First Peter 1:10-12
The Salvation That Was A Mystery To Prophets And Angels Alike

I. Introduction:

A. Prophets of old spake what was revealed to them (II Samuel 23:1-2).

1. Faithful prophets did not speak their own mindset or thoughts (Numbers 16:28).
2. If a prophet spake from his own thinking, God’s view of them is very clear (Deuteronomy 18:20, Jeremiah 14:14, and Jeremiah 23:14-16).

1. Concerning what we are going to study, it is interesting to know that secrets were revealed to prophets (Amos 3:7).
2. Clearly, as Paul taught, revelation even in the first century was not all at once and left things unknown. Thus, revelation was unclear and left the messenger seeing darkly [obscurely] (I Corinthians 13:8-13).

1. The prophets saw and foretold about Christ (Genesis 49:10 [Hebrews 7:14], Isaiah 7:13-14 [Matthew 1:18-25], Mark 12:36 [Psalms 110:1], John 1:45 [Deuteronomy 18:18-19], Acts 2:25-31 [Psalms 16:7-11], Acts 10:43 and Hebrews 8:7-13, [Jeremiah 31:31-34], etc.).
2. Seeing into the future and being taught of things to come (John 8:56 and Galatians 3:7-9).
3. Revelation could be very unclear and even troubling to prophets (Daniel 4:5, Daniel 7:15, Daniel 7:28, Daniel 8:27, and Daniel 10:8).

1. Think about Peter’s experience (Acts 10:9-17).
2. Even as prophesies were being fulfilled, it wasn’t always clear to those witnessing such in person (Luke 24:25-27; 24:36-48).
3. Think about what sometimes happened to prophets during revelations (Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Revelation 21:9-10).

4. Think about seeing things afar off (Hebrews 11:13).

1. How could they see clearly when seeing afar off? Think about those that saw close up (Mark 9:9-10, Luke 9:43-45, John 12:12-16, and Acts 1:1-11).
2. There was a time for the mysteries to be made known (Mark 4:10-11).
3. We will talk later in this lesson (point F) about how those mysteries were revealed through those who learned of them.
4. One more thing along this line, think about what Moses was said to have done (II Corinthians 3:6-13). *The abolished (Ephesians 2:14-15).

1. In Romans, the Spirit they had received was not literally the Spirit of Christ (Romans 5:5).
2. In Galatians, the Spirit they received was the Spirit that worked miracles through them (Galatians 3:1-5).

1. Was it Jesus in Spirit that worked miracles through men? No, it was the Holy Ghost (I Corinthians 12:3-11 and Hebrews 2:3-4).
2. Remember how the Holy Ghost was given (Acts 8:5-24 and Acts 19:1-7).

3. We can be sure that Peter is referring to the Holy Ghost (II Peter 1:20-21).

1. It is not a misstatement though. The Father, Son, and Spirit are all one (I John 5:7).
2. Revelation by the Spirit is inseparable from the Father and the Son as revelation is ultimately from the Father (John 7:16, John 8:28-29, John 15:26, and John 16:13).

4. Remember, the Holy Ghost was sent in the name of Jesus from the Father (John 14:26).

1. Regarding the glory of the Lord that should follow, think about Simeon (Luke 2:22-38).

1. The prophets had foretold (Isaiah 49:1-7).
2. They saw the glory of the Lord (John 12:36-41; cf. Isaiah 53:1).

2. The glory AFTER the sufferings of Christ (Daniel 7:13-14 and Colossians 1:12-20).
3. Regarding the people Peter is primarily addressing, being Gentiles in the flesh (I Peter 2:10), think about glory for them (Acts 26:22-23).

1. We know what they didn’t know. That is, in part, that they would greatly benefit from what they foretold (Hebrews 9:11-15).
2. Jesus did not just reconcile things of this world (Colossians 1:20).
3. Before Jesus died, consider who was in Paradise (Luke 16:19-31).

1. Seeing as how these scattered saints (I Peter 1:1) are at least mostly Gentiles (again; I Peter 2:10); remember the revelation of the mystery includes good news for us Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1-11).
2. The mystery is no longer a mystery (Colossians 1:26-27).

1. Even before the Spirit was fully given to the Apostles (Acts 1:8 and Acts 2:1-4), they were led as they taught (Matthew 10:16-20).
2. The Gospel came not in word only (II Thessalonians 1:5).
3. The language of the Holy Ghost coming down from Heaven is not intended to leave the reader with the idea that the Holy Ghost is physically upon this earth (again; I John 5:7).

1. From this, we can know the message from inspired men is not an earthly message (Galatians 1:11-12).
2. We can understand the mouths of inspired men to be speaking the words of the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:16 and Acts 28:25).

1. Remember, angels were messengers (Acts 7:53).
2. What we are seeing now is that when they were revealing things concerning Christ even they were not “in the know” [so to speak]. Yet, don’t dismiss the authority of what they said (Hebrews 2:1-2).