I
well remember the day the Scriptures came alive for me like they never had
before. I remember how fascinated I was to just turn the pages of the Bible and
read it at random…just to see if I could see in all of the Scriptures what I had
seen in some. And how amazed I was that I could.
I
felt that I had been allowed to know a secret that had been there all along but
I hadn’t been told until that moment. And I was mesmerized.
My
husband says I fell in love with the Scriptures.
Maybe
I did. There was just something so…amazing in them that captivated me. There is
still something amazing in them. There are verses in the Bible that tell of the
mystery being revealed. That was how I felt, like the mystery had been
revealed.
Assuming
that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for
you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written
briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of
Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it
has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 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. Ephesians 3:2-6
esv
That verse alone says so much about
the mystery. How it was given to Paul through revelation. How it was kept for
those that would be allowed to know it. I have found it fascinating to read ‘which
was not made known to the sons of men in other generations.’ It was a secret
that was kept for those the Lord wanted to reveal it to.
When I think of the world, of all
the people in the world, for all time…and how the secret is revealed to those
that receive the ability to understand the mystery. How amazing is that?! It’s
like being handed a box that holds a secret so great that we can’t fathom it
all. And we can’t share it because the secret doesn’t exist except for those
that are given the same secret.
And in some ways that is exactly
what happens. We are the ‘box’ in which the secret has been placed. We are the ‘box’
that has been entrusted with the mystery. Those of us that are in Christ are
not only handed the key to unlock the mystery but the very secret that is kept
for those that have been entrusted with it are the key to the ‘box’. They are
the ‘box’. We hold within us a secret so great that it has been kept and handed
down through all of eternity, from the very creation of the world, so that it
will be preserved and passed on to those that are yet to come that will also be
the keepers of the secret.
What would you do if someone handed
you a box and told you it held the mystery of the world in it? Provided you
understood that the box truly held those mysteries and you believed it with
everything in you…what would you do with that box? How gently would you handle
it? How long would you study the box? How would you transport it? How would you
store it? To what lengths would you go to protect it?
I wrote a post a while ago titled ‘how
far would you go’. In it I asked how far you would go to see to it that those
you love knew the truth. Now I ask how far would you go to protect the secret…the
mystery…if it was handed into your care?
How special would you feel to know
that out of all the world you had been chosen to protect the mystery and carry
on the secret?
Imagine holding that box in your
hands and knowing it contained the most powerful thing in the world…and that it
explained everything there is about the world…imagine knowing you were
responsible for that box.
Several months ago my sister told me
about a television program she watched where they speculated on whether the Ark
of the Covenant could have been radioactive…nuclear even…because of what
happened to anyone that touched it. She said that in the program they said most
if not all of the consequences for touching it could be explained by nuclear
power. At the time I found it interesting and even thought of Moses. How he
glowed after encountering God.
the people of Israel would
see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses
would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
Exodus 34:35 esv
That, too, I would think could
easily be explained through some sort of nuclear power. As could the verses
about the burning bush…
And
the angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the
bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said,
“I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of
the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said,
“Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you
are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I
am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Exodus
3:2-6
As I was listening to
my sister talk of the possibility that the Ark of the Covenant may have been
nuclear I found the topic interesting but also had no need to know or even
speculate on whether or not it was. I know what or rather Who caused the
consequences for touching the Ark of the Covenant. What method He may have used
to bring about those consequences isn’t something I feel the need to know. Not that
we can ever know.
But as I write this I am
reminded of that conversation. What would you do if you were handed a box and
told that it is the mystery of all of life but that its nuclear and you must
handle it exactly this way.
I am reminded, too, of
a program my children like to watch. It’s set in the 1800’s and in one episode
the men take a job transporting liquid nitrogen. Oh, the care they take with
those glass bottles after being told that jostling can make them explode.
How careful would you
be if you held in your hands a box containing a nuclear mystery that would
explode if you handle it the wrong way? How afraid of that mystery would you
be? How careful would you be to handle it just the right way?
The mystery spoken of
in Scripture isn’t nuclear, it won’t explode if you drop it, but it’s no less
powerful.
And it’s been
entrusted to a select set of people.
And
he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom
of heaven, but to them it has not been given. Matthew 13:11 esv
Not
everyone can see or understand the mystery. It’s a secret. It’s big…huge even.
It’s profound. It’s unlike anything else you will ever encounter. And if you’re
truly in Christ…you hold the key to the mystery. You have been told the secret.
