In Chapter 1 we saw that the evidence for the existence of a Supreme Being is overwhelming. A person must close his eyes, stop his ears, and refuse to receive evidence in order to deny the existence of a supreme and intelligent Being who is the source of all things. Our conviction that he exists and that He is controlling all things, and directing them toward a great consummation stimulates in us a desire to know more of Him and of His will and plans.<\/p>\n
As true scientists therefore let us look into the Scriptures to see what they teach relative to this God in who we live, move, and have our continual being. We shall take the scriptural statements at their face value, since they are the authoritative word of the living God. When all the evidence proving the inspiration and infallibility of the Scriptures is marshaled before the honest truth seeker, he comes to the conviction that these writings are absolutely and inerrantly inspired and that they express the will of God for mankind. With this attitude toward the Scriptures, let us examine them carefully to see what they say relative to God and His nature. We shall attempt to discover the facts and then, if possible, to understand them. Though we may not be able to harmonize and comprehend the full significance of any given statement, we shall accept everything that the Word of God says and await further light on any seeming contradiction or difficult passages. We want facts and facts alone. Then we shall later seek the interpretation.<\/p>\n
The Scriptures contain sixty-six books and are known as the Old Testament and the New Testament<\/em>. Sometimes these books are called the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Scriptures. It will be first in order for us to investigate the teaching of the Hebrew Scriptures and follow that by an investigation of the New Testament.<\/p>\n As has been suggested before, everything in the universe points to a unified command of all things. Nevertheless there is evidence in the Scriptures that there is:<\/p>\n The word \u201cplurality\u201d simply means more than one. The term \u201cpersonalities\u201d does not exactly <\/em>convey the idea which one receives from an investigation of the Scriptures. There is in the English language no word which gives the precise idea of the biblical teaching on this point. Since, however, personality approximates the scriptural usage, I shall employ it in this connection. In order to show that the Bible teaches the plurality of divine personalities in the Godhead, I wish to call attention to seven groups of facts.<\/p>\n The English word which is translated \u201cGod\u201d in the Hebrew Scriptures in the majority of cases is \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd<\/strong> Elohim<\/em>. This term is in the plural number, as everyone who knows Hebrew admits. Moses and the prophets in referring to idols \u2014 in the plural \u2014 invariably used this same form. Since it connoted a plurality of idols, it certainly indicates a plurality of the divine personalities subsisting in the one divine essence when applied to the true God. This word Elohim <\/em>occurs thirty-two times in Genesis, chapter 1.<\/p>\n Frequently, however, Moses and the prophets used \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc <\/strong>El, <\/em>in referring to the Divine Being, which is in the singular number and means only one. Occasionally they used \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05d5\u05b9\u05d4\u05b7\u05bc<\/strong> Eloah.<\/em> Beyond controversy this also is the singular number. If the Divine Being were simply a single personality, the sacred writers could have used either of these words in the singular to convey that idea. In Joshua 22:22 however appear both the singular and plural forms, which combination amounts to an affirmation regarding the unity of the divine personalities constituting the one God: \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4<\/strong>, \u201cGod, Gods, Jehovah, God, Gods, Jehovah …\u201d (literal translation).<\/p>\n The Hebrew, like the Greek, anciently had a dual number which signified two. In the early stages of the language this form figured more prominently than in later Hebrew. Usually this form of the noun was employed when a pair of objects was mentioned. When, for instance, a Hebrew wished to speak of a person’s hands, he put the noun in the dual number. The same thing was true with reference to eyes and feet. By the use of this form the writer indicated that there were but two. If there had been only two personalities in the Divine Being and the prophets had wished to emphasize that fact, they could have put the word for God in the dual number. But not one time did they resort to any such method. On the contrary, as we have already seen, they used a word for God in the singular and another in the plural number, which facts show that there were at least three personalities constituting the Divine Being. The noun in the singular number doubtless stressed the unity of God, whereas the one in the plural laid emphasis upon the plurality of the Almighty. In the original the plural word for God is used with a verb in the plural number in Genesis 20:13 and 35:7. Evidently since the Scriptures are infallibly inspired, there was a very definite reason why the noun for God, Elohim<\/em>, is used here with a plural verb. These are some facts that we must consider in our attempt to find the scriptural truth with reference to the nature of the Eternal God.<\/p>\n In Genesis, chapters 18 and 19, we read the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah together with the cities of the plain. Suddenly three men appeared to Abraham as he was sitting in his tent during the heat of the day. He received them with oriental hospitality, considering the visitors as mere men. It turned out however that they were celestial personalities, two being angels and the third the Angel of Jehovah, <\/em>who conversed with him and before whom he stood. This one is called in several places the Angel of Jehovah, but in Genesis 19:27 He is called Jehovah himself. These facts show that this one was a divine personality. In Genesis 19:23-28 we read of this Jehovah, before whom Abraham stood, and His raining \u201cupon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of Heaven\u201d (Genesis 19:24). I ask the reader to note the fact that there was one Jehovah who was upon earth and another Jehovah who was in heaven and from whom the Jehovah upon earth caused fire and brimstone to rain down upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. When the record is allowed to give its message untrammeled, we see that there are two divine personalities who are called Jehovah in this instance.<\/p>\n There is a unique revelation found in Psalm 45. In it are four portraits of King Messiah. The first is presented in verse 2. Here we see Him as a messenger proclaiming grace and truth to the people, He is \u201cfairer than the children of men.\u201d The psalmist speaks to Him as if He were visibly standing before him \u2014 in His very presence. In verses 3-5 He appears as a warrior. The psalmist addresses Him and pleads for Him to go into battle and champion the cause of the downtrodden, righteous ones who are meek and are holding to the truth. In verses 6-8 however he appears sitting upon His throne and wielding a scepter of righteousness over the earth. Continuing his mode of speech, the psalmist addresses Him in the following manner: \u201cThy throne, O God, is for ever and ever … Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity: Therefore, O God, thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows\u201d (literal translation). The translation which I herewith offer is demanded by the facts of the context and is in perfect keeping with the syntax of the Hebrew. The psalmist therefore addressing King Messiah speaks to Him as God and refers to His God, the God of Messiah, who has anointed Him with the oil of gladness above His fellows. In this passage there are two separate, distinct personalities called God. From this conclusion there can be no escape.<\/p>\n Again, we see two divine personalities called \u201cJehovah of hosts.\u201d For instance, we hear Zechariah shout, \u201cHo Zion, escape, thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. For, behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall be a spoil to those that served them; and ye shall know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me\u201d (Zechariah 2:7-9). I ask the reader to note that the speaker in these verses is Jehovah of hosts. According to verses 8 and 9 this Jehovah has been sent unto those nations that plundered Israel. According to verse 9 He (this same Jehovah) declares that the Hebrew people shall know that Jehovah of hosts hath \u201csent me.\u201d Obviously there are two divine personalities who are called Jehovah of hosts. One of these sends the other. The latter, according to verse 10, will reign in the midst of Zion. This vision will be fulfilled in the glorious Kingdom Age in the future. From these and other passages which might be brought forth, it is clear that there are two divine personalities who are designated as Jehovah of hosts.<\/p>\n We read the account of Abraham’s taking Hagar, his Egyptian handmaid, to wife (Genesis chapter 16). Jealousy arose on the part of Sarah against Hagar. Abraham, instructed by Jehovah, therefore at Sarah’s suggestion sent her away. She wandered in the wilderness and finally sat by a fountain on the road to Shur, Egypt. The Angel of Jehovah found her and conversed with her. This heavenly visitor is called the Angel of Jehovah in verses 7,9,10 and 11. In verse 13 the sacred writer calls this Angel of Jehovah \u201cthe name of Jehovah that spake unto her.\u201d Hagar, recognizing who He was, spoke of Him as \u201cThou art a God that seeth …\u201d There is therefore a divine being who is called the Angel of Jehovah.<\/p>\n This same person we see in Genesis, chapter 22. In this chapter Abraham, in obedience to the divine command, went to Mount Moriah to offer his son Isaac on the altar as a sacrifice to God. Having bound him upon the wood of the altar, Abraham, with his hand raised, was ready to slay his son as an offering to God. In that crucial moment the Angel of Jehovah stopped him (vss. 11,12). After that Abraham called this place \u201cJehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of Jehovah it shall be provided.\u201d This Angel of Jehovah called Abraham the second time and made the statement:<\/p>\n By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah because thou has done this thing, As we have already seen in the discussion regarding the passage in Genesis, chapter 19, the Angel of Jehovah is none other than Jehovah himself. This Angel who spoke to Abraham at the time of his sacrificing Isaac is therefore none other than Jehovah, who appeared to Abraham.<\/p>\n In Genesis, chapter 31, we read an account of Jacob’s leaving his father-in-law, Laban. To his wives Jacob explained how their father had deceived him and had endeavored to cheat him and how God, notwithstanding Laban’s evil, had blessed him. In speaking of this condition he declared:<\/p>\n And the angel of God said unto me in the dream, Jacob … I am the God of Beth-el, This passage informs us that the Angel of God claimed that He was the God of Bethel who had appeared to Jacob twenty years prior to that time. This statement is an evident reference to the events recorded in Genesis 28:10-17. A glance at the passage shows that the one thus appearing to Jacob was none other than Jehovah. Nevertheless Jacob called Him, in his conversation with his wives, \u201cthe angel of God\u201d who was \u201cthe God of Beth-el.\u201d From these chapters we see that there was a divine being who actually did appear to Jacob and who is called the Angel of God.<\/p>\n Once again we see this same Angel of Jehovah appearing on earth, this time to Moses, at the burning bush (Exodus chapter 3). When the great lawgiver saw that unusual sight \u2014 the bush burning but not being consumed \u2014 he turned aside to discover the real cause of this strange phenomenon. According to verse 4, „… when Jehovah saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush …“ From this account we see that the Angel of Jehovah appeared in the burning bush. By Moses He is called Jehovah, and also God. From this passage we see that the Angel of Jehovah is a divine being.<\/p>\n Another theophany is described in Judges, chapter 6. To Gideon, who was threshing his wheat, this Angel appeared and declared that Jehovah was with him. From the reading of the context we see that the Angel of Jehovah appeared in the form of a man. This position is evident from the fact that He spoke to Gideon in his own language and had a staff in His hand (Judges 6:11-24). It was hard for Gideon to see that Jehovah was with Israel, in view of the fact that she was suffering under the servitude of the Midianites. This heavenly visitor is called the Angel of Jehovah in verses 11 and 12. To His statement Gideon replied, \u201cOh, my Lord, if Jehovah is with us why then is all this befallen us?\u201d The sacred writer tells us in verse 14 that \u201cJehovah looked upon him, and said, Go …\u201d It is evident that this angel is called Jehovah himself. Gideon made an offering to Him. After the Angel of Jehovah accepted his sacrifice, He departed out of his sight. Then Gideon prayed to the Lord Jehovah and said, \u201cAlas, O Lord Jehovah! forasmuch as I have seen the angel of Jehovah face to face\u201d (vs. 22). It is quite evident that there are two divine personalities appearing in this story \u2014 the one called the Angel of Jehovah and also designated Jehovah and the Jehovah to whom Gideon addressed his prayer after the departure of the Angel of Jehovah.<\/p>\n I wish to call attention to one other theophany, which is found in Judges, chapter 13. To the wife of Manoah \u201cthe angel of Jehovah appeared\u201d and foretold that she would be the glad mother of a son who was to be a Nazarite and should be brought up as such. The woman reported to her husband, saying, \u201cA man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of the angel of God, very terrible; and I asked him not whence he was neither told he me his name …\u201d (Judges 13:6). Then Manoah prayed to Jehovah, asking that He send \u201cthe man of God\u201d again who would give them further instructions regarding the care of the future child. In answer to this petition God hearkened, and \u201cthe angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field … And the woman … ran, and told her husband … And Manoah arose, and went … and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am. And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass: what shall be the ordering of the child, and how<\/em> shall we do unto him? (vss. 9-12). Manoah, still thinking that his visitor was simply a man of God (a prophet), wished to extend to him the hospitality current in the East \u2014 to honor his guest with a banquet. The angel declined but declared, \u201c… if thou wilt make ready a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto Jehovah. For Manoah knew not that he was the angel of Jehovah\u201d (vs. 16). It is clear that Manoah was instructed by this \u201cangel of Jehovah\u201d to make the offering to Jehovah in heaven. Manoah continued his conversation by asking the visitor his name in order that he might extend some honor to him when the prediction which he had made came to pass. From these facts it is clear that Manoah wished to show his appreciation by making some material gift to the supposed man of God. In reply the angel asked Manoah why he inquired concerning His name, \u201cseeing it is wonderful [marvelous].\u201d When Manoah made the offering to Jehovah, the angel \u201cdid wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar that the angel of Jehovah ascended in the flame of the altar… and they fell on their faces to the ground\u201d (vss. 19,20). Then \u201cManoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.\u201d<\/p>\n From the description we see that this angelic Being who is called the Angel of Jehovah appeared to Manoah’s wife and made a certain revelation to her concerning her future son. She thought that He was simply a prophet, a man of God. When He appeared to her the second time, He is called \u201cthe angel of God,\u201d but Manoah and his wife still thought that he was an ordinary man and wished to do honor to Him as they would do to any other persons of like character. The stranger insisted that they should make an offering to Jehovah in heaven instead of giving him some material substance. This thing they did but expressed their desire to show their appreciation to Him when their son should be born. When the offering was made to Jehovah, this Angel acted in an extra-ordinary manner and then disappeared in the flame of the altar, returning to heaven. Manoah and his wife recognized then that this one was not an ordinary man but that He was the Angel of Jehovah, the Angel of God \u2014 God Himself. The facts in this case show that there are two divine personalities recognized as God.<\/p>\n In several places of the Scriptures we read of \u201cthe word of Jehovah.\u201d The accounts justify ones concluding that this Word has personality. For instance, in Psalm 107:20 we read of Jehovah’s sending \u201chis word, and healeth them\u201d \u2014 those who are afflicted by a stroke of judgment because of sin. This language seems to imply personality and the receiving of a commission from God to do a special type of work. We see a like situation in Psalm 147:15: \u201cHe sendeth out his commandment upon the earth; His word runneth very swiftly.\u201d Once more, in Psalm 33:6 we read: \u201cBy the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.\u201d Here creative activity is attributed to \u201cthe word of Jehovah.\u201c Personality seems again to be attributed to \u201cthe word of Jehovah\u201d in such passages as Isaiah 55:10,11: \u201c… and it [the word] shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.\u201d Thus personality and divine characteristics seem to be attributed to this one who is called \u201cthe word of Jehovah.\u201d<\/p>\n In Genesis 1:1 we read of the creation of the heavens and the earth. But in verse 2 we learn of the world’s being reduced to a state of desolation and waste. Following this catastrophe, the Spirit of God brooded upon the face of the waters. Personality is here attributed to the Spirit. From the context we see that this one is set over against God who does other specific work and gives such orders. Again we see the Spirit of God in Ezekiel, chapters 1 and 2. When the Lord commanded the prophet to stand upon his feet, \u201cthe Spirit entered into me when he spake unto me …\u201d (Ezekiel 2:1,2). Again, we see the Spirit of God and His delivering the words of God to Israel through the prophets (Zechariah 7:12).<\/p>\n Thus far in our investigation we have noted some passages in which there appeared two divine personalities. In this section we wish to examine four passages which give clear evidence that there are three such personalities. In Psalm 33:5,6, we have this language: \u201cHe loveth righteousness and justice: The earth is full of the loving kindness of Jehovah. By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.\u201d In verse 5 the pronoun \u201cHe\u201d has as its antecedent Jehovah in the preceding verse. In verse 6 we read of \u201cthe word of Jehovah\u201d who made the heavens. Next, in the latter half of this verse we see that the heavens were adorned by the breath, or spirit, of His mouth. We therefore have in this passage Jehovah, the Word, and the Spirit. The early synagogue recognized this \u201cword of Jehovah\u201d as the Memra<\/em> of Jehovah and personalized it. In this matter those taking this position were correct.<\/p>\n Another most interesting passage is found in Isaiah 48:12-16. The speaker in this section declared, \u201cI am the first, I also am the last. Yea, my hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spread out the heavens: when I call unto them they stand up together.\u201d No one other than the Creator would make such statements as these. Nevertheless, in the last clause of verse 16 in this quotation, He declared, \u201c… and now the Lord Jehovah hath sent me, and his Spirit.\u201d The message the Lord has for us in this statement is that the one who is here called \u201cthe Lord Jehovah\u201d has sent the Creator of the universe and also the Spirit. Unmistakably then, there are three divine personalities mentioned in this passage.<\/p>\n Another scripture in which three divine personalities appear is Isaiah 63:8-10. In verse 8 we see Jehovah, whose people Israel is. In verse 9 we read of \u201cthe angel of his presence\u201d who saved them. This is none other than the Angel of Jehovah (Jehovah himself) who delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage. The third divine personality is mentioned in verse 10: \u201cBut they rebelled, and grieved his holy Spirit.\u201d Without question there are three personalities of the Divine Being appearing in these verses. There are other scriptures in which we see the three personalities of the Godhead, but these are sufficient for our investigation of this point.<\/p>\n When Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph he said, \u201cthe God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who hath fed me all my life long unto this day, the angel who hath redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads…\u201d (Genesis 48:15,16). Jacob is very specific and mentions three divine personalities. Especially does one come to this conclusion when he realizes that this is a natural expression of the consciousness of Jacob and studies it in the light of other passages which we have already noted.<\/p>\n Not without significance is the triple blessing of the priests found in Numbers 6:24-26:<\/p>\n Jehovah bless thee, and keep thee: Again we see a similar situation in Isaiah 6:3, where we read that the seraphim cry one to another, saying, \u201cHoly, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.\u201d Especially is this significant when we realize that the prophet was asked by the Almighty this question, \u201c… and who will go for us?\u201d<\/p>\n In the few cases which have been examined, we see echoes, of three distinct divine personalities. Those throwing out the suggestions did so in a normal, natural way. These references are to be considered simply as incidental, made by those who recognize the existence of three divine personalities. These facts argue most powerfully for the existence of the Trinity since they were the natural expression of those who knew God and who thus spoke.<\/p>\n In the preceding discussion of this chapter we have noticed expressions and data which lead to the irresistible conclusion that there are three divine personalities constituting the Supreme Being. Let us not hastily jump at the conclusion that there are three separate and distinct Gods, for such is untrue. The biblical writers laid emphasis upon the unity of the Divine Being. To their testimony let us now turn.<\/p>\n As has been noted, the word rendered \u201cGod\u201d in Genesis, chapter 1, is \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd<\/strong> Elohim<\/em> and literally means \u201cGods.\u201d Though this is a plural noun and is to be understood at its face value, we are to remember that it is, contrary to grammatical rules of the Hebrew grammar, used with a verb in the singular number. This unusual phenomenon is not accidental; for as we have already seen, there are two instances where the facts of the context require that it be used with a plural verb. What is the reason for the use of this plural noun referring to the Divine Being with the verb in the singular number? There can be but one true explanation which is that, while emphasizing the distinct personalities of the Godhead, the ancient writers were anxious to refute polytheism and to assert the unity and the oneness of these divine personalities. Thus this peculiar grammatical usage is an affirmation of both the unity and plurality of the Divine Being.