adverse response from God would have prompted Lucifer to assure the angels He would let them all go without consequence.  However, after 1/3 of the angels (Revelation 12:4) decided to leave God to worship Lucifer, God cast them out of heaven and He initially imprisoned them in the Abyss, or “bottomless pit” (Revelation 9:1, 20:1; and internet, Lucifer’s rebellion). This is apparently God’s confining space for unruly angels.  

*The KJV, and NKJV bibles used the Latinized name “Lucifer” that described his brightness and beauty. Other bibles translated his name as “Morning Star”, or similar.  Scriptures that are claimed by Christian theologians to refer to Lucifer’s fall from heaven are Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28 that respectively specifically referred to the falls of kings of ancient Babylon and Tyre. However, theologians noted the spectacular imagery in these verses suggested they were illustrations of someone beyond human kings that described Lucifer’s fall and would make them “double prophecies”.  

Bible verses that seem to refer to Lucifer are rare, but many about him as "Satan" after his rebellion (below) include Job 1:6-12, 2:1-7 (oldest recorded verses); and 1 Chronicles: 21:1 in the Hebrew scriptures.  And the following verses about Satan are from the New Testament: Matthew 4:10, John 8:44, 12:31, 2 Corinthians 11:14, Ephesians 2:2, Revelation 12:10, 20:1-3,7-10.

God created mankind to justly replace the fallen angels who rebelled with Lucifer:

After their rebellion, God planned to replace the fallen angels with humans He would create (below). However, Lucifer’s highest position in heaven as a created being might always remain vacant. To avoid future rebellions by humans who would necessarily also have free wills, He would need to pre-select them to be loyal before He let them into heaven.  

God desires worship in heaven by those who choose to obey Him out of a heart desire- despite temptations not to (Genesis 3 commentary), but not out of a fear of punishment. So, God created the physical universe with planet Earth as a proving ground to pre-select forever loyal, free-willed human souls to justly replace the fallen angles who knew God yet rebelled and were cast out of Heaven. Humans live in physical bodies in the realm of the physical universe so they can’t “see” the spiritual God and must accept his teachings indirectly through the witness of godly people and scriptures, by faith.  The fallen angels were simply given their positions in heaven yet they rebelled against God despite personally knowing His goodness, which justly makes tested faithful humans deserving to replace them.

When Lucifer and his fallen angels knew humans would replace them in heaven they were jealous. Those angels who God apparently released from the Abyss onto the earth then became wicked toward humans. They tempted humans to sin against God to trap them in hell and thwart His redemption plan (below). Lucifer’s biblical name was changed to “Satan” that meant “accuser” because he accuses sinful humanity before God to pressure Him to condemn them to hell. Satan goes back and forth between “patrolling the earth” and heaven to converse with God (Job 1:6-12, 2:1-7).  However, God is actually using Satan and his fallen angels today who tempt earthly humans to sin against Him during their lifetimes as part of God’s pre-selection process for their entry into Heaven.

After the coming Great Tribulation on the earth (Matthew 24:21) Satan will be thrown into the Abyss with his “messengers”, the fallen angels on earth (2 Corinthians 12:7). Then Christ will return to righteously rule the earth for 1000 years (Revelation 20:1-3) without their interference. After this Millennium Satan will be released on the earth for a short time (Revelation 20:7-9) to again tempt humans to rebel against God. This will be God’s final testing- for humans who were born during this time to assure that only loyal humans will enter the eternal state with Him.  All of these spiritual battles are invisible to humans during their lifetimes (Ephesians 6:12). Eventually God will put Satan and his fallen angels in hell, a fiery place of everlasting torment (below) along with unsuitable humans (New Testament Matthew 25:31-34,41). So, faithful humans must take their trial lives on Earth very seriously! Revelation 12:7-12, and 20:1-3, 7-10 picture their future final war against God.    

The bible also described “evil spirits”, “demons”, or “unclean spirits” who have a different origin than the “fallen angels” who followed Lucifer (internet). The former group seeks to possess and control earthly humans and animals usually to their physical detriment (Matthew 8:28-32, Luke 8:2, Acts 19:15,16). Whereas “fallen angels” who were released from the Abyss onto the Earth by God instead harass faithful humans to discourage their faith and tempt them to disobey Him. God has them under control and He is actually using them as part of His selection process for humans (Ephesians 6:12). All of the above spiritual enemies of humans have their final destinations in hell.

A summary of God’s plans that justified Him to use humans to replace Satan and his fallen angels in heaven follows:   

God’s plans changed to accommodate human failures because of the great value that selected ones have (Matthew 10:28-31) as future subjects in His heavenly kingdom.  

Plan A: The first human couple on earth failed God’s loyalty test (with help from Satan and the serpent!).  It was simply to avoid eating fruit from one tree in His garden that He forbade them to eat. This was the subject of the Genesis 3 account.  Theologians call this the “Adamic Covenant”. God then withdrew His fellowship from humans and He required burnt animal sacrifice to approach Him (Genesis 4:3-7). Early humans (and animals) greatly multiplied and disobeyed God to become carnivorous and violent. So, He destroyed them all in the worldwide Flood except for one righteous man named Noah and his family who worshipped God exclusively and the animals God selected to keep in the huge ark they built to protect them from the Flood (Topical note 4). After the Flood (Topical notes 3B, 4) the people and animals (Topical note 3C) migrated worldwide and repopulated the earth.

