For those who love conspiracy theories – and let's be honest, there are many of us who do – the biggest one is unfolding underneath our noses, right now. (Fair warning: This is not a review of Dallas Willard's book, "The Divine Conspiracy").
One of the most appealing elements of a good conspiracy is that it explains so many of the events we see happening around us. It also hints at many as yet unexplored happenings, especially from the past, that may have contributed to the theory's development in a way we simply do not yet understand, but eventually will.
Do conspiracies exist in real life? Of course they do! Military battle plans are created by a small number of people working in secrecy. So are their contingency plans. Once the battle begins, only those on the inside know where the action is headed. That's why espionage is so valuable: It exposes the plans of one side to the other before the action begins.
Voter fraud is another conspiracy. It takes multiple people, working in secret, to produce votes from dead people and votes for people who have never voted in an election. It's certainly not random actions by individuals who wake up and think, "Oh, I must vote today for Mrs. Sandle, who died just last year!"
Conspiracy to commit a crime itself is routinely added to the list of charges when the federal government prosecutes a crime. Many people are in prison on federal charges because they have been convicted of a criminal conspiracy.
Yet not all conspiracies are evil. Lots of people may be involved in a surprise birthday party. The intended victim of this conspiracy is usually happy when the conspiracy finally unfolds. Clandestine weddings, perhaps even business mergers are conspiratorial efforts.
But it is God alone who lays claim to the longest-running conspiracy of all time. This conspiracy originated before the creation of humanity, as a result of a conflict with a subordinate; a hostile takeover, if you will. It escalated with the creation of humanity, the man and woman whom God had made to be in direct relationship with Himself.
God has hinted at various parts of the conspiracy throughout human history. Sometimes wild claims of future activities were written down by His prophets, who had the audacity to actually believe that God had actually spoken to them. Great music, such as Handel's Messiah, chronicles the conspiracy.
The Divine Conspiracy began to unfold in earnest with the virgin birth of Jesus, which was a marker that God set down. Events reached a climax 33 years later. Reunification of God with humanity was the goal; permanent healing of the wound inflicted by Satan, God's subordinate, who had intervened in the Garden of Eden.
The conspiracy unfolded flawlessly over thousands of years as Jesus went to the cross in Jerusalem to die in our place. Satan gloated for three days. The resurrection of Jesus ended Satan's reign of terror among humanity. The conspiracy was to have Jesus die in our place, as payment for the transfer of our allegiance in the Garden. Satan was convinced that if he could just kill the heir, Jesus, Satan would forever own humanity. Satan incorrectly understood the Divine Conspiracy, to his eternal horror.
Many today believe that the Divine Conspiracy ended at the cross. They are mistaken. The Divine Conspiracy continues to unfold before our eyes, yet outside the interest or understanding of many, even those who consider themselves Christian.
The fullness of the Divine Conspiracy is the return, by God the Father, through His Grace alone, of the lost and broken human family unto Himself. The return of his children, if you will. Had Satan correctly understood the Divine Conspiracy that put Jesus on the cross, then he would have pulled out all the stops to prevent anyone from harming a hair on Jesus' head. But he didn't. He thought, however briefly, that he had prevailed. Sometimes, three days can be an eternity.
So this year celebrate the season with great joy! And be sure to wish all those you meet a very Merry Christmas, indeed!
If you'd like to understand how the Divine Conspiracy continues among us today, start with "Reconnaissance, The Creator Returns."