The first chapter entitled : The Messianic Intermezzo will discuss Christ as God's gracious emergency measure for the sake of sin. This will entail a discussion of Christ's motive for incarnation. Once it has been demonstrated that this motive was purely because sin entered the world the way is cleared to show that christology is soteriology and is completely functional and eschatological. Christ's work as expiatio, satisfactio and placatio, so that created reality can once again stand before God's countenance, will also be discussed. This concept of recreatio will be contrasted with Moltmann's idea of a nova creatio and his criticisms of Van Ruler's theology will be looked at.
The second chapter : History and Eschatology will assess the idea that the meaning of history is the ascension of God to his throne in the establishment of the eschatological kingdom of Glory. Thus the idea that God's original and ultimate intention is the naked existence of things before His countenance will be investigated and the place of sin and the gracious response to sin (Christ) in the eternal decree will be clarified.
The third chapter : Salvation and Glorification will look at the regnum Christi and what it means to say that Christ rules. In this context the Holy Spirit will come into consideration and the essential character of salvation in Christ and through the Spirit will be discussed. This salvation (the regnum Christi) will be distinguished from glorification (the regnum Dei).
The fourth chapter : The relationship of the Israelitic Torah and Christian History will look at the meaning of the Torah as God's gracious presence in the flesh, as the gift of salvation and not as a formal `something' to be lived up to in order to earn salvation. Following this we will discuss Van Ruler's idea that the Torah is the material content of salvation in Christ and that a christianized culture is an incidental repetition, mutatis mutandis, of the theocratic situation found in Israel in the Old Testament.
The above mentioned chapters contain in essence everything this study wants to say about Van Ruler's thought on this topic. However, as his ideas are so often misunderstood and his theology is misrepresented by many of his critics, this study will conclude with a discussion of some of the more common criticisms that have been levelled against his theology. In the concluding chapter we will also take a look at the importance of his ideas for modern day theology.
The primary intention of this study is to clearly present A.A. van Ruler's ideas on this topic and indicate their importance and far reaching consequences for theological thought.
The secondary intention of this study is to show that the doctrine of the messianic intermezzo is not strange to reformed theology. Van Ruler may be the only theologian who has used the phrase `messianic intermezzo' but this does not mean that the idea is unique to him. Indeed the idea can be traced directly to Calvin and is deeply rooted in the Bible itself. This study aims to demonstrate that this idea is implied not only in the works of other reformed theologians but also in the confessions of the reformed church.