They use the expression, “ There is salt between us.” In this connection among many primitive people, salt stands as a symbol of blood. In Thailand drinking salted water to gether and making a vow, is sup posed to constitute the participants “blood brothers” in spirit. How largely the thought of salt has entered into daily conversation can be gleaned from the maxims in use from the Bible. We speak of salt losing its savor; of no source yield ing salt water and sweet (Jas. 3:12); of foods that cannot be eaten with out salt (Job 6 :6 ); and of believers as the salt of the earth. This last mentioned concept is most significant for us practically. It sets forth both our privilege and responsibility. We have been honored to be constituted the preservative principle in a wicked and God-defying world. It is, there fore, incumbent upon us to display salt, that proper measure of spiritual seasoning, in our character and es pecially in our speech. It was our Lord who said, “ Have salt in your selves, and be at peace one with an other” (Mark 9:50). (For further study in this absorbing subject we recommend Henry C. Trumbull, The Covenant of Salt, and G. L. Eskew, Salt, The Fifth Element.) from 8 their wisdom the Word of God. I imagine that we can say this truly, and fairly, that in the study of the Word of God most of usi here are be ginners. In your four-year course, as you study some things that seem diffi cult, as you study a course which is extensive, nevertheless it is merely an introduction. Y o u r seminary course, your graduate years, will take you more deeply into the truth and will be even more extensive, yet this is still only foundational. I would like to remind you of the testimony of Dr. Arthur T. Pierson. Dr. Pierson was one of the great in tellects and one of the great re ligious scholars of the past century. It was his habit to get up, I believe, at 4:00 o’clock in the morning to study the Word of God diligently (with his great capacity and his giant intellect) for at least four hours every morning of the week. He did that for fifty years. At the end of these fifty years he said, “ I have accumulated enough material from this blessed Book to preach a different sermon every day for another fifty years without duplicating any ma terial whatsoever.” Then he added, “ But I have barely touched upon the fringe of that Book” ! WAR AGA INST TR U TH
WORDS FROM TH E WORD continued (Abimelech at Shechem); Zephaniah 2:9 (the Lord in His wrath against Moab and Ammon). In the household salt is not only a seasoner, but a preservative. Meat is still cured by salt today. Any food with high water content can be pre served by salt. The presence of salt in food serves to retard the action of harmful microorganisms. Thus salt, preserving from corruption, was considered ritually pure. (Ezekiel 43:24.) Our Lord was referring to this preservative quality of salt, when He spoke of believers as “ the salt of the earth.” The presence of followers of the Lord Jesus Christ in any part of the world is a mighty preservative against the advance of spiritual corruption in the earth. It is of vast importance that we catch the full import of this phase of our earthly ministry. What a joy it is to serve in this manner for the glory of the Lord. But there is a solemn corollary to this truth of the pre serving power of salt. Eternal punish ment, rather than destroying the sinner, will preserve him in it. (See Mark 9:48, 49.) Another household use of salt in Old Testament times was with re gard to the newborn babe. They were rubbed with salt. (Ezekiel 16: 4.) The Arabs to this day wash and salt a baby immediately after birth. This is meant either to purify them or render them, as purified, a dedi cated offering to God. Probably the most important use of salt in Israel was with regard to worship and the offering of sacrifices. The Lord had commanded through Moses: “And every oblation of thy meal-offering shalt thou season with salt” (Lev. 2:13). Among other na tions salt was added to their sacri fices also. Among God’s people salt was to accompany every sacrifice. From this usage came the concept of the “ covenant of salt.” The bond between the God of Israel and His people was an eternal covenant, for ever sacred and inviolable. Since salt preserves' from decay, it is a symbol of duration and permanence. Three times the covenant of salt is men tioned in the Old Testament: Leviti cus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; and Sec ond Chronicles 13:5 (where it has Messianic implications). The bind ing quality of salt in covenant is seen also in Ezra 4:14 (marginal) and 6:9. When the Arabs eat bread and salt together, they have made a lasting covenant. Even a deadly en emy cannot be harmed if he con trives to eat salt with his antagonist.
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