Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Although this little word, NOW, maybe a conjunction, a noun, or an interjection, it is most of the time used as an adverb and has to do with time. It is used eight times in Ephesians. Now let us study now.
1. Eph. 2:2. Here, we read of a spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. The next verse indicates that it had formerly worked likewise. It is a spirit that resides in Children of Wrath. So this is something that works now and worked then.
2. Eph. 2:13. This is a contrast of now and then. At one time, the Gentiles were far off, even when under the Gospel of The Grace of God in Acts. But now, in the Dispensation of The Mystery, it is revealed that these Gentiles have been made nigh by the blood.
3. Eph. 2:19. Up to Acts 28:28, the Gentile believers had been strangers from the covenants of promise and aliens (foreigners) from the commonwealth of Israel. There was no joint relationship, for the Gentile believers were simply a wild olive branch depending on the roots of Israel for blessings. Now, in the administration of the mystery, Israel is out of the picture, and the Gentile believers have their own citizenship in the holiest of all and make up a new household as the firstborn of God.
4. Eph. 3:5. There has been a steady increase in the Revelation of Christ from Gen 3:15 up to the time of the beginning of The Dispensation of The Mystery. But nothing like what is now made known through the Apostles and Prophets of The Mystery Church. For The Mystery of Christ is completed by the revelation of His Headship of all things in creation.
5. Eph. 3:10. Up to Acts 28:28, God's program was an earthly one, making known the name of Jehovah to the nations of the earth by means of His people, Israel. But now, The Church is making known the manifold wisdom of God to beings in the heavenlies. This is a part of the program of the administration of the mystery. It has to do with the heavens.
6. Eph. 3:20. This is one of the most beautiful of all the doxologies in the Bible. And it comes after the mention of the love of Christ, which was so broad that it included both Jew and Gentile, so long as to extend from before the overthrow unto the ages to come, so deep as to pull us up from the depths of trespasses and sins, and high enough to seat us in Heavenly Places at the right hand of The Father. Now is a good time for our highest praise.
7. Eph. 4:9. There is an indication that the descent of Christ and His humiliation was into the lowest parts of creation, that is, the earth. But now He has ascended and given gifts to The Church in the form of a foundation of apostles and prophets, and added to that, for the work, are evangelists, pastors, and teachers—no gifts to members as such.
8. Eph. 5:8. At one time, the Gentiles walked in the darkness of sin and ignorance. But now they have the light of The Gospel of the Dispensation of The Mystery. And since our citizenship is in the Holy of holies where the Shekinah Glory dwells, we should walk as children of light. That is now.
Now is the time for all good believers to study the Word of God to see what is the Truth for now.
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Acts 9:4
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
According to Acts 26:16, Paul was to be a witness of the things he had seen (the things preached by Stephen and the Twelve) and of things in the which the Lord would appear unto him. Therefore, his Gospel-centered around The Kingdom, the same as the Twelve. There was no disagreement on that score at the council in Acts 15:12-17. But the new things Paul did receive of the Lord and preach was that Gentiles could partake of Israel's spiritual things by faith without keeping the law (Romans 15:27). Paul's preaching of The Kingdom brought on the accusation at Thessalonica that he proclaimed another King than Caesar (Acts 17:7). Paul wrote seven Epistles during Acts.
1. Galatians. To Gentile believers. The circumcision, still under the law, trying to bring the Gentile under it, too. No Dispensation of The Mystery in that. Gentile believers are children of Abraham by faith and partakers of the promise (Gal. 3:29). The hope, the New Jerusalem (Gal. 4:26).
2. Hebrews. To the Jewish believers. Still under the law as priesthood is a main theme. They are still God's firstborn (Heb. 12:23; cf. Exo. 4:22). Their Hope is the New Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22). The things of the law pointed to better things of the coming Kingdom. No Dispensation of The Mystery here.
3. 1 Thessalonians. Both Jews and Gentiles are there (Acts 17:4). The Theme of 1 Thes. 4:13-18 is the coming of Israel's Messiah to set up His Kingdom. Times and seasons are now known because Revelation is now written (contrast Acts 1:6-7). No Dispensation of The Mystery here.
