Gather in one all things in Christ

The heading is from Ephesians 1:10

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him

I wrote yesterday that there was a gathering of scriptures along with the gathering of Israel. But there is a lot more to be gathered. We live in the dispensation of the fulness of times, which means that there is a gathering of "all things in Christ". 

I have reflected on something my mission president said. He had studied a great deal of Hebrew and explained how the Hebrew word for father, 'aba', entails the plan of salvation. As some readers may know, the Hebrew language does not have separate numbers. Rather, they use the letters so that a=1, b=2, etc. In this way, there is a connection between words and numbers in Hebrew. Jews find meaning in this. But in the case of ABA/1-2-1, the meaning is perhaps more clear for Latter-Day Saints than anyone. The plan of salvation starts with one big family in a premortal existence. Then we enter into a world of opposites, the world of 2's. Light-darkness, good-evil, body-spirit, health-sickness, etc. Our goal is to return to the oneness, a unity with the Father. The pattern is 1-2-1.

We see this pattern a lot: The separation (death) and reunification of body and spirit (resurrection). The separation (sin) and the reunification of man and God (forgiveness). One represented by the tree of knowledge, the other by the tree of life. The scattering and gathering of Israel follows this pattern too and the tree symbolism is often used here as well. 

God himself lives in a perfect unity in the Godhead. He wants us to become like Him. That is why the end goal is always to gather and unite, so we see this recurring pattern. There are numerous examples in the scriptures, I will just give an example from Christ's visit to the Nephites. One of the first things he tells them is

And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been (1 Nephi 11:28)

One of his purposes when visiting the Nephites is ending the division and creating unity. In 3 Nephi 28:10, Jesus explains to his disciples that this unity characterizes relationships in the kingdom of God

And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one

After Christ's visit, his purpose has been achieved in that there is a gathering of Nephites and Lamanites into one people.

There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God. (4 Nephi 1:17)

This serves as a type of the gathering of Israel where different peoples and a former split Israelite nation will one day become one people or "one fold" with "one shepherd". As mentioned before, there is a physical and a spiritual gathering. In other words, physically gathering in one place is not enough. To gather "all things in Christ" also involves priesthood keys, knowledge, doctrine, covenants, etc. as well as each individual in that gathered group coming unto Christ and offering their whole souls unto Him (Omni 1:26). 

The purpose and goal of gathering on earth is to prepare us to become "heirs to the kingdom of God" where there is perfect unity.