The Testimony Of God And The Mystery Of God

by S.J. Hill | Category: General | Apr 1932

It is suggested that these two expressions are found in 1 Corinthians 2. verses 1, and 7, respectively; for we think that the weight of MS. evidence is for "testimony" in verse 1, as in the A.V., and is fully substantiated by the sense of the context.

"The testimony," is "the word of the cross," as in chapter 1. verse 18. "The Mystery," has reference to the present work of God in the Church-the Body.

In passing we remark that the Apostle refers to "The preaching of the cross" in order to counteract the sectarianism which was rising up in the Corinthian Assembly. He speaks of it as a carnal (fleshly) thing, entirely opposed to that which is spiritual.

The cross utterly condemns man in the flesh; not merely the vulgar classes like the brutal soldiery who were the instruments of Christ's crucifixion-these were but the tools employed by the leaders, and such in particular were referred to in the Lord's prayer "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," but it condemns the leaders, the Priests and others, the religious guides of the people who combined with the Gentile rulers Pontius Pilate and Herod, in crucifying the Lord's Anointed. Thus the Christ of God was put upon the cross not by the dregs of humanity, but by those who represented the higher classes-the religious and the wise.

By referring to "the preaching of the cross" in this letter, the Apostle evidently suggested that the same carnal spirit which led "the wise and prudent" to crucify God's Anointed, was that which was leading some in Corinth to say "I am of ---" mere carnal choosing in a matter where God had plainly spoken, but which speaking was only evident to spiritual minds.

But what then is "the preaching of the cross"? Is it merely the announcement of man's sin and of God's impending judgment? Or is it the presentation of a Saviour who died for sinful men? These things are included, but the preaching of the cross is the end of man in God's sight; the death of Christ at the hands of men was the final and all-sufficient judgment on man's fallen sinful nature. But while utterly condemning sinful man, salvation from God is presented for all. To illustrate this we draw attention to Numbers 21. (to which the Lord referred in John 3. 14). In Numbers 21. we see the people, who had been the subjects of grace from God, in an utterly unbelieving and carnal spirit complaining and speaking against God and His appointed leader. The result is that fiery serpents are sent amongst them, and they bit the people and many died. God's dealings with men are always in harmony with their condition and their sin; and in this case fiery serpents represented fittingly the bitter spirit of unbelief that manifested itself in the people who had been so much the objects of God's special care.

But where does the preaching of "the cross" come in? Behold the condition of these people bitten by the fiery serpents and dying from the poison-just as now men have been bitten by sin and are subject to death. Then the word of salvation goes forth-"look and live." Look at that which testifies to your own sin, and as you so look, deliverance from its effects will come. So now the preaching of the cross presents to sinful men the greatest crime which they have committed-the crucifying by them of the One whom God had sent. That sight condemns them for they see their sin; but if by that cross they are condemned, by that same cross they are saved. Man has been guilty of many sins, yet the cross is the witness to the greatest sin ever committed; but that which is the evidence of man's guilt, is also the evidence of God's grace. To look to the uplifted Son of Man is practically to acknowledge one's guilt and to receive salvation.

If men appreciate the significance of the preaching of the cross, is it likely they will accept it? Not many wise, not many mighty are called (see 1 Corinthians 1. verse 26), but the weak, the base, the despised; such will look and live.

When Paul went to Corinth, that proud city of a proud race, he was careful as to his message. He discarded words of man's wisdom (chapter 2. verse 1) and presented to their gaze a sight which would either humble and save, or on the other hand would stir them up to opposition; and this was true of both Jews and Gentiles: to the Jew the cross was a stumblingblock, for they would not believe they had crucified their King; to the Gentile it was foolishness, as passing a judgment on their human nature, and as presenting a salvation external to themselves and not the product of their own efforts. But in either case, if they realized their true condition and looked out and away to the cross, they were saved. This then was "the testimony of God" borne by the Apostle; and the same testimony is still needed.

But in chapter 2. verse 7, the Apostle goes on to speak of that which became the subject of his teaching after the Gospel had been received, viz., The Mystery. Observe that this was not the subject of his preaching to the world but of specific reaching thus-"We speak wisdom among them that are perfect (or full grown)," verse 6. Again, verse 8, "which none of the princes of this world knew" ; verse 9, "the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him"; verse 10, "God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit... the deep things of God"; verse 12, "We have received... the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God." Which things spiritual men receive, but the natural man receiveth not.

A perusal of chapter 2. will make clear, that although the testimony of the cross was for all, the Mystery was reserved for the saints-the spiritual; the Mystery which had been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory.

What then is this Mystery? We have to go far into the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians to find any further reference to the subject, because, we suggest, there were so many things in Corinth out of course. which needed to be put right, and these required first attention; and further, the carnal spirit manifested by the believers unfitted them for entering into this advanced truth. So (chapter 3. 1, 2) the Apostle treated them as babes, and fed them with milk because they could not bear meat. But when we come to chapter 12. where the Apostle is speaking of spiritual gifts, he refers to the many members of the human body as affording an illustration of the union subsisting between Christ and His Church, and he says "So also is the Christ" (verse 12), and he goes on to show how that "in one Spirit were we all baptized into One body"; and to enlarge upon the parts of the human body as giving illustration of the place and functions of the saints in the Church, the Body of Christ. The reference to the Mystery here is not very full, simply (as we suggest) because of their carnal, infantile condition.