<\/p>\n The one passage which might properly be called Israel’s \u201cGreat Confession\u201d is Deuteronomy 6:4: :\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05de\u05b7\u05e2 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c2\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b6\u05d7\u05b8\u05d3<\/strong> The literal translation of this sentence is: \u201cHear, O Israel, Jehovah [the Eternal One] our Gods is Jehovah a unity.\u201d The sacred name which I have rendered Jehovah or \u201cthe Eternal One\u201d does not, etymologically, mean \u201cthe Eternal One,\u201d according to some experts. There are those scholars who trace this sacred name of God \u2014 the Tetragrammaton \u2014 back to the root word which means \u201cto become\u201d or \u201cto be.\u201d It is supposed to be in the third person, singular number, Hiphil <\/em>conjugation, masculine gender and means literally, \u201cHe causes to become or to come into existence.\u201d If this explanation is correct, the fundamental idea lying behind it is that the God of Israel whom Moses presented to the Hebrews was and is the one who called all creation into existence. If this is the meaning of the word Jehovah, it is evident that the Lord is thought of fundamentally as the self existing Eternal One \u2014 the \u201cUncaused Cause of all things.\u201d<\/p>\n Others believe that the word was derived from the third person masculine gender, singular number of the same word but in the Qal <\/em>conjugation. If this is its derivation, it may mean \u201cthe Existing One, the Eternal One, or the Self-Existing One.\u201d A third explanation has been given, deriving it from three forms of the verb \u201cto be\u201d: namely, the perfect, the imperfect and the participle. Those accepting this position say that the first letter of \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4<\/strong> is the first letter of the imperfect, third person, masculine gender of the root form; the second letter of this name is the first letter of the participle, and its third and fourth letters are the last two of the perfect form of this verb. From these supposed facts those taking this position claim that this sacred name means \u201cthe one who was, and who is, and who will be.\u201d They see therefore in this combination a declaration of God’s eternal existence.<\/p>\n We cannot be dogmatic in regard to the derivation of this word, but we may be certain that it connotes the idea of God’s eternal existence and His creative, directing power of the universe.<\/p>\n Moses declared to Israel that this Self-Existing Creator, who is Israel’s God, constitutes a unity. The word rendered in the ordinary translation \u201cour God\u201d is in the plural number (in the construct state of the plural number with the proper suffix) and literally means \u201cour Gods.\u201d Thus Moses is very careful to use the proper form which indicates a plurality of divine personalities, but at the some time he insists that they are a unity. The word rendered \u201cone\u201d in the Common Version literally means \u201cunity.\u201d In Genesis 2:24 God says that a man should leave his mother and father and cleave to his wife, and that they shall become \u201cone flesh.\u201d Here are two separate, distinct individuals. Yet at the same time they are one<\/em> \u05d0\u05b6\u05d7\u05b8\u05d3<\/strong> in another sense. Or, speaking in such a way as to combine the two ideas, one would say that they became a unity \u2014 \u05d0\u05b6\u05d7\u05b8\u05d3<\/strong>. (For a full discussion of this point see my volume: (The Eternal God Revealing Himself to suffering Israel and to Lost Humanity.<\/em>)<\/p>\n According to Ezekiel 20:7 the Hebrews were idolaters, at least part of the time, when they were in the land of Egypt. At the Exodus Moses pleaded with his brethren to forsake these false gods and turn with their whole hearts to the one true and living God. Nominally, they did so. When, however, Moses was in the Mount with the Lord, the people insisted on Aaron’s making them gods like those of Egypt, which thing he did (Exodus 32:23). During the wilderness wanderings they lapsed into idolatry as we see in the statement of Amos (Amos 5:25-27). During the stormy period of the Judges the history of Israel moved in cycles. \u201cEvery man did that which was right in his own eyes\u201d (Judges 21:25). They forsook Jehovah and served the gods of the nations. At times, God brought judgments upon them in the form of foreign aggressors who overran the country and reduced them to a state of servitude. When life became intolerable, they cried to the Lord who raised up judges, or deliverers, to restore them to their own independent way of life. For an epitome of the history of those turbulent times, see Judges 2:11-23. During the period of the monarchy, at various times idolatry crept into the nation. During this period of approximately five hundred years there were four great revivals led by outstanding, pious kings of the Davidic line. They fought idolatry and the evils of their time. Thus these great reforms were introduced which lasted for a time \u2014 until another king mounted the throne who was indifferent to Jehovah and His worship. Under such influences the nation reverted to idolatry from time to time.<\/p>\n Throughout this period the Lord raised up prophets who denounced the evils of their day and showed the folly of idolatry. It was with the greatest difficulty that the prophets engaged in their ministry, because of the terrific opposition on the part of the people. Among these messengers of God Isaiah stands foremost as a great statesman-prophet who championed the cause of the Eternal God and condemned idolatry constantly. His ministry was during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. The dates, given in terms of the Ussher chronology, fall in the latter half of the eighth century before Christ. One of Isaiah’s famous statements setting forth the true God is found in Isaiah 43:8-13:<\/p>\n Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears, 9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth. 10 Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour. 12 I have declared, and I have saved, and I have showed; and there was no strange god<\/em> among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and I am God. 13 Yea, since the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who can hinder it?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In this passage the prophet said that the people were blind and deaf. Nevertheless he, in his oratorical manner, called for a great assembly of the nations. It is altogether possible that the historical contest which Elijah had on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal furnished the imagery that appears in this passage (I Kings, chapter 18). In verse 9 of our quotation Isaiah called upon the imaginary assembly of the Gentiles to present their cause in order that they might demonstrate the correctness of the position which they had espoused and prove that their idols which they were worshipping were indeed real gods. Without waiting for them to answer in this great conclave of dignitaries, he hurled a challenge at them, demanding that they either show the future in prophetic utterances or be quiet and admit the truth of that which he was speaking. Turning to Israel, the prophet declared that they are the Almighty’s witnesses and are His servants whom He has chosen that they might know Him, believe in Him and understand that He is the true God; for before the Eternal God there was no God formed, neither shall there be any after Him. He existed before the creation of the world, and He will remain in the plenitude of His life and power after the present material order has passed out of existence. To these solemn, eternal truths the nation of Israel is to bear witness.<\/p>\n According to verses 11-13 the Almighty declared \u201cI, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour. I have declared and I have saved and I have showed; and there was no strange god<\/em> among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and I am God. Yea, since the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who can hinder it?\u201d In these verses the Almighty declared that He, even He, is the Eternal One. The word appearing in the original is: \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4<\/strong> (Jehovah). Here Jehovah declared that He is the only one who makes revelations and can save. He works and there is no one who can hinder.<\/p>\n When the Almighty asserts that He is the Eternal One, we must interpret this language in the light of Israel’s Great Confession which was discussed in the section above. The reader will recall that Moses declared to Israel, \u201cHear, O Israel, Jehovah our Gods is Jehovah a unity.\u201d Since Moses affirmed, as we have already seen, that the Eternal, Israel’s God, constitutes a unity, we must interpret this statement of Isaiah, which he uttered in his fight against idolatry, as having the same significance as it does in Shema‘ \u2014 her Great Confession (Deuteronomy 6:4). In view of these facts we see that the prophet in his condemnation of idolatry at large was setting forth the unity of the Divine Being, who, as we have already seen, consists of the three personalities appearing in the passages discussed above.<\/p>\n Again, in his fight against polytheism, the prophet set forth, as we see in Isaiah 44:6-8, the teaching regarding the true God:<\/p>\n Thus saith Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God. 7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and that shall come to pass, let them declare. 8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid; have not I declared of old, and showed it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? yea, there is no Rock; I know not any.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Let us remember that this is the Eternal One, concerning whom, Moses declared: \u201cHear, O Israel, Jehovah our Gods is Jehovah a unity.\u201d<\/p>\n Once more we see the prophet presenting the teaching concerning the oneness of the God in Isaiah 46:8-13:<\/p>\n Remember this, and show yourselves men; bring it again to mind, O, ye transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me; 10 declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; 11 calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it. 12 Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness; 13 I bring near my righteousness, it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n According to verse 9 the Lord said, \u201cRemember the former things of old: for I am god [Elohim<\/em>], and there is none else; I am <\/em>God, and there is none like me.\u201d The one who is speaking is this same Eternal God concerning whom Moses said, \u201c… Jehovah our Gods is Jehovah a unity\u201d (literal translation).<\/p>\n Since Moses, the great lawgiver was very specific and declared that Jehovah, the Gods of Israel, constitutes a unity, we are to understand that Isaiah in this passage was not contradicting him. There is perfect agreement and harmony between these great inspired men of God. Isaiah evidently used the name Jehovah with the same meaning which it has in Israel’s Great Confession. All who trust God and are willing to receive His revelation will accept the statements of Moses and all the prophets.<\/p>\n In our investigation thus far we have seen that Moses and the prophets used plural nouns, pronouns, and verbs in referring to the One Eternal God. Moreover they spoke of two divine personalities at various times. On certain occasions they referred to \u201cthe angel of Jehovah\u201d and in the same context spoke of Him as Jehovah himself. In other passages we see that these messengers of God also spoke of \u201cthe word of the Lord Jehovah\u201d as one of the divine personalities. Furthermore they thought of the \u201cSpirit of Jehovah\u201d likewise as a divine personality. Moreover there are certain passages, as we have also seen, from Moses and the prophets which speak of three divine personalities working in conjunction one with the other. In addition to these facts we see in certain blessings a threefold request, which, for instance, is clearly discernible in the priestly blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26. Also in the scene of Isaiah, chapter 6, we hear the pronouncing of the triple holiness which would, in the light of the other facts presented be echoes of the three divine personalities.<\/p>\n On the other hand, we hear a clear note sounded, setting forth the position that the God of Israel is a unity. Such is the significance of Israel’s Great Confession (Deuteronomy 6:4). Isaiah was a great monotheist who emphasized the unity of the Divine Being in his fight against idolatry. At the same time, according to the statements and facts seen above, there are three divine personalities. In order to be scientific we must accept all the statements of Moses and the prophets, and seek for a harmony of the seemingly contradictory statements.<\/p>\n Having seen these facts in the writings of Moses and the prophets, we shall now turn to the Christian Scriptures to discover what they teach.<\/p>\n The Hebrew Scriptures point forward to things in the future. If the revelation of God stopped with them, they would be incomplete; because many of the things forecast by Moses and the prophets are still in the future. The Christian Scriptures are called the New Testament and supplement or complete the picture presented in the Old. In making this statement, I do not mean to imply that all the predictions found in the Old Testament have been fulfilled and that the record of them is given in the New Testament; but that those predictions of Messiah’s redemptive career which pertain to His first appearance upon the earth have been fulfilled completely according to the New Testament, in the coming of Jesus of Nazareth nineteen hundred years ago. After His rejection by His own people, He returned to glory where He has been seated at the right hand of the throne of God during the last nineteen hundred years. As we shall see in Chapter 12, He is awaiting the time for His beloved people Israel to see the truth regarding Him and His redemptive work, to acknowledge her national sin, and to accept Him in order that He may return to earth and fulfill all<\/em> the predictions made by Moses and the prophets.<\/p>\n With this understanding of the matter, let us now look to the testimony of the New Testament concerning the one true and living God and its teaching relative to the divine personalities.<\/p>\n As we have already seen, the Hebrew Scriptures teach that there is a plurality of divine personalities. If the New Testament is the true revelation of this one Supreme Being, we shall find the same teaching in it. To its pages therefore let us turn.<\/p>\n In the following passages we see a plurality of divine personalities:<\/p>\n And the angel [Gabriel] said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end … The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.\u201d (Luke 1:30-35)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In verse 30 the Father is seen. According to verse 32 the child, whose name was to be Jesus, was to be called \u201cthe son of the Most High.\u201d In verse 35 the Holy Spirit is seen and the part He was to play in the birth of the Son of God is foretold. In this passage therefore we see three divine personalities; \u201cthe Lord God,\u201d verses 30, 32; \u201cthe Son of the Most High,\u201d verse 34; and \u201cthe Holy Spirit,\u201d verse 35.<\/p>\n We also observe three divine personalities in Matthew’s record of the birth of Jesus:<\/p>\n Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise; When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus;1<\/sup> for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is being interpreted, God with us.\u201d (Matthew 1:18-23)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In verses 18 and 20 the Holy Spirit appears. The Lord God is seen in verse 22, and Jesus, the child, born of a virgin, who is none other than Immanuel, which means \u201cGod is with us,\u201d is presented in verse 23. Thus there appear in this historical record the three divine personalities.<\/p>\n Jesus began His personal ministry by submitting to baptism at the hands of John. This event is recorded in Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, and Luke 3:21,22. Though the Apostle John in his record does not give an account of the baptism, that event nevertheless is echoed most clearly in John 1:29-34. A study of these passages shows that there were present on that occasion three divine personalities. God the Father was in heaven. God the Son was baptized by John in the presence of vast multitudes of people. God the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended out of heaven and lighted upon Jesus. At that time the voice of the Father from heaven declared, \u201cThis is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.\u201d The mention of the three divine personalities in these passages, without any explanation, shows that the doctrine of the Trinity was accepted by the Jews of the first century and needed no argumentation to convince them on this point. The Evangelists assumed on the part of their readers (Matthew wrote especially for the Jews) a knowledge of the three personalities in the Old Testament Scriptures.<\/p>\n The words of our Lord to His disciples, when He met them in Galilee just before His ascension, are of special import regarding the subject under consideration:<\/p>\n And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.\u201d (Matthew 28:18-20)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The wording of this sentence is most important. According to this record all authority in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath has been given to Jesus of Nazareth. In view of this fact He commanded the Apostles to go forth and proclaim in His name the message of salvation to all nations. Furthermore, they were instructed to baptize all who accepted the message into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The word name<\/em> is in the singular number, which fact has a profound significance. In this connection let us note that He did not say into the names of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.<\/em> Neither did He say, into the name of the Father, and into the name of the Son, and into the name of the Holy Spirit,<\/em> which statement likewise would have indicated three separate deities. Neither did He say that they should baptize the believers into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,<\/em> which words would have indicated that there was a single person known by the three designations.<\/p>\n On the contrary, He selected very definite and impressive language to indicate the unity of the three \u2014 \u201cbaptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.\u201d The use of the word name <\/em>in the singular number emphasizes most emphatically the unity of the three personalities referred to and at the same time and with equal clearness and distinctness, it affirms the individuality and personality of the three \u2014 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is therefore standing out in bold relief the idea of the unity of the three personalities, who are from one standpoint, a unity but, viewed from another angle, are also a trinity. Beyond controversy the three \u2014 the Father, The Son, and Holy Spirit \u2014 are separate and distinct; and at the same time they are one in that they subsist in the one divine essence or nature.<\/p>\n To appreciate the significance of this remarkable language, one must understand the use to which name<\/em> was put in the Old Testament. On this point an Old Testament scholar has made this observation: \u201cfor the Hebrew did not think of the name, as we are accustomed to do, as a mere external symbol; but rather as an adequate expression of the innermost being of its bearer.\u201d According to this conception, the being and existence of God finds expression in the name<\/em>. For instance, we see it in the following quotation:<\/p>\n If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, Another illustration of this usage is found in Exodus 23:20,21:<\/p>\n Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee by the way, Let the reader note that the Almighty according to this passage, said that He was sending an angel before Israel to guide her and keep her in the way. She was warned to take heed to her thoughts and actions, and to hearken to this one, being careful not to provoke him; for \u201che will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.\u201d The name of God was in this angel. He was to guide and keep Israel in the way. His anger could be stirred, and there was a possibility that He would not forgive her sins. We know that God alone forgives sin and that He does not grant such a prerogative to a subordinate being. In view of these facts we can be certain that this \u201cangel\u201d in whom was the name of God was indeed a Divine Being. In order that the reader might understand more fully the Hebrew usage of the word name<\/em>, I wish to quote Isaiah 30:27-33:<\/p>\n Behold, the name of Jehovah cometh from far, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue is as a devouring fire; 28 and his breath is as an overflowing stream, that reacheth even unto the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction: and a bridle that causeth to err shall be<\/em> in the jaws of the peoples. 29 Ye shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come unto the mountain of Jehovah, to the Rock of Israel. 30 And Jehovah will cause his glorious voice to be heard, and will show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and the flame of a devouring fire, with a blast, and tempest and hailstones. 31 For through the voice of Jehovah shall the Assyrian be dismayed; with his rod will he smite him<\/em>. 32 And every stroke of the appointed staff, which Jehovah shall lay upon him, shall be with the sound of<\/em> tabrets and harps; and in battles with the brandishing of his arm will he fight with them. 33 For a Topheth is prepared of old; yea for the king it is made ready; he hath made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The reader should note the fact that in verse 27 the expression, \u201cthe name of Jehovah,\u201d is said to be coming from afar. This one is filled with rage and with indignation and will enter into judgment with the nations of earth. According to verse 29 Israel will be looking forward to the coming of \u201cthe name of Jehovah\u201d and will be rejoicing in anticipation of His advent. In the next verse this one who is thus designated is called Jehovah, who will cause His glorious voice to be heard and will show the lightning down of His arm in His indignation against the wicked.<\/p>\n Again we see the same usage of name <\/em>in Isaiah 59:19: \u201cSo shall they fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the breath of Jehovah driveth.\u201d As is well known by all Hebrew scholars, the Book of Isaiah, with the exception of chapters 36-39, is Hebrew poetry, the fundamental principle of which is parallelism. In the first statement of this quotation \u201cthe name of Jehovah\u201d is the same as \u201chis glory\u201d in the second. This fact shows that the Hebrews used the phrase \u201cname of Jehovah,\u201d as a synonym for Jehovah himself. Once again, we see this same idea appearing in Jeremiah 14:9: \u201cWhy shouldest thou be as a man affrighted, as a mighty man that cannot save? Yet thou, O Jehovah, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.\u201d God’s being in the midst of Israel in the first statement is paralleled by the second clause which declares that she is called by His name. Literally rendered, the last clause should read: \u201c… and thy name is called upon us; leave us not.