by Mako Kato
Yesterday we talked about what God has not revealed to us. Today we can talk about what God has revealed to us. In the days of the trumpet call, “the mystery of God” would be fulfilled. This mystery was announced to his servants, the prophets.
Prophecy in the Bible has revealed much to us. We can see many prophesies that have already been fulfilled and see God’s plan in history. We can also see the prophecies in Revelation that have not yet been fulfilled. Through prophecy, we see the plan of God. In reading Ephesians, we learn about the centrality of Christ and his will.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. Ephesians 1:7-10 (ESV)
God has a plan and a purpose fulfilled in Christ’s death, resurrection and future return. This is what God has revealed to us. The mystery is going to be fulfilled.
And we are reminded in this passage of who it is that made the mystery. The God who is the provider of a plan for the world. He is the one “who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it.” And God’s power over all of creation is not only displayed in the angels words, but in where the angel is standing. The angel has one foot on the sea and one foot on the land (Revelation 10:2) and he raises his right hand toward heaven.
Heaven, earth, and sea. God created it and reigns supreme over it all. He is the one whose plan is culminating in the return of Jesus Christ. And yet despite the power displayed in God’s creation, he chose us. Going back to those verses in Ephesians, he redeemed us. He lavished his grace on us. He poured his grace down on us. We are part of his plan and have been part of his plan since the beginning. When God made his covenants with Abraham and David, we were part of the plan. When God spoke through the prophets of the coming Messiah, we were part of the plan. When Christ died on the cross, we were part of the plan; we were the reason Christ had to die, to fulfill God’s plan in the fullness of time.
I feel like singing the doxology now… Praise God from whom all blessings flow…