4. 2 Thessalonians. Had Israel's hope. Warned that the day of the Lord had not begun as some had said (2 Thes. 2:1-4). They were suffering for The Kingdom (2 Thes. 1:5). There must be a falling away in Israel before the day of the Lord (2 Thes. 2:3). Still under law and commandments (2 Thes. 3:6). Nothing here about the Dispensation of The Mystery.
5. 1 Corinthians. Both Jew and Gentile. The Jew is spoken to in Chapters 10 and 11. Gentiles are spoken to in Chapter 12. Still, under law, Paul rebukes them in Chapter 10 because some sleep (are dead), and some are sickly because of the Memorial bread and wine. In the breaking of the bread, The Lord's Body was not being observed correctly by some during the feast of Passover—their Hope, the coming of the Lord Jesus, as revealed in 1 Cor. 15:51-52. Note the reference to the Revelation in speaking of the last trumpet. They still had the gifts of the Spirit. No Dispensation of The Mystery here.
6. 2 Corinthians. Paul is still a minister of the New Testament (2 Cor. 3:6), which is for the house of Israel and Judah (Jer. 31:31). Under the law, and Christ the sin-offering (2 Cor. 5:21). Paul tells of his Revelation like John's that occurs above 14 years ago (2 Cor. 12:1-5). No Dispensation of The Mystery in any of this.
7. Romans. Both to Jew and Gentile. Jew spoken to in Rom. 2:1-10 especially. Gentiles told of their place in The Kingdom and why in Chapters 10 and 11. Gentile believers are partakers of Israel's spiritual things, not of the Dispensation of The Mystery (Rom. 15:27). Dispensationally, the Jew is first (Rom. 1:16). The Jews have a great advantage over the Gentiles (Rom. 9:1-5). The law is still in effect (Rom. 13:9-10).
In all Seven of these Epistles, there is no hint of or mention of the Dispensation of The Mystery.
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Luke 23:18
And they cried out all at once, saying,
Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:
The question is, Who did the rejecting of Messiah? What do we mean by saying that the nation rejected Him? And with that question is another: Why did not the Lord ever announce Himself publicly that He was the King, the Messiah? Also, where does repentance come in?
From what we see of Pentecost, we would think that the nation was going to repent. That had been the message of John, the Lord Himself, the 12, and also the 70 who were sent out. Prophecy also seems to indicate that there was a remnant that would finally be involved instead of the whole nation. Malachi prophesies, as well as others, that when the Lord comes, there will be a judging and a burning up of the chaff. There is clear evidence that not all of Israel is saved as a nation when the Lord comes. But there is a time coming when all Israel will be saved, none unbelieving.
Now, the reason that the Lord did not proclaim Himself as King is that such a proclamation should be made by the rulers of Israel, who would then represent the nation. The Sanhedrin (70 men) and the high priest were this ruling body, and they spoke for Israel as a nation. It was their business to recognize the King from the miracles and signs for which evidence they had in their possession.
However, those who represented the people did not choose to recognize Christ. The Truth was preached to the people, as by John and by others, so that the multitudes might get to know. But the leaders paid no attention to the people. They were ignorant and even accursed in their estimation.
So, in Judea, The Lord was rejected and crucified. In response to the Lord's last request that He made to The Father for them, they were forgiven for that, and another offer was made during Acts. But the same ruling body rejected Him again by the stoning of Stephen, the arrest of Paul in the temple, and finally, even the Synagogues, for the most part, rejected Him not only in Judea but even the leaders of the Jews in Rome (Acts 28:28).
The pattern cannot be followed by looking at one side of the tapestry only. Prophecy must be studied along with the history. The fig tree was cursed for not having fruit when it was not the season for fruit. That makes no sense to most folks. Prophetically, it was not time for Israel to bear fruit, but the offer was bona fide, and they refused. So, there was a curse laid upon them.
Even at the all-day meeting in Rome, there was still a chance that leaders of the Jews would accept The Truth and start a movement that would end up in Jerusalem with the leaders repenting (changing their minds) and believing that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Messiah. But the last chance slipped by, and the pronouncement was made that The Salvation of God was then sent to the Gentiles.
