The truths concerning the mystery are the deep things of God which have to do with the fulfillment of His eternal counsels concerning Christ the Son of His bosom.
We who believe in Jesus have been blessed with every blessing in the heavenlies, chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. We are holy and without blame before Him in love because in redemption Christ has borne all of our sins. Eph. 1:1-7.
We have received an inheritance in Christ according to what God purposed long ago. Each believer is "sealed" by the Spirit and has received the "earnest" of the Spirit in view of resurrection when our bodies will be raised. Besides these blessings, we have the "anointing" of the Spirit which gives intelligence to know and enjoy all that has been given us in Christ.
God has filled us with wisdom and understanding as to His divine purpose in Christ. Every saved person, elect angels, created things, all things, must be gathered under Christ before the eternal day begins. All evil will have been done away before that time. Eph. 1:8-10.
The children of God, scattered before Pentecost, were begun to be gathered at Pentecost and are still being gathered until the rapture takes place. These are the Church, all believers, who form the one body of Christ. John 11:52. Eph. 1:3-10.
The Apostle Paul speaks of the grace given to him that he should be the one to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, also the administration, or setting up, of churches and being in himself a pattern for others.
The mystery was a secret, hidden from men, hid in God, but now the manifold, all-varied, multicolored wisdom of God as to that which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord is revealed and known to mankind and to angels who are watching the Church and learning deep things which they have never known before. Eph. 3:8-11.
Hosea the prophet says in regard to the Church, "Ye are the sons of the living God." Hos. 1:10. Rom. 9:25,26. Those who receive Christ have the right to be called the children of God. John 1:12. There is a witness to us between the Spirit of God and our spirits that we are children of God. Rom. 8:16. Now if we are children, we are also heirs! heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. Rom. 8:17. We have received the adoption of sons, and God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying. "Abba, Father." Gal. 4:4-6.
The Father's house is the eternal home of Christ the Son where we, the bride, shall live with Him in eternal bliss as His companions, forever beloved of the Father. All this has God purposed for His and our eternal happiness. Eph. 1:3,4.
What a blessed home to which we will be brought where want and sorrow will be unknown, where we shall be loved forever by the Father and the Son because we have received Christ in the day of His rejection. Peace and rest shall abide forever.
Joseph is a type of Christ with His Gentile bride ruling over the world. Two sons were born unto Joseph in Egypt, Manasseh (forgetting) and Ephraim (fruitful). This suggests how the bride of Christ will cause Him to forget all His sorrow of the cross as He will see the fruit of the travail of His soul. Gen. 41:50-52.
Christ as Man will serve the Father forever. Ex. 21:1-6. 1 Cor. 15:28. He served the Father in His life here in this world, He served Him at the cross, He served His saints in becoming the propitiation for our sins, He serves us now as God's High Priest, and He will seat us at His table and serve us in the Father's house. What a Savior! It will be a lovely atmosphere as the Lord girds Himself in a servant's attire and serves His bride because He loves her. Luke 12:34-39.
In that cloudless day, as now, the Father will love us as He loves His Son and will grant us to share Christ's happiness in endless bliss. Then we shall realize how much we owe Him.
The angels desire to know these things (1 Peter 1:12), and the Church at present is the display, here in this world, before principalities and powers (angels), of these very things. How good that through grace God has preserved a testimony before angels and men of what characterizes the true Church surrounded by the false one.
At present the Lord is sanctifying (separating) us from all that belongs to earth through "the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Eph. 5:25-27.
Not being under the law but under grace, without fear of reprisal, the love of God constrains us, while we bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5,6), (speaking abstractly here).
Men pray with holy hands. 1 Tim. 2:8-12. They love their wives as a picture of how Christ loves the Church, and they are not bitter against them. The man takes his place as head of the wife to dwell with her according to knowledge, giving her honor as the weaker vessel and as heirs together of the grace of life. 1 Peter 3:1-7.
On the woman's part, there is the inward adorning (spiritual) rather than the outward, together with a meek, quiet spirit. What a great opportunity we have now to serve Christ here in testimony.
God made man and wife, male and female. There is that manner of life, in keeping with each, which sets forth the Bridegroom and the bride.
The wife is a keeper at home. Titus 2:5. The woman does not wear that which pertains unto the man (1 Tim. 2:9), and the man does not wear women's clothes. Deut. 22:5. The woman's hair is her glory, while it is a shame for a man to have long hair.
The woman covers her head when praying or prophesying, while the man's head remains uncovered, each recognizing authority as ordered by God. 1 Cor. 11:3-6.
The woman does not teach doctrine but teaches the younger women in regard to practical things. The man teaches doctrine, (2 Tim. 2:2), and the woman, being silent in the assembly, will ask her husband at home as to the meaning of Scriptures. Much instruction is gained in discussion between men and women as to the things of God. Acts 18:26. This is not formal teaching, in which the woman has no place.
The cross of Christ will be the endless theme of heaven. Here in this world we each have a cross to bear. "If I my cross have taken, 'tis but to follow Thee." How the Lord would be delighted if each believer would realize the largeness of his calling, so that he might answer in love and obedience which will bring an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:11. How we long for rest both for our souls and for our bodies.
"My longing heart, now pillowed
On Jesu's breast of love,
Hath oft to me foreshadowed,
That blissful rest above;
But, O my soul, remember,
None shall be weary there;
The ransomed without number
God's blessed rest will share."
L.F. #30, app.
"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." Heb. 4:9.
As we ponder these truths, are we thinking of preparing our hearts by the reading of the Word and prayer to be ready for that glorious moment when we arrive at the place of many mansions, the place that Christ went to prepare for us?
O, what a destiny for the Church in the Father's house where He will pour out the exceeding riches of His grace, also for all the people of God in the place in heaven or on the new earth prepared for them.
"Unto him (God) be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end." Eph. 3:21.