The War Against God’s Mystery

God’s mystery has been hidden from man and from the angels for eons and eons.

The angels were charged with beautifying the Earth, and later the universe if they succeeded on Earth. God wasn’t going to implement His mystery plan unless the angels failed, which they did.

Ancient Israel didn’t receive God’s mystery either because they didn’t have God’s Holy Spirit. Only a few of God’s prophets understood the mystery.

When Jesus Christ came to the Earth the first time, He revealed the mystery to His Church and gave them access to the Holy Spirit and God the Father. Church members have every advantage possible, and it all revolves around the mystery.

But in this end time, 95 percent of God’s people have rebelled against the mystery. Only 5 percent still cling to it. These two sides went to war in court for six years for the writings of Herbert W. Armstrong, primarily Mystery of the Ages, proving there’s always some kind of war going on around the mystery and the ministry that teaches it.

Satan vs. God’s People

God’s mystery is the most profound subject in the Bible. It is a wonderful, mind-stretching vision that explains the whole Bible.

“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:26-27). The Apostle Paul wrote this. How did the mystery change Paul’s life?

Do you want to know the purpose of the Bible and your life? Are you curious about the origins of civilization, the spirit world, or the Kingdom of God? God’s mystery explains it all.

Paul knew this. He wrote the book of Colossians from prison. He was there for proclaiming the mystery! In this biblical book, he warned two groups of Church members: the Colossians and the Laodiceans. Only the Colossians listened. (Study my free booklet Colossians: First-Century Parallels to learn why.)

In this end time, a lukewarm Church has the same attitude as those Laodiceans. They have rebelled against the mystery, a synopsis of the entire Bible!

“For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ” (Colossians 2:1-2). Paul was saying, Most of you don’t really get it. Mr. Armstrong said something similar to the Worldwide Church of God toward the end of his life.

It’s not easy to comprehend the mystery, but you absolutely can! This message is a warning to the Bride of Christ that will share the throne of David with Him throughout the Millennium and for eternity.

“And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ” (verses 4-5). Steadfastness is a military word. We need faith and a willingness to fight for the mystery to prove we love it. We build the character we need to enter God’s Family by waging spiritual war for the mystery.

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (verses 6-7). We must be rooted and grounded in the mystery. It should be foundational in our lives.

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (verse 8). Rudiments of the world means ruling spirits of the universe! Satan is always trying to destroy God’s mystery because it is the opposite of his reward. He bitterly resents mankind’s opportunity to build God’s own love, joy and peace of mind. He is at war against God’s Spirit-begotten people.

“Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of [demons], intruding into those things which he hath [seen], vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God” (verses 18-19). In this end time, God’s people have been beguiled by Satan. He stole the mystery from them! They have lost contact with their Head, Jesus Christ.

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:” (Colossians 4:2-3). Paul proclaimed God’s mystery even while in prison. He asked the brethren to pray for open doors to do God’s Work. He wasn’t wallowing in self-pity; he was pondering how to reach the world with the mystery! The world desperately needs this message, the only solution to their problems.

Remember, the Laodiceans in the first century were just a type of God’s rebellious Church in this end time (Revelation 3:14-22).

The Mystery in Ephesians

Paul wrote some of the most astounding truth ever in the book of Ephesians.

“Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself” (Ephesians 1:9). Do you want to know God’s will? What could be more important?

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles” (Ephesians 3:1). Paul was wrongfully imprisoned. Why does this world hate the mystery? Because Satan hates it! He is the god of this world, meaning he is worshiped instead of the one true God (Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 4:4). So says your Bible!

“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Ephesians 3:2-5).

Again, Paul didn’t care about his fate while sitting in prison. He cared about the world learning the mystery. What dedication! What love for God and His will!

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship [dispensation] of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” (verse 9). The mystery was hidden from mankind in general until Christ’s first appearance on Earth. When He was crucified, the temple veil split in two, symbolizing the possibility of direct access to God the Father. The Father is the Author of the mystery. He wants to give us unimaginable joy and happiness. We must have the depth of faith to really believe this mystery and hold on to it no matter what.

God is re-creating Himself in man! That’s at the core of God’s mystery. Verse 9 seems to indicate that God will keep re-creating Himself in human beings throughout the universe for all eternity! (My free booklet Prophesy Again will explain this to you. This truth will blow you away.)

The Mystery in Revelation

The book of Revelation also discusses God’s mystery.

“And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not” (Revelation 10:1-4).

The Apostle John saw this vivid vision and was about to record the message of the seven thunders, but he was told not to. This message is meant to be understood only in our time! (Study my free books Malachi’s Message to God’s Church Today and The Little Book to learn more about this crucial end-time message.)

“And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer [or, no more delay; Revised Standard Version]” (verses 5-6). God is now letting His plan unfold rapidly. No more delay!

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin [is about] to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets” (verse 7). The seventh trumpet blast, the very last one, is a warning tied to Mystery of the Ages.

Verse 7 dates this prophecy. Jesus Christ will return when the mystery has been fully declared! We can know that His Coming is at the door.

“And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” (verse 11). The commission of God’s Church today is to prophesy again. This is necessary because God’s own people almost destroyed the mystery! They “cast down the truth to the ground” (Daniel 8:12).

Conquering the Devil

All of this—declaring the mystery, the war against the mystery, the prophetic time frame of the mystery—is leading to a glorious conclusion: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). Christ’s return revolves around the great mystery of God’s will, which is brilliantly explained in Mystery of the Ages.

Christ will return to strike down all rebellion. He will rule over all the world powers now struggling for global domination. They will never again be able to destroy other nations. What a wonderful time that will be!

“And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come …” (verse 18). World powers, especially, won’t be happy about Christ’s intervention. But God is wrathful with them too! He’s tired of them and angry about the sins of mankind as they continue to reject the magnificent vision about the mystery.

We must overcome Satan as Christ did to obtain the biggest possible reward (Revelation 3:12, 21). God is offering us the same authority that empowered Christ to totally conquer Satan. He will give us more and more of His Holy Spirit power if we really work to grasp the mystery and put it into practice.

The return of our Savior is near. Now more than ever, we must strive to understand God’s mystery.