What Is God Producing in This Age, and Why Is He Producing It?
The Plan of the Ages: By Carl Timothy Wray
AUTHOR
Carl Timothy Wray is the founder of Zion University and The Finished Work of Christ ministry. For more than four decades, he has devoted his life to searching the Scriptures and tracing the eternal purpose of God from Genesis to Revelation. Through hundreds of books, articles, teachings, and videos, his ministry focuses on revealing Christ, the Kingdom of God, the purpose of the ages, the finished work of redemption, and God’s ultimate plan to gather all things into Christ.
The Plan of the Ages reveals what God is producing in this present age and why He is producing it. From the birth of the Church at Pentecost to the purpose of the Fivefold Ministry, the Firstfruits, the Overcomers, the Groaning Creation, and the coming fullness of Christ, this book traces the unfolding purpose of God through the ages. Discover why God created the Pentecostal Age, what He is preparing through it, and how the present age fits into His eternal plan to gather all things together in Christ.
INTRODUCTION
Most believers spend their lives asking important questions.
How am I saved?
How do I grow spiritually?
What does God want me to do?
What happens after death?
What does Bible prophecy mean?
While these questions are important, there is another question that few believers ever stop to ask.
Why did God create this age?
Why has the Pentecostal Age lasted for centuries?
Why did God establish the Church?
Why did He pour out the Holy Spirit?
Why did He give apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers?
Why are the saints being perfected?
Why does creation groan?
Why was Paul still pressing toward the mark?
Why does the Book of Revelation speak of overcomers?
What is God producing in this age, and why is He producing it?
The answer to that question unlocks the purpose of the Church, the purpose of the Fivefold Ministry, the purpose of the Firstfruits, the purpose of the Overcomers, and the purpose of the present age itself.
God never does anything without purpose.
He declares the end from the beginning.
He reveals the blueprint before He manifests the building.
He reveals the harvest before He plants the seed.
He reveals the image before He produces the manifestation.
Every age serves a divine purpose.
The Age of the Law prepared the earth for the appearing of Christ.
The ministry of Christ prepared the earth for the Day of Pentecost.
The Pentecostal Age is preparing a people for something greater than itself.
This book explores the purpose of the present age and examines what God is producing through His people, His Spirit, His Word, and His ministry.
The goal is not merely to understand history.
The goal is to understand purpose.
For when we understand what God is producing, we can cooperate with His work, align ourselves with His purpose, and prepare ourselves for what He is ready to do.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
The Question Few Believers Ask
- God Declares the End from the Beginning
- The Pattern of the Ages
- Why God Created the Pentecostal Age
- The Purpose of the Fivefold Ministry
- What Was Paul Pressing Toward?
- The Firstfruits Principle
- The Image at the Watering Trough
- The Overcomers of Revelation
- The Travail of the Present Age
- The Birth of the Man-Child
- The Hinge of the Ages
- When the Day of Tabernacles Fully Comes
- What Comes After the Birth?
Conclusion
Preparing for What God Is Ready to Do
CHAPTER 1
GOD DECLARES THE END FROM THE BEGINNING
The Plan of the Ages begins with a truth that few believers fully understand: God never starts anything without first knowing the end of it. Before creation was formed, before Adam was created, before sin entered the world, before the Law was given, and before Christ appeared, God had already established His purpose.
The Plan of the Ages is not God reacting to events as they happen. It is God unfolding a purpose that was settled in His heart before the foundation of the world.
GOD KNOWS THE END BEFORE THE BEGINNING
One of the greatest declarations in Scripture reveals the nature of God Himself.
“Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.”
— Isaiah 46:10
God does not discover the future.
God declares the future.
The end exists in His purpose before it appears in human experience.
The Plan of the Ages unfolds because God has already determined His purpose and is bringing it to pass according to His wisdom and timing.
THE LAMB WAS SLAIN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD
Long before Jesus appeared in Bethlehem, God had already established redemption.
“The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
— Revelation 13:8
The cross was not an emergency plan.
The cross was part of the Plan of the Ages.
Before Adam fell, God already knew redemption.
Before death entered the world, God already knew resurrection.
Before darkness appeared, God already knew the Light.
Everything God would do throughout the ages was already present within His eternal purpose.
GOD CHOSE US BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN
The Apostle Paul reveals that God’s purpose existed before creation itself.
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.”
— Ephesians 1:4
God’s purpose did not begin with Abraham.
God’s purpose did not begin with Moses.
God’s purpose did not begin with Pentecost.
The Plan of the Ages existed before the world began.
Everything that unfolds throughout Scripture is the manifestation of a purpose that was already hidden within God.
EVERY AGE SERVES A PURPOSE
When we study Scripture, we discover that God works through appointed seasons, administrations, and ages.
The Age of the Law served a purpose.
The earthly ministry of Christ served a purpose.
The Pentecostal Age serves a purpose.
The ages to come serve a purpose.
Nothing is random.
Nothing is accidental.
Every age is a divine administration designed to bring forth a specific aspect of God’s purpose.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a God who is moving creation toward a predetermined destination.
THE BLUEPRINT EXISTS BEFORE THE BUILDING
No wise builder begins construction without first establishing a blueprint.
Jesus taught:
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost?”
— Luke 14:28
The same principle exists in the heart of God.
Before the manifestation comes the pattern.
Before the harvest comes the seed.
Before the building comes the blueprint.
Before the manifestation of Christ comes the purpose of Christ.
The Plan of the Ages is God’s blueprint being unfolded through time.
THE INVISIBLE BECOMES VISIBLE
Scripture continually reveals an invisible purpose becoming visible through manifestation.
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
— Hebrews 11:3
Everything visible begins with something invisible.
The visible creation came from an invisible purpose.
The visible Church came from an invisible purpose.
The visible Kingdom comes from an invisible purpose.
The Plan of the Ages is the process by which God’s invisible purpose becomes visible in creation.
GOD REVEALS THE IMAGE BEFORE THE MANIFESTATION
Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly places the image before His people before He brings the manifestation.
Abraham saw the stars before the nation appeared.
Joseph saw the dream before the fulfillment appeared.
Moses saw the pattern in the mountain before the tabernacle was built.
John saw the throne before he saw the events unfolding upon the earth.
God reveals the image before He reveals the manifestation.
The image creates expectation.
Expectation creates faith.
Faith prepares the vessel for what God is bringing forth.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK
This book is built upon a simple question:
What is God producing in this age, and why is He producing it?
To answer that question, we must first understand that the present age did not appear by accident.
The Church exists for a purpose.
The Fivefold Ministry exists for a purpose.
The Firstfruits exist for a purpose.
The Overcomers exist for a purpose.
The groaning creation exists for a purpose.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God is moving creation toward a glorious destination that He declared before the foundation of the world.
The question is not whether God has a purpose.
The question is whether we understand what part of that purpose is being unfolded in our generation.
CHAPTER 2
THE PATTERN OF THE AGES
One of the greatest keys to understanding Scripture is recognizing that God works through ages, administrations, and appointed seasons. The Plan of the Ages reveals that God unfolds His purpose progressively. Each age prepares the way for the next age. Each administration builds upon the previous administration. Each revelation prepares creation for a greater revelation.
God never moves randomly.
He moves according to purpose.
He moves according to order.
He moves according to a predetermined plan established before the foundation of the world.
GOD IS THE GOD OF THE AGES
Throughout Scripture, God reveals Himself as the God who governs the ages.
“Unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
— 1 Timothy 1:17
The word translated eternal carries the thought of the ages.
God is not merely the God of individuals.
He is the God of the ages.
The Plan of the Ages reveals the wisdom of God unfolding His purpose from age to age until all things are gathered together in Christ.
THE BEGINNING REVEALS THE PATTERN
In Genesis we discover that God begins with a seed, develops the seed, and eventually brings forth a harvest.
This principle governs all creation.
A seed is planted.
Time passes.
Growth occurs.
Maturity develops.
Harvest arrives.
The Plan of the Ages follows this same pattern.
God plants.
God cultivates.
God matures.
God harvests.
Nothing reaches maturity instantly.
Everything develops according to divine order.
THE AGE BEFORE THE LAW
Before Moses received the Law, God was already preparing a people.
Abel.
Enoch.
Noah.
Abraham.
Isaac.
Jacob.
Joseph.
Each man became part of God’s unfolding purpose.
The Plan of the Ages was already moving toward a greater manifestation.
God was preparing the earth for something yet to come.
THE AGE OF THE LAW
The Law did not exist as an end in itself.
The Law served a purpose.
“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.”
