Divine Spiritual Richness

Over the past week or so I have been using Amos 3:3 and Genesis 1:1a for my base to look at many things tied to those two passages of which we found Jesus' own prayer that He spoke shortly before His consummation of the times on the cross and His ascension. And then the giving of the Holy Spirit to indwell man as promised, all these things we have looked at as they are our own. This prayer is located in John 17, when I shared this I drew some criticism, for there is an opinion that this chapter and it's prayer is for a set of group people, other than us now today, to this I do not agree. That is why I want to look into an area where this term may apply, "fullness of time." But first Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace. And then the fullness of time making use of the ESV translation, all being done under the LORD's direction. The first area is found in Daniel 9:24 this passage being fulfilled by Jesus to the day, when He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a young colt and the crowds welcomed Him, as they would a King.
 "Contrasting Results for Self-Exaltation and Humility"


"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men" . . . everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:11, 14)

"The importance of Jesus' teaching in our present verse can be seen in its being repeated on various occasions (Matthew 23:12 and Luke 14:11). The instruction sets forth the universal inevitability of contrasting results for self-exaltation and humility. "Everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

This particular proclamation of the message was given in a parable that warns against self-righteousness and encourages humility. "He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others" (Luke 18:9). The contrasting examples in the parable are the prayers of a self-assured religious leader and a repentant publican. "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector" (Luke 18:10). When the self-righteous Pharisee prayed, he was actually having a personal dialogue with himself, even though he vainly addressed his prayer to his God?! "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself" (Luke 18:11). He then appears to begin his prayer in a biblical manner, with an expression of thanksgiving. "In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to GOD" (Philippians 4:6). However, his gratitude was based upon the ungodly assumption that he was innately better than others, particularly, this nearby publican. "God, I thank You that I am not like other men — extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector" (Luke 18:11). Then, he proceeded to elaborate upon his own virtues by reviewing his religious performance, which obviously seemed very impressive to him. "I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess" (Luke 18:12).

This self-righteous Pharisee was so assured of his good standing with God. Yet, he was measuring himself by his own eyes and in comparison to others. The scriptures that he would claim as his guide condemned such self-righteousness. "There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness" (Proverbs 30:12). Although man may have been impressed with his external behavior, GOD saw the abomination of his godless heart. "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but GOD knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of GOD" (Luke 16:15)."


Fullness of Time,

Daniel 9:24-27 "Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. (place is in italics which means that the translators placed it there.....so it should read this way in stead......to anoint the most holy.) Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator."


Mark 1:14-15 "After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of GOD, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of GOD is at hand; repent and believe [put your trust] in the gospel."


Galatians 4:1-7 "I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, GOD sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we (the Hebrews, this they refused by crucifying their king and therefore GOD open it all to the Nations as promised in both Genesis 3:15 and 12:3 for there is no partiality with GOD) might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, GOD has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through GOD."


Ephesians 1:3-14 "Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as HE chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love HE predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His Will, to the praise of His glorious Grace, with which HE has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His Grace, which HE lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His Will, according to His purpose, which HE set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him [in Himself, Genesis 1:1a and Amos 3:3], things in heaven and things on earth. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him Who works all things according to the counsel of His Will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also, when you heard the word of Truth, the [this] Gospel of your Salvation, and believe in Him, were [are] sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire [knowledge and take by way of light, understanding which is] possession of it, to the praise of His glory."


1Timothy 2:1-7 "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of GOD our Savior, Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth. For there is one GOD, and there is one mediator between GOD and men, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth."


Titus 1:1-3 Paul, a servant of GOD and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of GOD's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which GOD, Who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in His word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of GOD our Savior."


Hebrews 9:15-22, 23-28 "Therefore He is the Mediator of a New Covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a Will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a Will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment of the Law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, "This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you." In the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the Law almost everything is purified with [animal] blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with Better Sacrifice than these. For Christ has entered, not into Holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of GOD on our behalf. Nor was it to offer Himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, HE has appeared once for all at the end of the Ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him."


2Peter 1:16-18, 19-21 "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from GOD the Father, and the voice was borne to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is MY beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased," we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain.
And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from GOD as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

Now I am about to do an unusual thing because I received light as to the final statement here and it is found in Hebrews 1:3.

Hebrews 1:1-4 "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, GOD spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days HE has spoken to us by His Son, Whom HE appointed the heir of all things, through Whom also HE created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of GOD and the exact imprint of His nature, and HE upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs (look at Psalm 2)."