This morning I was especially touched by this expression from
God’s book, “and to bring to light for
everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all
things.”[1]
Thoughts:
“the plan” = the
central consideration of this verse
“and to bring to light”
= we are dealing with something that is not known, hidden by our darkness,
hence it must be brought to light.
“for everyone” = it
is such an all-encompassing plan, that everyone needs to know what it is so
they can know if they are working with the plan, or against the plan.
“what is the plan”
= what God’s book brings to light as “the
plan” is what the plan is, no exceptions, no exclusions, no doctor’s note
allowed. The book tells what is the plan.
“of the mystery” =
something that cannot be known by man, hence the need for God to write it out
in his book.
“hidden for ages in God”
= ages of history did not know the plan because it was hidden in God. The
plan was not hidden in man, or in creation, but in God, hence the need to come
to God’s book to know the plan.
“who created all things”
= there is only one God who created all things, and all things he created
indeed. The Creator’s plan is not hidden in creation, hence the failure of
atheism, and evolution to know the plan, for they deny both the created nature
of creation, and the Creator who “created
all things.” The Creator’s plan is not hidden in religion, hence the
failure of religion to discover his plan.
What is “the mystery
hidden for ages in God who created all things”?
It is this: “This
mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and
partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”[2]
The mystery that God had kept hidden until the “fullness of time,”[3]
is that the Gentiles, the non-Jewish peoples of the world, “are fellow heirs.” The first “heirs”
of the promises of God were the Jewish people, receiving all that God had given
to them through Abraham, through Moses, through the law and the prophets, and
through the Messiah who came into the world as God’s promised Son of David.[4]
In a sense, we could say that the Messiah coming for the
Jewish descendants of Abraham was no mystery hidden away from the generations.
However, at the same time as the world watched God leading the people of Israel
towards that fulfillment of his word, there was also a “mystery hidden for ages in God,” some mystery no one could have
guessed.
So, the plan that must be brought into the light for all
people to hear, is that all people, from both Jewish and non-Jewish
backgrounds, can become “heirs of God and
fellow heirs with Christ.”[5]
This means that we can become those who have an inheritance from God as our
Father, an inheritance we share with his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.[6]
This does not mean that non-Jewish people must convert to the
Jewish religion. Rather, God calls both Jews and non-Jews out of every culture
and religion in which they are found, to become the “one new man in place of the two.”[7]
The “one new man” is the true
Christian church,[8]
and, “in place of the two,” means in
place of Judaism on one side, and every Gentile (or non-Jewish) religion and
culture on the other side.
God, our Creator, wants everyone to hear this good news. One
day we will see around the throne of God,
“a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”[9]
Part of the reason all those people will be around the throne
of God is because someone took to heart the calling, “to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden
for ages in God who created all things.” Now that you see this for
yourself, look into the word of God that brings this plan of God to light for
you, so you can be part of that great, numberless, multitude rejoicing in our
Creator and Savior forever.
© 2015 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
[1]
Ephesians 3:9
[2]
Ephesians 3:6
[3]
Galatians 4:4
[4]
Paul speaks of Israel’s first opportunity in Romans 9:1-5.
[5]
Romans 8:17
[6]
I Peter 1:3-9 speaks about how our new birth includes “an
inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”
[7]
Ephesians 2:15 (2:11-22 gives the context so beautifully)
[8]
Meaning, the worldwide collection of all true Christians, but not necessarily
including any particular group or individual who claims to be part of Jesus’ church.
[9]
Revelation 7:9-10
No comments:
Post a Comment