It
is a treasure that has been entrusted to a select set of people. Scripture even
tells us who they are…
even
as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined
us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his
will, Ephesians 1:4-5 esv
In
him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the
purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
Ephesians 1:11
Now do you see the treasure you
hold? Not only have those that were entrusted with the secret been told the
mystery but they were chosen…hand picked by the Lord…to know that mystery. And
He didn’t just look down on all the people in the world today and select those
He would give the secret to…He chose who would know the secret before the earth
was made.
Before He created anything…He
thought of His people…the one’s that would be entrusted with the secret. He
knew their names before He formed the earth.
Imagine that box again. Here it is…in
your hands. You hold it. Just after being handed the box…before you knew it was
nuclear…you held it in your hands amazed at the mystery you were entrusted
with. Then you learn its nuclear and if you mishandle it, it will explode. Now
you’re afraid of it.
What are you supposed
to do with it?
When it was simply…if
you can call it simple at all…the mystery of the world it was amazing but now you
know. You know it comes with great
power. And you now hold that power in your hands.
What…
Are you...
Supposed…
to do with…
IT?
I ask again…how would
you handle it? How would you treat it? This powerful mystery you have now been
entrusted with, that you were chosen before time to be entrusted with…is now in
your hands.
And it’s a treasure
beyond comprehension. It’s worth more than gold, more than all the money in the
world. There is nothing on earth worth as much.
And you have it.
It was hidden ‘through
the ages’ and has now been revealed to you.
… the mystery hidden
for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to
make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this
mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:26-27 esv
Now
to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching
of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept
secret for long ages Romans 16:25 esv
And
only those that have been chosen to know the secret can understand the mystery.
And
he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but
for those outside everything is in parables, Mark 4:11 esv
This
mystery…is understandable only by those that were chosen to know it…only those
that it was given to.
And not only were you chosen to know
the mystery…you were prepared to know it.
But,
as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man
imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9 esv
Why
were you prepared for this mystery? Why were you chosen before all of creation
to be handed this mystery? What did you do
to earn such a treasure?
For by grace
you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the
gift of God, 9 not a result of
works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his
workmanship… Ephesians 2:8-10 esv
You did nothing to earn the
treasure. You weren’t even given a map to find it. You were simply handed the
treasure as a gift.
Thanks be to God for his
indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV
Everyone knows that finding a true
treasure requires a map…a treasure map. It’s the stuff stories and legends are
made of. They are the object of many childhood fantasies. But the treasure you
hold came with no map and…if there was no map to get you here…how do you now
hold the treasure?
…these
things God has revealed to us through the Spirit... So also no one comprehends
the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the
spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand
the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by
human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those
who are spiritual. 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 esv
You
weren’t given a map…you were simply handed the treasure. Nothing you did, will
do, or could do would have ever lead you to such a treasure as this. And if you
had somehow managed to find the treasure on your own…which Scripture tells us
is impossible…you would never have understood it.
And
still the question remains…how? How did I get here? How did I acquire such a
wonderful treasure?
No
one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise
him up on the last day. John 6:44 esv
You were drawn here…dragged here, as
the Greek translation says. It was not you that got yourself here but the Lord
who prepared you for the secret He chose to impart to you. his preparation was
so complete that he began to prepare you for it long before you were born. He
chose your parents, your grandparents. He put those people in place and
prepared the way for your birth. He chose where you would live, who your
friends would be. He set you in the life He wanted you in at every stage. He
went ahead of you and cleared the path He wanted you on, placed the people He
wanted you to meet on that path, and set your feet in the direction He wanted
you to go.
Whether we wanted to go that way or
not…we were made to go the way He wanted us to.
But
thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal
procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.
2 Corinthians 2:14 niv
You were a captive of Christ that
was set on a path before the creation of the world. Your course was set long
before there was a path to follow. The treasure was yours when you…weren’t. It
was yours…held in trust…long before you were born, before you were conceived.
Why were you given the treasure?
…I
will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will
show mercy. Exodus 33:19 esv
for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his
good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 esv
You were given the treasure…they
mystery…given the secret…because it was the Lord’s good pleasure to give it to
you. He chose you to be the recipient of his mercy.
All who
are in Christ were given the secret of this great mystery. They were chosen to
be the recipients of the mysterious treasure.
Oh, what
a gift we have been given.
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