\u201d The significance of this idiom may be seen from (II Samuel 12:26-28, which states that \u201cJoab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon\u201d and was about to take it. He therefore called upon David to come and superintend the last phase of the battle, \u201clest I [Joab] take the city and my name be called upon it\u201d (literal translation). For David’s name to be called upon it was for him to take possession of it. Thus when Jeremiah spoke of the Lord’s being in the midst of Israel and of His name’s being called upon her, the prophet meant to say that she became the personal possession of Jehovah. Name therefore unmistakably in these and similar passages always indicates God himself. The same usage appears in Isaiah 63:19 \u201cWe are become as they over whom thou never barest rule, as they upon whom thy name has not been called\u201d (literal translation). The same idiom appears in Jeremiah 15:16. From these and many other examples it becomes clear that name <\/em>in the Hebrew language often signifies God himself. For His name to be called upon certain ones meant that they became His personal property. Their entering this relationship was expressed by the custom of having God’s name called upon them as in the baptismal formula.<\/p>\n When therefore the Lord Jesus of Nazareth said for His disciples to baptize those who accepted Him \u201cinto the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,\u201d He meant that the believer being thus baptized entered into a special relationship with the triune God \u2014 with Him who is one in a particular sense and also three at the same time in a different sense. Thus the baptismal formula of Matthew 28:19,20 is but a Hebrew idiomatic expression which connotes the same thing as entering into special relationship with the name of Jehovah, the Holy Trinity. Upon this point the late B.B. Warfield, of Princeton Seminary, made the following observation: \u201cHe (Jesus) could not have been understood otherwise than as substituting for the name of Jehovah this other Name of ‚the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost‘; and this could not possibly have meant to His disciples anything else than that Jehovah was now to be known to them by the new Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The only alternative would have been that, for the community which He was founding, Jesus was supplanting Jehovah by a new God; and this alternative is no less than monstrous. This is no alternative, therefore, to understanding Jesus here to be giving for His community a new Name to Jehovah, and that new Name to be the threefold name of ‚the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.‘ Nor is there room for doubt that by ‚the Son‘ in the threefold Name, He meant just himself with all the implications of distinct personality which this carries with it; and, of course, that further carries with it the equally distinct personality of ‚the Father‘ and ‚the Holy Ghost‘ with whom ‚the Son‘ is here associated, and from whom alike ‚the Son‘ is here distinguished. This is a direct ascription to Jehovah, the God of Israel, of threefold personality, and is therewith the direct enunciation of the doctrine of the Trinity. We are not witnessing here the birth of the doctrine of the Trinity; that is pre-supposed. What we are witnessing is the authoritative announcement of the Trinity as the God of Christianity by its Founder, in one of the most solemn of His recorded declarations. Israel had worshipped the one only true God under the name of Jehovah; Christians are to worship the same one only and true God under the name of ‚the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.‘ \u201d<\/p>\n In John 16:1-15 we see three divine personalities: the Father (vss. 3,10, and 15); the Holy Spirit (Comforter, vs. 7: the Spirit of Truth, vs. 13); and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is speaking throughout the passage. Not only in this section of Scripture but in others (especially in this same Gospel) do we observe the three personalities of the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n The three divine personalities of the Trinity appear in II Corinthians 13:14: \u201cThe grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.\u201d<\/p>\n Passages that refer to the Trinity are found in many places in the New Testament. The same order, however, is not always maintained. Sometimes the Father is mentioned first; the Son second; and the Spirit, third. In other passages the Son is first; the Spirit, second; and the Father is third. Sometimes the Spirit is mentioned first, the others following Him. This variation in the mention of the three indicates that they are equal in person and rank; otherwise there would not be a variation in the order of mention.<\/p>\n The Apostle Paul wrote thirteen epistles, and possibly also Hebrews. It is quite interesting and instructive to note how he began each of his epistles. Usually he started by uttering a prayer for grace and peace from two persons of the Holy Trinity. Generally he closed with a similar petition or doxology. There is reflected in all of his epistles a consciousness of the three divine personalities, for mention of them creeps out constantly in what he writes. For instance, examine such passages as Ephesians 2;18; 3:2-5; 4:4-6; and 5:18-20.<\/p>\n As a matter of fact one sees the doctrine of the Trinity reflected in all the epistles of the New Testament. Likewise it is very pronounced in the Book of Revelation. In fact, this doctrine constitutes the basic conception of the writers of the New Testament as it was with Moses and the prophets.<\/p>\n One of the most marvelous statements regarding two of the divine personalities appears in the prologue of John’s Gospel (John 1:1-18):<\/p>\n In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. 6 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came <\/em>that he might bear witness of the light. 9 There was the true light, even the light<\/em> which lighteth every man, coming into the world. 10 He was in the world and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even <\/em>to them that believe on his name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. 15 John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me. 16 For of his fullness we all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him<\/em>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Three statements appear in verse 1 of this quotation which are: first, in the beginning was the Word; second, the Word was with God; and, third, the Word was God. The expression, in the beginning, is an echo of Genesis 1:1: \u201cIn the beginning Gods created the heavens and the earth\u201d (Literal translation). John asserts that the one of whom he was speaking and whom he calls \u201cthe Word\u201d was in that portion of eternity which was prior to the creation of the universe. The Greek word rendered was <\/em>is in the imperfect tense and denotes the existence of this Word throughout eternity of the past. The second momentous utterance is that this Word was in association with God during that past eternity. In other words, he was and is co-eternal with God and was in the most intimate fellowship and association with Him. The last statement is also a mighty utterance: \u201cDivine was the Word.\u201d This clause literally declared \u201cAnd God was the Word.\u201d From this verse we learn that these two divine, co-eternal, co-equal Beings were in the most intimate fellowship throughout the eternity of the past. Verse 2 re-emphasizes the fact that the Word was in the beginning in association with God.<\/p>\n According to verse 3 this divine personality known as \u201cthe Word\u201d is the one through whom the entire universe was made. Nothing has been created by anyone other than this one. A thought parallel to this one is found in the following quotation:<\/p>\n For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many and lords many; Here the Word-the Lord Jesus Christ \u2014 is the one \u201cthrough whom are all things, and we through him.\u201d Paul, the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, declared that it was through the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that God made the world (Hebrews 1:1-4). The same teaching appears in Colossians 1:9-17. Note especially verses 16 and 17.<\/p>\n In John 1:4 the marvelous statement is made that this Word was life and that He was the light of men. He was shining in the darkness, but the darkness did not comprehend Him (verse 5). These verses assert that the Word, from the creation of man onward, was the life and light of men, although they have not perceived their utter dependence upon Him and His presence in human history.<\/p>\n As John unfolds this biography of the Word, we see that the next item which he mentions (verses 5 to 8) is the fact that God sent a man to be the forerunner for and to herald the advent of the Word. Although John was a mighty man of God, he was not the light but came to \u201cbear witness of the light\u201d \u2014 the true light, \u201cwhich lighteth every man, coming into the world,\u201d the Lord Jesus Christ, the light of the world.<\/p>\n From verses 10 and 11 we see a reference to the Word after He had entered the world through miraculous conception and virgin birth. He was here, but His own people did not recognize Him. Hence they as a nation did not receive Him. There were individuals, however, who had spiritual perception and who recognized that He was the long-expected Messiah. To those who thus accepted Him, the Word gave the right to become sons of God, even to those that believed on His name. Thus in verses 11-13 John, in unfolding the biography of our Lord, showed the rejection of Christ by His own people, Israel, but His being accepted by the few who believed Him. These verses bring us to the tragedy of 70 A.D., when God finally let His beloved people go off the main line of His purpose on to the siding \u2014 for the time being, the Christian Dispensation \u2014 because they did not receive the Word, who came to redeem them.<\/p>\n In verses 14 to 18 the apostle, following the \u201claw of recurrence,\u201d gives another picture of the incarnation of the Word. He therefore declared in verse 14 that \u201cthe Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.\u201d Without doubt this verse refers to what we call the incarnation, which was the fulfillment of the prediction found in Isaiah 7:14 (this question will be discussed fully at the proper time).<\/p>\n John declared that both he and those associated with the Lord Jesus beheld the glory of the Word, who was the only begotten from the Father full of grace and truth. Again, at this juncture he calls attention to the testimony given by John the Baptist concerning Jesus. Once more the apostle asserts that he and his brother apostles, together with all believers had received of the fullness of Christ \u201cand grace for grace.\u201d \u201cFor,\u201d he asserts, \u201cthe law was given through Moses,\u201d whereas \u201cgrace and truth came through Jesus Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n John ends his prologue by asserting that, \u201cNo man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him\u201d <\/em>(literal translation, according to the best manuscripts).<\/p>\n We see in this introduction of John two personalities of whom it is asserted that they are co-eternal and co-equal. From this conclusion there can be no escape.<\/p>\n Though the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) emphasize what the Lord Jesus did and said, while John in his record lays stress upon what Jesus was, the God-man, there are several passages in the first three records of the life of Jesus which are indeed unique. For instance, in Matthew 11:25, 26, we have a short prayer which Jesus uttered to God, the Father in heaven, and which closes with these words, \u201cAll things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save, the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him\u201d<\/em> (Matthew 11:27). In this most serious statement He declared that no one knows the Son except the Father. This is a stupendous utterance. He also claimed that there was no one who comprehended Him, or could understand him except the Father, the infinite God. Following this amazing declaration, He asserted that no one knows the Father except the Son. The Father is an infinite being. It takes an infinite being to understand such a one. Since Jesus said that He comprehended God, His statement is equivalent to an assertion that He is an infinite being, equal with God the Father.<\/p>\n In an entirely different connection our Lord made an affirmation similar to the one at which we have just looked. \u201cAll things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth who the Son is save the Father; and who the Father is, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him\u201d <\/em> (Luke 10:22). According to this passage, Jesus affirmed that it took the infinite mind of God to comprehend and to understand Him. At the same time He asserted that He was able to grasp the infinite mind of the Father. He also claimed equality with God.<\/p>\n Upon various occasions, as one can see from the context in each instance, different ones addressed Jesus as \u201cSon of God\u201d in a special and unique sense. He accepted this high honor without any protest or without repudiating the thought. This fact shows that He accepted this title as true. For instance, when the devil appeared to Him after He had fasted forty days, he said, \u201cIf thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread\u201d (Matthew 4:3). (Satan’s clause, \u201cIf thou art the Son of God,\u201d is an echo of God’s statement to Jesus at the baptism: \u201cThis is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.\u201d) Satan used a first-class conditional sentence, which assumed the correctness of the statement. Thus from the original Greek we see that the devil did not question Christ’s being the Son of God in a special sense. He took it for granted and urged Him, since He was the Son of God, to make the stones become bread. Jesus accepted the implication of the devil’s statement and then answered him, taking His stand upon the Scriptures. Thus by His actions He took to Himself this name which implied a special relationship to the Deity claimed by no other.<\/p>\n Once again, when Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee to the country of the Gadarenes, two men out of the tombs who were demon-possessed cried out, \u201cWhat have we to do with thee, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?\u201d (Matthew 8:29). Here demons acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God in a special, unique sense and admitted that He has authority over them and could torment them. Thus our Lord accepted their statement regarding Himself as true without protest, but would not allow them to bear their testimony concerning Him.<\/p>\n After feeding the five thousand on the east side of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus rescued Peter from drowning and stilled the storm at sea. These miracles led the disciples in the boat to fall down in worship before Him, saying, \u201cOf a truth thou art the Son of God.\u201d (Matthew 14:33). Here those who were nearest to Jesus of Nazareth confessed that He was the Son of God in a unique sense. He accepted their statement as true. Once again, we see a similar situation at the cross, only with variations. According to Matthew 27:40, those passing by and seeing Jesus shouted in derision saying, \u201c… if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross.\u201d The chief priests standing by likewise said, \u201cHe trusteth on God; let him deliver him now, if he desireth him: for he said, I am the Son of God\u201d (Matthew 27:43). These derisive utterances of His enemies were echoes of the claims made by Jesus, which were well known. When the spirit left His body, the Roman centurion together with those who were with him, watching Jesus and feeling the earthquake, feared and said, \u201cTruly this was the Son of God\u201d (Matthew 27:54). It is clear that, according to the record, those who derided Jesus Knew that He claimed to be the Son of God in a special and unique sense. Of the correctness of this judgment regarding Him, the centurion and those standing by and observing what was transpiring said, \u201cTruly this was the Son of God\u201d (Matthew 27:54). There are many other passages which show that others acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God and approached Him as such. Never once did He repudiate this honor. Either He was the Son of God in a special and unique sense, or He was a base hypocrite and an impostor.<\/p>\n All the New Testament writers were pronounced monotheists in the proper sense of that term. They bitterly opposed polytheism. For instance, Mark, in 10:18, informs us that Jesus said to one who was kneeling before Him, \u201cWhy callest thou me good? none is good save one, even<\/em> God.\u201d When Jesus was asked by a lawyer what was the greatest commandment in the law, He replied, \u201cThou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind\u201d (Matthew 22:37). Emphasis is laid upon the idea of the unity of God in this expression. In His great intercessory prayer the Lord Jesus said to the Father, \u201cAnd this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even<\/em> Jesus Christ\u201d (John 17:3). This language emphasizes the unity of God.<\/p>\n The Apostle Paul was no less a monotheist (in the proper sense of the term) than was Jesus of Nazareth. In writing to the Corinthian church he declared that, \u201cFor though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him\u201d (I Corinthians 8:5,6). Without doubt this statement is a clear declaration on the part of the Apostle Paul concerning the unity of God. In Galatians 3:20 the same apostle asserted, \u201cNow a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one.\u201d Here again, we see the clear testimony regarding the unity of God. Paul’s monotheism again crops out in such a passage as Romans 3:29,30: \u201cOr is God the God <\/em>of Jews only? is he not the God <\/em>of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also: if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith.\u201d The drift of the argument shows conclusively that Paul was, in the passage, emphasizing the thought that there is one true and living God. Once more, we see his monotheism asserting itself in Ephesians 4:4-6: \u201cThere is<\/em> one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.\u201d Here we recognize the three distinct personalities and also their implied unity. Once more we hear him declaring, \u201cFor there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself<\/em> man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times\u201d (I Timothy 2:5,6). Again emphasis is placed upon the unity of God in such a passage as I Timothy 1:17. Scriptures could be multiplied where the thought of one true and living God is emphasized. This situation we see throughout the New Testament.<\/p>\n In it we find three divine personalities associated in the most intimate manner. Moreover the fundamental, underlying teaching of the New Testament writers is that there is one true and living God. In other words, the very same situation which appears throughout the writings of Moses and the prophets reappears and is seen throughout the New Testament. When one is willing to look at all the facts and to admit unimpeachable evidence, one must accept this conclusion.<\/p>\n The only attitude for anyone to take in his quest for truth is to have an open mind, to be ready to receive any new truth or facts to which his attention has not already been called, to evaluate any newly discovered facts or principles in the light of related data, and to accept any necessary inferences that are demanded by the facts \u2014 regardless of whether or not the new light thus received accords with former beliefs and ideas. To follow this criterion is to be on the highway to truth; to fail to follow it is to shut out light and truth and to welcome error and falsehood.2<\/sup><\/p>\n Often there are certain facts and phenomena which seem to us irreconcilable. Nevertheless we accept such matters and act accordingly. For instance, every student of the Bible knows that the teaching found throughout its pages is that the God of the universe is an absolute Sovereign. Whatever He chooses to do, whether it be in the heavens above, on the earth beneath, in the sea, or underneath the earth, He does. There is no one who can withstand His will. He has His way in the whirlwind. Thus He is an absolute sovereign. But as we think of His omnipotence and of His authority, let us always bear in mind that He is righteous, just, merciful, and good, and that His grace endureth forever.<\/p>\n On the other hand the teaching of all the Scripture \u2014 from Genesis to Revelation \u2014 is that man was created a free moral agent. By this statement I mean that man is created with a will and an intellect, and that God allows him to make his own choices. In other words, the individual is sovereign within the sphere of his own spiritual and intellectual being. Although God is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, He never coerces any man’s will nor forces him to do anything contrary to his own free choice. While it is true that the Lord allows man to make his own choices, He does use moral suasion to influence him to do the right thing.<\/p>\n In this situation we see that, though God is the sovereign ruler of the universe, man, His creature, is independent and is supreme sovereign in his own little sphere of self. Nevertheless, the Scriptures teach most clearly and emphatically that God sees the end from the beginning and that He overrules and works out everything for the advancement of His plans and purposes. Neither philosopher nor theologian has ever been able to harmonize the sovereignty of God and the freedom of man. Nevertheless, they must accept these seemingly contradictory propositions. All the evidence proves that God is an absolute sovereign. Equally clear is the proposition that man is a free agent and makes his own choices without external coercion or force. Nevertheless, a careful biblical student and the one who is familiar with the course of History can see that there has been worked out and is still being developed a purpose of the ages, which will reach its culmination in the not-distant future. The scientific person will acknowledge these seemingly contradictory facts although he cannot harmonize them. He accepts them as being true and acts accordingly.<\/p>\n There are many things in nature which we cannot understand and comprehend. For instance, as I am writing this chapter, I am doing so by means of the dictating machine, which is run by an electrical current. At this moment it is dark and I am doing my work in the illumination that is furnished by an electric light. Do I understand the nature of electricity? No one does. We know that it exists and that under the proper conditions it runs the motor which is turning the machine into which I am talking. We accept the fact that the same current is furnishing the light by which I am doing my work. I accept this phenomena although I cannot understand it. I cannot understand how food can be assimilated by my system and how the blood can segregate the various elements and convey them to the proper organs of my body in order that they may function properly. Nevertheless, I, with all confidence and assurance, partake of three meals a day and with this sustenance and proper exercise keep my body in physical trim. There are myriad’s of facts in the world around about us which we cannot understand but which we accept without question. Do the scientists understand the real underlying facts and principles which cause the sun to melt wax but to harden clay? Thus the rays of the sun have an exactly opposite effect upon these two substances. I could multiply indefinitely examples of things which we accept but which we do not understand. These instances will, I feel sure, suffice to make the point clear.