«　WEEK 1　DAY 1　»

　　Matt. 28:20 ...And behold, I am with you all the days until the consummation of the age.

　　Rev. 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he is about to trumpet, then the mystery of God is finished...

　　The Greek phrase [for the term the end of the age] can also be translated “the completion of the age” or “the consummation of the age.” The end of the age denotes the three and a half years of the great tribulation that will terminate this age. Therefore, the end (consummation) of the age is not the close of the age, but the very last period of the age.

　　This term the consummation of the age is found in the last verse of Matthew (28:20). Because we hope to be raptured, we expect the Lord to be with us until the end of this age, not until the close of the age. At the close of the age, the Lord will descend to the earth and place His feet on the Mount of Olives. Before this takes place, there will be a period of time which the Bible calls the consummation of the age, a period of time which will last three and a half years. (Life-study of Matthew, pp. 721-722)

　　When the seventh angel is about to trumpet, the mystery of God will be finished [Rev. 10:7]. In the dispensations from Adam to Moses and from Moses to Christ, everything was unveiled, manifested, and there was no mystery. It will be the same in the dispensation of the millennial kingdom and in the new heaven and the new earth—everything will be unveiled and there will be no more mystery. But in the dispensation from Christ to the millennial kingdom, everything is a mystery. The incarnation of Christ, as the beginning of this dispensation of mystery, is a mystery (1 Tim. 3:16). Christ Himself (Col. 2:2), the church (Eph. 3:4-6), the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 13:11), the gospel (Eph. 6:19), the indwelling of Christ (Col. 1:26-27), and the coming resurrection and transfiguration of the saints as the ending of this dispensation of mystery (1 Cor. 15:51-52) are all mysteries which were hidden in the times of the ages (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:5; Col. 1:26). All these mysteries will be over, completed, and finished at the trumpeting of the seventh trumpet. At the trumpeting of the seventh trumpet, not only God’s judgment of wrath upon the earth, but also “the mystery of God is finished” [Rev. 10:7].

　　Today, the indwelling Christ and the church are a mystery….When we say, “Praise the Lord! We have Christ in us,” people may say, “Show us.” To this, we can only reply, “I cannot show you, but I know that Christ is in me.” Christ’s dwelling in us is a mystery. When non-Christians receive too much money in change from a cashier in a restaurant, they are pleased and consider it a bargain. But when we receive extra change, we return it. This is mysterious to the cashier. The unbelievers cannot understand what kind of people we are.... Although today is a time of mystery, when the seventh trumpet is sounded, the mystery will be over. At the trumpeting of the seventh trumpet, Christ will be manifested and the whole earth will recognize Him. Then the cashiers will know why we, the mysterious ones, returned the extra change. Perhaps they will say, “We thought they were foolish, but now we understand.” Although they cannot understand this mystery today, one day they will understand it. (Life-study of Revelation, pp. 311-312)

　　The two comings of Christ become the beginning and the end of this age of mystery. During this age of mystery, everything that God does is a mystery. For example, the Lord’s incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, becoming the Spirit, and entering into the believers are all mysteries. Furthermore, redemption, forgiveness, and regeneration also are mysteries. Not only Christ is a mystery; even all of us are mysteries. (CWWL, 1990, vol. 3, “The Vision of the Divine Dispensing and Guidelines for the Practice of the New Way,” pp. 289-290)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Matthew, msg. 62; Life-study of Revelation, msgs. 24, 26, 30; CWWL, 1990, vol. 3, “The Prophecy of the Four ‘Sevens’ in the Bible,” chs. 1, 6