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     Although many think the way of salvation is a mystery and the worship of God must have some sort of mysterious rituals in order to be acceptable to God today, the Bible does not present such to us.  However, indeed the New Testament refers to a mystery 26 times.  The apostle Paul wrote, “by revelation He made known to me the mystery,… the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:3,4).  What is the mystery of Christ?

     From the first sin in the garden of Eden, the repair of broken relationship between God and man seems to be a mystery.  It must have been so to people before Christ came to earth, being born into flesh as a human being (Philippians 2:5-8).  God’s intention to save sinners was revealed ambiguously, immediately following Adam and Eve’s sin —“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15).  God spoke this in His curse upon Satan.  One must read through the Bible to know this is the first hint of God’s scheme of redemption.  Upon reading it the second time, it becomes clear… this is the beginning of the mystery of God’s intention regarding man’s hopeless condition — separated from God!

     The next recorded revelation is God’s promise some 2000 years later, given as we are introduced to Abraham —“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2,3).  Again it is still quite ambiguous, but now we know Abraham would be the source of God’s blessing to all the families who would live on the earth.  Again only partial revelation — mystery!

     God revealed more of the mystery some 30-35 years later after Abraham obeyed the command to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to God — “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” (Genesis 22:18).  The word seed is singular, thus we know all people would be blessed by only one of Abraham’s descendants, but the mystery still existed.  No wonder the apostle Peter wrote, “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you” (1 Peter 1:10).  The Old Testament prophets attempted to solve the mystery too.  But they couldn’t — mystery!  When would the mystery be revealed and what was it?

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