The Fulfillment of God’s Purposes throughout Earth’s History By Pastor Dan Kennedy © January 14, 2018 www.pastorkennedy.com Today we are going to explore several primary passages which speak clearly of events which God has and will complete in His purposes for the world, in each of its “ages.” We are noting events that God has stated in His Word as being “finished,” from the beginning of the world to its end. 1. Creation – The Formation and Life of All Things as We Know it Genesis 1:31–2:1 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. 2 1Thus the heavens and the earth were completed [finished] 3615 in all their vast array. God Created the World perfectly … but this perfection was corrupted by the serious Consequences from the disobedience of Adam and Eve, plunging the world into depravity. Depravity Went From Bad To Worse Depravity unleashed proved to be a final blow for early human life. For over 1,000 years the grossness of the sins of the human heart revealed itself, together with an entanglement of forbidden supernatural dynamics (Gen. 6:1-8), until… 2. Catastrophe – A Severe and Graphic Judgment on All Who Disregarded God, establishing their own authority and living in violent depravity. Genesis 6:6–8 6 The Lord was grieved6087 that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe4229 mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:13 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end7093 to all people [Hebrew ‘The end of all flesh has come before me’], for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.” Genesis 7:23 23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. Genesis 8:1 But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. The End of the First Ancient Civilization Worldwide Catastrophe … and the salvation of earthly life through Noah and the ark he built. Noah was a man who sought God, obeyed God, and was Delivered, along with all other life, from God’s Catastrophic Judgment. God judges sin, but provides His Way of Deliverance from Judgment. Four Things We Cannot Deny: A. Existence: I exist. (We exist. Creation exists. The Universe exists.) B. Supernatural (Profoundly Intangible) Things Exist: Good exists and Evil exists. C. I am personally affected by Supernatural Existence, Internally and Externally: Although I would like to always do good and be seen as a good person, I do not always do good. There have been times when I have participated with evil. “All have sinned.” Romans 3:23  D. I am Frail: We might seem strong at times, but really, we are frail people… We all die.   (According to statistics, 151,600 people in the world, died yesterday.) Death is one intense consequence of sin. The Flood is God’s graphic reminder to the World that there is another Day of Judgment Coming on the Earth… Eternal Judgment. 3. Crucifixion: Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion – The Provision of God’s Sacrificial Lamb, His Son Jesus Christ paid the price for sin, so we could be Justified, Cleansed and Reconciled with God the Father.  Jesus Christ conquered over the power of sin and death.  Jesus Christ broke the power of death through His Resurrection.  John 19:28–30 28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished5055.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. WHAT DID JESUS MEAN BY “IT IS FINISHED?” John 17:3–5 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing5048 the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. Luke 12:50 (ESV) 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! (- Jesus) (Remember the agonizing struggle Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before His arrest and crucifixion? Luke 22:39-44) God has provided a personal “ark” of Safety and Salvation for those who trust in Christ’s Redemptive Sacrifice for forgiveness of their sin and Reconciliation with God. Christ’s Crucifixion … Jesus Christ Conquered Death, through His Resurrection. Let’s Review: Four Things We Cannot Deny: A. I exist. B. Supernatural (Profound Intangible) Things Exist - Good and Bad Things Exist. C. I am personally affected by this Good and Bad. I am a sinner before God. D. I am Frail: We all die. But, God’s Word says that we will also, one day, rise again. We have the Assurance of Eternal Life through Jesus Christ’s Salvation and Resurrection! Creation: Mankind’s Home was Perfectly Completed.  Catastrophe: Mankind’s sin unchecked, brought a Conclusion of utter Destruction.  Crucifixion: The Procurement of God’s Justice, Salvation and Eternal Life was Finished at the Cross. From Christ’s Death came the Victory of Resurrection.  4. Conclusion – of The End of This Age Revelation 10:5–7 5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay5550! 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished (fulfilled)5048, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” Revelation 16:14–19 14 They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.” 16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. 17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!1096” 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. Revelation 21:6–8 6 He said to me: “It is done1096. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Conclusion – of The End of This Age … and the Commencement of God’s final plan into Eternity. God’s Invitation to Us to be part of His Eternal Kingdom: Isaiah 55:6–9 6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” So, what is the fulfillment of God’s purposes throughout earth’s history? Why did God Create the World - & You and Me?  Why did God Reveal His Righteous Wrath at the Catastrophic Flood, against a Godless World, while saving Noah, his family, and all which God brought on the Ark?  Why did God Give His Son to be Crucified on the Cross and then Raise Him from the Dead?  Why does God tell us of the Conclusion of this Age and the Coming Final Judgment?  What Purpose is God wanting to fulfill through these events from the Creation of the World? Titus 2:14 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. God has been forming His Eternal Kingdom and He will continue to do so until the End. Revelation 22:11 11 Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.” The Invitation is Extended for all Who have a Heart to be Reconciled to God Revelation 22:17 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. Throughout the history of the world God has been drawing together those who will be in His Eternal Kingdom as His Spotless Bride. Within that Great Mystery is God’s Invitation to all who will come. (Note: the small numbers following various words in the Scripture text throughout are referring to Hebrew or Greek words, corresponding to the numbering system for the languages, found in the Strong Concordance, to help with greater understanding of origin and meaning of the word.)