SPOILER ALERT – This may cause you to be disturbed when you see that this verse is not about what you thought it was about.

This text is typically only read one day.   But if you look closer, it’s not what you think.  When God says, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard…the context is not a description of the life we will have in heaven.  Let’s read the text.

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.  No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.  None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  However, as it is written:

These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

From the beginning of time, God had a mystery.  It began after Adam and Eve fell and he promised that one day out of the woman would come someone.  That someone would crush the serpent (Gen 3).

Then we get to Abraham and we get another piece of the puzzle.  A “seed” or that someone was still coming, but through Abraham all nations would be blessed.  Righteousness would also be by faith.

Then oddly we get the Mosaic Law.  How does that fit into everything?

And the mystery of the prophets who said that the Messiah to come would be killed on the tree (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53), that he die for sins (Isaiah 53), that he would be raised from the dead (Psalm 16:10.

Who is this someone???  It was a great mystery.

How would God reconcile men to himself?

It all came together in Jesus.

It was not the wisdom of this world.  In fact, it was not “wise” in the ways of the world.  Why would God ever come as a man, die a horrible death that he didn’t have to, and restore humanity back to himself that didn’t even want him.

FOOLISH!

In man’s wisdom, the cross is foolish.

But this was God’s secret wisdom.   It demonstrates the humility, the love, and the justice of God in a moment.  It truly was the brilliance of heaven that was impossible to conceive.  Not even the most wise and smartest among them.

^“No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.  None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (v. 7-8).

Wait.  Notice that?

if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (v. 7-8).

Keep that context in mind as we go to the next part:

However, as it is written:

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

What is this about?  Heaven?  Actually, if you look at the context, and the words “the things God has revealed,” it is not about a future glory in heaven.  It is about the cross of Christ.

No mind could conceive the wisdom of God at the cross.  And what is the most spectacular thing God could give to those who love him?  It wasn’t streets of gold and no more tears, although that is promised as we see in revelation, but it is redemption.

How is it even conceivable that God could redeem us from our sins without compromising his justice?

The cross.

No mind could have conceived it.

This text is about the cross, not heaven.  Does that mean that God has not prepared a place for us beyond our imagination?  Not at all. We have verses that speak to this.

My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3).

Do you think the bridegroom, deeply in love with his bride, is going to not do anything less than building something far beyond what can be imagined?

We also know that heaven is beautiful and unimaginable.

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:2-4). 

The point is we don’t need to worry about heaven being anything beyond our imagination and conception.  It will be.

It’s just this isn’t the verse for that.  This verse is about the marvel of the wisdom of the crucifixon.

If you’ve ever experienced in recent years the experience of a total solar eclipse, you will know what I mean when we talk about wonder.

Let’s bring back the marvel, the wonder, the utter astonishment of the wisdom of the cross.