We now come to what is perhaps in some respects the most interesting part of our subject.
As in a building—of whatever style—one cannot fail to detect the carrying out of the architect’s plan, whether the roof, windows, or doors, etc., are considered; and as in the human body every anatomist is bound to recognize the working out of a marvelous plan, whether he considers the nerves, the blood vessels, or the bones,—so, after all that has been said about inspiration, the reader would naturally expect that, if the Bible really is all that it claims for itself, it will be found to constitute what a classical scholar would call an organic unity.
Now Cuvier, the greatest of modern comparative anatomists, said that a complete organism is governed by three laws: (1) that each and every part is essential to the whole; (2) that each part is related to, or corresponds to, all the other parts, as in the human body hand corresponds to hand, eye to eye, etc.; and (3) that all the parts of such an organism must be pervaded by the spirit of life.
On these lines the Bible is certainly a complete organism. For on a careful study it is found to contain in itself a well-considered plan throughout, showing that each part belongs to, and contributes towards the beauty and perfection of, the whole—that whole being pervaded in every part by the Spirit of Life (John 6:63; Eph. 6:17) and manifesting in itself such a completeness that there is neither need nor room for any additional part or parts.
The subject, however, is such a large one, that it would need a whole book to itself, if it were to be dealt with at all adequately.
Here, my object is rather to throw out hints and call attention to some of the outstanding features of this wonderful plan, which, to the reverent eye, is traceable everywhere in the Bible, whether we take it as a whole, or compare the Old Testament with the New, or consider the various books separately.
Let us, therefore, look first at some of the more general indications of the plan, which lie scattered as it were all over the sacred volume; then we will take the Old and New Testaments, and finally deal with some of the more important books separately, finding undeniable traces of a divine plan in each.
Generally—The Bible as a Whole
1. The Bible begins (as we should expect it to) with God: “In the beginning God” (Gen. 1:1). Indeed, these few words practically embody the whole theology of the Bible and constitute the key, not only to the Bible, but to all created things.
2. The Bible ends with man—the last of all God’s creations: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all” (Rev. 22:21).
So that God is at one extreme end of the Bible and man is at the other. But the Bible is a message from God to man, and its object is to bring man to God, and so we find that:
3. In the middle verse of the Bible, which is Psalm 118:8, man and God, originally so near (Gen. 1:27), but by sin separated so far apart (Gen. 3:8, 24), are brought together.
This little verse, standing exactly in the middle of our Bible, is in itself a miniature Bible, and contains the germ of nearly all its teaching. In it the golden link of faith which unites man to his Maker (Jer. 17:7 and Heb. 11:6), and by which all the redeemed are known (Gal. 3:7, 9 and Heb. 11:13), is urged as the “better” thing; while “confidence in man,” which is really “confidence in the flesh” and is at the root of all evil (Rom. 8:8), and separates man from God (Jer. 17:5), is spoken of as the thing to be avoided. Here is this middle verse of the Bible: “It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man,”—as if to indicate that the written Word, like the Living Word standing between God and the sinner, stretches out one hand with which to grasp the hand of God, and the other to grasp the hand of man, thus uniting the two. Is there no plan here?
Then, also, we find throughout the Bible the idea of a trinity is very prominent—not only the Holy Trinity, but a trinity of evil also.
Man himself is a trinity—spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess. 5:23). And from the beginning man has ever been assailed by a trinity of evil; viz.—
Around him there is the World.
Within him there is the Flesh.
Beneath him there is the Devil.
Moreover, the flesh within constitutes in itself a trinity:
There is the lust of the flesh}
There is the lust of the eyes} 1 John 2:16.
There is the pride of life}
Now it is perhaps remarkable that it was this last-named trinity which constituted the threefold temptation, both to our first parents in Eden (Gen. 3:6), when they fell and ruined the race, and to Christ in the wilderness, the second Adam (Luke 4:3, 5, 9, to) when He overcame and saved the race; thus:
In Eden Eve saw that—
The tree “was good for food” = lust of the flesh.
“pleasant to the eyes” = lust of the eyes.
“A tree to be desired to make
one wise” ... ... ... ... = pride of life.
In Christ’s temptation in the wilderness we see
the same thing in other words—
“Command this stone that it be
made bread” ... = lust of the flesh.
“The Devil showed unto Him
all the kingdoms of the world”
= eyes
“Cast Thyself down from hence,
for... He shall give His
angels charge over Thee...” = pride of life.
In the first case there was failure because God’s Word was doubted: “Yea, hath God said?” (Gen. 3:1). In the second case there was victory by relying upon and using the Word of God alone: “It is written” (Matt. 4:4, etc.).
On the other hand, however, to oppose this trinity of evil, we have the trinity of good—
Faith}
Hope} 1 Cor. 13:13;
Love}
and in view of the eternal antagonism and ceaseless conflict between these two trinities, which are ever assailing man from opposite directions, it is written: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21).
But the Bible carries us further and shows us that behind these threefold principles there are personalities from whom these principles spring. So we find that the principles of evil can not only be traced to, but are embodied in—
The Devil}
The Beast} Rev. 20:10,
The False prophet}
whose final destruction is foretold; while over against this wicked trinity there is the Holy Trinity, from which all good proceeds—
The Father,
The Son,
The Holy Spirit—
who knows neither beginning of days nor end at life— “God Almighty, who art and wast and art to come” (Rev. 11:17).
And how clearly one sees a design in the way in which the Triune God is revealed in the Bible.
A Jewish Rabbi, after his conversion, showed that the Trinity was actually mentioned in the first two verses of the Bible. He discovered that the original Hebrew of Genesis 1:1 should read, “In the beginning God, Alef and Sof, created the heaven and the earth”; although those words, corresponding to “Alpha and Omega,” one of the chosen names of the Lord Jesus (Rev. 1:8), never appear to have been translated in any English Bible. But here in this first verse we have mention of God the Father and God the Son, and in Genesis 1:2 we read of the Spirit of God.
