Friday, January 13, 2012

Ephesians 1:10


Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely
Ephesians 1:10

10 That in [eis] the dispensation [oikonomia] of the fulness [pleroma] of times [kairos] he might gather together in one [anakephalaiomai] all things [pas] in [en] Christ, [Christos] both [te] which [ho] are in [en] heaven, [ouranos] and [kai] which [ho] are on [epi] earth; [ge] even in [en] him: [autos] KJV-Interlinear

10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him  NASB

The word for dispensation, ‘oikonomia,’ is not a reference to epochs or era’s of time, but this word is a reference to the administration of, or the management of household affairs.

And in the affairs of history, it is God who controls history and all that came before it and all that will come after it, and all that is included within it. Jesus Christy controls history and manages the affairs of history.

The fullness of times, means when all that is to be completed, is actually completed. God designed not only the universe and all of creation, but He also designed all of the epochs and era’s of times, from pre-historic times to our current human history, to all times that will follow. 

It is specifically the conclusion of human history that is in view here, whereby all ‘things’ might be gathered together.

Paul uses the word for ‘things,’ ‘pas,’ and does not say all angels, or all people, or all living things, but he says all ‘things,’ which includes all of the universe and all that is included within it, both the living and non-living.

God created the universe with complete perfection.  When sin entered into the universe, then all things became disordered, both the living and the non-living. The universe was set into disarray.

Sin started with Satan and continued with unbelieving or negative humanity, and it will take history to run its course to its final conclusion, through the end of the Tribulation and then the Millennium, to finally bring all of human history to its conclusion.

In Christ, means that all things have been placed under the sovereign rule and control of Jesus Christ.

It is Christ who Satan first rejected.  Satan wanted to be ‘like the most high,’ in reference to the Father.

It is Christ who is rejected by all religions and philosophies.  Notice any similarities here?

And by that rejection, the entire universe has been thrown into disarray. 

It will take Christ, however, to restore all things as they were and even better.

But not only does Christ bring things back into their perfect state as all things initially were, but He goes one step further.  All things both in heaven and on earth (including this universe), will be permanently united as one ultimate and vast existence.  This will come when the old universe is destroyed and replaced with a new universe combined with heaven.

What we have around us now is far from its initial perfect state.  What we have around us now, will never regain its initial perfect state.  The universe and life around us have been deteriorating rapidly and will continue to deteriorate until the end of human history.

But one day, when history concludes, then Christ will take all things and make all things perfect again.  The next state of perfection will remain forever. The old will never return.

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