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Then the bondage.
Followed by the deliverance and exodus.
Up to the book of Exodus, the purpose of God can be demonstrated by
concentric circles, cosmic, racial and national. With the redemption of
Israel, the elective character of the purpose takes shape, which, as the New
Testament shows, issues in an election, from among Jews and Gentiles, first
as heirs of the promise to Abraham, and joint heirs with him of the heavenly
calling, and then of a church whose calling and constitution was unknown
until revealed to the apostle Paul, the steward of this great Mystery. One
suggestive feature is the way in which the Greek word prothesis is
translated. The word occurs twelve times. In Acts, Romans, Ephesians and 2
Timothy it is translated `purpose', but in Matthew 12:4, Mark 2:26, Luke 6:4
and Hebrews 9:2 it is combined with the word `bread' to give the word
`shewbread'. This typical feature suggests that in the purpose of God the
redeemed are ever before His face, even though in themselves they may wander
as did Israel, from the path of righteousness, even though the ten tribes
seemed to be `lost', there were never less than twelve loaves on the table of
shewbread. Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time for every purpose
under the heaven (Eccles. 3:1,17; 8:6), and Jeremiah declares that every
purpose of the Lord shall be performed (Jer. 51:29) and in Isaiah the Lord
says, `as I have purposed, so shall it stand' (Isa. 14:24). The fact that
the word `according to' is associated with the purpose of God (Rom. 8:28;
9:11, Eph. 1:11 and 2 Tim. 1:9) shows that the calling and the election of
both Israel and the Church is in harmony with this Divine purpose of the
Ages.
One of the most illuminating words employed in the Scriptures in
connection with the Purpose of the Ages is the word Pleroma and we draw the
reader's attention to the articles and chart bearing that name.