THROUGH hindering circumstances the Bible Study was prevented from appearing last month. Hence we are only able to give a brief suggestion of the order in which those names whose meanings are given in Scripture are grouped:
1. Eve, Cain, Seth, Noah, Peleg. — These names seem to give in their meanings the principles which begin to work through man’s fall. Both man’s will and God’s grace and government are seen.
2. Abraham, Sarah, Ishmael, Isaac, Esau, Edom, Jacob. — In the meanings of these we find God’s calling, God’s promise, and God’s election, in contrast with the natural heirs according to the flesh.
3. The Sons of Jacob, from the first-born according to the flesh, Reuben, to the one who was separated from his brethren, Joseph — he obtains the birthright (1 Chron. 5:22For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's:) (1 Chronicles 5:2)). — In their names we have the whole history of God’s ways with man. (See Gen. 49)
4. Moses, Eliezer, Gershom, Joshua. — These four names bring out Christ in suffering and glory as the accomplisher of God’s purposes of grace.
5. Mara, Ichabod, Jabez, Beriah, in contrast with Jerubbaal, Samuel, Jedidiah, Solomon. — Here we get four names expressing the failure and ruin of those whom God had put in the place of blessing and privilege, and four names showing God’s way of coming in to establish the blessing in Christ.
6. Prophetic Names, Emmanuel, Jezreel, Jehovasidkenu, Shear-jashub, Maher shalal hashbaz, Lo1 ruhamah, Lo-ammi. — These names come in after all is ruined, pointing, first, to Jesus, ever the object of God’s thoughts, the One whom He had in reserve after all was ruined, and, second, to the state of Israel under judgment: They show that “the spirit of prophecy is the witness of Jesus.”
7. “The Name which is above every Name.” — Thus we find that these names whose meanings are given in Scripture serve as divine finger-posts pointing us on to the one name of Jesus, in whom God has fully revealed Himself.
The Lord gives names to three of His disciples, viz., Boanerges to James and John, and Cephas or Peter to Simon; also the Holy Ghost records the meanings of two names in the Acts — Barnabas and Elymas.
The record closes with Melchizedek, Christ’s name of millennial blessing.
We have not given meanings and references for the sake of space, but those who traced these out in the precious months will be able to follow for themselves the outline suggested.
The Passover. — Many have sent in papers on this subject, and all seem to have found refreshment and food for their souls from it. We cannot do more than give a brief outline of the order of the passovers recorded as kept in the Old Testament.
I. The Passover in Egypt (Ex. 12). — This is God’s beginning. He dates everything from this passover. The only way by which God could deliver His people was judgment. But if God comes in to execute His judgment, what claim have the Israelites to escape, any more than the Egyptians? God’s way of escape brings out the true state of everything. When He comes in there is no difference between Israelite and Egyptian.
But the blood of the lamb makes a difference which God recognizes. In this first passover the central thing is, “When I see the blood.” The man who believes God and puts the blood on his door owns that he is a sinner before God. God sees the blood, telling of judgment already executed, the blood of One who perfectly satisfies His heart, and who has perfectly glorified Him on the cross. When God sees the blood He passes over. The foundation for redemption must be laid in righteousness, then God is free to act in power on behalf of the very people who deserved nothing but judgment.
So the believer starts on his journey with the question of judgment settled forever. He feeds peacefully upon the Lamb, under the shelter of the blood, knowing that God is perfectly satisfied with the precious blood of Christ. The believer does not rest upon his own value of the blood of Christ, but upon God’s value of that infinitely precious blood. The lamb is roast with fire, and eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. Christ, the object of God’s unmingled and unsparing judgment, becomes the food of the believer. In Christ, judged and made sin for me, I learn God’s judgment of sin in me, and I cannot feed my heart with Christ without practically learning the hatefulness of sin. Thus true self-judgment is produced, not by occupation with self, but with Christ.
But the lessons of this wonderful scene are endless. May God make them good in our, hearts.
2. The Passover in the Wilderness (Num. 9). — This brings in the provision of grace for those who were unclean or on a journey. They were to hold the passover with all its rites on the fourteenth day of the second month. Here the value God attaches to the passover is very strongly presented (Num. 9:1515And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. (Numbers 9:15)) — a needed lesson for the wilderness.
3. The Passover in Gilgal (Josh. 5). — Not until Gilgal is reached is “the reproach of Egypt” rolled away. Here the redeemed people reach the full position that God had ever in His thoughts for them. Jordan crossed, twelve new stones set up in Gilgal in the place of the twelve old stones left forever in the bottom of the river, the reproach of Egypt rolled away — these things mark a people truly heavenly in character, and the passover introduces them to the warfare by which they must take possession of their inheritance.
Hence in these three passovers we find that they are God’s starting-point from which He reckons His ways with His own. The first is the starting-point of redemption by power from the world and its prince. The second is the starting-point of the true wilderness journey (from Sinai) of failure, and experience of God’s unfailing grace. The third is the starting-point of the warfare in the heavenlies to take possession of the inheritance. A wonderful lesson!
The other three are historical and, while affording most interesting lessons, must be passed over briefly.
4. The Passover under Hezekiah (2 Chron. 30). — This was a remnant passover, and was held on the fourteenth of the second month. It is connected with a gospel testimony (2 Chron. 30:6-96So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see. 8Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. 9For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. (2 Chronicles 30:6‑9)).
6. The Passover under Ezra (Ezra 6:19-2219And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month. 20For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. 21And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat, 22And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. (Ezra 6:19‑22)). — This passover closes the account of the return of the first band of exiles, who had “separated themselves from the filthiness of the nations” (Ezra 6:2121And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat, (Ezra 6:21)). It follows the building of the altar, and dedication of the house. It is a separation passover.
Hence the last three, instead of being starting-points, seem to be closing-points.
7. The Fulfillment of the Passover (Matt. 26:22Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. (Matthew 26:2)). — It is only one of the many striking proofs of the one purpose running through Scripture, and of the one mind seen in it all, that these six passovers recorded by different authors, and all testifying of Christ, should close with the final seventh passover, “when the Son of man is delivered to be crucified.” Matthew, the Gospel which specially gathers up the threads of Old Testament witness to Christ, mentions no other passover but this.
Subject for July. — Now that we have begun Exodus, the book of Redemption, so full of precious types of Christ, it would be profitable to go through it, taking up the various types.
The subject for July will be (D.V.) The Passage of the Red Sea — references to it in the Old Testament, and its meaning in the light of the New Testament.
Many thanks are due for suggestions sent in. One or two correspondents have sent neither name nor number, so that we have no means of answering their questions.
B. S. ED.