So human history unrolled like a long carpet. Days turned into years and the sin that Adam and Eve entered into began to grow and spread across the earth, as the hearts of people continued to choose their own way instead of God's. There was no one righteous or holy anymore, not one. For each and every human being whenever they disobey God, it is as though they have made a choice to eat the fruit just like Adam and Eve did.
You know the story of the cross and how Jesus, when He clothed himself with a human body, became the only man without sin. You remember how He came to die on that cross and rise up from death. How He became a bridge across that huge gap existing between His Father God and mankind. Since Jesus' resurrection any person who really wants to get back into friendship and closeness with God, if they repent or turn from their sin and set their heart to love and follow Jesus, can come near to their Heavenly Father once again.
Jesus sent us His Holy Spirit to live in us to help us to live in a way that pleases Him. Holy Spirit is our great Helper, Comforter, Teacher and Friend. He teaches us about what God is like. He is God too who teaches us about Jesus and touches our hearts with divine love. All this is wonderful and good but it is not the end of the story. We have to see the beauty and the wonder of God's heart for us so that we may understand where He is taking human history. The book of Ephesians tells us that God has made known to us the mystery of His will. He desires that we are not separate from Him forever. He desires us to be with Him again, just as it was in the Garden of Eden. God made a beautiful Garden so that He could walk and talk with human beings who He'd made in his image. He made us like Him before sin muddied and damaged us image bearers.
So lets look at Ephesians 1:9-10.
Having made known to us the mystery (hidden plan) of His will ...which He purposed in Himself 10 that in 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
God has made known to us the hidden plan or the mystery of His will. How wonderful that we get to hear, know and grow in understanding of the mystery of God's will. We are His people and He is sharing with us His hidden plan. God's will is something He desires. And God will have His way. This was His purpose in His own heart, that this hidden plan should come to pass. We know that His will shall be done and He will have His heart's desire. So what is His hidden plan and why does it matter to us?
Ephesians 1 goes on to say that in the fullness of the times – this means that at God's appointed time, when all events leading up to this time are completed. When all He wants to do in human history is done. When all those who will respond to the message of the gospel of the kingdom of Jesus have responded. When Jesus has judged the earth and removed all that hinders His love being expressed and returned. When evil has been driven off planet earth. When all this is completely finished, then God the Father will gather together all things in Christ. He will bring together all things in Jesus. Which things? The things in heaven and the things in earth! No more veil. No more separation between heaven and earth. No more distance.
Right now heaven is the supernatural realm or place. Earth is the physical or the natural place. The two don't meet. In heaven you don't need an earthly body. On earth you do. On earth you eat and sleep and wash yourself and walk about and touch and handle things. We know a little about heaven. It is the place where our spirit goes after we die. In heaven we don't need an earthly body. It is the spirit realm. It is where God dwells, where angels move and work. It is supernatural, beyond the natural. Here on earth we can't often see angels, or God's throne or even the heavens where He dwells in inapproachable light. Read 1 Cor 15:35-49 to find out more.
...Continued in Part 3