Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him Ephesians 1:9-10.
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…. Ephesians 3:14-15.
Every good and perfect gift comes from above. The family on earth is the replica of the family in heaven: though the earthly brethren are yet to come into the perfection of those in heaven until the mortal shall put on immortality when death shall be swallowed up in victory or Christ shall come to transform their vile bodies that it may be fashioned according to his glorious body, and transport them to be with him forever.
God’s holy interest of family in heaven is the extension of the institution of the creation of Adam and Eve in the (a) blood related flesh and blood family on earth which is made up of a father, a mother, and their children: (b) the enlargement of the new spiritual family of believers as the members of Christ body and flesh on earth, known as the vessels of mercy, called and saved by the blood of the everlasting covenant from different parts of the nations of the world (Revelation 5:9-10), according as it is written, that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he says also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Romans 9:22-26.
Apart from the impossibility of marriage and procreation such as we do on earth in heaven, every other godly, honorable and righteous acts on earth are the prototype of the events, activities and exercises going on in heaven: the spiritual gives us some light and understanding to the events in the natural or visible realm for a glimpse into the wondrous incomprehensible celestial activities and pattern of livelihood (according to the limits permits by God) where Christ is the food to eat (the Lamb shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters): where the glory of God shall be the light that illuminates eternity, because there shall be no night or darkness to use sun and candle to see in the day or at night: everything needful throughout all eternity shall be found in the Lamb and in the all – sufficient  God. Rev 7:16-17. Rev 21:23. Note: whatever should be the weight of our current burden and the nature of our present cares, all should be cast upon him who cares for us now, and will not cease in the other world to responsibly shoulder of our burdens and cares throughout all eternity, lest we be guilty and condemned of distrust and faithlessness in the God who is to us the fountain of life, and is also the provision of our presence and eternal sustenance and existence.
God is not the everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6) if he there is no family members in heaven as the head over them before the mountains were brought forth, or ever he formed the earth and the world. If Christ was born to Joseph and Mary as his earthly parents without knowing each other (carnal knowledge) before and until Christ was born, should it be thought an incredible thing that there exists celestial family of God in heaven, though he himself was without father or mother, neither having the beginning of days nor the end of life as the self-existing God? Note: Christ question (if I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? John 3:12) to Nicodemus communicate the unfinished explanation of Christ to the teacher of the Pharisee for his amazement and question on how could these things be (John 3:9) on the necessity and possibility of the new spiritual birth, but he suddenly put a pause on any further or possible explanation and revelation of celestial family from the Lord who will not give anyone to chew what is hard for them to digest. Mark 4:33.
Do the angels only rejoice that a sinner is saved on earth apart from the fact that a member of their family once lost and dead is found and made alive, and shall soon be with them to serve the beauty of holiness forever, seeing they shall be like them – the angels in heaven? Mark 12:25. He that delicately brings up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length. Proverbs 29:21. From this scripture text, we could rightly admit that the angels in heaven are also parts of the members of God’s family: though, they are his servants who are at our services to minister to our need as the heirs of salvation. Even we are his children by faith in Christ Jesus, and members of his body and of his flesh, are the servants of Christ – servants of righteousness. Romans 6:16:
The two scripture text before us tells about the family in heaven and on earth: that the family members in heaven are also called by God’s name as we are also called by his name. 1 John 3:1. But we are more blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3) more than they who are in heaven through the generosity and the goodness of our heavenly Father who has made us as a wonder to the world, and to angels, and to men (1 Corinthians 4:9), having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself (Ephesians 1:5), and has included us into his eternal will as the partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light to enjoy the inheritance of the enduring substance and the treasures in heaven as the heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Romans 8:17.
The post resurrection believers in Christ Jesus are blessed (John 20:28) beyond measure because of their conscious response to the joyful sound of salvation to walk in the light of God’s countenance (Psalms 89:15), showing forth the praises of him who has called them out of darkness into his marvelous light – the holy habitation of God through the spirit. Ephesians 2:22. Note: as the true sheep presently know, hear and obey their master’s voice to follow him wherever he guides them; so shall it be in the near future that they will discern, hear and obey his voice, and they shall come forth out of their graves, if Christ should tarry to come during their time on earth, that they may partake in the first resurrection, and be gathered together unto their Lord and Christ with the rest of the just men (old men and women of faith who has come and gone from the land of the living to the place prepared for them by God (God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Hebrews 11:40) in the company of their celestial family members who has never been on earth, but with God, so that we should all come together and forever be with the Lord according as it is written, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him. Ephesians 1:9-10. Let us therefore keep ourselves in the love of God – by laboring, that, whether present with the Lord or absent from him, we may be accepted of him (2 Corinthians 5:9): laboring daily in prayers to be made perfect and complete in the will of God (Colossians 4:12) through diligent obedience (2 Corinthians 10:6), looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 1:21.
