The Old Testament/Old Covenant is the New Testament/New Covenant concealed; The New Testament/New Covenant is the Old Testament/Old Covenant revealed. The plan of YHWH (with inserted vowels YAHWEH transliterated JEHOVAH commonly interpreted the LORD) is referred to as a mystery because it had to be hidden from “the thief that only comes to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10a). The things of the LORD are hidden for those who believe God, not from us. The fallen angel who lost both name and wisdom has no advanced knowledge; howbeit the crafty manipulations of the devil which come from behind are limited to the antithetical. Therefore, the Lord God’s concealed plan (to reconcile mankind unto Himself) was revealed in His only begotten Son – Jesus the Anointed One and His Anointing.  

  • “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.” Colossians 1:15-20 (ESV)  

The Lord Jesus was concealed in the Old Testament/Old Covenant, yet the Holy Spirit spoke of Him through God’s prophets; Isaiah prophesied salvation through the Messiah a significant number of years (many hundreds and hundreds of years) before the birth of Christ. Yes, satan knew the Messiah would come but neither when nor how God’s plan would be fulfilled. In both the Old Testament/Old Covenant and the New Testament/New Covenant the manifold attempts of the devil via the manipulation(s) of man to impede the birth of Messiah failed:  

  • “The king of Egypt had a talk with the two Hebrew midwives; one was named Shiphrah and the other Puah. He said, ‘When you deliver the Hebrew women, look at the sex of the baby. If it’s a boy, kill him; if it’s a girl, let her live. But the midwives had far too much respect for God and didn’t do what the king of Egypt ordered; they let the boy babies live.” Exodus 1:15-17 (MSG)  
  • “Then Herod sent for the wise men [astrologers] secretly, and accurately to the last point ascertained from them the time of the appearing of the star [that is, how long the star had made itself visible since its rising in the east]. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search for the Child carefully and diligently, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him. . . . . they were divinely instructed and warned in a dream not to go back to Herod; so they departed to their own country by a different way. . . . . Then Herod, when he realized that he had been misled by the wise men, was furiously enraged, and he sent and put to death all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that territory who were two years old and under . . . .” Matthew 1:7-16 (AMPC)

The Apostle John wrote about when the mystery of God’s plan took effect: 

  • “Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is Himself God. He created everything there is—nothing exists that He didn’t make. Eternal life is in Him, and this life gives light to all mankind. His life is the light that shines through the darkness—and the darkness can never extinguish it. . . . . But although He made the world, the world didn’t recognize Him when He came. Even in His own land and among His own people, the Jews, He was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive Him. But to all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust Him to save them. All those who believe this are reborn—not a physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan—but from the will of God.”  John 1:1-5,10-13 (TLB)
  • “Christ was alive when the world began, yet I myself have seen Him with my own eyes and listened to Him speak. I have touched Him with my own hands. He is God’s message of Life. This one who is Life from God has been shown to us and we guarantee that we have seen Him; I am speaking of Christ, who is eternal Life. He was with the Father and then shown to us.” 1 John 1:1-2 (TLB)

(And) The Apostle Paul explained why the devil didn’t know how the mystery of God’s plan would be fulfilled:  

  • “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known , they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 (NKJV)  

YESHUA/JESUS was born to die and set His face like flint to fulfill God’s plan on behalf of all mankind; the Son of God – His very own Seed sent to be sown for the harvest of more sons & daughters of God (read – 2 Corinthians 6:18).  

Peace . . . Harriet