I am aware that our English rendering of Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord,” on which the Unitarian so confidently relies, seems to make the doctrine of the Holy Trinity an impossible one. But, if the Hebrew original of this verse could be perfectly reproduced in English, it would be seen to contain the clearest and strongest proof of that doctrine to be found anywhere in the Bible. The word translated “our God” is “Elohenu,” from “Elohim” which is the plural of “Eloah” (just as cherubim and seraphim are plural words). Elohim is actually rendered “gods” in Genesis 3:5, “Ye shall be as (Elohim) gods.” But Elohenu having the suffix of the first-person possessive plural attached to it, means our Gods. So that the literal translation is: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our Gods the Lord is one.” But in addition to this, and to the significant fact that God’s name is mentioned three times in the verse—thereby implying the Trinity—the Hebrew word used here for “one” is never employed except in connection with a collective body. It is echad, which means a compound unity, and would be used in such an expression as “one cluster of grapes” or “all the people arose as one man.” The Hebrew word for “one,” which means an absolute unity, is yacheed, and would be used in such an expression as only one; but this word is NEVER once used to express the unity of the Godhead!
While, however, we see the Holy Trinity thus mentioned specifically at the very beginning of the Bible, and afterward referred to generally throughout the Scriptures, the three persons of the Trinity were nevertheless only progressively revealed in all their fullness to man; thus:
In the Old Testament we have the revelation of God the Father—this takes away our infidelity.
In the Gospels we have the revelation of God the Son—this takes away our sin.
In the Acts of the Apostles we have the revelation of God the Holy Ghost—this takes away our hardness of heart.
While in the Epistles we have the full revelation of the whole Trinity, in words perhaps more familiar than any others to all professing Christians—viz. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost” (2 Cor. 13:14).
And in this connection it is very instructive to note that the three principal Jewish feasts, when all the males were to present themselves before the Lord, set forth the same glorious Trinity; viz.—
The Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:34) seems undoubtedly to be associated with God the Father, who, while the children of Israel were dwelling in tents in the wilderness, Himself also dwelt in a tent among them, saying, “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them” (Ex. 25:8)—but a faint foretaste of that more blessed time, when it shall once more be said, “Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell among them” (Rev. 21:3). This Feast of Tabernacles took place on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, Tisri = our September.
The Feast of Passover (Ex. 12:17; Lev. 23:5). —This took place in the first month, Nizam or Abib = March-April, its chief feature being redemption by blood. This is manifestly associated with God the Son; for it is written, we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:19). It was on the occasion of this feast that Christ was crucified. “Behold the Lamb of God” (John 1:36).
The Feast of Pentecost.—Pentecost is derived from the Greek and means “fiftieth.” It is called by the Hebrews the feast of weeks (Ex. 34:22), because it was observed seven weeks or fifty days after the Passover. There can be no question that this represents God the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:1, etc.). It is said that the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost came in tongues of fire upon the early Church, not only fell on the Feast of Pentecost according to time, but also corresponded exactly with the day on which “the Lord came down (in fire) in sight of all the people on Mount Sinai” (Ex. 19:11).
How full of significance, too, it is that these three Jewish feasts, which thus so beautifully set forth the Holy Trinity, should be so closely associated in the inspired word with the faithfulness of Jehovah.
“Thrice in the year shall all your men-children appear before the Lord God” (Ex. 34:23).
How fraught with danger from a human point of view such a procedure was may be imagined when it is remembered that the Israelites were surrounded by enemies, who were constantly seeking to invade their territory. And if all the males were to leave their homes unprotected at regular fixed periods, it would quickly become known, and the enemy would rush in in their absence and take possession of their lands, and then what would become of the poor defenseless women and children?
But with the command God gave them a promise, “Neither shall any man desire thy land when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year” (Ex. 34:24). And Professor Bush in his Notes upon Exodus says: the united testimony of the Jews today is that never during feast times, throughout the nine hundred years between Moses and the captivity, when the feasts were held as appointed, did an enemy appear even once! No man desired their land!
Thus the faithfulness of the Triune God is set forth under the figure of these feasts, to inspire confidence in the most trembling heart.
But perhaps the most wonderful part of this is the order in which these three feasts were to be kept—not, it should be observed, in the order in which I have just given them, but thus—
I. The Passover when all things were to be made new as it were (Ex. 12:2; 2 Cor. 5:17) = Christ;
II. The Feast of Pentecost = The Holy Spirit;
III. The Feast of Tabernacles = God the Father—exactly corresponding with the order, as given in that wonderful threefold parable, Luke 15, where the Godhead is set forth:
1. Under the figure of a Shepherd = Christ (John 10:11).
2. Under the figure of a Woman (with a lighted candle = fire) = The Holy Spirit.
3. Under the figure of a Father = God the Father.
And if one may reverently say so, is not this just the order in which we get to know God—Christ, being the Door (John 10:9), says, “Come unto Me” (Matt. 11:28), for “No man cometh unto the Father but by Me” (John 14:6). But although the Door has stood open for two thousand years, only those enter on whom the Woman’s candle shines—or, in other words, those who are convicted by the Spirit of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8)—are ever led to God.
It may also be that there is a reference to the Trinity in the “gate,” the “door,” and the “veil” of the tabernacle of Moses; and possibly also in threefold priestly blessing (Num. 6:24, 26).
Again, how full of significance are the first and last references to gold!
We first read of gold in Genesis 2:11 and 12, but the different ways in which its value has been estimated in all time are strikingly exemplified in the last reference to it found in the Bible. Thus, in the description of Babylon—type of the world—we find, in the inventory given in Revelation 18:12 and 13, gold comes first and souls of men last.
