The eternal purpose of God embraces Christ and the Church. Election secures the persons who were individually chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4.) Predestination connects itself with the character of and makes sure of the blessing (Eph. 1:5.) Thus the eternal blessedness and glory of the saints in association with Christ are divinely pledged. As they formed the subject of purpose long before creation, so the full and final result of that purpose will only be fully displayed in the eternal state after the existing heaven and earth have passed away.
In the fullest Scripture upon the eternal condition ({vi 31055-31059}Rev. 21:1-5,) we have the relation of the Church to the Lamb as His wife, and to God as His tabernacle among men. Israel and the nations, as such, have no distinctive place, but all who are then living on the new earth (except the Bride) are merged in the expression "His people.”
Ephesians develops the Church's unique place of blessing, privilege, glory and responsibility. Colossians unfolds the pre-eminent glory of Christ, the Church's head, in the spheres of creation, providence, resurrection and redemption.
The time purposes of God refer to Christ and Israel, and subordinately the nations. Israel's place of blessing on the earth was the subject of counsel from the foundation of the world and not, as with the Church, before the foundation of the world. God in creating and arranging the mountains and valleys, the seas and rivers, did so in special reference to His ultimate design—to make His people and His land the center of all His earthly dealings. (Deut. 7:6.)
When the sons of Adam were separated and formed into families and then into nations (Gen. 10), their inheritance was not to be won by strength or numbers or power of the sword, but was carefully allotted according to the number of the children of Israel (Deut. 32:8.) When the great assize of the nations takes place, introductory to millennial blessedness, "Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt. 25:34. In this blessed kingdom, prepared from the founding of the world, the Israelites will occupy the chief place, then the saved Gentiles, as it is written, "Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people." Rom. 15:10. The new birth is an absolute necessity for all who would enter the kingdom in its reality, whether in its heavenly or earthly departments (John 10.) The Church united to Christ in heaven and Israel blessed under Messiah on earth, form the great centers of all God's dealings with man. Oh, it is blessed to discover the glory of Christ in every page of the Word of God. Church glory, Israelitish glory, creation glory, redemption glory, all unite in having Him as their one blessed center. W. Scott