A. THE PRIMAL CREATION. HEAVENS AND EARTH. "The
world (Gr.kosmos) that then was." Gen.1:1,2-.
2 Pet.3:6.
B. SATAN'S FIRST REBELLION. The earth became waste and a
ruin (Heb. tohu va bohu). Gen.1:2-. God
created it not a ruin (Isa. 45:18, Heb.
tohu) nor waste ("confusion").
C. THE EARTH RESTORED AND BLESSED. "The heavens and
the earth which are now." Gen.1:-2-2:3. 2 Pet.3:7
D. SATAN ENTERS AND CONSEQUENCE. Gen.3.
E. MANKIND DEALT WITH AS A WHOLE. Gen.4:1-11:26.
F. THE CHOSEN NATION CALLED AND BLESSED.
Gen.11:27-Mal.4:6. (Yahaveh and His kingdom
rejected. Israel scattered.)
G. THE FIRST ADVENT (Micah 5:2.Zech.9:9). The Four
Gospels (Rom.15:8). The King and the kingdom
proclaimed and rejected, and the King crucified.
H. THE KINGDOM RE-PROCLAIMED. Acts.3:19,20,&c. The
church of God called out, Acts 13 and on, and
earlier Pauline Epistles. The kingdom again
rejected and Israel again scattered.
H. THE KINGDOM POSTPONED AND IN ABEYANCE.
"Not yet" (Heb.2:8). The later, or Prison,
Epistles (Pauline). The Mystery revealed and
proclaimed. Eph.3:2-11. Col.1:25; 2:2,3. 1
Tim.3:16. The New Hope. Phil.3:11,14. Titus
2:13. "the church which is His body" called,
and taken up. Phil.3:11,14.
G. THE SECOND ADVENT. "The first
resurrection." The kingdom established. The King
enthroned. "The day of the Lord." Zech.9:10
Matt.24:25,31. Luke 19:11-27. Isa.2:11-19.
Joel 2; &c.
F. THE CHOSEN NATION RECALLED AND BLESSED.
Rom.11:11-36. Acts 15:16. Isa.60, 61, 62.
Jer.30, 31. Zech.12:13,14 &c.
E. MANKIND DEALT WITH AS A WHOLE. Joel 3:2.
Matt.25:31-46. Acts 15:17. Rom.15:8-12 Rev.4-19.
D. SATAN BOUND AND THE CONSEQUENCES.
Rev.20:1-3.
C. THE EARTH RESTORED AND BLESSED. Rev.20:4-6.
Isa.35 &c. The Millennium.
B. SATAN'S FINAL REBELLION. Rev.20:7-10.
Followed by the second resurrection and the
judgment of the "great white throne". The
destruction of "all things that offend".
Rev.20:11-15.
A. THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH. The day of
God. Rev.21,22. 2 Pet.3:12,13. Isa.65:17; 66:22.
The Eternity.
1. The above Structure shows the respective dispensations in which God has been and is dealing with the Jew, Gentile, and the church of God (1 Cor.10:32). The "church which is His body" occupies the central position, and its present standing is seen to be separated from its future destiny and hope. The two rebellions of Satan also are seen to be in direct correspondence; suggesting the necessity why he must be loosed, and the loosing, for a little season (Rev.20:3,7).
2. All things were created by Him "Who is before all things and by Whom all things consist" (lit. hang together, Col.1:17); Who is now "upholding all things by the word of His power" (Heb.1:3). The Structure shows in almost pictorial form the great lesson that God sets before us from Genesis to Revelation, viz. that no created being can stand (upright) apart from Christ the Creator. Hence the necessity for a "new heaven and a new earth age" wherein abides righteousness, inhabited by a "new creation" of beings who have by grace been made "partakers of the Divine nature" (2 Pet.1:4).
3. Furthermore, it will be seen that it is not God's purpose to bring in the new heaven and new earth age by means of the "church". The new creation will be full of physical marvels, brought about by physical means and not "spiritual agencies". These means and their results are set before us in Revelation. We may well exclaim as Paul,-"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been His counselor? Or who has first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed to Him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to WHOM BE GLORY FOR EVER. AMEN."