Answer: From verses 17 to 23 we find truth belonging to the Christian position and relationship. Whereas Thomas figures Israel who as a nation will not believe on, Christ Jesus as their Messiah till they see Him coming in His glory accompanied by His heavenly saints.
The Lord called Mary by name, and led her out of the Jewish fold. (John 10:33To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (John 10:3)). When He says, “Touch Me not,” it is indicative of His new position at the Father’s right hand, where He is not known after the flesh. (2 Cor. 5:1616Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. (2 Corinthians 5:16)). Then He gives her a message that tells her, Wand all believers now, that they are Christ’s brethren, and that His Father is their Father, His God is their God. In the Verse 19, we have Christ the center of gathering and they look upon His hands and His side, reminding them of ‘His finished work. Verse 21, they are His sent ones, with the message of ‘forgiveness of sins, also verse 22, they receive His resurrection life and the Holy Spirit.
Another period begins, eight days after. Thomas would not believe during the last Period. Now he is compelled to admit it. His confession, “My Lord and my God,” shows it, but it is a Jewish expression.
Verse 29 refers to the believing remnant who are converted after the Church is caught up. They have a more blessed place, some of these are martyred, (Rev. 6:9-11; 12:11; 14:12, 139And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:9‑11)
11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11)
12Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 13And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. (Revelation 14:12‑13)), while other suffer persecution, but faithfully follow the, Lord. (Rev. 7:14; 14:414And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:14)
4These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. (Revelation 14:4)). The Lord takes care of them. (12:14). Such passages tell of His appearing. (Zech. 12:10; 14:510And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)
5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. (Zechariah 14:5); Matt. 24:30; 25:3130And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: (Matthew 25:31); Acts 1:1111Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11); Rev. 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)).
Answer: The war in this chapter was under the charge of Phinehas the priest, who had acted for God in judging fornication and idolatry, when it tame into Israel by these same people, through the counsel of Baalam. (Chapter 25 and 31:16.) Here they are instructed to thoroughly cleanse themselves from all taint of evil that might come from such associations. Everything they had taken had to pass through cleansing of fire or water. That is, judgment of evil by the Word of God.
Numbers 35. The manslayer is the Jew of today. The Cities of Refuge is the church of God. If found still in his heart a murderer of Christ, he will be executed. If, like Paul (1 Tim. 1:12-1512And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:12‑15)), he did it ignorantly in unbelief and owned his guilt, he will be saved.
There is no safety for him unless through Christ.
The manslayer might go out and be killed, it was only temporal and on condition of keeping inside, but the believer is eternally saved and can never perish, cannot go cut of Christ. (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)). When the high priest died in Israel, the manslayer could return to his inheritance. When the Lord Jesus comes forth from where He sits at the Father’s right hand, Israel can again return to their land of Palestine.
Every sinner, Jew and Gentile, should flee at once to the Savior.
Question: What is the difference of the children of wrath, the children of disobedience. and the children of the devil?
Answer: They are the same persons viewed from different stand points. Children of “wrath” indicates what is before them.
Children of “disobedience” refers to their unbelieving character. Children of the devil contrasts with children of God: Believers are redeemed, are brought to God, and are the children of God. Man, since the fall, is under wrath, is disobedient to God, and under the power of Satan.
Answer: “The Spirit of God” is God’s mark put upon every believer. The Spirit of God dwells in him. He is called the “Spirit of Christ” because by Him the life of Christ is produced and seen in the believer. The same blessed person is spoken of in different ways in this chapter.