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SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 5

TITLE: GOD’S MASTER PLAN FOR SALVATION, PART IV

TEXT: EPHESIANS 1:8-10

INTRODUCTION: (1) I CAN’T THINK OF ANYTHING DESIGNATED TO CREATE MORE OPTIMISM AND HOPE IN THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST, THAN TO KNOW THAT THE FUTURE OF THIS PLANET, THE FUTURE OF REALITY, IS IN THE HAND OF GOD ALONE.

* I MEAN IT’S A COMFORT TO ME THAT GOD HAS A DIVINE PLAN, AND THAT IT IS BEING FULFILLED AND WILL ULTIMATELY BE FULFILLED.

** AND ALTHOUGH OUR WORLD TODAY APPEARS TO BE SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL AT TIMES, IT IS A JOY TO KNOW THAT OUR GOD REIGNS AND HIS GOOD PURPOSES AND PLAN IS UNFOLDING AND WILL COME TO PASS.

*** IN ISAIAH 46:9-11 OUR SOVEREIGN GOD SAYS:

V. 9 – “REMEMBER THE FORMER THINGS LONG PAST, FOR I AM GOD, AND THERE IS NO OTHER; I AM GOD, AND THERE IS NO ONE LIKE ME.”

V. 10 – “DECLARING THE END FROM THE BEGINNING AND FROM ANCIENT TIMES THINGS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN DONE, SAYING, “MY PURPOSE WILL BE ESTABLISHED, AND I WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL MY GOOD PLEASURE.”

V. 11 – “CALLING A BIRD OF PREY FROM THE EAST, THE MAN OF MY PURPOSE FROM A FAR COUNTRY. TRULY I HAVE SPOKEN; TRULY I WILL BRING IT TO PASS. I HAVE PLANNED IT, SURELY I WILL DO IT.”

**** NOW WHAT GOD HAS PLANNED ULTIMATELY WILL COME TO PASS. AND LIKE AN ARCHITECT WHO DRAWS UP A PLAN FOR A BUILDING, WHICH IS SUBMITTED WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF THAT BUILDING.

(2) OUR GOD HAS REVEALED HIS PERFECT PLAN IN HIS WORD, AND IN CHRIST HE HAS TAKEN DECISIVE STEPS TO BRING IT TO COMPLETION AND IT’S CONSUMMATION IS AHEAD.

* AND PAUL IN OUR TEXT TODAY WILL TALK ABOUT THAT PURPOSE AND PLAN BEING FULFILLED IN CHRIST.

** FOR UNDERSTAND PAUL’S DOCTRINE OF PREDESTINATION IN EPHESIANS 1 IS NOT ONLY CONCERNED WITH INDIVIDUALS, BUT INCLUDES THE DESTINY OF WORLD HISTORY.

*** BELOVED, THE DESTINY OF CREATION IS NOT AN OPEN-ENDED MATTER OF CHANCE, FOR GOD HAS DETERMINED FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD HOW THE UNIVERSE IS GOING TO END UP.

**** AND IT IS NOT SIMPLY THAT GOD HAS A GOAL OR A PLAN, BUT THAT HE HAS A DIVINE, OMNIPOTENT ABILITY TO WORK OUT THAT PLAN.

(3) GOD HAS DETERMINED A DESTINY FOR THIS WORLD.

* AND EVEN THOUGH WE LIVE IN A PERIOD IN OUR NATION DESCRIBED AS A POST-CHRISTIAN ERA, WE KNOW THAT GOD HAS PURPOSED TO BRING ALL THINGS IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH TOGETHER UNDER ONE HEAD, JESUS CHRIST.

** FOR GOD THE FATHER PREDESTINED FROM ALL ETERNITY NOT ONLY THAT JESUS SHOULD BE SAVIOR, BUT THAT JESUS SHOULD BE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

*** AND GOD HAS ALREADY CROWNED HIS SON, FOR THE CORONATION TOOK PLACE IN HIS RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION.

**** BUT WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE IT’S RULER, THAT DOES NOT KNEEL IN WORSHIP BEFORE IT’S APPOINTED KING.

(4) AND THE SAME ONE THROUGH WHOM ALL THINGS WERE MADE, BY WHOM ALL THINGS WERE MADE AND FOR WHOM ALL THINGS WERE MADE, WILL RECEIVE ALL THINGS ONE DAY.

