75. 3. Marks of Time
These are of the utmost importance, often pointing the way to the correct interpretation; giving us the clue to the explanation of some difficulty; or, bringing out some hidden truth or beauty concealed in that particular Scripture.
"The second day" (Josh. x. 31, 32).—Here we read:
"And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it. And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day and smote it with the edge of the sword."
Thus Lachish seems to be an exception to all the other cities taken by Joshua at that time. Of Lachish alone is it said that "he took it on the second day."
3. MARKS OF TIME: "THE SECOND DAY"
This point of accuracy invites our attention: and when we give it by looking more closely into Lachish, we find that—
In 2 Chron. xxxii. 9 "Sennacherib himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him;" while he sent Rabshakeh to Jerusalem with a summons to Hezekiah.
Yet when Rabshakeh returned he "found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he heard that he was departed from Lachish" (2 Kings xix. 8). He evidently found Lachish a difficult place to take, as Joshua had done.
We note the further confirmation of this in a reference by Jeremiah to a subsequent assault by another king of Babylon. He says:
"When the king of Babylon's army fought against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah; for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah" (Jer. xxxiv. 7).
So that when we read in Josh. x. 31, 32, about Joshua taking Lachish on "the second day" of the siege, we get a note of time which is not a mere casual remark, but is full of meaning when compared with other references to the same city.
"Then came Amalek" (Exod. xvii. 8).—Here we read that immediately after the miraculous supply of water recorded in verses 1—7, "THEN came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim."
No reason is given for this assault on the part of Amalek beyond what may be inferred from the word "Then."
When we consider what is recorded in remoter contexts we gather that in a land of that character, a well of springing water would be a bone of contention, and a possession to be coveted and, if possible, taken by force.
In Gen. xxi. 25 we read of Abraham reproving Abimelech "because of a well of water which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away."
In Gen. xxvi. 19, 20, we read how Isaac's servants found "a well of springing water, and the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen saying the water is ours . . . And they digged another, and strove for that also."
In Exod. ii. 17 we read how the shepherds drove away the daughters of Reuel who came to draw water; and how Moses helped them.
In Num. xx. 19 we read how Israel offered in vain to pay for the water as they passed through Edom; also afterwards how the same offer was made to Sihon the king of the Amorites.
In Judg. v. 11 Deborah sang of the wells as scenes of conflict.
No wonder then that such a miraculous supply of water as at Rephidim should at once become a reason why Amalek should thus make this assault against Israel "then."
"Then will I sprinkle" (Ezok. xxxvi. 25).—
"THEN will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean;
From all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you,
A new heart also will I give you,
And a new spirit will I put within you."
When? When Jehovah shall have taken the house of Israel from among the heathen whither He has scattered them, and gathered them out of all countries and brought them "INTO THEIR OWN LAND" (vv. 16—24).
If we observe this mark of time, it will effectually prevent our misinterpretation of this passage, and save us from taking what is spoken of Israel in a future day and applying it to the Church of God in the present day.
"Then shall the offering" (Mal. iii. 4).—"THEN shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto Jehovah as in the days of old, and as in former years."
When? When Jehovah shall have sent His Messenger, who will sit as a refiner and "purify the sons of Levi that they may offer unto Jehovah an offering in righteousness" (vv. 1—3).
3. MARKS OF TIME: "THEN"
"THEN they that feared Jehovah spake often one to another," etc. (Mal. iii. 16).
When? In a time of apostasy, and neglect of the service and worship of Jehovah. In days of darkness and "perilous times." When the godly are minished; and it is difficult to find the assembly of true worshippers. "THEN" will be the time for believers to meet together, and speak often to one another and "think upon His name" (ev. 7-18).
May we not apply this Scripture to the condition of things in the present day, without robbing Israel of the interpretation of it in a future day?
I Thess. iv. 17.—"THEN we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thess. iv. 17).
When? When the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven; and when the dead in Christ shall have first risen.
"Then" (Matt. xxv. 1).—"THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the Bridegroom."
