Westville - South Africa / www.coptrust.org.za
The objective of this section is to explain how the Master Plan of God becomes a reality. We will consider the Promises made by God to men of faith thousands of years ago. We will also look at the kingdom of God and God's promised King and explain why these are essential parts of God's Master Plan.
This section deals with God's method of realising the Master Plan. God has revealed His plan to men and women of faith through some special promises. This section begins by looking at two of these special promises made to Abraham and David. The section then focuses on the subject of these promises, Jesus Christ and God's kingdom. The discussion concludes by explaining how the promises, Jesus Christ and the kingdom provide the solution to the realisation of God's Master Plan.
Does God have a Plan to guarantee His Master Plan?
From Section 1 we learnt that God's Master Plan is to fill the earth with His glory (character). Humans are the means by which God can achieve this plan, but we also learnt that humans are constantly failing to live up to the character of God. Does that mean the plan is not being fulfilled? That would only be the case if humans were in control. Thankfully, that is not the case - God is in control Daniel 4v25 and He is determined to ensure his plan is becoming a reality. God has revealed His solution to us through some special promises made thousands of years ago but powerful and true for today. From the moment the first man and woman failed to live up to the purpose of life, by sinning in the Garden of Eden, God set in motion a special plan to guarantee His Master Plan. God revealed this plan to men and women of faith through a series of promises.
What are the Promises?
From Section 1 we learnt that God's Master Plan is to fill the earth with His glory (character). Humans are the means by which God can achieve this plan, but we also learnt that humans are constantly failing to live up to the character of God. Does that mean the plan is not being fulfilled? That would only be the case if humans were in control. Thankfully, that is not the case - God is in control Daniel 4v25 and He is determined to ensure his plan is becoming a reality. God has revealed His solution to us through some special promises made thousands of years ago but powerful and true for today. From the moment the first man and woman failed to live up to the purpose of life, by sinning in the Garden of Eden, God set in motion a special plan to guarantee His Master Plan. God revealed this plan to men and women of faith through a series of promises.
"....all the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.." Genesis 13v14-17 Promise of an everlasting possession of a land and father of many nations: "The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you." Genesis 17v8
The promises made to Abraham spoke of the everlasting possession of a land (specifically the land of Canaan, modern day Israel) by Abraham and a great people who would be his descendants. They also make special mention of an offspring through which the people of the promise would be blessed. The promises that God made to Abraham were repeated to his descendants Isaac and Jacob. Genesis 26v1-5, 28v13-17. The second set of promises we will consider were made to David, a king of Israel. Promise of a seed who would rule on David's throne as king forever: "I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, ...and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." 2 Samuel 7v12-17
Notice the word "offspring" - In this promise God tells David that one of his descendants (offspring) will establish his throne forever. This promise gives us another piece of God's solution.
It is through the Kingdom of God and the work of Jesus Christ, the king, that God is realising His Master Plan.
What do these Promises mean?
If we put together all the pieces together, we find that the promises are concerned with the following:
1. The promise of a seed (descendant) of Abraham and David who is to be King forever on earth and through whom blessing will come.
2. The promise of possession of a special land forever.
3. The promise of many people inheriting this land forever.
The promises therefore concern a king, a land and a people - or in other words, a Kingdom. The promises centre on the king of this kingdom or the "offspring". In Galatians 3v16, Paul tells us that Jesus Christ is the promised offspring. Through the promises, God preached the kingdom and Jesus Christ to the men and women of faith. It is through this kingdom and the work of Jesus Christ, the king, that God is realising His Master Plan.
Jesus Christ, the Kingdom, and the Master Plan
Let's put all the pieces together to get the full picture! Jesus Christ represents the solution to God's Master Plan. He is the key to the realisation of the plan. The promises of God centre around the promised offspring who is to bring blessing on many people. Jesus Christ is the only person who ever fully revealed the character of God in his life. John describes Jesus as the glory of God. "We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" John 1v14 Jesus never sinned - he perfectly manifested God's character in his life on earth. For this reason he is the centre of God's Master Plan. Only through association with Jesus, can we reveal the glory of God Rom 6v3-4
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" Gal 2:20 When Jesus ascended from the earth, the angels gave the disciples the following message:
"Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1v11
Their message was that Jesus is coming back to the earth. But why would Jesus want to return to this earth? Well, the promises spoke of the everlasting kingdom, and Jesus ruling on David's throne - none of these promises have been fulfilled Hebrews 11v39.
Jesus is now at the right hand of our Father and is working in the lives of men and women who respond to his call Eph 1v17-23. But he is also coming back physically to set up God's kingdom on earth, to rule as king on David's throne. The purpose of the future kingdom will be for Jesus to complete God's plan by moulding all men and women into the glory and character of God 1 Corinthians 15v22- 28. The kingdom will grow until it fills the whole earth and God is all in all Daniel 2v34-35.
Then, at last, the Master Plan will be a reality because the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea Habakkuk 2v14.
What is God's everlasting Kingdom like?
Love 1 John 4:15-16. This word defines the character of God, his glory and the central characteristic of his Kingdom. God reveals his love through us, his children. We become his handiwork Eph 2:4-10. All men and women, who are drawn by Jesus into a relationship with the Father, experience his greatest gifts - love, joy, and peace, and many more Gal 5:22-23. However, in addition to this, God also tells us a lot about the conditions that will exist during the future reign of Jesus on earth. Not only will men and women reveal the character of God, as He first intended, but in addition, the results of Christ's transforming power will also lead to a new physical creation. Peter talks of it as a "new heavens and a new earth" 2 Peter 3v13, a time when the destruction and pollution of this world will be removed. The prophet Isaiah tells us that during the time of the future kingdom of God, the deserts will bloom with roses. His beautiful vision in Isaiah 35 describes the conditions of the kingdom. It will be a time of peace, prosperity and harmony Isaiah 35. It will be a kingdom beyond our wildest imaginations 1 Corinthians 2:9-10. For these reasons - a transformed life and an everlasting future hope - Jesus appealed to his disciples to make the kingdom of God the most important thing in their lives Matthew 6v33. The same appeal applies to you today.
When will Jesus return to earth?
While the Kingdom of God is being powerfully realised in the lives of individuals responding to Jesus Luke 16:16, Luke 17:2-12, Jesus makes it clear that the time of his physical return to earth is not known by anyone Matthew 24v36. However the Bible does gives us signs that tell us that the Kingdom is coming soon. These include, Wars - Famine - Earthquakes - Return of Israel to their homeland Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13