Whereas, in the description of the New Jerusalem—emblem of the true Church of God—the first thing mentioned is “the glory of God” (Rev. 21:11), while gold was underneath their feet in “the street of the city” (Rev. 21:21), and even there it was as transparent glass.
Again, the Book, like the Living Word, covers all time, “yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8), and may therefore be divided under three great heads; viz.—
1. Its history, which looks back, and carries us into the otherwise unknown past (Prov. 8:22, 30) and records the lives of good and bad men with equal fidelity—the good, not that we should canonize and worship them, but that we should be encouraged to follow them (Heb. 6:12); the bad, not that we should proudly think ourselves better than they (Rom. 2:3), but that we should be warned by their example (Jude 7) and seek to avoid their sins (1 Cor. 10:6). This is God’s “yesterday.”
2. Its spiritual and moral teaching, which glistens on every page, appealing to us in every conceivable way in history, prophecy, biography, precept, and song. “O that [men] were wise, that they would understand this, that they would consider their latter end!” (Deut. 32:29). This is God’s “today.”
3. Its prophecy, which looks on into the otherwise unknown future (Isa. 46:10), throwing the only sure light (2 Peter 1:19) upon that time when the balances of justice shall be held in the hand of Him who knows the secrets of all hearts (1 Cor. 4:5); when every wrong will be righted, every inequality adjusted, every mystery explained; when that which is good will be more than amply rewarded and sin will be punished and forever done away (Matt. 13:40, 43). This is God’s “forever.”
The method, too, of God’s dealings with man is also defined:
From Adam to the flood we get the history of the human race—God dealing with man as man. Here we see man under conscience.
From the flood onwards, throughout the Old Testament, we get the history, not of the human race, but of the chosen race—Israel, through Noah, Abraham, David, etc.—God dealing with His own peculiar people, the nations of the earth only being referred to in so far as they bear upon, and affect, that chosen race. Here we see man under law.
In the New Testament we get the history, not of the human race, nor of the chosen race, the Jew, but of the Church of God—God dealing with His people in Christ. Here we see man under grace.
Again:
There was one law given to sinless man in Eden—broken.
There were ten laws given to sinful man at Sinai—broken.
There was the whole law given to the Perfect Man in Canaan—kept.
The Ten Commandments, although never in any sense abrogated, were, however, afterward condensed into two—viz. love to God and love to man (Matt. 22:37-40); while these two were themselves again reduced to one, the original number— “for all the law is fulfilled in one word... thou shalt love” (Gal. 5:14). “Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom. 13:10).
This is “that good part” (Luke 10:42). This is the “more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31). The root cause of Adam’s failure was imperfect love. The secret of Christ’s success was His perfect love.
It is worthy of note that, if the Bible be divided into two equal parts, the Psalms will be found to be exactly in the center, with this interesting result—viz. that those books which precede and those which follow that central book are principally occupied with God’s voice to man, while in the Psalms we have man’s voice crying out to God.
May we not here learn that God’s call to man—albeit that call thunders with the law, as in the early part of the Old Testament—demands a response. And when that response is made—as in the Psalms—the ear and heart are prepared for further messages, and again the Almighty speaks as in the gospels and epistles, but now grace predominates.
This naturally leads us into the second part of our subject—viz. the discovery of a definite plan in comparing—
The Old and New Testaments
The Old Testament begins with GOD— “In the beginning God” (Gen. 1:1).
The New Testament begins with CHRIST— “The book of the generations of Jesus Christ” (Matt. 1:1).
The reader will also have noticed that while the Old Testament contains much of grace in it, it nevertheless deals chiefly with law, and so we find it ends with the word “curse” (Mal. 4:6); for man had broken the law, of which the Old Testament speaks, and it was written, “Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them” (Deut. 27:26).
On the other hand, the New Testament, while by no means excluding law (Rom. 3:31), deals chiefly with grace, and so ends, not with a curse, but a blessing! “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen” (Rev. 22:21).
And so we read that, in the Old Testament, “the law was given by Moses”; in the New Testament “grace... came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
And in perfect keeping with this we find one of the first miracles wrought by Moses was that of turning the water into blood (Ex. 7:19)—type of death—while the first miracle performed by Christ was that of turning water into wine (John 2:1-11)—representing joy and strength.
Again, the first question in the Old Testament contains a call from God to man, “Where are thou?” (Gen. 3:9), while the first question in the New Testament contains man’s cry for God in Christ, “Where is He?” (Matt. 2:2).
Is there no design here? Is there no teaching in these things? Should we not ask ourselves whether we are under the law that worketh wrath (Rom. 4:15), or under grace that bringeth salvation (Titus 1:11)?
At the same time, we must not for a moment fall into the error of looking upon the Old and New Testaments as if they were two separate and opposing books. They are not. They merely give two aspects of the mind and purpose of the unchanging God. Both enshrine the Savior, each revealing our blessed Lord from its own particular point of view. Hence:
In the Old Testament we see Christ.
In the New Testament we see Jesus.}
In the Old Testament we see a just God} Isaiah 14:21
In the New Testament we see a Savior}
Both are the good and perfect gifts which have come down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17).
Of the Old and New Testaments it has been truly said,
The New is in the Old contained,
While the Old is by the New explained:
or —
The New is in the Old concealed,
While the Old is by the New revealed:
or again, The New is enfolded in the Old, while the Old is unfolded by the New; or, yet again, The Old is the solid and firm foundation of God’s unchangeable law of righteousness, on which the New with all its beauty and grace is built.
God’s Plan in the Books of the Bible
We can only here select, as specimens, a few of the principal books, calling brief attention to the divine plan discernible in each.
