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BASIC DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN
PROPHECY AND THE MYSTERY
| PROPHECY |
THE MYSTERY9 |
| Concerns a kingdom; a political organization (Dan.2:44, Matt.
6:10). |
Concerns a body; a living organism
(I Cor. 12:12,27,
Eph. 4:12-16). |
The kingdom to be established on earth
(Jer. 23:5, Matt.
6:10). |
The body given a position in heaven
(Eph. 1:3, 2:5-6,
Col. 3:1-3). |
Christ to be its King
(Jer.23:5, Isa. 9:6,7). |
Christ its living Head
(Eph. 1:19-23, Col. 1:18). |
The kingdom
prophesied "since the world began"
(Luke
1:68-70, Acts 3:21). |
The body chosen in Christ before the world began, but "kept secret
since the world began"
(Rom. 16:25, Eph. 1:4-11, 3:5-9). |
Israel to be given supremacy over the nations
(Isa. 60:10-12,
61:6). |
Jew and Gentile placed on the same level before God (Rom.
10:12, 11:32, Eph. 2: 16,17). |
The Gentiles to be blessed through
Israel's instrumentality
(Gen. 22:17,18, Zech. 8:13). |
The Gentiles blessed through
Israel's obstinacy
(Acts
13:44-46, Rom. 11:28-32). |
The Gentiles to be blessed through Israel's rise
(Isa.
60:1-3, Zech. 8:22,23). |
The Gentiles blessed through Israel's fall
(Acts
28:27,28, Rom. 11:11,12,15). |
Prophecy mainly concerns nations as such
(Isa. 2:4, Ezek.
37:21,22). |
The mystery concerns individuals
(Rom. 10:12,13, II Cor.
5:14-17). |
Prophecy concerns blessings,
both material and spiritual, on
earth
(Isa. 2:3,4, 11:1-9, etc.). |
The mystery concerns
"all spiritual blessings in the
heavenlies"
(Eph. 1:3, Col. 3:1-3). |
Prophecy concerns Christ's
coming to the earth
(Isa.
59:20, Zech. 14:4). |
The mystery explains
Christ's present absence from the earth
(Eph. 1:20-23, Col. 3:1-3). |
| In prophecy salvation by grace through faith alone is not
contemplated. |
Salvation by grace through faith alone lies at the very heart of
the mystery
(Rom. 3:21-26, 4:5, Eph. 2:8,9). |
The proclamation of the prophetic program committed particularly
to the twelve
(Matt. 10:5-7, Acts 1:6-8, 3:19-26). |
The proclamation of the mystery
committed particularly to Paul
(Eph. 3:1-3,8,9, Col. 1:24-27). |
The prophetic program revealed through
many of God's
servants
(Luke 1:70, II Pet. 1:21). |
The mystery revealed through one man:
Paul
(Gal.
1:1,11,12, 2:2,7,9, Eph. 3:2,3).10 |
Old testament writers frequently
did not understand the prophecies
made known through them
(Dan. 12:8-10, I Pet. 1:10-12). |
Paul both understood and longed
that others might understand
the mystery
revealed through him.
(Eph. 1:15-23, 3:14-21, Col 1:9-10, 2:1-3). | http://geocities.com/protestantscot/ttd/chapter2.html
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