Chapter 9

The Restitution of All Things

The Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ

 

            In the third chapter of Acts we find Peter healing a man who had been lame and when the man stood up and walked, a crowd gathered and Peter began preaching to them.  In his message, Peter mentions “the restitution of all things.”

 

Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. Acts 3:21

 

            This doctrine may have been recently revealed to Peter but it certainly wasn’t a new concept in Scripture.  Peter indicated that God had spoken about the restitution of all things through all of His prophets since the beginning of time.  The restitution of all things is the universal reconciliation of all men who have ever lived.  The purpose of the resurrection is not to annihilate those who were not Christians nor is it to send them into eternal damnation and torture.  The purpose of the resurrection is to institute the judgments of God upon all men, Christian and non-Christian alike, as the beginning of a process to bring all to Christ.

            I don’t have a clue how long this might take but Dr. Stephen Jones has conjectured that it could possibly be 49,000 years which is a multiple of God’s 490 year cycle of grace.  But regardless of how long it might be, it is the stated purpose of God to restore all of His creation and bring every human being back to Himself. Obviously, some men will need more correction (judgment) than others as Paul says,

 

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 1 Cor. 15:23

 

In the gospel of Luke Jesus points out,

 

[47]And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. [48]But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.  For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, to him they will ask the more. [49]I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? Luke 12:47-49

 

            There is a time rapidly approaching when our Lord is going to appear and He is bringing with Him the sons of God, the overcomers, who are in the first resurrection and they shall be changed into immortal bodies and empowered with the fullness of the Holy Spirit.  This company shall begin the task of bringing God’s kingdom onto the earth in its fullness.  They, through the power of the Christ in them, shall begin to rid the earth of all unrighteousness, all filth, all lying and cheating and every act of darkness.

 

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation (apokalupsis) of the sons of God. Rom. 8:19

 

            The rapture that is mentioned by Paul in Second Thessalonians, is not the rapture of the church nor is it the rapture or resurrection of all Christians.  The first resurrection is when the overcomers, past and present, are changed and begin to rule and reign with Christ.  There are three major harvests mentioned in Scripture which are prophetic of the resurrections.

            The first harvest of the year was the barley harvest.  When barley is harvested, it is winnowed by tossing it in the air to separate the barley from the chaff.  This is a picture of the resurrection of the sons of God who need only to be breathed on by the Holy Spirit to have their chaff (sins) removed.

            The second harvest was the wheat harvest and when wheat is gathered it must be taken to the threshing floor and beaten to remove the chaff.  This is the condition of most Judeo-Christians today commonly referred to as, the church.  They will be in the second resurrection.

            The last harvest of the year was the grape harvest.  The grapes were brought in and poured into huge vats where they had to be crushed under foot in order to remove the juice from them.  Then the juice had to be fermented to bring forth the new wine.  This pictures the bulk of mankind.  God must figuratively crush them under his feet before they will be ready to bring forth righteous lives.

            Paul was speaking of the first resurrection when he told us to press on to the high calling in Christ Jesus and obtain the prize.

 

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  Php. 3:14

 

John also spoke of the first resurrection in the Revelation,

 

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection:  on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God, and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.  Rev. 20:6

 

            The second death which John was refers to is synonymous with the lake of fire and is where those unrepentant people will be held until they are brought to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  In Barnes’ notes he says of this verse:

 

The “second death” is properly the death which the wicked will experience in the world of woe.

 

            Israel is a glaring example that race says nothing about a man.  Israel was not a chosen people because of any individual merit they might have had as people.  On the contrary, Scripture shows that they became so despicable that God cast them out and divorced them.  Israel was chosen by God to be a servant people and to serve God and the other nations of the world.  God judges men not on race but upon their individual character or lack of it and so should men do likewise.  I know people of every race and religion who are moral and upstanding people and I know Israelites who are monsters and I know Israelites who are righteous.

            God chose Israel to bring the gospel of His kingdom to ALL the world.  That has been their only calling since the beginning.  Pastor Robert Phillips of Wales preached a sermon in 2004 showing how the Scriptures from Genesis onward declare that God’s plan is to use Israel to bring all mankind into His kingdom.  The following are but a few:

 

 

The Restoration of All Things

 

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.  Gen. 3:15

 

From the beginning God declares His victory.  His seed would bruise the head of the serpent indicating total defeat of His enemies.

 

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.  Gen. 12:3

 

God declares that all the families of the earth will be blessed through Abraham’s seed.

 

And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Gen. 28:14

 

All the families of the earth will be blessed.

 

But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.  Num. 14:21

 

The glory of the Lord shall not just be for Israel but for all the earth.

 

The adversaries (satans) of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.  1 Sam. 2:10

 

The Lord is the judge of the whole earth and He is not going to just judge Christians but all of mankind.  His rule extends to the entire earth and He will reign over everything and everyone.

 

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.  Ps. 2:8

 

God’s plan is for the inheritance of the entire earth and all that is in it.