I. Genesis.—This is the Book of the Beginnings, and so, after we are told that in the beginning of everything was God (chap. 1:1), we read of—
The beginning of creation, Genesis 1:2;
The beginning of man, Genesis 1:26;
The beginning of sin, Genesis 3:1;
The beginning of redemption, Genesis 3:15;
The beginning of Jew, Genesis 12:1.
But as in some other parts, the true beauty of God’s plan in His Book is hidden from view in our translation; here it is particularly so owing to the arrangement of chapters, etc. In our English Bible Genesis has fifty chapters, while the construction of the book demands that there should be only eleven chapters.
They are, however, easily discerned by any English reader as they all, after the first chapter, begin in the same way—viz. “These are the generations of.” Moreover, they reveal a line of descendants from Adam which, after many generations, culminated in the Messiah.
The following table will show these eleven natural chapters and their leading characters:
Chapters in Authorized Version
“In the beginning God”—general account of creation
The generation of the heavens and the earth, including the appearance of man—and sin.
The generation of Adam—Seth being chosen in the Messiah’s line (chap. 5:7).
The generation of Noah—Shem being chosen in the Messiah’s line (chap. 11:10).
The generation of the sons of Noah.
The generation of Tera—Abram being chosen in the Messiah’s line (chap. 12:1). This chapter is unusually long owing to the important position its chief subject, Abraham, was to occupy.
The generation of Ishmael.
The generation of Isaac—Jacob being chosen in the Messiah’s line (chap. 25:23). This chapter is again unusually long owing to the importance of its chief subject, Jacob.
The generation of Jacob—Joseph being chosen as the type of the Messiah.
But here a striking feature of Bible principle is presented. From among the descendants of Jacob we should have expected, in the natural course of things, that Reuben, the firstborn, “the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power” (Gen. 49:3), would have been selected as the prominent character and as the one chosen for the Messianic line; or, failing him, the story of Judah should have filled the remaining pages. He was actually in the Messiah’s line, “for it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah” (Heb. 7:14). But for some reason or other both Reuben and Judah are rejected as representatives of the Messiah, and Joseph is chosen, he becoming the prominent character throughout the rest of the book.
Now if we ask, why? a careful study of the whole subject will be found to reveal this striking fact— viz. each of these three men was at different times tempted with exactly the same sin, with the following results:
Reuben yielded, and lay with his father’s concubine (Gen. 35:22).
Judah yielded, and sinned in like manner with his daughter-in-law (Gen. 38:16).
While, on the other hand, Joseph steadfastly “refused” the continual overtures of Potiphar’s wife saying, “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:8 and 9).
Is not the explanation to be found here? Moreover, have we not here an instance of that which the skeptics so often complain of—viz. the plain and faithful record in the Bible of some immoral act without any apparent condemnation or comment of any kind immediately attached to it? I say apparent, because every sin is condemned in the Bible (Prov. 14:34). And, indeed, the link between any particular sin and its specific condemnation has only to be searched for; and, as in this case, it will be generally found somewhere in some form or another. And so we see that Reuben’s sin, though apparently passed over at the time, actually disqualified him for a position in the Messianic genealogy (Gen. 49:4).
Judah, also, though in the Messianic line, was disqualified by his sin from filling that prominent place in Bible history as representative of the Messiah, which he doubtless would otherwise have occupied.
While Joseph, resisting a similar sin, and choosing “the blessedness of the man that endureth temptation” (James 1:12), became the chosen man to represent the Messiah. And so the story of Joseph—and not Reuben, nor Judah—fills the remaining chapters of Genesis.
And in a somewhat remarkable passage in 1 Chronicles 5:1-2 The Holy Spirit, hundreds of years afterward, called special attention to these solemn facts thus; viz.—
“Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.
“For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s).”
Truly “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him” (2 Chron. 16:9).
But now, to proceed, it will be instructive to notice two special features of this book of Genesis which are full of solemn warning.
1. While all these true chapters commence in a similar way, the third chapter (Gen. 5:1) is slightly different, and commences thus: “This is the book of the generations of Adam.” Now there is only one other place in the whole Bible where this expression occurs—viz. Matthew 1:1, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ.”
The first of these (Gen. 5:1) is the Sinners’ Book, containing the names of every member of the family of the first man, who is of the earth, earthy (1 Cor. 15:47), the children of the flesh (Rom. 9:8). The second (Matt. 1:1) is the Savior’s Book, “the Book of Life” (Phil. 4:3), containing the names of those who are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26).
In one of these two books the name of every man, woman, and child stands. By nature we are children of Adam, and as a result “children of wrath,” because “children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2 and 3), and it is written, “In Adam all die” (1 Cor. 15:22; Eph. 2:1). Hence the tremendous import of the Savior’s words, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7) —that is, in order to escape the consequences of sin attaching to every member of the Adamic race, it is necessary to become a member, by the new birth, of a totally different family, of which the second Adam—pure and free from sin—is the Head, and concerning whom it is said, “In Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22).
And it is this second book which is referred to in such solemn language concerning the city of God, “There shall in no wise enter into it any ... but they which are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Rev. 21:27); and again, “Whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15).
2. There is a very marked difference in the records in Genesis of those who are in the direct line of the Messiah and those who are not.
The descendants of those who are not in the line of the Messiah are in every case given first:
Cain’s (chap. 4:17) come before Seth’s (chap. 5:6).
Japheth’s (chap. 10:2) and Ham’s (chap. 10:6) come before Shem’s (chap. 11:10).
Ishmael’s (ch. 25:12) come before Isaac’s (chap. 25:19).
Esau’s (chap. 36:1) come before Jacob’s (chap. 37:2).
