Eph 1:10-11 | KingComments | STEP | . In the verses we have now before us Paul is telling what the mystery of the previous verse means. clarifies that God will sum up all things in Christ as the one Head. In we learn that we are predestined to be heirs in Christ. God will fulfill this purpose in “the administration [or: dispensation] of the fullness of the times”. The word ‘administration’ or ‘dispensation’ here means: the way God reigns and leads something in a particular period of time. You might have heard of the ‘doctrine of dispensation’. This is about the classification of the history of humanity in different ‘dispensations’ or periods. The first dispensation is ‘the dispensation of innocence’, this is the period of time from the creation till the fall of man in sin. Then God ruled over the creation through Adam before the fall. A following dispensation is that without law. That is the period from Adam after the fall till Moses. Then the period of the law follows, that is the dispensation from Moses to Christ ( ). Every dispensation has its own characteristics. They all lasted a certain time. During that time God ruled over man and creation in a way that was adjusted to that time. In all dispensations man had become disobedient to God over and over again. In this way man also lost again and again the blessings that God promised if he would be obedient. But here God presents a dispensation which is mentioned ‘the fullness of the times’. That is the period in which all previous dispensations will find their fullness and fulfillment. By the way, this is not the same as what is mentioned in Galatians 4 “the fullness of the time” ( ). There ‘fullness’ means the passing (become full; ripen) of a particular time after which the big event, the birth of the Lord Jesus, happens. There it is just about the length or the duration of time. Here in it is not about the duration of the time, but about the characteristics, the content of this dispensation that will dawn. It is about what is characterizing the coming period. In the previous dispensations man has spoiled everything again and again. That will not happen in the coming dispensation. This assurance lies in Him to Whom God has entrusted the government in that dispensation: Christ. As said, the government of Christ was of itself not a mystery. But the mystery that will be revealed will show that the government is in the hands of Christ and the church. Then Christ and the church will rule over “all things … things in the heavens and things on the earth”. This will be seen in the millennial reign of Christ; then Christ will be the Head. In Genesis 1 and 2 you can already see a picture of God’s purpose. There we see how God in the beginning entrusts to Adam, as the head of creation, the rule and reign over creation. After that He gave Eve as his wife to support him. Together they form the man ( ). Adam became unfaithful, but Christ will remain faithful. He will reign in a way that will be fully to the glory and pleasure of God and a blessing to creation. The government of Christ will therefore embrace more than that of Adam. Adam ruled over the earth; Christ will rule over the heaven and the earth. In Hebrews 1 you read that God “appointed” the Lord Jesus as “heir of all things” ( ). He has received the right for the inheritance through His work on the cross at Calvary. In Revelation 5, where you see Him as the Lamb standing as slain ( ), the time has come that He will indeed demand the right to the inheritance. He is worthy! . But what do we see here to our surprise in Ephesians 1? That we “in Him we also have obtained an inheritance”! That exceeds our highest expectations! How amazing! We have not ‘ become an inheritance’. That would mean that we are a part of the inheritance, but that doesn’t meet with God’s plan. What we have received is much more wonderful. We will not be objects of blessing, but givers of blessing, together with the Lord Jesus. We have not become an inheritance; we have received an inheritance together with the Lord Jesus. We are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” ( ). We even read of “having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will”. We have already come across the expression ‘predestined’ in . There it was about the adoption as sons. This shows how much according to God’s purpose ‘heirs’ and ‘sonship’ belong together. This relation you also find in Hebrews 1 ( ), where it is about the Son, and in Galatians 4 ( ), where it is about us. You can also read that in Luke 15 ( ). In the ‘adoption as sons’ here you especially see the relation to God, you can say the private side. After all it was for Himself. In ‘heirs’ you especially see the relation to the inheritance, you can say the public side. After all, soon the world will be publicly ruled by the Lord Jesus, together with us. Then He “comes to be glorified in His saints …, and to be marveled at among all who have believed” ( ). This is included in “the counsel of His will”. In Paul writes about ‘ the kind intention or the pleasure of His will’ in relation to the ‘adoption as sons’, and in about ‘ the mystery of His will’ in relation to the government of Christ and the church. Now you see that there is also ‘ the counsel of His will’. These three expressions show together that God in His pleasure ( ) works out the mystery ( ) according to His counsel ( ). His counsel is fixed; nothing or no one can stop Him in carrying it out. You can firmly count on it that it will happen just as He wants it. We need to have this assurance because it is about something that is yet to come. You already share the adoption as son and the mystery has already been revealed to you, but the inheritance still has to come. . And when we have taken possession of the inheritance, together with Christ, we will be “to the praise of His glory”. In that time we will be one great song of praise on His glory. We will reflect God’s glory. God’s glory indicates all His excellent features. They will be exposed in us, in all that are sons and heirs. In every person from that countless group something will be visible of God’s glory and His excellencies. How great He must be to have such a glory! How great must be the praise to be given to Him. Now there is yet the question who are being meant by “we who were the first to hope in Christ”. Here Paul means the Jews who believe in Christ and who trust in Him before He will appear publicly. In this ‘we’ Paul includes himself, because he was also a Jew from his birth. In the following part I will give more attention to this. Now read Ephesians 1:10-12 again. Reflection: So the mystery is made known. Put in your own words what this mystery means.

‏ Ephesians 1:10-11

Summing Up of All Things in Christ

Eph 1:10. In the verses we have now before us Paul is telling what the mystery of the previous verse means. Eph 1:10 clarifies that God will sum up all things in Christ as the one Head. In Eph 1:11 we learn that we are predestined to be heirs in Christ.

