The Ultimate Purpose of God All in All New

Transcription

1 The Ultimate Purpose of God All in All New Stuart H. Pouliot April 2012

2 Table of Contents Chapter Title Page Introduction The Eons [Ages] & Eonian [Age-Lasting] Second Opportunity, Not By Chance Man's [Free] Will vs. God's Will Equation of the Many Ta Panta, the All Subjection of the All Reconciliation of the All Restoration of the All Redemption of the All Drag All to Myself Every Knee Will Bow Each in His Own Order Harvest of Barley, Wheat, Grapes Eonian Life & Immortality Showbread His Presence & Purpose Judgment of All Sheol & Hades Not Hell Gehenna of Fire Not Hell Lake of Fire & Brimstone (Agent of Love) View of Some Forefathers Abrahamic Covenant Kingdom Delivered Up Creation's Grand Jubilee All New! God is Love! Appendix Translation Abbreviations 179 Appendix Related Writings 181

3 So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no one else. (1 Kings 8:60 NASB) (4) "All the earth will worship You, and will sing praises to You; they will sing praises to Your name." Selah. (5) Come and see the works of God, Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men. (Psalm 66:4-5 NASB) (1) God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us Selah. (2) That Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations. (3) Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. (4) Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth. Selah. (5) Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. (6) The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us. (7) God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him. (Psalm 67:1-7 NASB) And let all kings bow down before him, all nations serve him. (Psalm 72:11 NASB) Arise, O God, judge the earth! For it is You who possesses all the nations. (Psalm 82:8 NASB) 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. (Psalm 2:8 NASB) And every creature that is in the heaven, and in the earth, and under the earth, and the things that are upon the sea, and the all things in them, heard I saying, `To Him who is sitting upon the throne, and to the Lamb, is the blessing, and the honour, and the glory, and the might to the ages of the ages!' (Revelation 5:13 YLT)

4 Introduction But Christ is all and in all. (Colossians 3:11 NASB) When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:28 NASB) For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. (Romans 11:36 NASB) And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." (Revelation 21:5 NASB) This book is about the many scriptural proofs that God's ultimate purpose is to make all things new, and He will do this by becoming all in all in all His creation and in all mankind, none excluded. God is working out His purpose through His multi-faceted plan in, through, by, and for His Son, our Lord Jesus whose cross was, is, and forever will be an absolute, 100% success in the salvation and restoration of all. Christ is summing up all things in heaven and on earth and subjecting all things to Himself, so that God may be all in all. Meaning of Purpose and Plan In the Greek, the word purpose is translated from the word prothesis [Strong's G4286], which means before-placing, and the word protithemi [Strong's G4388], which means beforeplace. The thought conveyed is of a goal set before the mind. In other words, a purpose or goal is established before something is done or planned. These words are respectively found in Matthew 12:4; Mark 2:26; Luke 6:4; Acts 11:23; 27:13; Romans 8:28; 9:11; Ephesians 3:11; 2 Timothy 1:9; 3:10; Hebrews 9:2 [prothesis], and in Romans 1:13; 3:25; Ephesians 1:9 [protithemi]. Interestingly, the references in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Hebrews literally apply to the cake of bread in the Holy Place, the showbread, which points to Christ. In the Greek, the word plan comes from two words: thelema, mostly translated as will; and boule, often translated as counsel. In most respects, the two words are the same, with the will of God being most associated with what will happen, based on God's command, and with the plan of God being most associated with how it will happen, based on the process to get there. Peter clearly stated the very heart of the plan of God as he spoke to the men of Judea after Jesus' resurrection. Notice that the death of God's Son was according to God's predetermined plan, not according to His purpose. We could also say that God willed it to happen. This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan [boule] and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. (Acts 2:23 NASB) 1

5 The Ultimate Purpose of God All in All New Once a goal is set before the mind, a plan must be established to bring about the goal. A purpose without a plan merely remains in the mind, but a purpose with a plan goes beyond the mind into the realm of action. Another way of stating this is that a purpose is the endpoint of that which has been in view since the inception of a plan. When all is said and done, the purpose remains, for this is what the originator had in mind to bring about. A plan is simply all the details that have to be put into play and worked out to reach the goal or purpose. Once the purpose is achieved, we could say that the plan is history, while the purpose remains. Generally speaking, a purpose is very simple or straightforward, while a plan is much more involved, with many facets. God s purpose and plan follow the same course. The fact of the matter is that many believers down through the centuries, including many in our day, have gotten caught up in debating about and dividing over the details of God s plan and have lost sight of God s ultimate purpose. In one of the most profound set of verses in the entire Bible, Paul unveils the secret of God's purpose and plan that is in Christ. (9) Having made known to us the secret of His will [thelema], according to His good pleasure, that He purposed [protithemai] in Himself, (10) in regard to the dispensation of the fulness of the times, to bring into one the whole [sum up or head up all things] in the Christ, both the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth in him; (11) in whom also we did obtain an inheritance, being foreordained according to the purpose [prothesis] of Him who the all things is working according to the counsel [plan, boule] of His will [thelema]. (Ephesians 1:9-11 YLT [NASB, DNT]) The New Living Translation (NLT) phrases the last part of verse 11 as: He makes everything work out according to His plan. The crux of the matter is that the whole of God's purpose and the working out of His purpose through the ages according to His plan in Christ is summed up in one very small word of three letters, the word ALL. This is the Gospel of the Kingdom! Meaning of All By definition, the word all means: "1) the whole extent or quantity of; 2) the entire number of; 3) every one of; 4) the greatest possible, as much as possible; 5) any; 6) every." Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible defines the word all as translated from the Greek transliterated word pas [Strong's Concordance G3956]: "Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole: - all (manner of, means) alway (-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no (-thing), whatsoever, whole, whosoever." There is only one conclusion to be drawn from these definitions and many others not cited: The word all is an inclusive, comprehensive word; there is nothing exclusive built into it whatsoever. 2

