The word `heavenly' occurs frequently throughout the New Testament but we must learn to distinguish what is

heavenly in character and what is not only heavenly in character but heavenly in sphere of blessing. For instance,

the Hebrew Christians, to whom the Epistle to the Hebrews was addressed, were described as `having tasted the

heavenly gift' (Heb. 6:4). The gift was heavenly in character, but they certainly did not taste it IN heaven or IN the

heavenlies where Christ sitteth. This epistle reveals the glory of a seated Priest at the Majesty on high (Heb. 1:3;

8:1) but we shall search it in vain to discover a seated Church there with Him.

In Ephesians 3:3-9 Paul calls this new revelation a mystery. This word does not mean something puzzling or

mysterious, but something that has been hidden; in other words a secret. He states that Christ had made it known to

him, and his one endeavour was to make it known to all (9). This secret was a dispensation (verse 9 R.V.). The

word dispensation does not primarily mean a period of time and is not synonymous with the word `age' although it

is often misused in this way. It could be rendered either by `administration' or `stewardship' and is so translated by

the latter word in Luke 16:2.

This conveys the thought of being entrusted with someone else's possessions. It was God's secret truth which

the apostle was handling with the consciousness of the responsibility to Him that such a stewardship brings. It was

not his truth to do with as he willed. Prior to Ephesians 3:9 this wondrous secret is said to have been HID IN GOD. In

Colossians 1:26 where we have another aspect of it, Paul states that it had been hidden from ages (time) and

generations (people). Now if God hides IN HIMSELF knowledge from man, who can find till He chooses to reveal?

Yet plenty of Christians imagine that they can discover this secret in the Old Testament and other parts of Scripture

when God expressly declares that it was HIDDEN IN HIMSELF. Can this be called faith or is it unbelief? Will not

such an attitude only lead to confusion and misunderstanding of the purpose of God?

One of the chief causes of such misunderstanding is to identify the Mystery with the revelation of Gentile

blessing in the Old Testament and their sharing in the gospel of salvation. That the Gentiles were to be blessed with

the Jew was never kept a secret. Ever since Genesis 12:1-4, God has made it plain in His Word that His purpose

was to bless the whole world in this way, and in Romans 1:1-3, Paul expressly declares that the gospel of God had

been `promised afore by His prophets in the holy scriptures', i.e. the Old Testament.

In Romans 15:8-12 the apostle declares that:

`Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision (the Jew) for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made

unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy'.

He then quotes three Old Testament passages to prove his point. The first was cited from Deuteronomy 32:43,

`Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people' (the Jew). There is no mention in the context that this is a `mystery' or

`secret', nor was it. If this is all Paul meant in Ephesians chapter 3 by making known the Secret, what an anticlimax,

describing as a secret something that had clearly been revealed all the time! What a libel on the apostle's

intelligence, to say the least!

Those who imagine that this is all the Mystery is, have completely missed the point. Moreover they make the

Scripture contradict itself which is serious indeed. What God did not do before Acts 28, was to reveal what His plan

would be if Israel failed. When this did take place He made known to Paul what He had kept hidden in Himself,

namely His secret purpose to call out a company of Jews and Gentiles whom He had chosen before time began, and

bless them in perfect equality, not on the earth, but at His own right hand in the heavenly places, there to form a holy

Temple in the highest glory and a dwelling place for Himself (Eph. 2:21,22; Col. 1:12). Is it any wonder that the