"Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me."  [Exodus 20: 5-6]. 

"The Faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandements to a thousand generations." [Deuteronomy 7:9].

          Both of these passages are blended together in Exodus 34:6- 7, Rotherham translation. "God of compassion and favour― slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and faithfulness: keeping lovingkindness to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, though He leave not utterly unpunished. visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon sons and upon son's sons, unto a third and unto a fourth generation."
          Then the footnote reads: "God does not clear off the sin at once, but settles gradually within three or four generations; lest the individual, crushed by the weight of the punishments, perish. And this is indeed an ACT OF DIVINE MERCY! But the sons to the third or fourth generation can the more bear apart of the guilt, AS THE BLESSING OF A THOUSAND, that is, innumerable generations is promised to them, so that this circumstance also is a TESTIMONY OF THE LOVE OF GOD." unquote.
          In the tremendous prayer and confession found in Nehemiah, they confessed that their fathers "dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to Thy commandments, and refused to obey. . ." yet, they went on, "but Thou art a God READY TO PARDON, gracious and merciful, and forsookest them not…" Even after years of forbearing them, finally when He gave them "into the hand of the people of the lands, NEVERTHELESS FOR THY GREAT MERCIES' SAKE THOU DIDST NOT UTTERLY CONSUME THEM, NOR FORSAKE THEM; for Thou art a gracious and merciful God." [Nehemiah 9:16-17, 30-31].
          Chastenings must come, corrections must be made, and He will not "leave utterly unpunished," but the Psalmist well knew that "He hath not dealt with us after our sins," nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him." [Psalm 103:10-11]. In wrath He remembers mercy, and knowing full well our frame, that we are but dust, He corrects with such love and mercy, we are redeemed.
          "Who is God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity; and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, BECAUSE HE DELIGHTETH IN MERCY." [Micah 7:18].
          "For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, ONLY THAT HE MAY HAVE MERCY ON THEM ALL." [Romans 11:32, Amplified].
        In His tremendous "purpose of the ages," God has caused all men to come under the cloak of unbelief, to where man walks in rebellion, contrary to truth and righteousness, and for this waywardness man must learn the price of disobeying, and face the wrath of God. But this entire process is, as it were, for a moment, and then in turn He will have mercy upon all creation. Even when it comes to the severity of His judgments, we find that there is hope― for the advancement into correction is that Mercy might be dealt to each rebellious one, as they learn the folly of their self-will, and turn to accept the free gift of the grace and mercy of our loving Saviour."
          We do well to consider Matthew 25:46, in this connection, when we read, "These shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
          Both the words "everlasting" and "eternal" are from the Greek word "aionian" which is an adjective derived from the noun AION, meaning AN AGE. It is a limited duration of time. In fact, if an age were unending, eternal, it would then be impossible to have a plural of ages. There could be no succession of the ages if the first one was eternal, without end. But this Greek word is often used in the plural, signifying several ages, one after another. That there is an AGE OF PUNISHMENT becomes clear, for God has "appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance to all men, in that He hath raised  Him from the dead." [ Acts 17:31].
          Might we also point out, "eternal life" is not, as supposed, a life without an end, but rather, it bespeaks of LIFE THAT LASTS AS LONG AS TIME LASTS. He does impart to us the life of the ages, or, aionian, age-during life. Once the ages have run their course, and His purpose is gloriously consummated, and all shall return to the Father, that "God may be all in all," [1 Corinthians 15:28], it becomes self-evident that all is secure; all shall be filled with His life. Thus, the real question is, DO WE HAVE HIS LIFE IN US NOW, life that shall carry us through the coming ages, or, will we miss out on certain ages because we have not yet received that fulness of life?
          There are those who do not immediately enter into His life, in the next age, but rather they will go into aionian punishment. We note this word "punishment" from the Greek "kolasis" meaning "RESTRAINT." It is the same word as is used in 1 John 4: 18, "fear hath torment, i.e. restraint." We need not give lengthy illustrations again on how fear causes a restraint. If you are afraid of the dark, you do not venture away from the light. If you are afraid to walk the streets in the evening, because of rampant crime, you are restrained and kept indoors where you feel safer.  Now, God has reserved a time for RESTRAINT, a time of shortening the rope, tightening the screws, when His corrections will be administered to those who have rebelled against Him. And then, for sure, it will be discovered, "though I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there" [Psalm 139:8], and man will have to face up to his waywardness, and being fully purged and disciplined, responding to the love of Christ, receive of His life, to advance from the realm of correction into realms of glory and victory.
          Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. ― Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." [John 5:25, 28-29].
          Resurrection― from the Greek, "anastasis," meaning: A STANDING or rising up. It signifies the PROCESS OF ADVANCING. When He speaks, ALL are going to hear His voice, and all that hear shall come forth― to what? Those who have done good will advance into more of His life. Those who have done evil will advance into damnation. So again we note this word "damnation" from the Greek word "krisis," which literally means― JUDGMENT, that Divine correction resulting in purification and restoration.
          To go into judgment is AN ADVANCEMENT, for it means that we are leaving a state of corruption and iniquity, to be PURGED AND CLEANSED until we shall be prepared to receive of His love and His life. Judgment is not an end in itself, it is a means to an end, for it bespeaks of that correction, however severe, even if necessary to be BY FIRE, but with a view to the ultimate result of our full restoration into the life of God.
          Now, whatever the "leave not utterly unpunished," as God spoke through Moses, or, whatever the "little wrath for a moment," which God spoke through Isaiah, whatever this entails, we observe― still HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER: He pardons, and He restores.
          "Therefore wait ye upon Me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for My determination to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, all my fierce anger: for all the earth shalt be devoured with the fire of My jealousy. FOR THEN will I turn to the people a pure language, THAT THEY MAY ALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD, to serve Him with one consent." [Zephaniah 3:8-9].
          In the time of the chastenings and disciplinary measures of our God, THEN will He turn to the people a pure language, enabling them to call upon the Lord. So thoroughly will they have been CHANGED BY HIS  GRACE, they will serve Him with one consent― universally, whole-heartedly, willing to do and BE HIS WILL. And surely, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." [Romans 10:13]. When the fiery processes have purged out the confused tongue of the flesh, of self, of the world, they will speak a language whereby they draw nigh unto God, and He unto them― to call, and be saved!
          Saved― Greek, sozo, meaning: be made whole, sound. This is more than just the initial experience of our salvation, when we  first acknowledge Him as Saviour, and receive of the seed of His life into our hearts. This bespeaks the totality of change until we are partakers of His divine nature, fully conformed to His image, and brought into His perfection. All of this being totally a work of His sovereign grace.
