11. The Progressive Mention Principle

CHAPTER ELEVEN The Progressive Mention Principle a. Definition: That principle by which God makes the revelation of any given truth increasingly clear as the Word proceeds to its consummation.

1. You will find that the Word of God is a progression. As you study, it will bring added details to truth that God has revealed in the beginning.

2. There are two ways of studying Scripture:

(a) Canonically: in the order in which the books appear – man’s order.

(b) Chronologically: in the order in which they were written, and the events occur – order of revelation.

(1) There is a teaching in the Word of God in the very arrangement of the books. Romans is the foundation on which all the epistles rest. Thessalonians was the first written. The Holy Spirit put it in its place in the Bible because of its teachings.

(2) Bernard has written a book, "The Progress of Doctrine in the New Testament," in which he says, "The reality of the progression is very visible, and more especially so when we reach the New Testament – the last stages of this progressive teaching, Glance from the first words of the Bible to the last: ’ In the beginning God’ – ’Even so, Lord Jesus.’ There is a progression from one to the other. There is a difference in the rates of progress – in the Old Testament the progress is protracted, languid, sometimes almost obscured, ending with an entire suspension for 400 years. After this, comes the New Testament, and here the progress is rapid. Before, it was centuries, now it is but years. The great scheme unfolds rapidly. Just as a plant grows slowly at first and is barely visible in growth, so is the truth in the Old Testament. But in the New Testament, the plant has budded, and soon the full blossom appears. The growth then is rapid. First the root, then the shoot, and then the fruit."

(c) The thought of progress in Scripture ought to give to us one right method of Bible study, and that method lies right on the surface. The Bible was written by books, and was built up by books, so it ought to be studied by books. It is a Book of books. Follow a certain subject through Scripture. You will find that it becomes complete through a steady growth. There are great highways in Scripture, and we ought to travel them just as we travel other highways. We will thus accumulate knowledge. There are many speakers, but one mind. b. Examples of the growth of truth.

1. Predictions that have to do with the Person of the coming One, the Saviour.

(a) When sin came into the world, immediately God gave the promise of the Seed of the woman who would bruise the serpent. This promise comes with the fall of man – Genesis 3:15

(b) Several centuries pass, and then comes the man Abraham, with whom God makes a covenant – "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." In looking for a Satan-bruiser, then, we know he is to come from the man Abraham, as a descendant, not from just any family or any part of the earth.

(c) The next detail given is the fact that of Abraham’s two sons, Isaac is chosen.

(d) Isaac has two sons, and the promise is made definitely to Jacob.

(e) Jacob has twelve sons, and again the line is limited – this time to Judah, (f) Judah becomes a great tribe, numbering thousands. Where shall we look for the coming One? The family of David.

(g) Not only of the family of David, but in the town of Bethlehem.

(h) When He is to be born – Daniel 9:25.

(i) Zechariah tells us that He will ride into the city of Jerusalem – 9:9.

(j) Malachi 3:1 tells of the fore-runner who is John the Baptist.

(k) In Zechariah 11:12 He is to be sold for thirty pieces of silver.

(1) Psalms 22 – His heart is to be broken – description of manner of death.

(m) Psalms 34:20 – Not a bone of His body shall be broken.

(n) To David, God reveals that when the Son is slain, He will not remain in the tomb. David sees the resurrection of Christ. He sees Him placed in the tomb, and yet with the path of life stretching out before Him. He also sees His ascension into the heavens.

(o) To Isaiah is revealed God’s part in Christ’s death – Isaiah 53:4-5.

2. Progression concerning prayer. A failure to recognize this truth concerning progression will lead to misunderstanding, and will give incomplete truth.

(a) In the Old Testament we find David, Daniel, and other men praying three times a day, with their faces toward Jerusalem. If we do not recognize the law of progression, then we must teach that we must follow their example. God says more than this.

(b) In the Gospels (Matthew 6:6) God says to pray in the closet; but in the Epistles (1 Thessalonians 5:17) He says to pray without ceasing. This does not mean to get down on your knees in the closet and pray night and day. It means that as a Christian, one must be in the spirit of prayer at all times, be in constant communion with the Father. It is not necessary to pray in words. You can pray while walking. Jesus prayed; His whole life was prayer. Before He did anything He prayed. Sometimes He prayed all night. T. M. Haldeman said, "Christ was the epitome, the incarnation of prayer."

3. The Whole of the Word of God.

Don’t live in the Old Testament nor in the New Testament alone. The Old Testament is the kindergarten, and when you have finished with that, go on into the University of Scripture. We must have the Old Testament in order to understand the New. The Old Testament is the beginning. The first words of the New Testament take us back into the Old. You must know who David and Abraham were. You have to have Leviticus in order to understand the book of Hebrews. You need the whole Word of God!

4. The Trinity.

(a) In the Old Testament this was only intimated through the plural noun, Elohim, and the plural pronouns, us, our – Genesis 3:5; Genesis 1:26.

(b) A declaration is made in the New Testament where only an intimation is made in the Old Testament. At the baptism we have all three persons present – the Lord. Jesus was in the water, the Father spoke from heaven saying, "This is my son;" and the Holy Spirit came from heaven to earth. This is the declaration of the mystery which no human being can explain.

5.The Holy Spirit.

There is a development of doctrine. In Genesis 1, the name signifies "A breathing;" and this comes to its fulness of progression in the New Testament. He is mentioned 88 times in the Old Testament, and many more in the New Testament. Study the books chronologically in order.

