Basic Bible Teaching

This is to be distinguished from Christ coming for His saints, though intimately connected with it, for He will bring them with Him. “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:4). Here it is the manifestation of Christ with His own, to be followed by the setting up of His kingdom and the apportionment of rewards to His saints (2 Cor. 5:10). The Lord’s servant is exhorted by His appearing and His kingdom to preach the word (2 Tim. 4:1-2). The saints will be associated with Christ in His judgments at His appearing (Jude 14-15). Christ will execute judgment on the Beast and the False Prophet and the western powers. Also on the Assyrian and the eastern powers that will oppress the Jews. The Jews and the ten tribes will be restored to their land in blessing, ushering in the Millennium. See ADVENT, SECOND.

Ascension

This term is constantly applied to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to heaven from whence He came (John 3:13). Leading His eleven apostles out as far as Bethany, on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, in the act of blessing them He ascended up to heaven, and a cloud hid Him from their sight (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9). The ascension of the Lord Jesus is a momentous fact for His saints: the One who bore their sins on the cross has been received up in glory, and sits on the right hand of God.

As forerunner He has entered into heaven for the saints, and has been made a high priest forever after the order of Melchisedec (Heb. 6:20). His ascension assured, according to His promise, the descent of the Holy Spirit, which was accomplished at Pentecost (John 16:7: Acts 1:4,8; 2:1-47). As ascended He became Head of His body the church (Eph. 1:22), and gave gifts to men, among which gifts are evangelists who preach to the world, and pastors and teachers to care for and instruct the saints (Psa. 68:18; Eph. 4:8-13).

His ascension is a demonstration through the presence of the Holy Spirit that sin is in the world and righteousness in heaven, for the very One they rejected has been received by the Father into heaven (John 16:10). The ascension is also a tremendous fact for Satan: the prince of this world has been judged who led the world to put the Lord to death; and in His ascension He led captivity captive, having broken the power of death in which men were held (Eph. 4:8), for He had in the cross spoiled principalities and powers and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Col. 2:15).

Above all, the ascension is a glorious fact for the blessed Lord Himself. Jehovah said unto Him, “Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110:1). He has taken His place as man where man never was before, and He is also glorified with the glory which He had before the world was, besides the glory which He graciously shares with His saints (John 17:5,22).

Atonement

The word “atonement” occurs but once in the New Testament and there it should be “reconciliation,” and the verb in the preceding sentence is so translated: “If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.... through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation,” καταλλαγή (Rom. 5:10-11). On the other hand, in Hebrews 2:17 the AV (KJV) has “to make reconciliation for the sins of the people:” here it is “propitiation,” ἱλἀσκογαι. If the word atonement is not found in the New Testament, atonement in its true meaning is spoken of continually, as “ransom”; “bearing our sins in his own body on the tree”; “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us”; “Christ.... being made a curse for us”; “He suffered for sins, the just for the unjust”; and, to use the language of faith, “with his stripes we are healed”; “He was delivered for our offenses”; “He was manifested to take away our sins.”

In the Old Testament we have the word “atonement” continually, but “propitiation” not at all; “expiation” twice in the margin (Num. 35:33; Isa. 47:11). But the same word, kaphar, though generally translated by make “atonement,” is employed for “purging” and occasionally for “cleansing,” “reconciling,” “purifying.” The word kaphar is literally “to cover,” with various prepositions with it; the ordinary one is “up” or “upon.” Hence in “atoned for him” or “his sin:” he or his sin is covered up: atonement is made for him or for his sin. Atonement was made upon the horns of the altar: the force is “atonement for.” With the altar of incense, atonement was not made upon it, but for it; so for the holy place, and for or about Aaron and his house: the preposition is al.

The same is used with the two goats. The sins were seen on the sinless goat, and expiation was made in respect of those sins. The how is not said here, but it is by the two goats making really one, because the object was to show that the sins were really laid upon it (that is, on Christ), and the sins carried away out of sight, and never to be found. If we can get our ideas, as taught of God as to the truth, into the train of Jewish thought, there is no difficulty in the al. In either case the difficulty arises from the fact that in English for presents the interested person to the mind; on is merely the place where it was done, as on an altar; whereas the al refers to the clearing away by the kaphar what was upon the thing al which the atoning rite was performed. Clearly the goat was not the person interested, nor was it merely done upon it as the place. It was that on which the sins lay, and they must be cleared and done away. The expiation referred to them as thus laid on the goat. As has been said, the how is not stated here, but the all-important fact defined that they were all carried away from Israel and from before God. The needed blood or life was presented to God in the other, which did really put them away; but did much more, and that aspect is attached to them there. This double aspect of the atoning work is of the deepest importance and interest, the presenting of the blood to God on the mercy seat, and the bearing away the sins. The word kaphar, to make atonement, occurs in (Ex. 29; Ex. 30; Ex. 32; Lev. 1; Lev. 4-10; Lev. 12; Lev. 14-17; Lev. 19; Lev. 23; Num. 5; Num. 6; Num. 8; Num. 15; Num. 16; Num. 25; Num. 28; Num. 29; Num. 31; 2 Sam. 21:3; 1 Chron. 6:49; 2 Chron. 29:24; Neh. 10:33).

A short notice of some other Hebrew words may help. We have nasa, “to lift up,” and so to forgive, to lift up the sins away in the mind of the person offended, or to show favor in lifting up the countenance of the favored person (Psa. 4:6). We have also kasah, “to cover,” as in Psalm 32:1, where sin is “covered”: sometimes used with al, as in Prov. 10:12, “love covereth all sins,” forgives: they are out of sight and mind The person is looked at with love, and not the faults with offense.

But in such words there is not the idea of expiation, the side of the offender is contemplated, and he is looked at in grace, whatever the cause: it may be needed atonement, or simply, as in Proverbs, gracious kindness. We have also salach, “pardon or forgiveness.” Thus it is used as the effect of kaphar, as in Leviticus 4:20. But kaphar has always a distinct and important idea connected with it. It views the sin as toward God, and is ransom, when not used literally for sums of money; and kapporeth is the mercy seat. And though it involves forgiveness, purging from sin, it has always God in view, not merely that the sinner is relieved or forgiven: there is expiation and propitiation in it. And this is involved in the idea of purging sin, or making the purging of sin (ιλάσκεσθυι, ἐξιλάσκεσθαι, ιλυσμὸν ποιεπιν); it is in God’s sight as that by which He is offended, and what He rejects and judges.

There was a piaculum, “an expiatory sacrifice,” something satisfying for the individual involved in guilt, or what was offensive to God, what He could not tolerate from His very nature. This with the heathen, who attached human passions or demon-revenge to their gods, was of course perverted to meet those ideas. They deprecated the vengeance of a probably angry and self-vengeful being. But God has a nature which is offended by sin. It is a holy, not of course a passionate, one; but the majesty of holiness must be maintained. Sin ought not to be treated with indifference, and God’s love provides the ransom. It is God’s Lamb who undertakes and accomplishes the work. The perfect love of God and His righteousness, the moral order of the universe and of our souls through faith, is maintained by the work of the cross. Through the perfect love not only of God, the giver, but of Him, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, propitiation is made, expiation for sin; its aspect being toward God, while the effect applies to us in cleansing and justifying, though it goes much farther.

Expiation is more the satisfaction itself which is made, the piaculum, what takes the wrath, and is devoted, made the curse, and so substituted for the offender, so that he goes free. And here the noun kopher comes to let light in on the inquiry. It is translated “ransom, satisfaction,” and in 1 Samuel 12:3 a “bribe.” So in Exodus 21:30 a kopher (translated “sum of money”) is laid upon a man to save his life where his ox had killed his neighbor; but in Numbers 35:31 no kopher was to be taken for the life of a murderer; for (Num. 35:33) the land cannot be cleansed, kaphar, but by the blood of the man that shed blood as a murderer. This clearly shows what the force of kopher and of kaphar is. A satisfaction is offered suited to the eye and mind of him who is displeased and who judges; and through this there is purgation of the offense, cleansing, forgiveness, and favor, according to him who takes cognizance of the evil.

A word may be added as to the comparison made between the two birds (Lev. 14:4-7), and the two goats (Lev. 16:7-10). The object of the birds was the cleansing of the leper; it was application to the defiled man, not the kopher, ransom, presented to God. It could not have been done but on the ground of the blood-shedding and satisfaction, but the immediate action was the purifying: hence there was water as well as blood. One bird was slain over running water in an earthen vessel, and the live bird and other objects dipped in it, and the man was then sprinkled, and the living bird let loose far from death, though once identified with it, and was free. The Spirit, in the power of the word, makes the death of Christ available in the power of His resurrection. There was no laying sins on the bird let free, as on the goat: it was identified with the slain one, and then let go. The living water in the earthen vessel is doubtless the power of the Spirit and word in human nature, characterizing the form of the truth, though death and the blood must come in, and all nature, its pomp and vanity, be merged in it. The leper is cleansed and then can worship. This is not the atonement itself towards God, though founded on it, as marked by the death of the bird. It is the cleansing of man in death to the flesh, but in the power of resurrection known in Christ who once died to sin.

So also the Red Heifer (Num. 19:1-22), was not in itself an act of atonement, but of purification. The ground was there laid in the slaying and burning of the heifer. Sin was, so to speak, consumed in it, and the blood was sprinkled seven times before the tabernacle of the congregation. When Christ died sin was, as it were, all consumed for His people by the fire of judgment, and all the value of the blood was before God where He communicated with the people. All that was settled, but man had defiled himself in his journey through the wilderness, and must be cleansed. The witness that sin had been put away long ago by Christ undergoing what was the fruit of sin was brought by the living power of the Holy Spirit and the word, and so he was purified. But the act of purifying is not in itself atonement; for atonement the offering is presented to God. It is a kopher, a ransom, a satisfaction, to meet the infinite, absolute perfection of God’s nature and character, which indeed is there alone brought out. Thereby atonement is made and the very Day of Atonement is called kippurim. The priest made an atonement in respect of the sins; and it had the double aspect of presenting the blood before God within as meeting what He was, and bearing His people’s sins and carrying them away never to be found. We must make the difference of an un-rent veil and repeated sacrifices, and a rent veil and a sacrifice offered once for all. This is taught in the Epistle to the Hebrews.

There is still one case to be noticed, but it was merely a principle confirming the real character of the kaphar, making atonement. In Exodus 30:11-16 it was ordered that when the people were numbered, each, rich or poor, should give half a shekel as a kopher, ransom, for his soul or life. This had nothing to do with sin, but with ransom, that there might be no plague — a recognition that they belonged to God all alike, and could have no human boast in numbers, as David afterward brought the plague on Israel. This was offered to God as a sign of this, and shows what the force of kaphar, making atonement, is.

We have no atonement in connection with the meat offering: we get the perfectness of Christ’s person, and all the elements that constituted it so as man, and there tested by the fire of God, which was even to death, the death of the cross, and all a perfect sweet savor, and perfect in presenting it to God a sweet savor, but no kopher, ransom: for that we must have blood-shedding.

The essence then of atonement is, firstly, a work or satisfaction presented to God according to, and perfectly glorifying, His nature and character about sin by sacrifice; and secondly, the bearing our sins; glorifying God even where sin was and in respect of sin (and thus His love is free to go out to all sinners); and giving the believer, him that comes to God by that blood-shedding, the certainty that his sins are all gone, and that God will remember them no more.

Baptism

Used figuratively to express the overwhelming sufferings which the Lord Jesus endured in order to accomplish the purpose for which He came to the earth; He was “straitened” until that work was accomplished (Luke 12:50; John 12:27). When the sons of Zebedee asked to sit on the right and on the left of the Lord in His glory, He at once referred to the cup He had to drink, and asked if they could drink of that cup, and be baptized with the baptism He was to be baptized with. They, ignorant of the depths of suffering involved in the question, said they could. In one sense they should share in His sufferings—the non-atoning sufferings, from the hand of man; but the places they sought were not His to give (Mark 10:38-40).

Beatitudes, The

The name commonly given to the nine statements of blessing in the Sermon on the Mount, showing the character and the portion of those who enter into the kingdom (Matt. 5:1-11). This stands in remarkable contrast to the economy of the law, in which there is a list of curses as well as of blessings. When Israel entered the land the blessings, but also the curses, were duly read to the people (Josh. 8:33-35).

Several of the Psalms contain beatitudes, and such are called Asherite Psalms, from the Hebrew word ashrey, “happiness, blessing.”

Church

This English word is said to be derived from the Greek κυριακός, which signifies “pertaining to the Lord,” and is commonly used both for an association of professing Christians, and for the building in which they worship. It is the scriptural use of the word ἐκκλησία, or “assembly,” that is here under consideration.

The word is used in reference to Israel in the New Testament on one occasion in Acts 7:38, and to a Gentile throng in Acts 19:32, 41. Its first occurrence in relation to Christianity is in Matthew 16:18, where upon Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Son of the living God, the Lord rejoins, “upon this rock I will build my assembly.” Historically this spiritual building (for “building” never refers to a material edifice) was begun after His death and resurrection, when the Holy Ghost descended at the day of Pentecost. In this aspect of the church there is no room for any failure—the “gates of hades shall not prevail against it.” It is what Christ Himself effects by His Spirit in souls, and it contemplates the full and final result. In 1 Peter 2:4-5 we have the progressive work, “ye also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house.” The idea of “building” here supposes a work so wrought that souls become conscious of forming part of the dwelling place of God, and are rendered able to offer up spiritual sacrifices as a holy priesthood.

