God’s Plan of Perfection through Tribulation – An Illustrated Timeline

 

God’s Plan of Perfection through Tribulation – An Illustrated Timeline

GOD’S PLAN & PURPOSE

I heard an evangelist once say and ask, “Jesus is coming back soon. Are you excited?”, to which the congregation exploded in cheers and applause. Then this evangelist became quiet and in a low and serious voice he said, “Too many Christians are doing little more than staring skyward waiting for the Lord to return, but He has told us we are to be busy with His works. So, it is time we stopped looking at the sky and get busy with the Father’s business!”

It is true, in my observations, that far too many Christians are doing little more than waiting around for certain events to occur, which have already begun. The Lord Jesus warned against this in no uncertain terms: “Why do you call me Lord, when you have not done the things I commanded you?”

Let’s clear the confusion and bring God’s bigger picture into sharp focus.

God’s PLAN began in the beginning of time. It came into sharper focus with the birth of Jesus. It has continued to unfold since that day, and we are included in His Plan, and It will conclude exactly as He has PURPOSED.

God’s PLAN is a Plan of Perfection. Throughout all of earth’s history, God has been at work perfecting His creation. There is no event in the history of this world that has not been under God’s control and within His Perfect Plan. He is preparing His Church, those who have surrender themselves to follow and obey Jesus, to spend eternity with Him and with one another in perfect harmony in a new and perfect heaven and earth.

The PURPOSE of God’s plan is found in Daniel 9:24, is to

1) “to finish transgression,” (that is, to end man’s rebellion toward God),

2) “to put an end to sin,” (that is, to bring an end to sin),

3) “to atone for wickedness,” (that is, to make amends or reparation for wickedness),

4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,” (that is, the quality of being morally right or justifiable),

5) “to seal up vision and prophecy,” and (that is, to confirm these prophetic visions),

6) “to anoint the most holy.” (that is, to anoint, or to confer divine or holy office upon; in this case the Holy One, Jesus.).

We are included in God’s PURPOSE. His method is found in Daniel 12 is that

1) Many will be cleansed,

2) Many will be purified,

3) They will be made spotless and,

4) They will be refined.

Here are just a few of the major Biblical events through which God has been working to accomplish His Plan and His Purpose in and through our lives. (I have selected the major events only, in order to simplify this matter. Here, you can see God’s Hand moving in the affairs of humankind, leading to the End of the Age):

1st. The creation of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1–31) – Before time had begun.

God created all things with a plan, which includes me and you! (He never needs a re-do).

2nd.  The first humans (Genesis 1:26–31; 2:8–25) – Before 4,000 B.C. God created them, male and female, with a plan, in Their image with a ‘flaw’, i.e., from Strong’s Bible Hebrew language Concordance – ‘a phantom, an illusion, a vain image, of dubious character’, but with potential; which includes me and you!

3rd.  The fall of man (Genesis 3:1–24) – Before 4,000 B.C. Adam and Eve disobeyed. The ‘flaw in their character and image from creation’, which is ‘sin’, had its effect, which continues to this day, but it will have an end.

4th. The Abrahamic Covenant, Genesis 12:1 and Genesis 15 – Around 3400 B.C.   The Abrahamic Covenant is an unconditional covenant. God binding Himself to Abraham and his descendants. 5th. The great flood (Genesis 6:9–9:17) – Before 2,500 B.C. God was sorry He made them. He was grieved. But it was His plan all along. (God is omniscient and omnipresent).

6th. The tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9) – Before 2,100 B.C. The ‘flaw of sin’ reemerges as pride and rebellion toward God. Instead of destroying them, this time God scattered them.

7th. The call of Abraham (Genesis 12:1–5) – 2,091 B.C. God prepares the world for Jesus with Isaac through Abraham.

8th. The exodus (Exodus 12:31–42; 14:1–31) – 1,446 B.C. God foreshadows the work of Jesus through the Exodus from captivity and as The Sacrifice for all time.

9th. The birth of Jesus (Matt 1:18–2:23; Luke 2:1–10) – 5 B.C. The arrival of Perfection on earth. Jesus, God in the Flesh, is born and the New Covenant – for you and me – is established. Now the ‘called’ can see and be made into the very image of God. The tribulation begins, and The Eternal Plan enters its final stages. 10th. The building of the first Temple (1 Kings 6) – 966 B.C. The significance of the coming Messiah, the Christ, Jesus.

11th. The temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13) -27 A.D. Jesus is tested and shows those who will follow Him – which includes you and me – how to resist the devil and overcome trial, temptations and tribulation.

12th. The calling of the disciples (Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11) – 27 A.D. God is building His invasion force of earth, and the preparation for eternity has begun – which includes you and me!

13th. The Sermon on the Mount/Plain (Matthew 5:1–7:29; Luke 6:29–40) -27 A.D. Jesus gives the picture of salvation and teaches about the process of sanctification and how we – that is, you and me – are to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven through many tests, trials, temptations and much tribulation.

14th. Jesus’s crucifixion (Matthew 27:32–56; Mark 15:21–41; Luke 23:26–49; John 19:16–37) – 30 A.D. The sacrifice is made. The eradication of sin and the imperfect because the perfect has come.

15th. Jesus’s resurrection (Matthew 28:1–20; Mark 16:1–20; Luke 24:1–53; John 20:1–31) – 30 A.D. – 30 .A.D. Jesus conquers sin and death. He lives, and we – you and I – can now live! The way is cleared to follow Jesus.

16th. The giving of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16–20) – 30 A.D. The invasion of earth has begun. Jesus sends His army of saints – which includes you and me – to set the prisoners free. He sends us with His authority, and He is with us until the end!

17th. The day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–41) – 30 A.D. The power of the Holy Spirit is released into the lives of the saints of God – and yes, that includes you and me, and, nothing will ever be the same. 18th. The Second Coming of Jesus. – (Matthew 24:29-31) – The Future. The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet blast, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other – and if you are alive at that time, we are included. (The rapture will have occurred). The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And the Great Tribulation, the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, will have begun. (Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will have escaped these days.)

19th. The arrival of Jesus on a white horse, as the “Word of God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords”. (Revelation 19:11–19) – In The Future From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it, He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath, of God, the Almighty. An angel standing in the sun cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, “Come, assemble for the great feast of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slaves, and small and great. Satan, the Beast and those who are not written in the Lambs Book of Life are relegated to the pit and the fires of hell.”

20th. The new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1–5) –  In the Future Those who have overcome, are with God eternally – which includes you and me – and, God’s Plan for Perfection has been completed.

Yes, we will experience difficulties, trials and tribulations in this life, but as The Apostle Peter says,

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold which perishes, and though you are tested by fire, it may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

No matter at what time you will have lived your earthly life, the outcome for all Christians is the same. Those still alive when Christ returns will be raptured from the earth, those Christians who had passed on from this life will be raised from the grave to join them in the heavens, and we all will spend our eternity with the Lord.

Take heart, for Jesus has overcome this world.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

For a more detailed narrative, please see the series:  Journey to Perfection.

(Please remember that there are corresponding world events which reflect the prophetic events found in the Bible. For those interested, here is an important Comparative Biblical, Secular and a ‘Daniel’s 70 Weeks’ Historical chronology chart for your review.)