Scripture Reading: Isa. 35; 11:6; 30:26; 65:18-25
Ⅰ
The universe is composed of three periods —Heb. 1:2; 11:3:
A
The first period was the time before Adam, the preadamic age.
B
The second period extends from Genesis 1:2 through the end of the coming millennium; this is the period of accomplishment, the time during which God accomplishes His eternal purpose—Eph. 1:9, 11; 3:11.
C
The third period of the universe—the new heaven and the new earth with the New Jerusalem—will last for eternity—Rev. 21:1-2.
Ⅱ
Basically, between eternity past and eternity future, there are three ages—the age of the old creation, the age of the new creation, and the age of restoration:
A
From God's creation of the heavens and the earth in Genesis 1:1 to the age of grace is the age of the old creation.
B
The age of grace is the age of the new creation; the work of God in the age of grace is to produce the new creation—John 1:16; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15.
C
The coming age will be the age of restoration—Matt. 19:28; Acts 3:21:
１
Restoration is not to regenerate with the divine life but to restore the fallen things.
２
In the coming age God will neither create nor produce the new creation; rather, He will do the work of restoring the old, fallen creation—Rom. 8:20-22.
３
The works of power (miracles) do not belong to God's new creation but to the restoration of God's old creation—Heb. 6:4-5.
４
The coming age will be an age full of miracles, not only in healing but also in restoration.
５
The restoration will affect not only man but also the entire creation—the heavens, the earth, the animals, and even the trees; everything that was cursed through the fall of man will be restored.
６
The earth today is not normal; at the time of the restoration of all things, the earth will be restored to its original condition—Acts 3:21.
７
After the age of restoration, the entire universe will be changed from the old to the new; then there will be the new heaven and the new earth with the New Jerusalem— Isa. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:12-13; Rev. 21:1-2.
Ⅲ
Isaiah prophesied concerning the age of restoration—2:2-5; 11:1-10; 61:4-9:
A
A restoration will be brought to all things; in this restoration death will be limited, and there will be abundant life and much praise and rejoicing—65:18-25.
B
The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold—30:26.
C
The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the kid, the calf and the young lion will be together, and a young boy will lead them about—11:6.
D
Isaiah 35 is a marvelous picture of restoration.
Ⅳ
The millennium will be the last and most crucial part of the accomplishment of God's eternal purpose—2:2-5; 4:2-6; 9:7:
A
The Lord's second coming will be a further step in the accomplishment of God's purpose—Acts 1:11; 3:21.
B
The millennial kingdom will have two sections—the heavenly section and the earthly section; the heavenly section will actually be the New Jerusalem in the millennial age— Matt. 13:43; 8:11; Rev. 20:4, 6; 2:26-27; Acts 1:6; Zech. 8:20-23; Matt. 25:34; Rev. 3:12.
Ⅴ
The overcomers in the age of grace will receive a reward in age of the kingdom—22:12:
A
"Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness"—Matt. 6:33.
B
"He who finds his soul-life shall lose it, and he who loses his soul-life for My sake shall find it"—10:39.
C
"He who loves his soul-life loses it; and he who hates his soul-life in this world shall keep it unto eternal life"—John 12:25.
D
"Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will recompense me in that day, and not only me but also all those who have loved His appearing"—2 Tim. 4:8.
E
"Demas has abandoned me, having loved the present age"—v. 10a.
F
"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be ill treated with the people of God than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin, considering the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked away to the reward"—Heb. 11:24-26.
Ⅵ
God wants to end this age and bring in the kingdom, and for this He needs a dispensational instrument—Rev. 11:15; 12:5, 10-12:
A
Every time God wants to make a dispensational move, He must obtain His instrument—cf. 1 Chron. 12:22-23.
B
Of all the dispensational moves, the move with the man-child is the greatest because it removes man's power and the devil's power and brings in the kingdom—Rev. 12:5, 10-12; 11:15.
C
Everyone who is used by God to turn the age is one who consecrates himself voluntarily to the Lord and who is willing to go against the tide of this age—Rom. 12:2; 2 Tim. 4:10, 8.