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God of almighty power, grant a people redeemed by love, and we have granted
all that is necessary for the interposition of miracle wherever and whenever
it should be so demanded. Finally, if the ordinary chain of cause and effect
binds the hand of God as with a fetter, prayer would be just a waste of time.
Every answer to prayer, is the interposition of a Father's hand athwart the
otherwise remorseless sequence of cause and effect. So from every angle that
the matter
of miracle is approached it is found to be rational, to be expected if God is
God, and if the Scriptures are His revealed will to man. See article
entitled Confirmation1.
MYSTERY
The Greek word musterion occurs twenty -seven times in the New
Testament and is translated `mystery' throughout. The word is distributed as
follows:
Gospels. Three references. No occurrence in John's Gospel.
Epistles. Eight occurrences in Paul's pre -prison epistles (Rom.; 1
Cor.; 2 Thess.).
Ten occurrences in Paul's prison epistles (Eph.; Col.).
Two occurrences in the Interim epistle (1 Tim.).
Four occurrences in the Revelation.
The word does not occur in Hebrews, nor in any of the circumcision
epistles. The LXX contains eight references, all of them in the book of
Daniel. In addition there are twelve occurrences in the Apocrypha which
indicate, by the way the word is employed, something of the meaning it must
have attached to it when it is found in the New Testament.
As this word occupies such an important place in dispensational truth
we must waive our rule of not giving a concordance of more than ten
occurrences of any word, and set out a complete concordance both in the Old
Testament and in the New Testament.
Musterion in the New Testament
Gospels
Matt. 13:11 The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 4:11
The mystery of the kingdom of God.
Luke 8:10
The mysteries of the kingdom of God.
Pre -prison epistles
Rom. 11:25 Not ... be ignorant of this mystery.
Rom. 16:25 The mystery, which was kept secret.
1 Cor. 2:7 The wisdom of God in a mystery.
1 Cor. 4:1 Stewards of the mysteries of God.
1 Cor. 13:2 Though I ... understand all mysteries.
1 Cor. 14:2 In the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
1 Cor. 15:51
Behold, I show you a mystery.
2 Thess. 2:7
The mystery of iniquity doth already work.
Prison epistles
Eph. 1:9
Having made known unto us the mystery of His will.
Eph. 3:3
He made known unto me the mystery.
Eph. 3:4
My knowledge in the mystery of Christ.
Eph. 3:9
The fellowship of the mystery.
Eph. 5:32
This is a great mystery.
Eph. 6:19
To make known the mystery of the gospel.