Acknowledgment. (5) - by Charles H. Welch

#5. A Coveted Acknowledgment ignored 
(by man), yet recognized (by the Lord) 
(II Cor. vi. 9).

In that day we shall all recognize even as we are all recognized now (I Cor. xiii. 12). Such was the promise that held our attention in the previous article. We now turn to a passage in the second epistle to these same Corinthians, that deals with the present, viz.,: 

“As unknown, and yet well known” (II Cor. vi. 9). 

The margin of our old Bible, which is too worn to be used elsewhere than on the desk, reads, “As ignored yet recognized”. Dr. Bullinger in his “Figures of speech used in the Bible”, places II Cor. vi. 8-10 under the figure Antithesis or Contrast, and these verses contain the last of a series of statements distributed under four heads, as follows:

(1) A seven-fold passive experience (II Cor. vi. 4, 5). 

(2) A seven-fold self-denial (II Cor. vi. 5, 6). 

(3) A seven-fold means to endure (II Cor. vi. 6-8). 

(4) A seven-fold result (antithesis) (II Cor. vi. 8-10). 

This last group is composed of a series of antitheses, which include the passage we are considering. 

“Deceivers, and yet true; 

Unknown, yet well known; 

Dying, yet living; 

Chastened, yet not killed; 

Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; 

Poor, yet enriching others; 

Having nothing, yet possessing all things.”

This long list of personal experiences is introduced by the words, “in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God” (II Cor. vi. 4). The word “approving” translating the same word that is rendered “commending” in iii. 1 and v. 12. 

“Do we begin again to commend ourselves?”
“For we commend not ourselves again unto you.” 

Meyer draws attention to the position of heautous in these passages as compared with II Cor. vi. 4. Where the commending of ourselves is used in a bad sense, heautous precedes the verb; but in II Cor. iv. 2 and vi. 4 heautous follows the verb. Alford remarks: 

“This is only one of continually occurring instances of the importance of the collocation of words with regard to emphasis.” 

It would have improved the rendering, and removed the ambiguity of the Authorized Version had it rendered the fourth verse, “In all things, as the ministers of God, approving ourselves”, that is, “as it is meet that ministers of God should do”. 

Referring to this list of afflictions in conjunction with those presented in II Cor. xi. 21-28, Canon Tate says: 

“Forming conjointly a splendid enumeration of particulars, which—unparalleled, as, from their nature they ever must be—may be ranked among the very highest examples of the sublime and the pathetic.” 

II Cor. vi. 8-10 shows the real, as compared with the reputed situation in which the Apostle laboured. It is here, the second in the list, that we meet with our text, “as unknown, and yet well known”, or, as we have suggested, “as ignored, yet recognized”. 

This seven-fold antithesis may be set out thus: 

The word “deceiver” planos, is used of Christ (Matt. xxvii. 63), Antichrist (II John 7), Paul (II Cor. vi. 8) and the seducing spirits of the closing days of this dispensation (I Tim. iv. 1). How closely the apostle followed in the footsteps of his Lord. The Lord Himself is classed with His very opposite, even as Paul was classed with the very demons who will attempt to undo his life’s work. Who are we, therefore, to murmur or complain if, occasionally, we too find ourselves in this same exalted company? In such circumstances the words of Kipling, written on a lower plane, often come to mind: 

“If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken, 

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools.” 

And one wishes that some Christian poet might take “If” as his model, and give us a companion poem relating to true Christian experience. (Since writing this series it has been our joy to read a poem by Reginald Wallis which fulfils this wish.) 

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(From The Berean Expositor, vol. 36, page 17).

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Time and Place. (8)

The Scriptural association of chronology and topography
to doctine and purpose. - Charles H. Welch

#8. The chronology and typical dates of the Flood (Gen. vii., viii.). 

               The simple, straightforward register of births and deaths that providesthe chronological link between Adam and the Flood, carries with it the conviction of truth. 

We now come to the record of the flood itself and upon examination find in it a number of interrelated dates so connected with the narrative that they can be neither removed nor altered without dislocating the whole. Seen in their true place, as records of actual fact, they vivify the story and place the narrative upon the high ground of actual history. 

Let us first of all assemble our data. 

   “For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights” (Gen. vii. 4). 

   “And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth” (Gen. vii. 6). 

  “And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth” (Gen. vii. 10). 

 “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened, and the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights” (Gen. vii. 11, 12). 