* FOR GOD’S APPOINTED PLAN FOR THE UNIVERSE IS TO BRING ALL THINGS ON HEAVEN AND EARTH TOGETHER, UNDER ONE HEAD, JESUS CHRIST.

** AND BELOVED, FOR GOD’S REDEEMED PEOPLE, HE HAS ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND HIS SAVING PURPOSES IN HIS MASTER PLAN FOR SALVATION.

*** HE THEREFORE LAVISHED HIS GRACE UPON HIS REDEEMED IN ALL WISDOM AND INSIGHT BY MAKING KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, THE CONTENT OF WHICH IS THE SUMMING UP OF ALL THINGS IN CHRIST.

**** AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE’LL LOOK AT TODAY AS WE STUDY VV. 8-10 OF EPHESIANS 1, UNDER THE TITLE OF GOD’S MASTER PLAN FOR SALVATION, PART IV.

(5) AND IN OUR STUDY WE’LL LOOK AT JUST TWO POINTS. NO. 1 THE PRAISE THAT PAUL GIVES AS GOD FOR REVEALING THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL TO US, VV. 8&9; AND NO. 2 THE PLAN OF GOD IN SUMMING UP ALL THINGS IN CHRIST, V. 10.

* AND WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INTRODUCTION, LOOK AT EPHESIANS 1:8, WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE PRAISE.

I. THE PRAISE, (READ V. 8)

A. NOW WE MUST GO BACK TO V. 7 TO UNDERSTAND V. 8. AND AS WE LEARNED LAST WEEK, REDEMPTION IS A KEY TRUTH IN V. 7.

* AND BIBLICAL REDEMPTION SPEAKS OF THE ACT OF CHRIST BY WHICH HE HIMSELF PAID AS A RANSOM ON THE CROSS, THE PRICE FOR SIN.

** JESUS CHRIST IN HIS SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH ON THE CROSS PAID THE REDEMPTION PRICE TO BUY FOR HIMSELF HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE AND TO SET THEM FREE FROM THEIR SIN.

*** AND THE PRICE HE PAID WAS SHEDDING HIS BLOOD, GIVING HIS LIFE, TO FORGIVE THE SINS OF HIS PEOPLE.

**** AND THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND OUR FORGIVENESS IS ACCORDING TO, IT COMES FROM, COMES DOWN FROM, COMES THROUGH THE WEALTH, THE RICHES OF GOD’S GRACE.

1. AND GOD’S GRACE, GOD’S FREE UNMERITED, UNDESERVED FAVOR IS THE CONNECTION TO V. 8, FOR IT WAS THIS GRACE THAT GOD LAVISHED UPON US, US MEANING BELIEVERS.

* NOW THE WORD LAVISHED IS RICH IN MEANING. IT LIT. MEANS TO ABOUND, SOMETHING THAT COMES IN ABUNDANCE THAT OVERFLOWS, THAT IS OVER AND ABOVE, SOMETHING THAT SUPERABOUNDS.

** MEANING THAT GOD’S GRACE TO THOSE HE SAVES WAS GIVEN IN SUPERABUNDANCE, IT IS AN OVERSIZED GRACE, IT WAS SUPER SIZED OR BIGGER SIZED DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU LIKE MCDONALDS OR WENDY'S MORE.

*** GOD’S GRACE TOWARD US WAS OVERFLOWING, IT WAS NOT A MINIMUM COVERAGE TYPE OF THING, BUT SUPERABOUNDING.

**** AND THAT SUPER-SIZED GRACE THAT REDEEMED US AND FORGAVE OUR SINS REMINDS US OF GOD’S NATURE THAT GIVES WAY BEYOND WHAT WE DESERVE.

2. THE WEALTH AND EXTRAVAGANCE OF GOD’S GRACE MAKES IT CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT THE BELIEVER’S REDEMPTION IS ALL OF GRACE FROM START TO FINISH.

* IT GRIPS US IN ITS IRRESISTIBLE WORKING AND BRINGS US TO SALVATION AND KEEPS US IN CHRIST.

** AND BELOVED WE NEED NEVER WORRY THAT OUR SIN WILL OUTSTRIP GOD’S GRACIOUS FORGIVENESS.

*** AS ROMANS 5:20 SAYS: “AND THE LAW CAME IN THAT THE TRANSGRESSION MIGHT INCREASE; BUT WHERE SIN INCREASED, GRACE ABOUNDED ALL THE MORE.”

