Why did God create the physical universe?

[beameup]

Well, God must enjoy inhabiting three dimensions, because he will create a New Heavens & New Earth. Remember, man was "created in the image of God".

 

[Sapper Woody]

On this topic, I've always found Ephesians 3:8-12 to be interesting.

8. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
10. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Verse 9 tell us that God created all things, and then verse 10 give us His intent. It appears here that the intent of creation is to prove to the principalities and powers God's wisdom, through the use of the church. Now, I will readily grant you that I am using the English here as my guide. I don't profess to be a Greek scholar.

But, using the English, it appears that my understanding of these verses are correct. However, this opens up a whole different set of questions, such as "who are the principalities and powers?" Are they not a part of creation?

Well, in Genesis 1 we learn that God created the Heavens and the Earth. In this account we don't have an account of angels being created. It's possible they were created before Earth. While I don't advocate a gap theory for the purposes of theistic evolution, we honestly don't know what (if anything) transpired between verses 1 and 2. It could be possible that Satan fell in this time, and then the terrestrial creation was God pitting himself against Satan. We know that God could have simply caused Satan to never exist. But what greater glory to have a remnant of people who remain faithful to God despite adversarial conditions?

We already know from Job that Satan isn't bound to Earth. He's able to enter into the throne room of Heaven and communicate with God. We also know that he will taunt God, and God will allow Satan to test people. It's possible that Satan fell, and then told God that any creation that He would endeavor to create would choose the same thing. It's possible that Satan claimed that if God created a neutral creation, that Satan could rule it. And so God could have proceeded with the terrestrial creation in order to prove Satan wrong.

All of this is purely conjecture, of course. But it's all possible, and seems to be backed up by the verses in Ephesians.

One thing we know for sure from this passage, however, is that Jesus' purpose of redemption was known from eternity. Jesus' death and resurrection were not after-thoughts, but were determined in eternity past; long before Heaven and Earth, long before angels and humans.

 

[TomLaPalm]

Well, God must enjoy inhabiting three dimensions, because he will create a New Heavens & New Earth. Remember, man was "created in the image of God".

Do you propose the New Heaven and Earth exist while the Old are still here.?

Please elaborate on why the "image of God" relates to the purpose of Creation?