god’s unfolding plan of the ages

GOD’S UNFOLDING PLAN OF THE AGES

What the Prophets Never Knew

The Bible - Some Assumptions

God’s complete revelation for us for today 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by

inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Bible – Some Assumptions

God’s comprehensible revelation for us today 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 But as it is written: "EYE HAS

NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." (10) But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

John 16:12-13 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. (13) However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say?

The Bible – Some Observations

Many writers (around 40) – One Author 2 Peter 1:21 for prophecy never came by the will of

man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

One Subject – Christ & His Glory Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the

Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

John 16:14-15 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. (15) All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

The Bible – Some Observations

Two Testaments – “Old” & “New” - separated by the Cross of Christ Hebrews 1:1-3 God, who at various times and in

various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, (2) has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; (3) who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Colossians 1:25-26 “...I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of

God, (26) the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but

now has been revealed to His saints.”

The Prophecies - What God revealed in time past The Historic events recorded in OT scripture

reveal an “unfolding plan”

Innocence• Adam

• Expelled from Garden

Human Government• Noah

• Confusion of Language Babel

Law• Moses

• Captivity & Dispersion

The Prophecies - What God revealed in time past The Prophetic events recorded in OT scripture

anticipate the fulfilment of the plan

Prophet/ Event

Birth of Messiah

Death of Messiah

Recovery to Land

Trouble/ Antichrist

Coming in Glory

Kingdom

Moses Dt 18:15 Dt 4:27-31,30:1-10

Joel 2:1-11, 3:14-17

2:21-273:18-21

Hosea 3:4-5, 6:1-2

Amos 9:11-12 9:13-15

Micah 5:2 4:1-7

Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7,11:1-3

50:6, 53:1-12

11:11-16, 2:19-21, 14:14-20

11:4-5, 63:1-5

11:4-10,35:1-10,60:3-18

Zephaniah

3:8 3:20

Habakuk 2:14



Prophet/ Event

Birth of Messiah

Death of Messiah

Recovery to Land

Trouble/ Antichrist

Coming in Glory

Kingdom

Jeremiah 31:15 3:18, 16:14-15, 23:3-8, 31:8

31:27-40,33:12-22

Daniel 9:24-27 7:19-27 7:9-14

Ezekiel 20:40-44, 34:11-2836:24-2837:1-28

26:7-20 38:1-23 36:29-38,40:1-43:27



Prophet/ Event

Birth of Messiah

Death of Messiah

Recovery to Land

Trouble/ Antichrist

Coming in Glory

Kingdom

Haggai 2:6-9

Zechariah 9:9, 11:12-13

14:1-5 8:3-4,12:9-14,14:4-1114:16-21

Malachi 3:1-5,4:1-6



Birth of Messiah

Return to Possess Land

Coming in Power &

Glory

New Heaven & New Earth

What the Prophets never knew

The Mysteries – What God has revealed to His saints

Mystery - The Incarnation

Colossians 2:2-3 ...the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, (3) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

Mystery - Partial hardening of Israel

Romans 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

Mystery - The “Gospel” preached to Gentiles

Romans 16:25-26 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began (26) but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—

Ephesians 6:19 “...the mystery of the gospel,”

Mystery - The Church

Ephesians 3:3-6 ...by revelation He made known to me the mystery ...which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: (6) that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

Mystery - The Church

Ephesians 5:30-32 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ...This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Colossians 1:24-27 ...His body, which is the church, ...the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Mystery - The “Rapture”

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Mystery of Lawlessness

2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

Mystery - The Consummation of all things “in Heaven and which are on Earth” in Christ Ephesians 1:9-10 ...having made known to us

the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, (10) that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him.

How can we reconcile the Prophecies and the Mysteries? We could “spiritualise” the OT Prophecies and

say that they are fulfilled in the Church.

Birth of MessiahReturn to Possess

Land Kingdom

The Church

How can we reconcile the Prophecies and the Mysteries? We could “spiritualise” the OT Prophecies and

say that they are fulfilled in the Church.

Problem – Jesus never “spiritualised” the OT Scripture Problem – 2000 (out of 2500) Prophecies have

already been “literally” fulfilled Problem – How do we decide what is “spiritual” and

what is “literal” if the Scripture doesn’t say so? Problem - Did God deceive the Jews when He

promised them an inheritance forever? Problem – The NT tells us that the Church was a

mystery “hidden in God” (Eph 3:9) in OT times.

How can we reconcile the Prophecies and the Mysteries?

Or, we could interpret the OT Scripture literally and see that God has complementary purposes for: His Earthly people – Israel His Heavenly people – the Church

The Prophecies and Mysteries Reconciled

Birth of Messiah Return to LandComing in Power

& Glory

The CHURCH

New

Heaven

&

New

Earth

God’s Unfolding Plan of the ages

Dispensation Scripture Ref Responsibilities Judgement(s)

Innocence Genesis 1:3-3:6

Keep Garden Do not eat one fruit Fill, subdue earth Fellowship with God

Curses and physical and spiritual death

Conscience Genesis 3:7-8:14

Do good Flood

Human Government

Genesis 8:15-11:9

Fill earth Capital punishment

Forced scattering by confusion of languages

Promise / Patriarchal Rule

Genesis 11:10 - Exodus 18:27

Stay in Promised Land

Believe and obey God

Egyptian bondage and wilderness wanderings

Mosaic Law Exodus 19:1- Acts 1:26

Keep the Law Walk with God

Captivities

Grace Acts 2:1 – Revelation 19:21

Believe on Christ Walk with Christ

Death Loss of Rewards

Millennial Rule

Revelation 20:1-15

Believe and obey Christ and His Government

Death Great White

Throne Judgement

The New Heaven and New Earth

1 Corinthians 15:22-25 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. (23) But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. (24) Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. (25) For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.

2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

The Consequences?

Consequence - Worship

Ephesians 1:5-6 ...having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, (6) to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Consequence - Workmanship

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast. (10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Consequences - Citizenship

Ephesians 2:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Consequence - Stewardship

Of the Gospel Preaching

Ephesians 3:2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,

Praying Ephesians 6:19-19 praying always with all prayer and

supplication in the Spirit, ...that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,


Of Spiritual Gifts Ephesians 4:7, 11-16 But to each one of us grace

was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ...for the edifying of the body of Christ, ...the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, ..by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.


Of Time & Opportunity Ephesians 5:15-17 See then that you walk

circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, (16) redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (17) Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Consequence - Fellowship

Positive - Ephesians 3:9-10 ...the fellowship of the mystery, ...the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

Negative - Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Consequence - Heirship

Ephesians 3:6 ...the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

Consequence - Headship

Ephesians 1:22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Consequence - Headship

Eph 6:5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;

Eph 6:9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

Questions or Comments?