Paper 32 Overview: The Evolution of Local Universes

A local universe is the handiwork of a Creator Son of the Paradise order of Michael, consisting of one hundred constellations each containing one hundred systems that will eventually encompass approximately one thousand inhabited worlds per system. These time-space universes are evolutionary in nature, with Creator Sons directing the gradual development of the physical, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of their diverse inhabitants. The evolution follows a carefully designed plan, proceeding from the physical organization of energy into matter and worlds, through the establishment of life, and culminating in the development of spiritual values.

Urantia belongs to the local universe of Nebadon, whose sovereign is Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Michael of Salvington. Michael's plans for this universe were fully approved by the Paradise Trinity before he embarked on his creative adventure. While Creator Sons may choose the realms for their creative activities, the material creations were originally projected and planned by the Paradise Architects of the Master Universe, showing the collaborative nature of universal creation.

A local universe is created and administered by a Creator Son of the Paradise order of Michael. It encompasses one hundred constellations, with each constellation overseeing one hundred systems of inhabited worlds. Each system will eventually contain approximately one thousand inhabited spheres, creating a vast and intricate organizational structure for universal administration.

These universes of time and space are all evolutionary in nature, rather than appearing instantly in completed form. The creative plan implemented by the Paradise Michaels always proceeds along the path of gradual evolution and progressive development. This developmental approach applies to the physical worlds, the intellectual capacities of the inhabitants, and their spiritual natures and potentials. Urantia belongs to the local universe called Nebadon, whose sovereign is Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Michael of Salvington, and all of Michael's plans for this local universe were fully approved by the Paradise Trinity before he began his creative work.

The preuniverse manipulations of space-force and primordial energies are conducted by the Paradise Master Force Organizers. When emergent energy becomes responsive to local or linear gravity in the superuniverse domains, these organizers step aside for the power directors of the particular superuniverse to take control. These specialized beings function during the prematerial and postforce phases of local universe creation, setting the stage for the Creator Son to begin his work.

Creator Sons must wait for the power directors to sufficiently mobilize space-energies to provide a material foundation—actual suns and material spheres—before universe organization can begin. All local universes have approximately the same energy potential, though they may differ significantly in physical dimensions and visible matter content. The power charge and potential-matter endowment of a local universe are determined by the work of the power directors and their predecessors, along with the Creator Son's activities and the inherent physical control possessed by his creative associate. In the case of Nebadon, the mass materialization is slightly less than the standard for the Orvonton superuniverse, though it possesses all necessary physical energy and matter for development.

Before a Creator Son begins his work, power directors and other beings originating from the Third Source and Center prepare the physical foundations. From these previously organized energies, Michael, the Creator Son of Urantia's universe, established Nebadon's inhabited realms and has since devoted himself to their administration. Creator Sons materialize visible matter from pre-existent energy, project living creatures, and with the cooperation of the Infinite Spirit, create a diverse array of spirit personalities to assist in universe management.

The power directors who preceded the Creator Son in the preliminary physical work continue to serve in coordination with him, forever remaining in associated control of the energies they originally organized. The first completed act of physical creation in Nebadon was the organization of its headquarters world, Salvington, with its satellites. This occurred over one billion years ago by Urantia's time measurement and was immediately followed by the creation of the constellation headquarters worlds and the system headquarters spheres. Salvington is situated at the exact energy-mass center of Nebadon, though the local universe itself is not a single astronomical system but encompasses many systems with a large central system at its physical core.

The only creation that is perfectly settled from its beginning is Havona, the central universe, which was made directly by the thought of the Universal Father and the word of the Eternal Son. In contrast, the seven superuniverses are finite, evolutionary, and continually developing. The physical systems of time and space are evolutionary in origin and not physically stabilized until they are incorporated into the settled circuits of their superuniverses, a process that includes both physical development and spiritual advancement.

Outside the central universe, perfection is achieved through progressive attainment rather than being inherent from the beginning. The central creation provides a pattern of perfection, while all other realms must achieve that perfection through methods established for their particular development. Creator Sons employ an almost infinite variety of plans for organizing, evolving, disciplining, and settling their respective local universes. Despite the Universal Father's absence in person from local universes, he is intimately present in the minds of his mortal children through the Thought Adjusters, creating a compensation for his personal absence.

Although the Universal Father has delegated much of himself and his power to others, he is not a silent or inactive member of the Deity partnership. He allows his co-ordinates, Sons, and numerous created intelligences to perform much of his eternal purpose, becoming the "silent member" only in matters that his associates can handle. God fully understands every intelligent creature's need for function and experience, and therefore he often steps back to allow other personalities to handle situations between himself and specific universe events.

In a local universe, the Universal Father acts through the person of his Creator Son regarding policies, conduct, and administration. The Father never intervenes in the relationships between Sons of God, personalities originating from the Third Source and Center, or any other creatures like human beings. The established laws and procedures of the Creator Son, Constellation Fathers, System Sovereigns, and Planetary Princes always prevail without division of authority or cross-working of divine power. While the Creator Son rules in matters of ethical associations and creature relationships, the Father may intervene in his own way with any individual creature as it pertains to that individual's eternal prospects and the Father's infinite purpose.

There exists a great and glorious purpose in the progression of universes through space, giving meaning to all mortal struggles. We are all participants in an immense plan, a gigantic enterprise supervised by the Gods. The entire universal mechanism moves majestically through space according to the infinite thought and eternal purpose of the First Great Source and Center, moving toward divine fulfillment.

The eternal purpose of God is a high spiritual ideal that transcends the temporary nature of material existence. The events of time and the struggles of material life serve as transient scaffolding that bridges to the promised land of spiritual reality and superior existence. Mortals find it difficult to comprehend the concept of eternity—something without beginning or end—because everything familiar has defined limits. Yet there exists in the mind of God a plan embracing every creature in all his vast domains, an eternal purpose offering boundless opportunity, unlimited progress, and endless life to all who strive for it.