But there is an aspect of the assembly as a building in which it is viewed in relation to human responsibility, and where consequently human failure has left its unmistakable mark. In 1 Corinthians 3 the apostle speaks of himself as a wise master-builder, who has well laid the foundation, which is “Christ Jesus”; but he adds that “others build thereupon,” and warns everyone to take heed how he does so. Here may be found “wood, hay, stubble,” as well as “gold, silver, precious stones.” Men may “corrupt the temple of God,” and alas! this has been done only too effectually, professing Christendom being the outcome of it. But this aspect of it must in no way be confounded with that which Christ builds, where no failure is found.

There is also another view of the church or assembly as the body and the bride of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:26-27). By one Spirit believers are baptized into one body (1 Cor. 12:13). They are God’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Eph. 2:10). There is the effectual operation of God in quickening them with Christ, in raising them (Jews and Gentiles) up together, and making them to sit together in heavenly places in Christ. They are livingly united to the Head in heaven by the Spirit of God. This body is on earth that the graces of the Head may be displayed in it. His people are to put on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, and so forth. (Col. 3:12-17). It is the mystery hidden throughout the ages, but now revealed, in order that to the principalities and powers in the heavenlies might be known through the assembly the all various wisdom of God (Eph. 3:9-10). The assembly will be eventually presented by Christ to Himself as His bride, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. There can be no false members of Christ’s body, and no spot or wrinkle in His bride. Those united to Him are “all of one” with the sanctifier Himself; they are “His brethren”; they derive from the corn of wheat which has fallen into the ground and died, and which has borne much fruit (Heb. 2; John 12:24). Moreover the assembly is one (Eph. 4:4; 1 Cor. 12:13). There is not another.

If division has come in on every hand, as it did at Corinth, faith will still recognize that the body is one, and will maintain the truth of it. Gifts were bestowed on the assembly, and will be acknowledged as such by faith, and their exercise welcomed in whatever feebleness. If the assembly has become like a great house, where there are vessels of gold and silver, as well as of wood and of earth (2 Tim. 2:20), the believer is encouraged to purge himself from the latter—the dishonorable vessels—that he may be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. He is taught in scripture how to behave himself in the house of God, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth (1 Tim. 3:15).

It must be carefully observed that the churches or assemblies at Jerusalem, Corinth, Rome and so forth, were not separate or independent organizations, as in the modern idea of the Church of Rome, the Greek Church, the Church of England, and so on. There was only one assembly, the Church of God, though expressed in different localities, in which indeed there were local office bearers, as elders and deacons, and where also discipline was locally carried out. There was entire inter-communion. In the present divided state of God’s people, the man of faith will be careful to recognize that every true Christian is a part of that one body, with which, as has been said, there can be no failure; while, at the same time, he will pursue a path of separation from evil; and will “follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:22).

The church will continue on earth until the rapture, revealed in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. As there were saints on earth before the church was formed, so there will be saints on the earth after the rapture: all will be equally saved, but all will not form a part of the church of God as revealed in scripture. This fills a wonderfully unique place, designed of God that in it the principalities and powers in the heavenlies should even now learn the manifold wisdom of God; and in the ages to come the exceeding riches of God’s grace be manifested “in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7; Eph. 3:10).

Covenant, the New

This is an unconditional covenant that God has declared He will make with the houses of Judah and Israel: He will put His laws into their minds and write them upon their hearts; He will be their God, and will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and remember their sins no more (Jer. 31:31-34). The foundation for this was laid in the cross. This is obscured in the AV by the word (διαθήκη) not being uniformly translated. Sometimes it is rendered “testament” and sometimes “covenant.” At the institution of the Lord’s supper the Lord spoke of His blood as “the blood of the new covenant” (Matt. 26:28; 1 Cor. 11:25); and “He is the mediator of the new covenant” (Heb. 9:15; Heb. 12:24). From which we gather that though the making of this covenant with Israel is still future, the principle of it, namely, that of sovereign grace, is that on which God is now acting as setting forth the terms on which He is with His people, the Lord Jesus being the Mediator, through whom all the blessing is secured. See inter alia Romans 5:1-10, and 2 Corinthians 3 where Paul speaks of himself and those with him as “able ministers of the new covenant,” not of the letter which killeth, but of the spirit which giveth life (2 Cor. 3:6). The word διαθήκη is better always translated “covenant,” except in Hebrews 9:16-17, where the “will or testament” of a man is referred to.

Faith (Πίστις)

This is a kindred word to “believe,” and indeed the two cannot be separated. In the O. T. the word “faith” occurs but twice (Deut. 32:20; Hab. 2:4). The words are emun, emunah; but aman is often translated “to believe.” The first time this occurs in the O. T. is when it is said of Abraham that "he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6). This is referred to in Romans 4 where the faith of the believer is counted for righteousness, and the conclusion is drawn that if any believe on Him that raised up Jesus the Lord from the dead, righteousness will be reckoned to them.

This may be called saving faith. It is confidence in God founded of His word; it is believing in a person, as Abraham believed God. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life" (John 3:36). There is no virtue or merit in the faith itself; but it links the soul with the infinite God. Faith is indeed the gift of God (Eph. 2:8). Salvation is on the principle of faith in contrast to works under the law (Rom. 10:9). But true faith is manifested by good works. If a man says he has faith, it is reasonable to say to him, "Show me thy faith" by thy works (James 2:14-26). Otherwise, if the faith does not manifest itself, it is described as “dead,” and is altogether different from real, active belief. A mental assent to what is stated, as a mere matter of history, is not faith. A natural man can believe such things: "the devils also believe and tremble," but true faith gives joy and peace.

There is also the power and action of faith in the Christian's walk: "we walk by faith; not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). We see such faith exemplified in the lives of the Old Testament saints; as given in Hebrews 11. The Lord had often to rebuke His disciples for their want of faith in their daily walk. The believer should have faith in the living God concerning all the details of his daily life.

THE FAITH is at times referred to in the sense of “the truth;” that which has been recorded, and which the Christian has believed, to the saving of his soul. For this the Christian should contend earnestly; for it is fundamental; and many false prophets are gone into the world, and have even crept into association with the saints unawares (Jude 3).

Foreknowledge (Ππόγνωσις)

A knowledge of persons and events before they exist. It is one of the divine attributes of God, by which persons were foreknown of Him and events determined. It is a capacity altogether beyond the mind of man to grasp (Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; Rom. 11:2; 1 Pet. 1:2). The verb is also translated “know before” (2 Pet. 3:17); and “foreordain” (1 Pet. 1:20).

Forgiveness

There are three Hebrew words translated to forgive.

1. kaphar, “to cover” (Deut. 21:8; Psa. 78:38; Jer. 18:23). It is also translated “atonement.”

2. nasa, “to bear,” take away [guilt]: used by Joseph's brethren when they asked him to forgive them (Gen. 50:17); and used of God as "forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin" (Ex. 34:7; Num. 14:18); and in describing the blessedness of the man "whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Psa. 32:1).

3. salach, “to pardon,” used only of the forgiveness that God gives. It is employed for the forgiveness attached to the sacrifices: "it shall be forgiven him" (Lev. 4:20, 26, 31, 35; Lev. 5:10, 13, 16, 18; &c). It occurs in the prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8:30, 34, 36, 39, 50. Also in Psa. 103:3; Jer. 31:34; Jer. 36:3; Dan. 9:19).

In the N. T. two words are used: ὔφεσις., from ἀφίημι, “to send from, release, remit,” several times translated REMISSION; and χαριξομαι, “to be gracious, bestow freely, forgive.” Both words are applied to the forgiveness granted by God, as well as that between man and his fellow.

There are two aspects in which forgiveness is brought before us in scripture.

1. The mind and thought of God Himself towards the sinner whom He forgives. On the ground of the sacrifice of Christ, God not only ceases to hold those who have faith in Christ's blood as guilty before Him, but His favor is towards them. "Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb. 10:17). Thus all sense of imputation of guilt is gone from the mind of God. "God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" ἐχαρίσυτο, graciously forgiven, (Eph. 4:32). So in the O.T., "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely" (Hos. 14:4).

2. The guilty one is released, forgiven. "That they may receive forgiveness of sins" (Acts 26:18). "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us" (Psa. 103:12). "Your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake" (1 John 2:12). Hence it is true of all Christians, that their sins are forgiven. Another thought is included in the forgiveness of sins, namely, that having redemption by Christ, which brings into a new state, the whole guilty past is forgiven, removed from us, so that there is no hindrance to the enjoyment of that into which redemption brings.

The general principle as to forgiveness is stated in 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins;" and to this is added, "and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This involves honesty of heart, whether in a sinner first coming to God, or in a child who has grieved the heart of the Father by sinning. The two aspects above referred to are here also. The faithfulness and righteousness of God in forgiving, and the cleansing us from all unrighteousness. God is faithful to His own blessed character of grace revealed in His Son, and righteous through the propitiation which He has made.

3. If a Christian is “put away” from the assembly and is repentant, he is forgiven and restored (2 Cor. 2:7, 10). This of course is different from the act of God in forgiving sins, and may be called administrative forgiveness in the church; and if the act of discipline is led of the Spirit, it is ratified in heaven: (Compare John 20:22-23). This is entirely different from any pretended absolution that may be pronounced over poor deluded unconverted persons.

4. There is also a governmental forgiveness in connection with the government of God here below in time, both on God's part, and toward one another (Isa. 40:1-2; Luke 17:3; James 5:15-16; 1 John 5:16). We are called upon to forgive one another; and if we indulge in a harsh unforgiving spirit, we must not expect our Father to forgive us in His governmental dealings (Matt. 6:14-15).

God

The names by which God makes Himself known are various.

1. El, “the strong or mighty one.” It is often used of God, especially in Job and the Psalms (Job 5:8; Psa. 22:1, etc.); and of the Lord Jesus in Isaiah 9:6. It is also used for the false gods (Psa. 81:9; Dan. 11:36); and is translated “mighty” (Psa. 29:1; Psa. 82:1).

2. Eloah (Elah Chaldee), Elohim. The names most commonly used for God the Creator, the One with whom man has to do, the supreme Deity (Gen. 1:1-31). (Running all through the Old Testament to Malachi 3:18.) These words are also applied to God’s representatives, such as angels and judges (Ex. 22:28; Psa. 82:6); and also to false gods (Lev. 19:4). Elohim (which is plural, called the plural of majesty or excellency) is the word of most frequent occurrence. When it is distinctly used for the one true God the article is often added.

3. Jehovah. This is a name of relationship with men, especially with Israel, taken by God in time. It is derived from havah, “to exist,” and may be expanded into “who is, who was, and is to come.” God thus reveals Himself in time as the ever-existing One: that is, in Himself eternally, He is always the same (compare Heb. 1:12). The above “relationship” may be seen in the change from Elohim, the Creator, in Genesis 1, to Jehovah Elohim in Genesis 2, when man was brought into relationship with God. Again in Genesis 7:16 Elohim ordered Noah to make the ark but Jehovah shut him in. Unfortunately the name Jehovah is seldom employed in the AV. It is generally represented by LORD (sometimes GOD) printed in small capitals. In four places the AV has preserved the name Jehovah, namely, Ex. 6:3; Psa. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; Isa. 26:4.

There is a contraction of Jehovah into Jah, also translated in the AV by LORD, except in Psalm 68:4, where Israel is exhorted to sing unto God, and “extol Him by His name JAH.” Jah signifies the absolute supremacy of the self-existing One; whereas Jehovah was the name made known to Israel, and on which they could count. “God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM” (Ex. 3:14), where the word is Ehyeh, which is from the same root as Jehovah, the Eternal existing One; He that was, and is, and the coming One.

4. Shaddai, “the Almighty,” is another name of God, and is often so translated, especially in Job, without any other name attached (Job 6:4, 14; Psa. 68:14, etc). At times it is associated with one of the above words, and was the name by which He was especially known to the Patriarchs, as El Shaddai, God Almighty (Ex. 6:3): which passage does not mean that the Patriarchs had not heard of the name of Jehovah, but that it was not the especial name for them.

5. Elyon, “the Most High,” is another name of God, which stands alone, as in Deuteronomy 32:8 and 2 Samuel 24:14; and in Daniel 4:17-34 (from a kindred word); or it has one of the above words added and is then “the most high God” (Gen. 14:20); or “the LORD most high” (Psa. 7:17). It is not confined to Israel, for He is “the Most High over all the earth” (Psa. 83:18).

6-7. Adon and Adonai, and the plural Adonim, are all translated “Lord”; they occur frequently, and are found in some of the following compounds:

Adon Jehovah (Ex. 23:17), the Lord God.

Adon Jehovah Elohim (Isa. 51:22), thy Lord, the LORD, and thy God.

Adon Jehovah Sabaoth (Isa. 19:4), the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

Adonai Elohim (Psa. 86:12), O Lord my God (compare Dan. 9:3,9,15).

Adona Jehovah (Deut. 9:26), O Lord GOD (occurs frequently).

Adonai Jehovah Sabaoth (Jer. 2:19), the Lord GOD of hosts.