Now this at first sight may seem strange, but is it not in perfect keeping with what we find throughout the Bible? “That was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual” (1 Cor. 15:46); and so those whose names appear first are the children of the flesh, and represent the “men of the world who have their portion in this life” (Psa. 17:14); while those who are in the line of Christ, and whose names are mentioned last, represent those who confess that they are “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11:13) and can afford to wait, for they “desire a better country that is an heavenly” (Heb. 11:16). So the prosperous worldly man is not to be envied nor the poor suffering saint despised.
Then, again, in the case of those whose names are mentioned first no ages or other particulars are given, while in the case of those who are in the line of the Messiah ages are always given. This can be seen at once by comparing the account of the descendants of Japheth (Gen. 10:2-5) and of Ham (Gen. 10:6-20) with that of Shem (Gen. 11:10-26). How significant this is! Those who represent the men of the world have simply their names given, nothing more; while a most painstaking record is preserved of the ages of all those who represented the family of faith.
A somewhat similar instance of the same truth is found in the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. The rich man, who represents the worldling, living for self and shutting out God, has no name given to him, but is merely “a certain rich man”; while to the poor beggar, representing the humble Christian, the significant name “Lazarus”— “God is my help”—is given by Him whose eye is ever on the Book of Life! Hence the unscripturalness of speaking of this as the parable of “Dives” and Lazarus.
II. Exodus—Moses and Joshua—One instance alone will suffice here. Moses, although one of the grandest characters in the Bible, was yet not able to bring the people into the promised land. Why? Because it would have completely upset the plan and teaching of the Bible had he done so. He represented the law. And the law never saved any one yet, nor can it (Rom. 3:22). But Joshua, whose very name meant “savior,” appeared, and as a type of Christ did “what the law could not do” (Rom. 8:3), and led the people into the promised land.
III. Esther—In this book it has often been remarked that the name of God is not mentioned; and for this reason it has been suggested by some that the book does not properly belong to the canon of Scripture.
But supposing this to be so—and certainly the English reader will search in vain for that Holy Name—is not this very fact a testimony to its inspiration? Had its selection been left to mere men it would probably not have found a place in the canon, being the only book of all the Scriptures to omit God’s name.
The truth is that, in the days in which that book was written, God’s people were in such a godless condition that the Almighty would not allow His name to be publicly associated with them in the book inspired by His Spirit to form a permanent part of the sacred records; thus solemnly confirming the awful words, “If ye forsake Him He will forsake you” (2 Chron. 15:2).
But, and here is the wonderful part of it, it is not correct to say the name of God is not to be found in the book of Esther. It is there (as Dr. Bullinger has so beautifully shown) four times over—not easily discerned, it is true, but in an acrostic form in the Hebrew.
The Hebrew word Jehovah originally consisted of the four consonants—JHVH (that is, no vowels were used at all in Hebrew); and it is this name, JeHoVaH, which lies hidden in this book, thus:
First, in the initial letters of four Hebrew words in Esther 1:20, read forwards—that is, from right to left, thus: H—V—H—J—.
Second, in the initial letters of four Hebrew words in Esther 5:4, read backwards—that is, from left to right, thus: J—H—V—H—.
Third, in the final letters of four Hebrew words in Esther 5:13, read forwards—that is, from right to left, thus: —H—V—H—J.
Fourth, in the final letters of four Hebrew words in Esther 7:7, read backwards—that is, from left to right, thus: —J—H—V—H.
In each of these cases JHVH may be spelled.
How wonderfully this is in keeping with the whole teaching of the Bible—viz. that while God does seem to withdraw Himself from His people who forsake Him (2 Chron. 24:20), nevertheless, He never absolutely and finally leaves His redeemed (Rom. 11:2), although owing to their unfaithfulness He may so hide His face that outwardly He cannot be traced! Hence David’s pathetic cry, “Hide Thy face from my sins,” but “Cast me not away from Thy presence” (Psa. 51:9-11).
IV. Psalms—This book of one hundred and fifty psalms is really divided into five distinct books, which, like the eleven true chapters in Genesis, can easily be discerned by the English reader, as they all end with the word “Amen,” except the last, which closes with the word “Hallelujah,” thus:
Book I. comprises Psalms 1-41, and ends with “Amen and Amen.”
Book II. comprises Psalms 42-72, and ends with “Amen and Amen.”
Book III. comprises Psalms 73-89, and ends with “Amen and Amen.”
Book IV. comprises Psalms 90-106, and ends with, “Let all the people say Amen.”
Book V. comprises Psalms 107-150, and ends with the grandest “Hallelujah Chorus” ever put into human lips.
But the beautiful and harmonious plan of the Bible is seen in the fact that these five books of Psalms correspond in a very wonderful way with the five books of the Pentateuch, thus:
The first book answers to Genesis—the Book of the Beginning, see Psalm 8
The second book answers to Exodus—the Book of Redemption and Passover, see Psalm 51
The third book answers to Leviticus—the Book of the Sanctuary or Atonement, see Psalm 84
The fourth book answers to Numbers—the Book of the Wilderness or Sojourn, see Psalm 90
The fifth book answers to Deuteronomy—the Book of the Word or Obedience, see Psalm 119
V. Isaiah.—Here, again, we can easily trace distinct evidences of design. Isaiah prophesied a little over l00 B.C., and therefore stands just midway between Moses, who gave the law about 1500 B.C., and Christ, who kept the law for us.
Isaiah’s prophecy divides itself naturally into three parts, each part beginning with a solemn call and ending with a solemn warning, thus:
First part, Isaiah 1:1 to Isaiah 48:22, commencing, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth” (Isa. 1:2); ending, “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.”
Second part, Isaiah 49:1 to Isaiah 57:21 Commencing, “Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken, ye people from afar”; ending, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.”
Third part, Isaiah 58:1 to Isaiah 66:24, commencing, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice”; ending, “Their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched,” etc.
