God deliberately hid certain mysteries because He alone has the right and prerogative to keep things secret until He is ready to reveal them.
These truths had not been made known in earlier ages, generations, or the beginning of the world; they were hidden in God. When the proper time came, God revealed them through the apostle Paul. Scripture plainly teaches this in Ephesians 3:5-9, Colossians 1:26, and Romans 11:25.
Ephesians 3:9 — Paul states plainly that the mystery was hidden in God from the beginning of the world, directly answering why it stayed concealed until God chose to reveal it.
Romans 11:25 — Paul calls Israel's partial blindness a mystery that was hidden and will last only until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.
Scripture itself explains that the mystery Paul writes about had not been revealed in prior ages. Ephesians 3:5 says, 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 3:9 adds that this was the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:26 uses similar language: Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints. Romans 11:25 also calls Israel's temporary blindness a mystery that remains until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. First Corinthians 15:51 begins, Behold, I shew you a mystery, and then reveals the change that will happen at the Lord's return.
Les Feldick repeatedly stresses that when Paul uses the word mystery, he means a secret that had never before been revealed. He says all of these truths were kept secret in the mind of God until they were revealed to the apostle Paul. God has the prerogative to hide things until the time to reveal them; He is capable of keeping things hidden, and He did exactly that with these mysteries.
Les Feldick teaches that the word mystery is simply another word for secret, and it means it has never been revealed before. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul says he is going to reveal a secret that had never been known earlier. God has the prerogative to keep things secret and hidden until it is time to reveal them.
The church itself was hidden until it was revealed. Paul also calls Israel's partial blindness a mystery, telling believers not to be ignorant of it. Another aspect of the mystery is that Gentiles would be fellow heirs and partakers of the same body, something not made known in prior ages. In Colossians, Paul speaks of the mystery which had been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest.
Les Feldick explains that Paul writes as one who has received revelations. Paul himself says by revelation he was made to know the mystery. Les points out that God saved this renegade Saul of Tarsus by grace and to him God now reveals the secrets and mysteries.
The Old Testament did not know these truths. The mystery was not made known unto the sons of men in other ages, and it was hid from ages and generations. Les Feldick notes that the Old Testament understood God would one day save Gentiles, but it had no idea it would be without Israel. The whole Old Testament expectation was that Israel, as a kingdom of priests, would evangelize the Gentiles.
Paul Writes by Revelation
Les shows Paul writing as one who has received revelations, setting the stage for Paul as the one to whom these mysteries were disclosed.
God's Prerogative to Keep Secrets
God has the right to keep things secret and hidden until the time to reveal them; the word mystery means it has never been revealed before.
The Church Was Hidden
Les teaches that the church was hidden until it was revealed, and Romans 11:25 calls Israel's partial blindness a mystery.
Old Testament Did Not Expect Salvation Apart from Israel
The Old Testament knew God would save Gentiles, but never anticipated it would happen without Israel as the channel; this was a secret.
Hidden in God Who Created All Things
The mystery was hid in God, the same God who created all things; one of its aspects is Israel's spiritual blindness and the Gentile body of Christ.
Revealed to the Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit
Paul says the mystery was not made known to the sons of men, but is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that Gentiles are fellow heirs.
Made Manifest Now Through Paul
The mystery was hid from ages and generations but is now made manifest; God revealed these secrets to Saul of Tarsus, whom He saved by grace.
Hid from the Beginning of the World
Ephesians 3:9 says the mystery was hid in God from the beginning of the world, and God has the prerogative to hide things.
Ephesians 3:5: 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;
This verse directly states that these truths were not revealed in earlier ages.
Ephesians 3:6: That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
This verse reveals the content of the hidden mystery: believing Gentiles are fellow heirs in the same body.
Ephesians 3:9: 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:
This verse says the mystery was hidden in God from the beginning of the world.
Colossians 1:26: Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
This verse shows the mystery was concealed from all previous ages and was only recently manifested.
Romans 11:25: For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
This verse identifies a specific hidden mystery: Israel's partial blindness until the fullness of the Gentiles.
1 Corinthians 15:51: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
This verse introduces another mystery, indicating something never before revealed.
Yes, Les Feldick teaches that the word mystery simply means a secret that has never been revealed before. This is how Paul uses it when he speaks of truths kept hidden in God until the proper time.
Les Feldick says the Old Testament understood God would one day save Gentiles, but it had no idea it would be without Israel. The Old Testament expectation was that Israel would evangelize the Gentiles once it became the obedient kingdom of priests.
Les explains that God saved Saul of Tarsus by grace and revealed the secrets and mysteries to him. Paul writes as one who received revelations, and these truths are now made manifest to God's saints.
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