Body

Secrets of the Kingdom
The Secret of the Secrets

Discovering the secrets of the kingdom is a vital part of end-of-the-age activity. The Bible actually make the astonishing claim that we, faithful beleivers, will reach a point where we will comprehend 'all truth'. This is a claim so preposterous that we would be justified in questioning whether it should be taken at face value. The fickle winds of man's religious comprehemsion have blown often and diverse during Christianity's long history. We have come to expect great diversity of doctrine, great difference of opinion, that's just the way it is. Not since the Apostolic days of the church has there been anything close to a single voice and unfortunately few are seriously expecting that ever again.

The hidden secrets of kingdom truth are rarely dealt with in the modern church. Few people are really expecting to discover the secrets of the kingdom before the actual manifestation of the kingdom on earth and the personal return of Messiah. But the fact is, the Bible indicates that we will. Even most prophetic study, which appears to be searching out these secrets, rarely addresses the real issue of kingdom truth and any real consequences of attaining 'all truth'.

But how could such major truths be hidden for thousands of years and then discovered only a few years before they come to pass? Especially when they are discovered hidden within a written work (the Bible) that has not changed in thousands of years. There has never been a book so thoroughly studied and analyzed. The best minds and analytical resources known to man have been brought to bear in the effort to extract the truth of the Bible - especially the prophetic truth of the Bible. How could such secrets be suddenly discovered? Every word of the Bible has been studied and analyzed. Every sentence, every chapter, every book likewise. What new method of study could possibly yield major new truth. There is little chance that new 'content' will appear, such as a new 'book' to be added to the Bible - who would authenticate it? If the premise is true that there is major new secret truth hidden in the Bible, and if one also believes it will be revealed in this age, there appears to be only one reasonable place to look - to our method of interpretation. We are left with the obvious imperative - to discover and develop new 'interpretive technique' which will unravel secrets of the end-of-the-age within our existing text.

Here is where our passion for truth must propell us forward. Here is where our study of the objects must create in us a hunger and thirst

Since the Feast of Tabernacles, 1993, the fruit of this new interpretive technique has shown evidence that it can in fact produce 'all truth'. The technique itself is not really new, it's only new in the application and extent of its use. This article will attempt to briefly outline that new technique of interpretation and than exercise it in just one example. Of course, if anyone would be inclined to participate in this illustration they must first know or believe that the underlying premise is correct - that there is indeed secrets, or even more accurate, an entire secret 'master plan' hidden and available to those who are willing to be lead by the Spirit of the living God in this end-of-the-age adventure. God expects us to participate knowledgeably in its management. Managers comprehend their management responsibilities, ministers comprehend their ministry. We will all know our jobs. Here are just a few Scriptures to help settle this first premise:

Prov 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you

John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.

I Chr 28:19 "All this," David said, "I have in writing from the hand of the LORD upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the details of the plan.

Dan 12:4 But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge." .... {9} He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. {10} Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

I Cor 2:9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

1 Cor 2:16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ.

Col 2:2,3 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Rom 16:25 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him--

Knowing God's plan testifies of an intimate knowledge of God himself. Likewise, not knowing his plan testifies of the lack of knowledge of God. Of course, this must be seen in a corporate sense, not every individual will have full disclosure. However, there is no excuse for the closed-minded mentality of ignorance that pervades the church. Who hasn't heard someone (perhaps yourself) quoting the cliché "no one knows the day or the hour", as a defeatist response to any attempt to unravel the secret truth of the end-of-the-age. Yes, they are right, 'no one knows the day or the hour', except the Father. We shouldn't be surprised that there are limitations to our knowledge. Omniscience is God's domain. But rather, in that limitation, we see the full extent of our privileged access to information. One has to wonder what motivation from within would entice someone to pick the one exception to define the rule. There was one tree in the garden of Eden that Adam and Eve could not eat from. From that exception, would we make a rule that states that we cannot eat fruit from trees. No, of course not! Yet, when it comes to prophetic truth, that is the general mentality. A study of the Bible will show that 'knowing the day or the hour of the spectacular return of Messiah to earth' is the only thing we can't know. That is our only limitation to God's secrets - and God gives his condolences about withholding that truth from us by informing us that he has also hidden it from his only begotten Son - Jesus. Jesus claims he doesn't even know: Matt 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

