Verse for today – “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him (Ephesians 1:9).”
In the Old Testament a man named Joseph was a prisoner in the land of Egypt. He was sold into slavery because of his brothers’ jealousy and placed in jail because of his master’s hasty and faulty judgement. One night, Pharaoh, the high king of Egypt, had two dreams that troubled him greatly. Finding no one to interpret his dreams, one of Pharaoh’s servants referred him to Joseph, who because of his faith in God, was able to interpret dreams in the past. After listening to Pharaoh’s description of both dreams, Joseph said: “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same; God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do… Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land (Gen. 41:25-30).”
In God’s kindness He sometimes brings people into His confidence. In this historical account, God revealed information to Joseph and Pharaoh that enabled them to prepare for a 7-year famine. They stored up grain during the 7 good years in preparation for the 7 years of famine. Our God is kind!
In the coming of Jesus Christ to the world, God has again brought us into His confidence. Not everyone is listening! In our day many seem to have their fingers in their ears and pay no attention to God’s kind calls and gracious warnings. But Jesus and His apostles have brought a clear message from God to a broken world. The question is are we interested in listening? God is offering hope! He is offering salvation! He clearly said, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13).”
How about you? Are you interested in God’s mystery? Paul talks a lot more about it in chapters 2 and 3 of Ephesians. We are getting there, and we will deal with the mystery in detail at that time. For now let me give you this hint; it has to do with Christ and why He came; it has to do with God’s chosen people, past, present , and future; it has to do with God’s new kingdom. Until we come to chapters 2 and 3 and can deal with this discussion specifically, remember this—it is a great blessing that God reveals His secrets to those who are listening.