The BIG Picture (Shorts)

Rightly dividing is the key to proper contextual and accurate interpretation of Scripture. Without it, the Word is mixed together, blended across programs, and ultimately skewed. Passages meant for Israel under the law are wrongly applied to the Body of Christ under grace, and promises given to a nation are confused with instructions for the church. The result is spiritual instability, because truth has not been handled in its proper context. Yet notice this: rightly dividing is not the starting point, it is the outcome of study. Paul says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). When we truly labour in the Word, comparing Scripture with Scripture, we begin to see the distinctions God Himself has made. We see the difference between prophecy and mystery, between law and grace, between Israel’s earthly kingdom hope and the church’s heavenly calling. One will never truly grasp the importance ...

Romans 16:20 says, “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.” This is a powerful echo of Genesis 3:15, where God first promised that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. Paul draws on that ancient prophecy to assure believers that Satan’s defeat is not only certain, but unfolding according to God’s plan. This “bruising” or “crushing” isn’t a single event—it’s a sequence of victories culminating in Satan’s final judgment. It began at the Cross and Resurrection, where Christ decisively broke Satan’s power over sin and death (Hebrews 2:14; Colossians 2:15). It continues now as believers walk in truth and resist deception—Satan is bruised underfoot through spiritual warfare and gospel proclamation (Ephesians 6:11-17). And it will be completed when Satan is cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10). Paul’s use of “shortly” signals certainty, not necessarily immediacy—God’s timing is perfect. But here’s the deeper truth: the Church is the Body of ...

FACT NO. 1—That the Bible MUST be rightly divided in order for it to make sense. Notice what it says: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the Word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15). This is one of the cardinal rules for interpreting the whole Bible. Neglect of this rule or a faulty use of it will lead to only one result, CONFUSION, since our God is not the author of confusion. The reason for a right division of the Bible is because of God’s two distinct purposes: (1) His purpose concerning Israel and the world according to PROPHECY, and (2) His purpose concerning the Gentiles in this present age according to the MYSTERY revealed to Paul. God doesn’t want us to confuse the teaching of these two purposes. He has very graciously given us the key for a proper understanding of this. More FACTS to follow... See this article for even more rightly dividing differences By Robert C. Brock Source:  https://bereanbiblesociety.org/se...

Sadly, most modern churches today do not rightly divide the word of truth between the mystery doctrine for the Body of Christ and the prophetic scriptures for Israel. If one does not keep these doctrines apart, one corrupts its contents and skews the doctrines. Using your analogy, they are mixing old and new wines together, creating a blended version that is distasteful. All scripture is God’s inspired words that we can learn from and grow to understand God’s great redemption plan for all of creation, but we have to study the scriptures correctly and apply it in the right context. What is the doctrine we apply? It is not prophecy, nor is it the Kingdom doctrine. It is that which our apostle Paul has written to us concerning the cross work of Christ and the spiritual ‘new’ man that God is creating, the Body of Christ. Unless the church recognizes this, they will continue to mix old wine in new wineskins. ______________ Join my WhatsApp channel to receive these quick Bible lessons on you...

I’ll fervently teach the Bible rightly divided till the Lord comes. It is an inevitable result of studying the Word according to Paul, 2Tim.2:15. When one studies the Bible, line by line and precept upon precept, one comes to this inevitable conclusion that one must rightly divide prophecy from mystery, law from grace, and Israel from the Body of Christ. Consider this. How can one mix prophecy , which is something spoken since the world began, with mystery , which is something kept secret since the world began? The two are mutually exclusive. Blending them creates a false doctrine because one must twist scriptures to make them fit a different narrative that is imagined in the mind of man. For many years I tried to make sense of the Bible, until I decided to actually study the Bible — and came to the conclusion by my own discernment — that one must rightly divide. When I did, the Bible truly opened up to me for the first time. I’ll never go back to the blended confusions of the past. ...

Prophecy and mystery are two parts of the full redemption plan of God, but they are mutually exclusive. How can something prophesied and made know at the same time be a mystery and kept secret?  Paul clearly tells us that the mysteries that make up his doctrine were kept secret in the heart of God and only revealed after Paul was saved. No prophet of the Old Testament or in the Gospels ever knew or spoke of the things that Paul revealed. Act 3:20-21 And he shall send Jesus Christ, ... (21) Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 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, (26) But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, ... Today, our doctrine is that of mystery. ______________ Join my W...

  REMARK: Mark also taught a secret that was hidden. Therefore, the mystery doctrine of Paul and the mysteries of the Kingdom are not different but the same. You're picking and choosing your own verses to promote your views. REPLY: In Mark 4:11, the word ‘mystery’ is not the same as Paul’s mystery. Why? Paul’s mystery doctrine was different because it was never entered into the prophetic scriptures.  It was unsearchable in the scriptures, Eph 3:8.  It was hidden in God and kept secret from humanity and even from Satan, 1Cor 2:8. It pertains to the overall redemption plan of God to save Gentiles outside of prophecy for a heavenly program, 2Tim 4:18.  This is very different to the meaning of the secrets of the Kingdom that Jesus hid in parables. This information was always in the scriptures, having been prophesied and made known to Israel. The information was revealed in prophecy but unknown to Jews because their priesthood failed to interpret the scriptures. Thus, ev...