So, could we all agree to this simple rule:

what Jesus knows, we will know - what Jesus does not know we won't know

As Jesus also said, 'if we don't know the plan, we are not a 'friend' of his'. Everyone should reexamine their mind-set concerning the secrets of the end-of-the-age. Even in the natural world there is the willingness to recognize the lack of knowledge without the accompanying defeatist attitude. We launch 'campaigns' to cure cancer and other serious diseases. The church needs to do the same, and everyone should support it. If in no other way than with faithful prayer and encouragement to the 'scientists' doing the research. People perish for the lack of knowledge. As we enter the end-of-the-age there may be no greater danger than ones total lack of knowledge concerning theses days. The dangers of being deceived can only be minimized by acquiring a foundation of truth. Uncovering the secrets of the kingdom is not just for 'prophecy nuts', nor is it just an antidote for deception, it is the evidence of a healthy, proactive walk of faith. A vigorus, not passive, race to the goal. Should Jesus' words about acquiring the secrets be taken lightly? "Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." Who will be able to say they have not been warned?

So, as for the secrets of the kingdom, truth has come. Take a moment to make any mental corrections needed. Conform your mind to the mind of Christ. Resolve that you will henceforth expect and pray that the Spirit of God will finish his work of revelation in our day. That there is a secret, detailed description of a 'master plan' for the end-of-the-age, and we will know it.

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But knowing that the secrets exist is only the first step to uncovering them. The next question is 'how' will we discover them. One of the prophetic assignments of the Holy Spirit is to 'guide us to all truth', and 'tell us what is yet to come'. We can rest assured, that will happen. As mentioned above, we must look for new interpretive technique. In that regard, Jesus points us in the right direction.. Consider this verse from Luke:

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have

hidden these things from the wise and learned,
and
revealed them to little children.

Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. Luke 10:21

Here we see two groups of people, the wise and learned, and the little children. Jesus is actually personifying two mind-sets, or two approaches, to God's revelatory methods. The first is the wise and learned mind-set. This could be referred to as the scholarly approach. Scholarship is the diligent study of Scriptures to define, classify, systematize and construct conclusions. This type of study is certainly praiseworthy and even required by all who truly seek to know God. Why would Jesus diminish this approach to knowledge of the kingdom? As an observant Jewish man, study of Torah was considered worship of the highest order. Jesus certainly was not belittling study in general. In this verse, Jesus is addressing a very narrow range of study and showing its limitations.

Lets look closer at the process of a scholarly conclusion. One technique often employed is the topical or word study. In a very simplified example, a scholarly word study would make a list of all the verses that shed light on that topic. After reading each section and drawing from his base of previous knowledge of culture, history, systematic doctrine, etc., while at the same time avoiding any personal biases, he would then , based upon these verses, form a conclusion. There are very strict rules defining how one interprets these verses and comes to an overall conclusion. And it seems that the 'higher' the scholarship the more narrowly these rules are defined. The tendency is towards conservatism, towards 'safe' conclusions, acceptable within ones peer community. The scholar community takes it upon themselves to defend the purity of doctrine, and rightly so. There are well meaning and not so well meaning attempts to re-interpret or advance the imperfect picture of truth that we have. These scholars build walls to protect the purity of our doctrine. The scholars accept one universal premise - the authority of the written Word of God as a basis for all conclusions. Personal opinion and faulty interpretation are vigorously defended against. This is the strength of the scholarly approach - and rightly so. But through it all, an attitude develops that says "if its not written in these pages, and I can't defend it amoung my peers, I can't accept it", and herein, quite subtly, lies the danger of that method.

On the surface this sounds like a sound and safe policy, and in fact it is a good policy - for the scholarly approch. But that attitude makes one false assumption - that the whole truth, on every necessary subject, is written in the Scriptures. That the Scriptures are the final answer to every question. For 2000 years diligent scholars haven't questioned that assumption. But if we step back and look at the bigger picture, we come to a surprising conclusion. The Bible doesn't claim to be exhaustive, only authoritative. What's written is indeed the 'word' of God, but what's written is not the whole 'word' of God. The Scripture is all true, but it is not 'all truth' - in spite of what some might mistakenly assume. There lies the limitation of the scholarly method. - a method that looks virtually exclusively to the written Scriptures as its source of truth.

