Restoration from Genesis to Revelation

[Extol]

whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
Acts 3:21

Restoration of all things is probably my favorite term for God's plan. It is more specific than "universal salvation" or "salvation of all" because it implies the sinner must be restored; there is not a free ticket for all straight to heaven, as some believe. Universal reconciliation gets closer to this idea than universal salvation, but it's such a mouthful (10 syllables in two words!) and the abbreviation "UR" is rather awkward. I also prefer restoration of all because it is a scriptural term.

Two months ago I started to go through the Old Testament books of prophesy to find where this idea was foretold "by the mouth of all His holy prophets." It was such an invigorating exercise that I kept going through the whole Bible, which is something I've wanted to do for awhile anyway. So here is a list, from Genesis to Revelation, of verses which tell of God's great plan for humanity. 

Several of the verses do not specifically mention the salvation of all, but can be explained with cross references. For example, the 1 Samuel listing says the Lord will judge the whole earth, and we know from Isa. 26:9 and Rev. 15:4 that judgment brings restoration. Other verses (Exodus, Joshua, Judges, Ruth) are in parable form and explained by other Scriptures. (I did not write these out but did cite the cross references; I encourage you to look them up as you read the list.) But many are bold declarations of the plan of God, plainly stated for all to see.

I hoped to find a verse from all 66 books, but could not find one in Esther (famous as the only book that doesn't mention God); the tiny books of Philemon, 2 John, and 3 John; or strangely, neither of Paul's letters to the Thessalonians. There may be some verses in these books which point to universal salvation (like 1 Thess. 1:5), that might fit with a crowbar, as Ray would say; but I didn't want to twist things too much. 

Obviously, there are many more restoration verses than are on this list. I wanted to keep it simple and do one from each book, to show that it is not merely a Pauline or New Testament concept. Psalms and Isaiah had too many good ones so I included several from each of those books.

Genesis 12:3  And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.

Exodus 22:5  If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed, and lets loose his animal, and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard. (cf. Gen. 3:1, Matt. 13:38)

Leviticus 25:10  And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family.

Numbers 14:21  but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

Deuteronomy 33:2-3  And He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand Came a fiery law for them. Yes, He loves the people; All His saints are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet; Everyone receives Your words.

Joshua 6:19  But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.(cf Dan. 2, Hag. 2:8-9)

Judges 7:16 -18  Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, 'For the Lord and for Gideon.'" (cf. 1 Cor. 15:52, 2 Cor. 4:6-7)

Ruth 4:5 Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance." (cf. Matt. 13:38,44)

1 Sam. 2:10 The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. (cf. Isa 26:9)

2 Sam. 22:15  He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them. (cf Ps. 127:4, Job 37:5, Ex. 19:16, Rev. 4:5, Zech. 9:14)

1 Kings 8:60  that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other.

2 Kings 4:40-41  The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, "Man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it. Elisha said, "Get some flour." He put it into the pot and said, "Serve it to the people to eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot. (cf. 4:42, John 6:9, 12)

1 Chr. 16: 23, 24, 31  Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples...Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; and let them say among the nations, 'The LORD reigns.'

2 Chr. 6:33 then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.

Ezra 6:5  Also let the gold and silver utensils of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be returned and brought to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall put them in the house of God.' (cf. Dan. 2, Hag. 2:8-9)

Neh. 9:6 (CLV) You [are] He, O Yahweh, Yourself--You have made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens, and all their host, the earth and all that [are] on it, the seas and all that [are] in them, and You are keeping all of them alive, and the host of the heavens to You are bowing themselves.

Job 14:7, 14  For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease. ... If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. (cf. Mark 8:24)

Ps. 67 (whole Psalm)

1 God be merciful to us and bless us,
And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah
2 That Your way may be known on earth,
Your salvation among all nations.

3 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
4 Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!
For You shall judge the people righteously,
And govern the nations on earth. Selah

5 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
6 Then the earth shall yield her increase;
God, our own God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us,
And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

72:11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him.

72:17 His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed.

72:19  And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.

86:9  All nations whom You have made Shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And shall glorify Your name.

Prov. 3:11-12  My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Ecc. 12:14  For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. (cf. Isa 26:9).

Song of Songs 8:6-7 (CLV) Place me like a seal upon your heart, Like a seal upon your arm, For love is strong as death, Its jealousy hard as the unseen, Its burning coals as burning coals of fire, The blaze of Yah. Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can streams overwhelm it. If a man should give all the wealth of his house for love, People would despise, yea despise it.

Isa. 2:2-4

2 In the last days

the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established
    as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
    and all nations will stream to it.

3 Many peoples will come and say,

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
    so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
    the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He will judge between the nations
    and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
    and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
    nor will they train for war anymore.

6:3 Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!

25:7-8 And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, Even the veil which is stretched over all nations. He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.

26:9 With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

45:22-23  Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.

Jer. 31:34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."

Ezek. 39:21  I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them.

Dan. 7:14 (KJV)  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Hos. 2:18-20 (NIV)  In that day I will make a covenant for them
    with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky
    and the creatures that move along the ground.
Bow and sword and battle
    I will abolish from the land,
    so that all may lie down in safety.
19 I will betroth you to me forever;
    I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,
    in love and compassion.
20 I will betroth you in faithfulness,
    and you will acknowledge the Lord.

Joel 3:11-12

Assemble and come, all you nations,
And gather together all around.
Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O Lord.
"Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.

