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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