6 Introduction Thus, when we see or hear the word all, it signifies the whole, with nothing left out or excluded from the subject at hand. The ALL of God Based on the meaning of the word all and its use in Scripture, there is only one conclusion to be drawn: God intends to reconcile and restore His entire creation back to Himself, and, in the process, He is making all things new. Reconciliation and restoration best sum up God's plan to achieve His purpose. By the consummation of the ages, God will have brought all things in His creation, both in heaven and on earth, both visible and invisible, back to Himself as all things are filled with His very life and character. Love will bind His entire creation together. However, the question is this: Does God include all mankind, from Adam to the last one born of his race, in all things? Another way of asking this is: Does God intend to save all mankind, none excluded? The answer that is unfolded in this book is an unequivocal YES! However, this book is not about universalism, as many define it, or about restorationism, even though this comes the closest to defining God's purpose. This is about the ALL of God. Universalism When people hear the suggestion of the salvation of all mankind, most immediately respond negatively, saying that it is to be rejected, for it is universalism. As with most schools of thought, universalism has many permutations and has evolved in various ways over the years. Without doubt, one of the most problematic issues from its past is the belief that there is no judgment, hence, no divine law to come into play in the salvation of all. On this count alone, universalism must be rejected, for Scripture is abundantly clear that God must judge and He will judge. Another problematic issue within the universalism camp is the belief that mankind can be and will be saved apart from Christ. It goes without saying that this too must be rejected. So, at the outset, I want to be very clear: There is judgment for all; and there is only one way to God's end for all, and that is through His Son, the Lord Jesus. Only One Foundation According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:10-11 NASB) 3

7 The Ultimate Purpose of God All in All New There is only one foundation upon which to build and that is God's Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. There is no greater subject in Scripture than Christ, who is our life, and who brings justification of life to all men (Romans 5:18). He is not only the very foundation of the life of the believer in this age, but He is the very Life of all creation, including all mankind. He upholds all things by the word of His power, and He alone will restore and reconcile all creation back to the Father. (1) In many parts, and many ways, God of old having spoken to the fathers in the prophets, (2) in these last days did speak to us in a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He did make the ages; (3) who being the brightness of the glory, and the impress of His subsistence, bearing up also the all things by the saying of his might [upholds all things by the word of His power] through himself having made a cleansing of our sins, sat down at the right hand of the greatness in the highest, (4) having become so much better than the messengers, as he did inherit a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:1-4 YLT [NASB]) (6) "But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain." (7) "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. (8) 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession.'" (Psalm 2:6-8 NASB) The firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18 ASV) There is only one object central and supreme and preeminent in all of Scripture the Person of our Lord Jesus. Our vision must be of Christ, our work must be through Christ, and our relationship must in Christ. We are nothing apart from Him, and we can do nothing of value to God without Him. The good news is that by the consummation of the ages (1 Corinthians 10:11; 15:24), all things in heaven and on earth will be reconciled and restored back to God as all things are headed up (or, summed up) in Christ and subjected to Christ, none excluded. At Creation's Grand Jubilee, it will be proven that the cross is and ever has been an absolute, 100% success in the salvation of all mankind and the deliverance of all creation. This is the glory of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. May this book help to restore a vision of God's ultimate purpose, worked out in and through His Son, to be not only all in all but to be the all in all new. May it open the eyes of many hearts to see what the Kingdom is truly about! 4