— Galatians 3:24
The Law prepared the earth for Christ.
The sacrifices pointed toward Christ.
The priesthood pointed toward Christ.
The feasts pointed toward Christ.
The tabernacle pointed toward Christ.
Everything under the Law served as preparation.
The Plan of the Ages was moving creation toward the appearing of the Son of God.
CHRIST FULFILLED THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW
When Christ appeared, He did not come to destroy the Law.
He came to fulfill it.
The Law was a shadow.
Christ was the substance.
The Law testified beforehand concerning what God intended to reveal in His Son.
The Plan of the Ages moved from shadow to substance.
The preparation gave way to manifestation.
The promise gave way to fulfillment.
CHRIST PREPARED THE WAY FOR PENTECOST
Many believers understand why Christ came.
Far fewer understand why Pentecost came.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus continually pointed His disciples toward another experience.
“I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter.”
— John 14:16
Christ was preparing the earth for Pentecost.
The disciples could not remain at Bethlehem.
They could not remain at Calvary.
They could not remain at the empty tomb.
They had to move into the next administration.
The Plan of the Ages was advancing.
THE DAY OF PENTECOST FULLY CAME
When the Day of Pentecost arrived, a new administration began.
A new covenant.
A new ministry.
A new operation of the Spirit.
A new people.
The Church was born.
The Ecclesia appeared.
The called-out company entered the earth.
Yet Pentecost itself was not the destination.
Pentecost was the beginning of a process.
The Plan of the Ages continued moving forward.
EVERY AGE PREPARES FOR THE NEXT AGE
This pattern appears throughout Scripture.
The Patriarchs prepared for the Law.
The Law prepared for Christ.
Christ prepared for Pentecost.
Pentecost prepares for something greater than itself.
Every age contains within itself the seed of the next age.
God never abandons His purpose.
He unfolds it progressively.
THE THREE GREAT FEASTS REVEAL THE PATTERN
The feasts reveal the movement of God’s purpose.
Passover reveals redemption.
Pentecost reveals the outpouring and formation of a people.
Tabernacles reveals fullness and completion.
These feasts are more than historical events.
They reveal the pattern of the Plan of the Ages.
Each feast builds upon the previous feast.
Each feast moves closer toward the fulfillment of God’s purpose.
THE AGES TO COME
The Apostle Paul speaks of ages yet to come.
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace.”
— Ephesians 2:7
The purpose of God does not stop with the present age.
The Plan of the Ages extends beyond our current administration.
God continues unfolding His purpose until all things are brought into harmony with Christ.
THE PRESENT AGE HAS A PURPOSE
The great question remains:
What is God producing in this age?
Before we can understand the answer, we must understand why the present administration exists.
The Church was not created without purpose.
The gifts were not given without purpose.
The ministry was not established without purpose.
The Spirit was not poured out without purpose.
Everything God does serves a larger objective within the Plan of the Ages.
The next question becomes:
Why did God create the Pentecostal Age, and what is He producing through it?
CHAPTER 3
WHY GOD CREATED THE PENTECOSTAL AGE
To understand what God is producing in this age, we must first understand why He created the Pentecostal Age.
Most believers understand that Pentecost was a great outpouring of the Spirit.
Many understand that Pentecost marked the birth of the Church.
Yet few stop to ask the deeper question.
Why did God create the Pentecostal Age?
What purpose does it serve within the Plan of the Ages?
The answer to that question unlocks the purpose of the Church, the purpose of the Fivefold Ministry, the purpose of the Firstfruits, and the purpose of the present administration itself.
THE DAY OF PENTECOST WAS A BEGINNING
When the Day of Pentecost fully came, something glorious happened.
The Spirit was poured out.
The Church was born.
The Ecclesia appeared.
A new covenant administration began.
Yet Pentecost was not the end of God’s purpose.
Pentecost was the beginning of a process.
Many believers treat Pentecost as though it were the destination.
The Scriptures reveal it was the starting point.
The Plan of the Ages had entered a new phase.
THE BIRTH OF THE ECCLESIA
The word church comes from the Greek word ecclesia.
It means “the called-out ones.”
This is important.
The Church was not the harvest.
The Church was the called-out company.
The Church was not the fullness of mankind.
The Church was the beginning of a people being called out unto God.
The very meaning of ecclesia reveals purpose.
God was beginning something.
God was forming something.
God was preparing something.
The Plan of the Ages had entered its season of preparation.
GOD STARTED WITH A FIRSTFRUIT COMPANY
Throughout Scripture God begins with firstfruits.
Before the harvest comes the firstfruit.
Before the multitude comes the remnant.
Before the nation comes the family.
Before the family comes the individual.
God begins small and expands outward.
The Day of Pentecost did not produce billions of mature sons.
It produced a small company of believers filled with the Spirit.
The firstfruit appeared.
The process had begun.
WHY THE SPIRIT WAS POURED OUT
The Spirit was not poured out merely to produce excitement.
The Spirit was not poured out merely to produce gifts.
The Spirit was not poured out merely to create religious meetings.
The Spirit was poured out to begin the formation of a people.
A people who would grow.
A people who would mature.
A people who would be transformed.
A people who would eventually fulfill the purpose for which God created the age.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that Pentecost began a work of formation.
WHY THE FIVEFOLD MINISTRY WAS GIVEN
Immediately after the birth of the Church, God began establishing ministry.
Apostles.
Prophets.
Evangelists.
Pastors.
Teachers.
These ministries were not given merely to maintain an institution.
They were given to perfect a people.
The existence of the Fivefold Ministry reveals that God’s work was not finished on the Day of Pentecost.
The work had only begun.
The Plan of the Ages was moving toward maturity.
PENTECOST PRODUCES GROWTH
A baby is glorious.
But a baby is not mature.
A baby contains life.
A baby contains potential.
A baby contains destiny.
Yet growth must occur.
The same principle applies to the Church.
Pentecost birthed life.
Pentecost birthed the Ecclesia.
Pentecost birthed the Firstfruits.
But Pentecost also began a process of growth.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a people moving from infancy toward maturity.
PAUL UNDERSTOOD THE PURPOSE OF THE AGE
The Apostle Paul understood that Pentecost was not the finish line.
Though he possessed revelation, authority, miracles, and power, he continually spoke of growth, maturity, and pressing toward a greater objective.
Paul never spoke as though the process were complete.
Instead, he spoke of pressing.
He spoke of groaning.
He spoke of travail.
He spoke of maturity.
Paul understood that God was producing something through the present administration.
THE CHURCH IS A WOMB OF PREPARATION
One of the great truths hidden within the Plan of the Ages is that Pentecost functions as a season of preparation.
A womb does not exist for itself.
A womb exists to bring forth life.
Likewise, the present age exists to bring forth what God has purposed.
Everything within this administration points toward development.
Growth.
Maturity.
Preparation.
Formation.
The purpose of Pentecost is not merely to begin.
The purpose of Pentecost is to prepare.
WHY THE AGE HAS LASTED SO LONG
Many ask why the present age has continued for centuries.
The answer is found in purpose.
God is not measuring time as men measure time.
God is accomplishing His purpose.
The Potter continues working the clay.
The Builder continues constructing the house.
The Husbandman continues cultivating the field.
The Shepherd continues developing the flock.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a God who remains committed to His purpose until that purpose reaches maturity.
WHAT IS GOD PRODUCING?
This brings us back to our central question.
What is God producing in this age?
He is producing more than converts.
More than church members.
More than religious activity.
God is producing a mature people.
An overcoming people.
A firstfruit people.
A prepared people.
The purpose of Pentecost is not merely salvation.
The purpose of Pentecost is preparation.
The age itself exists because God is producing something that has not yet reached its fullness.
The next question becomes:
How is God producing that people, and what role does the Fivefold Ministry play in that process?
CHAPTER 4
THE PURPOSE OF THE FIVEFOLD MINISTRY
One of the most important questions in the entire Plan of the Ages is this:
Why did God give apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers?
Most believers know these ministries exist.
Far fewer understand why they exist.
The answer reveals one of the great purposes of the present age.
The Fivefold Ministry was not given merely to build organizations.
It was not given merely to hold meetings.
It was not given merely to increase knowledge.
The Fivefold Ministry was given because God is producing something.
To understand what God is producing in this age, we must understand why these ministries were established.
THE FIVEFOLD MINISTRY WAS A DIVINE GIFT
After His resurrection and ascension, Christ gave gifts unto men.
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.”
— Ephesians 4:11
Notice that these ministries originated with Christ Himself.
They are not human inventions.
