God's timeline
These are the three basic time periods in the KJV Bible according to our Apostle Paul.
Rightly dividing the Word of Truth
Prophecy is directed to Israel and their Earthly Kingdom in Times past and Ages to come.
Mystery is directed to The Body of Christ (But now - the present from Paul to now) and deals with the Heavenly Kingdom.
Lord Jesus Christ revealed the mystery to Apostle Paul in Acts 9! Thus revealing the mystery!
This is what God did, is doing now and what he will do in the future.
- PAST (Times past - prophecy) Genesis through Mid-Acts
- PRESENT (But now - mystery) Romans through Philemon
- FUTURE (Ages to come - prophecy) Hebrews through Revelation
Rightly dividing the Word of Truth
Prophecy is directed to Israel and their Earthly Kingdom in Times past and Ages to come.
Mystery is directed to The Body of Christ (But now - the present from Paul to now) and deals with the Heavenly Kingdom.
Lord Jesus Christ revealed the mystery to Apostle Paul in Acts 9! Thus revealing the mystery!
This is what God did, is doing now and what he will do in the future.
Understanding the Bible.
Ephesians 2:7 and Ephesians 2:11-13, the Apostle Paul sets forth the basic three-fold division in God's dealings with mankind: Time Past (verses 11-12), But Now (verse 13), and The Ages to Come (verse 7). When the Bible is "laid out" according to this divinely inspired design we easily get an overview of not only what we are reading but when and to whom it was written. Thus the Word of God itself provides us with the key to its own proper understanding and right division.
This chart in three parts demonstrates the importance of dividing prophecy "Time Past" & "Ages To Come", mystery: hidden nature of the present dispensation of grace (Ephesians 3:1-9) "But Now". The first part of the chart the "Time Past" section you see "which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21). The middle part of the chart reveals the mystery program and how the prophetic program has been temporarily interrupted by "the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest" (Romans 16:25-26).
The present dispensation of grace is "the mystery" hid in God until first revealed to the Apostle Paul in Acts 9 (Ephesians 3:1-9, Colossians 1:24-26, Romans 16:25-26, 1 Timothy 2:4-7, Titus 1:2,3, etc.). Thus in Paul's writings alone we find the doctrine, position, walk and destiny of the body of Christ.
This chart in three parts demonstrates the importance of dividing prophecy "Time Past" & "Ages To Come", mystery: hidden nature of the present dispensation of grace (Ephesians 3:1-9) "But Now". The first part of the chart the "Time Past" section you see "which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21). The middle part of the chart reveals the mystery program and how the prophetic program has been temporarily interrupted by "the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest" (Romans 16:25-26).
The present dispensation of grace is "the mystery" hid in God until first revealed to the Apostle Paul in Acts 9 (Ephesians 3:1-9, Colossians 1:24-26, Romans 16:25-26, 1 Timothy 2:4-7, Titus 1:2,3, etc.). Thus in Paul's writings alone we find the doctrine, position, walk and destiny of the body of Christ.
Times past (the past)
Ephesians 2:11-12 sets forth the basic issue in Time Past as the division between Circumcision and the Uncircumcision, between the nation Israel and the Gentiles. When you find this issue governing the way God was working with men, you know you are in Time Past. This covers the Old Testament (see Genesis 17:9-14, Deuteronomy 4:5-8, Numbers 23:9) as well as Matthew thru John (see Romans 15:8, Matthew 10:5-6; Matthew 15:24, John 4:22) and the early Acts period (see Luke 24:47, Acts 1:6, Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14, Acts 2:22, Acts 2:36, Acts 5:32, Acts 1:19).
But now (the present)
The Church, The Body of Christ, The Pillar and Ground of the Truth - Ephesians 2:13 indicates that in the But Now portion Gentiles are no longer "far off" but rather the "middle wall of partition" between Israel and the Gentiles has been eliminated and now" those who were far off are made nigh." Romans thru Philemon provide the doctrine for the dispensation of grace (Romans 11:13, Romans 15:16, Romans 16:25, 1 Corinthians 14:37, Ephesians 3:1-9). [You are not Israel and did not replace them: Since the unique doctrine of the mystery church was given to Paul, the author of Romans, it is easy to hastily presume that the wild branches mentioned must in some way be the church of today. Wrong, don't take what is not yours! Romans 9-11 does not look forward and explain the mystery revelation of the one body church. Instead, Paul is going back and explaining how God took away the kingdom promises from stumbling Israel, and gave them to a nation that could bear fruit. The wild olive graft of Romans 11 is the faithful nation that bears fruit in Matthew 21. It was the people of that wild nation that continued in God’s goodness by faith to receive Israel’s kingdom.] We are Ambassadors for Christ in this dispensation not disciples. We are under grace (not Law) and our free salvation was paid for by the finished work of Christ (our Head) on the cross! [1 Corinthians 15:1-4] Saved by grace through faith not works! [Ephesians 2:8-9] We have been given the ministry of reconciliation!
Ages to come (the future)
God will bring His purposes to fruition and thus Ephesians 2:7 points to the Ages to Come. The books of Hebrews thru Revelation focus on this.
The chart below shows God's timeline without the mystery yet revealed to Paul and us! It is called Prophecy. This is what the people in "Times past" knew and what the people in "Ages to come" can expect.
Ephesians 3:1-12
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 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:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 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:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
The chart below shows Times past (the past), But now (the present) where the mystery was revealed to Paul by Jesus, and Ages to come (the future.)