Ep. 13 - Prophecy & Mystery
Episode Description
Why does Leviticus 11 forbid the eating of certain meats while Paul calls that very prohibition a doctrine of devils in 1 Timothy 4? Why does Matthew 3 speak of three baptisms while Ephesians 4 declares there is only one? Are there contradictions in the Bible — or are we just seeing things? Few questions trip up serious Bible students more than these, and few are more important to answer rightly.
In this episode, Pastor Josh introduces two of the most important categories for understanding Scripture: prophecy and mystery. Prophecy is what God made known by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began (Acts 3:21). Mystery is what was kept secret from the foundation of the world but is now made manifest (Romans 16:25). And mystery itself comes in two forms — that which was witnessed in the Old Testament but not fully revealed, and that which was completely hid in God until the Apostle Paul. Recognize these categories, and apparent contradictions resolve. Miss them, and the Bible becomes a book of confusion — which the God of order is not the author of. This is the first in a series of episodes on rightly handling the Word of God.
Key Scriptures
1 Corinthians 14:33 — God Is Not the Author of Confusion
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Acts 3:19–21 — Spoken by the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Romans 16:25 — The Revelation of the Mystery
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.
Ephesians 3:1–6 — The Mystery Made Known by Revelation
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 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; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.
Ephesians 3:8–9 — The Fellowship of the Mystery
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:19–21 — Witnessed by the Law and the Prophets
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.
Ephesians 2:11–13 — Time Past and But Now
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Leviticus 11:3–4 — Dietary Restrictions Under the Law
Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
1 Timothy 4:1–4 — Commanding to Abstain from Meats
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.
Matthew 3:11 — Three Baptisms in One Verse
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.
Ephesians 4:4–5 — One Baptism
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism.
1 Corinthians 12:13 — Baptized by One Spirit into One Body
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Episode Outline
The Question — Are there contradictions in the Bible, or are we just seeing things?
God Is the God of Order — He is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33)
Progressive Revelation — God reveals Himself and His Son over time, not all at once
Defining Prophecy — What God spoke by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began (Acts 3:21)
Defining Mystery — What was kept secret since the world began and is now made manifest (Romans 16:25)
Two Kinds of Mystery — Witnessed but not fully revealed, and completely hid in God
Manifest in Two Ways — A fuller revealing of what was witnessed, and the unveiling of what was hid
Time Past and But Now — Ephesians 2 and the shift from Gentile separation to “in Christ Jesus”
Paul’s Twofold Ministry — To fully reveal what was witnessed and to manifest what was hid
Apparent Contradiction One — Leviticus 11 dietary law vs. 1 Timothy 4 on meats
Apparent Contradiction Two — Three baptisms in Matthew 3 vs. one baptism in Ephesians 4
Which Baptism Is It? — The Spirit baptizing the believer into Christ the moment we believe the gospel
Reading God’s Word Rightly — Time past, but now, and the ages to come
Questions Discussed
Are there contradictions in the Bible — or are we just seeing things?
Why does Leviticus 11 forbid certain meats while 1 Timothy 4 calls that prohibition a doctrine of devils?
Why does Matthew 3 speak of three baptisms while Ephesians 4 declares there is only one?
What is the difference between prophecy and mystery?
What are the two kinds of mystery — and why does the distinction matter?
Why does the Apostle Paul function as a “monkey wrench” in our study of Scripture?
How does understanding “time past” and “but now” change the way we read the Bible?
Which baptism is the one baptism of Ephesians 4?