We might add that the Sanhedrin represented all Twelve Tribes. It ceased with the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, the Roman. When God deals with Israel again, there will be new conditions. We have very little idea of what they will be.
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Acts 1:7
And he said unto them,
It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,
which the Father hath put in his own power.
In Acts 1:6, the Apostles asked, Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel? And His reply was, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. This is a very strange answer in view of the fact that these Apostles could have turned to Daniel 9:20-27 and have found their answer. From there, it is told when the Messiah should be cut off and also that after 70 weeks of Israel being in the Holy City, the Messiah should come. That would be the setting up of His kingdom. And according to the figures given, that would be A.D. 85.
We wonder why the Lord did not set them right by quoting Daniel. Of course, 85 came and went, and there was no restoration of The Kingdom. On the contrary, about 15 years before A.D. 85, Jerusalem was destroyed, and the temple burned. So, the only answer to why The Kingdom did not begin in A.D. 85 is Acts 28:28. The Kingdom was postponed, and The Dispensation of The Mystery intervened and is still going on. Israel will not be revived till after the two days of Hosea 6:2 . Will this be 2,000 years?
The first usage of the expression seasons is in Gen 1:14, where the lights were set in the firmament to be for signs and seasons and for days and years. According to the Companion Bible note, signs were things to come, and seasons appointed times. So, even the signs of the zodiac were prophetic (See Companion Bible Appendix 12).
Another thing that puzzles us is that in Acts 1:7, the apostles are not to know the times or the seasons, yet in 1 Thessalonians 5:1, Paul states that these people of Thessalonica should already know the times and seasons and that there was no need of his writing about them. Why this statement? A lot of theologians have never realized that about ten years before this, John had his revelation, and these people knew about it. In the 16th verse of the chapter before, Paul mentions things that would later be written in the Book of Revelation (about AD 96). There is the answer.
The Word has been very exact about prophetic times and seasons. Abraham was told that 430 years after he left Haran, Israel would leave Egypt. It proved to be true. In Dan 9:2, we read that Daniel understood from the prophecy of Jeremiah that the desolations would be 70 years. So Daniel could figure out when they would be over and when Israel would return. For further light on this, read 2 Chr. 36:21 and Jer. 25:11-12 and Zec. 1:12 & Zec. 7:5.
Now, back to the two days again. The present times begin either with Acts 28:28 or the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. From A.D. 70 until the last few days, the people and the Holy City have not been together to fulfill prophecy. But it looks as if they now were going to have all the city. But since the 70 weeks of Dan. 9 began with the dedication of the temple, we may not be too sure when the 70 weeks will be resumed. We just do not know.
And we mention these things because many want to know when the Lord will be Manifested with His Church. It seems that we are not to know that, but we can know that as the time of Israel approaches, we can be sure the time of our Hope draws near.
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Matt 28:18
All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.
In the beginning, God created the heavens (dual) and the earth (singular). Gen. 1:1.
In the same Chapter, the firmament was established and called heaven, but not called good.
Then, after mentioning the heavens and the earth, the account goes on to deal with the earth, the man, his fall, and the plan for redemption. Nothing is said about the heavens, whether inhabited, in need of redemption or what part they play in the affairs of men.
All power is given unto Me in heaven (singular) and in earth (singular). Matt. 28:18.
Here, heaven is singular since it is mentioned in contrast to earth. See note in the Companion Bible. But again, we are disappointed, for the Lord goes on to give an earthly program to The Apostles and gives no information about the heavens.
From the two references given in Genesis and Matthew, we see only an earthly program of redemption. Man is given dominion over the earth. He has a relationship with beasts, fowls, fish, and the like. Later on, we can see that there is a ministration of angels, but all connected with the Dispensation of Promise, which began with Abraham.
Peter gives us a pretty good panorama of the heavens and the earth. He speaks of those in Gen. 1:1 as those that then were. And he speaks of the heavens and earth that are now. And he looks forward to the heavens and earth that are to come in which will be righteousness. See 2 Peter 3:5-8.
