MenuEpiphany: Mystery Revealed
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. – Ephesians 3:4-5
Do you remember the mystery novel series like the Agatha Christie, Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys? Scooby Doo? Mystery series intrigue us by inviting the reader to solve the plot. Often there’s a dramatic revealing at the end of the episode which catches you by surprise.
For the human race, understanding God’s plan has always been the great mystery. But now, at the right time, the great mystery of God has been revealed to us in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the message of Epiphany. “Epiphany” comes from the Greek word meaning “reveal.”
God used direct promises through the Old Testament prophets, and symbols and visual aids like the Temple and its sacrifices, to give clues to the ultimate mystery, the salvation of the human race.
Yet, for the world, the will of God remained a mystery. For many, the message of a Savior was a hidden mystery – a story was carried out in the life of Abraham’s descendants, and eventually connected to family of Israel’s King David in particular. Most people who heard the story probably assumed salvation was only for Jews. God’s chosen people, who received all the clues, perhaps assumed that salvation was forever to remain a mystery to all other nations.
It’s no mystery that humankind is desperately in need of a Savior. But unlike mystery novels that a clever reader might figure out, the story of the Messiah was to remain a mystery until God Himself revealed it.
This revelation was not exactly hidden. God’s prophets spoke about it, but often they just weren’t believed. People have ignored the mysteries of God and His promises throughout history.
But the plan of salvation has not changed from the first time God made the promise to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.
As in all mysteries, the plot becomes clearer as the story unfolds. Characters emerge and stand out. In the pages of Scripture, Jesus comes on the scene late, but He immediately becomes the leading player in the plot. In Christ, God reveals His will and plan, which had been hidden for ages.
God used the Apostle Paul to reveal His mystery to the world. And what is that mystery? Paul tells us: “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.”
Paul reveals that gentiles are just as much a part of the Gospel message as the Jews. Jesus is the centerpiece of salvation and forgiveness for all people, now and into eternity.
This is why God put a star in the sky that gentile Wise Men could see and follow. God had now revealed that Jesus wasn’t only King of the Jews. Paul says, “this grace was given [to me], to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
There is no mystery about the world’s Savior, Jesus Christ. God’s eternal plan is that all people should be saved through Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection. God’s plan is now realized in the living Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. The revelation of the mystery of God is now decoded so that we may have confidence that God’s Word is true. This is the Good News for those who call themselves children of the heavenly Father.
-Rev. Jeff Nickel