Deeper Dive
God of Restoration
“The Bible tells God’s story of desire for relationship with each person even though He was fully aware before man was created that we would disagree with Him on the best course for ourselves.
Those who follow Jesus are ‘chosen by God in Jesus before the foundation of the world’ and ‘whose names have been written before the foundation of the world in the book of Life of the Lamb who was slain’
This is not saying that only certain were selected to be ‘saved’ but that God’s plan included the means necessary even before we responded to Him. The idea is that the terms of being in true relationship with Him is founded in His sacrifice on our behalf and our response to Him — coming back into agreement with Him on the terms of relationship.”
The Old Testament foreshadows God’s continuing work to bring us back into relationship with Him. He sends Moses, prophets, priests, kings and even enemies in His endeavor to draw us back into restored relationship with Him. The phases “when I restore,” “I will restore” and “I restore” are repeated more than thirty times and then in the New Testament we have the summary statement that God intends us to,
“Be sober-minded, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”1
“Will Himself restore” is translated in the NASB as “will Himself perfect” with the meaning of completing a process, repair that which was damaged and is the first step in the process or restoration with confirming, strengthening and establishing continuing the renewal of relationship where we come back into agreement with God as He originally intended.
The Revelation of Jesus concludes with ultimate restoration of all that will be included in the Kingdom of Heaven:
“And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new…”2
“New” in the Greek does mean ‘recently made’ or ‘unused’ but can also carry the context of ‘fresh’ or that which is superior to what succeeded it. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul writes of change, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.3
Restoration is both the process of God’s work in us to make us back into His image and the eternal state of being restored to relationship in agreement with His desires.
FOOTNOTES:
1 1 Peter 5 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/1pe/5/8-11/s_1156008
2 Revelation 21:5 (KJV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/rev/21/5/t_conc_1188005
3 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/2co/3/18/t_conc_1081018