**** AND CHRISTIAN, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER DOES NOT SIMPLY GIVE US MINIMUM FORGIVENESS THAT WILL BARELY COVER OUR SINS.

3. HE GIVES US INFINITE FORGIVENESS AND WE CANNOT SIN BEYOND GOD’S GRACE, BECAUSE AS WICKED AND EXTENSIVE AS OUR SINS MIGHT BE OR BECOME THEY WILL NEVER APPROACH THE GREATNESS OF HIS GRACE.

* FOR AGAIN GOD’S FORGIVENESS IS INFINITE, AND HE LAVISHES IT WITHOUT MEASURE UPON THOSE WHO ARE TRULY HIS.

** AND RATHER THAN THIS TRUTH BEING A LICENSE TO SIN, GRACE IS A TRUTH THAT MOTIVATES US NOT TO SIN, READ ROMANS 6:1&2.

*** BELOVED GOD’S GRACE WHICH HE LAVISHED UPON US MAKES US GRATEFUL, IT MOVES US TO PRAISE HIM AND IS A MOTIVATION TO BE HOLY.

**** BUT WE ALSO PRAISE THE LORD THAT HE HAS GIVEN US WISDOM AND INSIGHT, THE END OF V. 8.

4. BUT THE QUESTION COMES UP AT THIS POINT, IS THE WISDOM AND INSIGHT TALKED ABOUT HERE CONNECTED TO V. 7 OR V. 9A?

* DOES PAUL MEAN THAT GOD’S GRACE WAS LAVISHED ON US IN ALL WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING AS THE KJV, THE NIV AND NKJV SUGGEST OR IS THERE A PERIOD AFTER THE WORD US IN V. 8 AS THE NAS TRANSLATES IT, CONNECTING WISDOM AND INSIGHT TO UNDERSTANDING THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL?

** WELL, EITHER INTERPRETATION IS POSSIBLE, BUT I LEAN TOWARD IT BEING CONNECTED TO V. 7, THE WAY THE KJV, THE NIV AND NKJV TRANSLATES IT.

*** MEANING THE WISDOM AND INSIGHT, PRUDENCE, UNDERSTANDING THAT IS TALKED ABOUT HERE FROM GOD IS BESTOWED UPON THE RECIPIENTS OF GOD’S GRACE WHICH HE LAVISHED UPON US.

**** IN OTHER WORDS, GOD’S LAVISH GRACE HAS BESTOWED ON US NOT ONLY REDEMPTION, BUT ALONG WITH THIS ALL THE NECESSARY WISDOM AND INSIGHT BY WHICH WE SHOULD LIVE WISELY, PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF HIS SAVING PLAN IN CHRIST.

5. GOD LAVISHES WISDOM AND INSIGHT ON US ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE JUST AS HE LAVISHES FORGIVENESS ON US ACCORDING TO THOSE RICHES.

* GOD’S GRACE FLOODS OUR SOULS WITH WISDOM AND INSIGHT AND GIVES US ALL THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT TO WALK THROUGH THE WORLD DAY BY DAY IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS HIS WILL AND IS PLEASING TO HIM.

** HE GENEROUSLY GIVES US THE WHEREWITHAL BOTH TO UNDERSTAND HIS WILL, HIS WORD AND KNOW HOW TO OBEY IT.

*** SO ANOTHER RESULT OF REDEMPTION FOR THE BELIEVER IS HIS BEING GIVEN WISDOM AND INSIGHT, UNDERSTANDING OF ULTIMATE THINGS AND PRACTICAL UNDERSTANDING.

**** THE ABILITY TO SEE LIFE FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE AND HAVING THE PRUDENCE, THE UNDERSTANDING TO LIVE IN A DIFFERENT WAY, WHICH WE DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO BEFORE OUR REDEMPTION.

6. BUT MOVING ON, OUR PRAISE CONTINUES TO BUILD BECAUSE GOD MADE KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, LOOK T V. 9 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 9. NOW FIRST OF ALL IN V. 9, I ASK THE QUESTION, WHAT IS THE MYSTERY TALKED ABOUT HERE?