          Consider this "call upon the name of the Lord," and the MERCIFUL PURPOSE of God, even in pouring out His indignation upon men until they are brought to a place where they can, and will call upon Him.
          "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." [Romans 14: 11].
          "That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." [Philippians 2:10-11].
          This is not a conquered subject compelled and coerced into bowing and confessing allegiance to our mighty God. The character of speech, the structural form of the language used here, "THAT IN THE NAME OF JESUS..." implies something far greater than a forced confession.
          Colossians 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all IN THE NAME of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."
          The name denotes both the nature and the character of the individual, for it speaks of who he is, and what he is. It is a sphere of living. What we DO in His name is to bear the mark of His nature and character. So also, bowing in His name is the holy element in which every prayer and confession will be offered. When the times are ripe for it, it is God's merciful purpose to restore the whole of creation into the oneness of the Spirit of Christ, to find in Him their Head. That all are to be brought into this sphere of HIS NAME, and be a partaker of all that His glorious name reveals, bespeaks of His tremendous love for all men.
          Now we note the word "bow," from the Greek, "kampto," meaning: BOW IN WORSHIP.
          A brief word study is helpful here. The last syllable "pto" brings us to the word "ptochos" meaning: poor, or trembling. When we bow before our Creator, we bow in worship to acknowledge our poverty and His all-sufficiency. There is no worship in obeisance that does not acknowledge the nothingness of self, and exalt the greatness of His sovereignty and sufficiency.
          Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and  prayed thus with himself, God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men...I...I…I. While the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner." (Luke 18:10-13, gives the record). The Pharisee prayed WITH HIMSELF― no worship to God, no confession of his own humanity and need, it was an exercise in futility. God did not hear him. But the publican, realizing his own great need, and also the great mercy of God, uttered a prayer of worship, and received of God's bountiful mercies
          Another word, "ptosis" is given as "fall, or downfall," as in Luke 2:34, where it speaks of Jesus Christ being "set for the FALL and rising again of many in Israel." He enters into our life to cause A FALL, A BOWING, a confession of our guilt and need, as when He drew from Jacob the confession of his name, of being a supplanter. But He is also set for our RISING AGAIN, even as He then changed Jacob's name to Israel (a prince of God). "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." [James 4:10]. Having tasted the depths of our poverty, and in our  fellowship with Him being made conformable to His death, we shall also know what it is to rise up in His sufficiency.
          Yes, HE is set for the fall, for the bowing― and IN HIS NAME every knee shall fall, bow, confess the nothingness of their flesh and self; that He might then freely bestow His riches and glory upon them, until all creation is filled with "the fulness of Him that filleth all in all." [Ephesians 1:23].
          Back to the word "kampto" used only four times, all in Paul's writings, and the meaning is clarified more when we understand the spirit that moved him, when he said, "For this cause I BOW my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." [Ephesians 3:14]. What love and worship and adoration moved Paul to BOW before the One whose love had completely won his heart in solid allegiance. He was captivated by this "Altogether-Lovely-One." Humbled by the knowledge that he was the "chiefest of sinners," and awed by the love and MERCY of the Lord, he bowed his knee― worship and adoration flowing from every part of his being. The more he understood GOD'S MERCIFUL PURPOSE, and the ultimate salvation of every creature, the more his devotion and reverence bowed his knee, and brought forth expressions of homage and exaltation to his Redeemer.
          For the present time, such bowing, such worship is perhaps only found in the "first fruits," those whom God has now apprehended and drawn to Himself. But we read that John saw "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, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever (to the ages of the ages)." [Revelation 5:13].
          How tremendous is God's merciful purpose, when He will so deal with every man, yea, every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea, etc. to bring everyone to the place where they truly confess their nothingness and His greatness, to offer to Him― blessing, and honour, and glory, and power― such adoration as arises from the heart filled with His love and grace.
          Worship― this is different from praying, i.e. our offering petitions, desires, or supplications to Him. True worship has its beginning, not on earth, but in the eternal presence of God. It is FROM WORSHIP that we are to go out and serve Him, not before. Service does not generate worship; worship generates service. The Hebrew word for worship means "to bow self down." The abasement of self, and the prostration of our spirit before Him, that HE might be all things. In worship the whole being gives its acknowledgement of our nothingness, and then to absorb the glory and power of God, thereafter to radiate HIM ALONE― to manifest His life.
          In the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and "every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord...." In another place Paul clearly states that "no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the holy Spirit." [1 Corinthians 12:3]. When God has indeed poured out of His Spirit "upon all flesh...." [Joel 2:28], so that "all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest," [Hebrews 8: 11], then every knee will bow in worship, to magnify the King of kings, and Lord of lords. In His merciful purpose God has ordained a time when His Spirit shall be poured out upon ALL FLESH, and "all flesh shall see the salvation of God." [Luke 3:6]. All will be subdued, chastened, disciplined, purified, and be ANOINTED BY THE SPIRIT to confess that He is Lord. A Spirit-filled universe confessing His praises
          This word "confess," from the Greek "exomolegeo," to speak out the same thing. To give the same confession from our heart, as truth known by the holy Spirit. "The Spirit of Truth.... shall not speak of himself... He shall glorify Me." [John 16:13-14]. And filled with His Spirit, all creation shall utter only that which glorifies God. Their confession is the holy Spirit's confession!
          Twice this Greek word is used when Jesus, rejoicing in spirit, said, "I THANK Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth." [Matthew 11:25, Luke 10:21]. This same spirit of THANKFULNESS as was manifested in our Lord, will also bring forth confessions from ALL CREATION, after the fires of correction and purification have done their inner work.
          The word "confess" also means "to publicly declare," and it is used frequently in the Septuagint Version, and has the thought of praise or thanksgiving associated with it. Thus all the ends of the earth shall offer their THANKSGIVING TO HIM for His great love and salvation and inflow of LIFE. And when "thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth into righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made into salvation." [Romans 10:9-10].
          Yes, "He hath rescued us from all that is really evil and called us to a life of holiness ―not because of any of our achievements but FOR HIS OWN PURPOSE." [2 Timothy 1:9, Phillips]. It is His merciful purpose, to bring all creation back into the fulness of His life, and ALL JUDGMENTS, all correctional processes are a means to that end.
 

