Hi Mike,

I wanted to say hi, it’s been a while since we’ve talked. I was briefly skimming through the video from your last conference about the purpose of the eons; when I have more time I’ll enjoy watching all of it. Something was revealed to me just in the brief couple of minutes that I watched it. I’ve known the scripture that tells us that the Lord created all things for himself even the wicked for the day of evil, but I never considered it from the perspective that you gave; man shall not live by bread alone but by ever word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Now I get it. Thanks for that. All too often we look outward when the whole point is to look inward. Which brings me to a question.
 I understand that we are the kingdom of God, and I think that the “gospel” is our transformation into the image of God, the end product. Is it possible that “heaven”, rather than a spiritual realm that we go to, or that is coming in the future, is just referring to us at a later date when we are all in the image of God.  When the old heaven and earth pass away isn’t that just referring to the old carnal us finally being discarded and the new image of God finally reigning supreme? Is it possible that we’ll never be going anywhere literally but the change will be inside us?
Also, I asked this question before and never got a response and I’m just dying to know what you think: Is it possible that Satan does evil but isn’t evil? He is a vessel of everything that is bad pretty much, but does the Bible tell us anywhere what his mind is like? Does Satan understand his role? Does he hate God or not? Or is he like a delusional madman; an evil machine that can’t possibly understand anything and is driven by a manic obsession with destroying everything and everyone? There is discourse between him and the Lord in the book of Job and Satan is obedient, and even appears very intelligent making an aggressive and impressive argument against job; he almost reminds me of one of America’s many politicians. Does he know the end like we do, and does he know God better than us? Just whats going on with him?
Anyway, any input on either or both questions would be very helpful. Its always a pleasure to talk to you and hopefully, one day, I’ll meet you in person.

Your brother in Christ,
B____

Hi B____,
It’s always good to hear from you and to get your insightful questions.
Your first question is:

Is it possible that “heaven”, rather than a spiritual realm that we go to, or that is coming in the future, is just referring to us at a later date when we are all in the image of God. When the old heaven and earth pass away isn’t that just referring to the old carnal us finally being discarded, and the new image of God finally reigning supreme? Is it possible that we’ll never be going anywhere literally but the change will be inside us?

The answer to your questions here about heaven is that heaven is certainly a spiritual realm:

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

“God must be worshipped in spirit and in truth,” and the hour to do so is NOW! Where is this to be done? It is to be done where God dwells:

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

So “God is spirit… and dwells in us.” Where then are we? What is the answer of scripture?

Eph 1:3  Blessed [ be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [ places] in Christ:
Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly [ places] in Christ Jesus:

Leave out the word ‘places.’ It is not in the Greek. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings, and we are raised up together and are sitting together in heaven in Christ.
You are right that this is not some distant future thing; this is where we are now. In Christ we are “sitting with Him even now… being blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, in the heavens.” The tabernacle in the wilderness and the later temples of Solomon and Zerubbabel are but mere shadows of where God really dwells within us. For all who really know Christ, there is not the least need for a physical temple in physical Jerusalem. We are that temple, and that temple is located in “heavenly… Jerusalem above, the mother of us all,” which is where we are even now dwelling.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

There is not one Christian in a thousand who knows that “Agar,” Hagar, typifies “Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children.” 999 out of 1000 Christians believe that “Jerusalem which now is” is Sarah, not Hagar. All who believe this are in bondage simply because they cannot see, hear or think as God thinks. “Jerusalem which now is” is the entire Jewish and Christian world which thinks that the word “Jerusalem above” is a physical place, physically located above the earth. Those who believe that being a physical Israelite makes you God’s chosen people honestly believe that both Jerusalem and heaven are geographical locations to which we must physically travel. They may very well deny that they teach that we physically travel to heaven, but in the very same breath they will affirm that heaven is in the physical heavens. If that is indeed true, then Paul lied when he told us that we are even now “seated in the heavens in Christ.”
The answer to your question is that we do not move one inch to go to heaven. Nevertheless we still must eventually relinquish this physical “vessel of clay” before we can “inherit the kingdom of God.” So the kingdom of heaven Is, Was and Will Be “within you.”

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48  As is the earthy, such are hey also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

The fact that this answer was given in response to “when the kingdom of God should come?” shows us that this is not an end time event. As we are told in the Revelation of Jesus Christ “the time is at hand” was true 2000 years ago.
Being “seated in the heavens” is all in down payment form at this time. The “fulness of the purchased possession” comes only with a resurrection which culminates in a spiritual body free of this physical body.

Eph 1:14  Which [ the Holy Spirit] is the earnest [ Greek- down payment] of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

It is in resurrection that “the redemption of the purchased possession” is acquired in more that  “earnest of our inheritance.” And it is through both resurrections that the fulness of the “purchased possession” is finally acquired for all “in Adam.”

