Mysteries View PDF
Mysteries View PDF
OF THE BIBLE
This booklet is a free educational service, provided by the Global Church of God in
the United Kingdom, in collaboration with the Church of the Eternal God in the United
States of America and the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada. Printed in
England 2006. This booklet is not to be sold.
Scriptures in the booklet are quoted from the New King James version ((c)1988 Thomas
Nelson, Inc. Publishers) unless otherwise noted.
Author: Norbert Link
Editorial Review Team: J. Edwin Pope, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Bill Koeneke,
Phyllis Bourque, Margaret Adair
Graphic Design: Shelly Bruno
Contents
Introduction ............................................................... 1
#1 The Mystery of the Gospel................................... 2
#2 The Mystery of the Kingdom of God ................... 4
#3 The Mystery of God ............................................. 6
#4 The Mystery of Christ........................................... 7
#5 The Mystery of Godliness .................................... 9
#6 The Mystery of Mans Calling .............................. 11
#7 The Mystery of the Church................................... 14
#8 The Mystery of Mans Future............................... 15
#9 The Mystery of Gods Wisdom ............................. 17
#10 The Mystery of Gods Will ................................. 19
#11 The Mystery of the Faith ................................... 21
#12 The Mystery of Angels and Church Eras ............ 23
#13 The Mystery of Babylon the Great .................... 25
#14 The Mystery of Lawlessness............................... 27
The Mysteries Are To Be Made Known....................... 29
A Warning and Challenge.......................................... 31
Appendix.................................................................... 33
Sample Q&A Topics ....................................................33
Questions Pertaining to Jesus Christ ............................33
Questions Pertaining to God and the Spirit World .........33
Questions Pertaining to Sin and Gods Law ..................34
Questions Pertaining to the Future of Man ...................34
Questions Pertaining to Christian Living .......................34
Questions Pertaining to Prophecy ................................35
Questions Pertaining to the Role and Function
of the Church ............................................................35
Questions Pertaining to Historical Biblical Event .......... 35
StandingWatch...........................................................37
Preface
It is the purpose of this booklet to introduce you to some
astonishing and little-understood Biblical concepts that, until now,
you may have found difficult to comprehend. While this booklet does
not present comprehensive answers on each subject, it does give you
a synopsis, if you will, of some great mysteries.
Mysteries? Yes, the Bible contains many mysteries! In fact, Gods
Word describes and identifies them as such. It is our sincere desire
to help you understand them.
In presenting this overview of the mysteries of the Bible, we first
briefly discuss a given subject in broad terms, and then we offer you
some additional literature (free of charge), relevant to the subject.
It is through this additional literature that these vital subjects are
presented in a much more comprehensive way, proving the true
Biblical understanding of these mysteries.
We hope you will study this booklet prayerfully, and then take
advantage of the additional literature offered, which is free for the
asking. If you do, you wont be disappointed. If you dont, you will
be missing the most important knowledge that God has revealed
to mankindknowledge that can lead to understanding the very
reason for Gods creation and the incomparable future He is offering
to those who respond to Him.
Introduction
You may have heard some people say, I just cant understand
the Bible. For me, it is a book with seven seals. The whole thing is
just a mystery to me.
Surprising as it may seem, the Bible does, in fact, refer to many
mysteries. And perhaps even more surprising is the fact that only
those who have received the keys to unlock those mysteries can understand themonly those to whom God chooses to reveal them.
The word mystery is derived from the Greek word, musterion.
It means: That what is only known by the initiated. In order to
understand the mysteries of the Bible, we must belong to the initiatedto the very few whose minds Gods Spirit has opened at this
time, so that we CAN comprehend what we read.
If you are truly interested in reading this booklet to gain Biblical
understanding, then there is a good possibility that God IS opening
your mind to His mysteries. This is a GIFT from Goddont treat
it lightly!
Join with us, now, in an overview of THE MYSTERIES OF THE
BIBLE.
all kinds of sicknesses and all kinds of disease among the people.
The one and only true gospel is the gospel of the kingdom of God.
THAT was THE GOSPEL, which the early apostles continually
proclaimed! Notice in Acts 28:3031: Then Paul dwelt two whole
years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him,
preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern
the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
Also notice Christs prophecy in Matthew 24:14, that His gospel of
the kingdom would still be proclaimed by His Church just prior to
His return: And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the
world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
The gospel, or good news, which Christ and the early apostles
proclaimed, and which the Church still is to proclaim TODAY, is
the gospel of the Kingdom of God! Christs true gospel message has
been a mystery to most people. It is time that the veil of this mystery
is lifted.
Additional Booklet:
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God
10
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compare Daniel 12:2: And many of those who sleep in the dust of
the earth shall awake).
Most people think that we have an immortal soul that continues
to live on when we die. This, too, is a false concept. The Bible teaches
that the man is the soul, and that the soul that sins will die (Ezekiel
18:4, 20). Indeed, death is a mystery to most people. So is the fact
that most of those who died without knowing and following Christ
will be resurrected at a later time, which is called in the Bible The
Great White Throne Judgment.
Revelation 20:45, 1112 explains: And I saw thrones, and they
sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the
souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and
for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image,
and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands.
And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years [the
Millennium]. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the
thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection Then
[after the thousand years were finished] I saw a great white throne
and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven
fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the
dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.
And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the
dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were
written in the books.
Christ spoke on several occasions about the second resurrection at the time of the Great White Throne Judgment. He said in
Luke 11:3132: The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment
with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from
the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a
greater than Solomon is here. The men of Niniveh will rise up in the
judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the
preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
Christ made similar remarks in Matthew 10:15: Assuredly, I say
to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah
in the day of judgment than for that city [that had refused to listen
to the gospel that was preached to it by the apostles]! He added in
Matthew 11:2024: Then He began to rebuke the cities in which
12
most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:
Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty
works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say
to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven,
will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were
done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until
this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land
of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.