<\/p>\n In this discussion we have seen from abundant examples that the Hebrew Scriptures unmistakably do present the doctrine that there are three divine personalities who stand on the same plane of equality one with the other, and yet are distinct, one from the other. At the same time, Moses and the prophets emphasized the unity of these divine personalities, the evidence for which has already been presented in the discussion above and which is overwhelming and cannot be gainsaid. We have seen that the same situation appears in the New Testament which is of one piece with the Hebrew Scriptures. There are however more references to these divine personalities and more is said about each of them in the New Testament than in the Old. The doctrine of the Holy Spirit stands out in bolder relief in the latter revelation than in the former: so does that of the Trinity. At the same time we see that the New Testament writers were monotheists in the strict and accurate sense of the term, for they declared that the Almighty is the one true and living God.<\/p>\n But for the sake of investigation, let us assume<\/em> that God is one personality and not a trinity subsisting in the same divine substance or essence, although we have already learned that, in the eternity which preceded the creation of the world, Elohim<\/em>, Gods, the Trinity alone existed. Being such a one, He possessed certain attributes or perfections. These of course were essential to His nature and were not conditioned upon anything. Love could not have been one of these attributes, while He was in this state, because there could be no such thing as love without an object to love. This principle we see from an examination of our own natures. We are logical in making this analogy since man was made in the image and after the likeness of God. In looking at myself I know that I cannot love one who does not exist. To show this fact most clearly let me call attention to a certain incident. During World War I there was a certain unbeliever who had an only son, and who was criticizing certain other young men for not enthusiastically entering the armed forces. In his discussion of the question he avowed with emphasis that, if he had two sons, he certainly would want one of them to go to war while the other one stayed at home and assisted him in his business. He dubbed as unpatriotic any man who would not insist upon one of his sons going to the front. In answer to his statement his wife, who was a Christian, asked him which of the sons he would want to go to war, if he had two \u2014 his own son or the one whom he did not have. Upon being pressed for an answer, he confessed that he would want his real son, in whom his life was wrapped up \u2014 as all those acquainted with the family knew \u2014 to remain with him and assist in his business and to enter the career which he had planned for him. But he would want the other son, who had no existence, to go and fight. I am simply calling attention to this circumstance to demonstrate that a person cannot love one who does not exist. It is psychologically impossible. Hence this man was willing for his imaginary son to go but would never consent for his own son of flesh and blood to give up the career which he had planned for him in order to fight for his country.<\/p>\n Since in the human realm it is impossible for men to love those who do not exist, it is like manner impossible for God to love someone who does not exist. If, therefore, back in eternity prior to the creation of the universe, God was a single Being, there was no one for Him to love. Love in such a Being was psychologically impossible. But, replies one, He was capable of loving because when He created the universe and peopled it with mankind, He loved His creatures. In reply let me say that such a love would not be an essential attribute of His character, but would be conditioned upon His own creation. Such a thought as this is unthinkable and is an impossibility.<\/p>\n But the Scriptures declare with no uncertain sound that God does love and go as far as to say, \u201cGod is love.\u201d This statement shows that love is a dominant characteristic of this self-existing one. It is essential to His nature. It is a part of His being. Since these statements are true, there must have been another upon whom God could bestow His affections. The scriptural explanation in its affirmation concerning the Trinity shows the possibility of love’s being an essential characteristic of the Almighty. There are the three divine personalities subsisting in the same divine substance or essence. Thus there were mutual relations in the Trinity; therefore love in the highest and truest sense existed among these personalities.<\/p>\n From a philosophical standpoint the facts that are set forth in the Scriptures demand that we accept the position of God’s existing in the form of three personalities who subsist in the same divine substance or essence. This conclusion, as we have already seen, is explained and set forth in many passages of the Scriptures. The facts found throughout both the Old and New Testaments demand our acceptance of this fundamental of all beliefs.<\/p>\n An examination of the physical universe, as all Bible students know, reveals what is known as the law of the octave. This phenomena is based upon the fundamental concept of a trinity. Speaking in terms of paper, we can say that the watermark of the Trinity is found throughout all nature. Is this by accident? or are we to attribute it to design? A little reflection will lead us to the conclusion that the latter is the case.<\/p>\n We therefore, who accept the Bible as the revealed Word of God, believe in the existence of one Supreme Being who exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as Moses and the prophets constantly proclaimed to Israel.<\/p>\n How can there be one God and at the same time three divine personalities? One <\/em>cannot, in the literal sense, be three<\/em> with the same meaning. One is one and three are three. By no juggling of figures can we expand one into three, or reduce three to one. Nevertheless the Scriptures are very clear and emphatic that God is one <\/em>and that at the same time there are three<\/em> divine personalities. What is the harmony between these two seemingly contradictory lines of teaching? The only concord between these two position is that there is one divine substance or essence, but that this one God subsists in three personalities.<\/p>\n In order to bring out in clear, lucid language the real explanation of these seemingly contradictory position, I wish again to quote from the late Dr. B.B. Warfield’s article on the Trinity found in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia:<\/p>\n There is, of course, no question that in \u201cmodes of operation,\u201d as it is technically called \u2014 that is to say, in the functions ascribed to the several Persons of the Trinity in the redemptive process, and, more broadly, in the entire dealing of God with the world \u2014 the principle of subordination is clearly expressed, The Father is first the Son is second, and the Spirit is third, in the operations of God as revealed to us in general, and very especially in those operations by which redemption is accomplished. Whatever the Father does, He does through the Son (Romans 2:16; 3:22; 5:1,11,17,21; Ephesians 1:5; I Thessalonians 5:9; Titus 3:5) by the Spirit. The Son is sent by the Father and does His Father’s will (John 6:38); the Spirit is sent by the Son and does not speak from Himself, but only takes of Christ’s and shows it unto His people (John 16:7ff); and we have our Lord’s own word for it that ‚one that is sent is not greater than he that sent him‘ (John 13:16). In crisp decisiveness, our Lord even declared, indeed: ‚My Father is greater than I‘ (John 14:28); and Paul tells us that Christ is God’s, even as we are Christ’s (I Corinthians 3:23), and that as Christ is ‚the head of every man,‘ so God is ‚the head of Christ‘ (I Corinthians 11:3) But it is not so clear that the principle of subordination rules also in ‚modes of subsistence,‘ as it is technically phrased; that is to say in the necessary relation of the Persons of the Trinity to one another. The very richness and variety of the expression of their subordination, the one to the other, in modes of operation create a difficulty in attaining certainty, whether they are represented as also subordinate the one to the other in modes of subsistence.<\/p>\n Question is raised in each case of apparent intimation of subordination in modes of subsistence, whether it may not, after all, be explicable as only another expression of subordination in modes of operation. It may be natural to assume that a subordination in modes of operation rests on a subordination on modes of subsistence; that the reason why it is the Father that sends the Son and the Son that sends the Spirit is that the Son is subordinate to the Father, and the Spirit to the Son. But we are bound to bear in mind that these relations of subordination in modes of operation may just as well be due to a convention, and agreement, between the Persons of the Trinity, \u2014 a ‚Covenant‘ as it is technically called \u2014 by virtue of which a distinct function in the work of redemption is voluntarily assumed by each. It is eminently desirable, therefore at the least, that some definite evidence of subordination in modes of subsistence should be discoverable before it is assumed. In the case of the relation of the Son to the Father, there is the added difficulty of the incarnation, in which the Son, by the assumption of a creaturely nature into union with Himself, enters into a new relation with the Father of a definitely subordinate character.<\/p>\n Question has even been raised whether the very designation of Father and Son may not be expressive of these new relations, and therefore without significance with respect to the eternal relation of the persons so designated. This question must certainly be answered in the negative. Although, no doubt, in many of the instances in which the terms ‚Father‘ and ‚Son‘ occur, it would be possible to take them of merely economical relations. There ever remain some which are intractable to this treatment and we may be sure the ‚Father‘ and ‚Son‘ are applied to their eternal and necessary relations. But these terms, as we have seen, do not appear to imply relations of first and second, superiority and subordination, in modes of subsistence; and the fact of the humiliation of the Son of God for His earthly work does introduce a factor into the interpretation of the passages which import His subordination to the Father, which throws doubt upon the inference from them of an eternal relation of subordination in the Trinity itself. It must at least be said that in the presence of the great N.T. doctrines of the Covenant of Redemption on the one hand, and the Humiliation of the Son of God for His work’s sake and of the Two Natures in the constitution of His Person as incarnated, on the other, the difficulty of interpreting subordinationist passages of eternal relations between the Father and the Son become extreme.<\/p>\n The question continually obtrudes itself, whether they do not find their full explanation in the facts embodied in the doctrine of the Covenant, the Humiliation of Christ, and the Two Natures of His incarnated Person. Certainly in such circumstances it were thoroughly illegitimate to press such passages to suggest any subordination for the Son or the Spirit which would in any manner impair that complete identity with the Father in Being and that complete equality with the Father in powers which are constantly presupposed and frequently emphatically, though only incidentally, asserted for them throughout the whole fabric of the New Testament.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n From the quotation above we see that the most probable explanation of the two lines of seemingly contradictory teaching is that there is but one divine substance or essence, and at the same time there are three personalities. The God of the universe who revealed Himself to Israel, is none other than the triune God of the Scriptures.<\/p>\n The reasonableness of the scriptural teaching regarding the triune nature of the Eternal God may be seen in the light of the following facts. The amoeba is a one-cell animal \u2014 the simplest form of life. On the other hand, man is the highest type of creature upon this earth. His anatomy is complexity itself in comparison with the amoeba. His intellectual and spiritual life is immeasurably higher than the infinitesimally small degree of intellect of this little germ \u2014 if indeed it has any. Between these two extremes of life there is an ascending scale of forms of creatures \u2014 each a little higher than the one on the next round of the ladder of existence below it. It is utterly impossible for the amoeba to understand even the simplest things about men \u2014 if indeed it has sufficient intellect to have a single thought. This little animal is on the lowest round of this ascending ladder of existence. But man who is on a round infinitely higher than the highest type of animal can look down and see the various forms of creatures below him. Since he sees this ascending scale of life below, and since he can look up the ladder and see, by faith, the Eternal God on the topmost round \u2014 infinitely above him so that his mind staggers with amazement in contemplation of Him \u2014 he comes to the conclusion that it is impossible for his finite mind to formulate, even in the most limited degree, an adequate conception of God and the nature of His being. As far as man is concerned, God may be, in the constitution of His being, infinitely more complex above him than he is above the amoeba in its complexity.<\/p>\n It is therefore inappropriate for man to speculate as to the essential nature of the Almighty. We must depend upon what He has told us in His Word concerning Himself. We therefore most gladly receive all that He has made known to us.<\/p>\n As we have seen, He has revealed to us the fact that He is one in one sense of the term; on the other hand, He has with equal clarity declared that He is, in another sense, three. There can be no contradiction between the statements setting forth these facts. Though we do not thoroughly understand these truths and cannot adequately harmonize the two lines of teaching, we by faith take our stand on the revealed will of God and accept His statements at their face value. We therefore conclude that in one sense of the term God is one in His nature or essence; that He alone is Saviour, an that beside Him there is no other God. At the same time we believe the Great Confession of Israel which declares the unity of the Divine Being while affirming a plurality of personalities.<\/p>\n Thus I take my stand on Shema<\/em> and declare to the world:<\/p>\n \u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05de\u05b7\u05e2 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c2\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b6\u05d7\u05b8\u05d3\u05c3<\/strong>, \u201cHear O Israel, Jehovah, our Gods, is Jehovah a unity\u201d (literal translation of Deuteronomy 6:4).<\/p>\n To my gentile friends I plead that they lay aside all anti-Semitism, if they have any and accept this omnipotent Jehovah. Also to my Jewish friends I pour out my heart, urging them to consider the facts and truths presented here, accept the biblical teaching regarding the holy triune God, worship, and serve Him.<\/p>\n 1. Jesus means \u201cJehovah’s salvation.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. If anyone does not want truth, God will not force it upon him. In fact, truth and light are given only to the sincere and honest heart. The way any fact appears to anyone depends upon the attitude which he take. Facts and figures may be as clear and conclusive as the shining of the noonday sun; but, unless one loves truth and longs for god and fellowship with Him, one will be unable to recognize it. May god give all of us honest hearts and courageous spirits.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In our day skepticism and doubt are to be observed on every hand. Men have become imbued with the scientific spirit and have become accustomed to acknowledge, at least theoretically, only that which they can see with their physical eyes or feel with the touch. Dealing with physical phenomena and becoming absorbed in the material side of our civilization, they have largely lost sight of the spiritual values. Since their attention is thus engrossed, and since they see that the physical realm in which they are laboring is governed and controlled by \u201cthe laws of nature,\u201d they have reached the conclusion, as a rule, that there cannot be anything that transcends the material order. Hence, to many of the scientific men of the age, miracles are not possible. They have without investigation accepted Hume’s dictum that miracles are not possible, since no one, as he boldly asserted, has ever seen one. Of course, those who adopt this standard of viewing things simply from the standpoint of their own limited experiences and make such a pronouncement repudiate the scientific spirit. One would have to be omniscient and omnipresent in order to declare that miracles are not possible. No man is in a position to make and assertion of this character.<\/p>\n The subject of miracles covers such an extensive field that it will be impossible to go into a thorough discussion of it. I can only call attention to some outstanding facts and ask those who are especially interested in this phase of our subject to consult some standard work on miracles. May I say that there are a number of authentic scholarly treatises which deal with this subject most thoroughly, scientifically, and adequately.<\/p>\n Webster defines a miracle as: \u201cAn event or effect in the physical world beyond or out of the ordinary course of things, deviating from the known laws; and extraordinary, anomalous or abnormal event brought about by superhuman agency as the manifestations of his power, or for the purpose of revealing or manifesting spiritual force; signs.\u201d Of course, the word miracle comes from the Latin and indicates that which produces amazement or wonderment. Dr. Strong, in his Systematic Theology,<\/em> gives a preliminary definition of miracles as follows: \u201cA miracle is an event palpable to the senses, produced for a religious purpose by the immediate agency of God; an event therefore which, though not contravening any law of nature, the laws of nature, if fully known, would not without this agency of God be competent to explain.\u201d After discussing the various terms and shades of ideas set forth in this definition, Dr. Strong gives us another one which he prefers to the one just quoted, and which is : \u201cA miracle is an event in nature, so extraordinary in itself and so coinciding with the prophecy or command of a religious teacher or leader, as fully to warrant the conviction, on the part to those who witness it, that God has wrought it with the design of certifying that this teacher or leader has been commissioned by Him.\u201d In this connection, may I present in my own words a definition which I formulated years ago, which has stood a severe testing by some keen analytical minds through the years, and which is: \u201cA true miracle is a divine act which the Almighty ordinarily accomplishes in a quiet, unobserved manner through the operation of the laws of nature (secondary causes), but which He for a definite spiritual purpose or end works in an obvious and open manner, and which usually attests the divine call and commission of the one thus performing it as a teacher sent form God. \u201cWhen these different statements regarding a miracle are studied carefully, they will be seen not to clash but to be in agreement on the points common to them. A careful study of my statement will show that my definition covers the subject in the broadest sense possible.<\/p>\n A true miracle is an act of God. Whatever the Almighty does is beyond the realm of man. What we call the laws of nature is nothing more than the acts of God which He is constantly performing in a quiet, unobtrusive manner. This statement is true, though we consider the laws of nature as being imposed upon all matter by the direct volition and activity of the Almighty. There can be no laws, even in the physical realm, without a lawgiver. Hence the so-called laws of nature are simply secondary causes, whereas the omnipotent God is the primary agent. For instance, the Lord causes the sun to shine, the showers to fall, the grass to grow, and both the fruit and grain to ripen. In His doing this, He is providing food and sustenance for man and beast. Man can plant, cultivate, and water, but God alone gives the increase. At times He withholds the crops (Amos 4:6) for good and sufficient reasons. It is God, therefore, who is giving us our daily food. In doing this, He follows a certain method of process. Man cooperates with Him and receives his sustenance. Now for a concrete illustration: It is the Lord’s method, in giving us grain, that we co-operate with Him by planting the seed, watering, and cultivating the plant. This little plant we may call the Lord’s laboratory, in which He is working in our behalf. In it, or through it, He gathers elements from earth, air, and moisture and compounds them in the proper proportion, subjecting them to certain processes. After a given length of time He gives us the ripened grain. All the efforts that man might put forth cannot produce a grain of wheat or an ear of corn or any seed that can germinate and perpetuate the species, or any fruits or vegetables, which are most essential for man’s sustenance.<\/p>\n There are emergencies arising at various times and under differing circumstances. Such a situation demands quick action. The Lord, instead of following His regular routine method of supplying the food for man, provides it with a rush order, humanly speaking. To illustrate this principal: In the Gospel Records we read of the Lord’s feeding a company of five thousand men, besides women and children. They had only five loaves and two fishes. Nevertheless, the Lord Jesus fed this vast multitude. See Matthew 14:13-21 and parallel passages. Instead of His waiting for the maturing of the grain as He ordinarily does in order to supply man’s bread, He, because of the spiritual need which was before Him, by His mighty power gathered together from earth, air, and water the necessary elements and compounded them into bread for the vast hungry throng. In a similar way He did the same thing in regard to the fishes. This was a rush order. The multitudes had followed Jesus because they were hungry for spiritual food. They were in a desert place. Many of them would have fainted, if they had been forced to return to their homes without any food. The Lord therefore supplied their need in a miraculous manner. What He usually does over a period of eight or nine months in causing the grain to grow and mature, He did in a few seconds of time. There was a moral and spiritual crisis on hand. He was equal to the occasion and produced the physical food for their hungry bodies. By His doing this, those who had spiritual insight could recognize that He was the true bread of life, as He preached to the multitudes which followed to Capernaum (John, chapter 6). When we view the situation thus, we see that all the acts of God are miraculous \u2014 that is, superhuman. We become accustomed to the growing of grain, fruits, and vegetables and take it as a matter of course that we are the ones who are growing the crops and producing the food. We fail to see the presence of our great God and Saviour at work continually for our good. But when, as on the occasion of the feeding of the five thousand men beside women, or later the four thousand, we recognize the action and beneficent work of our Lord in miraculous power, we can properly evaluate His goodness to us in feeding us daily. Let us therefore, pray: \u201cGive us this day our daily bread\u201d (Matthew 6:11).