They are divine provisions.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that Christ equipped His Church with everything necessary to accomplish its purpose.
THE PURPOSE IS PERFECTING
Paul immediately explains why these ministries were given.
“For the perfecting of the saints.”
— Ephesians 4:12
This statement changes everything.
The purpose is not simply preaching.
The purpose is not simply teaching.
The purpose is not simply gathering crowds.
The purpose is perfecting.
The Fivefold Ministry exists because God is developing a people.
PERFECTING REVEALS AN UNFINISHED WORK
If perfection is needed, then a process is underway.
The existence of the Fivefold Ministry proves that Pentecost was not the finish line.
The Church was born.
The Spirit was poured out.
Life was imparted.
Yet maturity still remained ahead.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God created an entire administration dedicated to the development of His people.
APOSTLES LAY FOUNDATIONS
Throughout Scripture, apostles function as master builders.
They establish foundations.
They reveal divine order.
They help establish God’s purpose among His people.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that every building requires a foundation before it can reach maturity.
Without foundations, growth becomes unstable.
PROPHETS REVEAL PURPOSE
Prophets reveal the heart and purpose of God.
True prophetic ministry does more than predict events.
It reveals divine intention.
It reveals what God is doing.
It reveals where God’s purpose is moving.
Throughout the ages, God has always provided witnesses who reveal His present work.
The Plan of the Ages advances through revelation.
EVANGELISTS GATHER THE HARVEST
Evangelists gather.
They proclaim.
They call.
They invite.
They bring men and women into the Kingdom.
Without gathering, there can be no development.
Without birth, there can be no maturity.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God first gathers a people before He perfects them.
PASTORS NOURISH THE FLOCK
A shepherd feeds, protects, and nurtures.
Growth requires care.
Development requires nourishment.
The flock must be fed if it is to mature.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually cares for what He is producing.
TEACHERS ESTABLISH UNDERSTANDING
Truth brings stability.
Truth brings growth.
Truth renews the mind.
Teachers help establish believers in the knowledge of God’s purpose.
Without understanding, maturity remains limited.
The Plan of the Ages unfolds through increasing revelation and understanding.
THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF CHRIST
Paul reveals the ultimate goal.
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man.”
— Ephesians 4:13
Notice the language.
A perfect man.
Maturity.
Fullness.
Growth.
Development.
The Fivefold Ministry exists because God is moving His people toward a greater measure of Christ.
THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY
Many believers assume ministry belongs only to leaders.
Paul reveals something different.
The saints themselves are being equipped for ministry.
The Fivefold Ministry develops the Body.
The Body grows.
The Body functions.
The Body matures.
The Plan of the Ages is not centered upon a few gifted individuals.
It is centered upon the development of an entire people.
WHY THE PROCESS TAKES TIME
Growth requires time.
A child does not become mature in a day.
A tree does not bear fruit the moment it is planted.
Likewise, God’s purpose unfolds progressively.
The Fivefold Ministry exists because God is patiently developing what Pentecost birthed.
The process continues until the purpose reaches maturity.
THE FIVEFOLD MINISTRY AND THE PRESENT AGE
The existence of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers reveals something profound.
God is not finished.
The work continues.
The development continues.
The perfecting continues.
The preparation continues.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the present administration exists because God is producing a mature people.
The Fivefold Ministry serves as one of the primary instruments through which that development occurs.
WHAT IS THE FIVEFOLD MINISTRY PRODUCING?
This brings us back to the central question of the book.
What is God producing in this age?
The Fivefold Ministry reveals the answer.
God is producing a people who grow from infancy to maturity.
A people who move from beginning to fullness.
A people who are prepared for the purpose for which the age was created.
The next question becomes:
If the Fivefold Ministry is producing maturity, what was the Apostle Paul pressing toward, and why was he still groaning for something greater?
CHAPTER 5
WHAT WAS PAUL PRESSING TOWARD?
One of the greatest questions in the New Testament is this:
If the Apostle Paul possessed such great revelation, such great power, and such great authority, why was he still pressing?
Why was he still reaching?
Why was he still groaning?
Why was he still pursuing something beyond his present experience?
The answer reveals one of the greatest truths hidden within the Plan of the Ages.
Paul understood that Pentecost was glorious, but he also understood that Pentecost was not the finish line.
PAUL HAD ALREADY EXPERIENCED GREAT POWER
Few men in history walked in the measure of revelation that Paul possessed.
He saw visions.
He received revelations.
He planted churches.
He taught the mysteries of Christ.
He healed the sick.
He cast out devils.
He raised the dead.
He wrote a large portion of the New Testament.
Yet despite all these experiences, Paul continually spoke of something still ahead.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that Paul understood there was more to come.
NOT AS THOUGH I HAD ALREADY ATTAINED
Paul writes:
“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.”
— Philippians 3:12
These words are astonishing.
If Paul had not yet attained, what was he seeking?
If Paul had not yet reached perfection, what was he pursuing?
The answer cannot be found in the beginning of the race.
It must be found in the destination of the race.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that Paul was looking beyond the beginning toward the consummation.
I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK
Paul continues:
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 3:14
Notice the language.
A mark.
A prize.
A calling.
A destination.
A goal.
Paul was not standing still.
Paul was moving toward something.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God always places an objective before His people.
The mark reveals the destination.
PAUL WAS ALREADY IN PENTECOST
This is where many believers become confused.
Paul was not seeking Pentecost.
Paul was already living in Pentecost.
He had already received the Spirit.
He had already experienced the gifts.
He had already ministered in power.
He had already walked in revelation.
The mark could not be Pentecost because Paul was already there.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the mark must be something beyond the beginning.
PAUL UNDERSTOOD THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEGINNING AND FULLNESS
Throughout his writings Paul continually points toward maturity.
He speaks of perfection.
He speaks of fullness.
He speaks of completion.
He speaks of Christ being formed within His people.
Paul understood that the present administration had a purpose.
God was producing something.
God was developing something.
God was bringing a people toward maturity.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a movement from beginning toward fullness.
THE WHOLE CREATION GROANS
Paul connects his personal pursuit with a much larger reality.
“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”
— Romans 8:22
Creation groans.
The saints groan.
Paul groans.
Why?
Because something has not yet reached its fullness.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that groaning is the language of creation reaching toward fulfillment.
WE GROAN WITHIN OURSELVES
Paul continues:
“Even we ourselves groan within ourselves.”
— Romans 8:23
Notice who is speaking.
Not unbelievers.
Not the world.
The saints.
The Spirit-filled.
The redeemed.
The firstfruits.
Even they groan.
Why?
Because they understand there is something greater ahead.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that groaning does not indicate failure.
Groaning indicates expectation.
THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THE SPIRIT
Paul says believers possess:
“The firstfruits of the Spirit.”
— Romans 8:23
This is a profound statement.
A firstfruit is not the complete harvest.
A firstfruit is the beginning of the harvest.
The existence of firstfruits reveals that something greater remains ahead.
The Plan of the Ages continually reveals this principle.
God begins with firstfruits before He reveals fullness.
PAUL UNDERSTOOD THE PROCESS
Paul never spoke as though God’s purpose had failed.
He never spoke as though the present administration lacked glory.
Instead, he understood that God was unfolding His purpose progressively.
The age was accomplishing exactly what it had been designed to accomplish.
The Church was growing.
The saints were being perfected.
The Firstfruits were appearing.
The purpose was advancing.
The Plan of the Ages was moving toward its appointed destination.
THE MARK REQUIRES A VISION
No man presses toward a mark he cannot see.
The mark must be revealed before it can be pursued.
This principle appears throughout Scripture.
Abraham saw the stars.
Joseph saw the dream.
Moses saw the pattern.
John saw the throne.
Paul saw the mark.
The image always precedes the manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually places the destination before His people.
WHY PAUL KEPT PRESSING
Paul understood that God’s purpose extended beyond his present experience.
He understood that the race was still unfolding.
He understood that the process was still working.
He understood that God was producing something through the present age.
That understanding caused him to press.
To pursue.
To seek.
To groan.
To labor.
To endure.
Paul was not running aimlessly.
He was moving toward the purpose for which the age had been created.
THE QUESTION THAT REMAINS
If Paul was pressing toward maturity…
If creation was groaning toward fulfillment…
If the saints possessed only the firstfruits…
Then a question remains.
What principle has God used throughout Scripture to begin His work before bringing it to completion?
The answer is found in a pattern that appears from Genesis to Revelation.
The Firstfruits Principle.
