En Tois Epouranios #9

By Michael S. Mecikalski

“In the Heaven Far Above All Heavens” #9

Greetings faithful saints; remember “Trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not unto thine own understanding...” Proverbs 3:5! Please note: line 16 of the last paragraph of the last article, #8, should have read “worldly human mind.”

Eph. 1:10 “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.” Call to mind, in article #8, we stated the importance of the fact that Eph.1:10 was written in the framework of the outworking of the Father's delighted will... “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times...” When is this fullness of times? Recall in Article #7, three different viewpoints on what Eph. 1:10 actually states were listed. The crux of the matter of deciding what Eph. 1:10 states lays in when we believe this fullness of time is. We certainly will be coming back to this point.

The Greek word for fullness in Eph. 1:10 is pleroma; please study into this word. Charles H. Welch produced a 96-lesson tape study on this word alone! You should obtain it; a marvelous work! I gleaned the following from the 5 different Greek lexicons that I use to “cross compare” Greek words: fullness [Gr. Pleroma = (i). To make full; to fill up (like filling a vessel up to the brim; see Mark 8:20, the fragments of bread here were “the fillings” or the fullness of the baskets); (ii). To make complete; to perfect (see Eph. 4:13, this is discussing the perfecting of the saints, v. 12, to bring us to a thorough knowledge of the fullness of Christ...i.e. The Mystery); (iii). In regard to time, that portion of time by which a longer, preceding period of time is completed, hence completeness (see Gal 4:4, Israel was “under” the law of God for approx. 1,500 years; the law was a “school- master” which pointed to Christ (Gal. 3:24) but when the fullness of time was come, Christ totally fulfilled the law in Himself in AD 29; Gal. 3 and 4.]

There are two main Greek words used in the NT for the word “times”: (i). chronos and (ii). kairos. (i). chronos is used when speaking of a more non-specific period of time of long duration; time in general. (ii). kairos is used when speaking of the right time; the opportune time at which a thing should be done; a limited portion of time; a fixed and definite time; a divinely appointed time. In Eph. 1:10, the Greek word used for “times” is (ii). kairos. Eph. 1:10 speaks of an orderly administration of God (dispensation), given at a divinely appointed time (“Times”, Gr. Kairos), to make full, to fill up and to complete (fullness, Gr. Pleroma), His purpose...many treasures, we must “mine them out”. No doubt we are very close, (in relative time), to the revealing of the “Man of Sin”, “The Son of Perdition” (II Thess. 2:1-4); the anti-christ (Rev. 12 & 13); as well as the “Parousia” (presence) and “Apokalupsis” (uncovering or disclosure) of the “King of Kings”, the “Lord of Lords”, the Lord Jesus Christ in power and glory, to planet earth; consequently, the conclusion of the dispensation of The Mystery. Oscar Baker estimated the Second Advent of our Lord to be 2,085 AD (study Dan. 2, 7, 9; Matt. 24; I & II Thess. And Rev.)

What will be the character and attitude of human beings as a whole in the world before the Lord's return? The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul in II Tim. 3:1-13 gives an accurate description of the “Growing Nature” of the world around us this very day...“Lovers of Materialism”; lovers of self; proud; blasphemers; slanderers; despisers of goodness; savage; lovers of fleshly pleasures more than lovers of God; having the semblance of godliness (acting piously), but denying the power of it (religious as opposed to truly knowing God...as the Lord described the Pharisees in Matt. 23:27, “whitewashed sepulchers,” beautiful on the outside but with rotting death of unbelief and iniquity on the inside, in type, referring to Satan himself). In this world, esteeming others as being superior to oneself is unheard of; in fact, it is a “miracle” to find people with this gift.

Phil. 2:3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem (the) other BETTER than themselves.” (Please also read Eph. 5 and Col. 3); as members of the church which is Christ's Body, we are to be profoundly different than those described in II Tim. 3. There is more to Phil. 2:1-5 than first “meets the eye”. Phil. 2:1-5 is united to Eph. 1:16-19, which is united to Eph. 4:1-6, which is united to Col. 3. Phil. 2:1-5 takes into account ones who thoroughly know their calling (The Mystery). The enlightenment of the Holy Spirit is an actual reality; we have a unity of the Spirit “naturally” because we understand the scope of what our Lord has done for us. Considering each other as superior to ourselves for us is “automatic” and a “work” of the Holy Spirit in us; to those who truly humble themselves before the Lord, He works mightily in, providing wisdom and understanding of Himself. We naturally esteem each other as being superior because it is strengthening and blessed to us! The sin sick world would view this as being weak and vulnerable. We walk in the spirit having the same mind and wisdom that the Lord had (Phil. 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:”; Isa. 53, Matt. 11:28-30). Beautiful.

msm