8 Chapter 1 Eons [Ages] & Eonian [Age-Lasting] Before jumping into the all of God, there is one foundational truth that needs to be understood that comes through the Greek words aiōn and aiōnion, which mean "age" and "age-lasting" or "age-during," respectively. Depending on the translation, these meanings are often lost through interpretative bias, which means that in translating Scripture from the original languages into another language the translators use words based on tradition and interpretation of what they believe to be the meaning behind the words. The term is not meant to question the integrity or honesty of any translators. It seems that a certain amount of interpretation is inevitable. The word aiōn is not nearly the challenge as is the word aiōnion. Aiōn is often, but not always, translated as age; however, aiōnion is most often translated as forever, everlasting, or eternal. Obviously, these are two different meanings. In the Greek language, the transliterated noun aiōn is equivalent to the Anglicized word eon or its equivalent age, meaning an indefinite period of time. The adjective form of aiōn is aiōnion; its Anglicized equivalent is eonian or its equivalent age-lasting or age-during, meaning it qualifies something as existing in time or that lasts for a period of time. Transliterated means to write or spell words, etc. in the characters of another alphabet that represent the same sound or sounds. Thus, aiōn is the transliterated word for the Greek word αίωυ, pronounced ahee-ohn. Anglicized means the item in question has been changed to an English idiom, pronunciation, custom, manner, word, etc. Thus, eon is the Anglicized word for aiōn. Notice how the two words are similar in spelling and pronunciation. It is vital to understand that eonian is derived from its root word eon. As such, its meaning is related to its root word. If aiōn, the noun, speaks of an age or eon, then aiōnion, the adjective, should also speak of an age or eon as a qualifier of whatever subject [noun] is attached to it. This is vital because many who see aiōn as an age see aiōnion as everlasting, forever, or eternal, meaning endless or outside of time. Going forward, please keep in mind that the words eon and age are interchangeable, as well as the words eonian and age-during or age-lasting. For the most part, I prefer the words eon and eonian, which are found in the Concordant Literal New Testament (CV); however, both eon and age will be used throughout the chapters that follow. 5

9 The Ultimate Purpose of God All in All New As an example, many mainline translations use the phrase eternal purpose in Paul's circular letter titled Ephesians. This was in accordance with the eternal [aiōn] purpose [prosthesis] which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ephesians 3:11 NASB; KJV, LITV) Based on this translation, one is led to believe that God has an eternal or endless purpose, but the fact of the matter is the Greek word translated eternal is the noun aiōn in its plural form, meaning eons or ages. Thus, the more accurate rendering of this phrase is the purpose of the ages, which brings God's purpose into time, not outside of it. Or, we could say that God's purpose is explained in or through the ages. This conclusion is supported by several translations compiled together. In accord with [according to] the purpose of the eons [ages] [aiōn], which He makes [made, purposed] in Christ [Anointed, Messiah] Jesus, our Lord. (Ephesians 3:11 CV, DNT, HCSB, REB, WED, YLT) A paraphrased translation captures the same thought by relating the eons or ages to history. This was God's plan for all of history which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ephesians 3:11 GW) At a minimum, this should cause one with an inquisitive mind to dig a bit deeper into this subject. Perhaps our understanding of eonian truths has been lost or obscured over the years. Systematizing the Deception In the early fifth century, Jerome translated the Greek New Testament into what is known as the Latin Vulgate. There were two Latin words that he could have used as equivalents for the Greek word aiōnion aeternum and speculum, from which come our English words eternal and secular (or, worldly), respectively. However, aeternum also has a double meaning, either unending time or an age or eon, as in a limited period of time. In a sense, both meanings incorporate the concept of time. Jerome chose aeternum and herein lies the challenge, for this left its meaning open to interpretative bias. Keep in mind that to the Greeks, the word aiōnion referred to belonging to an indefinite period of time, meaning that it did not necessarily refer to endless, everlasting, forever, or eternal. Unfortunately, Augustine, a contemporary of Jerome, was virtually ignorant of Greek, as noted in the book Augustine of Hippo (page 36) by historian Peter Brown. Consequently, when Augustine read the Vulgate, he took the word aeternum to mean "eternal" or "endless," rather than an "age" or "a period of indefinite time." Due to his great influence in the Latin church, the word eternal came to be the equivalent of the word aionian or eonian. It appears that 6

10 1 Eons [Ages] & Eonian [Age-Lasting] Augustine was later shown the error of his interpretation, but due to his influence, the concept of unending, eternal, or everlasting took root in the mind of many and has continued mostly unabated to our day. Simply, his error was in not seeing that aiōn means an age or an eon; consequently, aiōnion also serves as a qualifier of an age or eon; that is, it pertains to an age or eon. This one error has had profound influence on Church doctrine down through the centuries to our present day. In his book, Mercy and Judgment (page 178), Dr. F. W. Farrar states: "Since aion means 'age,' anionos means, properly, 'belonging to an age,' or 'age-long,' and anyone who asserts that it must mean 'endless' defends a position which even Augustine practically abandoned twelve centuries ago." It is rather unfortunate that only four English translations, the Concordant Literal New Testament [CV], Rotherham's Emphasized Bible [REB], Wilson's Emphatic Diaglott [WED], and Young's Literal Translation [YLT]), uniformly render the words aiōn and aiōnion as an age or eon, and as age-during, age-lasting, or eonian [aionian]. It appears that aiōn and aiōnion have fallen victim to the type of deception that Paul warned about and called "the systematizing of the deception" (Ephesians 4:14 CV). Down through the centuries, the concept of eternal (eternity) or everlasting or forever has been so systematically cemented into Christian doctrine or thinking that it has obscured what Scripture has to say about the ages, especially in light of God's purpose of the ages. This does not mean that Scripture is devoid of the concept of eternal or everlasting. It simply means that the concept of eternal has overtaken, even obscured, the concept of eonian or ageduring. BUT, what if the fundamental tenet of Scripture is actually the concept of ages or eons and not eternity? Wouldn't this change the way we view Scripture and God's purpose and plan, or at least add some dimension to it that would otherwise be missed? The Challenge In the Greek text, the noun aiōn is used 128 times (singular [aiōn] and plural [aiōnōn] forms), and the adjective aiōnion is used 71 times. New Testaments written in English translate these words using nearly 40 different words, including: age, ages, ago, age-lasting, age-long, duration, earliest ages, last ages, latest ages, remote age, remotest age, always, ancient, any more, beginning, does, end, eternal, eternity, ever, forever, and ever, for evermore, first, very first, Immortal, life, never, nevermore, never while the world lasts, never to the end of my days, of old, permanently, time again, all time, old time, today, universe, world, yonder world. These statistics, alone, should be a caution flag to the inquisitive mind. How can nearly 40 English words for two similar Greek words not produce confusion or, worse, downright error? 7