Amos 9:11-12  In that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David, And wall up its breaches; I will also raise up its ruins And rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of Edom And all the nations who are called by My name," Declares the LORD who does this.

Obadiah 21 Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion To judge the mountains of Esau, And the kingdom shall be the LORD's.

Jonah 3:5  Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.

Micah 7:18-20 (NIV)

18 Who is a God like you,
    who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
    of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
    but delight to show mercy.
19 You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
20 You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors
    in days long ago.

Nahum 1:15  Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off.

Hab. 2:14  For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Zeph. 3:16-20 (NIV)

16 On that day
    they will say to Jerusalem,
"Do not fear, Zion;
    do not let your hands hang limp.
17 The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing."

18 "I will remove from you
    all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,
    which is a burden and reproach for you.
19 At that time I will deal
    with all who oppressed you.
I will rescue the lame;
    I will gather the exiles.
I will give them praise and honor
    in every land where they have suffered shame.
20 At that time I will gather you;
    at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise
    among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes
    before your very eyes,"
says the Lord.

Hag. 2:7-9 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the LORD of hosts. 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the LORD of hosts. 'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the LORD of hosts."

Zech. 14:9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.

Mal. 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations," says the LORD of hosts.

Matt. 13:33 (KJV)  Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

Mark: 10:26-27  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."

Luke 2:10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people."

John 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Acts 3:21  whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Rom. 11:32,36  For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all...For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

1 Cor. 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

2 Cor. 5:18-19  Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Gal. 3:8  And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."

Eph 1:10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

Phil. 2:10-11  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Col. 1:20  and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

1 Tim. 2:3-4  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

2 Tim. 1:10  but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel

Titus 2:11  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men

Heb. 2:17  Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

James 1:18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures

1 Peter 3:18  For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit

2 Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

1 John 2:2  And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Jude 14-15  Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." (cf. Isa. 26:9)

Rev. 5:13  And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!"

Rev. 15:4  Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested."

[HoneyLamb56]

Thank you Extol for all those references.  One reference I do not understand and would value your clarification..... Deuteronomy 33:2-3  And He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand Came a fiery law for them. Yes, He loves the people; All His saints are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet; Everyone receives Your words.

This is a blessing that Moses blessed the children of Israel before his death.  Beginning of Deut 33:2 "and he said: The Lord CAME from Sinai, and dawned on them from Seir, He shone forth from Mount Paran and He CAME....."

It sounds to me like this had already happened and not of the future; and when it references the ten thousand saints....is this a mistranslation? as there wouldn't be any saints with Him yet until resurrection

[Musterseed]

Excellent Jessie
Thank you very much,and God Bless You.

In Christ
Pamela

[Musterseed]

HoneyLamb56, Deut. 33:2-3 led me to

Dan.7:10.... a stream of fire issued and came out before Him. a thousand thousands served Him
and ten thousand times ten thousands stood before Him. The court sat in judgement and the books
were opened.

Rev.20:12— and I saw the dead great and small standing before the throne and books were opened.
Then another book was opened , which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books according to what they had done.

Deut.33:3— Yes He loved His people, all His holy ones were in His hand so they followed in your steps
receiving direction from you.

Using e-Sword, I found these.

John 10:27_29,  Rom.8:35 & Rom. 8:38–39

Maybe some really awesome brother or sister can clarify these cause I'm just learning to find
references, and need help, please. Thank you.

In Christ💕

[Extol]

Thank you Extol for all those references.  One reference I do not understand and would value your clarification..... Deuteronomy 33:2-3  And He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand Came a fiery law for them. Yes, He loves the people; All His saints are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet; Everyone receives Your words.

This is a blessing that Moses blessed the children of Israel before his death.  Beginning of Deut 33:2 "and he said: The Lord CAME from Sinai, and dawned on them from Seir, He shone forth from Mount Paran and He CAME....."

It sounds to me like this had already happened and not of the future; and when it references the ten thousand saints....is this a mistranslation? as there wouldn't be any saints with Him yet until resurrection

The key phrase that points to salvation is fiery law. Is not My word like a fire? says the LORD(Jer. 23:29)

Notice immediately after fiery law, it says Yes, He loves the people. That is why there is judgment; that is why there is the Lake of Fire, because He loves the people. Here is what the fiery law of God does for the people, from one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 19. This is the Concordant Literal Version:

7 The law of Yahweh is flawless, restoring the soul; The testimony of Yahweh is faithful, making wise the simple;
8 The precepts of Yahweh are upright, rejoicing the heart; The instruction of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of Yahweh is clean, standing unto the future; The judgments of Yahweh are truth; they are righteous altogether

Saints is literally "holy ones" and I believe refers to angels. Acts 7:53 says you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it

And Galatians 3:19: Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.

That being said, I also believe it is prophetic of the Kingdom Age, when Christ shall come with His saints, who will rule and reign (Rev. 5:10) and administer the fiery law to the nations.

[ozfan]

Excellent, Jesse. Thank you for sharing. 

[indianabob]

Hi Jesse,
Appreciate your helpful input on these questions.
thanks for all that you do for our enlightenment.
Indiana Bob

[waterfall77]

Thank you for the verses.
With all the hate going on , it is very comforting to think on the restoration of all things.

[HoneyLamb56]

Thank you Extol for clarifying that verse for me; it's amazing how we forget some things we learn  but have BT forum for our edification to relearn and bring to remembrance those things we've forgotten!

Thank you also Musterseed for those verses to help my understanding.

Diane