Three Mysteries

The dictionary describes a mystery as any affair, thing, or person that presents features or qualities so obscure as to arouse curiosity or speculation. However, this is a different kind of mystery. These are spiritual mysteries, straight from God. These aren’t something you can find through education or experimentation. They can’t be found in history books either. These are mysteries that only God presents to us.

These three mysteries can be found in Romans 11:25-12:1.

Israel has been hardened to the Gospel

Romans 11:25-29. ²⁵For I do not want you brethren to be uninformed of this mystery-so that you will not be wise in your own estimation-that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; ²⁶and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” ²⁷”This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” ²⁸From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; ²⁹for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Israel as a nation and a large body of people, otherwise known as the Jews, have been hardened by the gospel. But why? God has hardened the Israelis in order to save the gentiles. We must also ask, why should God need to harden one group of people in order to save the others? Here is where the mystery comes in. God worked with the Jewish Nation for over a thousand years to be a light to the Gentiles. They were supposed to set an example for the gentiles. The Jewish Nation failed to be a light of the testament for the gentiles.

As a result God put the Jewish Nation aside and created a new Nation known as the Church; a spiritual Nation. The Church acquired the same assignment; provide light to the world. This Nation has a complete dependence on God as the head and primarily functions through spiritual gifts. However God must still keep his promise to the Jews. He will return to Israel as his unit to affect the world.

God has promised the Jews the following. (Daniel 9:24-27)

-Finish their transgression

-make an end to their sin

-make an atonement to their iniquity

-Bring in everlasting righteousness for Israel

-Complete all of their visions and prophecies

-Anoint their most Holy place

When the fullness of the gentiles is finished, God will make his way back to the Jewish Nation to accomplish these six things. We as gentiles must do what we can to help the Church Nation mature.

The way God uses disobedience

Romans 11:30-32. ³⁰ For just as you once were disobedient to God but have now been shown mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹ so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. ³² For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

The Jews were disobedient so God used that to show mercy to disobedient gentiles. Because God showed mercy to us, He will in the future show mercy to the Jews. God has seen to it that he gives truth to all human beings. The law of God is written on your heart and you are disobedient if you don’t make your choices in harmony with the law that you know is on your heart. You either obey it or you don’t. You have to come to a place where you acknowledge your disobedience, whether it’s self righteous or self dependency. Once you reach this stage God can then shed mercy on you. We must all admit that we need his help because we are incapable without him.

The magnitude of God’s wisdom, judgments and ways.

Romans 11:33-36. ³³Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable His ways! ³⁴For who has the mind of the Lord, or who became his counselor? ³⁵ Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? ³⁶ For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the Glory forever. Amen.

(Deep Riches) How often has God surprised you with his Grace? (Unsearchable judgments) How often has he enriched you in ways you couldn’t possibly expect? (Unfathomable ways) Even though we have free choice, we can’t frustrate God. We can’t derail God. We can’t stop God. Three questions are addressed to us in order to discover who God is.

Who can know what God is going to do? Give to God was is due to God. We as humans bear God’s image. And what matters is what we do with ourselves in God’s image.

Who can be God’s advisor? We try to be God’s advisor. We think we know what is best and try to tell him what needs to be done. However he is the Almighty and knows what is best for us.

Who can give God something He needs? God gives everything. He gives us what we need.

God is the originator of all things, the sustainer of all things, and the reason why all things exist.

Romans 12:1 ¹Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies living and Holy sacrifice, which is acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

If you want to give God glory, then give him your body. Give it to him every morning when you wake up; this is how you worship him. Give him everything every day, and your life will never be the same again.