 

[2] 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. [3]  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 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.  Isa. 2: 2,3

 

Isaiah foretells of the last days when the kingdom of God shall be established and be above all other nations (mountains) and the people of the world will come to His kingdom to learn of His ways and be taught from the law of God to walk in righteousness.  All the nations!

 

And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.  Isa. 40:5

 

Isaiah does not say that some of the people shall see the glory of the Lord but, ALL FLESH shall see it together.

 

[20] Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. [21]  Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time? Have not I the LORD? And there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. [22]  Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: For I am God, and there is none else. Isa. 45:20-22

 

God has declared from ancient times that His salvation shall extend to all the ends of the earth.

 

In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.  Isa. 45:25

 

If God is going to justify all the seed of Israel then surely He is going to justify the entire earth.

 

And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD:  for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.  Jer. 31:34

 

Although these words were given directly to Israel, it is still universal in scope for even Israel’s neighbors shall all know the Lord.  The knowledge of the Lord will so fill the earth that there will be no need for anyone to teach his neighbor.

 

Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: Which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.  Eze. 47:8

 

The picture Ezekiel paints here is of healing waters going forth into the dead sea and bringing forth life.  The dead sea represents the dead sea of humanity and how God’s healing waters (Gospel) shall bring life to all.

 

Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image, became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. Dan. 2:35

 

Mountains refer to kingdoms in prophetic terms and the image Daniel was referring to that was made of iron, clay, brass, silver and  gold were the various kingdoms of the world.  God’s stone kingdom shall smash them all and fill the whole earth.  His kingdom is not coming to be isolated from the rest of the world, His kingdom will be universal throughout the earth.

 

[28] And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: [32]  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered ….  Joel 2:28, 32

 

God is going to pour out His spirit upon all flesh and whosoever shall call upon Him shall be saved.  God’s plan is universal and meant for all.

 

[11] In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: [12] That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.  Amos 9: 11,12

 

Even all of the heathen shall be called by the name of the Lord and this is stressed again in the book of Acts,

 

[16] After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: [17]  That the residue of men (those left behind) might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles (nations) upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.  Acts 15:16,17

 

Just as in Amos, here again God declares that His name shall be upon all peoples and all shall have the opportunity to learn of him, even those left behind.

 

And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.  Oba. 1:21

 

The saviors mentioned here are the sons of God when they go forth to spread the kingdom of God throughout the whole earth.

            Jesus told the generation to which he appeared that the only sign they would see would be the sign of Jonah.  We know that He was referring to Jonah’s three days in the belly of the “whale” as a sign that Christ would be in the grave for three days. But, Jesus was also referring to the fact that Jonah had gone to a non-Israelite city, Nineveh, and Nineveh had repented and was spared.  Nineveh is representative of the whole earth who knew not God and how God extended His mercy to them.

 

But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow into it. Micah 4:1

 

God’s house shall be above all nations and the peoples of the world will flow to it to learn the ways of the Lord.

 

Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!  Nahum 1:15

 

The prophet Nahum was reiterating what Isaiah had said,

 

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings  good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, “Your God Reigns.”  NASB Isa. 52:7

 

God shall reign upon and over the entire of creation.  That’s the “good news.”

 

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.  Hab. 2:14

 

As the waters cover the sea, the glory of the Lord shall cover the earth and all shall have the knowledge of Him.

 

For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.  Zeph. 3:9

 

All men shall speak the same language and all shall serve Him with one consent.

 

[6] For thus says the LORD of hosts; yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; [7] And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.  Haggai 2: 6,7

 

In but a little while and God shall shake all nations and all nations shall be filled with the glory of the Lord; universal reconciliation.

 

For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; (nations) and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.  Mal. 1:11

 

How long will God’s name be great among the heathen nations?  It will be from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same; forever.

            The message was the same from the beginning of time even unto the time of Christ which God had proclaimed through all of His holy prophets; the glory and salvation of the Lord would grow and fill the entire earth and all of its people would know Him.  And if you didn’t get the message in the Old Testament, it continues with more force in the New Testament.

 

 

The Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ

 

For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  John 3:17

 

God’s plan was to save the whole world and those who think Him incapable of having such a plan have not been paying attention.

 

[22] For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. [23]  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. [24]  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. [25]  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. [26]  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.  1 Cor. 15:22-26

 

            Does the word, all, when used in Scripture, always include everyone or everything? No, all is sometimes used to include all of one’s kingdom or possessions.  We find that the decree from Augustus that all the world should be taxed meant all of the Roman Empire and wherever that authority reached.  Just like with the word, nations, every word must be read in context.  In the context above, Paul contrasted Adam’s sinful consequences with Christ’s salvation.  The only question to be asked is, how many people die because of Adam’s sin?  Since everyone dies who has ever lived then we know that in this usage, all is all-inclusive.  The context itself demands that the all that shall be made alive in Christ is also all-inclusive;  But, every man in his own order.