11 The Ultimate Purpose of God All in All New Just consider some of the words that are translated from aiōn and aiōnion: eternal, everlasting, forever, world, and age. Do you notice something odd about this list? They have different meanings. An age refers to an indefinite period of time but with an end in view. Eternal refers to endlessness or that which is outside of time and has no end. World refers to an orderly arrangement or system. How can one word and its derivations have such divergent usage and maintain the intent of the Greek? If the Greek word meant "world," then why do the translators not use the word world in all places for the word aiōn? The answer is that it would not make sense in all cases. Conversely, the same argument is made with the English word eternal. Again, part of the answer lies in interpretative bias. However, wouldn't it be far better to use the words eon (noun) or eonian (adjective) every place that the Greek words aiōn and aiōnion appear in the original language and leave it to the reader to discern the meaning according to the context of the verse? Or better yet, how about committing to what the Greek actually means and using the phrase age-during or age-lasting for eonian? Olam = Aiōn [Eon] or Aiōnion [Eonian] In the Hebrew of the Old Testament, the word olam, which means "to hide, keep secret, obscure," is equivalent to the Greek word aiōnion. The Hebrews often used the term to indicate a long duration of time, such as an age or eon. The Gesenius' Lexicon defines olam as "what is hidden; specially hidden time, long; the beginning or end of which is either uncertain or else not defined." In other words, olam implies that the length of time in question is unknown or even hidden from man. Thus, it could mean an age, or it could mean a period of time with no end, at least as far as man can see. The context must determine which it is. Actually, the Hebrews had no word for eternal or eternity. It was not in their language. However, much like with aiōnion and aiōn, interpretative bias has yielded to the words everlasting, forever, or eternity. For example, people often quote the portion of Ecclesiastes 3:11 about eternity in one's heart. However, consider the whole verse: He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity [olam] in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end [NASB]. Notice that the subject of the verse is actually time and the beginning to the end. It is clear that translators have struggled over how to translate the word olam, since the Hebrew has no equivalent for the word eternity. Obviously, some were not bothered by this and chose the 8

12 1 Eons [Ages] & Eonian [Age-Lasting] word eternity anyway. However, other translations use the words knowledge, understanding, world, or obscurity, the latter lining up the most with the meaning of olam. A footnote in The Companion Bible states: "Heb. olam = the ages; or the world (in relation to time). Here, put by Fig. Metonymy (of Subject) for that which is inscrutable by man, viz, obscurity as to the past and the future ages, resulting in man's incapacity for finding out, or comprehending the whole of what God doeth." This actually makes more sense in light of the context of the verse. Simply, Solomon, who had great wisdom and knowledge from God, also knew that some things relative to what God has done and is doing in time from beginning to end are obscure to man. Can anyone truly say that he understands all that God has done since He began to make the eons through His Son? It seems to me that the phrase He has also set the ages in their heart is an appropriate way to translate this, especially in light of the context. Simply, God set the ages in man's heart so that he could not figure out everything that God has done or will do before and beyond the ages, as well as in the ages. This should remind us of something Paul quoted from Isaiah 64:4. According as it has been written, "Eye has not seen, and ear has not heard," nor has it risen up into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those that love Him. (1 Corinthians 2:9 LITV) Take special note of Paul's emphasis on the ages leading up to this quote. (6) But we speak wisdom among the perfect, but not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, those being brought to nothing. (7) But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, having been hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, (8) which none of the rulers of this age has known. For if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:6-8 LITV) What Solomon saw as obscure, Paul saw as a mystery. The difference between the two men is that the mystery of the ages was revealed to Paul. Another example of the meaning of olam is discovered in Psalm 45:6 (NASB): Your throne, O God, is forever [olam] and ever [va ad]. Surely, God's throne is forever, but notice how the psalmist had to add va ad to olam to indicate something beyond or in addition to a long period of time. In other words, the psalmist had to add va ad to olam to bring in the concept of forever or, perhaps, additional eons. The more literal renderings of this verse read "the eon and further," "the age and beyond," and "age-during and forever." One example comes from Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (REB): Your throne, O God is to times age-abiding [olam] and beyond [va ad]. 9

