Maybe I'm a little slow or perhaps dense? But I've yet to read a biblical refutation of what I have said.
The mystery of God comes to an end when Jesus returns
I’m sure you would agree that in these mortal bodies we just see a small part of the picture. All of us will have to admit, there are a lot of things that we do not know. There are things that we do not fully understand. But it seems like God shows us enough to get us through.
- Life is full of twists and turns.
- It is unpredictable. You never know what is coming around the next corner.
- Life contains seasons – summer, winter, autumn and springtime.
- Life involves pain and suffering joy and peace.
- Life produces enemies and friends.
God never said anywhere in this Book that you will understand the reason why you have to experience everything you go through in life. He never said that it would be easy. He never said that it would make sense.
It is easy when you have come out the other side to look back and see a plan and purpose. But often we make major decisions in the midst of are difficult times that end up plaguing us for the rest of life.
Deuteronomy 29:29:
“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
As long as we abide in these mortal bodies our vision of truth will be limited and our insight into the future will be veiled. We just see a very small part of the picture in this life. More than often, we cannot see further than the end of our nose.
Psalm 25:14:
“The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.”
Even though we get little glimpses into the supernatural realm it is nothing compared to the reality and the fulness of its fulfilment. God simply gives us a little epiphanies along the way of His truth and of His plans for the future. But, what we see, is small compared to what is coming.
1 Corinthians 2:9 says,
“as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
It is difficult for us who are stuck in these decaying mortal bodies, who are limited by our feeble minds, who live on a fallen earth and are located in time, to fully grasp the blessing, beauty and splendor of the eternal state. But God puts enough in this Book in order to show us that it will be way beyond our expectation. But we serve one who knows everything, sees everything and is everywhere. That is why we need Him, and that is why we depend upon Him.
Revelation 5:1-5:
“And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
This passage is talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. It is showing that He alone is worthy to open the seven seals, which most good theologians agree is the revelation of the mystery of the unfolding of the blueprint of human history.
Has the mystery of God finished yet? When does it finish?
Get to the end of the seven vials, like the seven trumpets, and each of the recaps in Revelation, and (surprise, surprise) you get to the second coming and the end of the world.
Revelation 16:17-21:
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great."
The seven veils relate to the unfolding of human history right up until the return of Jesus. The seventh vial portrays an unmistakable description of the all-consummating second coming.
I’m sure you would agree, only God knows the future. From time to time, He will reveal impending events. But, we are totally reliant upon Him for insight into the future.
Albert Barnes experience:
“it would require an ability beyond that of any created being to penetrate the future, and disclose the meaning of the symbols which were employed.”
He continues:
“Nowhere does man find himself more fettered and limited in his powers than here; nowhere does he feel that there is such an intense disproportion between his desires and his attainments. In nothing do we feel that we are more absolutely in need of divine help than in our attempts to unveil the future; and were it not for revelation man might weep in despair.”
There is a passage that helped me through a period in life when death hit my family unexpectedly, I hope it will be of help to you today. Jesus said in John 13:7
“What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.”
What He was saying was: You might not understand what is happening now but there is a day coming that you will.
The limitations and shortcomings that we possess down here will one day be lifted when He comes. That is because that we will have perfect knowledge and a perfect understanding of God’s truth and God’s ways.
Ephesians 4:11-13 reinforces this, saying,
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity (or oneness)
of the faith, and of the knowledge (or full discernment)
of the Son of God, unto a perfect man [Gr.
andra teleion’or
a man perfect],
unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”
The Church will never arrive at a unity in the faith or full knowledge of Christ this side of eternity. They will never attain onto perfection either whilst they continue in this corruptible body of clay. That is exactly why Jesus came. Man could never evolve into a perfect being, even if he lived to be a thousand. One day there will be perfect oneness. This will only happen when man is eternally changed upon glorification. At this stage there will no longer be any need for preachers and exhorters. Christ will indeed be all in all. The last Gospel sermon will be over. The last appeal will be made. The day of salvation will be gone. This is indeed talking about the catching away. We can see in this reading, this five-fold-ministry terminates at the final future all-consummating coming of Christ.