El Elohim (Gen. 33:20), El-elohe (Israel); (Gen. 46:3), God, the God (of thy father).

El Elohim Jehovah (Josh. 22:22), the LORD God of gods.

El Shaddai (Gen. 28:3, etc.), God Almighty.

Jah Jehovah (Isa. 26:4), the LORD JEHOVAH.

Jehovah Adon (Neh. 10:29), the LORD our Lord.

Jehovah Adonai (Psa. 68:20), GOD the Lord.

Jehovah El (Psa. 31:5), O LORD God.

Jehovah Elohim (Gen. 9:26, etc.), the LORD God.

Jehovah Elohim Sabaoth Adonai (Amos 5:16), the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord.

Jehovah Jehovah El (Ex. 34:6), the LORD, the LORD God.

Jehovah Sabaoth (Jer. 46:18), the LORD of hosts.

Jehovah Sabaoth Elohim (Jer. 27:4, etc.), the LORD of hosts, the God (of Israel).

For titles in combination with Jehovah, see JEHOVAH.

The true pronunciation of Jehovah is declared to be lost: the Jews when reading the Old Testament never utter it (from a constrained interpretation of Leviticus 24:16), but say, “the name,” “the great and terrible name,” and the like.

In the New Testament the word Θεός is constantly translated God; and Κύριος is the word commonly rendered Lord. In the Old Testament the latter is used by the LXX as the translation of Jehovah, so in the New Testament it often represents Jehovah, and is then mostly, if not always, without the article, as in Matthew 1:20,22,24. The Lord is also called “the Almighty” (Rev. 1:8, etc.); and there are a few compound names as in the Old Testament:

God Almighty (Rev. 16:14; Rev. 19:15).

Lord Almighty (2 Cor. 6:18).

Lord God Almighty (Rev. 4:8; Rev. 11:17; Rev. 15:3; Rev. 16:7; Rev. 21:22).

Lord of Sabaoth (Rom. 9:29; James 5:4).

The characteristic name of God in the New Testament in relationship with His saints is that of FATHER: it was used anticipatively in the Lord’s intercourse with His disciples, but made a reality after His resurrection, when He sent the message: “I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (John 20:17).

THE TRINITY. In reference to this term the Father is God (Phil. 2:11; 1 Thess. 1:1, etc.). The Lord Jesus is God (Isa. 9:6; Matt. 1:23; John 1:1; Rom. 9:5; Phil. 2:6; Col. 2:9; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:8). The Holy Spirit is God: “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2). Ananias lied to “the Holy Ghost,” “unto God”; and Sapphira unto the “Spirit of the Lord” (Acts 5:3-4, 9); “Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:11; 1 Cor. 3:16, etc). That there are three divine Persons (if we may so express it) is plain from scripture. The Father sent the Son, and He came to earth. The Father sent the Holy Spirit, and the Lord Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, and He came from heaven. He is a divine Person, of which there are many proofs (see HOLY SPIRIT). There is but one God.

Scripture reveals what God is in Himself, “God is love” used absolutely (1 John 4:8); and “God is light” used relatively, in opposition to darkness (1 John 1:5); and Christ is the expression of both in a Man. The principal of God’s attributes and characteristics as revealed in scripture are—

1. His Eternity (Hab. 1:12; Rom. 1:20).

2. Invisibility (Col. 1:15).

3. Immortality (Psa. 90:2; 1 Tim. 1:17).

4. Omnipotence (Job 24:1; Matt. 19:26; only Potentate. 1 Tim. 6:15).

5. Omnipresence (Psa. 139:7-10; Jer. 23:23-24).

6. Omniscience (1 Chron. 28:9; Isa. 42:8-9; Rom. 8:29-30; Heb. 4:13).

7. Incorruptibility (Rom. 1:23; James 1:13).

8. Immutability (Mal. 3:6; James 1:17).

9. Wisdom (Psa. 104:24; Rom. 11:33-36).

10. Holiness (Psa. 47:8; Psa. 99:3, 5; Rev. 4:8).

11. Justice (Psa. 89:14; 2 Tim. 4:8).

12. Grace and mercy (Psa. 136; 2 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 2:4).

13. Longsuffering (Ex. 34:6; Rom. 9:22).

14. Faithfulness (Psa. 36:5; Heb. 10:23).

God’s eternal power and divinity may be known in creation (Rom. 1:20); but He has revealed Himself in the person of Christ, the Son, the eternal Word. God has been pleased also to reveal Himself in His written word. His purposes, His ways, and what He has done for sinful man, all demand universal reverence, adoration, and worship.

Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit

The third Person in the Trinity, as seen in the formula of baptism (Matt. 28:19). The Spirit moved upon the face of the waters at the creation (Gen. 1:2); and He came upon certain persons in the Old Testament to fulfill the purposes of God. David asked that the Holy Spirit might not be taken from him (Psa. 51:11); which stands in contrast to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in Christians, for He abides with them. It is by the operation of the Spirit that they are born anew, and He is the seal of their faith in Christ, and the earnest of their inheritance above (John 3:5; Eph. 1:13-14). He is their COMFORTER or Advocate (παράκήτος, one who manages their affairs) on earth, as Christ is the same in heaven (John 14:16, 26).

Though the Holy Spirit influenced and came upon the Old Testament saints, He did not come personally until Christ had ascended (John 16:7). Many passages prove His personality—a matter of great importance, often lost sight of by those who constantly speak of Him as an influence. Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). “The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 13:2). “Dividing.... as He will” (1 Cor. 12:11). The Holy Spirit directed the labors of Paul and his companions (Acts 16:6-7), and the Lord Jesus cast out demons by the Spirit of God (Matt. 12:28).

His presence and operations here are some of the fruits of Christ’s exaltation. He forms Christ in the believer. He is also the power of life and the power for testimony. Indwelling the saints individually, He forms them collectively into one body, they are also builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16; Eph. 2:22).

To be indwelt by the Holy Spirit is an immense favor, for He is a divine Person: any one so indwelt is not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. He is the Spirit of sonship and by Him the believer cries, Abba Father. Christians are exhorted to be guided by Him, and neither to quench nor to grieve that holy One. Our responsibility is to “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16).

His presence on earth is a demonstration as to the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8-11).

Inspiration

Though this word occurs in the Bible but once in reference to the scriptures, yet the one statement in which it is found is important and full of deep meaning: “Every scripture is divinely inspired [literally, “God-breathed”], and is profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, fully fitted to every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). This places all scripture on one basis as to inspiration, whether it be historical, doctrinal, or prophetic. We learn by this passage that not simply the persons who wrote were inspired, but the writings themselves are divinely inspired (compare 2 Pet. 1:21).

All writings are composed of words, and if these writings are inspired, the words are inspired. This is what is commonly called “verbal inspiration.” Other passages speak of the importance of “words”; Peter said, “To whom shall we go? thou hast the words (ρἠματα) of eternal life” (John 6:68): and we find those words in the Gospels. When it was a question of Gentiles being brought into blessing without being circumcised, James in his address appealed to the “words” of the prophets (Acts 15:15). Paul in writing to the Corinthian saints said, “Which things also we speak, not in the ‘words’ (λόγοι) which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth” (1 Cor. 2:13). The Holy Spirit taught Paul what words to use. The whole of scripture forms the word of God, and both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament we read of “the words of God” (1 Chron. 25:5; Ezra 9:4; Psa. 107:11; John 3:34; John 8:47; Rev. 17:17). Neither must His word be added to, or taken from (Deut. 4:2; Deut. 12:32; Rev. 22:18-19).

The above passages should carry conviction to simple souls that every scripture is God-inspired. As nothing less than this is worthy of God, so nothing less than this would meet the need of man. Amid the many uncertain things around him he needs words upon which his faith can be based, and in the inspired scriptures he has them. The Lord Jesus said, “The words (ρἠματα) that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63). He had the words of eternal life; and, through the grace of God, many a soul has found them to be such, and has no more doubt of the plenary inspiration of scripture than of the existence of God Himself.

It may be noted that scripture records the sayings of wicked men, and of Satan himself. It need scarcely be said that it is not the sayings but the records of them that are inspired. Paul also, when writing on the question of marriage, makes a distinction between what he wrote as his judgment, and what he wrote as commandments of the Lord. “I speak this by permission,” he says; and again, “I give my judgment” (1 Cor. 7:6,10,12,25). He was inspired to record his spiritual judgment and to point out that it was not a command.

Some have a difficulty as to what has been called the human element in inspiration. If the words of scripture are inspired, it has been asked, how is it that the style of the writer is so manifest? John’s style, for instance, being clearly distinguishable from that of Paul. The simple answer is that it is as if one used, so to speak, different kinds of pens to write with. God made the mind of man as well as his body, and was surely able to use the mind of each of the writers He employed, and yet cause him to write exactly what He wished. God took possession of the mind of man to declare His own purposes with regard to man.

Further, it has been asserted that the doctrine of verbal inspiration is valueless, because of diversities in the Greek manuscripts, which in some places prevent anyone from determining what are the words God caused to be written. But this does not in any way touch the question of inspiration, which is, that the words written were inspired by God. Whether we have a correct copy is quite another question. The variations in the Greek manuscripts do not affect any one of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, and only in a few places are the words doubtful.

Another objection to the value of verbal inspiration is that most persons read scripture in a translation, the words of which cannot, it is alleged, be said to be inspired. But if the translation conveys exactly the same meaning as in the original, the words can be said to be inspired; for instance, the words “God is love,” may surely be said to be the same as ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν, or Deus caritas est, Dieu est amour, or Dios es amor, to those who can read them. It may be that the translations from which the above are taken cannot in all places be said to be the same as the Greek; but this only shows the great importance of each having a correct translation in his vernacular tongue. And it must not be forgotten that the Lord Himself and those who wrote the New Testament often quoted the Septuagint, which is a translation from the Hebrew; and they quoted it as scripture.

Nothing can exceed the importance of having true thoughts of the inspiration of scripture. As no human author would allow his amanuensis to write what he did not mean, so surely what is called the word of God is God’s own production, though given through the instrumentality of man. Though there were many writers, separated by thousands of years, there is a divine unity in the whole, showing plainly that one and only one could have been its Author. That One can only have been the Almighty—Jehovah—now happily revealed to the Christian as his Father as well as his God.

Jesus

1. The Greek form of Joshua, it occurs in Acts 7:45 and Hebrews 4:8, for Joshua the son of Nun.

2. Jesus called JUSTUS. A fellow-worker who had been a comfort to Paul while a prisoner at Rome (Col. 4:11).

Judgment-Seat Βήμα

A place attached to the judgment-hall, where judgment was pronounced, speeches delivered, and so forth. It was on the βημα that Herod sat, when he made his oration (Matt. 27:19; John 19:13; Acts 12:21; Acts 18:12-17; Acts 25:6-17). The floor of this place was doubtless of tesselated stones, which accounts for its being called the PAVEMENT in John 19:13. In the Hebrew it was called GABBATHA, which signifies elevated or raised platform. In James 2:6 the word is κριτήριον. (For the judgment-seat of Christ, see JUDGMENT, No. 3.)

Justification

The word δικαίωσις occurs but twice in the New Testament, namely, Romans 4:25 and Romans 5:18. In the former passage it appears to be the equivalent in meaning of faith being imputed to the believer for righteousness, that is, of the believer being accounted righteous. Hence the word “justification” may be said to be the estimation formed in God’s mind of the believer in view of that order of things of which Christ risen is the Head. Such estimation has its expression in Christ Himself, and its consequences are seen in Romans 5.

The question as to how a righteous God can justify a sinner is raised and answered in Romans 3. It is difficult to conceive a subject more momentous for every human being. What is set forth in the gospel at the outset is the vindication of God in righteousness as regards sin by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, where, in God’s infinite grace to sinners, the question of sin and its judgment has been raised between Himself and the spotless Sin-bearer and settled to His glory. Of Him it is said, “Whom God hath set forth a mercy-seat, through faith in His blood....for the showing forth of His righteousness in the present time, so that He should be just, and justify Him that is of the faith of Jesus.” It is then in the blood of Jesus that God’s judgment of sin is seen, and it is on this righteous basis that He can justify all who believe in Him.

Justification of life (Rom. 5:18) is the righteous bearing into life which is toward all through the one accomplished righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ even to death, in contrast with the bearing of the one offense of Adam which brought in death and condemnation upon all. What has been effected by the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounds in the scope of it, over all that has been brought in by the one man Adam. In the death of Christ there is seen the complete judgment and removal out of the sight of God both of the sins and of the man who sinned, believers having, through the Lord Jesus Christ raised from the dead, a new Head, in whom they live for God.

There is another aspect of justification referred to in the Epistle of James (James 2), where it is entirely a question of what appears before men. “Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.”

Kingdom, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven

In Daniel 2:44 it is predicted that “In the days of these kings [the ten divisions of the fourth kingdom, the revived Roman Empire] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (compare also Dan. 7). The “kingdom of heaven” was announced by John the Baptist and by the Lord as “at hand” (Matt. 3:2; Matt. 4:17), but the Lord declared that the “kingdom of God” had come (Matt. 12:28). In many respects the two expressions are identical, but the “kingdom of heaven” occurs in the gospel by Matthew only, and stands in contrast to the Messiah on earth. It refers to the rule of that which God has set in heaven, and commenced when Christ went to heaven. It may be illustrated by the lights which God set in the heavens to give light and to rule on earth. The “kingdom of God” is more connected with the moral state established in man.