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

It is failing to see that “they who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” which is blinding God’s people to the fact that their “temple” within is being defiled all of the false doctrines of Babylon. And when this happens, Babylon must be destroyed within. To go on to the next verse in the section of 1 Corinthians three quoted above, this is what must then be done:

1Co 3:17  If any man defile [ spiritually] the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Here is your second question:

Also, I asked this question before and never got a response and I’m just dying to know what you think: Is it possible that Satan does evil but isn’t evil? He is a vessel of everything that is bad pretty much, but does the Bible tell us anywhere what his mind is like? Does Satan understand his role? Does he hate God or not? Or is he like a delusional madman; an evil machine that can’t possibly understand anything and is driven by a manic obsession with destroying everything and everyone? There is discourse between him and the Lord in the book of Job and Satan is obedient, and even appears very intelligent making an aggressive and impressive argument against job; he almost reminds me of one of America’s many politicians. Does he know the end like we do, and does he know God better than us? Just what’s going on with him?

The answer to this and so many other questions is that the invisible things of God, including the defiled heavens within us all, are understood by the things that are made.

Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

While it is “shown unto them… being understood by the things that are made” it is also true that “God has given them eyes that cannot see.”

Rom 11:8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see , and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

For those who can “understand the invisible things of God… by the things that are made” we are told this about all spirit angels:

1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [ that should come] unto you:
1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Neither Michael nor Satan know “the things which are now reported unto you…” What is so striking about these verses is that not even the prophets who prophesied in the Old Testament were “ministered unto” by their own prophecies.
… Not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
Satan and his minions are in the same place in which Joseph’s brothers found themselves. They firmly believe that they have been given ‘free will’ and that every move they make is made because they came up with the idea. In reality God knew beforehand exactly what Satan’s answer would be concerning God’s queries about Job.

Job 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
Job 1:7  And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Job 1:8  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [ there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 1:9  Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10  Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job 1:11  But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

The invisible things really are understood by the things that are made! Ask any Christian, and he will tell you that he believes that God is sovereign. In the same breath he will go on to tell you that your salvation depends upon your free will. So it is with “the invisible things of God,” like this conversation with Satan. Satan acknowledges that God is sovereign. Just look at how Satan makes his case to God:

Job 1:11  But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

Satan recognizes that he can do nothing without God unhedging him. But when Satan is unhedged, just like all of us, he believes that what he does, he does free of God’s influence:

Job 1:9  Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:11  But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

And just as He does with us, God speaks to Satan “according to the idol of his “free will” heart:

Job 2:2  And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Job 2:3  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

Twice now God asks Satan “whence comest thou?” God was no more unaware of “whence comest thou Satan?” than He was unaware of Adam’s whereabouts when He asked “Adam, where are you?” Nevertheless, God holds both Adam and Eve accountable for their actions and never once informs them that He already knew “before the world began” exactly who would be in the first resurrection as who would end up in the second resurrection.

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Tit 1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

And so He does with Satan. God facilitates Satan’s own delusion that he was the one who came up with the idea of how to try Job:

Job 2:3  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

So the answer is that “the angels” do not know what God is doing, either in the lives of His elect or in the lives of the rest of God’s creation.

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom [ the Old Testament prophets] it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

I hope that answers your question:

Does he know the end like we do, and does he know God better than us? Just what’s going on with him?

Satan does not “Know the end like we do.” Neither does he “know God better than us.”
But it is the first part of your question which seems to really concern you:

Also, I asked this question before and never got a response and I’m just dying to know what you think: Is it possible that Satan does evil but isn’t evil?

Again, we understand this invisible part of God’s work by the things that are made. This is what we are told about the things that are made:

Rom 7:5  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [ how] to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

And why is this so? This is why:

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

What kind of body is this body of flesh? What do the scriptures say concerning our bodies of flesh?

Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

That is right, our flesh and the flesh of Christ is “the likeness of sinful flesh.” But just look at where the beast within each of us gets its “power and throne and great authority:”

Rev 12:3  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

Doesn’t that sound awfully familiar? It sounds like the heavenly model of an earthly creature:

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

And who empowers this beast which “comes up out of the sea?”

Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat [ Greek – throne], and great authority.

So the answer again is that just as mankind is “shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin,” so too, is the crooked serpent:

Job 26:13  By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.
Isa 54:16  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

The name Satan means ‘adversary.” In order to “work all things after the counsel of His own will” God decided that He needed an Adversary. Hence the name and hence the nature.
I hope this answers your question about whether Satan is evil as well as doing evil. Satan, like “the things that are made,” does evil because he was “created evil.”

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

I hope that answers both of your questions. If not, let me know.
Mike