<\/p>\n All the miracles of which one reads in the Holy Scriptures might be called rush orders performed to meet emergencies in order to forward spiritual plans and to reach holy objectives.<\/p>\n With this understanding of our subject we shall now proceed to a study of the evidence of five familiar miracles.<\/p>\n In Chapter I we studied some of the many evidences of the existence of the Supreme Being, the creator and preserver of the universe, the one in whom we live, move, and have our continual being. In our study of \u201cEternity or the Plan of the Ages,\u201d Chapter VI, we shall see positive proof that there was a time when God alone existed. Later He put forth the creative act which resulted in the bringing into existence of the material universe. This act of creation was a stupendous miracle that only the omnipotent God could perform.<\/p>\n We have already seen that God is a spiritual personality who is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. The fool alone calls into question the existence of God Almighty (Psalm 14 and 53). Whenever anyone admits the existence of a Supreme Being, in order to be logical, he must also concede the possibility of miracles. To deny to such an omniscient, omnipotent Being the possibility of miracles is to manifest stupidity to the nth degree. The fact of God’s existence and character argues for miracles, five of which we shall proceed to examine.<\/p>\n In Chapter 2 we studied a few things about the revelation of God. There we saw that the Almighty has revealed Himself through the things that are made (Romans 1:20). He likewise has shown Himself in and through the history of Israel, His Chosen People. But a clearer and a more definite revelation of Himself He has made known through Moses and the prophets. Finally, as we shall learn in the study of the atonement in Chapter 12, He revealed Himself in the fullest way through His Son Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Hebrew Messiah and Saviour of the world. A permanent record of this self-disclosure of the Almighty in the person of Jesus of Nazareth is contained in the record of the New Testament.<\/p>\n In the present study we shall look at the writings of both the Old and the New Testaments. Though, in Chapter 2, in a general way, I discussed the Bible as the revelation of God, I shall again in this connection look at it.<\/p>\n The Scriptures contain sixty-six volumes \u2014 some large and some very small. This collection of books, humanly speaking, was written in three languages, if not in four, which are, the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. There is very strong evidence that Moses wrote in the cuneiform since that was the international language of his day and time. A careful study of certain literary phenomena appearing especially in the Book of Genesis leads one to this conclusion (for a full discussion of this point see my volume, Messiah: His First Coming Scheduled<\/em> ).<\/p>\n There were between forty and fifty authors of the Scriptures. This becomes immediately apparent to the one who will study carefully the evidence found in the Book of Genesis as to its authors and the rest of the books of the Bible. The question \u201cWho wrote Genesis?\u201d I have thoroughly discussed in the volume referred to above. Let me, in this connection, affirm that according to the Book of Genesis God used certain men of the ancient patriarchs to write different portions of that early revelation. They of course wrote as they were borne along by the Holy Spirit (II Peter 1:19-21). When one studies Genesis carefully and cautiously, one is overwhelmed with the conviction that we have a record of those far-off events written by inspired men of God who were contemporary to the events which they recorded. Thus we have an authentic account written by inspired men who were eyewitnesses of those things about which they wrote. When these facts are taken into consideration and weighed, one sees that there were something like fifty authors of the Scriptures.<\/p>\n These men lived at different times \u2014 over a period of approximately four thousand years. This fact is clearly seen when one studies the chronological data which is found embedded in the text of the Old Testament and in the New.<\/p>\n These various authors had their own personal background and outlook upon life. Man interprets new data in terms of his former experiences. We are told by the poet that man is part of all he meets. This is psychologically true. All our experiences have an effect upon us, regardless of how little it may be. Each has his own personality and individuality. Everyone is the result of his own heredity and environment, coupled with his own individual will. No two of the biblical writers had the same background and experiences. The personal equation dominated in each and caused him to view everything from his own peculiar standpoint.<\/p>\n Life is changing constantly and is never exactly static \u2014 notwithstanding our current expression regarding the unchanging East. New factors arise new philosophies appear, new hopes are born, new fears spring forth \u2014 in a word, each generation and each civilization has its own individual problems.<\/p>\n These writers lived in different countries, each of which had its own civilization and culture, historical background, and political outlook. Notwithstanding this great diversity, there is perfect harmony and unity in the writings of all the biblical authors. One single theme runs throughout the Scriptures. Genesis 3:15 is the text of the Bible:<\/p>\n And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, The hope of the world’s Redeemer, thus announced in this text, is the subject of discussion by most of the sacred authors. The same hope, the same high standard of ethics and morals, the same conception of the one true and living God, the same presentation of the plan of redemption, the same unfolding of the ages, and the same ultimate goal appear throughout the sixty-six books constituting the Sacred Volume. The fact that there is such unanimity and harmony amidst such unparalleled diversity is a miracle of miracles within itself.<\/p>\n If one doubts this assertion for a second, let him collect the writings of fifty authors who lived over the course of forty centuries, who wrote in at least four different languages, whose background and environments varied as did those of the biblical authors, and whose writings display the same unity of theme, plan, and purpose without contradiction; and let him compose out of them a single volume for the consideration of the world \u2014 one volume which displays unity and harmony as the Bible does. Until this is done, no one has a logical right to place the Bible upon the same low level with the works of men. Should one gather into a single volume the classical books from the ancient East, the writing of the philosophers of Greece and the orators and administrators of Rome, together with the productions of the Saracens of the Middle Ages, and add to the collection the outstanding classical writings of modern times, one would have a perfect literary hodgepodge. There would be nothing but discords, contradictions, error, superstition, mythology, and baffling philosophy, mixed with a sickening concoction of modern guessing and speculation.<\/p>\n The sixty-six books of the Bible unite and make one grand, glorious literary whole, which sets forth the only rational theology, the only sane philosophy, the highest system of ethics and morals, and the only satisfying worship and approach to Him in whom man lives, moves, and has his being.<\/p>\n As said before, the sixty-six books of the Bible fit together and form one literary unit just as the various parts of a jigsaw puzzle fit together and form one pattern.<\/p>\n In my affirming that the Bible is a literary unit free from contradictions and error, I am speaking of the original manuscripts<\/em> and not of translations made by fallible men.<\/p>\n There is but one hypothesis which can reasonably and adequately explain the existence of this library of sixty-six volumes composed as thy were. The only sane and reasonable explanation of this unique volume is that it was given by the inspiration of the Spirit of God and that its production was indeed a miracle. The Bible is the miracle book. The Bible lives!<\/p>\n The Jew is a miracle. The Hebrew race began in a miracle; it has been sustained through the centuries by a miracle; and will be preserved and delivered in the future by a miracle \u2014 the direct intervention of God Almighty. These facts lead me to make the bold declaration that Jewish history is nothing short of a miracle.<\/p>\n Again, let me call attention to the fact that, when Abraham and Sarah were past the age of parenthood, the Lord performed a biological miracle upon their bodies which made possible the birth of Isaiahac. In doing this thing, the Lord injected new powers, potentialities, and capabilities \u2014 both spiritual and intellectual into the bloodstream of the Jewish nation. That this is true may be seen from Isaiahiah 43:1, which speaks of God’s having created Jacob and formed Israel.<\/p>\n The history of the Chosen People is set forth in the most minute detail, from the deliverance out of Egyptian bondage, through the centuries, to the time when Israel will again be reinstated into the favor of the Lord and placed in her own land. This delineation of her checkered course through the centuries is found in such marvelous chapters as Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28, and in her national anthem Deuteronomy chapter 32.<\/p>\n Let us glance at Leviticus, chapter 26, the original prophecy which outlines her history through the centuries. In verses 1 and 2 God spoke of the relationship which existed between Him and Israel by virtue of the covenant into which He entered with her at Sinai.<\/p>\n Upon the basis of this covenant God promised to bless her in a special and unique manner \u2014 upon the condition that she would be faithful and true to Him. Had she met this condition, Palestine would have been Paradise regained, a modern Utopia. Abundant crops would have been the order of the day throughout all her history. Never would the tramp of armies or beat of drums have been heard in her land if she had been true to Him. He would have supplied all her needs and her kingdom would have been a model for all peoples.<\/p>\n On the other hand, God warned Israel that, if she would not be obedient to Him but would go in her own way, He would punish her with certain judgments. This statement is seen in Leviticus 26:14-26. In these verses appear a series of threats for continued disobedience with the penalty attached for such rebellion.<\/p>\n In the event of continued disobedience God warned her, verses 27-33, that He would root her out of the Land which He was giving to her and would scatter her among the nations.<\/p>\n Finally, in verses 40-45 God foretold that those remaining of Israel would confess the iniquity of their fathers and their own iniquity:<\/p>\n … in their trespass which they trespassed against me, and also that, This passage assumes that the Hebrews as a nation commit a crime against the Lord, as punishment of which they will be spewed out of the land of their fathers and will be scattered among the nations. The final generation of them sojourning among the Gentiles \u2014 \u201cand they that are left of you\u201d (vs. 39) \u2014 shall confess the national sin, stating that the fathers committed the crime when they were in the Land in their trespassing against God, and admitting their own participation in the crime, which was committed by their fathers. When, declared Moses, they accept of the punishment and are humbled, the Lord will remember His \u201ccovenant with Jacob; and also my covenant with Isaiahac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the Land\u201d (vs. 42). This is therefore a prediction that the last generation of Israel scattered among the nations will learn of this sin and recognize it as committed by their fathers while they were still in the Land, and on account of which crime they were scattered among the nations; and they themselves will also confess their own participation in that national crime in that they assume the same attitude in the matter as did their fathers who committed the sin. When they make this confession, the Lord will remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaiahac, and Jacob and will gather them out of all lands and re-establish them in their own country, Palestine.<\/p>\n If one will look at Deuteronomy, chapter 28, one will see the same general outline of Israel’s checkered history through the centuries. This chapter, however, gives a more detailed account of it. For instance, verses 36-46, studied in the light of history are seen to be a prediction of the Babylonian captivity and the results flowing there fRomans Then a thoughtful study of verses 47-57 shows that this portion was a definite prediction of the destruction of the Jewish state by the Romans and of Israel’s world-wide dispersion.<\/p>\n Verses 58-68 speak of the scattered nation as she has wandered from land to land during her nineteen hundred years of exile from Palestine. Jewish history has followed this general pattern, as everyone who knows the facts of the case can testify.<\/p>\n Her annals have been written in blood. Suffering, dIsaiahppointments, persecutions, and pogroms have characterized her history since her expulsion from Palestine. Never has a nation been maligned and ostracized as the Jews have been. Never have such diabolical schemes and methods of extermination been devised as have been brought into action against dispersed, scattered Israel. Why all this persecution? What is its source? The answer is that Israel is the nation of destiny, created for and chosen to be the channel of world-blessing. Satan knows this fact and has done his utmost to exterminate her in the past, is trying to do it at the present, and will yet make his supreme stroke in the future \u2014 but will fail. \u201cPraise ye Jehovah.\u201d<\/p>\n It is my firm conviction that the people of Israel would have been exterminated and would be but a memory today if it had not been for the preserving power of Almighty God. Other nations rose played their part on the historic stage, and then passed into oblivion. But Israel, chosen of God, has survived through, the ages and remains one of the dominant races on earth today through her genius \u2014 although one of the minor peoples. On this point I wish to call attention to what Mark Twain said about the Jew: \u201cHe could be vain of himself and not be ashamed of it. Yes, he could be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian arose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff, and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up, and held the torch high for a time; but it burned out, and they sit in twilight, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert, aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?\u201d<\/p>\n What is the answer to the question regarding the secret of Israel’s immortality? Someone has said that man is immortal until his work is done. A great spiritual truth is expressed in this well known statement. What is true to the individual is also applicable to the nation of Israel. Her task is not done. In fact, very little of the work which God assigned to her has been accomplished. God has therefore preserved her in order that she may yet accomplish the task which He has given her. Isaiahiah, looking out into the future toward the Tribulation and the period following that time an speaking for God, declared:<\/p>\n Ye are my witnesses, God called this people to be the channel of world-blessing. She has only partially fulfilled her God-given mission. Her great contribution thus far to the world has come in the form of the Bible with its influence and blessing, and the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to purchase our redemption. Her returning to God and receiving the long-rejected Messiah will usher in the long-delayed Kingdom Age. \u201cFor if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall <\/em>the receiving of them<\/em> be, but life from the dead?\u201d (Romans 11:15). \u201cAs touching the gospel, they are enemies for your sake; but as touching the election they are beloved for the father’s sake\u201d \u2014 Abraham, Isaiahac, Jacob, et al.,<\/em> (Romans 11:28). \u201cFor the gifts and the calling of God are not repented of\u201d (vs. 29). Moses declared that \u201cJehovah’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance\u201d (Deuteronomy 32:9). Concerning their being preserved and not perishing under the terrific persecutions which have been launched against them, Malachi, speaking for God, declared:<\/p>\n For I, Jehovah, change not; By the Jew I mean the twelve tribes of Israel, the descendants of Abraham through Isaiahac and Jacob. This nation in the early books of the Bible is called Israel or the children of Israel.<\/p>\n Upon the death of Solomon the ten northern tribes revolted against King Rehoboam and formed what was later known as the kingdom of Israel. It was sometimes called Ephraim \u2014 because the tribe of Ephraim was dominant in the newly-formed government. This kingdom continued for two hundred and sixty-four years and was finally overthrown by Sargon II of Assyria, who, according to his own account of the war against Samaria, declared that he took 27,290 of the leaders of the nation of Israel captive and then placed his own governor over the people whom he left in the land. He also sent certain Asiatics as colonists into Palestine in order to make the population heterogeneous and, by so doing to reduce the possibility of revolt to a minimum.<\/p>\n This account is in harmony with the biblical record. These heathen colonists are seen in II Kings 17:24-33. They continued to worship their own gods but added Jehovah to their pantheon when they were taught concerning Him by the priest whom Sargon sent to instruct them. \u201cSo they feared Jehovah, and made unto them from among themselves priests of the high places. They feared Jehovah, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away\u201d (vss. 32,33).<\/p>\n On the other hand, the great masses of Israel who had been left in the land by Sargon are described in II Kings 17:34-40:<\/p>\n Unto this day they do after the former manner: they fear not Jehovah, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law or after the commandment which Jehovah commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; 35 with whom Jehovah made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them: 36 but Jehovah, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, him shall ye fear, and unto him shall ye bow yourselves, and to him shall ye sacrifice: 37 and the statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods: 38 and the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods: 39 but Jehovah your God shall ye fear: and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. 40 Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The people described in this quotation continued to act after the overthrow of the kingdom as they had been doing \u201cthey fear not Jehovah, neither do they after their statutes … Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.\u201d These people continued to disregard Jehovah entirely as they had been doing for the preceding two hundred and sixty-four years since the formation of the northern kingdom. They were none other than the Israelites left in the land by Sargon when he overthrew the government in Samaria and deported 27, 290 of the leaders of Israel to Assyria.<\/p>\n The theory that the people of Israel were deported to Assyria later found their way across Europe, finally settled in the British Isles, and became the forebears of the Anglo-Saxon people is but a myth \u2014 with no factual basis whatsoever in either biblical or profane history.<\/p>\n Further proof of this proposition is seen in the fact that in the days of king Josiah (ninety-eight years after the fall of Samaria) the remnant of the children of Israel together with Judah were still in the land and made great donations for the temple services at Jerusalem. Read II Chronicles 34:8-13, especially verses 9-11.<\/p>\n After the fall of the kingdom of Israel the people of the northern tribes gradually gravitated, religiously speaking, back to Jerusalem and became merged in the kingdom of Judah.<\/p>\n From the days of Ahaz, king of Judah, the people of the southern kingdom were called by the names of Israel and Jews (see II Kings 16:5,6). This fact is seen throughout the writings of the prophets of that period.<\/p>\n In the post-Exilic Era the terms \u2014 Judah, Israel, and Jews \u2014 are used interchangeably in referring to the people descended from Abraham through Isaiahac and Jacob. We see the same use of the names in the New Testament.<\/p>\n In view of all the facts \u2014 both biblical and secular \u2014 I correctly use the terms, Jews and Israelites, in referring to the people scattered among the nations and known today as Jews.<\/p>\n The Jewish nation began in a miracle, it has been sustained by the miracle-working power of God, has been protected by His almighty hand, and will yet be used in the future in bringing world wide blessing to humanity. The history of this people can be accounted for upon no principle other than that of divine miraculous preservation and purpose. Israel’s history is one of the outstanding miracles of all times.<\/p>\n Under section A we saw that the Bible is a miracle. Within the Bible are prophecies of various and sundry types. Those utterances constitute proof of inspiration. The prophets of God, hundreds of years before the events, often foretold with minute detail the misfortunes and calamities that would come upon nations and cities. A visit to Bible Lands, an examination of ancient sites and a careful study of archaeological investigations confirm this position. If the reader will only procure the volume by John Urquhart entitled, The Wonders of Prophecy,<\/em> he will see that the prophets foretold the destiny of cities and people hundreds of years before. Their utterances were indeed miracles of the first order in that it took the omniscience of God to reveal to His servants what would come to pass in the distant future \u2014 viewed from their standpoint.<\/p>\n The prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah and His rejection. They spoke of this period of grace in which we are now living. Moreover, our Lord in Matthew, chapter 13 \u2014 the Parables of the Kingdom \u2014 outlined church history as it has developed through these nineteen centuries. Each of these parables sets forth characteristics of the various periods into which church history naturally falls. Omniscience lies behind that marvelous forecast of the course of events through the centuries.<\/p>\n Daniel especially foretold the four types of world government from his day until the coming of the Messiah. History has followed the course that was foretold by that prophet. There were to be but four world empires. There have been but four. The fourth one is still in existence and will continue until the Ancient of Days takes His throne and passes judgment upon this last empire (Daniel chapter 7). For a full discussion of this subject see my volume The World’s Greatest Library Graphically Illustrated<\/a>.<\/p>\n The prophets of the Old Testament, and the apostles of the New especially, foretold the situation that will exist in the end of the present dispensation. An examination of present world conditions proves conclusively that their predictions have been fulfilled to the very letter.