The Jews having refused their king, the kingdom was not set up in manifestation at that time and it is still held in abeyance. In the meanwhile it is “the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9). Christ is represented as having gone to receive a kingdom, and to return (Luke 19:12). In the meantime the kingdom has been produced, and goes on in its mysterious form (compare Matt. 13:11). There are multitudes who profess obedience to God and to the Lord Jesus, and who look to heaven as the throne from whence come all their blessings, while they are passing through a world of which Satan is the god and prince; but to the saints the kingdom of God is very real. They by faith anticipate the kingdom in power. Righteousness, peace, and joy, characteristics of the kingdom, are already theirs in the Holy Ghost (Rom. 14:17). In this sense the kingdom of God is often referred to in the Epistles. A person must be born again really to enter into it (John 3:3, 5), but this idea is distinct from the form which the kingdom has taken, and the dimensions it has attained in the hands of man.

The parables in the gospels describe the form and objects of the kingdom while the Lord is away. In Matthew 13 the Lord spoke four parables to the multitude; then He dismissed the people and explained the parable of the Wheat and the Tares to His disciples, and added three parables bearing on the secret character of the kingdom. It is shown that evil would be found in the kingdom, but that Christ will eventually send His angels to gather out of His kingdom all things that offend; then it will be established in power by the Lord Jesus sitting on His own throne, and reigning supreme as Son of Man over the earth, ending by His ultimately giving up the kingdom to the Father, that God may be all in all (1 Cor. 15:24,28). The moral characteristics suitable to the kingdom are given in the Sermon on the Mount, and its principles and order in Matthew 18.

The kingdom must not be confounded with the church. In the kingdom the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest; but in the church a wicked person is to be put out (1 Cor. 5:13). There may appear to be a similarity between the professing church and the kingdom; but the ideas are not the same. The kingdom is the sphere of Christ’s rule; whereas the church is the dwelling place of God by the Spirit. Neither will the duration on earth of the church and the kingdom be the same; the kingdom will be set up in power after the rapture of the church, and will continue during the millennium. The Christian, besides sharing in the privileges of the church, has also the privileges and responsibilities attaching to the kingdom. To each individual is entrusted a pound (Luke 19:12-24); or, in another aspect, one or more talents (Matt. 25:14-28), which he is responsible to use for his Lord and Master, and for which he will have to give an account in a future day. His place in heaven is by grace apart from his works, but his reward in the kingdom will be according to his faithfulness to his Lord.

Life, Eternal

This stands commonly in scripture in contrast to death. It is revealed in the Lord Jesus. “He is the true God, and eternal life.” “This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:11-12, 20). He that has the Son of God therefore has life now, and knows it by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of life. The apostle John speaks of life as a subjective state in believers, though inseparable from the knowledge of God fully revealed as the Father in the Son, and indeed characterized by this. The Lord said to His Father, “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent” (John 17:3). The Apostle Paul presents eternal life more as a hope before the Christian, which however has a present moral effect (Titus 1:2; Titus 3:7). From which we gather that eternal life for the Christian refers in its fullness to the glory of God, when the present body as a part of the old creation will be changed, and there will be complete conformity to Christ, according to the purpose of God. In the meantime the mind of God is that the Christian, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, should know (have the conscious knowledge) that he has eternal life (1 John 5:13). For Christians it is evident that eternal life is morally distinct from life after the flesh.

Lord's Table, The; the Lord's Supper

The first of these expressions is used in 1 Corinthians 10:21, in contrast to the table of demons with which those were identified who partook of idolatrous feasts. In this passage the expression appears to be synonymous with the bread, the wine being spoken of as the cup of the Lord. The idea connected with the Lord’s table is the identification of the saints as one body with the death of Christ. Hence “Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.” The cup is the fellowship of the blood of Christ, the bread is the fellowship of the body of Christ, and to this fellowship every believer is bound to be faithful. It expresses the separation of the entire company from all to which He died—from sin and from the world, in connection with which the god of this world furnishes his table. The “one loaf” was expressive of the oneness of the company of believers at Corinth, as bound together in the fellowship of the death of Christ.

The expression “the Lord’s supper” is found in 1 Corinthians 11:20, and is in connection with the remembrance of the Lord in the breaking of bread and drinking the cup by the saints as in assembly. This chapter gives the positive character of the ordinance, as 1 Corinthians 10 is rather the separation consequent on it. It is the assembly come together and the affections of the saints stirred by the remembrance of the Lord’s love in presence of the memorials of that which is the proof and expression of it, namely, His death. It is the assembly’s proper privilege as brought, in company with the Lord Jesus Christ as the leader of its praises, to know and enjoy God revealed as Father, and to worship Him by the Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12 -14, which succeed, the organization, the motive spring, and functions of the assembly are referred to.

Mercy Seat

This was made of pure gold and covered the ark. Two cherubim were also made of pure gold and were of one piece with the mercy seat. The faces were inwards, towards the covenant that was contained in the ark. God said to Moses, “I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony.” The place for the mediator to receive divine communications from God, and for the high priest to approach with the blood of atonement, was the mercy seat. It is typical of Christ, the same word being used in the New Testament for the mercy seat in the tabernacle and for the Lord Himself, “whom God hath set forth to be a mercy seat,” ἱλαστήριον (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 9:5).

Blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat once a year on the day of atonement. This Aaron “suffered for himself, and for the errors of the people:” typical of Christ entering into heaven, having obtained eternal redemption for us (Heb. 9:7,12). The veil of the temple being rent, God has come out in grace, and man in the person of Christ has gone in, and the Christian is exhorted to come at all times boldly to the throne of grace that he may find grace to help in time of need (Ex. 25:17-22; Ex. 26:34; Ex. 30:6; Ex. 31:7; Ex. 35:12; Ex. 37:6-9; Ex. 39:35; Ex. 40:20; Lev. 16:2-15; Num. 7:89; 1 Chron. 28:11).

Millennium

This word signifies a thousand years, and usually refers to that period spoken of in Revelation 20. The first resurrection will have taken place before these years commence, the saints who have part in this resurrection will be priests of God and of Christ, and reign with Christ the thousand years. During that period Satan will be confined in the abyss, or bottomless pit (Rev. 20:1-6). These two facts prove that the millennium will not be brought about by any present or similar agency in connection with the gospel. Satan must be confined, and the first resurrection must have taken place. See RESURRECTION. Other important events will also have occurred previously, namely, the judgments that must fall upon Judah and Israel before they can under God occupy the first place of earthly blessing, in their own land, the nations being blessed through them (Jer. 30:4-9; Matt. 24:21-22). Blessing will follow the judgments. They will not speak then of having been brought out of Egypt, but from all countries whither God has driven them (Jer. 23:5-8). The reconciliation of Israel will be “life from the dead” (Rom. 11:15).

The man of sin also must first be manifested, and, with the resuscitated Roman empire, be crushed (2 Thess. 2:7-12; Rev. 13-14). From these, and from other particulars mentioned in scripture, it is clear that there will be a great and marvelous change before the millennium is established, and that change will not be limited to a spiritual change in man, as many suppose. The change will bring about a dispensation entirely different in character from that which now exists during the gathering out from the nations of a people for heavenly blessing. It will be characterized by a universal knowledge of Jehovah in relation to Israel (Jer. 31:34; Zech. 14:9). “All flesh shall know that I Jehovah am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob” (Isa. 49:26). The Lord Himself will reign over the earth in righteousness, and all the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness (Psa. 72:8,17; Isa. 11:5; Isa. 26:9).

The Spirit will be poured out on all flesh, and creation, now groaning and travailing in pain, will be delivered from the bondage of corruption (Rom. 8:19-22). “Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree” (Isa. 55:13; compare Isa. 41:19). Things and natures, most opposed and diverse, will dwell together in peace. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den” (Isa. 11:6-8).

There will be universal peace and blessing all over the earth: instead of the invention of weapons of slaughter, the swords will be beaten into plowshares (Isa. 2:4).

Thus the kingdom spoken of in Daniel 2:44 will be established on earth by the God of heaven, and it will consume all other kingdoms. It will be the kingdom of God in power, and the Lord Jesus will be acknowledged King of kings and Lord of lords. He will first reign as son of David, the man of war, and then, when all enemies of His people have been subdued, as Solomon, the man of peace.

Death, though not destroyed, will be swallowed up in victory. If one should die at a hundred years of age he will be considered an “infant” (Isa. 65:20).

The throne of God and the Lamb will be in the new and heavenly Jerusalem, which descends from God out of heaven, and the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb will be the temple thereof. The glory of God lightens it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. The saved nations will walk in the light of it (Rev. 21:22-24).

As well as being the fulfillment of all God’s promises to Israel, the millennium will be a trial of man under entirely new circumstances. And no sooner will Satan, released from his prison, go forth to deceive the nations, than he will be readily listened to. They will be gathered to attack Jerusalem, but only to meet with their own destruction (Rev. 20:7-9).

New Birth

New birth is a term commonly used to convey concisely the truth brought out in the beginning of John 3, namely, that a man’s origin spiritually must be of God’s work in him if he is to come under the moral sway of God in grace. This is specially the point in the conversation of the Lord with Nicodemus: “Except a man be born again [ἄνωθεν, not only again, but “anew,” a new source and beginning], he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”: that is, born of the Holy Spirit as the power, and of water (the word) as the means of moral cleansing. “Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth” (James 1:18; compare Eph. 5:26). “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit”; it is of the nature of its source—spiritual and not natural.

Nicodemus was astonished at what he heard, yet as a teacher in Israel he should have known the “earthly” (not “worldly”) things concerning the kingdom of God. He should have learned from such passages as Ezekiel 36:25-28 and Jeremiah 31:33, that new birth was necessary for Israel to have part in God’s kingdom. The heavenly things of Christianity are spoken of subsequently in John 3 as the fruit of the cross, and the love of God, but there must be new birth as the foundation in man, whatever be the nature of the blessing proposed.

Numbers as Symbols

There can be little doubt that numerals are used in scripture as symbols; and by comparing the instances in which any numeral is employed the idea hidden in it may often be arrived at. The signification of some numbers is too obvious to be mistaken; that of others is less apparent. In some cases the symbolical number may be discovered where the numeral itself is not mentioned: as, for instance, under three we may class the law, the psalms, and the prophets; spirit, soul, and body, and so forth. A few references only are given here for each number.

ONE. Supremacy, exclusiveness.

One Jehovah (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 42:8; Zech. 14:9).

One God and Father (1 Cor. 8:6; Gal. 3:20; Mark 12:29; Eph. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:5).

“None other God but one,” one Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 8:4; Eph. 4:5).

One Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:11,13).

One mediator (1 Tim. 2:5).

One body (1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 4:4).

One hope, one faith, one baptism (Eph. 4:4-5).

One offering that has perfected forever the sanctified (Heb. 10:14).

TWO. Distinctness, and hence adequate testimony and fellowship when in agreement.

Two witnesses needful (Deut. 19:15; 2 Cor. 13:1).

Caleb and Joshua witnessed for the land (Num. 14:6-9).

Two spies sent over Jordan (Josh. 2:1).

Two olive trees typical of two witnesses (Zech. 4:3; Rev. 11:3-4).

God’s word and His oath show the immutability of His counsel (Heb. 6:17-18).

Two are to agree in asking (Matt. 18:19).

Two or three can be gathered to Christ’s name (Matt. 18:20).

THREE. Divine fullness or completeness, and hence perfection in testimony.

God—Father, Son, and Spirit. This fullness was pleased to dwell in the Son of His love (Col. 1:19).

Three times the voice came from heaven respecting the Lord Jesus (Matt. 3:17; Matt. 17:5; John 12:28).

The Lord Jesus is Prophet, Priest, and King; Son of God, Son of Man, and Son of David.

Three bear witness, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, “and these three agree in one” (1 John 5:7-8).

The scriptures, comprising the law, the prophets, and the psalms, bore witness to Christ (Luke 24:44).

Faith, hope, and love are elements of christian life here.

A three-fold cord is not easily broken (Eccl. 4:12), corresponding to perfection in testimony:

three also describes perfected experience (Luke 13:32; Gen. 22:4; Acts 9:9).

FOUR. Completeness in that which is created or ordained of God.

Four winds from the four quarters of the heaven (Jer. 49:36).

Four quarters of the earth (Rev. 20:8).

In the arranging the camp of Israel there were four standards (Num. 10:14-25).

Ezekiel saw four living creatures, each had four faces, four wings, and four hands (Ezek. 1:5-8; compare the four living creatures in Revelation 4:6).

FIVE. Human weakness in its appreciation of obligation.

In the dedication of the tabernacle each prince offered for a peace offering two oxen, five rams, five he goats, and five lambs (Num. 7:17-83).

Weakness in contrast to the power of the enemy: five should chase a hundred (Lev. 26:8).

The disciples could only provide five barley loaves and two small fishes when the five thousand were fed (John 6:9).

Paul said he would rather speak five words to teach others than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue (1 Cor. 14:19).

In the parable of the virgins there were five wise and five foolish (Matt. 25:2).

SIX. Incompleteness, imperfection (one short of the perfect number seven).