The revelation and teaching of Christ about our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name (Matthew 6:9) is to show the unending attitude of reverence which God is expecting from us (your own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, says the Lord God of hosts. Jeremiah 2:19) in our daily walk and fellowship before him, by walking worthy of him unto all pleasing in the renewal of the minds of our understanding as we put off the old man which is corrupt according to its deceitful lust, and to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and in true holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24), considering that we have a just, righteous and holy Father who should not be taken for granted, but will without respect of person judge everyman according to his work (1 Peter 1:17) by living all the rest of the time of our sojourning on earth in his worship and service with acceptable reverence and godly fear. Hebrews 12:28.
God is the Father of all the spirit beings (Hebrews 12:9) and the God of the spirits of all flesh. Numbers 27:16. There is a heavenly spiritual family of which God is the head. There is also an earthly family of God’s children of which Christ is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Colossians 1:18-20.
The new creature believers are the true children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, just as Isaac (not Ishmael) was the legitimate child of promise born to Abraham (Galatians 4:21-28), so is everyone (Jews or Gentiles) walking in the newness of life (for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor un-circumcision, but a new creature. Galatians 6:15) are given as trophies to Christ for the travail and offering of his soul unto death to redeem those that believes: for ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3: 26-29.
Last Sunday, the 11th of April, while I sat under the ministration of pastor Luc Warnon of Mission Timothee Nimes, I was blessed, edified and emotionally broken as he powerfully preached about Christ true brethren from the book of Mark 3, verses 31- 35, showing God’s Fatherly redemptive love through Christ Jesus who has made us his brothers because we obey his word to live by his commandments: there came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, behold my mother and my brethren!
The true earthly children and family of God have one common identification or identical mark which is the distinctive characteristic feature of God’s holiness and purity in them as those who are now partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lusts by pursuing and executing the will and purposes God in the singleness of their hearts to serve Christ, growing daily and developing and transforming by the working of God’s spirit in (as the habitation of God through his spirit. Ephesians 2:22) into the full formation of him who now lives in them, even Christ. They are diligent to walk worthy of the Lord unto pleasing in holiness which is the purpose of their calling and salvation as the partakers of the inheritance of saints in light. Christ reveals the character of his true brethren by saying that whosoever hears and do the will of my father in heaven; the same is my mother and brethren: therefore, they are known for practical lifestyle of obedience and submission to God’s word, that they might live to defend the family creed as they represent their heavenly Father on earth to frame their doings and conducts by his word: I have given them your word, and the world hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
During the days of his flesh, Christ was his Father’s beloved Son because of his submission to the word of God and his obedient to the voice of his heavenly Father – for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of Him who sent me. John 6:38. The Father will only confirm us in Christ with the same testimony of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:6) if we are dutifully living by the scriptures in the application of its precepts as the sole principle to live and conduct our affairs in life: as it is written that man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
The holiness that God demands of us in all manner of conversation (a) is to come out and separate from the world and its worldliness, and to avoid ungodly yoke together with unbelievers. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18: (b) in the conscious practical bearing of the fruits of righteousness in the laborious application of the word of God through the fruit of the spirit – against such, there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Galatians 5: 22-24.
This is what it takes to do the will of the Father which is in heaven – this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us: we know that he hears us, because we do the things that are well pleasing in his sight –  this is our confidence and willingness to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord in the company of true brethren in the Lord, not of the flesh and blood family members which do not know the Lord while they live, for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither do corruption inherit incorruption, but of those who have their names written in the Lamb’s book of life, who are born of water and of spirit – new creatures in Christ Jesus. John 3:5. 1 Corinthians 15:50. 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Remember that the blood of Christ was predetermined or foreordained (for as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. 1 Peter 1:18 -20) in the eternity, while at the same time, Christ was offered in the eternity before the foundation of the world (and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13:8), but was revealed at the fullness of time determined by the Father to formalize the actualization on earth for our redemption by the death of the cross for the purchase inheritance of those who are called to be of the members of his family on earth, so that everything written about him should be fulfilled and have an end. Luke 22:37.
The scripture made us to know that heavens and they that dwell therein rejoice to celebrate the expulsion of Satan from the holy abode of God. The inhabitants of heaven are God’s angels which are known as the ministering spirits, including the twenty four elders which are always around the throne of God, and some other created beings. The twenty four elders are not angels, though they are spirit beings, even as God is a Spirit, the creator, who made the spirits angels to worship and do his bidding. Hebrews 1:7.
