Spiritual Blessings for New Jerusalem (7)
Ephesians 1:3 tells us that God the Father “has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ.” Verses 4 to 14 describe these blessings. Because they all result in the praise of God’s glory, and because God’s glory is manifested in New Jerusalem, these blessings point toward and prepare the way for New Jerusalem.
Ephesians 1:14 says that the Holy Spirit “is the pledge of our inheritance unto the redemption of the acquired possession.” The pledge is the guarantee, keeping us for God “unto the redemption.” The redemption here is not the forgiveness of sins in verse 7 but is the redemption of our mortal body, as in Romans 8:23.
Philippians 3:21 says that our Lord Jesus Christ “will transfigure the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of His glory.” Here also the blessings in Ephesians 1 (in this case the redemption of the acquired possession) conclude with glory, thus corresponding with New Jerusalem.
The blessings in Ephesians 1 are in three sections, the doings of the three of the Triune God. The first, verses 4 to 6, is of God the Father, and concludes
to the praise of the glory of His grace
The second section, verses 7 to 12, begins with the Son’s redemption and concludes
to the praise of His glory
The third section, verses 13 to 14, is about the Spirit’s work in us and concludes
to the praise of His glory
These spiritual blessings of the Triune God go from eternity before creation, through the present age, to eternity of the new creation with New Jerusalem, the city
having the glory of God
Praise our wonderful God, “who works all things according to the counsel of His will.”
Prior posts focused on Ephesians 1:3-4, 1:5-6, 1:7-9a, 1:9b-10, 1:11-12, and 1:13-14a.
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