Ephesians 3:3 NASBS
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
By revelation Paul means by God revealing something to Him in a very personal and powerful way. The revelation Paul received was from Jesus Himself and it was nothing short of life changing. It was a revelation of who Jesus was (God) and it was a revelation of God’s calling over Paul’s life.
In today’s church, it isn’t common for believers to think that God shows them things in their hearts. Even the idea that God wants to show Himself to someone who believes in Him can seem strange. Many Christians find great comfort in the teaching of the cross, the love of God, and the company of other Christians, but they don’t know what it means to have a personal encounter with God.
God desires that every believer not only have one revelation of who Jesus is and what He has done, but that we have a continuing flow of Heavenly knowledge and insight. For it to happen, we as Christians must respond to His call to intimacy and seek His Face with purpose and resolve.
Psalm 24:6 NASBS points to this reality when it says:
This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face-even Jacob. Selah.
What Paul is referring to in Ephesians 3:3 that He has written in brief is the passage in Ephesians 1:15-19 NASBS that says:
For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, [16] do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; [17] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. [18] I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, [19] and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
These personal insights delivered by His Spirit are to enlighten our souls so that we may know what is the hope of His calling, the riches of the Glory of His inheritance for us, and the exceeding greatness of His power towards us. All of this occurs as a result of the working, of Him operating in us by the power of His might!
That was Paul’s request. That should be our prayer for ourselves and people around us as well. Lord, reveal yourself to me, expose yourself to us, and show us our calling, the riches of our inheritance as your children, and your exceeding glory. Use your might to operate in our hearts. Let us progress toward this reality of Heavenly intimacy by deepening our understanding and awareness of You and Your Kingdom. As it is in Heaven, let your kingdom come and your will be done.
Paul’s epiphany was a game-changer, since it came directly from Jesus.
Some think transformation and repentance arise from wanting to please God and fearing sin’s consequences. That might be included in the package, but the very cause we turn to God wholeheartedly is because His Spirit reveals His Glory and attractiveness to us. That realisation alone creates a 180-degree turn that results in repentance, surrender and obedience.
The eyes of our hearts are enlightened by the splendor of His Majesty and the unveiling of His love for us! It is when it eyes are opened to who Jesus is that we fully understand who we are and what we are called for. Again, it is a mystery, a revelation from God’s Spirit to ours.
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 NASBS
Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; [7] but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; [8] the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; [9] but just as it is written, “Things WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” [10] For to us God revealed them through theSpirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. [11] For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so thethoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God,so that we may know the things freelygiven to us by God, [13] which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by theSpirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. [14] But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit ofGod, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannotunderstand them, because they are spiritually appraised. [15] But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. [16] For who HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.
We speak God’s wisdom, hidden in mystery. It’s not human wisdom, but Heavenly wisdom, which God gives us freely through His Spirit, so that we may may know the things that Kings and prophets desired to hear and didn’t hear, to see and did not see, to understand but it wasn’t given to them but to us to have it.
Luke 10:21-24 NASBS
At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. [22] All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” [23] Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, [24] for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.”
Isaiah 64:3-4 Voice
We remember that long ago You did amazing things for us that we had never dreamed You’d do. You came down, and the mountains shook at Your presence. [4] Nothing like that had ever happened before-no eye had ever seen, and no ear had ever heard such wonders, But You did them then for the sake of Your people, for those who trusted in You.
1 Corinthians 2:9 Voice
But as the Scriptures say, No eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard and it has never occurred to the human heart All the things God prepared for those who love Him.
For some reason beyond my comprehension, God decided to open a door for us to enter through. And it is the gateway to understanding God’s thoughts on us, our inheritance in Him, and everything else that surrounds us.
He speaks to individuals who love Him through His Spirit in a multitude of ways (prayer, Bible, others, circumstances, and even nature). But the most important thing we as believers must understand is that He desires to disclose more and more of Himself, more and more of His innumerable thoughts about us, and more and more of His plans for us so that He can use us to reach others with His love.
The magnificence of God’s thoughts and dreams for us is beyond our understanding, yet they inspire us to walk with Him in awe and wonder. This feeling of awe and wonder makes me want to seek His Face and do His work with all my heart.
And the best part of it all is that we can access God’s thoughts, God’s Presence, God’s Face anywhere, anytime and with the confidence of those who have been saved by the blood of Jesus and washed by the truth of His Words.
Hebrews 10:19-23 Voice
So, my friends, Jesus by His blood gives us courage to enterthe most holy place. [20] He has created for us a new andliving way through the curtain, that is, through His flesh. [21] Since we have a great High Priest who presides over the house of God, [22] let us draw near with true hearts full offaith, with hearts rinsed clean of any evil conscience, and with bodies cleansed with pure water. [23] Let us hold strong to the confession of our hope, never wavering, since the One who promised it to us is faithful.
God is calling us to know Him on a previously unreachable level. Kings and prophets alike shared a persistent desire to serving God, yet they did not achieve the same level of revelation of His mysteries that we have today.
We are being called to draw near to God, to understand His heart and His will for our lives. He is urging us to embrace the daily thrill of unraveling His mystery, of grasping the essence of Jesus and our place in Him, and to abide in a state of holy ecstasy for His Kingdom, His Words, and His Presence.
Paul’s encounter with Jesus brought about a significant and transformative revelation. Every day, Jesus gives us access to new wisdom that has the potential to completely transform our lives. They are significant, fascinating and meaningful. They are both life-giving and awe-inspiring. They are the ones we must embrace! All we have to do is take a seat at His banquet table and feast on Him.
Ephesians 3 PC – But what is the mystery Paul is talking about? The mystery is not Christ’s secret, but the secret which is Christ. Paul is talking here about one significant phase of God’s secret, which is Christ in whom all things are to be united.
Here’s what Ephesians 3:6 Voice has to say about it:
Specifically, the mystery is this: by trusting in the good news, the Gentile outsiders are becoming fully enfranchised members of the same body, heirs alongside Israel, and beneficiaries of the promise that has been fulfilled through Jesus the Anointed.
The mystery revealed to Paul is Also mentioned in Colossians 1:24-28 NIV:
Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. [25] I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness- [26] the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is nowdisclosed to the Lord’s people. [27] To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. [28] He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
Christ in us is not an exclusivity of the Jews, but to the whole world. Christ in us is the aim of the message of the Gospel, so that we all may be presented mature in Christ. The message of the Gospel isn’t changed by the revelation Paul received that the Gospel is to be preached everywhere in the World, but through this revelation the message of the Gospel was to be expanded exponentially.
Throughout the history of the Christian faith, God has had visions of how he wanted His Gospel to reach people’s minds. Whether it’s one’s own neighborhood or an entire country, He has always been true to the people He chose. The Bible is full of real-life examples of how God has been true to the people He chose to do His work.
In light of this, I wonder what God’s plan is for my life and the life of my family so that the word of the Gospel can grow and reach out to the people around us. And when it comes to God’s plans for your life and family, what plans has He given you for helping His kingdom grow?
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