God is in heaven: “…his holy dwelling in heaven.” 2 Chronicles 30:27. Revelation 4:2, “I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.”
If God is far from earth in heaven, does He know what is happening here? Yes. Even before the earth was created, He knew man would sin and He made a plan to redeem man. (1 Peter 1:19-20) God declares “the end from the beginning, and from long ago what is not yet done, saying: my plan will take place,” (Isaiah 46:10, CSB)
God has an ultimate purpose, and He is actively working towards that goal. What is His purpose? “He made known to us the secret of His will. And this is in harmony with God’s merciful purpose for the government of the world when the times are ripe for it–the purpose which He has cherished in His own mind of restoring the whole creation to find its one Head in Christ; yes, things in Heaven and things on earth, to find their one Head in Him.” (Ephesians 1:9,10 Weymouth)
At the right time, 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son to be our redeemer. “When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son”, Galatians 4:4. Since that time, God has been selecting “a people for his name (the Church).” (Acts 15:14 NKJV)
God is presently preparing mankind to realize their need of Him. Evil needs to seen for what it is. “I will punish the world for their evil,…and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. (The end result is) I will make a man more precious than fine gold.” Isaiah 13:11, 12. When mankind has experienced the bitter fruitage of their evil, selfish ways, they will be humbled and turn to God. Then the time will be ripe.
Then it will be the right time for when the “rest of mankind may seek the Lord.” (Acts 15:17, NKJV) The rest of the billions of mankind are those who lived before Christ; those who have never heard; or those who never received salvation. All who will thirst for righteousness will hear: “the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely,” Revelation 22:17. (Sadly, some will oppose Christ and His righteous reign. Those will die the second death and cease to exist.)
After the willing of mankind are restored, then “the end will come, when he (Jesus) hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.” 1 Corinthians 15:24 (NIV).
God in heaven will receive mankind back into harmony with Himself. Then “when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:28 (NKJV)
