62. Ii. EXPRESSIONS

The same is true not only of separate Words, but of a combination of words in such expressions as "Son of Man," "Man of God," "Day of the Lord," etc.

1. "The Son of Man."—This expression is first met with in Psalm viii. And if we wish to know what its distinctive significance is we must note its associations.

There we find, from the first and last verses, that it is "the earth" which is in question, and that it is "dominion" in the earth which is the scope of the

1 See Number in Scripture, pp. 205-233.

2 See further information as to this and other numbers in Number in Scripture, by the same author and publisher.

3 See The Divine Names and Titles for a complete view of this subject, by the same author and publisher.

4 See above, p. 140.

ii. AS TO EXPRESSIONS: "SON OF MAN"

Psalm as a whole. It is universal dominion over all the works of God's hands.

This then is the special thought to be borne in mind whenever we subsequently meet with this title.

Not "a son of man," for every mortal being is that, as a descendant of Adam. Ezekiel is constantly so called. "A son of man" is the converse of "a son of God."

There is just the same difference between "a son of God" and "the Son of God" as there is between "a son of Man" and "the Son of Man."

"The Son of Man" is the special title of the Lord Jesus, in connection with His right and title to universal dominion in the earth; and as having had all things placed as a footstool for His feet, when the time comes for Him to exercise that right.

At the present moment, according to the Divine Counsels "we see NOT YET all things put under Him" (Heb. ii. 8); but we shall see them in due time, when "He shall come whose right it is" to reign (Isa. xxxii. 1. Ezek. xxi. 27).

It was as "the Son of Man" that He came unto His own dominion. But His own people "received Him not" (John i. 11), hence His title is associated with His humiliation.

The first New Testament occurrence is full of significance. It is in Matt. viii. 20; where we are told that "the Son of Man" had not where to lay His head on that earth which was His by right.

This title, in perfect harmony with that first occurrence, is used eighty times in the four Gospels, not once in the Church Epistles; once in Acts vii. 56; once (and then only as a quotation) in the Epistle to the Hebrews. It does not reappear until the Apocalypse, twice (ch. i. 13; xiv. 14). There, at the crisis, when the moment arrives for executing judgment in the earth, He is seen and described as "the Son of Man"; no longer in humiliation, no longer wearing a crown of thorns, but "having on His head a golden crown" (Rev. xiv. 14-16).

The fact that this title never once occurs in the Epistles that are addressed to churches speaks loudly to those who have ears to hear; for it declares that we, as the members of the Body of Christ, have no more connection with Him by the title of "the Son of Man," than had the Syro-Phoenician woman with Him as "The Son of David" (Matt. xv. 21--21). Hence, it follows, that the Church of God must be rightly divided off, and excluded from all portions of those Scriptures where the Lord Jesus bears this title of "the Son of Man." The use of that title is sufficient proof in itself that the Scope of all such passages where it occurs is *dominion in the earth*; and not glory in the heavens.

2. "*The Man of God.*"—We find this expression used twice of Timothy in the New Testament (1 Tim. vi. 11, 2 Tim. iii. 17). And if we ask for the exact essence and force of the expression; and what is the teaching conveyed in it, we have to ask for its first occurrence.

We find it in Deut. xxxiii. 1: "This is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death."

This blessing is a great prophecy: and Moses, in this Book, is spoken of as being that Prophet, like unto whom Christ was to be hereafter raised up (Deut. xviii. 15).

This title "Man of God" came to be the popular description or title of the prophet, and we meet with it, as being so used, throughout the historical books of the Old Testament. What this teaches us will be further seen under our next Canon, as to the importance of the *place*, in Scripture, where we meet with certain expressions, in addition to the first place in which we find it.¹

3. "*The Day of the Lord.*"—This we have already considered in part, under Part I. § iv. (p. 158). It only remains, here, to show that what we have there said is based upon what we learn from its first occurrence.

We meet with it first in Isa. ii. 11, 12.

"The lofty looks of man shall be humbled,

And the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down,

And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that Day.

For the Day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud," etc.

¹ See a pamphlet on *The Man of God*, by the same author and publisher.

iii. AS TO FIRST UTTERANCES: SATAN'S

Here we have the essence of the expression. Whatever may be the marks and accompaniments of that Day; whatever may be its judgments and plagues and terrors, they have all only one twofold object;

The abasement of Man and

The exaltation of God.

This is their object and this is the great and final result.

Now, it is "Man's day" (1 Cor. iv. 3, margin). Man is judging. But "the Lord's Day" is coming, when He will be the judge. John is carried away by the Spirit and shown the future judgment scenes in the visions which are described in the Apocalypse: so that we can there read about the unveiling and exaltation of Christ, and the abasement of man in that day.¹ iii. UTTERANCES.

1. The first Utterance of the Old Serpent.

In Gen. iii. 1 the Old Serpent is introduced to us as already fallen, and his first words are intended to impress us with the fact that, the special sphere of his activities is not the criminal sphere; not the sphere of immorality; but it is the Religious sphere: it is the sphere which has the Word of God for the great object of attack.

The first utterance of Satan, as the Old Serpent, was to question the truth of the Word of God. "He said unto the woman,

Yea, God hath said ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden."

It is not certain whether this should be a question or a statement. The woman's answer appears to regard it as a statement, by meeting it with a denial and an explanation.

And the woman said unto the Serpent

"We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden," etc,

¹ See the pamphlets The Lord's Day and Four Prophetic Periods, by the same author and publisher.

But we are concerned now with the subject of Satan's first utterance.

