Eschatology Week 3

The Mystery of The Church

The Mystery of The Church: Its Inclusion and Conclusion Part 1

We have learned God reveals Himself and works His will through dispensations. The study of end times really only focuses on three dispensations: Law, Church/Grace, and Millennial Reign. Let us look a little closer at the Church Age to see how it ties into Daniel’s 70 weeks.

THE DISPENSATION OF MYSTERY

Theologians refer to the Church Age as the Dispensation of Grace or the Dispensation of Mystery. We are currently in this dispensation. It is referred to as the Dispensation of Grace because God reveals Himself to us and deals with us through grace (grace and truth came by Jesus Christ—John 1:17).

John 1:17 ESV

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Under the Dispensation of Law, God revealed Himself and dealt with mankind through the Mosaic Law.

Daniel’s 70 Weeks (equaling 490 years) have not come to pass because the Church was inserted after Jesus was crucified (Messiah shall be cut off—Daniel 9:26) and Daniel’s last week was put on hold. The Church and its reign was a mystery hidden from all but God.

Daniel 9:24–27 ESV

“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

• And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: Ephesians 3:9

Ephesians 3:9 ESV

and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,

The “fellowship of the mystery” is speaking of the Church Age. This is the age wherein we have fellowship with God the Father through the LORD Jesus Christ. This opportunity and this dispensation were hidden from everyone from the beginning of the world.

1 Peter 1:10–12 ESV

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

This age is also called the Dispensation of Mystery because its existence was a mystery to the Old Testament believers and prophets. They could not see the Church Age coming. Not even the angels knew it was coming.

In the Old Testament, angels often taught men (Judges 13:3-5; Daniel 9:21-27, 10:19-21, 11, 12; Zechariah 1:19-21; 3:6-10; 4:1-14). They are not able to do so in the New Testament due to their ignorance on the subject of salvation. In the Church Age, angels direct (Acts 8:26, 10:3-6), deliver (Acts 5:19,20, 12:7-11), serve (Matthew 4:11, Hebrews 1:14), smite (Acts 12:23), and comfort (Acts 27:23,24). However, during the Tribulation, angels will be given the gospel to preach (Revelation 14:6).

Colossians 1:25–27 ESV

of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

This mystery of the Church Age revolves around the very fact that we not only get to fellowship with God, but He actually lives in us. The Church Age is made unique by the indwelling of God in His believers. No previous age or generation could see the Church Age coming.

Acts 1:6–7 ESV

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

Even the apostles, on the day of Jesus’ ascension, knew nothing about the Church Age. It was still a mystery. They were looking for the Millennial Reign to start then. There are still times and seasons we are not able to know because the Father has put them in His own power.

Jesus did hint at the salvation of the Gentiles:

John 10:16 ESV

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Jesus knew what He was doing. He knew about the Church age. He knew all nations must be given the chance to receive His salvation (Isaiah 56:8).

Isaiah 56:8 ESV

The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”

• And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: [the Church has been interjected here, between Messiah being cut off and the prince of the world destroying] and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Daniel 9:26 Even in Daniel’s core prophecy, he did not see the Church Age. This is because God was only dealing with him about “thy people and thy holy city.” Daniel 9:26 jumps from Jesus’ crucifixion to the Anti-Christ’s reign and skips over 2000 plus years of the Church Age.

GOD’S TIME CLOCKS

When the Church was born, on the day of Pentecost, Jewish time stopped and the Dispensation of Grace began. Acts 2 declares on the specific feast of Pentecost, the Day of Pentecost was fully come (fulfilled). Pentecost was a Jewish holiday and the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on those early believers was the fulfilling of the feast. This was the last event on the Jewish clock before time stopped at the end of the 69th week. The Church was born and Church time began. Jewish time was put on hold.

When the Church is taken out of the earth in the rapture, Jewish time will resume and Daniel’s last week of time (seven years) will play out. That period of time is also called “Jacob’s Trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7).

Jeremiah 30:7 ESV

Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it.

Alas, we are not Jacob. We are the Church. And we will not be here. Praise God!!!