God's Plan Revealed

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one 

all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him.

Ephesians 1:10

From the beginning of time God has had a divine purpose on which He based His relation with and His promises and prophecies to mankind.  God has revealed His purpose to believers:

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:  Ephesians 1:9-10

God's divine purpose from the beginning of time has been to unify all of heaven and earth in Jesus Christ. His vision is global in nature and He has given all of mankind an opportunity to participate in it:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.   2 Peter 3:9

God's purpose is salvation for the world. Because it is His purpose, it must become our purpose. We must make His global cause a priority.

There are many needs in the world including hunger, poverty, sickness, and social injustice. Traditional missions have been involved in all of these areas, and rightly so, for the Bible teaches such concern.

But the vision of the harvest fields, of reaping men and women for the Kingdom of God, must remain a priority. 

The other needs are met as communities of responsible believers are established.

Spiritual harvesting, the winning of lost men and women to Jesus Christ, must be to us as it is to God: the priority purpose.

God's purpose can be traced from Genesis to Revelation. His Word, in part, is a history of how He dealt with individuals and nations to fulfill His purpose.

The entire record of the Old Testament is a history of God using Israel as a witness to the nations of the world.

The Old Testament reflects God's divine purpose as He dealt with individuals and nations to bring them to the knowledge of the true and living God.

The Great Commission was first given when God created man . . . 

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.   Genesis 1:28

Mankind was to populate the earth with descendants who were as they were: created in the image of God, living souls in fellowship with a living God. Physically they were to produce children. Spiritually they were to produce believers.

Later God established an everlasting covenant with Abraham. This covenant was global in nature for He said to Abraham:

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.    Genesis 22:18

And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.  Genesis 28:14

From Abraham came the nation of Israel. God used Israel as a witness to surrounding nations. The nations of the earth were blessed as God revealed Himself to them through Israel.

During the time of the plagues in Egypt God told Pharaoh that the judgments were sent to show him that God was above all others:

For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people: that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.   Exodus 9:14

When Israel faced the challenge of the flooded Jordan River, God dried up the waters so that the people of the earth might recognize His hand:

That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.  Joshua 4:24

When David met Goliath on the battlefield he said God would give him the victory so the entire earth might know there was a God:

This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.   1 Samuel 17:46

After the Kingdom of Israel was established, Solomon caught the vision of the global purpose of God as he expressed the desire that...

Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.   1 Kings 8:43

David issued a call to the harvest fields of the nations of the world when he cried:

Declare His glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people.

Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.    Psalms 96:3, 10

Two of the Old Testament prophets, Daniel and Jonah, ministered cross-culturally. This means they took the Gospel message to nations other than their own.

Daniel, as a captive, was a witness to God while serving as an official in Babylon.  Jonah was a missionary to Ninevah.

Isaiah declared that Israel was God's witness among the nations:

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God.   Isaiah 43:9-12

Because no one but God knows when the dispensation of the fullness of time will occur,

But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.  Mark 13:32

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  Matthew 24:36

though we know through the word of God the signs to look for, it behooves us to take heed to His word in preparation for this awesome event.

There should be an urgency, not only in our own preparations but in sharing the gospel of the good news of Jesus Christ so that others may also prepare themselves. 

Biblical Studies

10/12/19

04/16/21