Background and Purpose of Michael’s Bestowals
- Michael’s Mission
- Michael of Nebadon, a Creator Son, undertook seven bestowals across his universe to achieve supreme sovereignty.
- Each bestowal involved incarnating as a being of different orders of creation. The seventh, on Urantia (Earth), was as a mortal human.
- This journey ensured Michael ruled not as an arbitrary Creator but with perfect wisdom, representing the Paradise Trinity.
- Double Purpose
- Creature Understanding: To fully experience life as his creations do.
- Paradise Trinity Authority: To unify the divine will with experiential understanding, achieving ultimate sovereignty and divine perfection.
- Subordination to the Will of the Trinity
- In each bestowal, Michael submitted to specific combinations of the Paradise Deities’ will.
- The Urantia bestowal was unique in being entirely subject to the Universal Father’s will.
Significance of the Seventh Bestowal
- Preparation and Delegation
- Before incarnating, Michael delegated all administrative authority of Nebadon to Immanuel, his Paradise counsellor.
- The safety and stability of the universe during Michael’s absence were guaranteed by the Ancients of Days.
- Unique Challenges
- Unlike prior bestowals, Michael incarnated as a helpless human infant, embodying the lowest order of intelligent will creatures.
- This required complete dependence on the Universal Father, mirroring the faith and trust he expects from his creations.
- Immanuel’s Commission
- Immanuel charged Michael to focus on his personal relationship with the Universal Father during his Urantia life.
- The mission’s success would reveal a new understanding of the Universal Father to the beings of Nebadon.
- Protection of Nebadon
- Rebellion or significant spiritual jeopardy was impossible during the incarnation period due to Paradise mandates.
Outcomes of Michael’s Bestowals
- Union of Divine and Experiential Wisdom
- Michael’s rulership embodies both the infinite wisdom of Paradise Deities and the finite experience of his creations.
- His sovereignty combines ultimate power with experiential compassion, devoid of arbitrary actions.
- Enhanced Revelation of the Father
- The Urantia bestowal exemplified the Universal Father’s nature to all intelligent beings in Nebadon.
- Supreme Sovereignty
- Upon completing the seventh bestowal, Michael achieved unconditional and eternal sovereignty over Nebadon.
Reflection on the Incarnation on Urantia
- Faith and Trust
- The Urantia mission highlighted the essence of faith—absolute trust in the Father’s will.
- Selflessness of the Creator Son
- Michael’s voluntary relinquishment of divine prerogatives illustrates ultimate humility and dedication to his universe.
Study Questions
- What is the purpose of Michael’s seven bestowals, and how do they relate to his sovereignty in Nebadon?
- Why was the seventh bestowal, as a mortal human, considered the culmination of Michael’s mission?
- What role did Gabriel and Immanuel play in preparing for Michael’s bestowal on Urantia?
- How did Michael’s submission to the will of the Universal Father manifest in his seventh bestowal?
- What does Michael’s voluntary humility in taking on mortal form reveal about his character as a Creator Son?
- How does Michael’s bestowal reflect the balance between divine authority and experiential understanding?
- What unique challenges did Michael face during his Urantia mission compared to his previous six bestowals?
- What was the significance of the Ancients of Days decreeing the safety of Nebadon during Michael’s absence?
- How did Michael’s personal revelation of the Universal Father impact the beings of Nebadon?
- What lessons can intelligent beings in Nebadon learn from Michael’s complete reliance on the Universal Father during his bestowal?
- How does Michael’s journey demonstrate the qualities of selfless leadership?
- In what ways does Michael’s earned sovereignty differ from inherent sovereignty, and why is this distinction important?
- How does the Urantia bestowal unify divine and human perspectives in Michael’s governance of Nebadon?
- What role does experiential knowledge play in divine leadership according to the narrative of Michael’s bestowals?
- How does Michael’s example encourage faith and trust in divine guidance for his creations?