God has a purpose. It is a purpose that He conceived before the world began to be fulfilled in the dispensation of the fullness of times.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: . . . Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: Ephesians 1:3,4,9,10
A key element of God’s eternal plan is creation. God brought into being three separate creations that allow Him to fulfill His eternal purpose; a natural creation, a national creation, and a new creation.
God Is a Creator
One thing that makes the God of the Bible unique among all the “gods” of men is that He is a living God. Because God is a living God, He can give life. He can create something from nothing. Paul spoke of this unique characteristic of God while preaching in Lystra and Athens, as he urged the heathen in those cities to turn from their pagan gods to serve the one true God.
And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Acts 14:15
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; Acts 17:24,25
Another unique quality of the God of the Bible is that He is a triune being. In creation each part of the Godhead works in harmony to produce the end result.
God the Father is the creator of the universe. Creation was conceived in the mind of the Father. He is the master architect of creation.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1
The Father used the Son as the foreman of creation. Jesus Christ was the part of the triune Godhead charged with overseeing the Father’s plan. He is the master builder of creation.
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Hebrews 1:1,2
The Son used the Holy Spirit to actually build the universe. The Holy Spirit was the part of the triune Godhead charged with executing the Father’s plan. He is the master craftsman of creation.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2
All three parts of the Godhead worked in unison to produce the marvelous natural creation that we see all around us. When the Father conceived the plan to create the universe with two parts, the heaven and the earth, He had His ultimate purpose in mind. That purpose, as stated in Ephesians 1:10 is to gather all things in both realms, heaven and earth, together in Jesus Christ. His other two creations, natural and new, are the vehicles He will use to carry out His eternal purpose for His natural creation.
God’s Natural Creation
God’s natural creation is divided into two areas, heaven and earth. This distinction is very important and we will increasingly see that importance in this study.
Scripture says much about God’s natural creation and the process that He went through to produce it.
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. . . . The LORD possessed me [wisdom] in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; Proverbs 8:12,22-30
He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof. He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. Job 26:7-13
Creation demonstrates the wisdom of God in its design and the power of God in His ability to carry out His design. The Psalmist rejoiced in both the wisdom and power of God that will one day cause every knee to bow in the worship of God.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Psalms 19:1
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: Ephesians 1:9,10
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10,11
God’s wisdom and power in His natural creation play a key role in fulfilling His eternal purpose.
God’s National Creation
In addition to the natural creation God created entities that fulfill His purposes in the natural creation. One of these is his national creation.
In the tenth chapter of Genesis after Noah’s flood, God created nations in the earth. These nations are created with the grandsons of Noah as their heads.
Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. . . . By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. . . . These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations. . . . These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. . . . These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood. Genesis 10:1,2,5,20,31,32
God took groups with a common heritage (“families”), a common language (“tongues”), and a common location (“lands”), and gave them the authority of a “nation.” What was that national authority? The essence of that national authority is seen in God’s instructions to Noah and his sons after the flood.
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. . . . Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. Genesis 9:1,6
The authority that God gave to man to rule over other men, even to the point of execution, was vested in the nations that God ordained in Genesis 10 and not in the individual.
Out of the nationalistic structure that God ordained in Genesis 10 God created a special nation. This nation’s formation and growth was superintended in a supernatural way. This special nation was formed from the descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is the nation of Israel.
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3
Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. . . . For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. Isaiah 5;1,2,7
Why did God take such care in forming Israel? Why did he bless them above all the other nations of the earth? God blessed Israel so that through them all the nations of the earth might glorify Him. This purpose is seen in Isaiah’s prophecies concerning Israel.
The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. Isaiah 2:1-5
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee [Israel]. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Isaiah 60:1-3
Israel’s ultimate purpose and destiny is also seen in Peter’s instruction to the “little flock,” the believing remnant in the nation.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. I Peter 2:9-12
God’s national creation fulfills His purpose in the earthly part of His natural creation. Through Israel the inhabitants of the earth will glorify God.
God’s New Creation
Paul speaks of a new creation, a creation not based upon the “family,” “tongue,” and “land” relationships of God’s national creation. This new creation came with the breaking down of those distinctions.
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. Ephesians 2:11-17
Paul describes the conditions in time past when God dealt with and through His national creation, Israel. At that time the Gentile nations were outside of the covenants that God made with Israel, so much so that they were “without God in the world.” God has now eliminated the divisions of time past and reconciled Jews and Gentiles together in Christ. This joining of Jew and Gentile together with Christ as our head forms “one body,” a “new man.” The one body and the new man are one in the same. They are the new creation, the Church, the Body of Christ.
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Ephesians 1:22,23
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. . . . Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. I Corinthians 12:12,13,27
Ephesians teaches that the blessing, position, ministry, and warfare of the Church, the Body of Christ are centered in the heavenly places.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: Ephesians 1:3
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 2:5,6
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, Ephesians 3:10
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12
Just as God’s national creation fulfills His purpose in the earthly part of His natural creation, so His new creation fulfills His purpose in the heavenly part of His natural creation. Through the Church, the Body of Christ, the inhabitants of the heavens will glorify God.
God’s Three Creations
In God’s three creations His eternal purpose is fulfilled. In the beginning he created a universe, the natural creation, consisting of two distinct realms, heaven and earth. He desired to make His glory known in both of those areas. He created a nation, Israel, to fulfill that purpose in the earth. He created the Church, the Body of Christ, a new creation, to fulfill that purpose in the heavens. Each creative act of God served to further His eternal purpose and manifest His glory.