It will be noticed how that the first and second parts commence with an earnest call for men to “hear” and “listen” to God’s voice; neither of which calls being regarded, the third part begins with instructions to the prophet to cry louder still, in the hope of awakening a sleeping world before its doom was sealed.
And, in this connection, the closing words of each part are full of interest and instruction. In Parts 1 and 2, those who will neither “hear” nor “listen” are warned that for them “there is no peace”; while at the close of the third part the final doom of all who resist this threefold call is revealed with awful faithfulness.
But this is not all. If we take the middle (or second) section of this prophecy, which stands, as we have seen, midway between Moses and Christ, we shall find the middle chapter of that middle section is the fifty-third, and in the very center of that fifty-third chapter stand the words which constitute the central truth of the whole Bible—viz. “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter” (ver. 7).
Oh, how beautiful is such a plan, thus to bring into prominence the substitutionary work of Christ on behalf of those who so long refused to listen to God’s repeated calls, and thereby incurred for themselves the doom recorded at the close of each section of the prophecy.
In very deed “all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6).
VI. Daniel—One point only in connection with the book of Daniel may be mentioned.
Symbolic visions of the great Gentile powers of the earth, which were to come into successive existence and then pass away during the present dispensation—called in Scripture “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24)—were granted both to Nebuchadnezzar, King of the first great Gentile power of the dispensation (Dan. 2:38), and to Daniel, the servant of the Living God (Dan. 7).
But the symbol revealed to Nebuchadnezzar was that of the magnificent image of a great man (Dan. 2:31); while to Daniel it consisted of four dreadful and ravenous beasts (Dan. 7:3-7).
Now all students of prophecy agree that both these visions refer to one and the same thing. Why then are the visions so different from each other? The history of the ages, and the whole trend of Bible teaching, furnish a ready answer. To the man of the world—as Nebuchadnezzar was—worldly power and worldly glory are very attractive and greatly admired; hence, to such an one these great world-powers appeared as the colossal figure of a handsome man, “whose brightness was excellent” (Dan. 2:31). While to the spiritual mind of the man of God, who knew the true character of those worldly powers in all their godlessness, they appeared as nothing better than devouring beasts.
The solemn lesson here taught is, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:15-17).
VII. The New Testament—Now, turning to the New Testament, we find the same thing—system, plan, design everywhere. Look at the gospels.
We have already considered this subject in part, under the head of “Inspiration,” but we must not altogether pass over it here.
Matthew wrote for the Jews, and set forth Christ as King; hence his oft-repeated expression, “the Kingdom of Heaven.” Here God says to us, “Behold thy King” (Matt. 21:5).
Mark wrote for the Romans, and sets forth Christ as the true Servant and Son of God. Here God says to us, “Behold My servant” (Isa. 42:1).
Luke wrote for the Greek, and sets forth Christ as Son of Man. Here God says to us, “Behold the Man” (John 19:5).
John bears explicit testimony to the Deity of Christ, and shows Him as one with the Father. Here God says to us, “Behold your God” (Isa. 40:9).
As we have already seen, it is this very fact that each gospel has its own particular design, and sets forth its own special view of Christ, which accounts for those differences in the records which so many stumble over; but which really constitute in themselves the most marvelous proofs of divine inspiration and plan. And until this wonderful design of the Holy Spirit is seen, much of the beauty of the gospels will be entirely missed.
But, more than this, each of these gospels, setting forth a particular aspect of Christ, finds its counterpart in the living creatures mentioned in Ezekiel 1:10 and Revelation 4:7, which we are told had the face of a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle, thus:
The King in Matthew corresponds to the Lion, the king of beasts— “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Rev. 5:5).
The Servant in Mark corresponds to the Ox, the emblem of patient service (Deut. 25:4).
The Man in Luke corresponds to the Man’s face, implying sympathy (Heb. 2:14-18).
“The Father’s Son” in John corresponds to the Eagle, which soars right up towards the blazing sun, un-dazzled by its splendor (Isa. 40:31).
Then, again, there is distinct progress of teaching throughout these gospels; for instance:
Matthew closes with the Resurrection (Matt. 28).
Mark closes with the Ascension (Mark 16:19).
Luke closes with the promise of the Spirit.
John closes with Christ breathing the Spirit upon His disciples (John 20:22), and speaking of His second coming (21:22).
Further, in these gospels there are just thirty-five parables and thirty-five miracles.
What a wonderful plan, also, there is seen in the epistles:
Paul’s chief theme is faith—which only God can see.
James’ chief theme is works—evidence before man of the faith which he cannot see.
Peter’s chief theme is hope—the natural outcome of faith and works.
John’s chief theme is love—without which faith and works are nothing, and hope cannot live.
Jude’s chief theme is the growth of ungodliness—which wrecks faith, destroys good works, blights hope, and makes love grow cold.
While the Revelation tells us that the God who has written all these great things to us (Hos. 8:12) will shortly make up His account with man (Rev. 22:12).
But the plan of the Bible is further seen in comparing the beginning of the Book with its end, especially when it is remembered that the first writer—Moses—wrote his part nearly sixteen hundred years before the last writer—John—wrote his part; while the intermediate writers represented almost every grade of society, from kings and scholars to herdsmen and fishermen, many of them having no possible connection of any kind with the others
Here are a few instances:
God created the heavens and the earth.
New heavens and new and the earth.
Satan cast out that he may deceive the nations no more.
Man leaves God to run the race alone.
Christ leaves God to save man.
Sin, pain, sorrow, death.
No more death, neither sorrow nor crying.
Tree of life—man driven away.
Tree of life—with right to eat of it.
First Adam failed and lost all.
Last Adam, “He shall not fail.”
First man attempts to clothe himself.
Woman taken from man’s open side.
Another side opened— the Church formed.
Marriage of a sinless man to a sinless wife.
