In the February issue we called attention to the way in which Satan deluded men by introducing the worship of many gods (polytheism), and that when God called Abraham and his seed to witness against this evil, Satan was ready with the lie that there were two gods-one of light and the other of darkness. God then spoke through Isaiah the prophet against the devil's falsehood of dualism. Israel's distinct testimony for God, in so far as there was faithfulness, was that Jehovah alone was God -Jehovah being the name by which He had revealed Himself in covenant relationship with Israel.
When we come to the New Testament we find a further revelation of God, for there we find that there are three distinct Persons in the one Godhead-God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The word "Trinity" has been used to express this blessed truth. That each One of the Persons of the Godhead is God is definitely affirmed in the Scriptures: "My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God," speaks of the Father as God (John 20:1717Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17)). "This is the true God, and eternal life" is conclusive evidence that the Son is God (1 John 5:2020And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)). Many verses speak of the distinctness of the Person of the Holy Spirit and of His deity. In Acts 5 Peter charged Ananias with lying to the Holy Spirit in verse 3, and then in verse 4 says, "thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." Of whom but God could it be said that He (the Holy Spirit) divides to every man severally as He will (1 Cor. 12:1111But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (1 Corinthians 12:11))?
While there are intimations in the Old Testament that there are three Persons in the Godhead, it was not really disclosed until the baptism of the Lord Jesus-the Son-in the Jordan River. At that time the heavens were opened on that fair Object on earth, and the Father spoke to the Son, saying, "Thou art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him (Mark 1:10, 1110And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Mark 1:10‑11); Matt. 3:1616And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: (Matthew 3:16); Luke 3:2222And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. (Luke 3:22)).
Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works," John 14:1010Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (John 14:10)), and the Son said that He cast out demons "by the Spirit of God" (Matt. 12:2828But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. (Matthew 12:28)). And from the moment that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Son as man (Luke 3:2222And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. (Luke 3:22)) He remained with Him, and all that the Son did was in the power of the Spirit (see Luke 4:11And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, (Luke 4:1) and 14). All of the Persons of the Godhead were actively engaged in the mission of the Son on this earth. What a wonder! what manifold grace! that the Godhead should be concerned in reaching down to poor fallen creatures.
Even the parables bear witness to the unity of purpose and operation of the Godhead in the salvation of the lost. In Luke 15 the shepherd represents the Son going after the lost ones, the woman pictures the Spirit of God sweeping, stirring up, and bringing in light into dead souls, and the father beautifully depicts the Father joyfully welcoming home the lost ones.
This same joint action is seen in connection with the work of the atonement, for the Father sent the Son to be the Savior (1 John 4:10, 1410Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)
14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14)), and Heb. 10 tells us of the will of God, and the work of Christ (the Son), and the testimony of the Holy Spirit (vv. 10, 15). Oh, marvel of marvels, that we should be the objects of such thoughts, counsels, purposes, and work!
We find the Godhead also acting in connection with the resurrection of the Son. It is said that He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father (Rom. 6:44Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)), and that the Son laid down His life and took it again (John 10:17, 1817Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:17‑18)), and that He was "declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection" (Rom. 1:44And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: (Romans 1:4)),
Then after the resurrection the Lord Jesus gave instructions regarding baptism saying that it was to be done "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Matt. 28:1919Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (Matthew 28:19).
When the Son ascended as the glorified Man to God's right hand He received from the Father (Acts 2:3333Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. (Acts 2:33)) the Holy Spirit, and sent Him into the world (John 16:77Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7)) to convict the world "of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (v. 8), and to baptize the believers into one body (1 Cor. 12:1313For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)), and to dwell in them individually (1 Cor. 6:1919What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)) and collectively (1 Cor. 3:1616Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)).
Nor is that all; for we now have access through Him (the Son) by one Spirit unto the Father (Eph. 2:1818For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (Ephesians 2:18)). Scriptures might be multiplied showing the unity of purpose and action of the Godhead in the work of grace.
This revelation of the Trinity was obstinately refused by the Jews, although the Old Testament, which they professed to believe and honor, intimated it; for instance, the very first verse of Genesis 1 was an enigma until this light shone upon it. "In the beginning God created" as written in the Hebrew language has a plural noun (Elohim) combined with a singular verb (created). The inference very plainly is that Elohim includes the different Persons of the Godhead, and the singular verb indicates their acting as one in creation. (We should note, however, that when the creation is attributed to any one Person of the Godhead in particular it is to the Son [Col. 1:1616For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16); Heb. 1:22Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:2)]). The same thing is also seen in connection with the creation of man. In Gen. 1:2626And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26) we read, "And God [Elohim] said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."
The day is coming soon when Satan will have another counterfeit with which to oppose the Trinity of the Godhead. He will himself head up a trinity of evil. He will give his power to the coming head of the revived Roman Empire (called in Scripture "the beast"), and together they will work with the apostate head of Israel in the land of Palestine (the false prophet that speaks lies) in a last desperate attempt to frustrate God's purposes concerning His King in Zion.
In one sense the false prophet is called the antichrist, but in another sense the whole wicked triumvirate will be anti (or, against) Christ-Christ in His threefold character of prophet, priest, and king. The head of the Jewish state will be "anti-prophet," for he will speak lies and perform lying wonders; the head of the Roman confederacy will be anti-king, for he will be the ruler who will exercise great power and defy God and His Christ; and the devil himself is anti-priest, for he is the accuser of the brethren, and at that time he will throw his power into the fight against the remnant who fear God.
But all the power and wit of man and devil shall not avail, for Christ will come at the appointed hour and cast the beast and false prophet into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:2020And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)), and the devil will be cast into the bottomless pit for one thousand years, after which he will also be cast into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet will still be (Rev. 20:11And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (Revelation 20:1).3, 10). All the might of the darkness of this world must give way before Him when He comes to make His enemies His footstool (Psalm 110:11<<A Psalm of David.>> The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalm 110:1)), and He must reign until He shall have put all enemies under His feet (1 Cor. 15:2525For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. (1 Corinthians 15:25)). And to think, He will associate us who believe on Him in the day of His rejection with Himself in that day when He shall rule the nations with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:99Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalm 2:9); Rev. 2:2727And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (Revelation 2:27))!
"Lord, haste that day of cloudless ray-
That prospect bright, unfailing;
Where God shall shine in light divine,
In glory never fading."