A DIVINE PLAN
One of the main questions in traditional Christianity is God’s authority
in the earth and the extent of that authority in the affairs of men. Is
man left to fully control his destiny or does God have a far greater
plan? Does God control the boundaries of the waters and the
dispersion of man in the continents (Acts 17:26) but cannot control the
final outcome of His creation. Can God exactly count and know the
number of hairs on your head and see every sparrow that falls but
was not paying attention when Adam and Eve fell? If God is
Omniscient then nothing happens without His knowledge (Acts 1:18).
He knew from eternity all that ever would be. He foresaw every act
that we each would commit. If we could have committed any act that
would affect His regards for us—He knew it before He created us—
and yet He still created us and still loved us.
God is working through a series of ages or aeons to accomplish His
purpose. Just like our English word “eon,” they are not eternal periods
of time. God has established these ages and in the course of these
ages various aspects of God’s plan will occur.
God in His creating did not create anyone or anything that He cannot
control (Col. 1:16-21)—simply meaning His authority is supreme over
all authority and all authority is given by Him (Rom. 13:1). Throughout
these orchestrated ages the ‘manifold wisdom’ of God will be made
known BY the church TO the principalities and powers (Eph. 3:10)
and this purpose which Father God planned is being brought about in
and through Christ (Eph. 3:11).
God has a purpose devised before the ages (2 Tim. 1:9-10) and it is
being revealed by the appearing of Christ. Part of that plan revealed
by Christ is the gift of life and a release from death for all creation
through the Gospel. The purpose of God cannot be annulled or
thwarted by any action of man or any other power (Isa. 14.24-27,
Psalm 33:10-11, Prov. 19:21, Heb. 6:17, Isa. 46.10, Acts 5:29). The
entire plan of God has been hid in and by God until the time appointed
by God Himself and the plan works according to the counsel of His
own will (Eph. 1:11). This plan consists of more than one age and
many aspects of God’s character including the subjection of creation
to futility (Rom. 8:20-21) and Israel’s rejection of God for a period of
time (Isa. 54:7-8, Rom.11). Man did not volunteer for this time of travail
but the plan of God included the process and His plan will also cause
a return of all men to Himself through His sovereignty. Conybeare
says “ the very struggles which all animated beings make against
pain and death show that pain and death are not part of the proper
laws of their nature, but rather bondage imposed upon them from
without. Thus every groan and tear is an unconscious prophecy of
liberation from the power of evil”.
If God is Omniscient then nothing happens without His knowledge. If
He is Omnipotent then He has power to permit or stop anything that is
not His will. If God is Omnipresent then He is always present and sees
the travail of men. The fall was not an accident nor was it by chance.
Then what is left? Could the fall have been His purpose (Rom. 8:20-
23)? It will be by His plan as an all wise Father that all creation will be
brought back to Him for He loses nothing or no-one.
There are more than one age (Eph. 1:21, Eph. 2:7, Heb. 1:1-2, Eph. 3:
9-11) in God’s plan. 1 Corinthians 10:11 (YLT) states “now all these
things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our
admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” Note the
tense in this verse—for it says the end of the ages HAVE COME. The
end of the ages began when He put away sin by the sacrifice of
Himself. These ages were perfectly planned and fitted together by
God in His wisdom and love (Heb. 11:3). God has divided His plan in
dealing with man into ages and in these ages His redemptive dealings
with man are to occur. Ferrar Fenton says of Hebrews 11:3 in part,
“…the ages were arranged by the continuous attention of God…”
Remember, God did not create anything He cannot control nor is His
creation careening out of control—but it is fully in His hands.
The world system is not controlled by the power of God but by the law
of God. The law of God is not the Ten Commandments, nor the Old
Testament but it is the outworking of His plan through His will utilizing
His character, attributes, and power. Every aspect of creation is under
the careful hand of God inclining toward His purpose and plan. Is
there a difference between God’s will and His plan? Yes. His plan
contains His will. The word used for plan is ‘boulema” and refers to
one’s resolve or determination in that it does not mean a ‘wish’ but the
actual intention to bring about the will. So, to say it another way, The
will of God shall be accomplished because of His plan and purposes.
The Hebrew word “olam” has been translated into English as for ever.
Words are best defined by their usage and by letting Scripture define
the Hebrew word “olam” it cannot mean without end. Case in point, In
Jonah 2:6, it says the earth with its bars was about Jonah “for ever”
referring to his stay in the whale’s belly which was three days duration
(Jonah 1:17). Another instance was when a servant wanted to stay
with his master and he was to puncture his ear with an awl (Ex. 21:6)
indicating he would serve his master for ever. How long can that be?