CHAPTER 6
THE FIRSTFRUITS PRINCIPLE
One of the most important principles in all of Scripture is the Firstfruits Principle.
Without understanding firstfruits, many portions of the Bible remain disconnected.
The Law.
The Prophets.
The Gospels.
The Epistles.
The Book of Revelation.
All of them reveal the same divine pattern.
God begins with firstfruits before He reveals fullness.
The Plan of the Ages unfolds according to this principle from Genesis to Revelation.
GOD ALWAYS BEGINS SMALL
Throughout Scripture, God rarely begins with the multitude.
He begins with one.
One man.
One family.
One remnant.
One firstfruit.
Then He expands His purpose outward.
Abraham came before Israel.
David came before the kingdom.
The disciples came before the Church.
Christ came before the harvest.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually begins with firstfruits before bringing forth fullness.
ABEL REVEALS THE PRINCIPLE
One of the earliest pictures appears in the life of Abel.
“And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock.”
— Genesis 4:4
The principle appears immediately.
The first belongs to God.
The beginning belongs to God.
The firstfruit reveals God’s claim upon the whole.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the firstfruit always points toward something greater.
ABRAHAM REVEALS THE PRINCIPLE
God did not begin with a nation.
He began with Abraham.
One man carried the seed of a future multitude.
The nation existed in seed form long before it appeared in manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God often places the future within a firstfruit before revealing it in fullness.
ISRAEL WAS A FIRSTFRUIT NATION
Among all the nations of the earth, God chose Israel.
Not because His purpose ended with Israel.
But because Israel served a purpose within the larger plan.
Israel became a firstfruit nation through which God would reveal Himself.
The Plan of the Ages continually reveals that firstfruits exist to reveal what God intends to accomplish on a greater scale.
DAVID WAS A FIRSTFRUIT KING
Before the kingdom reached its glory under Solomon, God raised up David.
David became a pattern.
A prototype.
A firstfruit.
Through David, God revealed the nature of the kingdom before its expansion.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually establishes a pattern before He reveals fullness.
ELIJAH AND THE REMNANT
In the days of Elijah, the nation appeared corrupt.
Yet God revealed that He had preserved a remnant.
A firstfruit company.
A people set apart unto Himself.
The remnant became proof that God’s purpose was still advancing.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually works through firstfruits before broader manifestations appear.
CHRIST THE FIRSTFRUITS
The greatest revelation of the principle appears in Christ Himself.
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:20
Notice the language.
Firstfruits.
Not the entire harvest.
Not the final manifestation.
The firstfruits.
Christ becomes the pattern of what God intends to accomplish.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God always reveals the pattern before revealing the fullness.
THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN
Paul speaks of Christ as:
“The firstborn among many brethren.”
— Romans 8:29
Again the principle appears.
Firstborn.
Many brethren.
Beginning.
Expansion.
Pattern.
Fulfillment.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God begins with the firstborn before revealing the larger company.
THE CHURCH AS FIRSTFRUITS
James writes:
“That we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
— James 1:18
This statement is profound.
The Church is described as firstfruits.
Not fullness.
Not completion.
Firstfruits.
The existence of firstfruits reveals that God’s purpose is larger than the beginning.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God is moving toward something greater than the initial harvest.
THE OVERCOMERS AS FIRSTFRUITS
The Book of Revelation reveals another firstfruit company.
“These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.”
— Revelation 14:4
Notice the progression.
Christ the Firstfruits.
The Church as firstfruits.
The overcomers as firstfruits.
The principle continues unfolding.
The Plan of the Ages reveals increasing measures of maturity appearing before broader manifestations occur.
FIRSTFRUITS REVEAL THE HARVEST
The purpose of firstfruits is not merely to exist.
The purpose of firstfruits is to reveal the harvest.
The firstfruit announces what is coming.
The firstfruit becomes evidence of what God intends to do.
The firstfruit becomes a witness to the larger purpose.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually provides a visible witness before broader fulfillment arrives.
WHY GOD BEGINS WITH FIRSTFRUITS
Why does God work this way?
Because firstfruits establish the pattern.
Firstfruits reveal the image.
Firstfruits demonstrate the purpose.
Firstfruits become the witness.
Throughout Scripture, God continually reveals the beginning before revealing the fullness.
The Plan of the Ages unfolds according to this divine order.
THE PRESENT AGE IS PRODUCING FIRSTFRUITS
This brings us back to the central question.
What is God producing in this age?
The answer becomes clearer.
God is producing firstfruits.
An overcoming people.
A mature people.
A prepared people.
A people who reveal the pattern of what God intends to accomplish.
The existence of firstfruits does not mean the harvest is complete.
The existence of firstfruits means the harvest is approaching.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God always begins with firstfruits before bringing forth fullness.
THE IMAGE MUST BE SEEN
If firstfruits reveal the pattern…
If firstfruits reveal the destination…
If firstfruits reveal what God intends to produce…
Then the image becomes critical.
People move toward what they continually behold.
The image precedes the manifestation.
The vision precedes the fulfillment.
The next principle reveals how God places the image before His people and uses that image to transform them.
The Image at the Watering Trough.
CHAPTER 7
THE IMAGE AT THE WATERING TROUGH
One of the most overlooked principles in Scripture is the power of an image.
God continually places an image before His people before He brings forth the manifestation.
He reveals the destination before the journey is complete.
He reveals the harvest before the field reaches maturity.
He reveals the pattern before the building is finished.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God changes people by showing them what He intends to produce.
JACOB UNDERSTOOD A KINGDOM PRINCIPLE
One of the most remarkable stories in the book of Genesis is found in the life of Jacob.
Jacob entered into an agreement with Laban concerning the flocks.
Then Jacob took rods and marked them with a visible pattern.
He placed those rods before the flocks at the watering troughs where they came to drink.
“And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.”
— Genesis 30:39
The story reveals a profound principle.
An image was placed before the flock.
The flock continually beheld that image.
What was produced eventually reflected what was continually before their eyes.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually works through vision, pattern, and image.
THE WATERING TROUGH
The location is important.
The image was not placed in the field.
The image was placed at the watering trough.
The place of drinking.
The place of refreshing.
The place of receiving.
Throughout Scripture, water frequently represents the Word of God.
The Spirit of God.
Divine life.
Divine nourishment.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that transformation occurs as God’s people continually come to the waters of life.
MEN BECOME WHAT THEY BEHOLD
This principle appears throughout Scripture.
People move toward what they continually behold.
They think upon it.
Meditate upon it.
Pursue it.
Expect it.
Eventually their lives begin reflecting it.
The image creates expectation.
Expectation creates pursuit.
Pursuit creates transformation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God always places the vision before the manifestation.
ABRAHAM SAW THE STARS
God did not merely promise Abraham a nation.
God gave Abraham an image.
“Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them.”
— Genesis 15:5
Before the nation appeared, Abraham saw the stars.
The image came before the manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually reveals the destination before He reveals the fulfillment.
JOSEPH SAW THE DREAM
Before Joseph ruled, he dreamed.
Before Joseph governed, he saw.
Before Joseph experienced fulfillment, he received a vision.
The image preceded the manifestation.
The dream preceded the fulfillment.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually works this way.
MOSES SAW THE PATTERN
When Moses entered the mountain, God showed him the pattern.
“See… that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”
— Hebrews 8:5
The pattern came before the construction.
The image came before the building.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that manifestation follows vision.
JOHN SAW THE THRONE
John was not shown events first.
John was shown the throne first.
He saw the Lamb.
He saw the scroll.
He saw the administration of God.
Then he understood the events unfolding upon the earth.
The image came before the interpretation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that heaven explains earth.
Earth does not explain heaven.
PAUL SAW THE MARK
Paul continually spoke of pressing toward the mark.
No man presses toward a destination he cannot see.
The mark had been revealed.
The vision had been revealed.
The image had been revealed.
Therefore Paul pressed.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that vision creates pursuit.
BEHOLDING THE GLORY OF THE LORD
Paul reveals one of the greatest transformation principles in Scripture.
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image.”
— 2 Corinthians 3:18
Notice the order.
Beholding.
Then changing.
Vision.
Then transformation.
Image.
Then manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God changes His people by placing the image before them.
SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE
Paul writes:
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
— Colossians 3:2
Many believers spend their lives staring at earthly things.
Earthly problems.
Earthly fears.
Earthly systems.
Earthly conflicts.
Yet God continually calls His people upward.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that transformation comes through heavenly vision.
What a man continually beholds eventually shapes his life.
THE IMAGE OF CHRIST
The ultimate image is not a doctrine.
The ultimate image is not a system.
