All Truth Revealed
The Dispensation of The Mystery
Of the several ways in which God has dealt with His own, the present is distinguished as being "The Dispensation of The Mystery"; other administrations have had their related mysteries, but this dispensation was itself altogether and entirely a mystery (secret) until it was revealed. It should be noted that there is no reference to an "age" or "period of time" in the term "dispensation." The present age was not a mystery, as it was foreseen by the prophets as the dispensation between the return to heaven by our Lord and His return to earth. It was spoken of by the Lord, but what should be God's dispensation during this age was a mystery (secret) right until the time this age commenced. The desolation of Jerusalem and dispersion of Israel did not come about immediately after the Lord's death, for when He was on the cross, He prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." This request was answered in the years of testimony to Israel that ensued. The Lord had spoken of those years, but He also revealed plainly that the testimony would not be received and in consequence, Israel should be dispersed and Jerusalem destroyed (Luke 11:49-51, Luke 13:1-5, Luke 19:41-44, and Luke 28:28-30).
Thus the present age was foreseen, but what was to be God's administration that should obtain during this age was not foreseen by the prophets. It was a mystery. God's purposes in Israel remained in view so long as they were a people in the land and possessed of their city and temple, but when their heart was hardened, they were dispersed, and their hope was necessarily deferred until later. It is at this juncture that the question arises - "What is now God's dispensation?" The Mystery committed to Paul after Acts 28:28 supplies the answer.
The somewhat difficult term "Dispensation of The Mystery," therefore, simply means the way God is dealing with His redeemed during this period of Israel's dispersion.
To inquire what is this present way of dealing with God's people is obviously the most logical and necessary thing that the believer should do. What is now the position of the Lord Jesus Christ, and what is now God's purpose among the redeemed?
"And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the church which is His body..." (Eph. 1:22-23).
This position now is particularly ascribed to Christ (Head of The Body, The Church), and this position is now given to a company of the redeemed (The Church, which is His Body); these are both present facts. The sevenfold unity of the Spirit enumerated in Eph. 4:4 commences, "There is One body..." As this is so, God's present way of dealing with His redeemed is to call some out from among all believers to be those who are to form His One Body.
