Another important goal of restoration is to bring the blessings of God on the nations of the earth. It is the Seed, Christ and those who are an integral part of Him, who will be the instrument through which God will be able to dwell once again with His creatures on the earth.

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3)

This prophecy is stated repeatedly to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14). The role of the Christian Church, which is the Wife of the Lamb, the new Jerusalem, is to serve as the light of the world—the eternal source of blessing to mankind (Revelation 21:3).

It is clear from the Prophets that God intends to return to the earth and bless the nations of peoples whom He has created:

For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD. (Psalms 102:19-22)

Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth. (Psalms 96:12,13)

Here is a picture of the restoration of what was lost in Eden. The Presence of God will fill the whole earth.

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9)

In the beginning, God created man in His own image. He gave to Adam the capacity for union. He assigned to him (them) fruitfulness, and dominion over the animals.

In the New Testament we notice that God is restoring all that has been lost. God is doing this through Christ, our Redeemer.

We are becoming the sons of God (Hebrews 2:10).

We are being changed into Christ's image (Romans 8:29).

We are being brought into union with God and one another (John 17:21).

We are being made fruitful (John 15:5).

We are being prepared for rulership over all the works of God's hands (Hebrews 2:8).

Previously we set forth the pattern of human history:

Man is given an inheritance.

Man loses the inheritance through lack of experience.

God gives the vision of the restoration of what has been lost.

The work of fulfilling the vision takes place.

Man receives an infinitely greater inheritance.

We already have discussed the first three of the above. We have noted that man was given a marvelous inheritance and that he lost it through lack of experience. This is, of course, the story of the prodigal son, of the nation of Israel, and of the Christian Church. It also is the story of each of us.

We then quoted a few passages of Scripture representative of numerous passages in order to emphasize that the Bible is a book of restoration. God has given to us in the Scriptures a vision of the restoration of what was lost through the transgression of Adam and Eve.

To be continued.