The ultimate image is Christ Himself.
Christ is the image of God.
Christ is the pattern.
Christ is the firstfruit.
Christ is the destination.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God places Christ before His people so they may be transformed into His likeness.
THE IMAGE OF THE AGE TO COME
Every age has an image.
The Law pointed toward Christ.
Christ pointed toward Pentecost.
Pentecost points toward fullness.
The present age contains within itself the image of what God is producing.
If God is producing maturity, the image must be seen.
If God is producing firstfruits, the image must be seen.
If God is producing overcomers, the image must be seen.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God always reveals the image before He reveals the manifestation.
WHY THE IMAGE MATTERS
If a flock continually beholds the wrong image, it moves toward the wrong destination.
If a people continually behold fear, they move toward fear.
If a people continually behold defeat, they move toward defeat.
If a people continually behold Christ, they move toward Christ.
God changes people by placing the right image before them.
The image creates expectation.
Expectation creates faith.
Faith creates pursuit.
Pursuit produces transformation.
THE PRESENT AGE REQUIRES A CLEAR IMAGE
This brings us back to our central question.
What is God producing in this age?
If God is producing a mature people…
If God is producing firstfruits…
If God is producing overcomers…
Then that image must be clearly set before the people.
The flock must see what God is producing.
The people must understand the purpose of the age.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually places the image before His people so they can move toward the purpose He has ordained.
The next question becomes:
Who are the overcomers that God is producing through the present age, and why are they so important to His purpose?
CHAPTER 8
THE OVERCOMERS OF REVELATION
One of the most important questions in the entire Plan of the Ages is this:
Why does the Book of Revelation place such great emphasis upon overcomers?
Again and again, the Spirit speaks to the churches.
Again and again, the same promise appears.
“To him that overcometh…”
This language is not accidental.
The repeated emphasis reveals purpose.
God is producing something through the present age.
The overcomers reveal what that purpose is.
THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCHES
The Book of Revelation begins with seven messages to seven churches.
These messages contain correction.
Instruction.
Encouragement.
Warning.
Promise.
Yet one theme appears repeatedly.
The overcomer.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the Spirit is not merely addressing churches.
He is revealing the objective of the age.
WHY OVERCOMING MATTERS
The existence of overcomers implies a process.
Growth.
Development.
Maturity.
Victory.
Overcoming is not the language of beginnings.
It is the language of development.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God is producing a people who move beyond infancy into maturity.
THE PROMISES TO THE OVERCOMERS
To the overcomers are given remarkable promises.
Access to the tree of life.
Authority over the nations.
A new name.
White raiment.
A place in the temple of God.
A seat with Christ in His throne.
These promises reveal destiny.
Purpose.
Calling.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the promises themselves point toward what God is producing.
THE OVERCOMERS REVEAL THE GOAL
Throughout Scripture God reveals the destination before the journey is complete.
The promises to the overcomers reveal the destination of the present age.
God is not merely producing converts.
He is not merely producing church members.
He is producing a mature people capable of fulfilling His purpose.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the overcomers are a picture of the goal toward which the age is moving.
CHRIST OVERCAME FIRST
Before there could be overcomers, Christ became the Overcomer.
He overcame sin.
He overcame temptation.
He overcame death.
He overcame the grave.
He overcame the world.
Every overcoming believer follows the pattern established by Christ.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that Christ is always the firstfruit before the larger company appears.
THE OVERCOMERS ARE A FIRSTFRUIT COMPANY
The principle of firstfruits appears once again.
God begins with a remnant.
A prepared people.
A mature people.
A firstfruit company.
The overcomers do not exist separate from the Firstfruits Principle.
They are part of it.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually begins with a smaller company before broader manifestations appear.
THE THRONE PROMISE
One promise stands above all the others.
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne.”
— Revelation 3:21
This promise reveals authority.
Government.
Administration.
Participation in the purpose of God.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that overcoming is connected to preparation for greater responsibility.
OVERCOMING REQUIRES MATURITY
Children inherit promises.
Mature sons administer them.
This distinction appears throughout Scripture.
The present age is filled with development.
Instruction.
Training.
Growth.
The Fivefold Ministry exists because maturity is required.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God is producing more than believers.
He is producing a mature people capable of carrying His purpose.
THE OVERCOMERS AND THE PRESENT AGE
Why are overcomers emphasized so strongly?
Because the present administration exists to produce them.
The Church is being perfected.
The saints are being instructed.
The Spirit is working.
The Word is transforming.
The process continues because God is producing an overcoming people.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that overcomers are not an accident.
They are part of the purpose.
THE OVERCOMERS AND THE KINGDOM
The promises reveal something greater than personal victory.
They reveal Kingdom purpose.
Authority.
Inheritance.
Participation.
Responsibility.
The overcomers become evidence that God’s work of preparation is reaching maturity.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God prepares a people before He entrusts greater administration to them.
THE OVERCOMERS ARE NOT THE END
This is an important truth.
The overcomers are not the final destination.
The overcomers reveal the success of the process.
They reveal that the purpose of the age is reaching fulfillment.
They reveal that the preparation is accomplishing its objective.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that overcomers are a sign that something greater is approaching.
THE AGE IS MOVING TOWARD A BIRTH
Throughout Scripture, maturity precedes manifestation.
Development precedes birth.
Preparation precedes fulfillment.
The overcomers represent the maturity of the process.
The next step is manifestation.
The next step is birth.
The next step is the fulfillment of what the age has been preparing.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the present administration is not merely producing overcomers.
It is moving toward a great transition.
THE QUESTION THAT REMAINS
If God is producing overcomers…
If God is perfecting a people…
If God is preparing a mature company…
Then why does creation still groan?
Why do the saints still groan?
Why does Scripture speak of travail?
The answer reveals that the entire age has been moving toward a birth.
The Travail of the Present Age.
CHAPTER 9
THE TRAVAIL OF THE PRESENT AGE
One of the most misunderstood realities in the Christian life is groaning.
Many believers assume that groaning is a sign of failure.
Others assume that groaning is evidence that God’s purpose has somehow stalled.
The Scriptures reveal something entirely different.
Groaning is the language of creation moving toward fulfillment.
Travail is the language of birth approaching manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the present age is not merely an age of ministry.
It is an age of preparation.
It is an age of development.
It is an age of travail.
THE WHOLE CREATION GROANS
Paul writes:
“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”
— Romans 8:22
Notice the scope.
Not merely believers.
Not merely the Church.
The whole creation.
Creation itself carries an expectation.
Creation itself is waiting.
Creation itself is reaching toward something that has not yet appeared in fullness.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that all creation is connected to the purpose of God.
THE SAINTS GROAN
Paul continues:
“And not only they, but ourselves also.”
— Romans 8:23
Even the redeemed groan.
Even those who possess the Spirit groan.
Even those who have received the Firstfruits groan.
Why?
Because possessing the beginning does not eliminate the expectation of fullness.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that Firstfruits create expectation for harvest.
PAUL GROANED
The Apostle Paul repeatedly speaks of longing.
Expectation.
Pressing.
Waiting.
Seeking.
He understood that God’s purpose was moving toward something greater than his present experience.
Though he possessed revelation and power, he still recognized that the process was not complete.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that maturity does not remove expectation.
Maturity often intensifies expectation.
THE FIRSTFRUITS CREATE HUNGER
A farmer who sees the firstfruit does not stop expecting the harvest.
The firstfruit increases anticipation.
The firstfruit confirms that the harvest is approaching.
Likewise, the Firstfruits of the Spirit create expectation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God gives the beginning as evidence of what He intends to complete.
TRAVAIL IS THE LANGUAGE OF BIRTH
Throughout Scripture, travail is connected to birth.
Expectation is connected to birth.
Preparation is connected to birth.
A mother travaileth because something is about to appear.
The pain is not the purpose.
The birth is the purpose.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God allows the travail because the travail serves the birth.
THE WOMAN OF REVELATION
The Book of Revelation presents a powerful image.
A woman.
Clothed with the sun.
Crowned with stars.
Travailing in birth.
The image is not random.
The image reveals process.
Development.
Expectation.
Manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God is showing the end of a long preparation.
THE ENTIRE AGE HAS BEEN MOVING TOWARD THIS MOMENT
The Law pointed forward.
The Prophets pointed forward.
Christ pointed forward.
Pentecost pointed forward.
The Fivefold Ministry points forward.
The Firstfruits point forward.
The Overcomers point forward.
Everything points toward manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the present administration is moving toward an appointed fulfillment.