Scripture provides a comprehensive timeline of time and events. Prophecies provide clues that can be added to a timeline. For instance, the prophecies of Daniel provide details on the exact timing of specific future events. Studying the book of Acts allows for accurate plotting of Paul's missionary journeys, determining when he wrote which epistles and where he was. Have a look at this link to see a good example of this: https://thebigpicturelink.blogspot.com/2024/02/the-timeline-of-pauls-ministry-study-aid.html We can learn of future events through study and cross-referencing, such as the Tribulation and the Millennial Kingdom. Combining prophecies and the book of Revelation can help plot the Tribulation and the beginning and governance of the Millennial Kingdom. So, assuming you mean a timeline (as opposed to calendar), then, yes, scripture certainly gives us a very good and accurate understanding of time, events, and the future. ______________ Join my WhatsApp channel to receive...

  Just like Zechariah's prophecy in the image, there are dozens of other Old Testament prophecies that combine Christ’s two comings without any gap between them for our dispensation. Prophecy foretells two great events, (1) the meek and lowly advent of the Messiah as the Son of man, and (2) the defeat of Israel's enemies and the Millennial kingdom on the earth in which Israel would be preeminent. The Old Testament prophets didn't know of two additional comings of Christ to divide the two prophesied comings —one coming to start our grace dispensation (saving Saul) and one to end it (the rapture). These are the two comings according to mystery, that “which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom 16:25-26). Nothing in the Old Testament indicated God would delay the prophetic program for 2,000 years, but God delayed His judgment and extended His grace so Jews and Gentiles can be saved by faith alone in believing Paul's gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This is grace! ____...

  In 2 Cor.5:16, Paul says an incredible statement! "Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer" . You might think that Paul is blaspheming! How could Paul say this? Well, it's not that we forget Christ. Never! Paul means that we do not know him in his earthly ministry, which was under prophecy and to the Jews only (Gal.4:4; Matt.10:6; Matt.15:24). Today, we recognize Jesus "according to the revelation of the mystery", Rom.16:25. Jesus' earthly ministry, teachings, and signs, were for the Jews, to prove His identity and prepare them for their earthly inheritance. We can read the 4-gospels today and receive nuggets of truth, but none of it is directed to us. Our instructions are written in Paul's 13-epistles, and these are the commands addressed and directed to us today. Paul's epistles help us to know Jesus according to the revelation of the mysteries. We must study the Bible dividing prophecy and mys...

There are many CONTRADICTIONS between the prophecy and mystery doctrines. Take for example: Are we under prophecy or mystery? – Act 3:21, Rom 16:25-26. Is Christ’s blood shed for many or for all? – Mat 20:28, 1 Tim 2:6 Are sins imputed against us? – Act 5:1-10, Rom 4:8 Works for righteousness? – Jam 2:24, Tit 3:5 Is forgiveness conditional or not? – Mat 6:14-15, Eph 4:32 Does the gospel include water baptism? – Mk 1:4, 1Co 15:1-4 Are we under the law or not? – Mat 5:19, Rom 6:14 Gentiles blessed through Israel’s rise or fall? – Act 3:25, Rom 11:11 etc… These contradictions are right there in the Bible, and plain to see. They ARE NOT ERRORS, just 2 different programs in God’s redemption plan. If you merge them, you get contradictions, but kept apart, they are distinct doctrines, one for Israel (prophecy), the other for the Body of Christ (mystery). In 2Tim.2:15, Paul tells us to study the Word. The result of careful study leads to understanding the need to rightly divide the Word of tru...

COMMENT: Matt 25:41-61 clearly says that if we don’t do any good works, God will send us to hell. REPLY: The verse mentioned is referring to the ‘Sheep and Goats’ judgement at the end of a 7-year tribulation period. During this horrendous time, believers are required to support Israel in order to gain salvation. However, this passage, and its resulting judgment, is not applicable to the current dispensation of grace, where salvation is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ alone, without the need for good works. It is important to interpret scripture according to the correct times. One cannot take scripture from one dispensation and apply it to another; else you create confusion and false doctrine. Our ‘Mystery’ dispensation ends at the catching up of the Body of Christ to heaven. The scripture you quote is about 7-years later and is part of the ‘Prophecy’ dispensation which does not apply today.

Just like the 12 disciples of Jesus are the apostles for Israel, Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles (or the Body of Christ, Rom 11:13). Whereas most of the Bible is about the prophetic program for Israel, which was suspended by Israel’s unbelief, Paul established the mystery program and doctrine that is applicable for us today. The 13-epistles of Paul provide all the information that we need in order to know how God is working with humanity today in the grace program.  See the image for a list for just a few mysteries revealed in Paul's letters.