So Joe Bo Bo declares today, March 31, 2024 some day to recognize gender dysphoria or something and blows up the world… so to speak.
But, but, what about EASTER?!
Eggxactly.. Come on siblings in Christ – this has been screwed up for years with “Easter bunnies”, colored eggs, and baskets chock full of delicious candy.
Now I’m not applauding Slo Mo Jo but maybe he did us all a favor by forcing us to see this day for what it really should be recognized for:
The Day God Rose Jesus from the Dead.
In other words – Resurrection Sunday. Yeah. That.
It was a watershed moment in human history.
There’s a lot to think about. There’s a lot I still can’t wrap my head around.
For instance, after Jesus died on the cross for our sins, it is thought the devil started a victory party. The promised Messiah had failed. He was dead. Great Day. But…
The devil ain’t no fool. He knew the prophesies. He knows scripture better than any man on earth. He had to know this wasn’t the end. Jesus himself prophesied how things would turn out just days before he was killed
Matthew 17:22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
Matthew 20:18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
Surprise! Not. However, he didn’t know everything.
1 Corinthians 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
What was this “mystery”?
The word appears in several places but they don’t all seem to refer to any one thing. In fact, the apostle Paul mentions it more than anyone in scripture. He writes as if we should all know what it is already.
Ephesians 3:3-4 mentions it twice in this respect.
Ephesians 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Wait! What? WHERE did you write about it before, Paul? Was I absent that day? I can only ascertain he is talking about writing about it before in this same epistle. Indeed, the word “mystery” first appears in Ephesians 1:
Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
In essence he is speaking of what we commonly refer to as the “gathering together” or some of us call the Rapture. That said, I do not think this reference completes the topic of the “mystery”. Read on.
Ephesians 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
To me, it seems far more reasonable that something as significant as “the mystery” shouldn’t be confined to too few words – and we all know from Paul’s writings, what his definition of “a few words” tends to be.
If you look at the final verse – verse 14, in the passage above you will note he writes of “ the earnest (token) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession”
We are the “purchased possession” bought with the blood of Christ when he died for us. We were justified by Jesus’ resurrection. That “earnest” or token is the seed – the spirit God creates in us when we are born again. (Ephesians 2:9).
When will be redeemed? In the fullness of times when we are gathered together.
To conclude my thoughts on this, I’m convinced when Paul stated how we understand his knowledge of the mystery which he wrote afore (before) “in a few words”, he was talking about pretty much everything in the previous two chapters. At least I can see nothing to exclude as it pertains to what God Almighty has wrought for us. If you consider this in the perspective of what the devil knew then I can see how hindsight is far more revealing.
One thing I am reasonably certain about: nobody knew about our “age of grace” where those of us who confess Jesus the Messiah as Lord and Savior would be born again of God’s spirit and endowed with power from on high. Nobody knew about that incorruptible seed.
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
It’s been said that had the devil a choice between one Messiah or an army of born-again believers, he would not have crucified the Lord Jesus. To me, this has always rung true.
What say you?