GOD NEVER TRAVAILS WITHOUT PURPOSE
Travail is never meaningless in Scripture.
Every travail has purpose.
Every groaning has purpose.
Every expectation has purpose.
God is not producing frustration.
God is producing fulfillment.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that travail is evidence that purpose is advancing.
THE CHURCH AS A WOMB OF PREPARATION
A womb exists to bring forth life.
A womb exists to nurture development.
A womb exists to prepare for birth.
Likewise, the present age serves as a season of preparation.
The Church has been carrying something.
The Spirit has been developing something.
The Fivefold Ministry has been nurturing something.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the age itself functions as a womb preparing for manifestation.
CREATION AWAITS A REVELATION
Paul declares that creation waits.
Not for destruction.
Not for abandonment.
Not for failure.
Creation waits for revelation.
Manifestation.
Fulfillment.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that creation itself stands in expectation of what God is producing through the present age.
THE PURPOSE OF THE GROANING
Why does creation groan?
Why do the saints groan?
Why did Paul groan?
Because the purpose has not yet reached its visible fulfillment.
The groaning itself becomes evidence that something remains ahead.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that groaning is not the destination.
Groaning points toward manifestation.
TRAVAIL PRECEDES BIRTH
This principle appears throughout Scripture.
Travail comes first.
Birth comes second.
Expectation comes first.
Manifestation comes second.
Preparation comes first.
Fulfillment comes second.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually follows this pattern.
THE AGE IS APPROACHING ITS CLIMAX
The purpose of the present age is not endless preparation.
The purpose of the present age is fulfillment.
The purpose of the present age is manifestation.
The purpose of the present age is birth.
Everything we have examined so far points toward this reality.
The Firstfruits.
The Fivefold Ministry.
The Overcomers.
The Travail.
All of them point toward one great objective.
THE QUESTION THAT REMAINS
If the entire age has been travailing…
If creation is waiting…
If the saints are groaning…
If the overcomers represent maturity…
Then what is the birth that the age has been preparing for?
The answer brings us to the central manifestation toward which the entire process has been moving.
The Birth of the Man-Child.
CHAPTER 10
THE BIRTH OF THE MAN-CHILD
Throughout the Plan of the Ages, God continually reveals a pattern.
Preparation precedes manifestation.
Travail precedes birth.
Firstfruits precede harvest.
The image precedes fulfillment.
Everything we have examined so far points toward a single question:
What has the present age been producing?
The answer lies at the center of the entire process.
The Birth of the Man-Child.
THE AGE HAS BEEN MOVING TOWARD A BIRTH
The Law prepared for Christ.
Christ prepared for Pentecost.
Pentecost has been preparing for something greater than itself.
The Fivefold Ministry exists because something is being developed.
The Firstfruits exist because something is being prepared.
The Overcomers exist because something is reaching maturity.
The Travail exists because something is approaching manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the present administration has been moving toward a birth.
THE WOMAN REVEALS THE PROCESS
The Book of Revelation presents a remarkable picture.
A woman clothed with the sun.
A crown of stars.
Travailing in birth.
The image reveals more than an individual event.
It reveals an age-long process.
The woman represents preparation.
Development.
Formation.
Expectation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the woman carries within herself the purpose toward which the age is moving.
THE MAN-CHILD REVEALS THE OBJECTIVE
Every pregnancy exists for birth.
Every season of preparation exists for manifestation.
Every process exists for fulfillment.
Likewise, the travail of the present age exists because God is bringing forth something.
The man-child represents the objective of the process.
The fulfillment of preparation.
The manifestation of maturity.
The appearance of what God has been producing.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God never prepares without eventually revealing the fruit of His preparation.
THE FIRSTFRUITS REACH MATURITY
The firstfruits principle reaches a new level here.
The beginning has matured.
The seed has developed.
The preparation has accomplished its purpose.
The overcomers have reached maturity.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God begins with firstfruits and develops those firstfruits toward fullness.
PAUL’S PRESSING FINDS ITS CONTEXT
The language of Paul suddenly becomes clearer.
His pressing.
His groaning.
His longing.
His expectation.
His pursuit of the mark.
These were not random spiritual desires.
Paul understood that God was moving toward a manifestation.
He understood that the age itself had a purpose.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that Paul’s pursuit was connected to the fulfillment of God’s purpose within the present administration.
THE FIVEFOLD MINISTRY REACHES ITS GOAL
Why were apostles given?
Why were prophets given?
Why were evangelists, pastors, and teachers given?
For the perfecting of the saints.
But perfecting points toward a goal.
A destination.
A fulfillment.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the Fivefold Ministry exists because God is producing maturity.
The birth reveals the success of that process.
THE OVERCOMERS REACH THEIR APPOINTED PURPOSE
The promises to the overcomers reveal destiny.
Authority.
Inheritance.
Participation.
Responsibility.
The overcomers are not merely survivors.
They are the mature fruit of the age.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the overcoming process was preparing a people for something greater than overcoming itself.
CREATION’S EXPECTATION IS JUSTIFIED
Creation has groaned.
The saints have groaned.
The Spirit has groaned.
The entire creation has waited.
The birth reveals that the expectation was not in vain.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God never creates expectation without eventually providing fulfillment.
THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENT AGE STANDS REVEALED
At this point the purpose of the age becomes visible.
The reason for the Church.
The reason for the Fivefold Ministry.
The reason for the Firstfruits.
The reason for the Overcomers.
The reason for the Travail.
The reason for the Groaning.
Everything begins converging into one purpose.
God has been producing a mature people.
A prepared people.
A firstfruit people.
A people brought to maturity through the process of the age.
THE BIRTH IS NOT THE END
One of the greatest mistakes men make is assuming that birth is the final destination.
Birth is not the end.
Birth is a beginning.
A new administration begins.
A new phase of God’s purpose begins.
A new expression of His purpose begins.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that every fulfillment becomes the foundation for a greater fulfillment.
THE GREAT TRANSITION APPROACHES
Whenever God completes an administration, a transition occurs.
The Law gave way to Christ.
Christ gave way to Pentecost.
Preparation gives way to manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the birth stands at the threshold of a major transition in God’s purpose.
A hinge is approaching.
A turning point is approaching.
A transition between administrations is approaching.
THE QUESTION THAT REMAINS
If the birth reveals the fulfillment of Pentecost’s purpose…
If the mature fruit of the age has appeared…
If the process has reached its objective…
Then how does God reveal that a transition has occurred?
How does one administration give way to another?
How is the consummation of one age confirmed?
The answer is found in the great turning point of the Plan of the Ages.
The Hinge of the Ages.
CHAPTER 11
THE HINGE OF THE AGES
Throughout the Plan of the Ages, God continually moves creation from one administration to another.
The Patriarchal Age gave way to the Law.
The Law gave way to Christ.
Christ gave way to Pentecost.
Every major transition in Scripture contains a defining moment.
A hinge.
A turning point.
A place where one administration reaches its fulfillment and another administration begins.
The birth of the man-child reveals the fulfillment of the preparation.
The Hinge of the Ages reveals the transition that follows.
GOD ALWAYS WORKS THROUGH TRANSITIONS
The history of Scripture is a history of transitions.
Noah stood at a transition.
Moses stood at a transition.
Joshua stood at a transition.
John the Baptist stood at a transition.
The Apostles stood at a transition.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually moves His purpose from glory to glory and from age to age.
THE END OF ONE AGE BECOMES THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER
Every age contains within itself the seed of the next age.
The Law contained Christ.
Christ contained Pentecost.
Pentecost contains the purpose toward which it has been moving.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that fulfillment is not termination.
Fulfillment is transition.
Every completed purpose becomes the foundation for a greater purpose.
THE CONSUMMATION OF PENTECOST
Pentecost began with an outpouring.
Pentecost continued through development.
Pentecost advanced through perfecting.
Pentecost matured through the work of the Spirit.
The Fivefold Ministry labored.
The saints matured.
The overcomers appeared.
The travail continued.
Eventually the purpose of Pentecost reaches its appointed objective.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that every administration exists until it fulfills its purpose.
THE PURPOSE REVEALS THE TRANSITION
The transition cannot be understood apart from purpose.
When the purpose is fulfilled, transition becomes possible.
The Law transitioned because Christ fulfilled its purpose.
The earthly ministry of Christ transitioned because Pentecost fulfilled its purpose.
Likewise, the present administration reaches its transition when its purpose reaches maturity.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that purpose determines transition.
EVERY TRANSITION HAS A WITNESS
Throughout Scripture God never moves without first providing a witness.
Noah witnessed before the flood.