For many this kind of talk may border on heresy, but quite the opposite is the case. God, by design, delivered the Bible non-systematically. We could think of it containing 'islands' of truth, it does not contain a complete picture. But we have to assume that all the truth that we need is there. There are gapping 'holes' in our complete knowledge of the plan of God. This is why Jesus said the scholars would not discover the full plan of God - there has to be another way.

Jesus points to another method as the unlikely but ultimate source of all truth - a method he associates with a 'little child'. What could a child have, in terms of revelation, that a scholar, as defined above, doesn't have? God seems to have felt that the revelation of truth should not be left in the hands of the privileged and gifted - those few who have the opportunity to become 'expert' in the Scriptures. God wanted to level the playing field a bit. He did not want the simple, common folks without knowledge of himself, and totally dependent upon the scholars in our midst. Jesus' 'child' is not a child of very young age. He was obviously putting himself into the 'child' category. Here again the child represents a mind-set, a method of arriving at truth, not necessarily an age bracket. This is the secret to a complete picture of truth. It is the secret to the secrets of the kingdom and the end-of-the-age. The child approach could be referred to as the 'beauty' method. God has given all of us, in fairly equal amounts, an intrinsic sense of beauty. Beauty is the simple mans truth detector. With beauty a non-musician can detect a bad note, a non-artist can notice a blemish on a painting, a unlearned man can discern a bad argument, a non-lawyer can discern an unfair law, and the simplest man can notice a pattern that is not complete. Try it for yourself. Notice the picture below:

Can you detect the flaw? Even with the abstract aspects of the picture, everyone should be able to see the simple flaw - a missing petal. But how do we, not being the original artist, determine what the original artist intended? And in that question, can we see the solution to the question of 'all truth'. Lets look closer at the process of 'truth detecting' as it relates to our simple example.

We immediately see intelligent design. We know this picture was designed by an artist who is expressing himself in beauty terms. We see symmetrical and patternistic beauty. We quickly see repeated patterns that we are familiar with. From the three primary objects we determine that a common pattern is used for all three. But as we mentally observe the repeated patterns we notice that there is a break in symmetry. Two of the objects give us a reference of intent by the artist, but we notice the third does not match that reference completely. It is close enough to establish linkage to the other two, but yet it is different. It could be possible that the artist intended to paint two five petaled objects and one four petaled object. But we quickly reject that conclusion because of the obvious space where a fifth petal would fit. We finally conclude that the picture has a flaw which was probably not intended by the artist. I say probably because the artist may have intended one flower to have one petal missing. Nevertheless, in our simple example we have detected the aberration, intended or not. This tiny leap of faith to a questionable conclusion is what scares scholars, but leaves room for the Holy Spirit. Could one make the wrong conclusion, Yes they could. But this leads us to the next level of truth detection - truth must also be systematic. This picture fits with many other pictures, so if the petal decision matters in the larger scheme of things they would not fit together beautifully. Using the given (written Word) and our discernment (Holy Spirit) we slowly and carefully complete the total canvas of all truth.

All of this happens quickly, naturally and without consciously being aware of the steps mentioned above. It seems to be an process intrinsic to human intelligence. In fact this intrinsic ability to detect patterns is a large part of the I.Q. tests that most of us have taken. What we have not realized is that this ability to detect beauty is our key to unraveling the secrets of the kingdom of God.

Our capability to detect patterns and therefore incomplete patterns is the basis of our search to gain all truth. Truth is reality, and since reality was designed by God, the greatest artist of all, it is not random or arbitrary, it is full of patterns and beauty.

And here is the other side of the issue. If God designed truth to be ultimately detected by beauty, than truth must be beautiful. Therefore our conclusions must be beautiful, our doctrines must be beautiful, our concepts of order, creation and God must be beautiful. In other words we will eventually arrive at 'designer' conclusions. That should only be obvious to anyone who looks at nature. The creation reflects and reveals God. Beauty allows us to arrive at conclusions bypassing or extending the scholarly details. Having a designer conclusion does not stop or discourage us from a scholarly search for details and confirmation. Both approaches to truth are required, they are complementary, each adding strength to the other.

----------------------------------------- to be completed ----------------------------------------------

Christian doctrine is essentially beauty or truth not scholarship. We need to beautify Christian doctrine starting at the top.

