“… revealed by the Spirit …”
(Eph. 3:5, NKJV)
From the previous teaching it should now be clear to all readers – the Messenger or Angel of Jesus of which the book of Revelation speaks, is most certainly the Holy Spirit. This mystery of the gospel of Christ occurs through the mediation of the Holy Spirit: “when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit …” (Eph. 3:5). The message of the eternal gospel is primarily offered by the Messenger (or Aggelos) – He teaches us all things concerning Christ, the revelation of Christ, the things that are coming and that still need to happen, and the greatest truth of Col. 3:11: “Christ is all and in all.”
Some people may wonder: if God’s eternal goal, namely to “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” (Eph. 1:10) is found in Jesus, why is someone other than Him necessary to establish this revelation? Why was it at all necessary to send the Holy Spirit to earth once Jesus had ascended, to reveal the concept of the Christ to us? If Jesus lives within me (John 15:4), and His kingdom is within me (Luke 17:21), why does Jesus then send his Messenger to witness of the things concerning Him? This is certainly a major mystery.
The disciples who walked and lived with Jesus for three and a half years, who learnt much from his mouth, alas understood little of this. Even though they followed him and loved him, the detail of God’s plan and the manifestation of God’s kingdom on earth was not clear to them. As fishermen, they were not as familiar with the Scriptures as Jewish sons were forced to be, but God chose them to be part of establishing his eternal gospel. They did not necessarily fully understand why He had to die, or what to do once He disappeared from the grave, or what the immense implications of His resurrection from the dead would entail. The personal contact with the Master was not enough to enable them to follow the Way – like Thomas they did not even know where the Way is: “Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’” (John 14:5). Even though they loved Him, their enlightened eyes of the understanding (Eph. 1:18) was not opened to see the greatest, mysterious, concluding plan of which they were part. Matt. 13:13 was true of them: “seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand”.
Only after they had been filled with the Holy Spirit could they have a deeper understanding and gain greater insight. The Messenger of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, could now start declaring these mysteries and remind them of everything that He had said (John 14:26). Flesh and blood could not offer the revelation of Christ to them (Matt. 16:17). So also with Paul, even though he was a highly regarded man in the theology of the Bible: he could understand nothing of God’s agenda until his eyes were opened and he was baptised with water and with the Holy Spirit. Only after this did he immediately start proclaiming Christ in the synagogues (Acts 9:17-20).
- Selah: Do you realise how very important it is to be born again, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
- Read: Acts 16-18
- Memorise: Acts 17:3