13 The Ultimate Purpose of God All in All New Septuagint The writers of the New Testament often quoted the Old Testament based on the Septuagint, which is the Greek version of the Old Testament Hebrew text. Consequently, the meaning of a Greek word is often dictated by the meaning of the original Hebrew word used to translate it into the Septuagint. One example of the equivalency of the words is seen in the fact that olam of Psalm 45:6 is translated into aiōn when the psalm is quoted in Hebrews 1:8. Your throne, O God, is forever [aiōn] and ever [aiōn]. (Hebrews 1:8 LITV) Thy throne, O God, is unto times [aiōn] age-abiding [aiōn]. (Hebrews 1:8 REB) Interestingly, the Septuagint did not attempt to come up with another word to replace va ad; it translated it with aiōn instead. For this reason, some of the more literal translations obviously stick with the concept of time or ages. Some might argue that this cannot be because God's throne is eternal. True; but this does not exclude the possibility that His throne is eonian or related to the ages as well. After all, He is working out His purpose in and through the ages. The point is that translating olam into the words forever or everlasting is not always accurate, given the context. Consider these examples. Jonah was in the bowels of the fish for three days, but he cried out that he was there forever. I went down to the bases of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me forever [olam]. But You brought up my life from the pit, O Jehovah my God. (Jonah 2:6 LITV) To the cuttings of mountains I have come down, the earth, her bars are behind me to the age [olam]. And Thou bringest up from the pit my life, O Jehovah my God. (Jonah 2:6 YLT) Most translations record that the prophet cried out that the earth with its bars was around him forever. How could Jonah be in the belly of the fish for three days and nights and forever (everlasting) at the same time? The answer becomes apparent when we see that the word forever is translated from olam. The more literal translations use the words eon or age (CV, REB, YLT) rather than the word forever. However, it simply means that Jonah had no idea how long his ordeal lasted. It must have seemed as if it would never end, but it did end; proving that olam does not necessarily mean "everlasting." Or, consider the fact that God made an everlasting covenant with the sons of Israel as they stood at the foot of Mount Sinai in Arabia. This covenant is called the Old Covenant. What does the book of Hebrews have to say about this covenant? 10

14 1 Eons [Ages] & Eonian [Age-Lasting] (8) For finding fault, He said to them, "Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, and I will make an end on the house of Israel and on the house of Judah; a new covenant shall be, (9) not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day of My taking hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I did not regard them, says the Lord. (13) In the saying, New, He has made the first old. And the thing being made old and growing aged is near disappearing. (Hebrews 8:8-9, 13 LITV) In other words, the old was replaced with the new. How could the first covenant be everlasting or eternal if it was replaced with a second one, which, by the way, is based on better promises? Or, consider one more example in which Phinehas was given an everlasting priesthood. And it shall be to him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting [olam] priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and atoned for the sons of Israel. (Numbers 25:13 LITV) (12) 'Therefore say, Lo, I am giving to him My covenant of peace, (13) and it hath been to him and to his seed after him a covenant of a priesthood age-during [olam], because that he hath been zealous for his God, and doth make atonement for the sons of Israel.' (Numbers 25:12-13 YLT) His priesthood was not everlasting, for it was replaced by Zadok 300 years later during the reign of Solomon. Simply, when Phinehas was given his priesthood, it was olam, meaning for an unknown period of time. He did not know how long it would last, and God did not tell him. Apparent Contradictions Sometimes, apparent contradictions are created. Consider two verses from the King James Version in which aiōn is translated as world. So shall it be at the end of the world. (Matthew 13:49) Throughout all ages, world without end. (Ephesians 3:21) At face value, there appears to be a contradiction, for the world is said to have an end and also have no end. I say "at face value," for there is a way to explain this: The orderly arrangement of man's systems (kosmos) will come to an end as the Kingdom of our Lord takes root among the nations, but the earth will not end; the earth will be transformed by fire in God's Day. This is beyond the subject at hand, but I want to have as much balance as possible in what is presented. Nevertheless, the word world has been translated from the Greek word aiōn. Following a concordant approach to Scripture, these verses more appropriately read as follows. 11

