In Ephesians 1, the apostle Paul addressed the God of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Father of glory. On behalf of all the believers, which includes you and me today, Paul asked for wisdom and knowledge because God’s plans are so wonderful and great, and also in view of the world to come.

Later in his epistle, the apostle bowed his knees to ask that the believers be strengthened with power by Christ’s Spirit in the inner man. His objective was, and still is, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (3:17). For what purpose? “That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (vv. 17–19). Amazing!

Concerning God’s plans for Israel and the nations, we read that they are “from the foundation of the world,” an expression which occurs seven times (Mt. 13:35; 25:34; Lk. 11:50; Heb. 4:3; 9:26; Rev. 13:8; 17:8). However, God’s thoughts for Christ and the Church have been in His heart from before the foundation of the world (Jn. 17:24; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:20). In other words, these plans were in God’s heart before anything besides Him existed. This implies that our God thought of the Assembly before thinking of Israel or making plans for this world. It also means that the Father and the Son knew about the need of a sacrifice, long before Adam and Eve fell into sin. The eternal Son, in fellowship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, was willing to be that Sacrifice. He said, “Behold, I have come … I delight to do Your will, O My God” (Ps. 40:7–8). How amazing, how wonderful!