The word "then" points to the fact that this prophetic parable will have its fulfilment, not now, but at that particular moment in the sequence of events then being revealed by the Lord.
It forms part of the Lord's instruction and teaching as to His coming; and finds its place in His last great prophetic discourse contained in Matt. xxiv. and xxv.
No one part may be taken out from its context, and interpreted apart from it, as conveying a lesson different from that which it was first intended to teach.
In the first place, the whole discourse is wrongly divided from the literary point of view. The Structure and the Scope combine to show that ch. xxv. should begin at ch. xxiv. 29. It consists of two portions of unequal length, answering to the two questions of ch. xxiv. 3. These portions are differently constructed in order to mark their different subjects and scope.
The first part is an Extended Alternation. The second part is a Complex Introversion.
The questions were two in number.
(1) When \((\pi \acute{\sigma}\tau \epsilon, \rho \omega \epsilon)\)? and
(2) What \((\tau i, t i)\) ?
(1) "When shall these things (spoken of) be?"
(2) "What shall be the sign of Thy coming and of the suatela of the age (or Dispensation)?"
Answer to the First Question, "When?"
(Matt. xxiv. 4-28).
A 4-6. Events heard of, leading up to the end (telos), which is "not yet." Direction to "see that ye be not troubled."
B | 7, 8. The birth-pangs of the Great Tribulation.
C | 9, 14. Events leading up to the end (telos).
A 15-20. Events seen, sign of the end (telos). Direction to "understand it," and "flee."
B | 21, 22. The Great Tribulation itself.
C | 23-28. Events ending it.
Thus far we have the Great Tribulation: and the events leading up to, characterizing, and ending it.
Now, in the second part, we have the events following it.
Answer to the Second Question, "What?"
(Matt. xxiv. 29-xxv. 46).
D a | 29, 30. The Coming of the Son of Man.
b 31. The gathering of the elect Remnant of Israel from judgment.
E | c | 32-41. Parables (General). Fig-tree and Noah.
d | 42-44. Warning. "Watch."
e | 45-51. Servants (General).
E | c | xxv. 1-12. Parable (Special). Ten Virgins.
d | 13. Warning. "Watch."
e | 14-30. Servants (Special).
D a | 31. The Coming of the Son of Man.
b 32-46. The gathering of the nations for judgment.
From all this, which is pointed out by the word "THEN" in Matt. xxv. 1, it will be seen how impossible it is for us to read the Church of God into the parable of the Ten Virgins without introducing confusion of thought, loss of instruction, and dislocation of our Lord's teaching.
"Immediately" (Matt. xxiv. 29).—The word "Immediately" in Matt. xxiv. 29 tells us that there is no interval between the end of the Great Tribulation and the appearing of the Son of Man in His glory, for judgment.
No room for a Millennium therefore, before that glorious Advent.
No place for a thousand years of universal peace and blessing without Christ.
This word "immediately" writes folly on all man's vaunted remedies for the world's sorrows.
It convicts of grossest ignorance all the Church's self-claimed mission to "convert the world" before that Advent.
If the Church is to convert the world, where is the place or possibility of the Great Tribulation?
And, if the Coming of Christ *follows* that Tribulation "immediately," where is there room for the conversion of the world, or for any Millennium before His coming?
The whole argument which is so universally made on behalf of Foreign Missions is radically false. It must be, and can be based on truly Scriptural grounds, without thus mangling and marring the Scriptures of truth. Not only does this want of accuracy in interpreting the Word of God bring it into contempt and make it of none effect; but it deceives the world, and enables the scoffer to ask, "Where are the signs that your mission is being accomplished?"
The Church answers back, that though there are no signs yet; though heathen births far exceed the converts' deaths, yet they are "waiting for an outpouring of the Spirit." Thus they deceive themselves with a false hope, and substitute it for the true hope which God has given, which is, "to wait for God's Son (not God's Spirit) from heaven."
If the Church urges, as it does, that Daniel's prophecies were fulfilled under Antiochus Epiphanes, and that it was he who set up "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet," it is a sufficient answer to point out that the Lord speaks of it, in His day, as being still future, and gives solemn warning to those who shall see it, to heed it and "understand" it; and adds specific directions as to what they are to do.
