March 19th - Beyond the Eight Ages

The Bible says little about what happens in the time before or beyond the ages it deals with, just that...

"Eye hath not seen, neither has ear heard, neither has it entered the heart of man what God has planned for those that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)

In the oncoming ages after this present world has been saved and reconciled to God, ALL creation will love Him.  I think Jesus had that in mind when He said...

 “You shall be loving the Lord your God out of your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole strength, and with your whole comprehension."
(Luke 10:27)

And I think the Apostle Paul had this in mind when he says...

"O, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unscrutable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! For who knew the mind of the Lord?, or who became His adviser?, or who gives to Him first, and it will be repaid him? seeing that out of Him and through Him and for Him is ALL: to Him be the glory for the ages of the ages! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36) 

Nothing can separate the world from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

"I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor messengers, nor sovereignties  nor the present, nor what is impending, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 8:28-39)

I sometimes wonder why our Sovereign God allowed His creation to become filled with evil and unbelief, resulting in the confusion and evil consequences we see all around us. But then I remember that evil serves the purpose of humbling proud and mortal humans...  

"I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens:  It is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it." (Ecclesiastes 1:13)

I am humbled by the grace and mercy God shows humanity even though it continues to be mostly evil. Yet without evil, and the suffering it brings, humanity could not fully appreciate our loving, gracious and merciful God. The eternal good that God has in store for humanity in the oncoming ages will dwarf the suffering we experience now.

The Love, Grace, and Mercy of God is greater than our sin.

"Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gives Himself for our sins, so that He might extricate us out of the present wicked age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for the ages of the ages. Amen!" (Galatians 1:3-5)

March 18th - God's Plan for the Ages Completed

"On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the ages. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. So He became as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs." (Hebrews 1:1-3)

As I have outlined in my daily posts beginning on March 1st, at the close of the ages made by Jesus, humanity will all have been saved, justified, sanctified, and glorified in new immortal spiritual bodies. God will then be All in all humanity. Humanity will be a new creation and prepared for life in the New Heaven and New Earth during the ages that follow.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the celestials…” (Ephesians 1:3)

“God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!) and rouses us together and seats us together among the celestials, in Christ Jesus, that, IN THE ONCOMING AGES, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7)

By the term “celestials” is meant the trillions of galaxies, stars and planets in our Universe, and the celestial beings with spiritual bodies who live on or among them - the angels.

Redeemed humanity, having been made into image of God and His Son will have...

“…an administration of the complement of the eras, to head up all in the Christ -- both that in the heavens and that on the earth…completing the All in all.” (Ephesians 1:10-11, 23)

Humanity is in the process of being prepared to judge the angels. The result of that judging will be that all angels, including Satan, will also be reconciled to God.

"...are you not aware that the saints shall judge the universe?...Are you not aware that we shall be judging angels...?" (1 Corinthians 6:2-3)

"And He is the Head of the body, the church, Who is Sovereign, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may be becoming first, for in Him the entire complement delights to dwell, and through Him TO RECONCILE ALL to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens." (Colossians 1:18-20)

"For I am reckoning that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve the glory about to be revealed for us. For the premonition of the creation is awaiting the unveiling of the sons of God. For to vanity was the creation subjected, not voluntarily, but because of Him Who subjects it, in expectation that THE CREATION ITSELF, also, shall be freed from the slavery of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God." (Romans 8:18-22)

"For God locks up ALL together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to ALL." (Romans 11:32)

When all angels have been reconciled to God the plan of God the Father will have been successfully completed and the reign of Jesus, the Son of God, will be returned to God the Father. All creation will have joyfully and voluntarily subjected themselves to our gracious, loving and merciful Father. 

“For He (Jesus the Son) must be reigning until He (God the Father) should be placing all His enemies under His feet...Now, whenever all may be subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him Who subjects all to Him, that God may be ALL in ALL.)” (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)