IGNORANCE OF THIS MYSTERY
Romans 11:25 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 fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
With all the focus of our nation and world on the war in Iraq, the crisis in Palestine and the ongoing struggle for Israel’s survival, many in the Christian world interpret these events as the signs of the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
There are reasonable applications of scripture for this belief not least
of which is the conflict that exists between Israel and the Arab, Muslim world has its roots all the way back in the book of Genesis and to the father of our faith Abraham.
Over the next few articles we will explore the inner hidden and spiritual meaning of Israel’s restoration and its divine connection with those who find themselves searching for the root of their faith and identity in Christ.
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word mystery as something profound, inexplicable, or something that has a secretive quality or character. It is first used in the New Testament, and is translated from the original Greek language, musterion. From the Gospel of Mathew to the Revelation of St. John the mention of the musterion is translated 22 times as mystery and 5 times to the mysteries of the Gospel, and in this way it represents the need of the Holy Spirit to interpret the true, inner and hidden meaning of God’s Word.
Please note the Strong’s listing of the word. G3466 musterion {moos-tay'-ree-on} from a derivative of muo (to shut the mouth); hidden thing, secret, mystery 1a) generally mysteries, religious secrets, confided only to the initiated and not to ordinary mortals 1b) a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding 1c) a hidden purpose or counsel 1c) secret will 1c, 1a) of men 1c, 1b) of God: the secret counsels which govern God in dealing with the righteous, which are hidden from ungodly and wicked men but plain to the godly 3) in rabbinic writings, it denotes the mystic or hidden sense: of an OT saying, of an image or form seen in a vision, of a dream.
What this tells us is that not everything God has spoken can be understood by the simple reading of the letter but requires a revelation of the word itself. That is why St. Paul prayed that God would give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him so that the eyes of our understanding would be enlightened to know. (Ephesians 1:17)
No where is this more important than when it relates to the purpose of God for the people of Israel and what and how our (church) relationship with God’s ancient people of scripture has to do with us today.
THE END OF THE GENTILE AGE
Through the ministry of the Apostle Paul, God expanded the open door of faith and fellowship to the Gentile nations. St. Paul by revelation of the mystery, understood that through Christ, the Gentiles should be made heirs of the same covenant and promise of God. Ephesians 3:6
It caused Paul so much trouble that eventually it led to his death and yet, according to the verse quoted from the epistle to Rome, St. Paul emphasized to the Gentile Church, that we should not be ignorant of this mystery.
Beloved friends this is not a suggestion but a commandment of the Holy Spirit. Blindness in part has happened to Israel until (word indicating time) the fullness of the Gentiles is come in.
There can be no doubt to every thinking believer that there is and always will be a deep connection between God and the Hebrew people.
Whether we read from the Law, the Prophets or the Psalms the promise to Israel that as nation and in the city of Jerusalem will be the center of faith and world affairs: let’s take note of just a few:
Exodus 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.
Deuteronomy 28:13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath;
Isaiah 54:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, 7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Even when Jehovah, was about to scatter the people of Israel for a season to punish them for their violation of His commandments, He always did so with a certain assurance of His promise to restore them again.
Zechariah 2:12 And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.
It is therefore easy to understand why most believe that the signs we see in our world today all point to the fulfillment of this prophesy. But we must dig a little deeper to find the rightly divided word of truth and make application of it for our lives today.
Some questions need to be answered. What is being restored and to whom or through whom will it be accomplished?
Even the disciples believed that His coming the first time would result in establishing again the nation of Israel.
Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
It is to this very question the Apostle Paul speaks to in three major chapters of the epistle to the Romans. Here he begins to unravel the mystery that lies beneath the surface concerning Israel and yet showing the continuity of God’s plan by asking a question.
Romans 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people?
It did not take long for Paul to answer this rhetorical question: because he saw the purpose of God being revealed in him.
God hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew... God forbid: for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Romans 11:2
But St. Paul was broken hearted that more of his kinsman according to the flesh could not see the same things by faith.
Romans 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, ...and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
What strikes us about these verses is that if Paul believed, as many do today, that the purpose of God would be restored to the people of Israel born of the flesh (as in Palestine today) then he would have had no reason to be filled with continuous sorrow.
Why would he be willing to be accursed and cut off from the promise of God for the sake of His countrymen if in fact one day the dispensational purpose of God would simply revert itself to them after the age of the Gentiles was over.
So what could Paul mean when he states that God has not forsaken His people, whom he foreknew and yet has continuous sorrow in his heart for his kinsman according to the flesh?
As we journey together to find the answers to these deep and troubling questions we will need to climb that high mountain apart where we can see things that we can see no other way and hear things that we can hear no other way.
Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
More light comes through a study from the prophetic books that surround the time Israel was being restored from its captivity in Babylon and Persia.
In that day over a period of many years a remnant of the people of Israel were restored for the purpose of rebuilding the temple and establishing the Holy City of Jerusalem once again.
The events described in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai and Zechariah all happened according to the divine record, but as a pattern for us. This is NOT JUST SACRED HISTORY but PRESENT TRUTH.
Meaning there is something that lies beneath the surface that is relevant
for our lives and the development of our faith today and NOW.
That is, we who are the sons and daughters of God are now being restored in our faith from the confusion of Babylonian theology, which has mingled itself with the pure doctrine of Christ to hinder His full and glorious appearing again.
With so much teaching about the end time, great tribulation, rapture of the church and the restoration of natural Israel, the people of God are in a quagmire of dogma mingled together, which creates a tower of confusion where everyone’s voice is fused together with the other, so that no one can understand what the other is saying. There is such a natural, physical presentation of these events that it stumbles the believer from entering into the dynamics of spiritual metamorphosis. (Voices from the Mountain Top)
As times pass and prophecies fail all that is left is an ever growing body of thought that has amounted to nothing but the traditions of men and have made the Word of God of no effect to the hearer.
Thus is the meaning of being in Babylon.
Another verse that yielded fresh insight is in the genealogy of Christ, at the opening of St. Matthew’s gospel.
Matthew 1:17 “So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.”
In the summation of this genealogy, no mention is made of the restored people of Israel when they came out from Babylon.
It is passed over from Babylon to Christ.
One important thing to remember is that everything that was written afore time was written for our learning upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
1 Corinthians 10:11
Suddenly it became clear that the events of that day are actually something that is taking place in our day. The truth of which has
been imprisoned within the carnal minded application of the Word of God.
This is His prophetic destiny for His sons and daughters. This is an age of restoration.
With all the desire to know ourselves in Christ it is important to recognize our Hebrew Identity and the desire God has for His people Israel to rule and reign throughout the earth.
God said the law shall go forth from Jerusalem not the Vatican or Washington D.C. He said Out of Zion the perfection of beauty, shall shine forth.
Psalm 128:5 The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. (To be continued...)
For more information simply E-mail Peter Demetris at: pastorpeterd@comcast.net
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