βIn 1 Corinthians 2:9, what is βthe things which God hath prepared for them that love Himβ referring to?β
βBut as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Himβ (1 Cor. 2:9).
This verse is commonly interpreted to refer to the glories of heaven which none has seen nor heard. Once we get a meaning for a verse in our minds, it is often difficult to dislodge it and consider any other meaning.
However, here Paul wrote about the truths of the Mystery that have been revealed to those who love the Lord in this dispensation of grace. βThe things which God hath prepared for them that love Himβ were not seen nor heard in the past, and they never βentered into the heart of manβ because they were βhid in Godβ (Eph. 3:9) and were never before revealed. But Paul writes in the next verse in 1 Corinthians 2:10: βBut God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.β Now the Mystery has been fully revealed! Now we see and know the things God has prepared for us as members of the Body of Christ through the Holy Spirit via illumination to His Word.
Paulβs point here is not the things in heaven God has prepared for us. Rather, it is that God has fully revealed to us His formerly-hidden wisdom, the Mystery and the dispensation of grace. God has revealed to us our heavenly calling and our blessed hope (Phil. 3:20; Titus 2:13) which He βhath preparedβ and βordained before the world unto our gloryβ (1 Cor. 2:7), and we can see it, know it, and enjoy it right now! source