Fifty years? 100 years? Or until the death of the servant?
In the New Testament the Greek word “aeon” is translated for ever.
Hebrews 1:8 says the throne of Jesus is “for ever and ever”. How long
can that be? 1 Corinthians 15:24 says that Jesus submits His throne
to Father God.
These instances indicate that the words “olam” and “aeon” are all
relative to the object they are modifying and one cannot state that they
mean on certain time frame. For example, a tall dog, a tall man, and a
tall building do not indicate that all three are of equal height but
modifies the object described. When we read Hebrews 1:8 and then 1
Corinthians 15:24; it seems contradictory but when the correct
meaning of “unto the ages of the ages” is used then clarity is
established. It is similar to Song of songs meaning the chief song of
all; or King of kings which simply means the greatest or supreme king.
So the meaning of “unto the ages of the ages” simply means the most
glorious age when Jesus’ throne is surrendered to Father God and He
becomes all in all.
Eternal Life as discussed in John 17:2-3 is more correctly translated
“life of the ages”. This is not taking away from the fact that we inherit
unending life but life that is changeable cannot by definition be eternal
for eternal means unending and unchanging. Actually, eternal means
unchangeable THEREFORE without end. Our spiritual life is in
constant change therefore the life we receive is not eternal but is the
life of the ages—the best life—God’s life injected into time to be
processed and matured into unchangeableness.
Time and eternity seem to be opposing ideas. The Word of God is a
book of periods of time (ages) for a specific time. Time was created by
God. It has a beginning and will have an end. Time, which is set forth
in measurable units, is relative only for the physical universe. In time
there is change but in eternity there is no change. All change and
development must take place in time. The ages belong to and in time
while eternity is without time. Eternity is not composed of time nor is it
time standing still. Time is being governed by eternity and creatures
governed by their Creator in time.
During these various ages God deals with man differently and each
age brings a new mode of God dealing with man. When we become
like Him there will be no more change. But as long as life changes,
grows, develops, it is not eternal life—but the life of the ages—the
best life in the age—a life that undergoes the dealings of Father God
in His plan operating in time.
One of the main questions in traditional Christianity is God’s authority
in the earth and the extent of that authority in the affairs of men. Is
man left to fully control his destiny or does God have a far greater
plan? Does God control the boundaries of the waters and the
dispersion of man in the continents (Acts 17:26) but cannot control the
final outcome of His creation. Can God exactly count and know the
number of hairs on your head and see every sparrow that falls but
was not paying attention when Adam and Eve fell? If God is
Omniscient then nothing happens without His knowledge (Acts 1:18).
He knew from eternity all that ever would be. He foresaw every act
that we each would commit. If we could have committed any act that
would affect His regards for us—He knew it before He created us—
and yet He still created us and still loved us.
God is working through a series of ages or aeons to accomplish His
purpose. Just like our English word “eon,” they are not eternal periods
of time. God has established these ages and in the course of these
ages various aspects of God’s plan will occur.
God in His creating did not create anyone or anything that He cannot
control (Col. 1:16-21)—simply meaning His authority is supreme over
all authority and all authority is given by Him (Rom. 13:1). Throughout
these orchestrated ages the ‘manifold wisdom’ of God will be made
known BY the church TO the principalities and powers (Eph. 3:10)
and this purpose which Father God planned is being brought about in
and through Christ (Eph. 3:11).
God has a purpose devised before the ages (2 Tim. 1:9-10) and it is
being revealed by the appearing of Christ. Part of that plan revealed
by Christ is the gift of life and a release from death for all creation
through the Gospel. The purpose of God cannot be annulled or
thwarted by any action of man or any other power (Isa. 14.24-27,
Psalm 33:10-11, Prov. 19:21, Heb. 6:17, Isa. 46.10, Acts 5:29). The
entire plan of God has been hid in and by God until the time appointed
by God Himself and the plan works according to the counsel of His
own will (Eph. 1:11). This plan consists of more than one age and
many aspects of God’s character including the subjection of creation
to futility (Rom. 8:20-21) and Israel’s rejection of God for a period of
time (Isa. 54:7-8, Rom.11). Man did not volunteer for this time of travail
but the plan of God included the process and His plan will also cause
a return of all men to Himself through His sovereignty. Conybeare
says “ the very struggles which all animated beings make against
pain and death show that pain and death are not part of the proper
laws of their nature, but rather bondage imposed upon them from
without. Thus every groan and tear is an unconscious prophecy of
liberation from the power of evil”.
