Unveiling the Mystery of God*

      The LORD brought His Word of judgment to His prophet Amos against His whole family of Israel, saying in part: "Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? Surely the LORD God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the LORD God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:1-8, excerpt).

     The LORD must deal with sin eventually, as He warned that He was about to do with His family of people. The LORD is often viewed as an angry God, but He is a God of grace and mercy to those who will heed His warning and seek Him. The purpose of the prophet is to receive the revelation of the secret thing that the LORD is doing or will do, as Amos wrote above. The Bible is the only Book in the world that is composed of prophecies as they are revealed at the proper time, as well as their subsequent fulfilment. Until that prophetic Word is "revealed" by God, it remains a secret thing, previously unknow to man.

     Moses wrote: "And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book: And the LORD rooted them (referring to those who did not keep the covenant of the LORD God which had been given to them) out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day. 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. 29:27-29). The LORD had revealed His covenant to a people who then rejected it. It is God's intention to reveal His secrets for us to know and to walk in. (see also Psa. 25:14 and Prov. 3:31-32).

     The prophet Isaiah wrote the Word of the LORD concerning the mystery of the individual whom God would send to pay for the transgressions of all of the people. This Servant of God would suffer and be marred in His body, not for His own sins, of which He was innocent, but for the sins of others. This Servant's blood would sprinkle (naza - spurt, spatter, sprinkle [in expiation], startle, erupt) many nations, and kings would "see" what they had not been told of. I believe that one fulfilment of this promise of God is the discovery of the Shroud of Turin. We know this Servant that Isaiah prophesied to be the LORD's Son, Jesus. After revealing this secret of the LORD in detail (see Isa. 52 and 53), Isaiah wrote: "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?" (Isa. 53:1). Isaiah then wrote: "Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed." (Isa. 56:1). Isaiah revealed this secret of God many hundreds of years before Jesus was born, although Christ's sacrifice took place in eternity, "before the foundation of the world." The Hebrew word that is translated "salvation" above, is the word yesua, which is the Hebrew name of Jesus: "My Jesus is near to come...".

     The Book of Revelation is exactly as it is titled. Secret things were revealed to John, and He wrote them for us to know: "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John." (Rev. 1:1). As Amos wrote above, John became the prophet to which these previously hidden future events would be revealed.

     Paul wrote about a hidden mystery that had been revealed by God at the appointed time, and that mystery is the Gospel of salvation through His Son, Jesus: "...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 the faith..." (Rom. 16:24-25). The salvation plan of God had been hidden in prophetic scripture since the creation, but at the appointed time, was made manifest to all the world through the appearing, death and resurrection of Jesus. We are entering the season shortly when this revealed Gospel of Good News is being proclaimed again - the season of the death, burial and overcoming resurrection of Jesus.

     This mystery of the Gospel, which is the hidden wisdom of God for our glory, was previously hidden for a reason: "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, excerpt). The Spirit reveals these things to those who are in awe and reverence of the LORD (see again Psa. 25:14).

     The spiritual princes of this world, who covet the throne of God, were not to know this secret mystery beforehand that would ultimately result in their defeat. Ephesians 3:9-11 reveals that it is the church who makes it known now to these spiritual powers in rebellion. This was the eternal purpose of God which He accomplished through Jesus Christ. Before the princes of the world could be aware of it, it was already accomplished. Paul told believers in Christ that they were allowed and encouraged to covet to prophecy. 

     The revealing of this Gospel mystery at an appointed time had a specific effect: "Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him." (Eph. 1:8-11, excerpt).

     Paul wrote of his ministry to the church in order to fulfill the Word of God: "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." (Col. 1:24-27, excerpt). God's purpose was for our glory. As it was with Paul, it is our purpose also to fulfill the Word of God.

     Revelation 10:5-7 speaks about a large angel whose feet touch both land and sea, and who swore with his hand lifted to heaven: "...there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." Jesus declared on the cross that "It is finished/Paid in full." The angel will declare again that time is fulfilled and finished. How long before the angel sounds his voice? Many people around the world, including Jews, Gentiles and heathens, have already reported hearing shofar trumpets sounding in the heavens. Amos asked if we will ignore the warning blast of the trumpet in the city.

*Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 3/22/26 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on the Facebook page of Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at the Kenneth Stevenson channel. 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, which is evidence of Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook. Also the book NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling, written by Dr. Stevenson, is available on Amazon.