15 The Ultimate Purpose of God All in All New Thus shall it be in the conclusion of the eon. For all the generations of the eon of the eons. These renderings have no contradiction, even if one has no understanding of the word eon. The eon in the first verse has a conclusion, but there is no direct reference to an end of the eon of the eons in the second verse. Let us consider a few more points. Meaning of Eon The first point is to elaborate further on the meaning of eon. Webster's Dictionary defines it as "an extremely long, indefinite period of time, thousands and thousands of years." This same dictionary defines eonian as "lasting forever; eternal." How can the noun form be a long period of time and the adjective form be eternal, when the adjective derives its meaning from the noun? The adjective cannot properly go beyond the meaning of the noun. The New Englishman's Greek-English Concordance & Lexicon (Sovereign Grace Publishers, 1982) defines eon as "an age. (a) an indefinitely long period, eternity (past or future), John 6:51; 9:32; (b) a certain segment of time, an era, age (present or future), Matthew 12:32; Mark 10:30; (c) material universe as the manifestation of the ages, i.e., the aggregate of things contained in time." Take note that section (a) defines it as an indefinitely long period but then includes eternity as past or future. Have you ever wondered how eternity could be past? If it is past, then it must have had a start or end point in the present. The above definition references eternity to John 9:32; consider a more literal translation of this verse. From the beginning of the age [eon] it was never heard that anyone opened the eyes of one having been born blind. (John 9:32 LITV [CV]) Other translations use terms like "the beginning of time" or "the beginning of the world." However, concordantly speaking, age is more accurate. Either way, time of a long duration is in view. Adlai Loudy, in his book God's Eonian Purpose (Concordant Publishing), defines the word eon as "a period of time between two great physical and moral cataclysmic judgments of the earth and its inhabitants. Each of these long periods of time has a beginning and is punctuated by an end." In Appendix 129 of The Companion Bible, Dr. E.W. Bullinger states that aiōn "may be limited or extended as the context of each occurrence may demand. The root meaning of aiōn is expressed by the Hebrew olam which denotes indefinite, unknown or concealed duration, just as we 12

16 1 Eons [Ages] & Eonian [Age-Lasting] speak of "the patriarchal age," or "the golden age." Hence, it has come to denote any given period of time, characterized by a special form of Divine administration or dispensation." Dr. Bullinger goes on to state: "In the plural we have the Heb. olamin and Gr. aiones used of ages, or of a succession of age-times, and of an abiding from age to age. From this comes the adjective aionios used as an unrestricted duration, as distinct from a particular or limited agetime. These age-times must be distinct or they could not be added to, or multiplied, as in the expression aions of aions." Aions of aions is the same expression used in the Concordant Literal New Testament (CV) as eons of the eons. We might debate when eons begin and end, but this does not negate the fact that Scripture clearly refers to eons or ages of time. After all, is not the next eon one that lasts 1,000 years? In Jesus' day, the Hebrew hope was centered on the coming of the Messiah to rule the earth with His people for a Sabbath millennium (seventh day). It is called the Age [Eon]. Both Jesus and Paul called it the eon to come. Peter called it the eonian Kingdom (2 Peter 1:11). In Mark 10:30, Jesus referred to the eon to come, eonian life (i.e., life in the Age). All the Eons The second point is Scripture establishes that there are eons, meaning that there is more than one eon. In concluding his epistle, Jude referenced all the eons. Notice how Jude also refers to the entire eon, which refers to our present eon. (24) Now to Him Who is able to guard you from tripping, and to stand you flawless in sight of His glory, in exultation, (25) to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might and authority before the entire eon, now, as well as for all the eons. Amen! (Jude CV) Speaking of Jesus, Paul proclaims that He is far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age [aiōn] but also in the one to come (Ephesians 1:21 NASB). Some translations inject their interpretative bias by using the word world, but, according to the Greek, it should be age or eon. In his epistle to the Galatians, Paul refers to this present evil age (Galatians 1:4). The writer to the Hebrews refers to the powers of the age to come (Hebrews 6:5). Jesus Himself confirms to us that an age has an end when He gave the so-called great commission to His disciples: "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). 13

17 The Ultimate Purpose of God All in All New These are only a few of many verses that prove the writers of the New Testament, in particular, saw themselves in an age and that there are ages yet to come. Forever and Ever The third point is Greek has a singular form, aiōn, and a plural, aiōns, which yields Anglicized phrases, such as the eons of the eons, the eon of the eons, and the eon of the eon. These phrases specifically refer to the last two eons, that is, the oncoming or impending eons that follow our present wicked eon or, simply, ages beyond our present one. In some cases, translators ignore the plural forms in favor of a singular rendering. For example, Romans 16:27 is most often translated as forever (NASB) or forever and ever (KJV) but never as forevers, for this would make no sense. Concordantly speaking, it is rendered as the eons of the eons (CV) or ages (WED, YLT). The same applies to Galatians 1:5, Philippians 4:20, 1 Timothy 1:17, 2 Timothy 4:18, Hebrews 13:21, and 1 Peter 4:11. Just for the sake of argument, if, in these cases, the Greek does refer to things eternal, then why use the phrase forever and ever? Would not the phrase forever be sufficient to convey the thought of eternal? It is an unneeded redundancy to add the word ever. Again, following a concordant approach to Scripture yields other eon expressions, such as the oncoming eons (Ephesians 2:7), from the eons (Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:26), for the eons (Luke 1:33; Romans 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 2 Corinthians 11:31; Hebrews 13:8), the eons (Ephesians 3:11; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 1:2; 11:3; Jude 25), the conclusion of the eons (Hebrews 9:26), and the consummation of the eons (1 Corinthians 10:11; see 1 Corinthians 15:24). If you are more comfortable with the word age, just replace eon with age. These verses alone should bring some clarity to the concept of an eon, for they reveal that there is more than one eon, there are eons to come, and there is a conclusion or a consummation of the eons. All one needs is an understanding of the meaning of the word eon, and these verses can be better understood contextually. The Son Makes the Eons The fourth point is that the eons and the Son of God are inseparable. We must never lose sight of God's Son in our understanding of the eons or in our understanding of all Scripture, for that matter. It is essential that we understand that through His Son, God makes the eons, and that the eons begin and end in His Son. It is in Him that we see the purpose of the eons. (1) God, speaking to the fathers in the prophets, (2) in the last of these days speaks to us in a Son, Whom He appoints enjoyer of the allotment of all, through Whom He also makes the eons [ages]. (Hebrews 1:1-2 CV [REB]) Interpretative bias is clearly seen in this verse. Most translations render this as "through whom 14

18 1 Eons [Ages] & Eonian [Age-Lasting] He made the world [aiōn]" (NASB). Again, the Greek word is aiōn (eon), not kosmos (world). Truly, the Son created the world, but He also created time or the eons along with the world. We could say that He created the time-space continuum in which we live today. He [the Son] brightly reflects God's glory and is the exact representation of His being, and upholds the universe by His all-powerful word (Hebrews 1:3 WNT). Remove the Son from the universe and there is no universe. It is like removing the sun from our solar system. Remove the sun that shines upon our earth and human life on earth will cease to exist. Likewise, remove the Son from God's purpose and there is no purpose of God. All creation is held by the powerful word of the Son of God, who is the Word of God. The eons are nothing apart from the Son of God. He is the Origin and the Consummation of the eons. Let this one truth be indelibly engraved on our hearts and in our minds: God established His purpose in His Son before He even brought forth the eons, and His purpose for the eons has been, is being, and will continue to be worked out in His Son until the glorious consummation of the eons (1 Corinthians 10:11), and God is All in all (1 Corinthians 15:28). Before Times Eonian In light of this truth, the fifth point is discovered in Paul's epistles where he refers to before times eonian or before the eons. I realize these are probably strange expressions to some, but they make sense if we think in terms of ages or eons. God's purpose and promises in Christ were set before times eonian. In other words, God set these things in motion before time itself. Another way of stating this is that they were set before the eons or ages were made by the Son. In fact, the eons are made (past, present, and future) to accomplish God's purpose in Christ. Who saves us and calls us with a holy calling, not in accord with our acts, but in accord with His own purpose and the grace which is given to us in Christ Jesus before times eonian. (2 Timothy 1:9 CV) (1) Paul, a slave of God, yet an apostle of Jesus Christ, in accord with the faith of God's chosen, and a realization of the truth, which accords with devoutness, (2) in expectation of life eonian, which God, Who does not lie, promises before times eonian [age-during times]. (Titus 1:1-2 CV [REB]) (6) Yet wisdom are we speaking among the mature, yet a wisdom not of this eon, neither of the chief men of this eon, who are being discarded, (7) but we are speaking God's wisdom in a secret, (8) wisdom which has been concealed, which God designates before before the eons, for our glory, which not one of the chief men of this eon knows, for if they know, they would not crucify the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:6-8 CV) 15

19 The Ultimate Purpose of God All in All New Eonian God & Eonian Gospel The final point involves the concept of the eonian God and the eonian gospel. But now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal [aiōnios] God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith. (Romans 16:26 NASB) Some translations use the word everlasting instead of eternal. The more literal translations use the phrases eonian God (Concordant Literal), age-abiding God (Rotherham's Emphasized), and age-during God (Young's Literal). The most common argument against these phrases is they imply that God is not eternal or outside of time. Actually, there is no such inference in referring to God as the eonian God. In fact, it is a glorious assurance that our God has been working in time or in the eons through His Son. In no way does this take away from the fact that God is eternal. He is both eonian and eternal. I recall being told about a book in which the writer was adamant in trying to prove that God is so outside of time that He has absolutely nothing to do with time. How could the Creator of all things divorce Himself from His creation that is in time? This is really not worth debating. The same thing is discovered in reference to an eonian gospel. And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal [aiōnios] [eonian; ageabiding] gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. (Revelation 14:6 NASB [CV, REB]) Is the gospel truly eternal, as most are taught? Perhaps, it is not, for at the consummation of the eons, all will be made new. It seems that once all is made new, the good news changes as well. Actually, I believe that the eonian gospel announced by the angel is the good news of the Age to come when the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:9). There is more to this subject, such as eonian life, which refers to life in the Age to come, and eonian judgment or chastening, which means that there are limits to how long God's judgments last. These are taken up in Chapters 14 and 16, respectively. Perhaps, it is time to start reading Scripture with a view to the eons or ages and to that which is eonian or age-during (lasting, abiding). 16

