God’s Action in History

MEMORY SELECTION: “I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings.” —Psalm 77:12

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Psalm 105:1-11, 43-45

IN I CORINTHIANS 10:1-4 the Apostle Paul relates many of the mighty miracles recounted in our selected scripture passage performed by God on behalf of the nation of Israel. These things were done on behalf of Israel to instill faith and confidence in the overruling providences of God for their benefit. But the apostle continues, stating that with many of them God was displeased because they did not benefit by these mighty demonstrations of power.

The nation of Israel was selected especially as an example to demonstrate the manner in which God deals with his people, showing first that there is design and purpose in all his dealings, and if we as his people can recognize the design, we will be able to put in proper perspective our day-to-day experiences.

But the Lord’s dealings with the nation of Israel are also an example to the world, illustrating his power and ability to alter the course of history in order that he might accomplish his ultimate purpose and design for man.

This restoration is to take place, according to the Scriptures, through a series of grand and majestic steps called ages. The first of these steps was the “Patriarchal Age,” during which time he dealt with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was because of Abraham’s faith and obedience that God made a covenant with him that is the expression of God’s purpose to restore mankind to perfection. The essence of this great promise was, “In thee shall all nations be blessed.” (Gal. 3:8) The apostle indicates that this promise is the true definition of Gospel.

The next step in the development of God’s plan was to deal with the nation of Israel through the Law Covenant. The experiences of the Israelites under this arrangement were to be examples to the footstep followers of Jesus and to the world. It was during this age that many of the “Ancient Worthies,” faithful men of God, were developed to be used during the millennial reign of Christ and his church as administrators here on the earth. (Isa. 1:26) The Apostle Paul speaks of these in Hebrews 11:39,40 thus: “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” This age ended with the death of Jesus on Calvary’s cross.

The next step in the development of God’s plan of restoration is the period of time in which we now find ourselves. It is called the “Gospel Age,” a period of time devoted to the selection and development of the church, the footstep followers of Jesus, who will be used in the kingdom as agents of the Lord to dispense the promised blessings to the world. Another feature of this age is to prepare the groundwork for the establishment of the kingdom.

God has faithfully kept his word, through the exercise of his great power and the other facets of his character. Because of his shaping the course of earth’s history and accomplishing his divine purpose in past ages, we have faith and confidence in the final consummation of his will during the next age, the millennial kingdom.

The Apostle Paul, in Hebrews 11:1-3, expresses our thought: “But faith is a basis of things hoped for, a conviction of things unseen. For by this the ancients were attested. In faith we perceive that the ages have been so thoroughly adjusted by God’s command, that not from things then manifest the things now seen have come to pass.”—Diaglott translation

The inevitable conclusion that must be reached as a result of God’s complete reliability in the past is that the things he has promised for the future will come to pass. This is faith, faith in the wonderful promise of God that he will bring to fruition his kingdom here on earth and that he will accomplish his ultimate purpose in that age of restoring mankind to the condition of perfection originally enjoyed by Adam in the Garden of Eden.—Isa. 13:11,12

| Home Page | Table of Contents |