* WELL, THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED MYSTERY IS USED 27 TIMES IN THE N.T. AND SPECIFICALLY 21 TIMES OF THE 27 IN PAUL’S LETTERS.

** AND NORMALLY WHEN PAUL USES THE WORD IT IS WITH REFERENCE TO THE REVELATION OF WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY HIDDEN, BUT NOW HAS BEEN DISCLOSED BY GOD.

*** SO THE WORD MYSTERY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THINGS EERIE, IT JUST MEANS A SACRED SECRET, ONCE HIDDEN, BUT NOW REVEALED TO GOD’S PEOPLE.

**** AND SPECIFICALLY THE MYSTERY OF GOD’S WILL WHICH HE MADE KNOWN TO US, US MEANING BELIEVERS, CHRISTIANS, IS THAT HIS SAVING PURPOSES, HIS PLAN OF REDEMPTION IN CHRIST, HIS ETERNAL PURPOSES IN CHRIST, HIS SALVATION PLAN, REDEMPTION IN CHRIST.

1. AND IN THE O.T. GOD’S PLAN OF REDEMPTION LOOKED FORWARD TO CHRIST, WE HAD THE TYPES, THE PICTURES OF REDEMPTION, BUT UNDER THE NEW COVENANT WE GO FROM SHADOW TO SUBSTANCE IN WHAT CHRIST DID.

* THE PICTURE FOR BELIEVERS BECOMES CRYSTAL CLEAR. WE UNDERSTAND THE RICHES OF GOD’S GRACE IN CHRIST, AT LEAST WE HAVE THE ABILITY AND WISDOM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS NOW REVEALED.

** BELOVED, GOD THE FATHER DID NOT DESIRE THAT THE SAINTS AND BELIEVERS IN EPHESUS (AND EVERYWHERE ELSE) SHOULD BE LIKE THE CITY OF SAMARIA DESCRIBED IN II KINGS 7:3-15, WHO WERE UNAWARE OF THEIR RICHES!

*** FOR THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD, THAT OF GOD’S GRACE IN REDEMPTION, MUST BE MADE KNOWN. AND WE CAN BE AWARE OF THE RICHES OF GOD’S GRACE IN THE GOSPEL.

**** THE MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION IN CHRIST, BELONGING TO THE ETERNAL PLAN OF GOD IS MADE KNOWN TO US BY HIS GRACE.

2. AND THE LORD OPENING OUR EYES TO THE GOSPEL IS BASED UPON, AS WE MOVE ON IN V. 9, THE KIND INTENTION OF GOD WHICH HE PURPOSED IN CHRIST.

* MEANING: THE MYSTERY AND THE FATHER’S DESIRE, HIS GOOD PLEASURE, HIS KIND INTENTION, HIS CHERISHED PURPOSE GO TOGETHER.

** THEY CANNOT BE SEPARATED, FOR THE MYSTERY IS THAT OF HIS ETERNAL PURPOSE OF ADOPTING US AS SONS AS WE GO BACK TO V. 5 IN THIS SENTENCE THAT CONTINUES TO BUILD.

*** AND IT’S BEING MADE KNOWN TO US BY THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE WAS ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PLEASURE.

**** IN OTHER WORDS: AS GOD’S CHOICE OF BELIEVERS TO BE ADOPTED AS HIS SONS WAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS PLEASURE AND WILL, GOING BACK TO V. 5, SO TOO, HIS MAKING KNOWN THE MYSTERY OF HIS SALVATION PLAN WAS WHOLLY IN LINE WITH HIS SOVEREIGN AND ETERNAL PURPOSE WHICH HE HAD PREVIOUSLY DETERMINED IN CHRIST.

3. FOR GOD’S CAREFULLY DESIGNED STRATEGY TO MAKE KNOWN THE MYSTERY, HAS ALWAYS HAD IT’S FOCUS IN CHRIST, THE END OF V. 9, WHICH HE PURPOSED IN HIM, HIM BEING THE BELOVED ONE, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

* AND WE LEARN FROM THIS THAT GOD THE FATHER TAKES SPECIAL DELIGHT IN PLANNING WHATEVER MUST BE PLANNED IN ORDER TO BRING ABOUT THE SALVATION, FULL AND FREE, OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAD PLUNGED THEMSELVES INTO MISERY AND RUIN, AND TAKES GREAT PLEASURE IN TELLING THEM ABOUT THIS MARVELOUS PLAN.

