Reflection: Secret Mystery

“The prophets who told us this [salvation] was coming asked a lot of questions about this gift of life God was preparing. The …Spirit let them in on some of it—that the Messiah would experience suffering, followed by glory. They clamoured to know who and when. All they were told was that they were serving you, you who by orders from heaven have now heard for yourselves—through the Holy Spirit—the Message of those prophecies fulfilled.” 1 Peter 1:10-12, from The Message paraphrase

Seers (literally see-ers): enigmatic characters with coded lifestyles and messages. These guys, prophets true and false, were part of the furniture in Israel. In fact, all of life was at least a little shrouded in code and mystery, if you worshiped Israel’s God. Everything hinted at something more profound — something past and something future. Something hidden, enigmatic, mystifying, secret, cryptic, unattainable. But for all the hints, for all the messages of righteous judgement and hope, most Israelites neither saw nor understood. God was under wraps: for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. * By God’s design, even the see-ers were in the dark.

St Augustine hinted at this when he said, The New Testament lies hidden in the Old, and the Old becomes manifest in the New. Old Testament Israel was a tundra, ostensibly lifeless in ice and darkness. But when the Light broke in, the thaw stirred. The life and death of the long-awaited-one — that’s what it took to unveil the secret underlying the whole Old Testament system. Because of the cross, the mystery is ours to taste and see.

Prayer:

I praise you, eternal God! Praise you, for revealing your mysterious plan that’s been forever hidden. In your time and at your command, just as the prophets predicted, you made hope available to all nations. Thank you for enabling me to comprehend and treasure the mystery of the cross. Steady me to live the Good News and enthuse me to pass it on. Mercifully draw many to seek and find, believe and obey the message of Jesus Christ today. All glory to you, omniscient and only God. Eternal glory, through Jesus Christ. Amen (my paraphrase of Romans 16:25-27)

*Not just idol worshippers in Israel (Isaiah 44:18) but all Israel: “’Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull … lest they … turn and be healed.” Isaiah 6:9-10 (ESV)