Solomon had six steps to his great throne, (1 Kings 10:19); but it was not elevated enough to save him from idolatry.

Six hundred sixty and six talents of gold were brought him in a year (1 Kings 10:14); yet he had to confess that all was vanity and vexation of spirit.

The Jews at Cana had six water-pots for purification (John 2:6); but they expressed the insufficiency of ordinances to meet man’s need.

The number of the imperial beast will be six hundred sixty and six (Rev. 13:18); being imperfect in every particular.

SEVEN. Spiritual completeness, generally in good but occasionally in evil.

It is the compound of three and four, and the highest single indivisible number.

Seven days in a week, every seventh day was a day of rest, every seventh year was a year of rest for the land, and every seven times seven years brought the jubilee.

Creation was complete on the seventh day, God’s rest being the result.

There were seven lamps to the golden candlestick (Num. 8:2; compare Zech. 4:2).

The blood was sprinkled before the Lord seven times (Lev. 4:6,17; Lev. 8:11).

The Christian is exhorted to keep the feast of seven days after the passover, which makes it a perpetual feast for him (1 Cor. 5:7-8).

John speaks of seven Spirits before the throne of God (Rev. 1:4).

There are seven abominations in man’s heart (Prov. 26:25).

The first beast has seven heads and ten horns (Rev. 13:1).

In the Revelation “seven” occurs frequently; the symbol is found therein more than seven times seven.

Forgiveness is to be “seventy times seven” (Matt. 18:22).

EIGHT. A new departure outside of, but connected with, creation-order: hence in resurrection.

Circumcision was on the eighth day, when a new communion was entered into.

Eight souls were saved in the ark, to commence a new world (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5).

The new form of the future Roman empire will be the eighth (Rev. 17:11).

The resurrection-day may be called the eighth, the day after the seventh, the Jewish sabbath.

TEN. Complete ground of human responsibility.

Pharaoh was visited by ten plagues (Ex. 7-12).

The ten commandments (Ex. 34:28).

Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils to Melchisedek (Gen. 14:20).

The Israelites gave a tenth to the Levites, and they gave a tenth to the priests (Num. 18:21,26).

Ten virgins went forth to meet the bridegroom (Matt. 25).

There were ten servants to whom the pounds were entrusted (Luke 19:13).

In the last form of the Roman empire there will be ten kings (Rev. 17:12,16).

TWELVE. Completeness administratively, that is, in what is set forth or displayed manward.

(The first most divisible of the earlier numbers.) There were,

twelve patriarchs,

ancestors of the twelve tribes,

who are commemorated in the twelve loaves on the table,

the twelve stones in the breastplate and

twelve names on the shoulders of the high priest;

the twelve stones taken out of Jordan, and

the twelve stones placed in the bed of the river;

also in the woman with a crown of twelve stars (Rev. 12:1).

Through the twelve apostles the Lord fed the hungry multitudes.

The twelve apostles will sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes (Matt. 19:28).

The new Jerusalem will have twelve foundations for its walls

with the names of the twelve apostles;

it will have twelve gates,

consisting of twelve pearls,

with the names of the twelve tribes inscribed,

the gates will be attended by twelve angels (Rev. 21:12-21).

There are twelve hours in the day, in which the children of light may walk (John 11:9).

The flexibility of administrative perfection may be seen in:

Six-twos: Two apostles in each of the six companies sent to preach.

Two-sixes: Six loaves in each of the two rows of shewbread.

Three fours: Four rows of three names each on the breastplate.

Four-threes: Three gates on each of the four sides of the new Jerusalem.

FORTY = 10 x 4. Complete probation to bring to light good or evil.

Moses was forty years in the desert, being himself tried;

he was in the mount two periods of forty days, which were times of trial to the Israelites (Ex. 24:18; Ex. 34:28).

The spies were forty days searching the land (Num. 13:25).

The tribes were tested forty years in the wilderness (Acts 13:18).

Goliath challenged Israel forty days (1 Sam. 17:16).

Saul, David, Solomon, and Jehoash were each tested by a reign of forty years.

Elijah’s period of testing at Horeb was forty days.

Nineveh was given forty days for repentance (Jonah 3:4).

The Lord Jesus was under temptation forty days (Mark 1:13).

Offerings, The

The sacrifices described in the Old Testament show the ground and means of approach to God. They are all typical, having no intrinsic value, but they foreshadowed Christ, who, as antitype, fulfilled them all. The principal offerings are four: the Burnt offering, the Meat offering, the Peace offering, and the Sin offering, with which the Trespass offering may be associated. This is the order in which they are given in the opening chapters of Leviticus, where we have their significance presented from God’s side, beginning with Christ in devotedness to God’s glory even unto death, and coming down to the need of guilty man. If the question be of a sinner’s approach to God, the sin offering must necessarily come first: the question of sin must be met for the conscience before the one who approaches can be in the position of a worshipper.

The offerings, in one respect, divide themselves into two classes, namely, the sweet-savor offerings, presented by worshippers, and the sin offerings, presented by those who having sinned needed to be restored to the position of worshippers. But even in the sin offering the fat was burnt on the brazen altar, and it is once said to be for a sweet savor (Lev. 4:31), thus forming a link with the burnt offering. The sweet-savor offerings represent Christ’s perfect offering of Himself to God, rather than the laying of sins on the substitute by Jehovah.

The various kinds and the sex of the animals presented in the sin offerings are proportioned to the measure of responsibility in Leviticus 4, and to the offerer’s ability in Leviticus 5. Thus the priest or the whole congregation for a sin offering had to bring a bullock, but a goat or a lamb sufficed for one of the people. In the sweet-savor offerings the offerer was left free to choose a victim, and the different value of the animals offered gave evidence to the measure of appreciation of the sacrifice: thus if a rich man brought a sheep instead of a bullock, it would show that he undervalued the privileges within his reach.

The blood was sprinkled and poured out; it might not be eaten; the blood was the life, and God claimed it (compare Lev. 17:11). The fat of the offerings was always to be burnt, for it represented the spontaneous and energetic action of the heart of Christ godward (Psa. 40:7-8). Leaven, which always signifies what is human and hence evil (for if the human element is introduced into and works in the things of God it is evil), might never be burnt on the altar to God, nor be in any of the offerings except in one special form of the meat offering (Lev. 23:16-21), and in the bread accompanying a peace offering (Lev. 7:13). Honey was forbidden in the meat offering, as denoting mere human sweetness. Salt was to be added to the meat offering and used in the corbans (Lev. 2:13; Ezek. 43:24). Salt is preservative and gives a savor (Num. 18:19; 2 Chron. 13:5; Col. 4:6). The breast of the victim may be taken as emblematic of love, and the shoulder of strength.

The principal Hebrew words used in reference to the offerings are:

1. Olah, Alah, from “to make to ascend.” Translated burnt offering.

2. Minchah, from “a present, gift, oblation.” Translated meat offering. Others prefer to translate it meal offering.

3. Shelem, from “to be whole, complete,” to be at peace, in friendship with anyone. Translated peace offering. The ordinary form is plural, and may be rendered “prosperities offering.”

4. Chattath, from “to sin.” Constantly translated sin offering.

5. Asham, from “to be guilty.” Translated trespass offering.

6. Tenuphah, from “to lift up and down, wave.” Translated wave offering.

7. Terumah, from “to be lifted up.” Translated heave offering.

As to the burning of the sacrifices different Hebrew words are employed. Besides the word alah, mentioned above, the word qatar is commonly used for burning on the altar: it signifies “to burn incense,” “to fumigate.” But where the carcass of the sin offering was burnt, the word used is saraph, which signifies “to burn up, consume.” Thus what ascends as a sweet savor is distinguished from what is consumed under the judgment of God.

THE BURNT OFFERING. This is typical of Christ presenting Himself according to the divine will for the accomplishment of the purpose and maintenance of the glory of God where sin was taken account of. In the type, the victim and the offerer were essentially distinct, but in Christ the two were necessarily combined. The burnt offering, where not specifically prescribed, was brought for a man’s acceptance. The expression “of his own voluntary will” in Leviticus 1:3 is better translated, “He shall offer it for his acceptance.” The victim might be a male of the herd, or a sheep or a goat of the flock, or be turtle doves or young pigeons, according to the ability of the offerer, or the appreciation he had of the offering. These offerings were different in degree, but the same in kind. The male is the highest type of offering: no female is mentioned in the burnt offering.

After the offerer had laid his hands on the victim, he killed it (except in the case of birds, which the priest killed). From Leviticus 1 it would appear that the offerer also flayed it, cut it in pieces, and washed the inward parts and legs in water; but the expressions can be taken in an impersonal sense, “Let it be flayed,” and these acts may have been done by the priests or the Levites. (The Levites flayed the sacrifices in 2 Chronicles 29:34, when the priests were too few.) The priest sprinkled the blood round about upon the altar, and, except the skin which was the priest’s, the whole of the animal was burnt as a sweet savor on the altar. It made atonement for the offerer, who found acceptance in its value. It was typical of Christ’s perfect offering up of Himself, being tested in His inmost parts by the searching fire of divine judgment (Lev. 1). This aspect of the cross is seen in such passages as Philippians 2:8; John 10:14-17; John 13:31; John 17:4; Rom. 5:18.

Leviticus 6 gives the law of the burnt offering. “It is the burnt offering because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it....it shall not be put out.” This refers to the morning and evening lambs; they formed a perpetual burnt offering (Ex. 29:38-41). It is to be remarked that it was “all night unto the morning” (although it was perpetual), doubtless to point out that Christ is for Israel ever a sweet savor to God, even during the present period of Israel’s darkness and forgetfulness. Aaron had to put on his linen garments to remove the ashes from the altar to “the place of ashes” beside the altar: he then changed his dress and carried the ashes outside the camp. The ashes were the proof that the sacrifice had been completely accepted (Psalm 20:3, margin). In “the morning” Israel will know that their acceptance and blessing is through the work of their Messiah on the cross. The daily sacrifice was offered by the priest as acting for the whole nation, and presented typically the ground of its blessings and privileges. Hence faith made much of it (Ezra 3:3; Dan. 8:11, 13,26; Dan. 9:27).

THE MEAT OFFERING. In Leviticus 2 the intrinsic character of this offering is given, though in offering the burnt offering a meat offering was added. Here was no blood-shedding, and consequently no atonement. The burnt offering typified the Lord Jesus in devotedness to death; the meat offering represents Him in His life—the pure humanity of Christ—in the power and energy of the Holy Ghost. It consisted of fine flour, unleavened, mingled with oil, and anointed with oil and with frankincense: in its simple elements a handful of flour with oil poured on was burnt on the altar; but it might, in the form of cakes, be baked in an oven, or in a pan, or frying pan. Only a part of the flour and of the oil but all the frankincense was burnt upon the altar, as a sweet savor unto Jehovah: the rest was food for the priest and his sons, not his daughters. The excellence of Christ as a man, in whom every motion even to death was for God, can only be enjoyed in priestly nearness: it is an offering which essentially belonged to the sanctuary.

All the savor of the Lord’s life was to God. He lived not to men or for their praise: hence all the frankincense was to ascend from the altar. The fine flour is typical of the evenness of character in the Lord: in Him no special trait had undue prominence, as in man generally. With the Lord as man all was perfection, all evenness, and to the glory of God. He was begotten of the power of the Holy Ghost (antitype of the oil), and anointed at His baptism; His graces and moral glory answer to the frankincense. In beautiful connection with the perpetual burnt offering every morning and evening, there was a perpetual meat offering. It was “most holy”; neither leaven nor honey might be burnt with the meat offering, but salt must accompany it. The traits here symbolized were remarkably witnessed in the life of the Lord (Lev. 2; Lev. 6:14-18; Ex. 29:40-41).

In Leviticus 23:17 there is leaven with the meat offering because it there represents the church, the first-fruits of God’s creatures, presented at Pentecost in the sanctification of the Spirit.

THE PEACE OFFERING. This is distinct from both the burnt offering and the meat offering, though founded upon them. Its object was not to show how a sinner might get peace, nor to make atonement: it was rather the outcome of his having been blessed—the response of his heart to that blessing. The soul enters into the devotedness of Christ to God, the love and power of Christ as the blessing of the priestly family, and its own sustainment in life where death has come in. The peace offering might be of the herd or of the flock, male or female. The offerer laid his hands on the head of the offering and killed it. The blood was sprinkled round about the altar. All the fat, the two kidneys, and the caul above the liver were burnt upon the altar, an offering made by fire of a sweet savor unto the Lord. These were God’s portions, literally His bread. The breast of the offering was waved for a wave offering, and was then food for Aaron and his sons and daughters. The right shoulder was a heave offering, and was for the offering priest. The offerer and his friends also ate of the offering on the same day; or, if it were a vow or a voluntary offering, it might be eaten on the second day. What remained was burnt with fire: indicating that communion to be real must be fresh, and not too far separated from the work of the altar.

The peace offering was accompanied by a meat offering, namely, unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil; together with leavened bread. The last named recognized the existence of sin in the worshipper (1 John 1:8), which, if inactive did not disqualify, though sin on him did disqualify. All that typified Christ was without leaven. That the peace offering typified communion is plain from the directions as to its disposal: part of it was accepted of God on the altar, called “the food of the offering”; part was the food of the priest (Christ), and the priest’s sons (Christians); and part was eaten by the offerer and his friends (the people, and perhaps also the Gentiles, who in the kingdom will “rejoice with his people”). This thought of communion finds expression in the Lord’s table, in the communion of the blood and of the body of the Lord (1 Cor. 10:16). It is said of the peace offering that it “pertains to Jehovah”; so all worship pertains to God: it is the fruit and expression of Christ in believers (Lev. 3; Lev. 7:11-21, 28-34).

