Everyone loves a good mystery! Whether it’s classic Agatha Christie of yesteryear or more contemporary works by James Patterson and Gillian Flynn, readers enjoy the suspense and intrigue trying to discover who’s guilty and how the plot will resolve. Mystery movies are also popular and keep theatregoers engaged until the final details are revealed. Even Hallmark has added a whole channel dedicated to this genre.
Mysteries are nothing new and there is a bit of mystery in every well-told story as good writers purposefully conceal outcomes while building tension and interest. The Bible is no different and a number of mini-mysteries decorate the pages of its 66 books intriguing readers while drawing all closer to the Creator.
God Himself is sometimes viewed as a mystery as hymn-writer William Cowper observed centuries ago when he penned, “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.” Cowper, however, was stating what one of Job’s friends asked long ago when he posed, “Can you fathom the mysteries of God?” Later, King Nebuchadnezzar told Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries.”
In the New Testament, Paul mentioned mysteries in his writings using a Greek word that carried the idea of closely guarded secrets belonging to those initiated into exclusive groups. In Ephesians 3:6 and other Scriptures, he referred to the previously undisclosed mystery that God’s Kingdom would be opened to Gentiles. At his time, most Jews believed they were the only ones privileged to know the one true God and anyone born outside of Abraham’s family had no chance, even though Old Testament prophets proclaimed that eventually all would be welcomed. Praise God that is now true!
Paul revealed an even bigger mystery in I Corinthians 15 where he boldly proclaims that not all Christians will die, but that some who are still living when Jesus returns will be changed instantly when the dead are raised! This wonderful passage assures believers that because Jesus rose from the dead, He will also resurrect all who put their trust in Him! Although prophets before Jesus couldn’t see and understand this clearly, Jesus’ life, teachings, death, and resurrection made it abundantly clear that all true Christians will be raised to live forever!
In that beautiful chapter, Paul declares that in Jesus, “Death has been swallowed up in victory!” and then he asks rhetorically, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Death need not be mysterious for those who follow Jesus because the Bible is clear that when our souls leave our bodies, we will instantly be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). In addition, because Jesus rose from the dead, we are assured that our remains will also be raised and transformed into bodies that will never perish, suffer, or grow old! If we’ve put our hope and trust in Jesus, we don’t have to wonder how life will ultimately turn out, for the secrets of the Kingdom of God have been revealed to all willing to see them!
We are so privileged to live on this side of Jesus for we can now see plainly how He is the perfect fulfillment of what the prophets foretold. Even these great godly men did not fully understand how their words would play out nor how God would weave the events of history together to provide a Messiah who would be crucified and resurrected. Even they didn’t understand how God would use His own Son to open His Heaven to all people. Praise God that what was mysterious to them is a mystery no longer! Because we’ve read the back of His Book, we can see, understand, and respond to God’s love and participate in all He has planned for those who love Him.
As we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Sunday, respond to the best news of all as history’s mysteries have now been solved! Resurrection blessings, George