It is about the Word and truth of God. God had spoken. Shall man believe what He has said?

This fact speaks to us if we have ears to hear.

It bids us look for Satan's sphere of influence to-day, not in the Police Courts, but in the Pulpits; not in the Newspapers, but in Sermons; not on the Stage, but in our Universities; not in our streets, but in the Professors' Chairs at our Theological Colleges.

Time was when Infidels carried on a platform campaign of lectures against the Word of God. In our day this has practically ceased. There is no further need for it; the work is more effectually done in the Pulpit by Theological Infidels, who have "turned away their ears from the truth and are turned unto myths" (2 Tim. iv. 3, 4). Treating the Word of God as "unhistorical" and its records as "fables," they teach the myths of men instead of obeying the command to "Preach the word."

This is what we learn from this first utterance of the Old Serpent.

With this we ought to couple

2. The First Ministerial Utterance of the Lord Jesus.

We have it in Matt. iv. 4; immediately after His consecration for His office of Prophet.

The Old Serpent comes to the Second man, the last Adam, not in a garden of delights, but in the wilderness. He questions again the truth of God's words, the echo of which, "This is my beloved son," had scarcely died away:—"If thou be the Son of God."

What are the words of the Lord's reply.

"IT IS WRITTEN."

This is the Lord's first ministerial utterance.

Could language tell us more pointedly and plainly that we are again on the same battle-field in which the truth of God's Word is at stake?

"It is written." What was written? What can be written but words? How can it be possible to have writing apart from words?

And yet there are those that tell us that the Bible "contains the Word of God," but that it "is not the Word iii. AS TO FIRST UTTERANCES: CHRIST'S of God." That its thoughts are inspired, but not its words. But again we ask, How can thoughts be written down without words? It is by words, and only by words that thoughts can be made known.

When Milton dictated his poems to his amanuensis, did he communicate his thoughts and leave his words to the choice of another? Are not the actual words, and even the spelling and rhythm of them, vital to the whole matter? Are not the choice of the words and the scanning of their syllables the very essence of what made the result Milton's, and not that of his amanuensis?

"IT IS WRITTEN."

This is an utterance which settles such questions for ever; and closes the mouth of Satan and all "his ministers" (2 Cor. xi. 15).

At least, it closed the mouth of Satan; though men's mouths will be open and vent their blasphemies until they are closed in judgment.

Three times did the Lord Jesus use that first utterance, "It is written," and three times did He utter no other than the words written, until He dismissed the Old Serpent with the rebuke: "Get thee hence, Satan."

Is it not as significant as it is remarkable, that when the Lord delivered up His trust, having finished the work which was given Him to do, He again, three times, referred to God's Word written, in John xvii.:

"Thy word is truth" (v. 17).

"I have given them Thy Word" (v. 14).

"I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest me" (v. 8)?

Does not this fact speak to us? Surely the fact that the Lord's ministry began and ended with a three-fold reference to the Word of God emphatically assures us that—

THE BEGINNING AND END OF ALL MINISTRY IS

THE WORD OF GOD.

3. The first utterance of the Lord as the Son of Man.

This also is important, as distinct from this first official and ministerial utterance.

He must have spoken from the time that all children speak. But not one syllable has the Holy Spirit written down until twelve years had passed by; and then, not another until eighteen years later.

Only one utterance of the Lord Jesus through all those thirty years of His earthly life as the Son of Man.

It was this:

"Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke ii. 49).

It was in the form of a question which Joseph and Mary could neither understand - nor answer.

It was a rebuke; for Mary had spoken of "thy father and I." The Lord speaks of "I" and "My Father."

No utterance could have more fully, completely or beautifully summed up His whole mission--which had been, centuries before, written "in the Volume of the Book," concerning Him (Ps. xl. 7. Heb. x. 7).

"Lo I come to do Thy will, O my God."

And, when we compare with this His last recorded utterance as the Son of Man, no language can describe its fulness of meaning, its significance, and its importance:

"It is finished."

What was finished? The Father's business which He came to be about!

4. The First Questions in the Old and New Testaments.

We have already seen (page 315) that the words of the Old Serpent in Gen. iii. 1 are, probably, not to be regarded as a question.

In that case the first question in the Old Testament is put by Jehovah Elohim to the lost sinner (Gen. iii. 9)—

"Where art thou?"

This question reveals to Adam his lost and ruined condition; and makes way for the promise of the needed Saviour which is given in verse 15.

Then the first question in the New Testament (Matt. ii. 2) is put by those who are seeking that Saviour—

"Where is He?"

iii. FIRST UTTERANCES: THE HOLY SPIRIT'S

In these two questions we have the object of the two Testaments. The Old, which ministers law and condemnation, is intended to convict the sinner of his sin and to show him his need; the New, which ministers grace, is intended to bring peace and blessing in the gift of the Saviour whom God has provided, anointed, given, and sent.

"Where is He?" Where is that Saviour who has been promised? Where is the Saviour of whom I, as a lost sinner, have discovered my need?

5. The Holy Spirit's first Interpretation of Prophecy.

The first interpretation of a prophecy written in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New must furnish us with a key to the interpretation and understanding of all other prophecies.

It occurs in Matt. i. 22, 23, and the way in which the Holy Spirit, who inspired it through Isaiah, records His own fulfilment of it by Matthew must needs be full of instruction.

We have gone into this very fully in our work on Number in Scripture (pages 63-67), so that it is not necessary to repeat it here. We only recommend the study of this first example of interpretation as being a guide to the way in which we should approach the interpretation of other prophecies.