Praying understanding from Ephesians for us today.
May the eyes of our understanding of the fullness of God’s eternal purpose in Christ be opened. May we have the “spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him” that Paul prayed for us to have in Ephesians (1:17). And may we be consumed to some degree with a passion “to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God” that Paul speaks of in Ephesians (3:9), and with a desire to take up or commission outlined in Ephesians(3:10): “that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly [places.]”
The eternal purpose of God is being worked in, and through, the summing up of us, and all things, in Christ Jesus as His Body, His Bride, and as the Temple/Habitation of God and the Family of the Father (Four types/analogies we find from Genesis to Revelation). The Kingdom of God is being manifested and expressed through our living individually under the Lordship of Christ as the Holy Spirit administrates His will/government/works in and through us. But, the Kingdom has its most clear expression corporately as we function under Jesus as our Head/Lord as the church/ekklesia which is His Body the fullness of Him that fills all in all.
[Ephesians1:3-14 NASB95] 3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, [that is,] the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of [God’s own] possession, to the praise of His glory.
[Ephesians 3:8-12 NASB95] 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly [places.] 11 [This was] in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
[Ephesians1:18-23 NASB95] 18 [I pray that] the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. [These are] in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly [places,] 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
[1Corinthians 15:24-28 NASB95] 24 then [comes] the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.
[Collosians 1:13-20 NASB95] 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, [both] in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the [Father’s] good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say,] whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Prayerfully consider and listen for the Holy Spirit’s revelation in Jesus. Ask for download/revelation of the type Paul had and tried to communicate in Ephesians and Collosians.
I am often convicted regarding how easily distracted I am to be drawn to other priorities of my own interest. If God is knowable, …and He is!… And if He has revealed to us, at least in some measure, the mystery of His will hidden for ages, and our part in His eternal purpose in Jesus,… and He has!…, What other pursuit is there beyond knowing Him and being given to His purpose in Christ?