Basics of the ‘Prophetic Program’ in Brief:

To save time and space, only Scripture references will be provided here. However, you should make it a point to take your Bible and search out these verses for yourself. While much more could be said, here below are eight basic facts about the prophetic program. You should look up the referenced verses.

1. The ‘Prophetic Program’ focuses on God’s purpose and plan for the Earth only. (Gen. 1:2; Exo. 19:5-6; Deut. 11:21; Josh. 3:11; Job 19:25-27; Hab. 2:14; Psa. 37:9,11,22; 46:10; 47:2,7; 72:19; 83:18; Isa. 54:4; Hosea 2:23; Matt. 5:5; 6:10; Rev. 1:5; 5:10, 20:6)
2. As noted earlier, God has “spoken” the details of the ‘Prophetic Program’… “since the world began,” since He created and placed Adam (man) on the Earth (Matt. 25:34; Luke 1:70; Acts 3:19-21).
3. Then also we must recognize that there is a distinction between Jews and Gentiles, that is the nation Israel and the Gentiles/nations are two separate people groups (Exo. 19:5-6; Deut. 4:1-10; 28:1; Num. 23:9; Isa. 60:1-3; Rom. 9:4-5; Eph. 2:11-12; Jas. 1:1; 1 Pet. 2:12; 4:3).
4. The ‘prophetic program’ involves soul salvation and blessings from God ultimately flowing through the nation Israel … to all nations as Gentiles (Gen. 12:1-3; Isa. 60:1-3; 61:6; Zech. 8:20-23; Luke 3:1-6). This will only occur in the Messianic Kingdom in the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.
5. The Twelve Apostles, led by Peter, as “the Apostle to the circumcision (Israel)” (Gal. 2:7-8) were instructed by Jesus to preach “the gospel of the Kingdom” to Israel and to instruct Israel, preparing her to receive her Messiah-King, Christ Jesus (Matt. 10:1-7). The ‘good news’ of Jesus of Nazareth’s “The Gospel of the Kingdom” being “at hand” was to and for Israel (Matt. 15:24). Various miraculous demonstrations were manifested through the power of the Holy Spirit in order to validate that offer of “the Kingdom” during the early Acts period. (Matt. 4:23; 9:35; 10:7-8; 24:14; Mk. 1:14; 16:16-20); Lk 8:1-2).

Under the ‘Prophetic Program,’ water baptism was an integral part of this “gospel of the Kingdom” message (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38). John’s water baptism was the discriminating mark of Jesus’ “little flock” (Luke 12:32) of genuine disciples, marking those who came out of Apostate Israel.

Ultimately, a Redeemed Israel is to take the prophetic program’s message to all the nations of the world (Matt. 28:18-20). This world evangelism campaign will occur during the Millennium, when Jesus Christ reigns over the Earth for 1,000 years (Psa. 2:6-8; Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Rev. 20:1-7; et al.). Just Prior to that Millennium, there is to be a period of “wrath,” known as the seven-year Tribulation (see Matt. 24, Luke 21, and much of The Book of Revelation). The Second Coming of Christ to earth in “wrath” will conclude the seven years and then opens the Millennium (Rev. 19:11-21; 20:1ff.), in which Israel will co-reign with Christ and then in the eternal kingdom on “the new earth” (Rev. 5:10; 20:6).

6. The operating system under the ‘prophetic program’ is “the Law,” whether the Mosaic Law (cf. Exo. 20 and Deut. 5) or Jesus’ ‘Messianic Law’ (cf. Matt. 5-7). And since Israel is the literal, physical, visible, earthly people of God… they will have literal, physical, visible, earthly works as a necessary part of their conduct for salvation. Under Israel’s Law, “faith without works is dead.” (cf. Jas. 2:14-26).
7. The details of the ‘prophetic program’ are found in the Bible’s books of Genesis through John’s Gospel, and early Acts (before chap. 9), and in Hebrews through Revelation.
8. The words “spoken” concerning ‘Prophetic Program’ run from the creation of man up to and including the words of Jesus of Nazareth and the Twelve Apostle in the early Acts period.

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, ² Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” (Hebrews 1:1-2)

The ‘Mystery Program,’ In Brief:

While so much more could be said, here are seven basic facts about ‘The Mystery Program.’

