Parables, Secrets, and the Purpose of the Saints*

      Some say that the Book of Revelation is difficult to understand. The word revelation means "unveiling". Something was covered or hidden but is now revealed. Before we begin our study of the Book of Revelation, I intend to lay the foundation for our understanding.

     In Luke 21, Jesus taught about the signs, that we are seeing today, that would occur before His return. There would be fearsome signs in the heavens and upon earth as the powers of heaven were shaken. Jesus said: "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." (v. 25-28). Then Jesus told a parable: "Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled." (v. 29-32). The fig tree is understood by many to refer to Israel in scripture. In our generation, we have seen Israel come from a two-thousand-year extinction in history, to exist again, to be re-born as a nation and to thrive, with their language, Hebrew, once dead, also reborn. Israel is God's prophetic timetable. The scriptures tell us to watch for this sign of the fig tree. Jesus said that His Words shall not pass away, and we can depend upon them to come to pass (v. 33). Jesus identified the generation of those who sees these things as the generation that will see "all be fulfilled." (v. 32). So what is the purpose for God's people in this time? It is not the attitude, "Get out of here" (in the Rapture). Jesus warned: "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares for this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare it shall come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (v. 34-36). The cares of this life in believers pulls us away from the focus on God's purpose and plans. Many will miss the day because of this. Be aware and be prepared. People are stressing the Rapture, but they are not watching and praying.

      After speaking a parable about the power of the presence leaven upon meal, scripture explains Christ's use of parables: "All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world." (Mt. 13:33-35). Then His disciples asked Jesus to explain the parables to them. 

     We will see the things that had been kept secret from before the beginning but have now been revealed or unveiled for us to see and know.

     Paul wrote that the wisdom of God which had been hidden is not the same as the wisdom of this world, or the princes of this world, which will come to nothing: "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory...But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." (1 Cor. 2:6-10). Paul wrote that this hidden wisdom of God was so secret, even though it existed before the world, that no man could have imagined it, and never before had seen or heard it. (v. 9). It is hidden in the very beginning of Genesis, which in Hebrew is written "Bereshiet Elohim aleph-tav..." or "The Son of God crushed, His hand on the Cross", and translated in our Bibles as "In the beginning God...". This previously hidden wisdom of God, His Son crucified, was prepared "for them that love him." (v. 9). These deep things, Paul wrote, are revealed or unveiled by the Holy Spirit. In another part of scripture, new believers are asked, "Have you received the Holy Spirit?" We need the Holy Spirit to reveal the mysteries of God to us. Yet there are churches that don't believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or the evidence of speaking in tongues.

     There is a purpose for us to now know this previously hidden secret. Paul wrote to the Gentiles to whom he preached '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: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." (Eph. 3:8-10). The purpose of the church here is to make known to the principalities and powers this wisdom of God. 

     There is another mystery which fulfills the word of God that Paul preached and made known to the church: "Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory  of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." (Col. 1:24-29). The mystery of Christ in us the hope of glory is what the church has received through the Holy Spirit and is to reveal to every man by the authority and power given to us by the Holy Spirit. This knits us together in the full assurance of this understanding, and "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him...abounding therein with thanksgiving." (Col. 2:1-7). Having received this revealed mystery, and our purpose to carry it to others, Paul sent a warning: "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." (v. 8-10). Why mix in lesser philosophies and traditions that will pass away, when we have received the superior mystery of hidden wisdom, which far exceeds the philosophies and wisdom of the world and will never pass away? We have received this revealed mystery of God directly from the fulness of the Godhead: "Christ in us the hope of glory."

     Paul also wrote that there were those who would deceive and misdirect the believers from the mystery that has been revealed to us for their own advantage and enrichment. They create divisions and they should be avoided (Rom. 16:17-18). We have been established in this now-revealed mystery which was from the beginning and we should remain faithful to it: "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, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: to God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen." (v. 25-27). This revealed mystery is to be made known to all nations. Racism and cultural prejudices have no role to play in this commandment, only obedience. All races and nations descended from one blood, and Christ died for all.

     Moses wrote that all nations would see the devastation of the land because God's people "have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them...The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." (Deut. 29:24-29). Although the secret things have been shared with us also for us to DO them, America is on the brink of the same desolation spoken above because they believe "all gods are equal." The purpose of the saints is to bring the truth to all nations. Psalm 25:14 says: "The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant." The secrets of the LORD hide us in times of trouble: "...For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock." (Ps. 27:4-5). That day of trouble is coming, and the LORD has given us the Feast of Tabernacles as a shadow of His promise written by David in the Psalms above. In another fulfilment of this promise, we know that the Bride of Christ will enter into the chamber of the wedding supper and the door will be shut.

     Isaiah prophesied of this secret chamber.  A joyful Judah that would sing a song celebrating: "We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks." Salvation is the word Yeshua in Hebrew, the name of Jesus. (Isa. 26:1). Up until that point, they had been like a woman who travailed to give birth, but no birth came, only wind. Though they travailed no deliverance had come, and the (ungodly) inhabitants of the world had not fallen. However, salvation has come, and the dead shall rise and live. The LORD said: "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." (v. 18-21).

     Are we travailing to bring forth only wind? When Messiah comes back, there will be the resurrection of the dead. Will we speak effectively and bring the revelation of the hidden things to everyone, as the Lord has purposed for us, or will we continue to play church? Jesus loved us and all mankind enough to die on the cross and bring us the riches of this secret knowledge, while He also said, "Forgive them."

*Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 8/25/24 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook.