Mystery

2018-08-12

The word mystery or a related word appears 27 times in the Bible. God reveals mysteries to His people. Let us look at some of these mysteries.

The Kingdom of God is a Mystery

And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. (Mark 4:10-12)

Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is a mystery. This is immediately after the parable of the sower, where we see that the Kingdom of God is spread by the preaching of the Word of God. There will be different returns on investment depending on who is hearing the preaching.

Not All Ethnic Israel is Saved

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Romans 11:25)

People ethnically Israelite are not necessarily saved; Gentiles were “grafted into” the nation of Israel. The mystery is that Jews and Gentiles that believe will be one body one with the other, with no more distinction based on ethnicity and circumcision.

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. (Romans 16:25-27)

Power has been given to the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel. This was not revealed explicitly in the Old Testament. Rather, this was revealed by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into this world, and the apostles and prophets in the first generation of Christians.

The Holy Spirit in Us as a Teacher

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:6-10)

The mystery of God is also revealed to us by His Holy Spirit. Every born-again believer has the Spirit and is taught by Him (1 John 2:27).

The Resurrection is a Mystery

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

The kingdom of God will be clearly manifest on the Day of Christ, when Christ returns, raises the dead, and saves the living believers from the wrath of God. The Bible tells us: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

The Gathering of All Believers in Christ is a Mystery

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 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 (Ephesians 1:9-10)

We see another reference to all who believe on Christ will be gathered together, whether of Israel or not.

Paul, a Minister of the Mystery

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Ephesians 3:8-9)

Paul’s job was to preach primarily to Gentiles, to make the mystery of the Gospel known. We again see that this message was hidden until the time of the apostles.

Marriage is a Mystery

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31-32)

The institution of marriage was designed by God to represent Christ’s relationship to the church. If you see the creation of man and woman in Genesis 2, you see some interesting parallels between Christ and the church and to Adam and Eve.