Recently, I was given the great fortune of having one of my songs picked up by a band out of Nashville.  The song is called Beyond the Crimson Cross.

I pray you enjoy it and remember Jesus’ great sacrifice for all of us.

[audio:http://papimedia.com/files/beyond-the-crimson-blood.mp3]

JIM

First lets define “Biblical Mystery”. It is talking about an event that has never previously been explained in Scripture. For some reason God chose not to reveal all to man, Isa. 55:8-9. Then in some instances God chose not to reveal certain events until later. Such as Dan. 12:4, where God told him to seal up the book until the latter days.

Many of the great mysteries of the Old Testament are revealed in the New Testament. There are over ten mysteries revealed throughout the New Testament. (For a list of some check writing on “Mysteries in Scripture” on 12/01/08). Some events have been called mysteries that are not. Searching the scriptures one will find that they were explained in the Old Testament prophecies. One of these is the presenting the Gospel, that is offering the plan of salvation to the Gentiles/heathen/Greek/nations, referring to those who were not Jews. The Old Testament prophesied that this would be offered. Consequently the Gospel being presented to someone other than a Jews is not considered one of the mysteries of the Bible.

Hosea, a prophet around 750 to 700 B.C., is a book about his faithfulness to an adulterous wife. God is using this to compare this relationship between Hosea and Gomer to that of God and His relationship with His wife, Israel. In chapter one of Hosea God commanded Hosea to “Go, take unto thee a wife of [harlotry]“. In this book you will read how Hosea had so much trouble with Gomer. Just the same as God has had so much trouble with Israel.

In Hosea 2:23, “And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them who were not my people. Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou are my God.” Israel has always been God’s people since the covenant made with Abraham in Gen 17:7. So the statement, “who were not my people” above cannot mean the Israelites. Here “my people” is talking about the Gentiles.

Another prophet Isaiah foretells where Christ will bring justice to the Gentiles. Is. 42:1, “he shall bring forth judgment to the gentiles.” 6, “for a light of the gentiles.” 49:6, “I will also give thee for a light to the gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.” 55:5-6, “Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD, thy God, and for the HOLY One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.” You can find more in Is. 56:8.

You will also find references in the Gospels of the New Testament. Remember that only about five percent of the Gospels are considered to be under the new covenant. The new covenant started at the resurrection of Christ. So before this time you can still refer to the prophecy as under the law of the Old Testament. Mt. 21:43 “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits of it.” Again in Mt. 12:18. These verses are typical of several others found in the Gospels. And are sufficient to point out that the Gentiles were to be brought in and that this concept was indeed prophesied. So the idea that the Gentiles were to be given the chance to become Sons of God, “grafted in” (Rom. 11:17-24), was not one of the mysteries of the Bible. This process has been prophesied many times in the Bible.

There are over ten great mysteries presented in the Bible. We can cover these topics at another time, but for now one should be aware that bringing the Gentiles into the family of God was not one of these mysteries.

We keep searching to “rightly divide the word of truth”. 2 Tim. 2:15

provide by:

Tom Bartlett
http://prophecy.papimedia.com/