Post # 29
This phrase is mentioned in Acts 3:19-21 – 19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began”.
This tells us where Jesus has been since his ascension to his Father’s throne, which is in another dimension – invisible to us – I so believe.
What might the restituion of all things be referring to? What will be restored and from what to what?
First, when Jesus returns he will seize the reins of rulership over the earth and remove Satan form having any negative influence on human behavior. The situation will be like in the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve talked with the serpent and they had a close relationship with their Creator. Every knee will bow and every eye will see and all will know the Lord (Isa 45:23, Jer 31:34). So Jesus Christ will rule unimpeded by Satan and people’s peaceful relationship with Him and each other will not be impeded either.
Second, the peaceful relationship of humans and animals with each other and the environment will be restored. Gen 1:29-30 says – “29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so”.
Notice that humans and animals (every living creature) were given herbs (plants) to eat and live on. In other words there were no carnivores in God’s original plans and this state of affairs will be restored so even the animals will live in peace.
Third, humans will live at peace in loving cooperation and care for each other. Those given responsibility to rule with Christ will not lord it over anyone but, will serve them and provide their needs (Matt 20:25-28). Rev 20:4c says “… And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years”. After that comes the New Heavens and New Earth when Jesus delivers everything up to the Father.