            Jesus had made the same statement during His ministry,

 

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw (drag) all men unto me.  John 12:32

 

Jesus did not say He would beg and plead with every man to come unto Him; He said He would drag everyone to Himself as a result of His death through which He received the authority to do so.  In this verse, all means, THE WHOLE.  He will draw the whole of mankind to Himself.

            After learning this glorious truth, my wife found a verse in 1 Timothy that has become her favorite verse concerning God’s reconciliation of all.

 

For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.  1 Tim. 4:10

 

For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.  1 Tim. 4:10 NASB

 

God is not only the Savior of believers but of all men.

 

[10] That in the dispensation of the fullness 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: [11]  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:  Eph. 1:10, 11

 

God is going to gather all things in heaven and in earth together in Christ.  We who are in Christ now may have obtained an inheritance already by the predestination of God’s counsel but He is going to gather all things to Himself.

 

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  2 Pet. 3:9

 

I asked the question above, if God could save everyone, would He?  If it is the will of God that none should perish, then none shall perish because He is sovereign and His will overrides all else.  God is long suffering so that all shall be made alive.  All do not repent during this lifetime but God is patient and His mercy endures forever and ultimately all will repent.

 

[10]That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth; [11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Phil. 2:10, 11

 

The Amplified version of the Bible translates this verse as, “….every knee should (must) bow…” and the NASB says, “… so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW.”  The emphasis of the capitalization is theirs, not mine.  A Christian man calling himself, Pastor Zach, has a blog wherein he answers a question from one of his parishioners about this very verse and should it be rendered, “should bow,” or “will bow?”  He was surprised that the NIV version of the Bible had translated it as, “should bow” because his NASB translates it as, “will bow.”  So, he did some research and found the following:

 

In Philippians 2:10, the verb “bow” is in the subjunctive mood.  In Greek, the subjunctive mood indicates potentiality or contingency, but not certainty.  It is often translated with the words “may” or “might” to indicate the uncertainty that this mood carries with it.  “Every knee may bow…”  “Every knee might bow…”  Could it be that Paul is teaching that bowing knees are only a possibility and not a certainty?

 

With all due respect to the NIV, I think I’ll stick with the NASB’s translation of this particular passage.  For the subjunctive indicates contingency except when it is used in what is known as a “purpose clause,” which, notably enough, constitute the bulk of the subjunctive’s usages in the New Testament. In the instance of a purpose clause, the subjunctive indicates not potentiality or contingency, but certainty.  And this is the case in Philippians 2:9-10.  God has given Jesus a “name that is above every name” with an express purpose:  “That at the name of Jesus every knee will bow.”  And God’s purpose cannot be thwarted.  Bowing knees at Jesus’ name are sure and certain.

http://zachkvet.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/shouldve-mayve-mighve-philippians-210/

 

It would be my personal recommendation that if you have the NIV version of the Bible, get rid of it.  It has many passages that are mistranslated and misleading just as that above.  Another example is their terrible translation of Jesus’ words in Matt. 18:21 when our Lord is responding to Peter’s question about how many times we should forgive our brothers.  The NIV has Jesus responding by saying, seventy-seven times.  In our reference to the number 490 above and its significance, this translation destroys the significance and meaning of 70 x 7.

 

And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, (even those buried) and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.  Rev. 5:13

 

In the last book of the Bible we find God again telling us that every creature everywhere shall cry blessing, honor and glory unto God and unto Jesus. (One in the same) Paul summoned up the entire concept in his first letter to the Corinthians,

 

And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.  1 Cor. 15:28

 

God is going to fill all of creation with Himself and the mind of Christ will be in all of His creatures, especially those who believe.  God is not going to lose one single person.

            This, then, is the GLORIOUS GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.  God does not lose.  He does more than bring a few back to Himself, He brings every man back to Himself and this was His plan and purpose from the beginning.  He made Himself responsible in the Garden of Eden for the death of every person who has ever lived and also has ownership over our person.  He made Himself responsible because He knew we would become slaves to sin and never be able to save ourselves and being no respecter of persons, He made Himself responsible for everyone.  God’s plan has never failed or varied, He does not have dispensations wherein He deals with men differently than before.  David was saved the same way I was saved and the same way you are saved.

            And this is the way in which truth is established, by the whole word of God and not just a few verses here and there that can be twisted and made to justify one’s particular belief.

            Most Judeo-Christians believe that Adam’s sin can destroy the vast majority of mankind but the death of Christ cannot save all of mankind.  God is the potter and He can and will do what He pleases with the clay and the Scriptures tell me that He desires that all should be saved and so all shall be saved.  All of creation will be restored by God at the Restitution of All Things.

            The gospel that is preached in most Judeo-Christian churches is not The Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ but is a sad and pathetic message of a loser God and one who is brutish in His ways.  That is not the God of Scripture but rather the god of man’s imaginations and fears.

 

 

Suggested reading, audio and video:

 

Stephen Jones:  “Creations Jubilee”

 

Professor Roger Rusk:  “The Other End of the World”