Moses witnessed before the Exodus.
John witnessed before Christ’s public ministry.
The Apostles witnessed before Pentecost spread throughout the earth.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually reveals His purpose before He manifests it.
The witness prepares the people.
The witness reveals the season.
The witness points toward what God is doing.
EVERY TRANSITION HAS A SIGN
God’s transitions are not merely theological.
They are not merely intellectual.
They are not merely doctrinal.
God confirms His purpose.
He confirms His word.
He confirms His administration.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that major transitions are accompanied by visible evidence that God is moving His purpose forward.
The sign does not create the transition.
The sign reveals the transition.
The sign bears witness to what God has accomplished.
THE KINGDOM IS NOT IN WORD ONLY
Paul declared:
“For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.”
— 1 Corinthians 4:20
The Kingdom cannot be reduced to speech.
The Kingdom cannot be reduced to theory.
The Kingdom cannot be reduced to discussion.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God eventually demonstrates what He has promised.
The power does not replace the word.
The power confirms the word.
The manifestation confirms the purpose.
THE PURPOSE OF THE SIGN
Many become fascinated with signs while forgetting purpose.
The sign is never the destination.
The sign points toward the destination.
The sign bears witness to the fulfillment.
The sign confirms that preparation has reached manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that signs serve purpose, not the other way around.
THE TRANSITION FROM PREPARATION TO MANIFESTATION
The present age has been characterized by preparation.
Teaching.
Training.
Perfecting.
Developing.
Growing.
Maturing.
The Hinge of the Ages marks the transition from preparation toward manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God does not prepare forever.
Eventually preparation fulfills its purpose.
THE AGE BEARS WITNESS TO ITS FULFILLMENT
When Pentecost began, there was a witness.
There was an outpouring.
There was evidence.
There was manifestation.
Likewise, when an administration reaches its objective, God provides confirmation that His purpose has reached fulfillment.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a God who continually bears witness to His own work.
THE HINGE CHANGES EVERYTHING
Once a hinge moves, the door opens.
Once a transition occurs, the administration changes.
Once preparation fulfills its purpose, manifestation begins.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the hinge is not merely a doctrinal concept.
It is the turning point between two administrations.
The turning point between preparation and fulfillment.
The turning point between process and manifestation.
THE FEASTS REVEAL THE HINGE
Passover revealed redemption.
Pentecost revealed formation.
Tabernacles reveals fullness.
The transition between Pentecost and Tabernacles represents one of the greatest turning points in the Plan of the Ages.
The hinge exists because one feast reaches fulfillment and another feast enters manifestation.
THE QUESTION THAT REMAINS
If the hinge reveals the transition…
If the sign confirms the fulfillment…
If the purpose of Pentecost has reached its objective…
Then what comes next?
What does the next administration look like?
What does the fulfillment of Tabernacles reveal?
What happens when the feast reaches its fullness?
The answer takes us to the next stage in the unfolding purpose of God.
When the Day of Tabernacles Fully Comes.
CHAPTER 12
WHEN THE DAY OF TABERNACLES FULLY COMES
Throughout the Plan of the Ages, God has continually moved creation toward fulfillment.
The Law moved toward Christ.
Christ moved toward Pentecost.
Pentecost moves toward Tabernacles.
Each administration carries within itself a purpose.
Each purpose moves toward completion.
Each completion becomes the foundation for a greater manifestation.
The Day of Tabernacles represents the fulfillment toward which the present age has been moving.
TABERNACLES IS THE FEAST OF FULLNESS
The three great feasts reveal the progressive unfolding of God’s purpose.
Passover reveals redemption.
Pentecost reveals formation.
Tabernacles reveals fullness.
Passover speaks of deliverance.
Pentecost speaks of preparation.
Tabernacles speaks of completion.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God never intended the process to remain forever incomplete.
The process moves toward fullness.
THE FEAST REVEALS THE DESTINATION
A feast is more than a historical observance.
A feast reveals purpose.
A feast reveals pattern.
A feast reveals destination.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that the Feast of Tabernacles stands as a picture of the fulfillment toward which the previous administrations have been moving.
The feast reveals completion.
The feast reveals maturity.
The feast reveals manifestation.
THE PURPOSE OF PENTECOST STANDS REVEALED
Many questions that appear throughout the present age suddenly find their answer.
Why the Church?
Why the Fivefold Ministry?
Why the Overcomers?
Why the Travail?
Why the Groaning?
Why the Pressing?
Why the Preparation?
The purpose becomes clear.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that Pentecost existed to prepare a people for fulfillment.
The preparation was never the destination.
The preparation pointed toward manifestation.
THE HARVEST REACHES MATURITY
Throughout Scripture, harvest follows development.
Seedtime precedes harvest.
Growth precedes harvest.
Maturity precedes harvest.
The same principle appears within the purpose of God.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God develops what He plants until it reaches maturity.
Tabernacles reveals the season of fulfillment.
THE IMAGE BECOMES MANIFESTATION
The image has been seen.
The vision has been declared.
The purpose has been revealed.
The pattern has been established.
Now the manifestation appears.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually reveals the image before He reveals the fulfillment.
Tabernacles represents the fulfillment of what has long been seen by faith.
THE GROANING FINDS ITS ANSWER
Creation has groaned.
The saints have groaned.
The Spirit has groaned.
The expectation has continued through generations.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that expectation is not endless.
Purpose moves toward fulfillment.
Travail moves toward birth.
Preparation moves toward manifestation.
The groaning finds its answer in fulfillment.
THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST
Paul continually spoke of fullness.
The measure of the stature of Christ.
The perfect man.
The fullness of Him that filleth all in all.
These themes reveal destination.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God is moving His people toward the fullness of Christ.
Not merely a beginning.
Not merely a seed.
Not merely a firstfruit.
But fullness.
THE KINGDOM ADVANCES
Every administration expands the revelation of God’s Kingdom.
The Kingdom revealed through the Law.
The Kingdom revealed through Christ.
The Kingdom revealed through Pentecost.
The Kingdom revealed through fulfillment.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a Kingdom continually advancing toward the accomplishment of God’s purpose.
THE PURPOSE OF THE AGE HAS BEEN FULFILLED
Every administration exists until it fulfills its assignment.
The Law fulfilled its purpose.
Christ fulfilled His earthly mission.
Pentecost fulfills its purpose when the objective for which it was created reaches maturity.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God completes what He begins.
Nothing is abandoned.
Nothing is unfinished.
Everything moves according to purpose.
A NEW ADMINISTRATION BEGINS
One of the great principles of Scripture is this:
Fulfillment creates transition.
When one purpose reaches completion, another administration unfolds.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that fulfillment is not an ending.
Fulfillment becomes the doorway to a greater expression of God’s purpose.
The completion of one administration opens the door to the next.
FROM FIRSTFRUITS TO FULLNESS
The language of the present age has been the language of Firstfruits.
Remnant.
Preparation.
Development.
Overcoming.
Maturity.
Now the emphasis begins expanding.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a movement from Firstfruits toward fullness.
From preparation toward manifestation.
From development toward administration.
THE PURPOSE OF TABERNACLES
Tabernacles reveals more than fulfillment.
It reveals habitation.
God dwelling with His people.
God expressing His purpose.
God revealing His nature.
God manifesting His life.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a God who continually moves toward greater expression of His purpose within creation.
THE QUESTION THAT REMAINS
If Tabernacles reveals fulfillment…
If the purpose of Pentecost has reached maturity…
If the preparation has accomplished its objective…
Then what comes next?
What becomes the purpose of the next administration?
What happens after the birth?
What happens after fulfillment?
The answer reveals the broader purpose toward which God has been moving from the very beginning.
What Comes After the Birth?
CHAPTER 13
WHAT COMES AFTER THE BIRTH?
One of the greatest mistakes believers make is assuming that the birth is the final destination.
Birth is not the end.
Birth is the beginning of a new administration.
Throughout the Plan of the Ages, every fulfillment becomes the foundation for a greater fulfillment.
Every completed purpose becomes the starting point for a broader purpose.
The birth of the man-child reveals the fulfillment of the present administration.
The question now becomes:
What comes after the birth?
GOD ALWAYS THINKS BIGGER THAN MAN
Man often focuses upon the immediate.
God sees the whole picture.
Man sees the seed.
God sees the harvest.
Man sees the beginning.
God sees the completion.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God has always been moving toward something far greater than a single administration.
Every age serves the larger purpose.
THE FIRSTFRUITS WERE NEVER THE FINAL HARVEST
Throughout Scripture, firstfruits always point toward something larger.
