p. 7 | Restitution of All Things by W. S. Cruzan

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 1, 1910

Restitution of All Things

By W. S. Cruzan

W. S. CRUZAN

One of the themes that has ever engaged the minds of the prophets has been that of the final “restitution of all things,” when “the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” Rev. 10:7. The work of the gospel, “the mystery of God,” is to gather from the nations of the earth a people made “meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light,” by having the eternal purpose of God wrought in their lives and character through Jesus Christ our Lord. And so he “hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.” We are chosen in him “in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” We are redeemed from sin, redeemed from the transgression of the Father’s law, and its righteous principles are fulfilled in us who are being led by his Spirit (Rom. 8:4), “that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace . . . toward us through Christ Jesus.” The prophets of God through the different ages have received glimpses of his eternal purpose, even of that purpose “which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” This is “the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will,” that the whole family in heaven and earth, named after the eternal Son, might be reunited again in one family. Eph. 1:9-11; 3:15.

The breach that sin has made in the family of God will be repaired, and healed by the “bruises” of his own beloved Son (Isa. 53:5, margin), “who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” This is the work of the “restitution of all things,” which has been undertaken by Christ Jesus our Lord. We are persuaded that since all power is given unto him in heaven and in earth, therefore he is fully able to carry on to a glorious completion this great work of restoring all things again to meet the mind of the eternal Father, who has declared that “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea;” and that sin, the affliction of his people, “shall not rise up the second time.” Isa. 11:9; Nahum 1:9.

And this glorious dominion, “even the first dominion,” “shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem,” to the “tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion,” which is Christ our Lord. It is the mind of the Father soon to send this Jesus again, “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.” Acts 3:20, 21. When he returns, “he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect.” These angels will also “gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity” (Matt. 24:31; 13:41); for he will receive from his Father a kingdom (Luke 1:32; 22:29; Dan. 7:14; Rev. 11:15), and will renovate it, and burn out the dross, which is sin, and have a clean kingdom, whose subjects will be found doing the will of the eternal Father through Jesus Christ. Ps. 37:20; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Matt. 13:43.

Semmes, Ala.