  “And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days” (Gen. vii. 24). 

  “And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated” (Gen. viii. 3). 

 “And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat” (Gen. viii. 4). 

 “And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month were the tops of the mountains seen” (Gen. viii. 5).

 “And it came to pass at the end of the forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made” (Gen. viii. 6). 

 “He stayed yet another seven days: and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark” (Gen. viii. 10). 

“And he stayed yet another seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more” (Gen. viii. 12).

 “And it came to pass on the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth” (Gen. viii. 13). 

 “And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried” (Gen. viii. 14). 

We cannot help but be struck with the opening and closing dates given here. In order that the evidence may be the better seen let us use figures, instead of spelling out the numbers. 

Years when the flood came: 600th year of Noah. 

Year when the waters were dried up: 601st year, 1st month, 1st day. 

Six is the number of man, of labour, of failure, and of the measurement of time. Seven is associated with perfection, rest, and attainment. It is significant that Noah, whose name means “rest”, and of whom the word “perfect” is first used (Gen. vi. 9), should at the close of his 600th year experience the flood and the deliverance of the ark, and that the drying up of the waters of judgment should coincide with the New Year’s day of Noah’s seventh century. The type is too clear to be missed, and, linked together with the witness of the first chapter of Genesis, makes us certain that all has been ordered according to a mighty plan. 

If we were asked to say how many days there were in five months, we should have to ask for a clear statement as to the word “month”. The first five months in our calendar have 31, 28, (29), 31, 30, 31 days, so that we should require to know what months were intended before a total could be reached. But the Hebrew month was a period of 30 days which gave 360 days for 12 months, leaving 5 days to be accounted for. Time was measured by the revolution of the sun, as it is to this day, and the year was one of 365 days. The feast, however, were regulated by the revolution of the moon. 

“Blow up the trumpet in the new moon” (Psa. lxxxi. 3). 

“Your new moons and your appointed feasts” (Isa. i. 14). 

“Burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all the solemnities of the house of Israel” (Ezek. xlv. 17). 

We must not make the mistake of imagining that the Hebrew names and number of months must necessarily have been used by Adam, Noah or Abraham: we can only be tolerably certain that no radical changes could have been made at Sinai, for day and night, summer and winter, remained unaltered, and the length of the solar year is independent of any dispensational change among the sons of men. As can be seen from the following data, the narrative of the flood contains positive proof of the average length of a month.

The flood commenced on the 17th day of the 2nd month and the ark rested on the 17th day of the 7th month. Thus we have an interval of exactly 5 months, which Gen. viii. 3, 4 declares to be 150 days. A month therefore must have averaged 30 days. We cannot, however, be dogmatic and say that a month must have been 30 days because the Hebrews reckoned 30 days to the month except when they saw the new moon on the 30th, which then became the 1st day of the new month. 

Kennedy, a chronologer of the eighteenth century, makes the length of time during which Noah was in the ark exactly 365 days. He maintained that Moses measures time by solar years, and computes time by lunar years. His attitude to the Scriptures encourages one to give him a hearing, for he says: 

“The Hebrew text has never been corrupted in the article of Chronology by Jew or Pagan, by chance or design. It is not more certain that there is a sun and moon in the heavens than it is that not a single error of the press, or of Jewish transcriber, has crept into the present copies of the Hebrew Massoretic Text, to give the least interruption to its chronological years.” 

Returning to details, and, particularly, typical foreshadowings, let us look at Gen. viii. 4. 

“The ark rested in the 7th month, on the 17th day of the month.” What is there suggestive about these dates? At first, nothing, but when we remember that in the month Abib, the month of the Passover, Moses instructed the Israelites to reckon that month “the beginning of months, the first month of the year to you” (Exod. xii. 1, 2), we discover that the 17th day of the 7th month is a date to be noted. The 7th month became the 1st month. The Passover was observed on the 14th, and on the 17th the Lord was raised from the dead, consequently, the specific date of the resting of the ark on the mountains of Ararat becomes one of intensely typical importance. 

The rain was upon the earth 40 days and 40 nights. This is the first occurrence of this critical number in the Scriptures. It is the number of trial. We immediately think of the 40 days occupied by the spies in spying out the Land, with the consequent 40 years wandering in the wilderness, (Numb. xiii. 26; xiv. 34); or of the 40 days of Jonah iii. 4; or of the 40 days preceding the temptation in the wilderness (Matt. iv. 2). 