Plan B: Then Abraham, a righteous man who was a descendant of Noah’s caring and eldest son Shem (Topical note 4, Noah’s vineyard) found favor with God.  Abraham worshipped God exclusively despite His aloofness and was willing to offer his only son as a burnt sacrifice to Him as God commanded, but God stopped him.  As a result of this test, God promised Abraham He would make his descendants, the Hebrews, to be His “chosen people” and become a great nation (Genesis 22). God apparently expected them to promote His ways to the world, and He commanded their males be circumcised as a sign of their commitment to obey Him for His blessings.   Theologians call this the Abrahamic Covenant.

Later, God gave the Hebrews, a very extensive system of moral, sacrificial, and dietary laws to live by and prophets and priests who provided direction. He required burnt animal sacrifice to atone for breaking His laws. Christian theologians (below) call this religious system the “Old Covenant”, and the corresponding Hebrew scriptures the “Old Testament”. However, the Hebrews didn’t keep all of His laws, they weren’t righteous like their ancestor Abraham, and many also worshipped pagan gods like the surrounding nations. Then God exiled them to far-away lands for many years.  After God arranged their return to the land He gave them as prophesized they never again worshipped pagan gods, but they still didn’t keep all of His laws.

Did God systematically reject everyone except native Hebrews from heaven under His Old Covenant?

Evidently not. God sent his prophet Jonah (who was swallowed en route by a great fish) to preach to the pagan Assyrian people of Nineveh (Jonah 4:11). And Peter, one of Christ’s closest disciples was sent to preach to the Roman Centurion, Cornelius (Acts 10). Other outsiders specifically mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures who came to faith in God were Rahab from Jericho, Ruth from Moab, and Tamar from Timnath. Rather, God invited his chosen among all people who He foreknew had faith to be led to salvation by His covenant people to believe on Him and adopt His ways. Although God had planned for ancient Israel to be an example to the world of how He wanted all humans to live most Hebrews weren’t good examples to follow.  Apparently, God had other ways to judge people worldwide who didn’t have the opportunity to learn about Him.     

Plan C: Then God gave the Hebrews the Messiah who was prophesized in their scriptures (starting in Genesis 3:15) Who was God Himself because only He was suitable. His sacrificial death and resurrection for their sins was included in His earthly ministry to them. His one sacrifice ultimately provided a forgiveness opportunity for those who believe on him to atone for their sins that replaced the endless animal sacrifices. 

However, with pressure from their religious leaders most Hebrews (or Jews*) rejected believing on their Messiah- that was also prophesized in their scriptures. God then temporarily set aside the Jews as His “chosen” people until the end times (New Testament Romans 11) along with His previous “Old Covenant” with them, for His “New Covenant” with all people on earth who accept Him as their savior.  This Messiah, Christ atones for their occasional sins against God’s moral laws when they confess and repent. Beyond confessing personal offenses to God and not repeating them, “repentance” includes willingness to restore to others for their misdeeds, specifically stealing and false slander (compare Leviticus 6:2 and Matthew 5:17-18, Luke 19:1-10). The sacrificial and most dietary laws were not continued under the New Covenant. And the Father appointed Christ as judge of all humanity (New Testament Gospel of John 5:22). These faithful people under God’s New Covenant are called “Christians” and their scriptures are the writings in the New Testament. Christ referred to the New Covenant in the New Testament Gospel of Luke 22:20. (Ethnically Jewish Christians who accept Christ as their Messiah are also called “Messianic” Jews).

* Authorship of Hebrew Law, How the Hebrews and Israelites became known as “Jews”. 

Importantly, God selects certain faithful humans worldwide who then can respond by faith to be saved, and He continues to work with them throughout their lives (Philippians 1:6, 2:13).  Knowing that God evidently created the universe with intelligent life to refill heaven with loyal spirit beings can help to succeed in His selection process.  Christian churches have set their own standards for salvation by following church rules they believe are required, but evidently God simply expects eternal loyalty from His heavenly subjects that He didn’t get from 1/3 of the angels who rebelled with Lucifer. The quality of peoples’ lives on earth shows God who will be loyal in heaven. And forgiveness is provided by Christ for humans who sincerely repent of mistakes they make while they live here.

Unrepentant, rebellious humans who are unfit for God’s heaven (above) choose lifestyles that promote ideals in the recent popular songs- “I did it my way” and “I gotta be me”.  Satan attracts a following by breeding on their discontent and God is still using his temptations today to screen out unfit humans from heaven during their lifetimes.  But Satan has no other option to try to save himself and his fallen angels from eternal doom than to make God “pack hell to get a few into heaven” as some theologians note (Matthew 7:13, 22:14).  

Forcing people to outwardly obey and worship God while on Earth (or killing perceived "heretics", "infidels", or “evil” people) interferes with His purposeful pre-selection plans for human entry into heaven (Matthew 13:29-30). Yet this is incorrectly done by some who believe they are pleasing God.

Eternal destiny is a free-will choice exclusively for humans that justly excludes Satan and his fallen angels. (Satan certainly argues with God about the generous forgiveness He offers humans for their transgressions during life while denying forgiveness to him and his fallen angels. Yet they committed the unforgivable sin of rejecting God after personally knowing His goodness.)  And God paid the price for human forgiveness.  This explains why God lets evil in this world run its course that critics complain “He lets happen”:  God will judge it later as reason to reject the unsaved. Although God’s punishment of people for their unrepented evil deeds in life in no way benefits those who were hurt by them. 2 Corinthians 5:10 suggests He will bless His people for keeping faith during their difficult lifetime trials in His “Bema judgment” of the faithful.

W. Cook

Independent researcher  January 2026

contact: genesismakessense@gmail.com