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(God the Father Makes the Enemies of Jesus Christ His Footstool) |
These studies are designed for believers in Jesus Christ only. If you have exercised faith in Christ, then you are in the right place. If you have not, then you need to heed the words of our Lord, Who said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten [or, uniquely-born] Son, so that every [one] believing [or, trusting] in Him shall not perish, but shall be have eternal life! For God did not send His Son into the world so that He should judge the world, but so that the world shall be saved through Him. The one believing [or, trusting] in Him is not judged, but the one not believing has already been judged, because he has not believed in the Name of the only-begotten [or, uniquely-born] Son of God.” (John 3:16–18). “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life! No one comes to the Father except through [or, by means of] Me!” (John 14:6).
Every study of the Word of God ought to be preceded by a naming of your sins to God. This restores you to fellowship with God (1John 1:8–10). If we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9). If there are people around, you would name these sins silently. If there is no one around, then it does not matter if you name them silently or whether you speak aloud.
Preface: After Abraham showed that he was willing to offer up his son to God, Jesus Christ, in His pre-incarnate form, spoke to Abraham. Genesis 22:15–17 And the Angel of Jehovah called to Abraham out of the heavens the second time, and said, “I have sworn by Myself, says Jehovah; because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only one; that in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And your Seed will possess the gate of His enemies.” This promise end with a new promise: Your Seed will possess the gate of His enemies. Not only would Abraham’s Seed would defeat his enemies, but all that they have will be His. This is what is known as operation footstool, where God the Father makes all of the enemies of Jesus Christ His footstool (in the sense that they are subjugated to Him).
R. B. Thieme, Jr. came up with the designation of Operation Footstool and he originally developed this doctrine (the concept may have been develop by others earlier). |
This doctrine comes out of Genesis 22 (HTML) (PDF) (WPD) and from lesson #250 of the Basic Exegesis Series (HTML) (PDF). This is a summary of this doctrine. R. B. Thieme, Jr. coined the phrase and developed the doctrine originally. |
1. The name of this doctrine comes from Psalm 110:1, which reads: Yehowah [the Father] says to my Lord [Jesus Christ, the Revealed Lord, as David knew Him], "Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for Your feet." God the Father tells God the Son to sit at His right hand, and His enemies will be made a footstool for his feet. 2. The doctrine of Operation Footstool is first found in Gen.3:15, where God puts the curse upon Satan: “And I will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your seed and her seed (Christ); He (Christ/ Second Coming) shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel.” In the crucifixion, Satan (the serpent) would bruise the heel of Jesus; in the 2nd advent, Jesus would crush the head of the serpent. 3. Jesus will accomplish this in His Second Coming: Rom.16:20a: And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Since we are in Christ, the enemies of Abraham would be trampled over by us. God will cast Satan and the fallen angels and all who have not believed in Jesus Christ into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:10–15). That is how they would be crushed under our feet. 4. Additional Scripture: 1Cor.15:27: For He (God) has put all things in subjection under His feet [the feet of Christ Jesus]. But when He says that all things are put in subjection, it is clear and unmistakable that He (God) is excepted [that is, outside or other than] who put all things in subjection to Him (Christ). Psalm 8:6 You made Him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under His feet. 5. Psalm110:1 was quoted several times in the New Testament because the ultimate triumph of God over all that is evil will occur and we can place our confidence in this. 1) Jesus used it to show that He was the Christ (Messiah) of Davidic prophecy. Matt. 22:42–46 Mark 12:35–37 2) Paul used it to straighten-out eschatological doctrines associated with resurrection of Jesus Christ in 1Cor.15:24-28. 3) Peter used it to show that the Jesus that was crucified is the Lord spoken of in Psalm 110:1. Acts 2:34-36. 4) The writer of Hebrews used it twice to teach that (1) Jesus was greater than angels (Heb.1:13) and to teach that (2) the session of Jesus Christ precedes Operation Footstool (Heb.10:12-13). 6. While Jesus Christ sits on the throne, Operational Footstool is doctrinal prophecy. However, when He leaves the throne, it will become doctrinal reality. 1Cor.15:24–28 read: Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that He is excepted Who put all things in subjection under Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to Him Who put all things in subjection under Him, that God may be all in all. (Psalm 110:1 8:6) 7. The last two enemies defeated by “Operation Footstool” are Satan and the Second Spiritual Death (that is, eternal separation from God and eternal judgment for the rejection of Jesus Christ). The 1st Advent is when Jesus walked this earth as man; the 2nd Advent is when He returns to incarcerate Satan and to restore perfect environment to this earth (somehow, Jesus will do this without the help of environmentalists, new age light bulbs or electric cars). 1) The 1st Advent and Satan: 1John 3:8 The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of Man appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Heb.10:11-14 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he has perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Col.2:15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. Eph.1:20-23 Which power He worked in Christ in raising Him from the dead, and He seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name being named, not only in this world, but also in the coming age. And He has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. 2) The 2nd Advent and Satan: Rev.20:2 And He laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. Rev.20:10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are also; they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 3) The 1st Advent and spiritual death: Rom.5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, so death spread to all men, because all sinned. Rom.5:10 For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 4) The 2nd Advent and the second death: 1Cor.15:24–25 For he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Rev.20:14–15 And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Rev.20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. 8. Another way to look at this is, the 2nd advent concludes what the 1st advent began with regards to operation footstool. |
Much of this was taken directly from http://www.doctrinalstudies.com/pdf/D120418.pdf with several modifications. |
Other places to study this doctrine in much greater detail: http://www.amadorbiblestudies.org/Doctrines/Doctrine%20of%20Operation%20Footstool.doc (This will open up as a Microsoft document in Word on your computer). |