Again we see how complete, and how satisfactory is the account given of the flood, and its particular events. May these studies confirm our faith that these Scriptures are inspired, authoritative and trustworthy. 

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(From The Berean Expositor, vol. 34, page 183).

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Helpers of your joy. (3)

by Charles H. Welch

A great cause of rejoicing. 

If we were asked what constituted our greatest joy, what should we answer? Our individual answers would probably reveal our spiritual apprehension. One very old saint has left on record what constituted his greatest joy, and we may profit by considering it: 

“I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 3,4). 

Here is a ground of rejoicing, far removed from personal feelings or motives, that we should do well to know. In his first epistle, it will be remembered this same Apostle had much to say concerning those who say and those who walk (1 John 1:6-10) Further he wrote: 

“He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4). 

“ He that saith he abideth in Him ought to himself also so to walk, even as He walked” (1 John 2:6). 

John sums up his teaching in the words of 1 John 3:18: 

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and truth”.

He speaks scathingly of the boast of light that is accompanied by hatred of the brethren (1 John 2:9). He tells his readers that the doing of righteousness is the finest evidence that they are born of Him (1 John 2:29). He declares that all the boasted possession of the love of God is nullified by lack of love (1 John 3:17; 4:20). He had written telling them of the many antichrists and of the domination of the lie. In his second epistle he said: “I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth” (2 John 4), and, as we have seen, in his third epistle he says that he has no greater joy than to hear that his children walk in truth. 

Some of us are apt t look around with the eyes of Elijah and say: “I only am left, and they seek my life”. The Apostle tells us to consider others better than ourselves, and if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, to reckon, or impute, these things. If we do not rejoice greatly whenever we hear of the Lord’s children putting into practice the doctrine they have learned, we have missed a real cause of joy, and allowed on part of our spiritual life to remain undeveloped. True joy is unselfish, and finds its cause in the blessing of others. 

“Count it all joy”. 

We found that John has no greater joy than to hear that his children walked in truth. What should we say we counted “all joy” if we were asked? James writing to the dispersion said: 

“My brethren, count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations” (Jas 1:2).

This is certainly not a natural point of view. Most of us would count it all joy if we had escaped divers temptations. James, however, makes it clear that he is no misanthrope, no man who is only happy when he is miserable. He proceeds to explain: 

“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him” (Jas 1:3, 4:12). 

He can count it all joy and be called blessed, not because of the temptations themselves, but because of their issue. 

In their meaning in modern usage, the words “temptation” and “tempt” are somewhat limited, but the true meaning, that of making trial, is still found in the word “attempt”, into which none dream of reading any idea of temptation. Temptation, or trial, can then be contemplated with joy by reason of its effects. It works patience, it leads to full maturity, it may at last lead to a crown. Much in the same spirit are the words of Paul in Romans 5:3,4: “We glory in tribulation”, he said, not for tribulation’s own sake, but because we know that “tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope”. Peter also conveys much the same thought when he says: 

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth (though it be tried with fire), might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:7). 

Joy therefore may accrue from the most joyless of circumstances. We look beyond the present and immediate experience to see what its outworking will be. And if temptation or trial produces patience then we may rejoice in hope of the glory of God. It is good to cultivate an eye for this joy, or it may remain hidden and unseen in many a dark circumstance. 

“Unspeakable Joy”

Zacharias was smitten with dumbness because of his unbelief. Christ was as a lamb dumb before his shearers. Yet again, some are rendered dumb through very excess of joy. The nearer any experience is the heart of things the less inclined are we to discuss it or talk about it. There is peace that passeth understanding, and there is a joy that is unspeakable: 

“Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pet. 1:8). 

There is a close connection between the invisible, “Ye see Him not”, and the unspeakable in this verse. At times we are tempted to endorse the desire expressed in the children’s hymn where it says: 

“I wish that His hand had been placed on my head, 

 That His arms had been thrown around me; 

 And that I might have seen His kind look when He said, 

 ‘Let the little ones come unto Me’ ”. 

Yet the Saviour Himself pronounces a blessing upon those who believed although they had been seen Him: 

“Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou has seen Me, thou has believed: blessed are they who believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). 

And the Apostle wrote to the Corinthians: 

“Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more” (2 Cor. 5:16). 

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(From The Berean Expositor, vol. 47, page 99).

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