 
How merciful His purpose, that shall embrace all men,
Praise God for revelation― He knows the how and when. 

That He shall yet re-gather creation gone astray,
In love He has appointed our certain judgment day.
 

The chast'nings duly working, the ways of self to end,
With grace and mercy given the broken heart to mend.
 

To fill the heart with longing and strength of deep desire,
That we might seek to know Him, our great consuming
Fire.
 

Till in pureness of spirit we might in worship bow,
In truth to give allegiance, fulfillment of our vow.
 

Worship had its beginning before the earth was formed,
In God's eternal presence, with all to Him conformed.
 

Worship is self abasement, no laurels to confess,
Bad self, good self, yea, the whole reduced to nothingness.
 

In worship the whole being absorbs the life of God,
That He might become all things to fill the empty clod.
 

The prostration of spirit, well purged by holy flame,
Becomes the sweetest incense, the glory of His name.
 

Let all creation gather around His glor'ous throne,
And offer Him this worship, His right, and His alone.

Though angels fall before Him, and render praises due,
How rare must be this worship from hearts He has made
new.
 
How merciful His purpose that shall embrace all men,
We bow in adoration, till all's restored again.

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(1)  Prinzing, Ray and Doris. WHISPERS OF HIS JUDGMENTS. (now out of print), Boise, Idaho 83705}

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