The Mystery of the Wisdom and Power of God

Part One

Wisdom: skills or abilities to perform a physical action. To be a skilled worker that can accomplish a goal.

Power: firm strength

Rom 16:25,26
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

The preaching of Paul the Apostle dealt with many topics over a large amount of time. In matters related to the doctrine of Jesus Christ, that preaching followed a revelation of a mystery. This mystery was secret, and had been so since before the earth was created. According to Paul this mystery was made manifest to all nations for the obedience of faith. It will be instructive to understand this mystery.

Mystery: anything that arouses curiosity because it is unexplained, inexplicable, or secret.

Throughout the ages, only certain people knew about this mystery. The secrecy was important to allow certain events to transpire according to God’s will. Specifically, had all men understood this mystery, Jesus would never had been crucified.

1Corinthians 2:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.


Glory: a) strength of God manifested in our physical universe b) To be heavy with honor, to be respected.

Who can Understand this mystery?

There is a qualification that allows you to understand what this mystery is all about. It is a secret kept from man in general; even the spiritual world is ignorant of its true meaning. But for some, it is crystal clear. It is important to know how to acquire this qualification.

Psa 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Pro 3:32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
Froward: to depart from, to turn aside.

It looks like the qualification is righteousness. You cannot be walking far from the tenets of God and understand the secret mysteries of God. He speaks this secret to certain people who are able to understand.

Amo 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

The prophets of the Old Testament were aware of this mystery. Each one knew the purpose and the particulars of Gods mystery, but they were unable to speak it out.

In fact, the Disciples of the New Testament were excited because the Devils were subject unto them, but Jesus told them, you should be more excited because your names are written in Heaven, for the Prophets longed to see what your eyes see…”

Jesus continued to discuss the mystery with His disciples until they understood. At one point Jesus was condemning the cities where His miracles were accomplished because they did not repent. His disciples, on the other hand, were clearly interested in understanding all this:

Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
The disciples were curious about the method of teaching Jesus chose to use because it was hard for the people to understand what underlying meaning they were to glean from the discussion:
Mat 13:
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Even Jesus held this mystery close and revealed it only to His chosen ones. This mystery is a hidden wisdom. We must understand this wisdom to understand the mystery that has been secret from the foundation of the world.

Where is wisdom found?

The ancient discussion of Job reveals that the location of wisdom was always a secret. Job also reveals that knowing the secret mystery was not brought about by anything the Earth could offer, but was a spiritually discerned thing. Even the spiritual world was unaware of the true meaning of the mystery:
Job 28:12-23
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

It seems that God is the only one with this knowledge. There was a very important reason that this should be so.

What is the purpose of Wisdom?
Pro 3:19,20
The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established
the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

Isa 46:9,10
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God,
and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are
not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
This wisdom was the principle factor in creation. This particular skill or ability to create and utilize power was apparent before the creation. It also seems to have been controlled by the counsel of God. God designed and orchestrated everything we now see in order to bring about His will. All things are created so that they function according to this counsel of God:

When did wisdom come about?
Pro 8:
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.


So wisdom was around before God created anything at all. In addition, when God did create, wisdom was "rejoicing" in the accomplishment. This is a way of saying that God saw His creation and to Him it was "good". It also implies that this wisdom was specifically about creating and sustaining the habitable part of the Earth, where men were to live.

In the next part, the purpose of this mystery and the wisdom of God are outlined. There is an underlying reason for this mysterious and secret process that is the will of God, and the Apostles used this mystery to great advantage.