** AND IS IT ANY WONDER THAT PAUL’S HEART WAS FILLED WITH ADORATION AND PRAISE SO THAT HE EXCLAIMED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SENTENCE IN V. 3:

*** “BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO HAS BLESSED US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST.”

**** PAUL’S HEART IS FILLED WITH PRAISE. AND IN SUMMARY PAUL IS PRAISING HIS GREAT GOD FOR LAVISHING HIS GRACE UPON US AND MAKING KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL WHICH HE PURPOSED IN CHRIST IN VV. 8&9.

4. BELOVED, GOD INTENDED THAT WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND HIS SAVING PURPOSES. HE THEREFORE LAVISHED HIS GRACE UPON US IN ALL WISDOM AND INSIGHT AND MADE KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, THE CONTENT OF WHICH IS THE SUMMING UP OF ALL THINGS IN CHRIST.

* AND THAT PLAN AND PURPOSE IS TALKED ABOUT IN V. 10 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE PLAN. LOOK AT V. 10 PLEASE.

II. THE PLAN, (READ V. 10)

A. NOW THIS IS WHAT I TALKED ABOUT IN MY INTRODUCTION EARLIER, FOR THE PLAN OF GOD IS ULTIMATELY THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS WILL CULMINATE IN CHRIST ONE DAY.

* IN OTHER WORDS, THE FATHER’S GOOD PLEASURE, HIS CHERISHED PURPOSE, THE PLAN IN WHICH HIS SOUL DELIGHTED, A PLAN DRAWN UP IN ETERNITY, WAS TO BE REALIZED IN TIME.

** AND WHAT PAUL REVEALS IN THIS VERSE IS THAT GOD’S ULTIMATE PURPOSE AND PLAN IN REDEMPTION IS TO BRING ALL THINGS IN HEAVEN TOGETHER UNDER JESUS CHRIST.

*** JESUS CHRIST IS THE GOAL OF HISTORY WHICH FINDS ITS RESOLUTION IN HIM.

**** AND THE PARADISE LOST IN ADAM IS RESTORED IN THE 2ND ADAM – CHRIST!

1. BELOVED IT WILL ALL COME TO A HEAD IN CHRIST, THE MAIN POINT OF IT ALL IS IN HIM, IT IS SUMMED UP IN HIM.

* THERE WILL COME A TIME ONE DAY IN THE PLAN OF GOD WHEN EVERYTHING WILL HAVE REACHED THEIR FULFILLMENT, AND AT THAT TIME, ALL THINGS IN HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL BE UNDER CHRIST.

** GOD HAS AN ABSOLUTELY CLEAR AND WONDERFUL PURPOSE. FOR AT THE COMPLETION OF HISTORY, EVERYTHING WILL COME TOGETHER. IT BEGINS AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST TO THE EARTH AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

*** AND IS ULTIMATELY COMPLETED IN THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH. ALL THINGS WILL BE UNDER CHRIST.

**** FOR IF YOU LOOK BACK AT V. 10, IF YOU HAVE AN NAS, IT SAYS “WITH A VIEW SUITABLE TO AN ADMINISTRATION SUITABLE TO THE FULLNESS OF TIMES.”

2. NOW THE KJV AND NKJV USE THE WORD DISPENSATION HERE RATHER THAN ADMINISTRATION.

* AND THE GREEK WORD BEHIND THESE ENGLISH TRANSLATED WORDS LIT. MEANS AN ECONOMY, AN ARRANGEMENT, AN ADMINISTRATION, THE MANAGEMENT, THE OVERSIGHT, THE STEWARDSHIP OF SOMETHING.

** THUS, IT SPEAKS HERE OF AN ADMINISTRATION BY GOD OF A CERTAIN PERIOD OF HUMAN HISTORY DESIGNATED AS THE FULLNESS OF TIMES.

*** AND IN GALATIANS 4:4&5 IT SAYS: (READ THEM).

**** AND THAT MEANS WHEN THE TIME WAS RIPE FOR CHRIST’S COMING, GOD SENT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD, AT THE PROPER TIME, AT THE RIGHT TIME, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.