<\/p>\n There is but one sane, sound, reasonable explanation regarding these prophecies. When men looked across centuries, yea, even millenniums, and delineated with exactness the conditions that would exist, there is but one thing that we can say about them and that is that they spoke by the infallible inspiration of the Spirit of God. Prophecy therefore is a miracle-an outstanding, irrefutable miracle.<\/p>\n Moses and the prophets foretold His coming. They announced that He would be of the tribe of Judah, of the house of David, and of the city of Bethlehem. They also made known the very year when He would be executed. They foretold the reception which would be accorded Him and how eventually He would be executed by being crucified (Psalm 22:1-21). They forecast His death, burial, and resurrection. They foretold His return to heaven and His session at the right hand of the throne of God during the present age.<\/p>\n Every sacrifice offered upon Jewish altars was a prophecy of some phase of His life’s work. An examination therefore of all these predictions and of the typical significance of Israel’s worship points to one only \u2014 Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.<\/p>\n We have four records of His life, given by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Whereas the prophets foretold His coming and His life, the evangelists record in detail His life and deeds. When He had accomplished His work upon earth, He returned to heaven. He launched, however the greatest movement known among men \u2014 Christianity which has changed the entire course of history. This fact every informed person must admit.<\/p>\n Notwithstanding the plain facts as they appear in prophecy and in the Gospel Records, there are those who are still disposed to discount Him and to reduce Him to the level of a mere man. With their critical apparatus they eliminate this section and that portion of the Sacred Records in order to remove all miraculous elements from the gospel and try to reduce the Lord Jesus to the stature of an ordinary man. Such a procedure, let me say, is thoroughly unscientific and only those who have some preconceptions or theories to support will attempt to eliminate any sections of the record. Even after those miraculous portions have been eliminated, Jesus of Nazareth stands out a unique character upon the historic scene. Someone has truly said that it would take a Jesus to produce the record of His life. After the rationalistic critics have done all that they can to delete the records of all miraculous elements, as we shall see in discussing the subject of the atonement, Jesus of Nazareth still stands there in His majesty and glory the sinless, perfect man, who was none other than God manifest in the flesh.<\/p>\n If one wishes to see the type of the record of the life of Christ which uninspired men would write, let one read the apocryphal gospels which are on a plane infinitely lower than that on which the four canonical Gospels have stood, are standing, and shall continue to stand.<\/p>\n In view of all the facts regarding Jesus of Nazareth, one is forced to bow before Him and acknowledge that He is Lord of lords, King of kings, and Saviour of the penitent believer.<\/p>\n As stated before, Jesus Christ launched a new movement in the world which is now called Christianity. The whole course of history has been turned in a different direction by it. Lives by the millions have been transformed. Myriad’s today will testify to the saving power of Jesus Christ. It is true that there are many hypocrites among the believers as there are in other grouPsalm But the lives and the testimonies of innumerable people prove absolutely that there is such a thing as a miracle. There are hundreds of volumes which present the testimony, unimpeachable and unquestionable, of myriad’s of outstanding men who have influenced the world and who have testified that there was a miracle wrought in their souls when they accepted Jesus of Nazareth as their personal Saviour and Lord.<\/p>\n I wish to testify concerning my own experience with Him. When I came to Him and accepted Him as my personal Saviour, there was a joy that came into my heart and a satisfaction that I had never experienced. Up to the very day of my conversion I had a definite plan which I intended to pursue in life. But when the miracle of regeneration took place, this cherished hope faded into insignificance and there came into my heart an insatiable desire to go out and tell others about the miracle that had been wrought in my life and to teach the Word of God to others and thus live for my fellow-man.<\/p>\n The person who has had such an experience with Jesus Christ as I have had knows that miracles are possible, for one has been wrought in his own life.<\/p>\n The number of people who have and who would testify concerning the miracle of regeneration in their own hearts is legion. It is true that some might be deceived, but it is utterly impossible for the vast multitudes who have had this definite experience to be mistaken.<\/p>\n My friend, I earnestly appeal to you. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, come to Him in faith, doubting nothing, forsaking your sins, and let Him work this miracle in your own heart and life. The Psalmist David pleaded with men, saying:<\/p>\n Oh taste and see that Jehovah is good: This is an invitation to one and all to come. He who comes to Jesus will in nowise be cast out (John 6:37). Christ will regenerate the heart and will give a new life, a new hope, and a new joy such as a person prior to his acceptance of Christ has never experienced. Christian experience is a reality. It is a miracle.<\/p>\n In concluding this discussion, which has been very brief because of lack of space, I wish to show that miracles are not, as is often supposed, contrary to the laws of nature. To do this, let me call attention to the airplane. There are thousands of principles \u2014 natural laws \u2014 that have been utilized, combined, and manipulated in the manufacture of the various parts that enter into the construction of such a machine. By the utilization of these many laws, the manufacturer of a plane brings about results that nature unaided could not accomplish. When one reads about and listens over the radio to reports of those giant aircraft that carry the super-block buster bombs weighing eight tons great distances, one sees that there is something which nature cannot produce. Men with intelligence take advantage of the combination of the various laws governing the different materials entering into the construction of the plane and bring about such miraculous results.<\/p>\n The plane manufacturer, the pilots, and those operating the plane do not for one moment set aside any law of nature. Every one involved is operative in the whole process; and yet, that which is, from the standpoint of nature, impossible is accomplished. A miracle from the standpoint of nature has been wrought.<\/p>\n If men, by thus combining and utilizing the various laws, can produce this miracle of the air, cannot the omniscient, omnipotent God \u2014 the author of all the so-called laws of nature \u2014 combine and manipulate and bring into action laws of which we know nothing and bring about results for definite, specific, spiritual, and eternal purposes, if He chooses to do so? Every rational thinking person, if he is willing to face the issue must admit that miracles are possible. But I have called attention to the five outstanding miracles to the ages. May God open our eyes to see that the Eternal God, the Creator of the universe is interested in us, that He is working in our behalf and that He will continue to do so during time and eternity.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The thinking person who will go out under the great dome of heaven and in a meditative mood will observe the physical phenomena round about him \u2014 in the heavens above and on the earth beneath \u2014 will have his soul flooded with emotions and ideas. Numerous questions will come into his mind, one of the foremost of which is, Are the things which I observe eternal or was there a time in the past when they came into existence? The physical universe is either eternal in nature or it had a beginning some time in the past. As we have already seen in Chapter 1, we know that there are two classifications of existence \u2014 mind and matter. What we have already seen leads us to the conclusion that mind antedates matter. In view of all the phenomena we cannot avoid this conclusion. The great mind whom we call the Almighty, has existed throughout eternity of the past, or He had a beginning. The contemplative soul cannot believe that there was a time in the past when there was no mind. Although a person cannot understand with his finite powers how the Supreme Intelligent Being could exist throughout all eternity, it is more in keeping with reason and sound judgment to accept His everlasting existence as a postulate rather than to attempt to rest in the agnostic position of doubt or in that of denial regarding His existence.<\/p>\n Moreover, as we face the future, we cannot avoid the conclusion that there will come a period when time shall cease and all matter constituting the present universe will be swallowed up into oblivion, forgetfulness, and nothingness. Scientists however tell us of the indestructibility of physical phenomena. It is true that things change their form and combinations but, as far as man knows the material universe is indestructible. But, since God declared that the heavens and earth shall pass away, we shall believe Him rather than men. The very craving of the soul of man for continued existence argues for a never-ceasing eternity. It is impossible to eradicate from his innermost being this innate conception of the future concerning which the Scriptures speak abundantly.<\/p>\n Thus from contemplation of the world in which we live, the thinking person comes to the conclusion that the present is but a passing phase of existence. Time and events march onward. Of course, we know more about our own day than we do of the past or of the future. This situation is natural. We are convinced in our innermost souls that there is a whence and a whither to all things.<\/p>\n Turning now from the observation of nature and contemplative thought to the revelation which is found in the Bible, we see evidence that what we call \u201ctime\u201d was, speaking in a figure, projected infinitely into the past \u2014 without any beginning. Moreover, from its sacred pages we learn that, after, the material heavens and earth pass away, there will be the eternal universe which will continue throughout the \u201cages of the ages.\u201d A superficial study of the Scriptures has led to countless mistakes and great confusion regarding eternity in both the past and in the future; but a thorough and scientific investigation of the Word causes these errors, that are misleading many people of our day to vanish. It likewise brings into bold relief the true, scriptural teaching upon this most important subject.<\/p>\n From Genesis to Revelation one reads in the Scriptures of various things that endure or last \u201cforever.\u201d In many instances, however, an examination of the facts of each context shows most conclusively that the word thus rendered does not connote eternal existence or unceasing action but, since in our version the word \u201cforever\u201d appears, the student untrained in biblical literature immediately becomes confused. From the nature of the data presented in many contexts he sees that the meaning which it has in the popular mind often clashes with the facts.<\/p>\n In the Hebrew Bible there are two words which are almost universally translated by the English word \u201cforever.\u201d Such a rendering is made regardless of the facts of the various contexts. The translators unfortunately seem to have forgotten, in many instances, that these words had different shades of meanings. Anyone who will look at an English dictionary or at a lexicon of any other language can instantly see that words, as a rule, have different meanings and shades of ideas. In order to ascertain the significance of a certain word in any context, one must note the facts of each setting; but to select a certain definite meaning \u2014 even though it be the inherent, fundamental idea of the root word \u2014 and to apply this in every instance is to do violence to the language.<\/p>\n One must always remember the Golden Rule of Interpretation which is, \u201cWhen the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense: therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.\u201d When the literal, primary meaning does not make good sense in a given context, a secondary or figurative meaning must be used. To fail to apply this rule is to introduce confusion into the thought.<\/p>\n An examination of the various contexts in which the two Hebrew words \u2014 ‚olam<\/em> and ‚ad<\/em> \u2014 occur shows that these terms express the idea of continuity, perpetuity.<\/em> The length of time is to be determined by the facts of the context and the things with which they are connected. For instance, in Genesis 21:33 we read of Abraham’s calling upon the name of Jehovah, \u201cthe Everlasting God.\u201d The Almighty had no beginning; neither will He ever pass out of existence. This word when modifying the idea of God signifies eternity in both directions. For example, in Exodus 15:18 we read that \u201cJehovah shall reign for ever and ever.\u201d The evidence shows that God is the supreme ruler who was, who is, and who is to come. It is He who reigns throughout all eternity. Another rendering of this verse, which is correct grammatically, is \u201cThou, O Jehovah, dost reign for ever and ever.\u201d Thus the expression \u201cfor ever and ever,\u201d indicates eternity in both directions if we adopt this translation. But if we take the text reading, it indicates eternity in the future. Moses, speaking for God, said, in Deuteronomy 32:40, \u201cFor I lift up my hand to heaven, And say, As I live forever.\u201d Here we see that God is speaking of His existence which is throughout all eternity. In order to convey this idea, He uses our word rendered \u201cforever.\u201d Hence the facts show that in this instance it connotes all eternity. Once more, we see in Deuteronomy 33:27 that God speaks of Himself as the \u201ceternal God.\u201d Without doubt this statement connotes all eternity. In Psalm 33:10 David said that God will bring the plans and the counsels of the nations to naught; in contrast with them, he affirmed that, \u201cThe counsel of Jehovah standeth fast for ever.\u201d Here we see that \u201cfor ever\u201d indicates \u201cthroughout all the ceaseless ages of eternity in the future.\u201d Solomon, in Proverbs, chapter 8, discussed the question of wisdom and personified it. Continuing his description, he asserted \u201cI [Wisdom] was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was.\u201d Once again, we see that the Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Word of God declared that it will stand fast forever (Isaiah 40:8) \u2014 throughout future ages.<\/p>\n Numerous are the passages which speak of God, of His existence, and of His Word, and of their continuing forever. But these will suffice to show that this word does connote all eternity<\/em> \u2014 perpetuity without any limitation \u2014 in either or both directions.<\/p>\n On the other hand, we see this same word modifying things connected with this world, which had a definite beginning and which will have a specific ending. In the first verse of Genesis we are told that God created the heavens and the earth \u201cin the beginning.\u201d The Apostle John, Revelation 20:11, declared that the material universe will pass out of existence at the end of the Millennium when the great white throne judgment is set. \u201cAnd I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.\u201d From these facts we see that the material universe had a beginning and will have an end. In view of these facts many of the sacred writers use this word in describing scenes that pertain particularly to this earth. For instance, in Genesis 49:26 Jacob spoke of the hills as being \u201cthe everlasting hills.\u201d Our word cannot in this connection connote eternity because their duration is limited by the existence of the earth. Again, we see Moses‘ using this same idiom in Deuteronomy 33:15. Here he spoke of \u201cthe everlasting hills.\u201d In Genesis 6:4 we read of the Nephilim,<\/em> the fallen ones, who were the sons of God, and of their going in unto the daughters of men. To these unions were born \u201cthe mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.\u201d Here ‚olam <\/em>is rendered \u201cof Old.\u201d Since the writer was speaking of the offspring of those unholy marriages to which he referred and called them men of old, it is evident to everyone that here the word does not connote the idea of eternity. On the other hand, it signifies ancient times. Once again, we read in Genesis 13:14,15 that God promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and to his seed \u201cfor ever.\u201d The beginning of the time of their ownership was the date of the promise which looked out into the future. Since it was referring to the land of Palestine which is on this earth and which will pass away at the judgment of the great white throne following the Millennium, it is evident that \u201cfor ever\u201d in this instance cannot mean eternity. The facts in the context show that it is limited by the duration of the thing of which it is a part, namely, the earth. The Lord constantly said in the law concerning the various regulations and the ceremonial services, which were given to Israel at Mount Sinai, that they were to be observed \u201cfor ever.\u201d Since these instructions pertained to the service of the tabernacle and temple worship which was carried on in Palestine by the Jews, and which will be resumed and observed throughout the glorious Millennial Age \u2014 possibly with certain exceptions \u2014 it is obvious that ‚olam<\/em> here does not connote eternity but refers to things pertaining to this earth.<\/p>\n When one thus studies the context where our word occurs, one will see by the facts the exact meaning of the term in a given case.<\/p>\n The general principles which I have enunciated concerning olam <\/em>are true with reference to ad<\/em>, which is likewise translated \u201cfor ever\u201d throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. One or two other phrases are sometimes translated by the English word \u201cforever.\u201d The same general principles must be observed in the investigation of these terms as in the case of those already studied.<\/p>\n There are certain phrases and combinations of these words which simply lay emphasis upon the idea of continuity. When any of these appear, one must likewise take everything into consideration to determine the specific meaning of a given expression.<\/p>\n In the new Testament the word aion<\/em>, which primarily means an age, and the corresponding adjective aionios<\/em> are in the Greek language what the words discussed above are in the Hebrew tongue. These words indicate continuity, perpetuity,<\/em> but the limit to be placed upon any one passage must be determined by the context in which it appears. For instance, God speaks of Himself in Romans 16:26 as \u201cthe eternal God.\u201d Here the word aionios<\/em> is used. Sometimes this term is rendered \u201cage lasting\u201d by certain translators who have a theory to support. If that is its only meaning, God will last only through a given age and then cease to exist. This thought is preposterous. The self-existing, eternal One speaks of Himself as \u201cthe eternal God.\u201d Paul also speaks of Him who \u201cis blessed for ever\u201d (Romans 1:25). He uses similar language in referring to Christ in Romans 9:5: \u201c… of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God blessed for ever.\u201d To God the Father be glory into all the ages \u2014 forever (Romans 11:36). In the Book of Revelation we see that God and Christ are both spoken of as abiding, or living, forever and ever. We also read of their reigning forever. In these expressions the word which primarily means \u201cage\u201d appears. Since God, Christ (Messiah), and the Holy Spirit live and reign forever and ever, throughout all the ages of eternity, it is clear that the expression \u201cforever\u201d which translates our word aion<\/em> or a phrase containing this word indicates ceaseless eternity when referring to them.<\/p>\n But we see that sometimes this same word is applied to the earth, which after the Millennium passes out of existence. In such instances it cannot have the meaning of eternity but rather a limited connotation. Sometimes it modifies the present age which terminates with the return of our Lord; on other occasions, it indicates the Millennial Era. In certain contexts it refers to this earth. Such expressions are used metonymically. In this use we speak of the earth in terms of the period of time during which it is in existence.<\/p>\n From a thorough survey of the use of this noun and its derivatives, we see that in each instance the facts of a given context must be studied carefully in order to understand exactly what was meant by the sacred writer. A full sweep of eternity \u2014 past, present, and future \u2014 appears in the doxology of Jude: \u201cNow unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be<\/em> glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, and now, and for evermore. Amen.\u201d A more literal rendering of the phrase, \u201cbefore all time,\u201d is \u201cbefore every age.\u201d The eternity prior to the creation of the world, according to this literal translation, breaks up into ages. The future, after this world passes out of existence, is likewise divided into ages. The section of eternity called in this doxology \u201cnow\u201d also falls into definite periods or dispensations.<\/p>\n A glance at the chart (at the top of the page-ed. note) shows that eternity is divided into three sections: in the beginning, time, and the ages of the ages. It is at this point for us to note the principal events in the unfolding of the ages, which is based upon the infallibly inspired Word of God.<\/p>\n In Genesis 1:1 we read, \u201cIn the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.\u201d In John 1:1 we like wise see these words: \u201cIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.\u201d These two passages refer to that portion of eternity which antedated time. This section of eternity goes back and back, finding no beginning. In those past ages the triune God existed, for we are told that \u201cIn the beginning Gods created the heavens and the earth\u201d (literal translation).<\/p>\n This portion of eternity designated \u201cIn the beginning\u201d was divided into ages. This is seen from the correct rendering of Psalm 90:2: \u201cBefore the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from age to age, thou wast God\u201d (literal translation). An examination of this verse as it appears in our ordinary translations shows that these renderings do not represent the original Hebrew. This fact becomes evident when one realizes that Moses was literally speaking of that part of eternity antedating time. Thus in speaking of God’s existence during that time, he could not say that God was from everlasting to everlasting because all eternity cannot be pushed back prior to time. But since the word translated \u201cfrom everlasting to everlasting\u201d also means \u201cfrom age to age,\u201d we see that the proper rendering in accordance with all the facts of the context is that God existed from age to age during that period of eternity.