Isaiah - Verse By Verse | Walking through Ephesians

Walking through Ephesians - Day 55

versebyverse | December 21, 2007 19:25

Thought: To me, the church (body of Christ) is extremely valuable, not only upon earth but also "in the heavenly realms."

Question: Have I perceived God's intentions through His plan for the church?

Scripture: Ephesians 3:10 (NIV): "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms."

God kept some things to Himself. He is The Source of all things--it is only fitting that some elements remain with Him, and Him alone, and be kept "hidden in God." God keeps these aspects within Himself only, for good reason. But Paul says that God's intention was to reveal some of these hidden things through the church, that is, the body, the outgrowth, of Christ Who is Head. To whom are the hidden things revealed? To "the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms." To me, these must be angels and the like. The angels have desired to look into the workings of God on earth in man, apparently not being able to understand fully the way the gospel worked, or why God would cause it to work. But according to Paul here, the existance and performance of the church here on earth, that is, what we believers are all doing under heaven, is revealing more and more to the angels the parts of the mystery they have longed to know. That Christ should die for men has been a curious event in the eyes of the angels; but to see the development of the church must be a rewarding display of wisdom to them as it unfolds. Christ has brought many "sons of God" with Him into "resurrection life"--members of the church body. The church reveals Christ because we are His body, and Christ reveals to the heavenly realm the earthly realm because Christ became man. The mystery of unifying men to God through Christ is uncovered in Heaven as intended by God through the development of the church. As more and more souls are added to the church, the angels rejoice over each one and witness success to God's mysterious plan that brings souls to righteousness through Christ's blood. As Heaven watches so much good continuing to come out of Jesus' death and resurrection there is more of God's wisdom seen in what He has planned and done. His "wisdom" becomes "manifold", that is, greater and greater, in the eyes of Heaven's "rulers and authorities." Their respect for God grows because of the church, and God intended it that way.

Prayer: How thankful I am, Lord, to know a God Who has planned and intended so much good for so many people. Amen.