TIME AND ETERNITY PART II

Sons Training August 15, 2017

How to Study and Teach the Bible Lesson 25

TIME AND ETERNITY: Part 2

Greetings, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray this lesson finds you well, whenever it finds you. I pray also that you have been abiding and abounding in the love of God, by a true knowledge and revelation of eternity. My spirit leaps for joy every time I mention the word, and I know it is doing the same for you. Last week, we dealt with time and eternity as it relates to things having a beginning and an end. One of the key points we established was that in time all things have a beginning and end. Even time itself had an established start and end by the creation and removal of the sun. We also established crucial information, that eternity and time are two different realms. Eternity is ever present, while time continues and grows. When we truly understand this concept, it will be easy for the Holy Spirit to use us to bring clarity to others. I want to take this moment to mention that there will be many questions that arise in your hearts and the hearts of those you teach, but be comforted, all the answers you are looking for are found in the scriptures. This explains the imperative that we study to show ourselves approved. The focus of this lesson is to continue to piecemeal the purpose of time.

Last week we mentioned that time reveals the things of eternity. The importance of this segment is to move the listeners from an understanding that God’s plan revolves around what happens in this life. It is common thought for many that God’s dealing with mankind is limited to time. By this I mean our scope of the gospel was only limited to what mankind has done in time, and God’s plan to fix wrongs and restore truth. However, the plan of God is much bigger than that. Your agenda is to move from using the principles of time as the basis for comprehending their salvation. Your ministry should cause the listener to understand eternity and God’s dealings in eternity. Your aim is to have them peer into the happenings of eternity, and have those happenings explain the events of time. By doing this you will establish a precedent that time revolves around eternity rather than eternity around time. In fact, time’s purpose is to reveal eternity. With this knowledge one can guide their listeners into an understanding that the sons of God have been in God from the foundations of the world; and because this is true, time was made to reveal that.

LESSON – Time an obscure reflection of eternity

1 Corinthians 13:8-10

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

Listen to the scriptures speak. It is a comparison of eternity and time. Charity which is love never fails, meaning it will never end. Love is eternal because love is God. However, prophecies, tongues, and knowledge will all fail. As it relates to prophecies there will come a point that all are fulfilled. When a prophecy is fulfilled in time it has lost its strength. Tongues and knowledge both declare the mysteries of the Kingdom. They too will fade away because there is a point coming when the mystery will end. When we are raptured, the things we have perceived in this life will be miniscule in comparison to the knowledge that we will attain through Christ.

This is so because during time bits and pieces of the things of eternity are revealed. The gifts of prophecy and knowledge are a pouring of portions of eternity into time. However, at the end of the millennium the time realm will be destroyed and hence, existence will revert to eternity.

1 Corinthians 13:11-12

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

It continues to teach time as a dark glass. The revelations we receive in this life will always be in part. It is likened to taking up a thick glass and looking through it, you will notice that your vision will be blurred. Or when you wear dark sunglasses, the things you see through them will lose detail and be dim in comparison to the true sight of it. Time is a dark or obscure reflection of eternity. The things in eternity are revealed through shadows and types in time. Also, in time, there are physical representations of the spiritual things. Consider the scripture below.

Revelation 13:8

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

The scripture above shows two principles:

1. There are names that were never and will never be written in the book of life.

2. The Lamb was slain before the foundations of the earth. Both were done before the foundations of the world.

Therefore, if time reveals the things of eternity we should then see these things somewhere on the timeline. How does time reveal that there were names that were never written in the book of life? - In time, these people will never choose God. No matter how much the preacher preaches to them they will always be an enemy of the gospel and will refuse to submit to God. They will never receive the Holy Ghost. By this, they will reveal that they prefer darkness to light. -

Examples in the scripture.

o Pharaoh

o The Pharisees in John 8

o Judas

o Jezebel

How does time reveal that the Lamb was slain from the foundations of the earth? - In time, Jesus died on the cross. Another good example of time revealing is when we consider the sons of God and the children of the devil. Both are presentations of their kingdom on the earth. Through the body of a saint the Kingdom of God is made nigh, because the Spirit of God is within it. Likewise, so is the kingdom of darkness, as it relates to the children of the enemy. The children of God are a physical presentation of the Spirit of God here on earth. The children of the devil are physical presentations of the enemy on earth. Hence Jesus stated...Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? Time testifies eternity is true. All things established in eternity will be revealed in time. Time will naturally reveal eternity. This does not in any way mean that God controls the will of men. Rather it means, He has already experienced the choices of men, and time will reveal the things we have chosen in eternity.

Therefore, prove you were in God before the foundations of the earth, by today choosing righteousness. Your goal in ministering this lesson is to get the listeners to learn that time reveals the things of eternity and how. The main goal is to be able to clarify for the listeners the possibility of the sons of God being in God before the foundations of the world. The answer is simple. If the sons of God were in God in eternity, then this truth has to be manifested eventually and through time. It is manifested when one receives the Holy Ghost, during which, their souls are placed in the Holy Ghost and He in their bodies. God bless you all Kareem Flowers