<\/p>\n After the ages upon ages of the past eternity had rolled by, God created the heavenly beings. A reference to them is found in Job 38:6,7:<\/p>\n Whereupon were the foundations thereof [the earth] fastened? An examination of the first five verses of this chapter shows that the Lord Almighty was speaking of the creation of the universe. Following this statement, He asked Job the question found in this quotation. These morning stars, who are the sons of God, were in existence prior to the creation of the universe. They were intelligent beings who could comprehend, at least in a limited way the significance of that which was unfolding before their entranced vision by the creative activity of the Lord Almighty. Further light upon these intelligent creatures is thrown by the prologue of the Book of Job \u2014 chapters 1 and 2. Here we see the throne of the Lord God Almighty. There come into His presence the sons of God to give an account of their ministrations in their appointed spheres. Among them also appears the great adversary of both God and man, Satan. When all these facts are weighed, it becomes increasingly evident that the sons of God in these chapters are the intelligent beings whom God created prior to His calling the universe into existence.<\/p>\n Another picture of the throne of God in heaven and the assembled angels before Him is found in 1 Kings 22:13-23. We catch a glimpse of a similar scene in Psalm 89:5-8. These sons of God are referred to in the expressions, \u201cassembly of the holy ones,\u201d \u201cthe sons of the mighty,\u201d and \u201cthe counsel of the holy ones.\u201d Other references are to be found that deal with the hosts of angelic beings that were created before the foundation of the world, but these will suffice to give sufficient light on this momentous question in determining the time of their being created and their identity.<\/p>\n A marvelous paragraph which gives us further insight into the great government of God throughout the universe is found in Psalm 103:19-22. The heaven of the heavens belongs to Jehovah, and His kingdom rules over all. In this kingdom there are cherubim, seraphim, and all ranks and orders of angels. According to this quotation these heavenly beings are mighty in strength and fulfill His word, hearkening to His voice. In other words, they are servants of the Almighty, who carry out His administration throughout the vast universe. Psalm 148 is indeed a hallelujah chorus. In the first six verses the writer is looking into the heavens and calling upon them to render praise and adoration to God their Maker. As his eyes scan the heavens, he calls upon those intelligent beings in the great heights of the vault above to praise God. Then his eyes focus upon the heavenly bodies, such as the sun, moon, and stars, and the waters that are above the heavens, and he calls upon them as if they were animate beings, charging them likewise to render adoration to the Lord. Thus by the proper functioning of the heavenly bodies as they are controlled by the angelic hosts, glory and honor, praise and adoration are given to the Almighty.<\/p>\n Since there are various ranks and orders of angels, as a study of the different passages relating to them indicate, we naturally suppose that this vast host of celestial beings is organized, similar to that of an army of government. This idea is further confirmed by the fact that the Lord used the term, host, which was a military expression indicating an organized army under the leadership of some great general. A further study of this most interesting and enlightening subject will lead to marvelous insight into the government of God in both the past and the present. The passage which illuminates this subject especially is Ezekiel, chapter 28. Here we find an oracle from the Almighty addressed by the prophet to the king of Tyre. Ezekiel lived at the time of the Babylonian captivity. In fact, he was carried to Babylon in the second deputation of exiles from Judah. By the prophetic vision he was projected three centuries into the future and saw the Tyre of the time of Alexander the Great (one should read Ezekiel, chapters 1, and 26-28, in order to get the full picture). In the prophet’s time Tyre was on the mainland. Nebuchadnezzar for thirteen years besieged it but was never able to conquer it. Finally, he withdrew and gave up the siege as hopeless. The Tyrians, not being willing to be subjected to such ordeals as this harassing siege, abandoned their city and moved to and fortified an island about a half a mile out in the sea. Here they built one of the strongest fortresses of ancient times. This Phoenician city, in the days of Alexander, was the mistress of the commercial world. In fact, it was the emporium for the three continents \u2014 Europe, Asia, and Africa. It was to trade and commerce what New York or London is in the business world today. The king, whom the prophet addressed, no longer thought of himself as a man, but called himself a god, claiming that he was sitting in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas. Such arrogance is not unfamiliar to one who is conversant with ancient history. For instance, the Pharaohs of Egypt of the Middle Kingdom claimed that they were the sons of Amen-Ra, one of the principal gods of the land. The sovereigns of various countries have thought of themselves as the offspring of the gods. But we need not go back to ancient times to find this obsession. The Emperor of Japan speaks of himself as \u201cthe son of heaven.\u201d His subjects consider him in this light. Such is the representation of the prophet concerning the king of Tyre, against whom the oracle was uttered.<\/p>\n According to Ezekiel 28:3 the Lord declared that this man was wiser than Daniel, and that there were no secrets (of men in their relations with others) hidden from him. The language is that of soberness and of divine revelation.<\/p>\n Moreover the Lord declared, according to verses 4 and 5, that this man had hoarded riches and had built up a world-wide trade by his wisdom and understanding and his international commerce and trade. The \u201cdeceitfulness of riches\u201d is indeed a reality and proved so in the case of this king. When he was thus successful and had built up his international trade and commerce, his heart was lifted up in arrogance and pride. No intelligent created being can remain in a humble and dependent attitude when riches, honor, glory, and the adulation of his fellow-creatures are heaped upon him. Pride and a haughty spirit always go before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).<\/p>\n The oracle of the Almighty to this man who in his own eyes was so very mighty is this (Ezekiel 28:6-10):<\/p>\n Because thou hast set thy heart as the heart of God, 7 therefore behold, I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations; and they shall draw their sword against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. 8 They shall bring thee down to the pit; and thou shalt die the death of them that are slain, in the heart of the seas. 9 Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou art man, and not God, in the hand of him that woundeth thee. 10 Thou shalt die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord Jehovah.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n These words pronouncing doom upon this rich, haughty monarch constitute the sentence of judgment announced against this heathen king by the Lord God Almighty. This threat was carried out and executed by the Lord in His using Alexander the Great to capture the city and to raze it to the ground. The facts regarding the destruction of Tyre may be found in any authentic history of that time.<\/p>\n A careful study of Ezekiel 28:1-10 reveals the fact that the prophet in this section of the chapter was speaking to a literal, historical character who was reigning over Tyre and who was conquered by Alexander the Great.<\/p>\n If one will carefully study verses 11-19 of this chapter, one will recognize instantly the presence of a sinister being, mighty in power, clever in wisdom, and diabolical in character. In these verses we shall see that, though they are addressed to the king of Tyre, they indicate a larger circle than that was ever traversed by any mortal man. When we recognize this fact, we see that this chapter is an example of what Bible teachers call the \u201claw of double reference.\u201d In such passages the description of one person or scene blends imperceptibly into that of another, in both of which there are similarities and at the same time dissimilarities. This principle might be further illustrated by a stereopticon which produces the dissolving effect. At first one picture is thrown upon the screen which gradually fades. At the same time there appears the outline of another one. By the time the first one has completely vanished from the screen, the second one is in full view. Thus in verses 1 to 10 we see only the prince of Tyre, a man puffed up with pride and conceit, claiming that he is a god because of his great insight, wisdom, and abundant riches. In verses 11 to 19, on the other hand, we recognize a different character \u2014 one who sealed up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. This one was in Eden, the garden of God. Moreover he did reside in what we, humanly speaking, might call a crystal palace. Before this time he was \u201cthe anointed cherub that covereth.\u201d As a matter-of fact he was \u201cupon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created till unrighteousness was found in thee.\u201d This one is such a unique character that it behooves us to study most carefully what God says in regard to him.<\/p>\n Let us note the fact that he was created (vs. 15). He sealed \u201cup the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty\u201d (vs. 12). From the standpoint of wisdom and perfection of beauty he sealed \u201cup the sum.\u201d This language means that he possessed these qualifications in the highest degree possible. When God created him, He made the highest possible creature that He could call into existence. He possessed all his characteristics and capabilities to the nth degree. Deity could not have created a higher personality than this one was.<\/p>\n He was \u201cthe anointed cherub that covereth.\u201d What is the significance of this language? When this fourteenth verse, in which this statement occurs, is studied carefully, it is seen that this one, as the anointed cherub, was upon the holy mountain of God and was walking up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. The reference to his being in the holy mountain of God is doubtless an echo of that which is found in Isaiah 14:12-14:<\/p>\n How art thou fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, that didst lay low the nations! 13 And thou saidst in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will sit upon the mount of congregation, in the uttermost parts of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The \u201choly mountain of God\u201d without question is \u201cthe mount of congregation, in the uttermost parts of the north\u201d (Isaiah 14:13). Moreover he walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. When did he do this? Where were these stones of fire? These references are doubtless echoes from the vision of the Almighty which was granted Ezekiel as we see in chapter 1 of his prophecy. In this chapter we get a glimpse of the revelation that was made to the prophet when he was by the river Chebar. He saw coming out of the north \u2014 that is, out of the region of the polar star \u2014 \u201ca great cloud, with a fire infolding itself, and a brightness around about it, and out of the midst thereof as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire\u201d (Ezekiel 1:4). Out of this fire there came forth four living creatures, each having four faces and four wings. Beside each of them were wheels within a wheel. As the anointed cherub he was in the mount of God and in the midst of the stones of fire (Ezekiel 28:16). Obviously the phrase, \u201cthe anointed cherub that covereth\u201d refers to his position of being chief of the other cherubs mentioned in the vision. Resting upon these stones of fire was a firmament. This was immediately above the heads and the wings of the cherubims. Upon this firmament was placed a mighty and glorious throne. Seated upon it was the Almighty, Jehovah the God of Israel, the supreme ruler and controller of the universe.<\/p>\n Let us now examine more carefully the information which we have gleaned thus far from Ezekiel, chapters 1 and 28. This being, of whom we are studying, was the anointed,<\/em> the covering <\/em>cherub.<\/p>\n This language indicates that he was what we in military terms, would call a generalissimo1<\/sup>, the commander-in-chief of a mighty force. The cherubim, it seems from Ezekiel, chapter 1, are the celestial beings who support the firmament upon which the throne of God rests. But this anointed or covering cherub was supreme over all the other cherubim, and we have reason to believe over all the hosts of heaven. Being the highest type of creature that could be brought into existence and being given the dominant authority and power under Deity, he was therefore supreme under God, since there was no creature under Deity who was his equal.<\/p>\n Since this anointed cherub was the highest of all the created beings and was the most powerful, having supreme command, it is easy for us to understand how the other angelic beings would be placed under his authority and power. Thus as chief he was nearest the throne of God and was the one who \u201cwast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.\u201d These facts are set forth in Ezekiel 28:14,15. These verses refer to Satan’s original position of authority and power before the creation of the universe. In Genesis 2:1 we read, \u201cAnd the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.\u201d Some expositors have suggested that the hosts mentioned in this verse are the angelic beings. This position may be correct. But one cannot be certain. Yet from Job 38:6,7 we are certain that the \u201csons of God\u201d were present when He created the universe. Satan, as set forth above, was the great leader of this vast throng.<\/p>\n After God created the angelic beings, he brought the material universe into existence. As to how much time intervened between these two events no one knows. All that we can say concerning this matter is that in that portion of eternity which is designated as \u201cin the beginning,\u201d God created first the intelligent beings whom we know as cherubim seraphim, and angels. Later He spoke the material universe into existence. We only know that these two acts of creation occurred \u201cin the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n The Scriptures are silent as to what method or means the Almighty employed in calling the universe into existence. Neither do we know how long He was in creating it. If it were simply a question of power He could have created it in a split-second of time. Again He might have occupied long ages in bringing it into existence. In view of our ignorance on these points it behooves us to be cautious and reticent in our assertions.<\/p>\n The Idea that the earth was created in a moment of time approximately six thousand years ago must be abandoned in the light of teachings of both the Scriptures and science. The teachings of the Scriptures, we are often told, are to the effect that God created the universe in six days. Nowhere in the Bible is there such an assertion. The statement appearing in Exodus 20:11 \u2014 \u201c… for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them is, and rested the seventh day\u201d \u2014 is often cited as biblical proof of this position. In reply to this misunderstanding, let me call attention to the fact that the word in the original translated create, which appears in Genesis 1:1, is not used in this passage. On the contrary, the word appearing here indicates to make. This term connotes labor that is bestowed upon material that is already in existence. There is no intimation in the Word as to the age of the universe or how long God was in bringing it into existence.<\/p>\n There are indications however in the Scriptures that this earth has been standing for long geological ages. For instance, in the American Revised Version we find the expression times eternal in II Timothy 1:9, Titus 1:1, 2 and Romans 16:25-27. In the first two of these passages the apostle was speaking of the grace by which we are saved and of eternal life which was given us in Christ Jesus before the period which is called \u201ctimes eternal.\u201d But in the common Version this Greek expression is paraphrased \u201cbefore the foundation of the world.\u201d Every Greek scholar knows that the translators of the King James Version did not render the original expression in these passages literally but simply paraphrased the thought, which, in this instance, happened to be true as we shall presently see. By their thus handling the text, they obscured a great truth which, when known, refutes many erroneous ideas. In Romans 16:25-27 we have these words:<\/p>\n To him that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, 26 but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith: 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever [into the ages of the ages]. Amen.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Here we read of the mystery kept in secret through times eternal but now made manifest and known in the gospel and the preaching of Jesus. Obviously the apostle was speaking of the gospel. Once again, Paul referred to the gospel in the following passage:<\/p>\n We speak wisdom, however, among them that are full-grown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to naught: but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.\u201d (I Corinthians 2:6-8)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In this passage we see that the gospel by which we are saved was foreordained before the ages, was kept in secret during times eternal, but was manifested by the coming of our Lord. In these passages it is very evident that the speakers referred to the gospel of Christ, the grace of God, and the mystery or secret of Christ. These expressions are clearly referring to our salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. These passages tell us that God’s scheme of redemption was devised before times eternal,<\/em> that it was kept in silence during those times, and was finally made manifest by the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n Eternity in the past never had any beginning; neither will it have any ending in the future. In three of the passages Paul speaks of God’s planning the scheme of redemption before times eternal. Since eternity in the past never had any beginning, nothing could occur before that time. This English translation of the Greek word is obviously erroneous. In our language we have no word where by we can accurately and literally render the original. I will therefore transliterate the adjective in this expression and thus coin a phrase new to all but those who are familiar with the Greek. The grace by which we are saved was given us before aionion periods, or ages. The reader who understands only the English does not know what time is indicated by this expression. Thus far we only know that the plan of redemption was devised before these aionion periods.<\/p>\n In Ephesians 1:3,4, we read that God chose us in Christ \u201cbefore the foundation of the world.\u201d These verses then, which speak of the same plan of redemption, affirm that God devised it and elected us before the foundation of the world. The phrase, the foundation of the world, obviously refers to the creation of the earth which was brought into existence at the time of the creation of the entire universe. The Apostle Peter in his first epistle, 1:17-21, spoke of our being purchased with the blood of Christ who was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in the end of times. Here again we find the expression, \u201cfoundation of the world,\u201d which refers to the creation of the earth. In Revelation 13:8 we read of those who dwell on the earth and whose names have not been written in the \u201cbook of life of the Lamb that hath been slain\u201d from the foundation of the world<\/em>. Once more the apostle was speaking of the plan of redemption which was provided in Christ from<\/em> the foundation of the world. In all seen of these passages the writers were speaking of redemption and salvation through Christ. In three of them they affirm that this scheme of salvation was planned before times eternal,<\/em> or aionion ages,<\/em> whereas two of them mention the same thing as being done before the foundation of the world,<\/em> and one states definitely that it was from<\/em> the foundation of the earth. When these facts are taken into account, it becomes abundantly clear that our redemption was planned by the Almighty immediately before the creation of the universe. Furthermore He kept this plan secret to Himself through the aionion periods. Only when Satan led Adam to revolt against God, did the Lord announce His intention of redeeming man through the<\/em> seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15). Thus the times eternal, or aionion periods<\/em> lie between the beginning of the work of creation and the Fall of man. In view of these facts one must reject the rendering of the Revised Version in three of the passages discussed above and must think of the aionion periods<\/em> as coming between the creation of the world and the Fall of man recorded in Genesis, chapter 3.<\/p>\n This conclusion is further strengthened by the proper understanding of Hebrews 9:26:<\/p>\n … else must he [Christ] often have suffered since the foundation of the world: The student should read verses 24-28 of this passage to get the connection. For the sake of investigation let us assume the earth was created six thousand years ago \u2014 as is in many quarters believed. Our Lord came to earth after four thousand years of human history and was crucified approximately two thousand years ago. The present Christian Age will be followed by the millennial reign of King Messiah. According to this data the earth, which passes away at the end of the Millennium (Revelation 20:11), stands for seven thousand years. Since there were four thousand years, according to our hypotheses, before the crucifixion of Christ and there are to be three thousand years after His execution, we would say that His crucifixion was only five hundred years past the central date of the seven thousand years. Could Paul have believed that the earth was created only four thousand years before his time and, knowing approximately the length of time that it would continue after that event, still say that the crucifixion occurred \u201cat the end of the ages?\u201d It is preposterous to ask this question. If the earth stands for only seven thousand years, he would have had to speak of the crucifixion as having occurred in the middle of the ages. And inspired man would not make such a mistake as this. When, however, we see that there were long ages designated as the aionion periods which intervened between the creation of the universe and the destruction recorded in Genesis 1:2, we see that Paul in speaking of Christ’s crucifixion two thousand years ago could correctly and accurately say that event occurred in the conclusion of the ages \u2014 that is, the ages of the existence of the world.<\/p>\n This fact is confirmed by scientists of the conservative, believing group. I am thoroughly aware that the radicals among scientific men, most of who are unbelievers, indulge in the greatest flights of imagination in their interpretation of physical phenomena. The conclusion to which we have been led in this study thus far relative to the age of the earth or the time of its creation is confirmed by believing scientists. For the benefit of my readers I wish to quote an article in full which appeared in the Moody Monthly October, 1942, the caption of which is \u201cScience Discovers the Day of Creation,\u201d by Peter W. Stoner, M.S., who is professor in Pasadena Junior College and is a member of the American Scientific Affiliation, an organization of Christian believers who are teachers of science:<\/p>\n ‚In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth‘ (Genesis 1:1). Does ‚in the beginning‘ mean the beginning of God, or the beginning of the physical universe? Is ‚in the beginning‘ a definite fixed time?