We haven't reduced the kingdom to beauty terms.

Instead of doctrine there is a kingdom

instead of a Godhead there is a divine family

instead of salvation there is redemption (reconciliation)

instead of a journey there is a destination (rest)

instead of the church there is a temple

instead of a Israel and the church there is a body

instead of a body there is a bride

law love

law covenant

The kingdom of God is so alien to us that we can only relate to it in a scholarly mode.

The essence of Christianity is relationship, and the nuclear center of relationship is the male/female relationship.

Definition of Truth: Conformity to fact or reality. Conformity to rule, standard, model, pattern or ideal. Conformity to the requirements of one's being or nature. Being that which is the case rather than what is manifested or assumed.

Gen 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Eph 2:1,2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

I Peter 1:2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

I Peter 3:1 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

31 And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

1. Virtual indistinguishable oneness with God.

2. Manifestations of God.

3. Invisible

4. No praise

5. No message of his own

6. No possessions of his own

7. Not-violateable (honor unquestioned)

8. Presence of God

9. Easily grieved and offended

10. Personification of highest fruit of character

11. Brings gifts

12. First image - brooding as 'hen'

13. Fluid, liquid (pour, blow, wind)

14. No name of his own

15. No description given

16. Life of God

17. Presence of the Temple, house

18. Purity personified

19. No prayer to

20. No speak to

21. Only interface between God and man (non territorial)

22. Counselor - one who comes along side

23. Spirit of wisdom - Feminine in Proverbs

24. Source of inspiration

25. Blasphemy not forgiven

26. Bodily manifestation - dove

27. Given as gift by the Father

28. Spirit 'gives birth' to Spirit

29. Spirit, gives life

(Gen 2:18 NIV) The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

(Exo 18:4 NIV) and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "My father's God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh."

(Deu 33:7 NIV) And this he said about Judah: "Hear, O LORD, the cry of Judah; bring him to his people. With his own hands he defends his cause. Oh, be his help against his foes!"

(Deu 33:26 NIV) "There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty.

(Deu 33:29 NIV) Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places."

(Psa 20:2 NIV) May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.

(Psa 33:20 NIV) We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

(Psa 70:5 NIV) Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.

(Psa 115:9-11 NIV) O house of Israel, trust in the LORD-- he is their help and shield. {10} O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD-- he is their help and shield. {11} You who fear him, trust in the LORD-- he is their help and shield.

(Psa 121:1-2 NIV) A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? {2} My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

(Psa 124:8 NIV) Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

(Psa 146:5 NIV) Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

(Isa 30:5 NIV) everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them, who bring neither help nor advantage, but only shame and disgrace."

(Hosea 13:9 NIV) "You are destroyed, O Israel, because you are against me, against your helper.

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Not knowing, is not popular. Admitting we don't know is not popular. Acknowledging that our intimacy with God is less than mature is not a common topic in Christianities pulpits. On the battleground of truth, it is almost a sign of weakness to speak about things we don't know and don't have. Our enemies and detractors may get the wrong impression - that we aren't absolutely confident we have the upper hand when it comes to spiritual truth. Perhaps its the siege mentality that doesn't want us to reveal the cracks in our systematic truth armaments. But its time to say enough. Its time to say there are many things that aren't adding up. Its time to stop glossing lightly over the shortcomings of Christianity. A true Christian doesn't need the pretense. We don't need to defend God. We can stand confident in God's existence and in the fact that he is in the process of reconciling the world to him. He is in control, absolute control. Our confidence is in him and in his ability to finish a task he initiated, and is now carrying out. Its a progressive goal with an absolute destination. A destination in this age, under the rules of faith, not heaven or the age to come. There needs to be a new branch of Christian study - 'objectives unreached', or 'Christianities unfinished business'. Many will claim we are not failing in our objectives, they will point out modest victories and that is also undeniable, Christianity has been successful. If we need encouraging we could study... . But the evidence points to a great void in our understanding of spiritual reality. We have great diversity of doctrine and opinion not oneness in body and faith. We hold a tenuous demonstration of power, not the absolute reign of authority (as Jesus displayed). We have a dullness of testimony produced by less than holy character., the thus says the Lord, a prophetic master plan,..