When, however, we turn to Romans 16. 25, 26, and especially to the Epistles to the Ephesians, and to the Colossians, there the subject of the Body of Christ- the Mystery, is more fully set out. There we are told how that, before the foundation of the world, God had determined to bring together into One, an elect people to be so closely associated with his Son that only one figure or illustration could fittingly convey to our minds the intimate nature of that union; viz., the relation subsisting between a man and his wife, as seen in the first pair. There we hear the Lord God saying "it is not good that the man should be alone; 1 will make him an help meet for him"; and so Adam is put into a deep sleep, his rib is taken and a woman therefrom is builded, of whom Adam said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." This lovely illustration is employed to set forth the position of wondrous nearness which in the counsel of God is established between Christ and the Church ; and which will shortly be manifested in glory.

This great purpose was hidden from ages and generations, albeit we have some beautiful figures given to us in the Old Testament, which to saints who in this day are instructed, set forth ver suggestively the mutual love of Christ and His Church. So

Genesis 2. Adam and Eve;

Genesis 24. Isaac and Rebekab;

Genesis 41. Joseph and Asenath;

but the purpose was a mystery, a hidden thing, one of the deep things of God.

Ere this great purpose could be disclosed man had to be tested in various ways: Adam; in the matter of simple obedience; and he failed.

The generation before the flood; instead of receiving warning by the preaching of righteousness, they became worse and judgment fell.

Israel; as a special people were redeemed, and then tested; and they, after much longsuffering by God, utterly failed, and first the ten tribes were taken away, and then Judah and Benjamin were removed to Babylon.

A Remnant; taught by bitter experience they are brought back from Babylon to the land, and to them in the fulness of time God's Christ was sent-with what result we all know-they crucified their King and were themselves cast off by God.

At this stage it will be well to point out a singular prophecy relating to times and seasons which was given to the prophet Daniel. The vision was granted to him during the time that Judah and Benjamin were in Babylon having been carried away by Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel was much concerned at the appalling judgment which had overtaken his people, and he prayed much to God with humble confession. To him, as a man greatly beloved, was given a declaration-see Daniel 9. 24-27, that restoration would be granted to his people, and Jerusalem would be rebuilt; and that from the date of the proclamation to rebuild (see Nehemiah 2. 8), a period of 70 weeks (of years) would elapse before final blessing would come to the people : but significantly, a less period is indicated, even 69 weeks (as included in the 70) after which, it is said Messiah, the Anointed One, would be cut off and have nothing.

Now it has been carefully calculated that 483 years (69 by 7) did end with the crucifixion of the Lord; and that following upon the resurrection a new work was commenced with the Holy Spirit sent down. The prophecy makes a mysterious reference to the final 70th week (or 7 years), and it is said that a prince (not the Messiah) would make a covenant with the many (not all) for one week, and in the middle of the week would break the covenant. Now we see in Revelation 11. 2, that in a future day the holy city shall be trodden down by the Gentiles 42 months; two witnesses for God shall prophesy 1,260 days (verse 3). Again, in Revelation 12. 6, 1,260 days are referred to, and a time, times, and half a time (verse 14.), and in chapter 13. 5, 42 months. We do not go into great detail in these matters, but it appears as though all these scriptures refer to a period of 3( years (in the case of the (lays counting 860, to a year), so that apparently the majority of the Jews in the land will make the covenant referred to in Daniel 9. 27, for 7 years, in the middle of which period the covenant will be broken; and the references to 1,260 days, 42 months, 81 years, a time, times, and half a time, refer to the second half of the 7 years-the final week ere Israel is delivered, (luring which time the faithful Jew will be called upon to suffer very severely at the hands of one who shall "Come in his own name."

We refer to all this to show that of the period of 70 weeks to the deliverance of the Jews, 69 were past at the time of the cutting off of Messiah, and the 70th (or final 7 years) has not yet begun.

Now what about the interval lying between the cross and the restoration of the Jew; between the end of the 69th, and the beginning of the 70th week which evidently is yet future? The answer is that it is filled (speaking broadly) with the present work of God-the Church, the Mystery; once hidden, now revealed.

Old Testament saints died in faith; they believed in a resurrection. The Lord quoted the words, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"; and added, "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." So to such there was a life beyond the grave, and such will yet be seen in the kingdom of God. The same will be true of saints after the present period of the Church. Multitudes will die, many by violence, and they will eventually be raised; but we suggest, all this does not affect the present work of God in the Church-the Body of Christ. This began at Pentecost with the Holy Spirit sent down, and believers since have in One Spirit been baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles; whether bond or free. All this will go on until the Lord comes-the first stage of His coming--when He will descend into the air, and when the dead "in Christ shall rise first," and then the living saints shall be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so be for ever with the Lord.

After that will come the Judgment Seat of Christ, and then the marriage of the Lamb, His wife having made herself ready.

There may be difficulties in identifying the New Jerusalem with the Church, but it may be seen that the wife of the Lamb and the New Jerusalem are one; and we must appreciate the fact that the Church will be associated with Christ in the most intimate way. If He is King, she (we suggest) is Queen, and if He has earthly dominion, the Church will also, in association with Him. The wall of the heavenly Jerusalem has twelve foundations having in them the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb; even as (we suggest) the Word says "built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets." Then, as to the gates bearing the names of the twelve tribes, this need mean no more than that the redeemed of Israel will have very close and intimate associations with that which is spoken of as the New Jerusalem.

Thus this New Jerusalem, which we suggest is the Church, will be most intimately associated with Christ as the divinely appointed head and ruler of all God's creation, and while redeemed Israel will have a near place, the nations will walk amidst the light of it.

In this article we have suggested truth well known to some, but to many others not so well known, and perhaps not entered into in this day as it was some years ago. We suggest that the testimony to the cross world-ward, is all important, and that it will serve as a great sanctifying truth in the believer's after course ; while the truth as to the Mystery --the Church, will have a most uplifting influence; our eves will be the more directed upward, and our hope set upon Him the coming One.

"The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say Come."

"He which testifieth these things saith, Yea : I come quickly. Amen: come, Lord Jesus."

S.J. Hill | Apr 1932
General