In the book of Job, there are two different groups of spirit beings which rejoiced at the creation of earth, namely, the morning stars and the sons of God. The former are God’s family members in heaven who invoked the blood of the Lamb with the other inhabitants of heaven as they fight against Satan to defeat and expel him with his angels (sons of God) out of the holy abode of God. Note: lest any be confused about the angels been called sons of God, it pleased God that they should bear his name (behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. Exodus 23: 20-21), and by so doing, they have his authority and power as emissary to execute and enforces his will and judgment when, if or where necessary. Luke 1:19-20.
I will submit to us that Christ, by whom all things were made, visible or invisible, things in heaven or things on earth is the Lord (that this Lordship was conferred on him before the foundation of the world until God brings the first begotten into world, and says, let all the angels worship him (Hebrews 1:6), and he decree and establish it on earth and under the earth after Christ resurrection, that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2: 9-11) over other the morning stars in heaven (whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Job 38:6-7), Christ himself being the Bright Morning Star, and by his blood sacrificed before the foundation of the world had they gotten victory over Satan during the war against him and the sons of God in heaven.
The devil is known as the morning star, son of the morning (Isaiah 14:12), but the morning stars which shouted for joy at the creation of the earth are different from Satan, and they are not his angels that fell and were expelled together with him from heaven (Revelation 12:7-8), even as our Lord Christ also have the title of the Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16), but he’s far different from Satan. Perhaps, some are still in doubts that the sons of God that committed lewdness with the beautiful daughters of men to cause the flood against the ungodly world then were the fallen angels in the book of Genesis chapter 6, verses 1 to 4.
John the Apostle speaks about the twenty four elders worshipping and continually proclaiming God’s fulfillments of his goodness and great acts (and round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. Revelation 4:4: 10-11): they should not be mistaken for the twelve apostles of Christ (then answered Peter and said unto him, behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel Matthew 19: 27-28) who were promised to be honored as jury to sit beside our Lord Jesus to judge the twelve tribes of Israel: but the rest of believers in Christ – the saints shall also be with the Lord to judge the angels and the world of the ungodly sinners (1 Corinthians 6:2-3), probably as participants and witnesses at holy court in heaven, at the white throne judgment seat of God, when the men of Nineveh that repented at the preaching of Jonas shall also arise in judgment to condemn the men of this generation, and the queen of Sheba, for she rose from the far south to hear and believe in the wisdom of Solomon, she shall also arise in judgment to condemn the men of this generation. Matthew 12:41-42.
The twelve thrones of the twelve apostles of Christ are yet to be set round him as he is presently seated at the right hand of God in heaven: Christ with his holy apostles should wait for the fullness of time set by the Father for the future and eternal judgment of his Jewish brethren (John 1:11) who refused to receive him as Christ and Lord.
The twenty four thrones round about the throne of God shall not be displaced or replaced for the judgment seat of Christ where he will be judging the twelve tribes of Israel with his holy apostles. The twenty four elders existed and have been with God in the eternity before the natural or the spiritual birth of the common salvation and regeneration of any of the twelve apostles of our Lord Jesus on earth as it was revealed that one of the twenty four elders speak to reassure and comforted apostle John sorrowful spirit when he was taken back to one of the past events in eternity in the revelation, when there was no one found worthy in heaven and on earth to open the scroll and to read it, and to fulfill the price of redemption that was written therein except Christ, described as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, who has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. Revelation 5:5.
The twenty four elders are they who has made up the celestial or heavenly family of God, and with them shall we worship and serve God throughout all eternity as one family under one eternal Father of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named with those who has gone to heaven before us, and with the faithful and holy angels of God who are  hearkening and executing his orders in heaven and on earth, and with other beings which are in heaven, which we do not have permission and access to know now, but shall know hereafter as we ought to know when God shall be all in all for every creatures in heaven throughout all eternity – for all live by him.
There is a set time for the gathering together of all the saints in heaven and on earth (Revelation 6:10-11), for God will not conduct any separate and private marriage supper, or any – segregate group reward between the bridegroom to reward (would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed, bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:1-2) anyone among his brides in heaven. The crown of life with other promised rewards for the faithful brethren and the over comers are reserved for a specific period of time in heaven, when gifts shall be presented to each bride during the feast with the King’s son at the marriage supper with the Lamb when the bridegroom shall be formally wedded in holy and eternal matrimonial union before the family members in heaven watching and rejoicing as holy witnesses and participants: afterward they shall all be together, to live happily forever throughout all eternity as one family in the presence of the Father (God) of the bridegroom: then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.