God will fulfill this purpose in “the administration [or: dispensation] of the fullness of the times”. The word ‘administration’ or ‘dispensation’ here means: the way God reigns and leads something in a particular period of time. You might have heard of the ‘doctrine of dispensation’. This is about the classification of the history of humanity in different ‘dispensations’ or periods.

The first dispensation is ‘the dispensation of innocence’, this is the period of time from the creation till the fall of man in sin. Then God ruled over the creation through Adam before the fall. A following dispensation is that without law. That is the period from Adam after the fall till Moses. Then the period of the law follows, that is the dispensation from Moses to Christ (Rom 5:13-14).

Every dispensation has its own characteristics. They all lasted a certain time. During that time God ruled over man and creation in a way that was adjusted to that time. In all dispensations man had become disobedient to God over and over again. In this way man also lost again and again the blessings that God promised if he would be obedient.

But here God presents a dispensation which is mentioned ‘the fullness of the times’. That is the period in which all previous dispensations will find their fullness and fulfillment. By the way, this is not the same as what is mentioned in Galatians 4 “the fullness of the time” (Gal 4:4). There ‘fullness’ means the passing (become full; ripen) of a particular time after which the big event, the birth of the Lord Jesus, happens. There it is just about the length or the duration of time.

Here in Eph 1:10 it is not about the duration of the time, but about the characteristics, the content of this dispensation that will dawn. It is about what is characterizing the coming period. In the previous dispensations man has spoiled everything again and again. That will not happen in the coming dispensation. This assurance lies in Him to Whom God has entrusted the government in that dispensation: Christ.

As said, the government of Christ was of itself not a mystery. But the mystery that will be revealed will show that the government is in the hands of Christ and the church. Then Christ and the church will rule over “all things … things in the heavens and things on the earth”. This will be seen in the millennial reign of Christ; then Christ will be the Head.

In Genesis 1 and 2 you can already see a picture of God’s purpose. There we see how God in the beginning entrusts to Adam, as the head of creation, the rule and reign over creation. After that He gave Eve as his wife to support him. Together they form the man (Gen 1:27). Adam became unfaithful, but Christ will remain faithful. He will reign in a way that will be fully to the glory and pleasure of God and a blessing to creation.

The government of Christ will therefore embrace more than that of Adam. Adam ruled over the earth; Christ will rule over the heaven and the earth. In Hebrews 1 you read that God “appointed” the Lord Jesus as “heir of all things” (Heb 1:2). He has received the right for the inheritance through His work on the cross at Calvary. In Revelation 5, where you see Him as the Lamb standing as slain (Rev 5:6), the time has come that He will indeed demand the right to the inheritance. He is worthy!

Eph 1:11. But what do we see here to our surprise in Ephesians 1? That we “in Him we also have obtained an inheritance”! That exceeds our highest expectations! How amazing! We have not ‘become an inheritance’. That would mean that we are a part of the inheritance, but that doesn’t meet with God’s plan. What we have received is much more wonderful. We will not be objects of blessing, but givers of blessing, together with the Lord Jesus.

We have not become an inheritance; we have received an inheritance together with the Lord Jesus. We are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom 8:17). We even read of “having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will”.

We have already come across the expression ‘predestined’ in Eph 1:5. There it was about the adoption as sons. This shows how much according to God’s purpose ‘heirs’ and ‘sonship’ belong together. This relation you also find in Hebrews 1 (Heb 1:2), where it is about the Son, and in Galatians 4 (Gal 4:7), where it is about us. You can also read that in Luke 15 (Lk 15:11-12).

In the ‘adoption as sons’ here you especially see the relation to God, you can say the private side. After all it was for Himself. In ‘heirs’ you especially see the relation to the inheritance, you can say the public side. After all, soon the world will be publicly ruled by the Lord Jesus, together with us. Then He “comes to be glorified in His saints …, and to be marveled at among all who have believed” (2Thes 1:10).

This is included in “the counsel of His will”. In Eph 1:5 Paul writes about ‘the kind intention or the pleasure of His will’ in relation to the ‘adoption as sons’, and in Eph 1:9 about ‘the mystery of His will’ in relation to the government of Christ and the church. Now you see that there is also ‘the counsel of His will’. These three expressions show together that God in His pleasure (Eph 1:5) works out the mystery (Eph 1:9) according to His counsel (Eph 1:11).

His counsel is fixed; nothing or no one can stop Him in carrying it out. You can firmly count on it that it will happen just as He wants it. We need to have this assurance because it is about something that is yet to come. You already share the adoption as son and the mystery has already been revealed to you, but the inheritance still has to come.

Eph 1:12. And when we have taken possession of the inheritance, together with Christ, we will be “to the praise of His glory”. In that time we will be one great song of praise on His glory. We will reflect God’s glory. God’s glory indicates all His excellent features. They will be exposed in us, in all that are sons and heirs. In every person from that countless group something will be visible of God’s glory and His excellencies. How great He must be to have such a glory! How great must be the praise to be given to Him.

Now there is yet the question who are being meant by “we who were the first to hope in Christ”. Here Paul means the Jews who believe in Christ and who trust in Him before He will appear publicly. In this ‘we’ Paul includes himself, because he was also a Jew from his birth. In the following part I will give more attention to this.

Now read Ephesians 1:10-12 again.

Reflection: So the mystery is made known. Put in your own words what this mystery means.