One of the greatest prophecies of Scripture is found in Psalm 110:1 where David wrote: “The Lord (the Father) said unto my Lord (the Son), Sit Thou at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.”

In Matt. 22:41-46 our Lord explained that this was a prophecy about Himself as ‘David’s Son’ and Lord. Men would hate Him and cry “Away with Him!” They would nail Him to “a tree’ and laugh and sneer at Him, but God the Father responds by saying to His Son: “Here, come sit at My right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”

There is a day of judgment coming when man’s arrogance will be brought low beneath the mighty hand of the Lord. We should never forget that according to Bible prophecy God’s response to man’s rejection of Christ was to be His judgment and wrath.

In Psalm 2 the question is asked “why the nations rage and the people of Israel imagine a vain thing:” thinking that they can get along without the One whom God has anointed to be King. The Psalm depicts God laughing at their attempts to thwart His purposes and predicts that “the Lord shall have them in derision (contemptuous ridicule or mockery)” and “speak unto them in His wrath.”

The next item on the agenda after Christ had been crucified by Israel, at Pentecost, was for the judgment to fall. “The last days” had begun, as Peter declared in Acts 2:16-17, quoting from the prophet Joel. Oh, but strangely, while some of Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled, or began to be fulfilled at that time, the rest of the prophecy that addressed God’s wrath was not (Acts 2:18-19, below), for God did not — and has not yet — sent the prophesied judgment. That which was to come and will come as seen here.

Acts 2:19-20 (KJV) And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come (at His 2nd coming):

Thank God, in infinite grace, He interrupted Israel’s prophetic program that called for judgment. Israel’s program that called for judgment is currently set aside “until the fullness of the Gentiles come in” (Rom 16:25).

Thus God delayed the remainder of Joel’s prophecy for judgment; rather, He revealed to the Apostle Paul His secret purpose to offer to His enemies everywhere… salvation and reconciliation by free grace, through faith in the crucified, risen Savior.

This was God’s secret plan of grace for ALL men, which Paul called “THE mystery (Gk. musterion, secret).” Whereas the previous program was for Israel only, Paul’s new gospel, for all men everywhere is now revealed without differentiation of race, sex, status (Gal 3:28).

Romans 16:25 (KJV) Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my (Paul’s) gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to The Revelation of The Mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

In his Ephesian letter Paul asks whether they have heard of “the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you-ward; how that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery” (Eph. 3:1-3).

Now, thank God, His eternal purpose in Christ is no longer a secret. While this present day of “grace” lasts we may be “justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).