THE SIN OFFERING. This and the trespass offering stand apart from all the other offerings. In the burnt offering and the peace offering the offerer came as a worshipper, and by the imposition of hands became identified with the acceptability and acceptance of the victim: whereas in the sin offering the victim was identified with the sin of the offerer.

The sin offering was to make an atonement for sin—to avert judgment from the offerer. This general characteristic is always the same, though the details differ, as will be seen in the following table:

When/For Whom The Animal Offered Placement of Blood Use of the Fat

On the day of atonement (Lev. 16). Bullock for Aaron; two goats for the people. Blood sprinkled on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat; also placed on the horns of the brazen altar and sprinkled there. All the fat was burnt upon the altar, and the whole carcass consumed without the camp.

For the anointed priest (Lev. 4) Bullock. Blood sprinkled in the holy place, and placed on the horns of the altar of incense, and poured out at the bottom of the brazen altar. (Same as on the day of atonement.)

For the whole congregation. Bullock. (Same as for the priest.) (Same as on the day of atonement.)

For a ruler. Male kid of the goats. Blood placed on the horns of the brazen altar, and the blood poured out at the bottom. The fat burnt on the altar, the rest eaten by the offering priests (Lev. 6:26, 29).

One of the common people. Female kid of the goats, or female lamb. (Same as for a ruler.) (Same as for a ruler.)

The Day of Atonement stands alone—the blood of the sin offering being taken then into the holy of holies, and sprinkled on and before the mercy seat. Atonement had to be made according to the requirement of the nature and majesty of God’s throne. This type was repeated yearly to maintain the relationship of the people with God, because the tabernacle of Jehovah remained among them in the midst of their uncleanness. Atonement was also made for the holy place and the altar: all were reconciled by the blood of the sin offering, and on the ground of the same blood the sins of the people were administratively borne away into a land not inhabited (Lev. 16).

In the case of sin on the part of the priest or the whole congregation, all approach was interrupted: so the blood had to be carried into the holy place, sprinkled there seven times, and placed on the horns of the altar of incense—the place of the priest’s approach—for the re-establishment of approach. See ATONEMENT, DAY OF. In the case of a ruler or of one of the people, the blood was sprinkled on the brazen altar, the place where the people approached: this also was to restore approach for the individual.

The sin offering is not, as a whole, said to be a sweet savor: sin is the prominent idea, yet the fat was burnt upon the altar for a sweet savor (Lev. 4:31). Christ was at all times (on the cross as elsewhere) a delight to God. The sin offering that was eaten by the priest is declared to be “most holy” (Lev. 6:29). This is typical of Christ, priest as well as victim, having our cause at heart.

In the cases provided for in Leviticus 5:1-13, where it was chiefly for acts which were sins by reason of infraction of some enactment or ordinance, the ability of the offerer was considered. If a person was unable to bring a goat for a sin offering, he was allowed to bring two doves; and if he were unable to bring even these, then he might bring the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour. This does not seem to agree with the necessity of bloodshedding for remission, but the memorial burnt upon the altar typified the judgment of God in dealing with sin. It brought the offering within the reach of all, so that the very poorest soul could have a way of meeting God as to its sin. Poverty represents little light or ignorance, not rejection of or indifference to Christ. And as the flour reached the fire of judgment on the altar, the death of Christ for sin was not left out in this most simple form of sin offering.

THE TRESPASS OFFERING differs from the sin offering in that it contemplates God’s government, whereas the sin offering refers to God’s holy nature, and hence His necessary dealing with sin in judgment. The Lord is also the true trespass offering, as seen in Isaiah 53:10-12 and Psalm 69. He restores more to God than the wrong done to Him by man’s sin, and the effects of the trespass offering will be manifested in the kingdom.

The trespass offering is first found in Leviticus 5-6 concerning cases of wrong done to the Lord or to a neighbor. In these cases a man needed to offer a trespass offering—for a trespass against a neighbor encroached on the rights of God—and to make restitution also, with a fifth added. In Leviticus 5:6-9 the same offering is called both a trespass offering and a sin offering; but in Leviticus 14, for the cleansing of a leper, both a sin offering and a trespass offering were needful; and the same two offerings were to be brought if a Nazarite were defiled (Num. 6:10-12). It appears therefore that the trespass offering is a variety of sin offering.

THE RED HEIFER was also a sin offering. In the AV it is called “a purification for sin” in Numbers 19:9, 17, but the meaning is a sin offering. It was for defilement by the way. See HEIFER, RED.

THE DRINK OFFERING. This was not usually offered alone, but see Genesis 35:14. It was offered with the morning and evening sacrifice, which was a burnt offering, accompanied by a meat offering. It consisted of wine, the quantity varying with the animal offered (Num. 28:14). “In the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering” (Num 28:7). In the land of Canaan a drink offering was to be joined to the sweet savor oblations. The quantity of oil and of wine was equal, and proportionate to the importance of the victim (Num. 15:1-11). The drink offering may be typical of joy in the Spirit in the sense of the value of Christ’s work as done to God’s glory. Philippians 2:17 may allude to the drink offering.

THE HEAVE AND THE WAVE OFFERINGS. These are not separate offerings, but on some occasions certain portions of an offering were heaved or waved before the Lord. Thus at the consecration of Aaron and his sons, the fat, the fat tail, the caul, the kidneys, and the right shoulder of the ram, together with one loaf of bread, one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, were placed in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons, to wave them for a wave offering before the Lord, and then they were burnt on the altar for a burnt offering (Lev. 8). The breast of the ram was also waved for a wave offering before the Lord, and the shoulder was heaved up for a heave offering; these were eaten by Aaron and his sons (Ex. 29:23-28). Of the peace offerings, the breast was always a wave offering, and the right shoulder a heave offering, and were for the priests (Lev. 7:30-34).

The rabbis explain that the heave shoulder was moved up and down, and the wave breast waved from side to side. The actions were done “before the Lord,” and seem to symbolize that those who moved the offerings were really in His presence, with their hands filled with Christ.

Christ is thus the antitype of all the sacrifices: in them is foreshadowed His devotedness unto death; the perfection and purity of His life of consecration to God; the ground and subject of communion of His people; and, finally, the removal of sin by sacrifice. In the Epistle to the Hebrews is brought out in detail the contrast between the status of the Jew, for whom all the sacrifices needed to be repeated (the typical system existing on repetition), and that of Christians, who by the one sacrifice of Christ (non-repetition) are perfected forever, and also have access to the holiest, because the great high Priest has entered in.

In the New Testament offerings are also alluded to in a moral sense. Christians being priests are exhorted to present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God (Rom. 12:1); and are to lay down their lives for the brethren (1 John 3:16). Having come as living stones to the living Stone, they are a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices (1 Peter 2:5; compare Phi. 4:18; Heb. 13:15-16; Mark 9:49).

Prayer

This has been described as “the intercourse of a dependent one with God.” It may take the form of communion in one brought nigh, or it may be the making requests for oneself or for others. There are twelve different words used for prayer in the Old Testament, and eight in the New Testament, with various shades of meaning, as there are in English: “asking, begging, beseeching.” In the synoptic Gospels the word used in connection with Christ is that most commonly employed for “praying,” but in John’s gospel the word is that generally rendered “ask” or “demand.” The change is explained by the different aspect in which the Lord is presented in John.

God hears and encourages prayer. A cry to God is the mark of a soul truly turning to Him: “Behold, he prayeth,” was said of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:11). To the saints it is said, “Pray without ceasing”; “ask and ye shall receive.” “If we ask anything according to His will He heareth us, and.... we know that we have the petitions.” “All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive.” “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you.” The disciples as left here, representative of Christ and charged with His interests, were to ask in His name; and the same is true in principle as regards believers now (Mark 11:24; John 14:13; John 15:16; John 16:23,26; James 1:5-7; 1 John 5:14-15). Christians are exhorted to make known all their petitions, or requests, to God, and having done so, the peace of God shall keep their hearts and minds (Phil. 4:6-7). This is their wondrous privilege: they have addressed God, and in peace they leave it with Him to grant their petitions or not.

The above passages demonstrate that to receive what is prayed for, requests must be in faith, they must be according to the light of God’s will, and hence made in the name of the Lord Jesus. While prayer is always to God, it is suggested that requests would naturally be made to the Father in respect of all that tends to the promotion of Christ in believers, as well as in things referring to their discipline in the pathway here. On the other hand prayer would be made to the Lord in relation to that over which He is set as administrator, such as the service of the gospel, the saints, the house of God, &c.

The attitudes in prayer which are recorded are: “standing” (1 Sam. 1:26; Mark 11:25); “kneeling” (Dan. 6:10; Luke 22:41); and “falling down” (Deut. 9:25; Josh. 7:6).

Propitiation

The word ἱλασμός is from the verb “to be propitious.” Propitiation represents in scripture that aspect of the death of Christ in which has been vindicated the holy and righteous character of God, and in virtue of which He is enabled to be propitious, or merciful, to the whole world (1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10). A kindred word (the verb) occurs in Hebrews 2:17, where, instead of “to make reconciliation,” should be read “‘to make propitiation’ for the sins of the people.” In Romans 3:25, “propitiation” (ἱλαστήριον) should be “mercy seat,” as the same word is, and must be, translated in Hebrews 9:5. See ATONEMENT.

Rapture of the Saints

A term often applied to the “catching up” in the clouds of the saints, including both those raised from among the dead, and those who will be alive on the earth at that time, to meet the Lord in the air at His coming, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. This preliminary detail in the coming of the Lord is of great interest to the church, which is set to wait for Him. See ADVENT, SECOND.

Reconciliation

Except in 1 Samuel 29:4, and 2 Chronicles 29:24, the Hebrew word is kaphar, which is more than sixty times translated “to make an atonement;” and this rendering suits sufficiently well in the places where “reconciliation” is read in the AV (Lev. 6:30; Lev. 8:15; Lev. 16:20; Ezek. 45:15,17,20; Dan. 9:24). In the New Testament the last clause of Hebrews 2:17 should be translated “to make ‘propitiation’ for the sins of the people.” Elsewhere the word translated “reconciliation” is καταλλαγἠ, and kindred words, signifying “a thorough change.”

By the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross, God annulled in grace the distance which sin had brought in between Himself and man, in order that all things might, through Christ, be presented agreeably to Himself. Believers are already reconciled, through Christ’s death, to be presented holy, unblameable, and unreproveable (a new creation). God was in Christ, when Christ was on earth, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing unto them their trespasses; but now that the love of God has been fully revealed in the cross, the testimony has gone out worldwide, beseeching men to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:19-20). The end is that God may have His pleasure in man.

Christ also abolished the system of the law that Jew and Gentile might be reconciled together unto God, the two being formed in Christ into one new man (Eph. 2:15-16). Reconciliation will extend in result to all things in heaven and on earth (Col. 1:20); not to things under the earth (the lost), though these will have to confess that “Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11).

Redemption

This term signifies “being set free, brought back.” God having smitten the firstborn of the Egyptians, claimed all the firstborn of Israel, and received the Levites instead of them; but there not being an equivalent number of the Levites, the residue of the firstborn were redeemed by money: they were thus set free (Num. 3:44-51). So the land, or one who sold himself, could be redeemed (Lev. 25:23-24,47,54). The Israelites were redeemed out of Egypt by the mighty power of God (Ex. 15:13). From thence the subject rises to the redemption of the soul or life, forfeited because of sin. Man cannot give to God a ransom for his brother: for the redemption of the soul is precious, or costly, and it (that is, redemption) ceaseth, or must be given up, forever: that is, all thought of attempting to give a ransom must be relinquished—it is too costly (Psa. 49:7-8).

In the New Testament there are two words translated “redemption,” embracing different thoughts. The one is λυτρόω, λὐτρωσις, ἀπολύτρωσις, “to loose, a loosing, a loosing away,” hence deliverance by a ransom paid, redeemed.

The other word is ἐξαγοράζω, “to buy as from the market.” Christ has redeemed believers from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13; Gal. 4:5). Christians are exhorted to be “redeeming the time,” that is, buying or securing the opportunity (Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5). A kindred word, ἀγοράςω, is translated in the AV “to buy,” except in Revelation 5:9 and Revelation 14:3-4, where it is rendered “redeem,” but would be better “buy.” The difference is important in such a passage as 2 Peter 2:1, where it couldn’t be said “redeemed,” for those spoken of are such as deny Christ’s rights of purchase, and bring on themselves swift destruction though they had been “bought.” Christ “bought” all, but only believers are “redeemed.” Christians sometimes speak of “universal redemption” without really meaning it, because they do not observe the difference between “buying” and “redeeming.” Ephesians 1:14 embraces both thoughts: “the redemption of the purchased possession.”