<\/p>\n It cannot mean the beginning of God, for He had no beginning. It must therefore refer to the beginning of the heavens and the earth. When was the day of creation of the whole physical universe? ‚In the day<\/em> that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens‘ (Genesis 2:4). Does this word ‚day‘ imply that the earth, the moon, the sun, and the stars were all made at the same period of time, ‚in the beginning‘? What contribution does science make to the question?<\/p>\n Consider first the layers of the earth. The ages of the different layers of the earth have been estimated at varying amounts by many scientists for generations. Within the last few years a new method has been developed for determining the age of any igneous rock which contains deposits of uranium. This method seems to be universally accepted by scientists.<\/p>\n Uranium is a radio active element which changes into a series of other elements, one of which is radium. Radium finally changes, into lead. Uranium is unstable: an atom of uranium throws off a part of itself and becomes an atom of a different substance. That atom again throws off a part of itself and changes to a third element, and continues to change until radium is formed. Radium again changes. (It is this radiation from radium which is used for the treatment of diseases in our hospitals.) Radium finally becomes lead, and lead undergoes no further change.<\/p>\n The important thing about uranium changing to lead is that it changes very slowly and at a definite fixed rate. It changes at this same rate regardless of heat or cold, moisture or dryness, pressure, or anything else. The age of a specimen of uranium crystallized from molten rock may be quite accurately determined by the amount of it that has changed to lead. The lead derived from uranium has a different atomic weight than other lead, so that common lead in the same vicinity need not be confused with the lead derived from uranium.<\/p>\n The ages of various layers of the earth have thus been determined, the oldest being a little less than two billion years. The earth, of course, is older than the oldest layer so far studied. The earth is, perhaps, not younger than two billion years.<\/p>\n We think next of the age of meteorites. Meteorites are rocks which come to the earth from outside of our atmosphere. These may be separated into two classes. One class travels with the solar system. These meteorites travel around the sun, just as do the earth and the other planets, and never go out to excessive distances. The other class of meteorites comes to us from extreme distances, far outside of the solar system. (These two groups can easily be distinguished from the velocity at which they enter our atmosphere. Those from outer space are traveling too fast for the gravitation of the sun to hold. If they do not strike a member of the solar system they will go on to indefinite distances and forever leave our system.)<\/p>\n Meteorites from both of these groups have been found containing uranium. The greatest ages found in each group again approaches two billion years. This indicates that the matter of the solar system and the matter of distant stars may both be about two billion years old.<\/p>\n Another factor of importance is the age of the moon. The moon produces tides on the earth and the earth produces tides on the moon. These tides slow down both the earth and the moon. In the slowing down of the moon it rotates more slowly and moves further from the earth. How long would be required for the moon to reach its present position? This problem has been carefully examined by mathematical physicists. They report that the time required to bring the moon to its present position is, again about two billion years.<\/p>\n Lastly we note the age of island universes. The island universes or spiral nebul\u00e6, as they are often called, appear to be traveling at high and measurable rates of speed. The farther away they are the more rapidly are they traveling. If we follow the paths of these universes backward, we discover that they all appear to have come from the same place at the same time, and that time was about two billion years ago.<\/p>\n It therefore appears that something like two billion years ago, at one time and at one place (the reader will understand that I am not referring to the beginning of man, but the beginning of the universe), God did indeed create the physical universe and sent each part on its own way. The material of the earth’s layers testifies to this early creation date as does every available bit of evidence from all space.<\/p>\n No wonder ‚all the sons of God shouted for joy‘ at an event of such inconceivable magnitude, when more than two billion separate island universes, each containing some ten billion stars averaging greater than our sun, came from the hand of God at His command. Indeed, the heavens declare the glory of God.<\/p>\n How often when we pray do we forget that God created this universe and all the life upon it. How often do we wonder if God has the ability to answer our prayers and grant our requests. How often do we pray for guidance for the day. How often do we pray for the salvation of those who know not this God. How often do we forget to pray.\u201d<\/p>\n Reprinted from Moody Monthly.<\/em> Used by permission.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n If this conclusion, which is held by many of the leading scientists of today, is correct with regard to the age of the earth, we can accept it and at the same time maintain our absolute, unswerving faith in the infallibility of the Scriptures. (But of the correctness of this position, I cannot say. I await more positive evidence.) In fact, as has just been shown the Scriptures teach that this earth is hoary with age.<\/p>\n When the Lord created the earth, it was not a waste (Isaiah 45:18): \u201cFor thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else.\u201d When He thus brought it into existence, He planned that it should be inhabited, which fact is also seen in this quotation.<\/p>\n That portion of eternity, which is designated by \u201cIn the beginning,\u201d was brought to a conclusion by the epoch of the creation of the universe. At that time the second section of eternity, which is shown on the accompanying chart as \u201ctime,\u201d began. To an investigation of this period we now turn.<\/p>\n Many scientists, especially those of the radical type, speak of the antiquity of the earth and of the life upon it. Having adopted the false, unproved theory of organic evolution, they think of the time prior to recorded history as prehistoric ages. In this unknown past they believe that man evolved from the lower forms of life and finally developed into the man of historic times. Moreover, they, by their imagination, reconstruct the earliest type of man and civilization. In those far-off eras, according to these rationalistic scientists, man dwelt in caves and employed the rudest type of implements. He lived in this uncultured state for these countless millenniums without leaving any records of his thoughts, deeds, and accomplishments. Moreover these so-called experts tell us that he emerged from this primitive state still a crude denizen of the holes of the earth and finally evolved a picture type of writing. From then onward to the present he has recorded his thoughts and deeds. This latter period is called historic times.<\/p>\n It is proper to speak of time, which, as we have seen above, began with the creation of the world, and which, as we shall presently see, will end with the passing away of the material universe at the great Millennial Age (Revelation 20:11). The portion of eternity called \u201ctime\u201d is properly divided into prehistoric and historic times. In the foregoing discussion we have learned that there lay between Genesis 1:1 and 1;2, the period of time called by the Apostle Paul \u201caionion periods.\u201d If the scientists are correct in their estimation of the age of the earth, these aionion periods lengthened into approximately two billion years. Let us always be cautious and hold ourselves by a sane reserve before we accept the liberal estimates of scientists regarding the age of the universe. At the same time let us be open and receptive to any new truth, but let us be certain that the data presented justify the conclusions urged upon us. Only by our being eternally vigilant can we avoid error and learn the truth.<\/p>\n Should one ask me what conditions obtained upon the earth and who was here during those ancient eras, I would have to plead great ignorance; because the data in our possession are very meager. Notwithstanding the scantiness of our information, there are certain things about which we have positive knowledge relating to that period and to the earth. From Ezekiel 28, as we have already seen \u201cthe anointed cherub that covereth\u201d dwelt in what we, humanly speaking, have called a crystal palace upon this earth. The specific place where it was located was called Eden, the garden of God. This information is contained in verse 13. The last clause of this verse is very illuminating: \u201c… the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was in thee; in the day that thou wast created they were prepared.\u201d It seems from the entire passage that without question this Eden, that garden of God, was located on the earth; but we have seen that this anointed cherub was created, together with the angelic hosts, prior to the calling into existence of the universe. Notwithstanding this fact we are told that the workmanship of the tabrets and the pipes was in this anointed cherub when he was created. A study of these facts leads one \u2014 at least me \u2014 to conclude that the meaning is this: God endowed Satan with capacities, abilities, and powers to construct this crystal palace of every precious stone. When the universe was created the Lord also permitted Satan thus to construct his royal abode and placed him on earth as the prince of this world to govern and control it. If these conclusions are correct, the language of our Lord takes on added significance: \u201c… because the prince of this world hath been judged\u201d (John 16:11). Since our Lord was speaking of Satan, we can identify the anointed cherub as the prince of this world, who is the adversary of both God and man. Further confirmation of this position is seen by a closer study of the Ezekiel passage. Notwithstanding the fact that Satan was created a perfect, righteous being \u2014 with the power of choice and free will \u2014 God thus spoke of him: \u201cBy the abundance of thy traffic they filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned\u2026 By the multitude of thine iniquities, in the unrighteousness of thy traffic, thou hast profaned thy sanctuaries …\u201d (Ezekiel 28:16-18). What is meant by the statement that this anointed cherub by his traffic caused this situation: \u201cThey filled the midst of thee with violence\u201d? There were certain ones who, according to this passage, by trade and traffic filled the midst \u201cof thee\u201d \u2014 that is, the place of his abode. That such is the meaning of this passage becomes abundantly evident when we see that Ezekiel was drawing a parallel between what the king of Tyre \u2014 a literal man who lived at the time of Alexander’s conquest \u2014 built up in the form of an international trade and made his capital the commercial center of the world \u2014 a miniature kingdom modeled after Satan’s original one \u2014 and what Satan did when he was reigning supreme \u2014 under God \u2014 over the world during the \u201caionion times.\u201d History reveals the fact that the king of Tyre actually made his little island kingdom the center of the financial and commercial world of his day and time. Ezekiel, in calling attention to the fact and in blending the description of the activities of this earthly monarch with those of Satan in the prehistoric earth, meant for us to understand that the prince of this world had everything to gravitate toward himself in order that he might be \u201call in all\u201d as far as this earth was concerned.<\/p>\n But what is meant by the statement, \u201cBy the abundance of thy traffic they filled the midst of thee with violence\u201d? Evidently the personal pronoun, they, refers to some intelligent beings. Who were they? On this point no one can be dogmatic. It is altogether possible that this pronoun refers the angels who were placed under Satan’s command and authority. Again it is possible that it might refer to a pre-Adamic race \u2014 although we cannot be positive on this point. Those who believe that there was such a race call our attention to the command which God gave to Adam, \u201cBe fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth\u201d (Genesis 1:28). The Lord spoke the same words to Noah after the Flood (Genesis 9:1). We know the import of this command as it related to him. The human family had been blotted out by that universal deluge. Noah was urged to re-populate the earth. Hence to replenish the earth meant to him to re-populate the world. If it had the same signification when spoken to Adam that it did when addressed to Noah, there was a pre-Adamic race. But who knows enough to affirm dogmatically that it has the same connotation in both instances? I, personally, do not. We therefore must be very cautious on this point. Should the scientists discover skeletal remains of a primitive race, and should they find indisputable evidence that people lived upon this earth fifty thousand years ago \u2014 still we will accept no guessing or speculation but demand absolute proof and facts \u2014 I would then say that these bones were of a pre-Adamic race, which had no connection with the present human family descended from Adam and Eve.<\/p>\n Returning directly to the study of Ezekiel 28, I wish to draw a deduction if possible, with reference to the ones referred to by the pronoun \u201cthey\u201d in verse 16. The conclusion to which I come is that, if there were a pre-Adamic race here, \u201cthey\u201d likely refers to it. If there were not, this pronoun would refer to the angels under Satan. Moreover, if there were such a pre-Adamic race, this word probably included both men and angels whom Satan used for his own enrichment and glorification; for by his traffic he concentrated everything to himself.<\/p>\n A study of the kings of the world shows that with few exceptions this is exactly what they have always done. This general rule applies especially to the rulers of ancient times. Heathen kings often arrogated to themselves the claim that they were the sons of heaven or the sons of the gods and largely exploited the people over whom they reigned. In acting thus, they have done that which the prince of this world did before them. They simply follow in the steps of the one who in a most subtle manner is still controlling them. Of course in making these broad generalizations I make an exception of those monarchs and rulers who have known God and accepted His Word and His salvation. Especially is this true during the Christian centuries when some noble, Christian rulers have governed in the interests of the people and have refused to exploit their subjects.<\/p>\n Only here and there in the Scriptures are there allusions to prehistoric times. The only record that is preserved to us is found written in the fossil remains of the rocks and deposits \u2014 the hieroglyphics of that ancient civilization. It is all right for the scientists to study the alphabet of the fossil remains and tell us what they discover. Let them give us the data regarding their findings \u2014 apart from speculative thought; then we can consider these facts for ourselves and draw our own conclusions.<\/p>\n Prehistoric times passed and historic ages began when the earth, which had become a desolation and waste (Genesis 1:2), was reconstructed and prepared for man (Genesis chapter 1). There are a few echoes here and there in the Scriptures of that far-off disaster. For instance, in Job 9:5-12 we find one such. Another most import one appears in Psalm 74:12-17.<\/p>\n When a person is familiar with the prophecy of Ezekiel 28 which we have been studying, and when he is acquainted with the facts of the catastrophe of Genesis 1:2, instantly he comes to the conclusion that Satan is the one who caused the wrecking of the earth at that time. Being puffed up with pride and conceit, and unrighteousness entering into his heart, he led a rebellion against God which resulted in the wrecking of the earth and the contaminating of the entire universe. The Lord then had to restore order and exercise authority throughout His vast domain. This calamity brought to a conclusion prehistoric times2<\/sup>.<\/p>\n Historic times began with the six days of reconstruction during which time God was repairing to a certain extent, the wreckage which had been wrought by the revolt of Satan. When all the phenomena involved in the discussion of Genesis, chapter 1, are taken into consideration, one is led to believe that those days of reconstruction are to be understood literally. On the sixth day the Lord, after a consultation among the personalities of the Holy Trinity, created man and made him master of this earth, placing him in a garden eastward in Eden (Genesis, chapters 2 and 3). Thus by the authority of God Almighty, man supplanted Satan as the ruler of this earth. Naturally, therefore, the devil became enraged and figuratively speaking, swore eternal vengeance against him as well as against God.<\/p>\n He brought about the Fall of man which will be discussed in Chapter 10. It is he who has caused all the wreckage, sin, destruction, and death that have trailed man through the centuries.<\/p>\n Historic times are divided into dispensations, which are those of Innocence, Conscience, Civil Government, Promise, Law, Grace, and Glory (for a full discussion of this point see the study, The Record of Man’s Earthly Pilgrimage<\/a>). According to the chronological data found in the Old Testament, the crucifixion occurred in the year 4071 Anno Hominis<\/em> (this system of dating begins the count of time with the creation of Adam). It has been approximately nineteen hundred years since the crucifixion of Christ. There will be a thousand years during which our Lord will reign upon the earth. The total of these centuries approximates seven thousand years. Historic times therefore will cover practically seven thousand years. This period will be concluded with the passing away of the material heavens and earth in fulfillment of our Lord’s prediction (Matthew 24:35) and that of John (Revelation 20:11).<\/p>\n Eternity in the future begins with the dissolution of the earth and the creation of a new order, which will last throughout all the cycles of ceaseless eternity. A description of this new glorious order is found in Revelation, chapters 21 and 22. All the information that we have regarding it is found in these chapters. Since it is not within the scope or the purpose of this book to deal with the eternal ages, the facts just stated will suffice.<\/p>\n 1. Some commentators think that this anointed cherub performed priestly functions. So far as I have been able to determine, I see no evidence for this position, though I shall not be dogmatic.<\/p>\n 2. Our attention is sometimes called to seventeen different layers of the earth’s strata, (one superimposed in succession upon the others), each of which represents a separate and distinct period of vegetation. From this data it is argued that there were that many calamities that have struck the earth. The evidence for this conclusion is found in the vicinity of Yellowstone National Park. There may have been that many periods of growth of vegetation inundated and submerged in this particular vicinity. Before we can draw the conclusion that there were seventeen universal calamities, we must have similar evidence from various parts of the earth. Since we know so very little about conditions during prehistoric times, we must hold ourselves with a strong reserve and await further light.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\nA. Testimony of the Hebrew Scripture<\/h2>\n
1. A Plurality of Divine Personalities<\/h4>\n
a. Plural Nouns, Pronouns, and Verbs<\/h5>\n
b. The Appearance of Two Divine Personalities<\/h5>\n
c. The Angel of Jehovah<\/h5>\n
\nand hast not withheld thy son, thine only son that in blessing I will bless thee,
\nand in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens …\u201d (Genesis 22:14-17)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nwhere thou anointedst a pillar, … now arise, get thee out from this land,
\nand return unto the land of thy nativity.\u201d (Genesis 31:11-13)<\/p><\/blockquote>\nd. The Word of Jehovah<\/h5>\n
e. The Spirit of Jehovah<\/h5>\n
f. The Appearance of Three Divine Personalities<\/h5>\n
g. The Repetition of the Divine Name<\/h5>\n
\nJehovah make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
\nJehovah lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n2. The Unity of the Divine Personalities<\/h4>\n
a. The Use of the Singular Verb<\/h5>\n
b. Israel’s Great Confession<\/h5>\n
c. Declaration of Isaiah Regarding the One God<\/h5>\n
B. Testimony of the Christian Scriptures<\/h2>\n
1. The Plurality of Divine Personalities<\/h4>\n
a. Appearance of Three Divine Personalities<\/h5>\n
(1) In the Birth Narratives<\/h5>\n
(2) At the Baptismal Scene of Jesus<\/h5>\n
(3) In the Baptismal Formula<\/h5>\n
\nthat thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, Jehovah Thy God.\u201d (Deuteronomy 28:58)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nand to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
\nTake ye heed before him, and hearken unto his voice; provoke him not;
\nfor he will not pardon your transgression: for my name is in Him.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n(4) In Other Portions of the New Testament<\/h5>\n
b. The Appearance of Two Divine Personalities<\/h5>\n
(1) In the Prologue of John<\/h5>\n
\nyet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
\nthrough whom are all things, and we through him.\u201d (I Corinthians 8:5,6)<\/p><\/blockquote>\nc. In Certain Unique Passages<\/h5>\n
d. The Title, Son of God, Given to Jesus<\/h5>\n
2. The Unity of the Divine Personalities<\/h4>\n
II. Explanations of the Facts<\/h3>\n
\nFootnotes:<\/h4>\n
\nChapter 05: The Reality of Miracles<\/h1>\n
I. The Definition of a Miracle<\/h3>\n
II. Five Outstanding Unquestioned Miracles<\/h3>\n
A. The Bible<\/h2>\n
\nand between they seed and her seed:
\nhe shall bruise thy head,
\nand thou shalt bruise his heel.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\nB. The Jew<\/h2>\n
\nbecause they walked contrary unto me, I also walked contrary unto them,
\nand brought them into the land of their enemies …\u201d (vss. 40, 41)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nsaith Jehovah,
\nand my servant whom I have chosen …\u201d (Isaiah. 43:10)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\ntherefore Ye, O sons of Jacob,
\nare not consumed.\u201d (Malachi 3:6)<\/p><\/blockquote>\nC. Prophecy a Miracle<\/h2>\n
D. Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, Messiah of the Jews, is a Miracle<\/h2>\n
E. Christian Experience a Miracle<\/h2>\n
\nBlessed is the man that taketh refuge in him.\u201d (Psalm 34:8)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nChapter 06: Eternity, or the Plan of the Ages<\/h1>\n
I. The Meaning of the Word in the Original Languages Rendered \u201cForever\u201d<\/h3>\n
II. The Creation of the Heavenly Hosts<\/h3>\n
\nor who laid the corner-stone thereof,
\nWhen the morning stars sang together,
\nAnd all the sons of God shouted for joy?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\nIII. The Creation of the Universe<\/h3>\n
\nbut now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\nIV. Time<\/h3>\n
V. The Ages of the Ages<\/h3>\n
\nFootnotes:<\/h4>\n
\n