September 1925
389
TH E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
(A ). So neither is he th a t p la n teth any thing, (B ). N either he th a t w atereth , (C ). But God th a t giveth the increase.”
The Scriptures are Manysided in Their M inistry The Spirit of God uses many similes, emblems and m eta phors to express to us w hat the Word does. The following are a few of the similes used: The Word is medicine to heal and tone (Psa. 1 0 7 :2 0 ); rain to refresh and exhilarate (Deut. 32 :2 ; Isa. 5 5 :1 1 ); a b a rrier to prevent and protect (Num. 2 2 :1 8 ); W a te r to cleanse and fructify (Psa. 119:9; Eph. 5 :2 6 ); a T est to try and determ ine (Psa. 1 0 5 :1 9 ); a Monitor to check and teach (Psa. 1 1 9 :1 1 ); Honey to sweeten and satisfy (Psa. 119: 103 ); a Lamp to guide and reveal (Psa. 1 1 9 :1 0 5 ); a P ath to walk in and progress (Psa. } 1 9 :1 3 3 ); Spoil to endow, enrich and gladden (Psa. 119 :162 ); a messenger to carry and inform (Psa. 14 7 :1 5 ); a. secret to make known and in itiate (Psa. 1 4 7 :1 9 ); a Voice to direct and cheer (Isa. 3 0 :2 1 ); Food to streng th en and build up (Jer. 1 5 :1 6 ); fire to warm and inflame (Jer. 2 0 :9 ); a hamm er to break and weld (Jer. 2 3 :2 9 ); b reath to quicken and grace (Ezek. 3 7 :4 ); a message to renew and communicate (Matt. 4 :4 ); seed to germ inate and im p art (Luke 8 :1 1 ); a tre a su re to enrich and keep (Luke 8:15, 9 :2 8 ); a home in which to live and stay (John 8 :3 7 ); a g ift to receive and use (John 1 7 :1 4 ); an atmosphere to sa n c tify . and consecrate (John 1 7 :1 7 ); a. teacher to in stru ct and fit (Gal. 6 :6 ) ; a sword to defend and kill (Eph. 6 :1 7 ); a medium to beget and assure ( J a s ..1:18, 1 Pet. 1 :2 3 ); a m irro r to shew and dis close '(Ja s. 1 :2 5 ); m ilk to nourish and com fort (1 Pet. 2 :2 ); a sight to lead and indicate (2 Pet. 1 :1 9 ); an oracle to speak and inform (Acts 7 : 3 8 ) ; .a foundation to uphold and fashion (Matt. 7:24, 2 5 ); m aterial to build up and bestow (Acts 2 0 :3 2 ); a girdle to brace and strengthen (Eph. 6 :1 4 ); a knife to pierce and dissect (Heb. 4 :1 2 )’; a cordial to invigorate and sustain (Isa. 50:4, R. V .); a sentinel to guard and w arn (Psa. 17:4; 1 9 :1 1 ); and a prom issory note to rew ard and bless (Isa. 66 :2 ). The many-sidedness of the Word in its m inistry may be fu rth e r illu strated by calling atten tion to the titles given to it in th e New Testament. It is the W ord of God, for all th e au tho rity of th e ' God of th e Word is behind it (Matt. 4 :4 ) ; it is the Word of th e Lord, for the Lord of th e Word is its Author and Owner (Acts 8 :2 5 ); it is the W ord of th is Salvation, for salvation is proclaimed in it (Acts 1 3 :2 6 ); it is the Word of th e Gospel, for resurrection and power are heralded by it (Acts 1 5 :7 ); it is the Word of H is Grace, for His grace like a river flows th rough it (Acts 2 0 :3 2 ); it is the Word of F aith , for faith is created by means of it (Rom. 1 0 :8 ); it is the Word of Reconciliation, for reconciliation to God is its message (2 Cor. 5 :1 9 ); it is the W ord of T ru th , for tru th is revealed by it (2 Cor. 6 :1 7 ); it is the Word of Life, for life comes through it (Phil. 2 :1 6 ); it is the Word of.Christ, for He is resident in it (Col. 3 :1 6 ); it is a F a ith ful Word, for the F aith fu l God keeps to every Word in it (Tit. 1 :9 ); it is the Word of R ighteousness, for it is a rule by which we square th e life (Heb. 5 :1 3 ); it is the good Word of God, for God’s goodness is prom ised in it (Heb. 6 :1 5 ); it is. th e engrafted Word, for it im parts its n atu re to the receiver (Jas. 1 :2 1 ); it is a su re W ord of Prophecy, for the Holy Spirit assures by it (2 Pet. 1 :1 9 ); and Christ says it is th e Word of My Patience, to keep (Rev. 3 :1 0 ); My Word, to be believed and obeyed (John 5:24, 8:31, 37, 4 3 ); th e Word, for th ere is no o ther (Luke 8:12, 1 3 ); and H is Word, as coming from My F a th e r (John 5 :2 8 ); and in speaking of the Word to His F ath e r He reverently says it is Thy Word (John 17:6, 14, 17). (To be continued)
Here we are rem inded of m an’s p art and God’s p art in Christian work, and y et we are also reminded- th a t God is everything and man is hothing. Heb. 1 and 2. Whole sections of the Word may be studied in thé same way. (A ). God speaking (1 :1 , 2). .(B ). The Son-^God— b etter th a n th e angels (1 :2 -14 ). (A). God speaking (2 :1 -4 ). (B ). The Son-®Man—-lower than the angels (2 :5 -18 ). P salm 1. (A ). The Godly (vs. 1-3). (B ). The ungodly (vs. 4-5). (A ). The Godly (v. 6). (B ). The ungodly (v. 6). There are certain rules which will impress th e stud en t as he ponders these correspondencies-1—two especially, F irs t th e second member of each parallelism is an elaboration and an explanation of the first, and Second th a t “A” and “A” may be read together w ithout any interference w ith “B” and “B,” which is often a parenthesis of explanation. F o r instance take Jer. 17 :5-8: “ Cursed is the man th a t tru ste th in man.” “Blessed is th e man th a t tru ste th in the Lord.” Here “A” and “A” correspond to each other and show the blessing and curse of a rig h t and a wrong tru st. “B” and “B” elaborate and illu strate the : contrast between the God-dependent man and th e man-dependent man. Another method of th is correspondence is called In troverted— Isaiah 6:10. (A ). “Make the h e a rt of this people fat, (B ). And make th eir ears heavy, (C ). And sh u t th e ir eyes; (C ). Lest they see w ith th eir eyes, (B ). And h ear w ith th eir ears, (A ). And understand w ith -th eir h e a rt.” 1 Cor. 12:12-27 (A ). One Body (v. 12). (B ). ■All Baptized (v. 1 3 ).' (C). All made to drink (v. 13). (D ). Body no t one member (v. 14). (E ). Foot (v. i5 ) . (F ). E ar (v. 16). (G). Eye (v. 17). (H ). Many members (v. 20). (I). If all one member (v. 19). (1) Where is the body (v. 19). (H ). Many members (v. 20). (G). Eye cannot say (v. 21). (F ). Members which seem to be feeble (v. 22). (E ). Member less honorable (v. 23). (D ). God h ath tempered the members together (v. 24). (C ). Same care one for another (v. 25). ■ (B ). All suffer (v. 26). (A ). Members in p articu lar (v. 27). Take any of these parallelism s and they will answer to each other. Many more instances m ight be given, but these will suffice to show the principle. “H e shall be like the heath in the desert.” “He shall be as a tree planted by th e w aters.”
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