Redemption is sometimes used in the sense of the right or title to redeem (Psa. 130:7; Rom. 3:24); and this right God has righteously secured to Himself in Christ, and in virtue of it He presents Himself to man as a Justifier. Hence redemption was secured for God before man entered into the virtue of it. But believers have it now by faith, in the sense of forgiveness of sins, in Christ, where it is placed for God (Eph. 1:7). And in result redemption will extend to the body (Rom. 8:23; Eph. 4:30). In application, the term redemption covers the power in which it is made effectual, as well as the ground or condition on which it is founded; this was set forth in type in the case of Israel.

Repentance

The idea conveyed in this term is of great importance from the fact of its application not only to man but to God, showing how God, in His government of the earth, is pleased to express His own sense of events taking place upon it. This does not clash with His omniscience. There are two senses in which repentance on the part of God is spoken of.

1. As to His own creation or appointment of objects that fail to answer to His glory. He repented that He had made man on the earth, and that He had set up Saul as king of Israel (Gen. 6:6-7; 1 Sam. 15:11,35).

2. As to punishment which He has threatened, or blessing He has promised. When Israel turned from their evil ways and sought God, He often repented of the punishment He had meditated (2 Sam. 24:16). On the other hand, the promises to bless Israel when in the land were made conditionally on their obedience, so that God would, if they did evil, turn from or repent of the good that He had said He would do, either to Israel or in fact to any nation (Jer. 18:8-10). He would alter the order of His dealings towards them, and as to Israel He said, “I am weary with repenting” (Jer. 15:6). In all this the responsibility of man is concerned, as well as the divine government.

But the unconditional promises of God, as made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are not subject to repentance. “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Rom. 11:29). “God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it?” (Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29; Mal. 3:6). And this must hold good in regard to every purpose of His will.

As regards man, repentance is the necessary precursor of his experience of grace on the part of God. Two motives for repentance are presented in scripture: the goodness of God which leads to repentance (Rom. 2:4); and coming judgment, on account of which God now commands all men to repent (Acts 17:30-31); but it is distinctly of His grace and for His glory that this door of return to Him is granted (Acts 11:18) in that He has approached man in grace and by His glad tidings, consequent on His righteousness having been secured in the death of Christ. Hence God’s testimony is “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).

Repentance has been described as “a change of mind Godward that leads to a judgment of self and one’s acts” (1 Kings 8:47; Ezek. 14:6; Matt. 3:2; Matt. 9:13; Luke 15:7; Acts 20:21; 2 Cor. 7:9-10; etc.). This would not be possible but for the thought of mercy in God. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance (Rom. 2:4).

Repentance is also spoken of as a change of thought and action where there is no evil to repent of (2 Cor. 7:8).

Resurrection

This may be said to be the fundamental principle of God’s dealings with man in grace, seeing that man is through sin under the judgment of death. The expression, The general resurrection is found in works on theology, and is explained as meaning that the dead will all be raised at the same time; but this idea is not found in scripture. The Lord speaks of a resurrection unto life. “The dead in Christ” will be raised at the coming of the Lord Jesus (1 Thess. 4:16); and John speaks of the first resurrection, and adds that “the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished” (Rev. 20:5-6). The term “first” designates rather the character than the time of the resurrection, it will evidently include only the saved; “the rest” being simply raised for judgment.

It will be seen in Romans 8:11, that the resurrection of believers is of a wholly different order from that of the wicked: the saints will be quickened by, or on account of, God’s Spirit that dwells in them, which certainly could not be said of the unconverted. The resurrection of the saints is also distinguished from that of the wicked in being, like that of the Lord and of Lazarus, “out from among (έκ) the dead” (Mark 12:25). It was the earnest desire of Paul to attain this (Phil. 3:11—see Greek).

The resurrection condition is in the strongest contrast to that after the flesh. That which springs from the seed sown in the ground appears very different in form from the seed sown, though absorbing the substance of the seed. 1 Corinthians 15 refers only to the resurrection of the saints, as may be seen in 1 Corinthians 15:23-24. There were those at Corinth who said that there was no resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12); and on the other hand it appears from 2 Timothy 2:18, some held that the resurrection had already past, that they had in fact reached a final condition

Few distinct intimations of the resurrection are found in the Old Testament, though the idea of it underlies all the teaching. Job may perhaps have learned it (Job 19:25-27), and when the Lord rebuked the Sadducees He taught that resurrection could be gathered inferentially from God speaking of Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob long after they were dead. He is God of the living, not of the dead (Mark 12:26-27). Martha spoke of the resurrection as a matter of common orthodox belief (John 11:24); which is also implied in its being said that the Sadducees did not believe in it.

Isaiah 26:19; Ezekiel 37:1-14; and Daniel 12:2, are often quoted as testimony to resurrection; but these passages are figurative and refer to Israel being raised up as from their national decease—the consequence of their departure from the Lord (Isa. 1:1-4), when God will again bless them on the earth. It is an important fact, however, that the figure of resurrection is used.

Righteousness

A term frequently occurring in scripture expressing an attribute of God which maintains what is consistent with His own character, and necessarily judges what is opposed to it—sin. In man also it is the opposite of lawlessness or sin (1 John 3:4-7); but it is plainly declared of man that, apart from a work of grace in him, “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Psalm 14:1-3; Rom. 3:10). But God has, independently of man, revealed His righteousness in the complete judgment and setting aside of sin, and of the state with which, in man, sin was connected. This was effected by the Son of God becoming man and taking on the cross, vicariously, the place of man as under the curse of the law, and in His being made sin and glorifying God in bearing the judgment of sin. Hence grace is established on the foundation of righteousness. The righteousness of God, declared and expressed in the saints in Christ, is thus the divinely given answer to Christ having been made sin. On the other hand, the lake of fire is an eternal expression of God’s righteous judgment. At the present moment God’s righteousness is revealed in the gospel and apprehended by faith.

This is an entirely different principle from that on which the Jew went, namely, that of seeking to establish their own righteousness, and not submitting to the righteousness of God (Rom. 10:3). Their father Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness; and the faith of the believer is counted to him for righteousness, apart from works (Rom. 4:3,5).

Christ Jesus is made unto us righteousness from God (1 Cor. 1:30). He is the end of the law for righteousness to all those who believe.

Besides the above, there is the practical righteousness which characterizes every Christian. By knowing God’s righteousness he becomes the servant of righteousness. The bride of the Lamb is represented as “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:” which is “the righteousnesses of the saints” (Rev. 19:8).

The doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Christ, though largely acknowledged in Christendom, is not found in scripture. The explanation generally given of the doctrine is that Christ having perfectly kept the law, His obedience has formed a legal righteousness that is imputed to the believer as if the latter had himself kept the law. One passage of scripture proves this view to be incorrect: “If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” (Gal. 2:21). The force of the doctrine is to maintain the validity of the law in application to believers; and it stands in the way of their apprehending their death to the law by the body of Christ, so as to be married to Christ raised up from the dead, to bring forth fruit to God (Rom. 7:4).

Sanctification

This term is from qadesh, ἁγιάζω “to set apart to sacred purposes, consecrate.” It has various applications in the Old Testament as to days: God sanctified the seventh day on which He rested; it was afterward to be kept holy by the Israelites (Gen. 2:3; Ex. 20:8). As to persons, the whole of the Israelites were sanctified to God (Ex. 19:10,14). The firstborn were further sanctified to God, to be redeemed by the Levites (Ex. 13:2). The priests and Levites were sanctified to the service of God. As to the place and vessels of divine service, the tabernacle and temple, and all the vessels used therein, were devoted to sacred use in the worship of God (Ex. 30:29). We have thus what was suitable in view of God: there was also what was obligatory on the part of those that approached.

The priests, Levites, and people were often called upon to sanctify themselves, to be ceremonially fit to approach God and His sanctuary (Lev. 20:7; Num. 11:18; etc). God declared, “I will be sanctified in them that come nigh Me” (Lev. 10:3): God must be approached with reverence and in separation from what is unsuited to Him.

In the New Testament sanctification has many applications.

1. The thought is twice expressed by the Lord Jesus as to Himself. He spoke of Himself as one “whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world” (John 10:36). He was set apart by the Father for the accomplishment of the purposes of His will. In His prayer for His disciples in John 17 the Lord also says, “For their sakes I sanctify myself.” He set Himself apart in heaven from rights that belonged to Him as man, that His own might be sanctified by the truth. He was sanctified on earth for the Father, He has sanctified Himself in heaven for the saints.

2. Believers are said to be “sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Rom. 15:16; 1 Cor. 1:2; Heb. 10:10). They are thus saints, “sanctified ones” before God, apart from the life of flesh, a class of persons set apart to God for priestly service (Acts 20:32; Acts 26:18; Rom. 1:7; etc.). In this there is no progress; in effect it implies the most intimate identification with Christ. Such are His brethren. “He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one” (Heb. 2:11): the sanctified are “perfected forever” by one offering (Heb. 10:14).

3. But believers are viewed also on the side of obligation and are exhorted to yield their members “servants to righteousness unto holiness” (ἁγιασμός). (Rom. 6:19). God chastens them that they may be partakers of His holiness (Heb. 12:10). Without sanctification no one will see the Lord. In this there is progress; a growing up into Christ in all things (Eph. 4:15). The apostle Paul prayed that the God of peace would sanctify the Thessalonians wholly (1 Thess. 5:23).

4. Sanctification appears to refer to change of association, for the possibility is contemplated of some who had been sanctified treading under foot the Son of God, and treating the blood of the covenant as an unholy or common thing, thus becoming apostates from Christ, and departing from the association in which they had been sanctified (Heb. 10:29).

5. In the existing mixed and corrupt state of Christendom (viewed as a great house, in which are vessels, some to honor and some to dishonor), the obligation to sanctification from evil within the sphere of profession has become obligatory in order that a man may be “a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21).

6. An unbelieving husband or wife is said to be sanctified in the believing partner, and their children are holy (ἅγιος). They can thus dwell together in peace, instead of having to separate from an unbelieving partner, as in Old Testament times (1 Cor. 7:14; compare Ezra 9-10).

7. Food is “sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” Hence “every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving” (1 Tim. 4:4-5). This is altogether opposed to restrictions prescribed by the law, or which man may impose on the use of what God in His goodness has created for man’s use.

Saviour

This title is in the Old Testament applied to Jehovah. The term in itself implies that some oppression exists or some danger impends from which salvation is needed. God says, “All flesh shall know that I Jehovah am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob” (Isa. 49:26; Isa. 60:16). In the New Testament man is plainly declared to be lost, and the title “Saviour” is applied both to God and to Christ. “The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1 John 4:14); and the very name of Jesus conveys the thought of a Saviour. His becoming this involved His meeting vicariously the question of sin and sins, which He did on the cross. The expression occurs in Paul’s later epistles of “God our Saviour,” or “our Saviour-God,” indicating the attitude which God occupies towards all men. How gladly all His saints say, “To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” God is also declared to be “the Savior of all men” in a providential sense, and men probably little know how much they are indebted to His preserving care (1 Tim. 4:10). See SALVATION.

Sin

City in Egypt; the LXX has Σάϊς, and the Vulgate (as in the margin), Pelusium. Ezekiel calls it “the strength of Egypt” (Ezek. 30:15-16). It is supposed to be identified with the modern Tineh, where a few ruins are found. It is close to the Pelusiac mouth of the Nile, about 31° 4' N, 32° 28' E.

Sin—What Is It?

" Sin is lawlessness." This is the correct translation of 1 John 3:4.

Man's proper place is subjection to the will of God, so sin is the act of an independent will.

"Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Rom. 14:23. That is, faith brings us into the presence of God and we walk consciously there.

"The thought of foolishness is sin." Prov. 24:9. That is, our thoughts tell what we are in nature. (Mark 7:21.)

"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23. That is a summing up of all that the Apostle had been saying previously. Sin is measured by the true nature of God, and that is why it says, "have come short of the glory of God."

"To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin." James 4:17. That is the active principle of obedience in the new man. To obey it not, is to give place to the old man. (Eph. 4:22.)

The Word of God speaks of "sin" as the nature we have as children of Adam. (Psa. 51:5.) The fruit is the result. In Romans, chapters 6 and 7, we have deliverance from its power through the Spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus through faith.

OH, my Savior crucified,

Near Thy cross would I abide,

Gazing with adoring eye

On Thy dying agony.

Jesus bruised and put to shame,

Tells the glories of God's name;

Holy judgment there I found,

Grace did there o'er sin abound.

God is love I surely know,

In the Savior's depth of woe;

In the sinless in God's sight,

Sin is justly brought to light.

In His spotless soul's distress,

I have learned my guiltiness;

Oh, how vile my low estate,

Since my ransom was so great.

Rent the veil that closed the way

To my home of heavenly day,

In the flesh of Christ the Lord,

Ever be His name adored.

Yet in sight of Calvary,

Contrite should my spirit be,

Rest and holiness there find,

Fashioned like my Savior's mind.

Son of Man, The

The Lord constantly spoke of Himself as “the Son of Man,” a title that connected Him with universal headship, and not merely with Israel, especially in view of His sufferings and resurrection and kingdom. Though walking about this earth He could say, “The Son of Man which is in heaven” (John 3:13). He, though God, became truly man: could be weary and hungry, and sleep. He prayed as one in dependence on God; was forsaken of God, and died. Yet He was the righteous One—of another order morally from all other men: the Second man—out of heaven (1 Cor. 15:47).