3. AND LIKEWISE WHEN THE TIME IS RIPE FOR THE CONSUMMATION OF GOD’S PURPOSE, IN HIS PROVIDENTIAL OVERRULING OF THE COURSE OF THE WORLD, THAT CONSUMMATION WILL BE REALIZED.

* THERE WILL BE A SUMMING UP OF ALL THINGS IN CHRIST, EVERYTHING WILL BE GATHERED, BROUGHT TOGETHER, TO GATHER AROUND THE MAIN POINT WHICH IS CHRIST.

** AND AT THAT TIME ALL THINGS IN HEAVEN AND EARTH, EVERYTHING, WILL BE UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST, REGATHERED TO HIM, PARADISE THAT WAS LOST, GOD RULING EVERYTHING WILL BE REGAINED.

*** EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE WILL BE BROUGHT UNDER CHRIST’S RULE. THERE WILL BE A RESTORATION OF GOD’S RULE ON THE EARTH OF ALL THINGS AS BEFORE THE FALL.

**** AND AT THAT DAY EVERY KNEE WILL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER.

IN WRAP UP AND APPLICATION: (1) A NEW DAY IS COMING FOR THE FINAL GOAL OF GOD’S MASTER PLAN FOR SALVATION IS THE CULMINATION OF THE UNIVERSE UNDER CHRIST.

* AND CHRIST WILL BE ALL AND ALL. AND HE WILL RULE IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH. ALL THINGS WILL BE UNDER HIS HEADSHIP.

** BELOVED, HISTORY BELONGS TO GOD, NOT TO THE PUNY PLANS OF MAN OR THE PERVERSE POWER OF SATAN.

*** HISTORY IS WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY IT’S CREATOR, WHO WILL SEE IT THROUGH TO THE FULFILLMENT OF HIS ULTIMATE PURPOSE – THE SUMMING UP OF ALL THINGS IN CHRIST.

**** AND GOD DESIGNED HIS GREAT PLAN IN THE AGES PAST, HE NOW SOVEREIGNLY WORKS IT OUT ACCORDING TO HIS DIVINE WILL; AND IN THE FULLNESS OF TIMES HE WILL COMPLETE AND PERFECT IT IN HIS SON.

(2) IN WHOM IT WILL FOREVER OPERATE IN RIGHTEOUS HARMONY AND GLORIOUS NEWNESS ALONG WITH ALL THINGS IN THE HEAVEN AND THINGS UPON THE EARTH.

* AND BELIEVER REJOICE IN THAT TODAY. REST IN THAT. LOOK FORWARD TO THAT IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS.

** AND LIVE FOR THAT DAY. AND ALLOW IT TO GIVE YOU UNDERSTANDING AND CLEAR VISION IN THE MIDST OF THE FOG AND CONFUSION OF A WORLD WHOSE GOD IS SATAN.

*** DR. HERMAN BAVINCK MADE THIS STATEMENT: “ROUND ABOUT US WE OBSERVE SO MANY FACTS WHICH SEEM TO BE UNREASONABLE, SO MUCH UNDESERVED SUFFERING, SO MANY UNACCOUNTABLE CALAMITIES, SUCH AN UNEVEN AND INEXPLICABLE DISTRIBUTION OF DESTINY, AND SUCH AN ENORMOUS CONTRAST BETWEEN THE EXTREMES OF JOY AND SORROW.”

**** “THAT ANYONE REFLECTING ON THESE THINGS IS FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN VIEWING THIS UNIVERSE AS IF IT WERE GOVERNED BY THE BLIND WILL OF AN UNBENIGN DEITY, AS IS DONE BY PESSIMISM.”

(3) “OR, UPON THE BASIS OF SCRIPTURE AND BY FAITH, TO REST IN THE ABSOLUTE AND SOVEREIGN, YET – HOWEVER INCOMPREHENSIBLE – WISE AND HOLY WILL OF HIM WHO WILL ONE DAY CAUSE THE FULL LIGHT OF HEAVEN TO DAWN UPON THESE MYSTERIES OF LIFE.”

* AND BELOVED A NEW WORLD ORDER IS COMING, ORDER UNDER THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, MAY IT GIVE YOU HOPE IN THE MIDST OF CONFUSION AND PAIN.

** AND MAY WE GLORY THAT GOD IN HIS PLAN HAS LAVISHED HIS GRACE UPON US BY REDEEMING US.