PROPHECY OR MYSTERY?-
By Richard Jordan
Scripture Reading: Romans
16:25, 26
There is much interest
astir in our day over prophetic things. Preachers and Bible teachers
the land over are seeking to ready their hearers for what surely
appears to be the "last days." Long-held pre-millennial
truths are being dusted off, spruced up with new dressings and sent
forth to "establish the saints." Since we are interested
students of prophecy ourselves, we would certainly not discourage
this interest; but remind our readers that the path to establishment
and stability is not in understanding prophecy, but rather, as Paul
says, God is "able to stablish you according to my gospel, and
the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the
Mystery .... "
There is a clear
distinction in Scripture between prophecy and the mystery. In fact,
the basic division in the Word is the division between the promised,
prophesied program of God through Israel (Genesis 22:18, Acts
3:25,26) and the mystery, the secret purpose of God made known
through the apostle Paul (Ephesians 3). When this distinction is
clearly understood and maintained, the believer will be filled with
the knowledge of His will and will no longer be tossed about by
various winds of doctrine.
Consider one example of
the value of understanding this distinction today. If you were able
to identify the Anti-Christ (a favorite pastime of many!) or to
figure the exact date when the two witnesses will show up, etc., what
real good would it do you-considering that the Body will be gone
before the 70th week of Daniel 9? But, if you clearly understand that
what happened in Acts 2, for example, was the fulfillment of prophecy
(as Acts 2:16 says) and thus could not be the program for today,
(which is the Mystery because neither Joel nor Peter knew of it-See
Ephesians 3: l-s)--then the confusion of trying to follow a
commission (Matthew 28, Mark 16, etc.), a plan of salvation (Mark
16:16, Acts 2:38), a demonstration (Mark 16: 17, 18; Acts 2:4), an
economic order (Acts 2:44, 4:32-34) that was never given to you in
the first place, is easily dispelled!
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