The marriage of the Lamb.
Earth destroyed by water.
Earth to be destroyed by fire.
Many tongues causing confusion.
Many tongues bringing blessing.
Father of mercies, in Thy word
What endless glory shines,
Forever be Thy name adored
For these celestial lines.
It would, however, be impossible to close this chapter on the plan of the Bible without definitely calling attention to its central subject, Christ.
The reader will, no doubt, have noticed this to some extent as a result of his own personal study; while some of the preceding remarks will be seen to point in the same direction.
A profligate girl once left her widowed mother, and, for many months wandering the streets of her city, lived a life of shame. The lonely mother’s heart was almost broken, and after every possible inquiry had failed to trace her daughter’s whereabouts, she decided, as a last resort, to hang a copy of her own photograph in the night shelters of the neighborhood. After a time it so happened, in the providence of God, that the wretched girl entered one of these shelters, and, looking up, saw the photograph of her own mother. The sight at once touched her heart, and she said to herself: “Oh! that is the face that bent over my cradle when I was a baby; those are the lips that have so often been tenderly pressed against these unworthy cheeks: those are the eyes that have so often been wet with tears on account of my waywardness. My mother must love me and want me home again, or she would never hang her likeness there!”
The Bible is God’s portrait-album, and although it contains the portraits of many saints and sinners, there may be found on every page a portrait of Himself. But as “no man hath seen God at any time” (John 1:18), for no man can see God’s face and live (Ex. 33:20), “the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him” (John 1:18). So that what we really see, as we open our Bible, is, “the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6), “who is the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15), “being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person” (Heb. 1:3), and who has graciously assured us that “He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9).
As the planets revolve round the sun, so the truths of the Bible may be said to revolve round the person of the Lord Jesus; and as there is a road in every village and town in England which leads to London, so in every part of the sacred Book there may be found that which will lead the seeking heart to Christ—even as the fiery pillar led the chosen race to the promised land, or as the fiery star led the Magi to the promised Seed of the Woman.
As it was said of the Temple, so it may be said with equal truth concerning this Book, “Every whit of it uttereth His glory” (Psa. 29:9, margin).
And herein lay the solemn import of Christ’s words to the Jews, as recorded in John 5:39-40 which are not a command to “search the Scriptures,” as the Authorized Version reads—the Jews were great searchers of the Scriptures—but a declaration that although they did search the Scriptures, so impenetrable was the veil that was upon their hearts (2 Cor. 3:14) they had altogether missed its central subject—viz.: “the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). These important verses are well translated in the Revised Version, thus: “Ye search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life [and so far they were right] and these are they which bear witness of Me. And [yet] ye will not come to Me that ye might have life.”
Alas, we say, for the blindness of the Jews; alas, also, for the blindness of many Gentiles too, for nothing is more conspicuous in the Bible—even the Old Testament—than the presence of the Lord Jesus; and yet, how often we read the Scriptures as if they had taken away our Lord from its midst! Oh! how one envies Cleopas and his friend—probably his wife (John 19:25)—as, during that memorable walk to Emmaus, they must have had such a vision of Christ in the Scriptures as probably few had before or since (Luke 24:32), when, “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). To the mind that is taught by the Holy Spirit it matters not where the Bible is opened—Christ will be seen everywhere. He is set forth in prophecy and in type of almost every kind. It was this profound truth that Peter laid such stress on in his address in the house of Cornelius, when he said, “To Him give all the prophets witness” (Acts 10:43).
There are altogether about one thousand prophecies in the Bible—about eight hundred in the Old and about two hundred in the New. Of those in the Old no less than three hundred and thirty-three center in the person of Christ!
The Old Testament reveals Christ the Messiah; the New Testament reveals Jesus the Savior. So that, if we study the Old Testament in the light of the New—that is, if we look at the Old Testament through the New—we see Jesus Christ; while if we look at the New Testament through the Old we see Christ Jesus.
He is the Seed of the Woman (Gal. 4:4), implying the virgin birth (Isa. 7:14), to bruise the serpent’s head (Gen, 3:15).
He is the Seed of Abraham, in whom all nations are to be blessed (Gen. 22:18).
He is the Seed of David, to reign as King forever and ever (John 7:42; Rev. 11:15).
We read of three Arks in the Bible, each being a figure of Christ:
1. Noah’s ark, in which were preserved the elect family.
2. The ark of bulrushes, in which was preserved an elect child—Moses.
3. The Ark of the Covenant, which contained the law, type of Him who said, “Thy law is within My heart” (Psa. 40:8).
Then we read of two rocks which gave forth water in the wilderness, both of which speak of Christ (1 Cor. 10:4).
The first rock (the original of which implies a low-lying “bedrock”), which was smitten by divine command (Ex. 17:6), sets forth Christ in His humiliation, “stricken, smitten of God” (Isa. 53:4).
The second rock (the original of which is a different word and implies a high and lofty rock), was to be spoken to—not smitten (Num. 20:8). This sets forth Christ exalted as our High Priest, to whom we have now only to speak in prayer. And herein lay the sin of Moses in smiting this rock, the sin which is committed by the Roman Catholic priest every time he offers up the sacrifice of the mass. “For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:26).
Again, Moses led the people from Egypt by opening a way through the Red Sea.
Joshua led the people to Canaan by opening a way through the Jordan.
Christ leads us both out of Egypt and into Canaan by going through the waters of death for us.
Hence the significance of the words, “He brought us out... that He might bring us in” (Deut. 6:23), But it took Moses and Joshua to set forth this aspect of Christ’s redemptive work.
In like manner, the combined offices of Moses and Aaron set forth certain aspects of our Lord’s character and work. Hence, in Hebrews 3:1, we are enjoined to “consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession Christ Jesus.” Now an apostle is one who speaks from God to the people—this was Moses. A high priest is one who speaks from the people to God—this was Aaron. But Christ is both.