"Afterward" (Joel ii. 28).—"And it shall come to pass AFTERWARD, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh," etc.¹
After what?
After God has brought Israel back into their own land, and made it fruitful, and blessed it and them with all blessings. If we read the previous part of the chapter we can see plainly enough when the pouring out of spiritual gifts shall take place. The verse immediately before reads:
"And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
And that I am Jehovah your God, and none else:
And my people shall never be ashamed.
And it shall come to pass AFTERWARD," etc.
This shows that Peter could not have been referring to Joel to show that that prophecy was then being fulfilled, for none of those things had taken place; and none of those conditions had been enjoyed.
Peter is merely rebutting the charge of drunkenness, and showing that it could not be true, inasmuch as similar scenes were spoken of by Joel the prophet. When he says, "This is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel" he can mean only this (Sing.) prophecy which he proceeds to quote; not those (pl.) events which were taking place.
And yet his utterance is so worded that had the people and their rulers repented, as he exhorted them (Acts ii. 38; iii. 19-26, R.V.), and as it was required by the one great condition of the fulfilment of the promise of Joel ii. 12-17, then the prophecy of Joel ii. 28 (which Peter quoted) would have been fulfilled: for that will be the time when the LORD will "be jealous for His LAND and pity His PEOPLE," as long before foretold in "the Song of Moses" (Deut. xxxii. 43).
¹ On the whole context of this passage, see above, pages 297-302.
4. MARKS OF REASONING: "THEREFORE"
"At that time" (Matt. xi. 25).--This mark of time we have already referred to under Canon VI. (page 323).
4. Marks of Reasoning.
"Therefore" (Eph. iv. 1).--"I THEREFORE the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the calling wherewith ye are called."
Why? Ch. iii. being a parenthesis between ch. ii. and ch. iv. (see page 62), we see that the word "therefore" stands connected with ch. ii. 22.
It is the one building "fitly framed together"; the "holy temple" (ch. ii. 21, 22): It is the one body which is likewise "fitly framed together" (ch. iii. 16).
"THEREFORE," endeavour to keep this unity of the spirit (this spiritual unity) which God HAS MADE in Christ.
Seek not to make a corporate or bodily unity; but give diligence to KEEP to the spiritual unity which God has made.
To do this will require "all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (v. 2).
"Therefore . . . I charge thee" (2 Tim. iv. 1).--Here, and in all similar cases where we have such words as "Therefore," "Wherefore," marking logical conclusions of arguments or statements, it is always important for us, in our reading, to be most accurate, and to notice the matter thus introduced and emphasized by the word "therefore." This is the more important, because such words, more often than not, come at the beginning of a chapter, where the break is apt to sever the connection between the argument and the conclusion, between the cause and the effect, or between a statement and its result.
A good example is furnished in 2 Tim. iv. 1. The chapter begins:
"I charge thee THEREFORE, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom--Preach the Word" (R.V.).
Why is this charge given? and why is it given here?
The answer to these questions is furnished by the word "therefore." Ch. iii. had ended with a statement as to the wonderful profitableness of the God-breathed Word, fitting out God's spokesman for every emergency (see above, under Canon V., pp. 301, 305, and VI., p. 321). The solemn conclusion is:—
Seeing that the Divine Word is God-breathed;—seeing that it is so profitable,—seeing that it is so necessary to fit out him who thus possesses it,
THEREFORE
"Preach the Word." Note the comparison thus suggested between ch. iii. 16, and ch. iv. 2.
Seeing it is profitable for "doctrine," therefore "preach it in season and out of season."
Seeing it is profitable for "reproof," therefore "re-prove."
Seeing it is profitable for "correction," therefore "rebuke."
Seeing it is profitable for "instruction in righteousness," therefore "exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."
All this, and more, is wrapped up in this word "therefore."
Similar examples may be noted, and instruction gained by accurately observing the occurrences of such words.