If God is Omniscient then nothing happens without His knowledge. If
He is Omnipotent then He has power to permit or stop anything that is
not His will. If God is Omnipresent then He is always present and sees
the travail of men. The fall was not an accident nor was it by chance.
Then what is left? Could the fall have been His purpose (Rom. 8:20-
23)? It will be by His plan as an all wise Father that all creation will be
brought back to Him for He loses nothing or no-one.
There are more than one age (Eph. 1:21, Eph. 2:7, Heb. 1:1-2, Eph. 3:
9-11) in God’s plan. 1 Corinthians 10:11 (YLT) states “now all these
things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our
admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” Note the
tense in this verse—for it says the end of the ages HAVE COME. The
end of the ages began when He put away sin by the sacrifice of
Himself. These ages were perfectly planned and fitted together by
God in His wisdom and love (Heb. 11:3). God has divided His plan in
dealing with man into ages and in these ages His redemptive dealings
with man are to occur. Ferrar Fenton says of Hebrews 11:3 in part,
“…the ages were arranged by the continuous attention of God…”
Remember, God did not create anything He cannot control nor is His
creation careening out of control—but it is fully in His hands.
The world system is not controlled by the power of God but by the law
of God. The law of God is not the Ten Commandments, nor the Old
Testament but it is the outworking of His plan through His will utilizing
His character, attributes, and power. Every aspect of creation is under
the careful hand of God inclining toward His purpose and plan. Is
there a difference between God’s will and His plan? Yes. His plan
contains His will. The word used for plan is ‘boulema” and refers to
one’s resolve or determination in that it does not mean a ‘wish’ but the
actual intention to bring about the will. So, to say it another way, The
will of God shall be accomplished because of His plan and purposes.
The Hebrew word “olam” has been translated into English as for ever.
Words are best defined by their usage and by letting Scripture define
the Hebrew word “olam” it cannot mean without end. Case in point, In
Jonah 2:6, it says the earth with its bars was about Jonah “for ever”
referring to his stay in the whale’s belly which was three days duration
(Jonah 1:17). Another instance was when a servant wanted to stay
with his master and he was to puncture his ear with an awl (Ex. 21:6)
indicating he would serve his master for ever. How long can that be?
Fifty years? 100 years? Or until the death of the servant?
In the New Testament the Greek word “aeon” is translated for ever.
Hebrews 1:8 says the throne of Jesus is “for ever and ever”. How long
can that be? 1 Corinthians 15:24 says that Jesus submits His throne
to Father God.
These instances indicate that the words “olam” and “aeon” are all
relative to the object they are modifying and one cannot state that they
mean on certain time frame. For example, a tall dog, a tall man, and a
tall building do not indicate that all three are of equal height but
modifies the object described. When we read Hebrews 1:8 and then 1
Corinthians 15:24; it seems contradictory but when the correct
meaning of “unto the ages of the ages” is used then clarity is
established. It is similar to Song of songs meaning the chief song of
all; or King of kings which simply means the greatest or supreme king.
So the meaning of “unto the ages of the ages” simply means the most
glorious age when Jesus’ throne is surrendered to Father God and He
becomes all in all.
Eternal Life as discussed in John 17:2-3 is more correctly translated
“life of the ages”. This is not taking away from the fact that we inherit
unending life but life that is changeable cannot by definition be eternal
for eternal means unending and unchanging. Actually, eternal means
unchangeable THEREFORE without end. Our spiritual life is in
constant change therefore the life we receive is not eternal but is the
life of the ages—the best life—God’s life injected into time to be
processed and matured into unchangeableness.
Time and eternity seem to be opposing ideas. The Word of God is a
book of periods of time (ages) for a specific time. Time was created by
God. It has a beginning and will have an end. Time, which is set forth
in measurable units, is relative only for the physical universe. In time
there is change but in eternity there is no change. All change and
development must take place in time. The ages belong to and in time
while eternity is without time. Eternity is not composed of time nor is it
time standing still. Time is being governed by eternity and creatures
governed by their Creator in time.
During these various ages God deals with man differently and each
age brings a new mode of God dealing with man. When we become
like Him there will be no more change. But as long as life changes,
grows, develops, it is not eternal life—but the life of the ages—the
best life in the age—a life that undergoes the dealings of Father God
in His plan operating in time.
| A DIVINE INTENTION The Gospel Without Limits By Michael Clegg A DIVINE PLAN |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 | |  | |  | |  |