1. Its ultimate focus is on God’s purpose and plan for “the heavenly places” (Acts 9:3; Acts 22:6; Acts 26:13; 2 Cor, 5:1-2; Eph. 1:3,20; 2:6-7; 3:10; Phili. 3:20; Col. 1:5; 3:2; 2 Tim. 4:18).
2. God had not spoken its details “since the world began.” It had been “kept secret” and “hid in God” (Eph. 3:9) until Jesus revealed it to the Apostle Paul, a converted Jewish Roman citizen. Paul was sent to preach this once-secret information to all nations/Gentiles (Rom. 16:25-26; 1 Cor. 2:6-8; Eph. 3:1-10; Col. 1:23-29; 2 Tim. 1:9-11; Titus 2:1-3). This body of truth is called “the Gospel the Grace of God” (Acts 20:14).

Paul calls the divinely ordained relationship or arrangement for today “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2). A “dispensation” is a divinely ordained relationship or arrangement that applies within a specific timeframe or age.

Today, during this age of “the grace of God,” ALL men are seen as Gentiles (cf. Gal. 3:28), without racial distinction. This “dispensation” operates on the basis “the gospel of Grace of God” (Act 20:24). This then is distinctly different from Israel’s arrangement that is exclusive and operates “under the Law.” Thus, Paul wrote: “… for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

3. Under the ‘Mystery Program,’ based upon “the Grace of God,” there is no racial distinction between Jews and Gentiles – “ALL are one in Christ.” (Rom. 3:22; Gal. 3:26-28; 5:6; 6:15; Eph. 2:11-22; Col. 3:11). All believers in Christ are part of the “one body” (Eph. 4:4-5) called “the Church, which is His Body” (1Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:24). Under the ‘Mystery Program’ all those outside of “His Body” are lost, unsaved, Hell-bound for “eternal destruction” (2Thes. 1:9, Rom. 2:3-16; Eph. 2:1-3; 5:5-6).
4. Due to Israel’s “fall” and during her temporary spiritual blindness (Rom. 11:11-25), the ‘Mystery Program’ provides soul salvation and All blessings, flowing to All people of who will “believe.”

Israel’s delayed/paused/postponed ‘Prophetic Program’ has not been cancelled. And, “the body of Christ” has NOT replaced Israel. To validate Paul’s Gospel to unsaved Israelites, various “special” miraculous demonstrations were temporarily seen in Paul’s ministry (Acts 19:11-12; 1Cor. 12:13; 1 Tim. 5:23; 2 Tim. 4:20). Under Paul’s ‘Mystery Program’ for the Gentiles, water baptism is not important, and so not part of Paul’s ministry after the Acts period (1 Cor. 1:17; Eph. 4:5; 1 Cor. 12:13).

During the Acts transitional period, from Act 9 through Acts 28, Paul went to “the Jew first,” offering them information that is not entirely the doctrine for “the body of Christ,” (e.g. the Lord’s table, head covering). Paul was called and converted in Acts 9 and he concludes his offer of grace salvation by the cross of Jesus Christ to those of Israel with Acts 28:28.

Acts 28:27-28 “For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. ²⁸  Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.”

Then, after Acts closes, Paul writes and presents his ‘pure grace message’ in His last six epistles (Ephesians through Philemon) solely for the Gentile “body of Christ,” having no application to Israel.

5. The Apostle Paul was to preach to and instruct all nations concerning the grace gospel of simple faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (1Cor. 15:3-4) as the sole means of gaining salvation; which includes reconciliation, the forgiveness of sins, justification, eternal life, and relationship with God… by Jesus Christ unto the rapture of “the body of Christ.”

Israel’s rejected Messiah is today’s ‘Saviour of the world (for ALL Men)’ (Acts 13:46-48; 18:6; 28:25-28; 1 Tim. 4:9-10; 2:4 7). Paul calls this “Gospel of the Grace of God” (Acts 20:24; 1Cor. 15:1-4) “my gospel.”

6. The Mystery Program’s operating system is “Grace” alone working “through faith” alone; where neither the Mosaic Law nor the Messianic Law of Jesus of Nazareth applies. Since “the Church, the Body of Christ” is spiritual and not God’s physical, visible, earthly people of God, we today have no specific physical, visible, earthly works as a necessary part of salvation or our conduct.
7. This ‘Mystery Program’ is found only in the Paul’s Epistles of Romans through Philemon, which are his thirteen epistles for “the Church, the body of Christ.”