Christ then thanked God the Father that He revealed to His
Church the mystery of our calling in this day and age, and of the
calling of others at a later time. Continuing in verse 25: At that time
Jesus answered and said, I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent
and have revealed them to babes.
Most people dont understand that God does not call everyone in
this day and age, and that both the calling and the resurrection from
death to eternal life are subject to a certain order or timetable. This
mystery also includes the correct understanding of what happens to
us when we die.
Additional Booklets:
The Fall and Rise of Britain and America
Do We Have an Immortal Soul?
Gods Commanded Holy Days
Baptisma Requirement for Salvation?
13
15
16
17
Additional Booklets:
Are You Predestined to Be Saved?
The Theory of Evolution
18
19
Kingdom (verses 1314). This is not to say that they could not fall
away. But it does mean that God does not expect them to fail. The
mystery of Gods Will for them is that they win. Only they can thwart
Gods plan for them by giving up themselves.
Do you belong to those whom God has predestined to be called
in this day and age? How can you be sure that you are not? Are you
interested in Gods mysteries? Are you willing to OBEY God and DO
what He asks you to do? If you are, then there is a great chance that
God is calling you now!
Additional Booklet:
Are You Predestined to Be Saved?
20
21
Does Gods faith live in you? If not, how can you obtain it? This
question is a great mystery to most people. It does not have to be a
mystery for you.
Additional Booklet:
BaptismA Requirement for Salvation?
22
23
Sardis era, which is warned to watch, lest Christ come upon them
as a thief (Revelation 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:14). Even a remnant
of Thyatira would still be in existence at the time of Christs return,
and they might have to go through the Great Tribulation because
of the lack of repentance (Revelation 2:22).
The history of the true Church of God is a mystery to most people.
Orthodox Christianity, as well as most of the rest of the world, assumes that a great powerful and well recognized Church organization
constitutes the true Church of God. However, this view is in error.
Gods true Church has always been a little flock (Luke 12:32), persecuted and sometimes unnoticed by the world at large (compare
Revelation 12:6: the womanGods Churchsurvived unnoticed
in the wilderness for 1,260 days, or years). At times, Gods Church
has faced persecution, rejection and resistance because of the fulfillment of its commission to preach the true gospel in all the world as a
witness, and those who are faithful to this commission will be hated
by all nations (Matthew 24:814), even more so just prior to the
return of Christ to set up Gods Kingdom on this earth.
Additional Booklets:
The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord
Angels, Demons and the Spirit World
Should You Fight in War?
24
25
what Babylon is, and where it is to be found today. One must also
understand the mystery of ancient Babylon and how mans civilization
came into existence. After all, for most, ancient Babylon, as well as
Babylon the Great, is a mystery. They dont know what it represents.
But Gods true servants do know, as God has revealed it to them.
They dont become confused with every wind of prophetic speculation, trying to give new meaning to the mystery of Babylon.
Additional Booklets:
Europe in Prophecy
The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord
Dont Keep Christmas
The Fall and Rise of Britain and America
26
27
their own conscience, they are pleasing God. They fail to understand
that our conscience can never make us right in the eyes of God,
when it contradicts Gods Law. God must reveal the mystery of His
Law to us. He must show us His way of Life, His way of righteousness
and what it means for us, and we must understand that the way of
lawlessness will, in fact, keep us out of His kingdom.
David understood that God had to reveal to Him the wonders
of His Law. He wrote in Psalm 119:1819, 27, 34: Open my eyes,
that I may see Wondrous things from Your law. I am a stranger in
the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me Make me
understand the way of Your precepts Give me understanding, and
I shall keep Your law.
David also stated, in Psalm 25:14: The secret of the LORD [or,
the mystery of the LORD] is with those who fear Him, And He will
show them His covenant.
Most people are deceived, thinking obedience is unnecessary for
salvation. They never seem to ask why God would change a rebellious,
God-defying mortal individual, who does not want to obey Him, to
an immortal Spirit being and give him eternal life. And if they ever
did ask this question, they immediately dismiss it, claiming that it is
a mystery to them. But YOU do not need to be in doubt about the
mystery of lawlessness.
Additional Booklets:
And Lawlessness Will Abound
TithingToday?
28
29
30
31
32
Appendix
In our regular weekly Update publication, we have a Q&A
(Question-and-Answer) section, which presents the Biblical teaching
on a variety of topics. As is the case with all of our literature, these
are posted on our Websites:
USA: www.eternalgod.org
Canada: www.churchofgodacf.ca
United Kingdom: www.globalchurchofgod.co.uk
If you require hard copies (free of charge), please write to our
nearest office (see last page for addresses).
SAMPLE Q&A TOPICS
A sample listing of the Q&A topics that address questions and issues
related to some of the topics discussed in this booklet, are as follows:
QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO JESUS CHRIST
33
Update #68Who created the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
The Mysteries of the Bible
35
36
STANDINGWATCH
Proclaiming the warnings of prophecy for our times and
announcing the good news of the future Kingdom of God!
STANDINGWATCH
/o Church of the Eternal God
P.O. Box 270519
San Diego, CA 92198
United States
Church of the Eternal God
PO Box 270519
San Diego, CA 92198
eternalgod.org
Canada
Church of God, ACF
Box 1480
Summerland B.C. V0H 1Z0
churchofgodacf.ca
United Kingdom
Global Church of God
PO Box 2111
Derby DE1 1ZR
globalchurchofgod.co.uk