20 Chapter 2 Second Opportunity, Not By Chance Again, before moving on to specific Scripture supporting the all of God, it is needful to address a few issues first, one is the matter of a "second chance," which is covered in this chapter, and the other is the matter of "free will," which is covered in Chapter 3. It is not uncommon to hear it said that mankind has only one chance to believe on Jesus and that once one dies it is all over; there is no second chance to be saved. It is almost as if the old saying "You made your bed now lie in it" applies. That No One May Boast Personally, I believe that many Christians believe they saved themselves by a work of faith, as if they figured out salvation on their own and therefore deserve to be saved. Consequently, those who do not do it their way in this life deserve to be cast into a place of torture called hell forever and ever and ever. I think Paul would have a major problem with many believers in our day who think like this. Consider what Paul had to say about his, as well as everyone's, salvation experience. (8) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (9) not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB) If we have any boast in our salvation experience, then it is a result of our own work. We think it is our faith that saved us, not the grace and faith of the Lord Jesus that is given to us. (12) I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, (13) even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; (14) and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:12-14 NASB) The New Living Translation seems to best capture the heart of verse 14. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:14 NLT) In other words, we cannot manufacture faith and love on our own; it comes from Jesus Himself. It is the faith of the Son of God, not faith in the Son. 17

21 The Ultimate Purpose of God All in All New I am crucified with Christ, and no longer live, I, but Christ lives in me; but in that I now live in flesh, I live by faith, the faith of the Son of God, who has loved me and given himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 DNT) (15) But when God, who set me apart even from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, (16) was pleased to reveal his Son in me. (Galatians 1:15-16 DNT) Paul claimed no personal credit whatsoever for his calling and the revelation of Christ within him. It was all of God. But God! Nothing By Chance As stated already, without doubt, many Christians probably believe that there is no second chance for an unbeliever. After all, it is commonly taught from the pulpits that when one dies in unbelief, there is no second chance to be saved. As the teaching goes, there are only two choices for mankind, heaven or hell. "Make up your mind in this life or toast in hell." Simply, when one dies, it is all over. But is this true? Does Scripture support such thinking? Does the history of the Lord's people and the nations support such thinking? I say no. God has left nothing to chance, for everything is being worked out according to His plan to achieve His ultimate purpose of All. The fact of the matter is that Scripture, as well as history, reveals a mighty and loving God who continually reaches out to His people and to all mankind, for He loves the world. A verse that is often quoted in support of "no second chance" is Hebrews 9:27: And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this [comes] judgment. However, one must read into this that there is no second chance for salvation, for it says nothing about how many chances one might have. When one dies, judgment follows. It doesn't say when judgment occurs but that it occurs sometime after death. Obviously, in the case of those who are raised from the dead to appear before the Great White Throne Judgment, it occurs at the end of the Lord's Day right before God's Day. A Second Passover The Old Testament is filled with types and shadows of God's plan, and there is one type in Scripture that makes it quite clear that God reaches out to mankind more than once; it is the Passover experience of justification by faith. Consider the sons of Israel and the keeping of Passover. (9) Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (10) "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'If any one of you or of your generations becomes unclean because of a dead person, or is on a distant journey, he may, however, observe the Passover to the LORD. (11) 'In the second 18

22 2 Second Opportunity, Not By Chance month on the fourteenth day at twilight, they shall observe it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. (Numbers 9:9-11 NASB) There were two things that might have kept an Israelite from keeping Passover, touching a dead body and being away on a long journey. In these cases, they were allowed to keep it in the second month. In other words, they had a second opportunity, not so much a second chance. We see the same opportunity applying to mankind. In Adam, we all occupy mortal bodies or bodies of death (Romans 7:24). Essentially, we are like the dead person in verse 10. Mankind is unclean in this condition. Consequently, unbelievers remain unclean in their dead bodies; that is, they touch death. On the other hand, when we believe on Jesus, we pass out of death into life (1 John 3:14), and the Word of God cleanses us (John 15:3). We will still die physically, but Jesus' blood cleanses us from all sin. Passover is the first step in a believer's journey with the Lord, for it speaks of justification by faith as we apply Jesus' blood to the door of our heart. Thus, in type, we see that one is afforded another opportunity to apply the blood of Jesus to his heart. It even states that in the second month, the Passover can be observed a second opportunity. The other reason for a second opportunity is seen through an Israelite who was on a long journey and could not return in time for Passover. He also could keep Passover in the second month. This is like the prodigal son who wandered from his father's house and was given a second opportunity to be part of his father's house (Luke 15:11-32). Thus, men might wander their whole lives, but a day will come when they will be invited into the Father's house to keep the Passover, that is, to be justified by faith. All Israel Saved I hesitate injecting this thought into this discussion because of Christian Zionism that is so rampant among many Christians today and that has blinded so many to the truth of God's true Jew and spiritual Israel. However, I will take the risk with the caveat that the Israel Paul speaks of is based on much more than a gene pool; it is based on a heart pool. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15 NASB) (25) For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of this secret that ye may not be wise in your own conceits that hardness in part to Israel hath happened till the fulness of the nations may come in; (26) and so all Israel shall be saved, according as it hath been written, `There shall come forth out of Sion he who is delivering, and he shall turn away impiety from Jacob, (27) and this to them is the covenant from Me, when I may take away their sins.' (Romans 11:25-27 YLT) 19