The Mystery Of God

by J. L. Ferguson | Category: The Mysteries | Dec 1960

(Mystery, in the Scriptures, denotes that which is only known through revelation to those taught of the Holy Spirit)

In the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery of God" (Revelation 10.7). It had been declared by His servants, the prophets, as good tidings down the long centuries of the dealings of God with men. But not even the prophets understood what they wrote, much less those to whom at the time their messages came. Peter tells us that they "sought and searched diligently ... searching ... what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto" (1 Peter 1.10, 11).

One of these prophets, Amos, wrote, "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3.7, 8).

So far as the Lord is concerned, "known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world." Through His Spirit throughout the ages of time He has been able to impart some knowledge of His ways and of their progressive unfolding. The more spiritual among men saw His ways, the less spiritual saw only His works.

The word which came to the prophets of Israel and to the apostles of the New Testament people of God always had a bearing upon the people to whom such words came in the first place, and it came with an impact which was inescapable. But it often went far beyond, to await fulfilment in a day long after it was spoken.

Thus much of Isaiah's writing was transparently clear to him as he wrote of the tragic sin which had overtaken faithless Israel, and of the great social evils also of his day. But when he found himself writing, for example, of the Servant of Jehovah, despised and rejected, pouring out His soul unto death, and dividing the spoil with the strong he must have laid aside his pen and wondered with a great wonder. Thus the revelation came to him from the LORD that his words were to be a comfort to those who in later days would be found looking for this same Blessed Servant.

Then Jeremiah's prophecy of the seventy years' captivity may not have been generally appreciated in Israel at the time when he wrote, but to Daniel, as he read the message, the matter was revealed. It belonged to his day. Yet very much of what Daniel himself wrote must have been quite beyond his own understanding, a ministry for Israel in another distant age.

For the most part Old Testament prophecy was centred on the sufferings of Messiah and His following glories, and of the dispersion and tribulation of Israel and their subsequent millennial blessings. As touching the "Church period" they only wrote in the language of the types and shadows, with, generally speaking, no specific references to the fulness of the Gentiles.

Israel's scholars searched the Scriptures, but rejected the Christ when He came. But to those who received Him, an understanding of the Old Testament writings was given in large measure. One of them expressed their feelings when he wrote that they had "the word of prophecy made more sure" (2 Peter 1.19).

Yet the New Testament writers themselves wrote things which they in turn did not fully understand. Paul, for example, wrote of the coming of the man of sin, and to John on Patmos was given the unfolding of the time of the end. Yet they could not have enjoyed a precise understanding of the manner of those days. Things, secret to them, would all be unfolded in their time of fulfilment.

For our own part, we have been graced of the Lord to live in a day when the shadow of pending prophecies regarding Israel is beginning to fall across our path. We too are sensing certain words of prophecy already being made more sure.

Thus, in retrospect, we can see how the great speakings of God have oft-times been sealed when they were spoken, belonging in their full understanding to another people in another day. But when the seventh angel comes forth he has "in his hand a little book open" (Revelation 10.2). Henceforth, as touching the mystery of God, nothing more is sealed; for "then is finished the mystery of God." So standing both on the sea and on the earth, with a message thus to the nations and to Israel he swears "that there shall be delay no longer." Pre-millennial history is due for closure and the King of kings is about to appear in the glorious manifestation of divine rule upon the earth, and all His saints with Him. In the brilliant light of that manifestation, the ways of God in Christ will lie open for all to see. And He will be "marvelled at in all them that believed" (2 Thessalonians 1.10).

Yes, "a little book open," and the great purposes of God carried forward from age to age, understood by the few, misconstrued by the many, will stand at last revealed. So too will all the purposes of the adversary, steeped in hatred, stand out in all their loathsome design. And the deep typical teachings of Scripture which had for so long puzzled and perplexed the exercised in heart, will be resolved at last in unmistakable clarity. The great Messianic prophecies will flower in all their beauty. And to the saints themselves the ways of God in their oft bewildering, tear-dimmed circumstances will stand revealed in all the depths of unfathomable love. Yes, it will be the day dear Samuel Rutherford saw

"With mercy and with judgement My web of time He wove,

And aye the dews of sorrow

Were lustred with His love,

I'll bless the hand that guided,

I'll bless the heart that planned,

When throned where glory dwelleth,

In Immanuel's land."

J. L. Ferguson | Dec 1960
The Mysteries