According to Hebrews 2 Christ became Son of Man in order to—

1. “taste death for everything;”

2. to annul “him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”

3. “to make propitiation for the sins of the people;” and

4. to be “able to succor them that are tempted.”

He is set as Son of Man over all the works of God’s hands, heir of all things, according to the counsels of God; He will reign until all enemies are under His feet, and be hailed as “King of kings and Lord of lords.” The Lord said, “The Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father, with His angels” (Matt. 16:27). In the meantime we do not find the title used in the Epistles and the Revelation except in Hebrews 2:6, a quotation from Psalm 8, which speaks of His universal dominion; and in Revelation 1:13 and Revelation 14:14, where He is ready for judgment. See JESUS CHRIST.

Son, The; Son of God

That the Lord Jesus is a divine Person is of the very foundation of scripture. In the commencement of the Gospel by John is the statement “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Again, “Unto the Son He saith, “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever” (Psa. 45:6; Heb. 1:8). Baptism is “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 28:19). Christ is spoken of as “the Son” in distinction from the Father, and glory attaches to Him as such. In many places, when the Lord was speaking of the Father, He spoke of Himself as relatively “the Son” (Matt. 11:27; &c). He was necessarily in the consciousness of the unity of the Godhead. Christ is also spoken of as God’s “only begotten Son” (John 1:14, 18; John 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9). The word is μονογενής, and is equivalent to the Hebrew word yachid, which signifies “only one,” and hence “darling” (Psa. 22:20; Psa. 35:17). It is a term of endearment.

When the angel appeared to Mary, foretelling the birth of Jesus, he said, “That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). Thus the word was to be fulfilled: “Jehovah hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son: this day have I begotten Thee” (Psa. 2:7; Acts 13:33, where the word “again” should be omitted; Heb. 1:5; Heb. 5:5). The Lord spoke of Himself as the Son of God (John 5:25; 9:35; and so forth.). He confessed it before the Jewish council (Luke 22:70). Having died on the cross to work out redemption (John 17:1,4; John 19:30), He was “declared to be the Son of God with power.... by the resurrection of [the] dead” (Rom. 1:4).

Tabernacle, The

This is variously styled the “tabernacle of testimony, or of witness,” the “tabernacle of the congregation,” or “tent of meeting.” It was the place recognized by Jehovah, where, as dwelling among them, He met His people, and where in separation from the outer world His will was made known. It was to be made after the pattern shown to Moses in the mount, and when it was completed Moses bore witness that it had been constructed as the Lord had commanded. It is worthy of notice that none of its details were left to the ingenuity of Moses: he had simply to carry out his instructions. We read in the New Testament that the things made were patterns of things in the heavens, but not the very image of them; they were patterns of things that were before God, which were not to be materialized.

The tabernacle with its sacrifices was God’s way of displaying Himself, and His way for man’s approach to Himself. Any one drawing near to the tabernacle would see first its court, a space enclosed with curtains hanging from pillars. This was a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits broad. On entering the court by its one gate the first thing approached was the brazen altar. This altar was the place of approach for the people. The burnt offering was the ground of acceptance for a people on earth. The place of approach for the priestly family was the golden altar in the holy (place); but the way into the holiest was not yet made manifest (Heb. 9:8).

Between the brazen altar and the holy (place) stood the laver, at which the priests washed their hands and feet whenever they drew near to minister. The holy (place) contained the table of shewbread on the north, the golden candlestick on the south, and the altar of incense “before the vail” in the center. Here the priests ministered daily, burning sweet incense: type of Christ’s intercession, and of the perfections of His Person and work, not seen here as meeting man’s need, but as for the delight of God, His Father. The lamps were burning “continually,” but apparently only in the night (compare Ex. 30:7-8; Lev. 24:2-3; 2 Chron. 13:11). The light typified the manifestation of God by the Spirit, the seven lamps being figurative of heavenly completeness. Twelve loaves were constantly on the table, typical of Israel in association with Christ before God, and of God’s bounty which will be administered through Israel (twelve loaves) to the earth in the kingdom. The holy (place), or “first tabernacle” refers to the things of Israel. Inside the second veil was the holy of holies, in which was the ark with the cherubim, typical of the throne of God. It figured the approach which Christians now have to the presence of God, because Christ has made a new and living way for them by entering in Himself as their great Priest (Heb. 10:19).

The tabernacle was a rectangle, measuring ten cubits in breadth, and thirty cubits in length, which was divided into ten cubits for the holy of holies and twenty for the holy (place). The sides were formed of boards of acacia wood, ten cubits in height, set by tenons into silver sockets, each board having two sockets. The boards were kept together by horizontal bars throughout, and were all covered with gold. If the whole tabernacle be taken as typical of Christ, then the gold and the wood may point to His divinity and His humanity, or the gold may be taken as typical of divine righteousness. Internally all was gold and embroidered work: the wood was not seen.

The whole was covered with curtains, the innermost being of rich embroidered work of various colors; then curtains of woven goats’ hair; then coverings of rams’ skins and badgers’ skins—typical of entire preservation from outward evil. There were three distinct parts in the entire covering: the tabernacle, the tent, and the covering (Ex. 35:11). The inner curtains, which were of such widths that the junctions of each set did not fall in the same place as the one next to it, formed the tabernacle (mishkan); the set of curtains of goats’ hair were the tent (ohel) of the tabernacle (see TENT); and the rams’ skins and badgers’ skins formed the covering (mikseh). An embroidered hanging formed the door, or the first veil. Exodus 25-27 gives God’s approach to man; Exodus 28-30, man’s approach to God; and Exodus 35-40 the gifts for the tabernacle and its construction.

The tabernacle as a whole may be said to typify—

1. God coming forth in a Man (His own Son) and on the basis of redemption, filling the universe with the light of His glory.

2. The provision made by God for approach to Himself by a redeemed people. Much light is thrown on the tabernacle in the Epistle to the Hebrews, but what is there taught presents often a contrast rather than a comparison to what pertained to the earthly tabernacle.

The tabernacle may also be considered as God’s house, and thus a type of the saints in their present place. The temple was for the ordered and established kingdom. In Revelation 21, after alluding to the kingdom and the eternal state, the Spirit goes back to the thought of the tabernacle.

The tabernacle was carried about during the forty years in the wilderness (see CAMP), and when the Israelites entered the land it was apparently placed first at Gilgal (Josh. 9:6). Afterward it was at Shiloh (Josh. 18:1). While here it was forsaken of God because of the idolatry and wickedness of the people (Psa. 78:60; Jer. 7:12,14; Jer. 26:6, 9). The ark was taken by the Philistines and was not returned to the tabernacle; nor, when David removed the ark, did he restore it to the tabernacle, but placed it on Mount Zion. We next read of the tabernacle as being at Nob (1 Sam. 21:1-6). Afterward it was at Gibeon (1 Chron. 16:39; 1 Chron. 21:29; 2 Chron. 1:3-6). When the temple was built, the tabernacle was brought up, with the ark and the holy vessels. The ark was placed in the most holy place, and the staves drawn out, for it had found its settled rest. The tabernacle gave place to the house, the latter glory of which will yet be greater than ever (2 Chron. 5:4-9; Hag. 2:9).

Amid the coming judgments, we read of “the temple [or shrine, that is, the holy place] of the tabernacle of the testimony” being opened in heaven, and out of the temple proceed the seven angels having the seven vials (Rev. 15:5-6).

The Church—The Body of Christ

The Church as "the house" and as "the body of Christ" began on the day of Pentecost. Acts, chapter 2, records the way in which it took place; and 1 Cor. 12:13, tells us that all were then baptized by ONE SPIRIT into ONE BODY.

This was a "saved remnant" from among the Jews, to which was afterward added the Gentiles in Acts, chapter 10. This was fulfilling the word in John 10:16, which is correctly rendered "one flock," and also the word in chapter 11:52, which speaks of the gathering together "in one" the children of God that were scattered abroad.

Paul received by revelation the wondrous mystery of what had taken place. Christ and we i;re one! (Eph. 3:1-7.)

We may get bad material when the Church is viewed as the house, for man may add that which is not real; but all is good material when it is the body, for it is the Holy Spirit that unites to Christ in glory.

The "one loaf" on the table in the breaking of bread is the precious symbol of this unity formed by the Spirit. (1 Cor. 10:17.) Such an assembly is an "assembly of the saints." (1 Cor. 14:33.)

LORD JESUS! are we one with Thee?

O height! O depth of love!

And crucified and dead with Thee,

Now one in heaven above.

Such was Thy grace, that for our sake

Thou didst from heaven come down;

With us of flesh and blood partake,

And make our guilt Thine own.

Our sins, our guilt, in love divine,
Confessed and borne by Thee;

The gall, the curse, the wrath were Thine,

To set Thy ransomed free.

Ascended now, in glory bright,
Life-giving Head Thou art;

Nor life, nor death, nor depth, nor height,

Thy saints and Thee can part.

And soon shall come that glorious day,

When, seated on Thy throne,

Thou shalt to wondering worlds display

That we with Thee are one.

The Church—The House of God

The word Church means "called out ones."

The first time the Church is mentioned in Scripture is in Matt. 16:18. Here it is the "house of God" with Christ as the builder. (Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:4,5.) The "Rock" upon which it is built is Christ. (1 Cor. 10:4.)

When man builds, he has the warning as to bad material and its consequent judgment. (1 Cor. 3:9-17.)

Peter does not get the keys of the Church, nor of heaven, but of "the kingdom of heaven." Thus Peter uses these keys to open the door of grace in the gospel to the Jews in Acts 2, and to the Gentiles in Acts 10. This, Peter refers to in respect of the Gentiles in Acts 15:7.

To be a "living stone," one must be born again, as Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1:23. In Peter's second epistle, he shows the coming judgment upon those who are in the house; but not having life, they fall into corruption and are judged with the world.

The Christian is exhorted to have Christ as his pattern, as one in the house of God. (1 Tim. 3:15.)

May we be exercised to show the true character of God as His children!

ON CHRIST salvation rests secure;

The Rock of Ages must endure;

Nor can that faith be overthrown

Which rests upon the "Living Stone."

No other hope shall intervene:

To Him we look, on Him we lean:

Other foundations we disown,

And build on Christ, the "Living Stone."

In Him, it is ordained to raise

A temple to Jehovah's praise,

Composed of all the saints, who own

No Savior but the "Living Stone."

View the vast building, see it rise;

The work how great! the plan how wise!

O wondrous fabric! power unknown!

That rears it on the "Living Stone."

But most adore His precious Name;

His glory and His grace proclaim:

For us, condemned, despised, undone,

He gave Himself, the "Living Stone."

THE DAY OF GOD

This expression which is found in 2 Peter 3:12 refers to the eternal state.

In the millennial reign of Christ, "righteousness reigns," but in the eternal state, "righteousness dwells." (See verse 13 of the same chapter.)

1 Cor. 15:28 refers to the eternal state when Christ, as Son of Man, is Head over all things.

Rev. 21:1-8 refers also to the eternal state-the first five verses, the state of the blessed; verses 6 and 7, the call in view of this; and verse 8, the awful state of the unbelieving.

1 John 3:8 tells us for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy ("undo," N. Trans.) the works of the devil. This will be the eternal state when all evil will be done away from the new creation.

The wicked are under the judgment of God-still evil in their nature. In Rev. 2:11, they are unable to enter the new creation of manifested glory. The solemn, awful thought given of the Lord Himself is this: "The wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36.

Paul could find no words to convey the blessedness of coming glory for the believer, but the awful future of the unsaved is very solemn—eternal punishment. (Matt. 25:46.)

HIGH, in the Father's house above,

Our mansion is prepared;

There is the home, the rest we love,

And there our bright reward.

With Him we love, in spotless white,

In glory we shall shine;

His blissful presence our delight,

In love and joy divine.

All taint of sin shall be removed,

All evil done away:

And we shall dwell with God's Beloved

Through God's eternal day.

Tribulation

Besides the application of this term to any time of distress, and its special reference to this dispensation, respecting which it is said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33)—the Lord spoke of a distinct period of distress, such as never had been, or should be again (Matt. 24:21-29). These verses refer to a great tribulation that shall fall upon the Jews in a future day: (compare Jer. 30:7 and Dan. 12:1). In Revelation 7:14 a great multitude is referred to that have come out of the great tribulation, but these are from the nations, hence this tribulation is not the same as that which will fall specially on the Jews, though both may take place at the same time. In Revelation 2:22 a “great tribulation” is spoken of, but it is doubtless general, and not the same as the above.

Trinity

A word only used to convey the thought of a plurality of Persons in the Godhead. This was revealed at the baptism of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit descended “like a dove” and abode upon Him; and God the Father declared “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” That the Father is a distinct Person and is God is plainly stated, as in John 20:17. Many passages prove that the Lord Jesus is God: one will suffice: “in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20). That the Holy Spirit is a Person and is God the following passages clearly prove (Gen. 1:2; Matt. 4:1; John 16:13; Acts 10:19; Acts 13:2,4; Acts 20:28; Rom. 15:30; 1 Cor. 2:10). The three Persons are also named in the formula instituted by Christ in baptism (Matt. 28:19). Yet there is but one God (1 Tim. 2:5). Satan will have an imitation of the Trinity in the Roman beast, the false prophet, and himself (Rev. 13:4,11; Rev. 20:10).

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