Ephesians 3:10

3:10

His intent – God always has a purpose, reason, goal, aim, desired result, for everything He does

was that now – contrast with “ages past”; ages ago God was already planning and working for this day, i.e., the day when, because of Christ’s work, God could reveal the plan and unveil the clues.

through the church – with all her faults, the church is still the avenue through which God chooses to work in this world. My society criticizes and scoffs at the church. And I certainly have had my issues with her. But God still chooses to work through her. So I remain loyal to the church, not because she has been good to me. I remain loyal to her because that is where God has chosen to do His work. Or as this verse says, perhaps not where but through whom God works. In either case, if that is the scene of God at work, then I want to be there. And I will tolerate the pettiness, role-playing, politics, etc., in order to be present and accounted for and to participate as God works through the church.

manifold – multi-layered; many kinds; numerous parts or aspects

wisdom of God – I’m a little stumped here, because we usually quote the Bible saying, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” But how can God fear the LORD? He cannot. So this must mean something different from our usual understanding of wisdom. The fear of the LORD is not wisdom itself. It just starts us on the way. Amateur stabs at explaining wisdom itself: guiding principles that determine one’s course of action; understanding what results—achievements or failures—tomorrow will arise from which actions today, acting with tomorrow and long-range consequences in mind. So God’s manifold wisdom involves the principles by which He covenanted with Abraham and with the nation of Israel, understanding that such covenants prepared the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and for our atonement and grace available to all—even Gentiles.

should be made known – revealed, clarified

rulers and authorities in heavenly realms – I feel increasingly aware that I/we are dealing not so much with human governments. But more than that, we are dealing with forces, personalities, powers that we cannot see. That is why prayer becomes so difficult, such a battle, because that is where spiritual warfare is fought: not against the people campaigning for a lawless society, but against the forces behind those people, the powers pulling the puppet strings tied to those people.