PROPHECIES ... all of the Old Testament prophets saw two mountain peaks of prophecy ... the cross on which their promised Messiah would die and pay the penalty for the sins of the world, and the crown He would wear as sovereign ruler on earth for 1,000 years. They also prophesied about the virgin birth of Jesus, the Christ (Micah. 5:2), they told how He would suffer, and how horrified people would be when they would see Him on the cross. (Isaiah 52:14) None of the Old Testament prophets of God knew anything about the Church Age with all it's mysteries, as those things were hidden from them and from the Old Testament saints as well until God chose to reveal those mysteries through the apostle Paul hundreds of years later..
PREVIEWS ... of certain things to come were presented by the Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples during His earthly ministry. The first one was a preview of the Millennial reign of Christ, and it was given to Peter, James and John when the Lord separated them from the others and took them up on a high mountain where He became transfigured before their eyes. The three men were utterly amazed when they saw His face shine like the sun and his clothing become white as snow. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared beside Him, and they were talking about His death which was soon to take place. (Matthew/ 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:27-36) Why were Moses and Elijah appearing with Jesus? Because in the scriptures, those two Individuals always represent the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament, (at this point, it is both interesting and Worthwhile to note the vision and explanation of the two Candlesticks and the two olive trees that were given to the Prophet Zechariah in chapter four of his writing)
Instead of paying close attention to their conversation, Peter blurted out: "Lord ... it is good for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles ... one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah!" While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice spoke out of a cloud saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased ... listen to Him!"
Then Peter, James and John fell on their faces in great fear, but Jesus touched them and said: "Get up, and stop being afraid." When they looked up, they saw no one but the Lord Jesus. Then
Jesus took them back down the mountain and charged them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after His death and resurrection from the dead. (Matthew 17:1-9)
Jesus took them back down the mountain and charged them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after His death and resurrection from the dead. (Matthew 17:1-9)
After Judas Iscariot was dismissed from the table during their Passover dinner together, Jesus reminded the eleven remaining disciples that He would be going away, but they were not to be
sad. Then He gave them. a preview of things to come that were never revealed before ... He would send another Comforter to them who would remain with them forever. That Comforter
would be God the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth. He will dwell within them on the Day of Pentecost to teach the Word of God to them, bring to their remembrance the things they learned while they were with their Lord and Savior, and especially to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ... not Himself.
sad. Then He gave them. a preview of things to come that were never revealed before ... He would send another Comforter to them who would remain with them forever. That Comforter
would be God the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth. He will dwell within them on the Day of Pentecost to teach the Word of God to them, bring to their remembrance the things they learned while they were with their Lord and Savior, and especially to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ... not Himself.
After His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus spent forty days on the earth before He ascended into heaven and taught the scriptures to many believers. After telling the eleven apostles to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to come to them, Jesus breathed on them the Holy Spirit to sustain them until the Day of Pentecost. (John 20:22)
MYSTERIES ... the dictionary defines this word as something secret, hidden, or unexplained. The New Testament term mystery always reveals some operation or plan of God that was to be published at God's discretion.
On page 769 of Unger's Bible Dictionary, Dr. Unger has listed eleven New Testament Mysteries. Let's examine closely some of the mysteries which were given exclusively to the apostle Paul and that were revealed to him by God the Holy Spirit probably during the three years he spent in Arabia shortly after his conversion to Christianity, and before he joined the other apostles in Jerusalem. (Galatians 1:15-18) None of the New Testament writers except Paul disclose any information about the mysteries of the Church Age.
The fulfillment of Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit to indwell each one of His apostles came on the Day of Pentecost. Theologians call that event "the baptism of the Holy Spirit", which means that they were identified with Christ by God the Holy Spirit, (we must remember that the word baptism always means identification). In Paul's letters to the Romans and also to the Galatians he explained it like this: "Don't you know that when we were baptized into Jesus Christ we were identified with His death? Therefore, we have been^ buried with Him by baptism (identification) unto death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:3-4)
"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27)
No Old Testament believer was ever indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came upon certain prophets and kings for special service and could be taken away, as in the case of king Saul:
"But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him." (1 Samuel 16:14) Even though King David understood that when the prophet Samuel anointed him to be king. 'the Holy Spirit came upon him from that day forward,' (1 Samuel 16:13). he prayed after his sins against Bathsheba and her husband Uriah: "Cast me not away from Your presence; and take not Your Holy Spirit from me." (Psalm 51:11)
Then when David confessed his sins, he prayed: "Have mercy upon me, 0 God, according to Your loving-kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You and You only have I sinned and done this evil in Your sight; that You may be justified v/hen You speak and be clear when You judge." (Psalm 51:1-4)
The mystery of the Church now being called the body of Christ, which would be composed of both born-again Jews and Gentiles of this dispensation was revealed by Paul in Ephesians 3:1-11.
The mystery of the Church being called the bride of Christ was His bride, which theologians call 'the rapture of the Church', is revealed in detail in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 as follows: "Behold, I show 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 trumpet call; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
Then in Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians he wrote: "I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, those who sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians4:13-18)
The mystery of Christ living in us during this age is explained by Paul in Galatians 2:20 as follows: "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Then in his letter to the Colossians Paul told them about the mystery of Christ living in us in the following way: "The mystery that has been hidden from past ages and generations is now made manifest to His saints; to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, The hope of glory." (Colossians 1:26-27)
Regarding Christ being the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form, Paul said to the Colossians: "For I desire that you know the great conflict I have for you and for them in Laodicea, and for others who have not seen my face; that their hearts might be comforted and knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." (Colossians 2:2,3 & 9)
In Paul's first letter to Timothy, he revealed the mystery of the operation by which is restored to godliness: "Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory."
The mystery of Israel's blindness during this dispensation is told by Paul in Romans 11:25: "I would not have you ignorant of this mystery, brethren, lest you should become wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in." (the fullness of the Gentiles is the completion of the purpose of God during this Church Age.
The mystery of iniquity points to the Anti-Christ... a man who will rule the world during the first 3V2 years of the seven-year tribulation period that will immediately follow the resurrection
(rapture) of the Church. This mystery not only points to a person whom some theologians believe will be the actual incarnation of Satan, but it also involves a time period when every kind of evil that is produced by man's sinful nature will be evident, i.e. depravity, wickedness and malice.
(rapture) of the Church. This mystery not only points to a person whom some theologians believe will be the actual incarnation of Satan, but it also involves a time period when every kind of evil that is produced by man's sinful nature will be evident, i.e. depravity, wickedness and malice.
In Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians, he told them that the mystery of iniquity was already working at the time of his writings, but-it was being restrained by God the Holy Spirit.
However, there will be no restraint when the body of Christ is removed, because the Holy Spirit will go to heaven with the Church Age believers whom He now indwells.
However, there will be no restraint when the body of Christ is removed, because the Holy Spirit will go to heaven with the Church Age believers whom He now indwells.
False teachers were saying that Jesus Christ had already returned in the clouds of the air for His Bride, and they were even sending letters containing that lie and signing Paul's name to them. But Paul wrote to the Thessalonians and comforted them, saying that they should not be troubled or shaken up mentally by those false teachers. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12)
One final word regarding all the Church Age mysteries ... Paul said he, and those who were traveling with him, were speaking 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; because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.'
(1 Corinthians 2:7-8)
which God ordained before the world unto our glory; which none of the princes of this world knew; because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.'
(1 Corinthians 2:7-8)
The End
Written by Lois Delnay 10/2009
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