The “Hope” of this present dispensation is still before us as we have considered Ephesians 1:17-19. Our “Hope” is not to be confused with the “Hope” of the Church of God, nor is it to be confused with the “Hope” of the Tribulation saints and martyrs. In the one foregoing sentence, we have made reference to three “Hopes.”

The Apostle Paul informs the “saints” that, in part, the reason they were quickened together with Christ, raised together with Christ, and seated together with Him was in order for Him to show “the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness toward us …throughout the ages to come.” Throughout the ages to come, “world without end;” one of the principal purposes of the Church over which Christ Jesus is the Head is to be a living demonstration of God’s Grace. The Church, which is His Body will be known as the supreme endowment of the exceeding riches of His GRACE!

The fact that “He hath chosen US in Him” is of great magnitude. This fact cannot be accentuated enough. A major point here is that God has made a choice. His choice was “us.” I am of the opinion if you are one of the “us,” you know it. It has been revealed to you. Paul asserts, unequivocally, in Ephesians 1:9, that the One Who CHOSE US—also—MADE KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY. 

Because of being unable to “rightly divide” the prophecies, many Rabbis in Israel had to invent two Messiahs. It was beyond their comprehension that one Messiah could both suffer and reign. They could not comprehend their Messiah dying, and reigning. Human reason just couldn't imagine how one could possibly meet the requirements of Messiah.

The Epistle to the Ephesians was written from a Roman prison by the Apostle Paul around 64 A.D. It was written to the saints at Ephesus and to “the faithful in Christ Jesus” anywhere. The truth contained in this epistle is the most profound truth in all the Word of God. It is the loftiest truth in the Scripture where there is no room for anything but PRAISE and PEACE from God the Father, even our Lord Jesus Christ. The “Mystery” is, here, revealed. It had been kept secret since the world began; not made known to the sons of men (Eph. 3:5); it had been hidden in God (Eph. 3:9); never revealed in the Scriptures until it was made known to the Apostle Paul by means of a special revelation (Eph. 3:3).