The Lord's words in Matt. 28 and those of Peter in 2 Peter 3 give a slight hint that there might be sentient beings in the heavens. He is to have power there, and there is to be righteousness there. These references show that there are three heavens and three earths in the Scriptures. John was caught up to the 3rd heaven and also to paradise, the new earth. See 2 Cor. 12:1-4 where Paul speaks of a vision he experienced, and then compare what Paul said with what John experienced in various expressions in the Revelation.
The great turning point in our account of redemption is where, in Scripture, God began to reveal something about the heavens. For over 4,000 years, the earth was man's domain and place of dominion. His Hope in Resurrection was to be again on the earth in a Great Kingdom or in a new earth in either a Great City made without hands or in Paradise. And all this Great Salvation which had to do with The Kingdom and the Great City was of the Jews.
At the time, Acts 28:28, the Jews are for the present set aside, and The Salvation of God sent to the Gentiles. This is where the switch is made. The theme, the Hope from there on of Salvation, is connected with the Heavens, not the earth. This is where The Church of The Dispensation of The Mystery began. (Well, it actually began in The Mind of our God, and He then Called us in Christ before the overthrow of the word. Eph. 1:4)
The Church is blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places (Eph. 1:3).
All in heaven and earth to be under one Head (Eph. 1:9-10).
The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the holiest of all, heaven itself (Eph. 1:18).
Christ over every power in heaven and earth, as well as every name (Eph. 1:20-21).
The two spheres mentioned in Gen. 1:1 are the subject of the rest of the Word of God. Although both are mentioned at first, we soon discover that the earth is the main subject till we get to the Epistle to the Ephesians.
Both spheres were in the overthrow, which must have come about with the rebellion of the greatest and wisest creature ever created (Eze. 28:12-19). Peter speaks of this overthrow as being by water (2 Pet 3:5-6). And we note that when redemption is completed, as far as the earth is concerned, there will be no more sea (Rev. 21:1).
We are assured that the redemption of all creation was in view even before the overthrow. We are told in Eph. 3:6 that the members of The Church have a part in a promise in Christ. In 2 Tim. 1:1, it tells us that this promise is one of Life. And in Titus 1:2, it is eternal life promised before the ages began. Note that this is in connection with the revelation of The Mystery. It was not revealed to God's earth people, Israel.
After man was put on the earth and failed, and the nations also failed for a period of 2,000 years, a new nation was formed to have a ministry among the other 70 nations, and from this nation would arise The Redeemer, a King from Judah.
This nation of Israel was a chosen nation. They were to be a Kingdom of priests (Exo. 19:6) to make known the name of Jehovah to the nations. They were called God's firstborn (Exo. 4:22). They were The Church in the wilderness (Acts 7:38).
Because of their sins, Israel was unable to fulfill her purpose. So finally, their Redeemer came, who was to save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21) so that they might accomplish that for which they were chosen. They rejected their Redeemer. The work they were to do was postponed (Acts 28:27-28). But redemption was procured by the blood of Christ. All was set in order for the work to begin. After the Dispensation of The Mystery is over, Christ will return to earth. Then Israel will begin her work among the nations with The Lord and the Twelve directing it.
Upon the rejection of Israel's Messiah for the second time (Acts 28:27-28), the great secret of a work of redemption in Heavenly Places is revealed. Another people from among the Gentiles has been chosen. They are another firstborn (Eph. 1:5). Even now, this Church is making known the manifold wisdom of God to principalities and powers in Heavenly Places (Eph. 3:10 ). No promised land on the earth for this Church! It is blessed with all spiritual blessings in the Heavenly Places in Christ. Read Eph. 1:3-14.
So we discover that a Church (Acts 7:38) was chosen as one body for God's earth program. When it was set aside, then another Church called The Body of Christ came into being, which has its citizenship in Heaven (Phil. 3:20 ). (We must remember, however, that The Church of The One Body of Christ was called before all others and was a primordial plan of habitation, not redemption.)
We must conclude that the heavens and the earth of Gen. 1:1 are the objects of redemption, for we know that redemption must reach out as far as sin did.
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