6. Law and Grace.

Law in the Old Testament. Grace in the New.

7. Rewards. In the Old Testament they are material: in the New Testament they are spiritual and eternal.

8. Faith. This is given as a foundation in the Old Testament. In 2 Peter 1:5-9 we have an addition to it.

9. God’s dwelling places.

(a) Creation.

(b) Tabernacle.

(c) Temple in Jerusalem.

(d) The temple of Christ’s body.

(e) In the believer – 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19.

10. Satan – his characteristics.

(a) A liar from the beginning – Genesis 3:4. Denied what God said and misled the human race by a lie.

(b) A murderer from the beginning. He murdered the whole human race in that all are dead in trespasses and sin.

(c) The accuser – Job 1:11.

(d) The hinderer or resister – Zechariah 3:1-2. When Jesus said He must go to Jerusalem to suffer and die, Peter contradicted Him. Jesus said, "Get thee behind me, Satan." – Again the hinderer.

(e) The tempter.

(1) Genesis 3 – tempted Eve.

(2) Matthew 4 – tempted the Lord Jesus Christ.

(f) The betrayer, entered into Judas.

(g) Seducer of saints; instigator of lies – Acts 5:1-5.

(h) Incarnation-in man of sin – 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. Incarnation in the man of sin, the son of perdition, the instigator of all lawlessness.

(i) Rebellion – Revelation 19. Goes forth to openly war against Christ and the saints.

11. The believer’s armour against Satan –Ephesians 6:13-17.

(a) Girdle of truth-protection against the liar.

(b) Breastplate of righteousness – against the accuser.

(c) Gospel boots – protection against the hinderer.

(d) Shield of faith – protection against the one who leads men to deny.

(e) Helmet of salvation – against the one who denies the Word. Be ever ready to say, "It is written."

12. The lamb in Scripture. Found in the first and last books of the Bible. The story is woven through scripture.

(a) Genesis 4 – Abel brought his lamb to the altar. We are not told that it was slain, although it undoubtedly was. All we are told was that Abel brought the firstling of the flock and the Lord accepted it. It was for a person.

(b) Genesis 22 – We find a strange intimation that even Abraham himself did not understand. Isaac said, "We have the wood and the fire, but where is the lamb?" Abraham said, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb."

(c) Exodus 12 – the lamb must be slain. Blood must be sprinkled on the door. For the first time the emphasis is placed on the slaying of the lamb and the shedding of blood.

(d) Leviticus 16 – One kid died and the other lived. This indicates the two aspects of Christ’s work. A dying Saviour and a living Saviour; death and resurrection.

(e) Isaiah 53 – for the first time in Scripture we find that the Lamb is a person. He is slain for the whole world.

(f) John 1:29 – the first distinct revelation that this person, the Lamb of God, is a man named Jesus – "Behold the Lamb of God."

(g) Acts 8 – Philip is speaking to the eunuch and for the first time the Scripture states that the Lamb prophesied by Isaiah, is Jesus Who died on Calvary.

(h) 1 Peter 1:18-21 – here we have the foreordaining of Christ as the slain Lamb – the slain and resurrected Lamb. All threads gathered together.

(i) Revelation 5 – the Lamb is identified with the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Who will reign on the throne of David. Revelation is full of the Lamb.

13. Animal sacrifice.

(a) It was instituted by God for only one reason. It is valuable only as being typical of the Redeemer.

(b) All Old Testament sacrifices are not only typical but also educational. They show the perpetual need of the people because of sin. But the sacrifice for a man must be a man. An animal could not satisfy God’s wrath and hatred of sin. All Old Testament sacrifices pointed to Calvary. God is infinite and so sin has an infinite aspect, and as such, an infinite sacrifice is needed. A man was needed to take the place of a man and satisfy God’s justice.

14. Atonement. The great day in the history of Israel was the annual Day of Atonement.

(a) Atonement means covering. Noah covered the ark inside and outside with pitch. The Hebrew word is "KAPHAR."

(b) On the day of atonement, God covered the sins of Israel – "Blessed is the man whose sins are covered." On the basis of the blood of bulls and goats their sins were covered, looking forward to the blood that was to be shed on Calvary. There is a progression from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Our sins are not covered, but they are washed away. David’s sins are not covered any more. Since Christ died, his sins are washed away.

(c) There is a difference between atonement and regeneration. Putting powder on a spot on a handkerchief will cover the spot, but will not cleanse it. The spot will not stay covered very long. The only way to clean it is to send it to the laundry. After that, it is clean but full of wrinkles. We must be ironed with a hot iron so as to rub out the wrinkles. Ephesians tells us about God’s ironing.

(d) In the revised version of the New Testament the word "atonement" is translated "reconciliation" – Romans 5:11.

15. Sheol. In the Old Testament when the saints died, they went down to Sheol; but in the New Testament Christ went up, and He washed away their sins and ours.

16. God.

(a) The mystery and character of God given us first from His work.

(b) Then revealed from His Word.

(c) Then from His Son.

(d) And finally from the Spirit in the believer’s life.

17. Legislation.

(a) In the Old Testament there is progress. It involves a covenant relationship based on sacrifice. It is expressed in worship. It involves a consecration of time (Sabbath), substance (tithes), and self (burnt offering).

(b) In the New Testament the key is in the fact that it is spiritual – Romans 12:1. It should be translated "spiritual" service instead of reasonable.