The U.S. Patent Office is a fine institution. Overworked, inundated with applications from too many people for too many inventions, the poor examiners are required to wade through often purposely cloudy technical descriptions, and then try to sort through countless already-issued patents (even from other countries) and do their best to (1.) understand what the inventor is claiming as his invention; and then (2.) determine whether there is sufficient novelty and originality to grant the inventor patent ownership over all or some elements of his application. What the inventor ends up owning and controlling, by virtue of his originality and creativity, are referred to as the Claims. Once a patent has been issued, it is typically alive for the longer of 17 years from the date of issuance, or 20 years from the date of filing. During that period, the inventor can determine the complete destiny of his patent. After that, the patent and its described invention are in the public domain, and no one owes the inventor anything should they decide to copy and commercialize the once-patented invention after the patent has expired. Not so with Creation.
Our great God makes it perfectly clear that He created all things, and as such is the case, He holds all rights, forever. YHWH is the Inventor of inventors, as well as King of kings. He holds all patent rights to that which He created, forever. An eternal patent on Creation.
Without even referring to the Genesis account (which in and of itself provides complete documentation of the creation process – told in part by the Only Being Who was there to know, God Himself), we can see throughout His entire Word how clearly His ownership (and therefore complete control) over all things ought to be inarguable and uncontestable, and particularly ought to be honored, understood, and appreciated by His saints.
Ps 89:8-12 (NKJ)
8 O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them.
10 You have broken Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain; you have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; the world and all its fullness, You have founded them.
12 The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.
Ps 24:1-2 (NKJ)
1 The earth is the LORD’S, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters.
(There’s original invention for you. He founded, He established, therefore it is all His)
Ps 95:4-6 (NKJ) – (Once again, it is His because He made it. He is the Inventor)
4 In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also.
5 The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land.
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
Ps 124:8 (NKJ) – (Because of His ownership and sovereignty, He remains our best help – He also best knows how everything ought to work. He made it).
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
Col 1:16-17 (NKJ)
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
This small sampling of OT and NT scripture render more than sufficient biblical evidence that our Great God, being the Creator, holds the never-ending patent rights to all things. It is all His.
As might be expected, the arrogance and pride of man would go out of its way to try to wrest ownership and control from God. Even the Church, in its desire for “social relevance”, has some times gotten get caught up in the embrace of warped and compromised pseudo-creationism, even to the point of evolution – which defies the biblical text, and even defies scientific findings – hence the “theory” of evolution and not the law of evolution. Nonetheless, trying to steal His ownership will never diminish our accountability to the One Who controls all things.
Rom 1:20-21 (NKJ)
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
What does the elder John proclaim during his Patmos revelation?
Rev 4:11 (NKJ)
11 “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”
The question that might be asked, therefore, is why is the world so screwed up if God created it and controls all things, if He can make light and darkness, and create both peace and calamity……..
Isa 45:7-10 (NKJ)
7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.’
8 “Rain down, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together. I, the LORD, have created it.
9 “Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’?
10 Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What are you begetting?’ Or to the woman, ‘What have you brought forth?'”
The answer, in part, lies in several places in Scripture, one key text being Ps 115:
Ps 115:15-16 (NKJ)
15 May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’S; but the earth He has given to the children of men.
God, in His desire to raise up responsible, loving sons and daughters of God who will eventually rule and reign with Him, has given the earth to the children of men. What we are seeing today is the sad state of affairs that will continue to erode until He comes back to set things straight. Man trying to rule and reign in any ungodly manner is a guaranteed tragedy (Ps 2).
It will get better eventually. When He returns. And He will. And soon.
The very creation is groaning, like a woman in childbirth (Rom 8).
Ps 98 tells us that the upcoming judgment is a good thing, not a bad thing:
(NKJ)
7 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it;
8 Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together before the LORD,
9 For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, and the peoples with equity.
We’re to be hastening the coming of the Lord, not freaking out over it. We’re to be fixed upon Him, busy about His business, warning every man. Rejoicing that the day of judgment will be a day of fairness. Great and dreadful. And perfectly fair. The Eternal Patent Holder over all Creation, the Owner of it all, is coming back. Glory.
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