Moreover, the tabernacle of Moses—a most absorbing study—was a type of Christ (Heb. 10:20), the four coverings of which set forth four different aspects of our blessed Lord.
1. The badger’s thin covering (Ex. 26:14), the outer one of all, unadorned and unattractive, represents what Christ is to the unrenewed heart. To such “He hath no form nor comeliness... no beauty that they should desire Him,” and so “He is despised and rejected” (Isa. 53:2 and 3).
2. “The rams’ skins dyed red” covering (Ex. 26:14), the one immediately under the badger skin—that which was first seen after the badger’s skin covering was removed. Made probably of the skins of animals slain in sacrifice (Gen. 22:13) and dyed in their own blood. When the eyes of a sinner are opened, the first thing he sees is this ram’s skin dyed red, which speaks of the Cross and “the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanseth... from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
3. The goats’ hair covering (Ex. 26:7) was the third. It was pure white. This reminds us of the two goats of Leviticus 16:7, one of which was slain, and the other sent away “by the hand of a fit man” (ver. 21), bearing “upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited” (ver. 22). Here we get the blessed consequences of a faith-look at the rams’ skins dyed red—viz, sin put away “as far as the east is from the west” (Psa. 103:12), to be remembered no more (Heb. 8:12).
4. The beautiful curtain (Ex. 26:1), of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet, was the innermost covering of all; it was only seen by the priests “within the veil.” The cherubim worked upon it speak of heaven, while the fine linen and purple speak of kingly wealth (Luke 16:19 and John 19:2). Here is Christ in glory—within the veil—King of kings and Lord of lords. But as in this veil the scarlet of His blood is seen, so throughout eternity the song of the ransomed, as they gaze on His glory and beauty, will be “unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. To Him be glory. Amen” (Rev. 1:5 and 6).
Again, the Temple of Solomon was a type of Christ in His millennial reign, of which we cannot now speak.
Many of the leading characters in the Bible were also types of Christ. Thus:
Adam, as head of the race (1 Cor. 15:22); yet whose side had to be opened before he could have a bride (John 19:34).
Noah, whose family was saved from the flood on account of his own personal righteousness (Gen. 7:1).
Melchisedec, in his abiding priesthood (Heb. 7:3).
Isaac, who was laid upon the altar as his father’s “only son” (Gen. 22:2 and John 3:16).
Joseph, despised, associated in his suffering with two others (butler and baker)—one of whom was saved, the other lost—finally exalted, and blessing his brethren and the nation.
Moses, the man who preached the first “Sermon on the Mount” (Sinai), the meek leader of the people feeding the hungry (Ex. 16:15) and willing to be “blotted out” that his people might be forgiven and spared (Ex. 32:32).
Aaron, bearing the names of the people on his heart of love (Ex. 28:29) and shoulders of strength (Ex. 28:12) and presenting the blood of the substitute before God in the Holiest (Heb. 9:7).
Joshua, another form of the word “Jesus” = Savior.
David, hated, yet afterward exalted.
Solomon, king of peace.
Jonah, Matthew 12:40, and many others.
The “coats of skin” with which the Lord God covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:21) speak of Christ (Rev. 3:18).
The four great offerings of which we read in Leviticus, and to which reference is so often made in the Epistle to the Hebrews, give a fourfold view of our great Substitute, and correspond with the four gospels in the New Testament; viz.—
The sin and trespass offerings, which were burned without the camp, show what Christ is to man. “Made ... sin for us” (2 Cor. 5:21), meeting the “sin” of our nature and the “trespass” of our deeds.
The peace offering—Here the offerer partook of a portion of the sacrifice. Peace and communion are indicated: “He is our peace” (Eph. 2:14); “Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).
The meat offering—This consisted of fine flour, frankincense, oil, and salt. It represents Christ’s ever-fragrant, rich, earthly life. “Leaving us an example that ye should follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
The burnt offering sets forth Christ’s perfect consecration to God. In it we hear Him saying, “Lo! I come to do Thy will, O God” (Heb. 10:9); “The zeal of Thine House hath eaten Me up” (John 2:17). This offering is called “the bread of their God” (Lev. 21:8, 17, 21, 22), and represents what Christ is to God, and God’s delight in His Son. As the Father looked down from Heaven upon this whole Burnt Offering He said, “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17).
Indeed, every offering and sacrifice, of which the Old Testament is full, points to the same blessed Person, and this from every conceivable point of view. Thus:
In Genesis we have the sacrifice for the individual—Isaac (Gen. 22:13).
In Exodus we have the sacrifice for the household—the Passover (Ex. 12:3).
In Leviticus we have the sacrifice for the nation (Lev. 4:13-15).
In John we have the sacrifice for the world (John 3:16).
Indeed, to the eye of faith, over every offering and sacrifice instituted under the Mosaic law may be seen the words of John the Baptist, “Behold the Lamb of God” (John 1:36).
It was, moreover, this blessed truth of the presence of Christ throughout the whole of the Old Testament Scriptures that Stephen, filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 7:38), sought to impress upon his hearers in his last address prior to his martyrdom—when speaking of Christ, he used these remarkable words “This is He that was in the congregation in the wilderness, with the angel that spake to [Moses] in the Mount Sinai, and with the fathers.”
But the subject is too vast, it is the essence of all Bible truth. It is, moreover, so sacred that it needs more reverent hands than mine to write about it. May God give us eyes to see that face on every page! and may the sight be so sanctified to us that, as with open face we behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, we may be changed into the same image (2 Cor. 3:18)!
Of the Bible it has been truly said:
It is the chart and compass
That o’er life’s surging sea,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands
Still guides, O Christ, to Thee!