The firstfruit announces the harvest.
The firstfruit reveals the harvest.
The firstfruit guarantees the harvest.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that firstfruits exist because God intends to accomplish something greater than the beginning.
The firstfruits are precious.
The firstfruits are necessary.
The firstfruits are God’s pattern.
Yet the firstfruits are not the final objective.
THE PURPOSE OF THE REMNANT
God has always worked through a remnant.
Noah.
Abraham.
Joseph.
David.
Elijah.
The Apostles.
The Overcomers.
The remnant serves a purpose.
The remnant becomes a witness.
The remnant becomes a firstfruit.
The remnant becomes a pattern.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God begins with a remnant in order to reach something larger.
THE PURPOSE EXPANDS
When the purpose of preparation reaches fulfillment, the focus broadens.
The emphasis shifts.
The administration expands.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God’s purpose continually widens as His work advances.
What began with a remnant moves toward a harvest.
What began with firstfruits moves toward fullness.
THE GATHERING OF ALL THINGS
Paul reveals one of the greatest statements in all of Scripture.
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ.”
— Ephesians 1:10
Notice the language.
All things.
Not some things.
Not a few things.
All things.
The Plan of the Ages has always been moving toward this glorious objective.
The gathering together of all things in Christ.
THE FULLNESS OF THE DISPENSATION OF TIMES
Throughout the ages, God has unfolded His purpose step by step.
The Law.
Christ.
Pentecost.
Preparation.
Firstfruits.
Overcomers.
Manifestation.
Each stage serves the larger objective.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that every administration contributes to the fullness of God’s purpose.
THE RECONCILIATION OF ALL THINGS
Paul writes:
“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself.”
— Colossians 1:20
Again the language appears.
All things.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a God whose purpose continually moves toward reconciliation, restoration, and harmony.
The cross reaches farther than men often imagine.
The purpose reaches farther than men often imagine.
The plan reaches farther than men often imagine.
THE KINGDOM CONTINUES TO INCREASE
Isaiah declares:
“Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.”
— Isaiah 9:7
Notice the language.
Increase.
Expansion.
Growth.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God’s Kingdom is not shrinking.
It is increasing.
It is advancing.
It is accomplishing its purpose.
The fulfillment of one administration becomes the foundation for greater increase.
THE EARTH FILLED WITH HIS GLORY
The prophets repeatedly saw a glorious future.
“The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD.”
— Habakkuk 2:14
The vision extends beyond a remnant.
Beyond a firstfruit.
Beyond a beginning.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a God whose purpose ultimately reaches the creation He has made.
GOD ALL IN ALL
Paul reveals the ultimate horizon of God’s purpose.
“That God may be all in all.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:28
This statement stands as one of the greatest declarations in Scripture.
The Plan of the Ages begins with God.
The Plan of the Ages ends with God.
Everything moves toward the fulfillment of His purpose.
Everything moves toward the manifestation of His life.
Everything moves toward the revelation of His glory.
THE BIRTH OPENS THE NEXT PHASE
The birth is not the ending.
The birth is the doorway.
The fulfillment of preparation opens the next phase of God’s purpose.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that every fulfilled objective becomes the foundation for a greater objective.
The remnant prepares the harvest.
The firstfruits prepare the fullness.
The beginning prepares the completion.
THE PURPOSE OF THE AGES STANDS REVEALED
At this point the central question of this book can finally be answered.
What is God producing in this age?
God is producing a mature people.
A prepared people.
A firstfruit people.
An overcoming people.
Why is He producing them?
Because they serve the larger purpose of His eternal plan.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God is preparing a people through whom He advances the next stage of His purpose.
THE GLORY OF THE PLAN
From Genesis to Revelation, one truth remains constant.
God never loses sight of His purpose.
Every age serves His purpose.
Every administration serves His purpose.
Every promise serves His purpose.
Every fulfillment serves His purpose.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a God who is steadily, wisely, and faithfully bringing creation toward the fulfillment of His eternal intention.
The story is not ending.
The story is advancing.
The purpose is not failing.
The purpose is unfolding.
The plan is not uncertain.
The plan is being fulfilled.
CONCLUSION
PREPARING FOR WHAT GOD IS READY TO DO
Throughout this book we have asked one simple question:
What is God producing in this age, and why is He producing it?
The answer has taken us on a journey through the entire Plan of the Ages.
We have examined the purpose of the Law.
The purpose of Christ’s earthly ministry.
The purpose of Pentecost.
The purpose of the Church.
The purpose of the Fivefold Ministry.
The purpose of the Firstfruits.
The purpose of the Overcomers.
The purpose of the Travail.
The purpose of the Birth.
The purpose of the Transition.
The purpose of Tabernacles.
And through every chapter, one truth has become increasingly clear.
God is not moving randomly.
God is moving according to purpose.
GOD ALWAYS REVEALS BEFORE HE MANIFESTS
One of the great principles revealed throughout Scripture is that God reveals what He is about to do before He does it.
Noah received warning before the flood.
Abraham received promise before the nation.
Joseph received dreams before the fulfillment.
Moses received the pattern before the tabernacle.
John saw the throne before the unfolding of Revelation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God continually prepares His people by showing them His purpose before it appears in manifestation.
THE PURPOSE OF PRESENT TRUTH
Every generation must understand what God is doing in its own time.
Many understand what God did.
Many speculate about what God might do.
Few understand what God is doing.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that spiritual maturity includes recognizing the present work of God.
The purpose of present truth is not merely information.
The purpose of present truth is preparation.
God reveals the season so His people can cooperate with His purpose.
THE IMAGE MUST BE SET BEFORE THE PEOPLE
Jacob placed the image before the flock.
Abraham saw the stars.
Moses saw the pattern.
Paul saw the mark.
John saw the throne.
The image always comes before the manifestation.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that people move toward what they continually behold.
As the image becomes clearer, expectation grows.
As expectation grows, faith responds.
As faith responds, transformation occurs.
SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE
The Apostle Paul instructed believers:
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
— Colossians 3:2
Many spend their lives focused upon earthly systems.
Earthly fears.
Earthly conflicts.
Earthly distractions.
Yet the purpose of God is revealed from above.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that heavenly vision produces earthly transformation.
The people who understand God’s purpose are not controlled by earthly confusion.
They are governed by heavenly vision.
GOD IS PREPARING A PEOPLE
Throughout the present administration, God has been working patiently and faithfully.
The Spirit has been working.
The Word has been working.
The Fivefold Ministry has been working.
The process has been working.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that God has been producing a mature people.
An overcoming people.
A prepared people.
A firstfruit people.
A people capable of carrying His purpose forward.
THE QUESTION HAS BEEN ANSWERED
What is God producing in this age?
He is producing a mature and overcoming people.
Why is He producing them?
Because every age prepares the way for the next age.
Because every administration serves a greater purpose.
Because firstfruits prepare the way for fullness.
Because preparation prepares the way for manifestation.
Because God is moving His creation toward the fulfillment of His eternal purpose.
The Plan of the Ages reveals that nothing has been wasted.
Every lesson.
Every trial.
Every victory.
Every season.
Every administration.
Every age.
All of it serves the purpose of God.
PREPARING FOR WHAT GOD IS READY TO DO
The purpose of this book is not merely to teach doctrine.
The purpose of this book is to reveal purpose.
When men understand what God is doing, they can cooperate with Him.
When men understand the season, they can prepare for the season.
When men understand the purpose, they can align themselves with the purpose.
The Plan of the Ages reveals a God who continually moves creation toward fulfillment.
The wise servant watches.
The faithful servant prepares.
The overcoming servant cooperates.
The mature servant understands.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE AGES
From Genesis to Revelation, one testimony remains unchanged:
God finishes what He begins.
The Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world continues unfolding the purpose written within the eternal counsel of God.
The Spirit continues working.
The Kingdom continues advancing.
The purpose continues unfolding.
The Plan of the Ages continues moving toward its appointed fulfillment.
A FINAL EXHORTATION
Lift up your eyes.
Look beyond the confusion of the moment.
Look beyond the distractions of the age.
Look beyond earthly systems and earthly fears.
Come up higher.
See the throne.
See the Lamb.
See the purpose.
See the plan.
Understand what God is producing.
Understand why He is producing it.
And become a willing participant in the unfolding purpose of God.
For the Plan of the Ages is not a story of uncertainty.
It is the revelation of a God who knows the end from the beginning and who is faithfully bringing all things toward the fulfillment of His eternal purpose.
To Him be glory in the Church, throughout all ages, world without end.
Amen.
