Commentaries: A Limited Help.

COMMENTARIES: LIMITED HELP

I am at present engaged in composing addresses for a "mini-series," just two meetings. Actually I have completed one address and have "delivered" it to a small company of the Lords' people gathered to His name.

When I began my study I all-unconsciously determined to seek for help from the least amount of available "sources." Having cast myself on the Lord for the help of His gracious Holy Spirit, I "armed" myself with the A.V., J.N.D.s' Translation; Strongs Concordance; a Bible Dictionary and a little book containing the meaning of many Biblical names. 

Some long hours later I ran into difficulty. I could not understand the next verse in the passage. I redoubled my prayer for help and read and re-read the verse. Within a short time I felt that I had grasped the meaning, that enlightenment had been graciously afforded to me. I really wanted confirmation, and readily found it in the meaning of two words as expansively given in the concordance. I was elated!

Now I am in the throes of completing my second ministry address for those dear saints. But early on I found myself floundering as to the truth contained in another verse! Of course I was dependent on the help of the Spirit of God, but I continued to be nonplussed. So, giving in I sought help from the written ministry of some of the most erudite and gifted servants of God.

I love and cherish the written ministry of many who so revered the Scriptures, particularly, but not exclusively, those brethren of the nineteenth century. Three commentaries were consulted to absolutely no avail! None of the three writers referred to the difficulty I had encountered!

Commentaries do have there limitations, but I would not be without them!

Finally, in His grace the Lord enlightened me once again, I believe, and my spirit was lifted up in thanksgiving.



Studying the Word of God

STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD

Those of us who are addicted to the Word realise perhaps more than others, how so much in the Scriptures is very deep. We find it a constant delight to plumb unfathomable depths, to mine for hid treasures buried in places unexplored by mere human wisdom; indeed inexplicable to the unbeliever. These exercises prompted by the Holy Spirit are of precious profit to our spiritual welfare and growth; furnishing us with meditations so sweet as to draw out our worship permeated with sweet smelling fragrances of Christ, and securing Divine approval.

While we must never succumb to "scratching the surface" in our studies, we must not neglect or over-look those gems that lie upon the surface; they too yield food for the soul of the believer.

Permit me to suggest a simple example to direct you as to what I mean. How valuable are the "Headings" to the Psalms! They are an integral part of the Word, but how often we fail to read them when we turn to the Psalter!

You will understand that I am NOT advocating superficial reading, or study of the "BOOK," only reminding your hearts of the necessity to consider the more obvious lines of truth, as well as penetrating to its fathomless profundity.



Love For Divine Persons: A Poem

LOVE FOR DIVINE PERSONS

A POEM

Father, we Thy Son adore,

We will love Him evermore-

When to the blessed "place" we soar,

There in all His grace secure.

Jesus we would worship Thee,

For Thy death on Calvary,

There Thy love we fully see,

Love "told out" upon the "Tree."

The Spirit of the Lord we love,

Divinest Teacher from above-

Who within our hearts hast wove

Thy Word, an o'erwhelming treasure trove. 

TW December 2015.

Brethren and sisters please forgive the simplicity and irregular cadence; it was written in a few minutes one morning as I was about to enter the "Sanctuary" of the Lords' presence.



Evolution--The Hopeless Hypothesis

EVOLUTION-THE HOPELESS HYPOTHESIS

Evolution is nothing more than a hopeless hypothesis-a gigantic guess! Perhaps the very reason that it is constantly referred to as The Theory of Evolution, an admission that it is NOT a Fact! A theory is a supposition; a generalisation explaining phenomena as the results of ASSUMED natural causes; a Speculative IDEA of something; mere hypothesis.

An hypothesis is a proposition assumed for the purpose of argument; a theory assumed to account for something not understood; a mere SUPPOSITION or ASSUMPTION!
Indeed, evolution is a theory devised, promulgated and promoted by men with satanically-blinded minds, groping about in the moral darkness of unbelief.
Furthermore, evolution is unscriptural, unscientific and unsubstantiated. It is nothing more or less than a lie of the devil.
The very first verse of the O.T. Scriptures obliterates this abominable fabrication styled "The Theory of Evolution." I quote from the Word of God referred to:
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1.  For the believer, this in itself should be sufficient to enable us to unequivocally reject evolution in any and every form.
But although unnecessary I would add further Scriptures: "The FIRST MAN ADAM became a living soul; the LAST ADAM a quickening (life-giving) spirit."
Thus there was no order of man (mankind) BEFORE Adam; neither will there be another federal head of mankind AFTER the "LAST ADAM," that is Christ!
I continue: "The FIRST MAN out of the earth, made of dust;" proof of the genesis account of the creation of man. "The SECOND MAN, out of heaven." A second, a different "order" of man; for Christ who is spoken of here, was the only One impeccable in His humanity, that is One untainted by the "fall," i.e. sin, and One unable to sin. Now every believer in Him is of that "new order," said to be "in Christ," as opposed to "in Adam."
So, there was no "man" before Adam; and there will never be another "order" of men, for the Lord Jesus Christ is the LAST Adam to whom every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess His Lordship, including celestial, terrestrial and infernal beings!
And He is the Creator! Evolution is a damnable heresy and a denial of the Person and Deity of Christ! To follow its course logically will result in the most awful blasphemy of he Son of Gods' love.


Seventh Day Adventists

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS

Many years ago I was in fellowship in an Assembly in Cardiff. One Lords' Day morning a gentlemen entered the Hall at the close of our Breaking of Bread meeting. Many of us remained after the "Supper" to take responsibility for Sunday School Classes. To the best of my memory he wanted money for a specific train journey. I gave him ten pounds, but I cannot remember if it was from my own pocket or that of another brother. Some weeks later I espied this gentleman on the central station wearing a suit of far superior quality to anything I possessed! So much for his plea of poverty! I don't believe we were overly upset, just felt somewhat naïve. But rather that than having refused him any help to later learn that something untoward had befallen him. The Lord will recompense us in a coming day, and no doubt already has done so! 

But on recalling this "visit" I was reminded of another "visitor" on a different Lords' Day morning. I met him in the Hall after the Remembrance Feast, and was unaware as to whether or not he had partaken of the emblems. He had befriended one of "our" brethren and either found us or was brought along to the Meeting. I engaged him in conversation during which he volunteered the fact that he was an S.D.A. I was dismayed and surprised. My knowledge of Adventism was very limited then, but I knew they were "law keepers," and placed the "writings" of the self-styled Prophetess, Ellen G. White on a par with the very Word of God! As soon I was able to "escape" from him I reported my findings to an Elder in whom I had real confidence to deal with the matter. He was alarmed and very soon had managed to "evict" the S.D.A. but not without honesty, tact and courtesy.

Some considerable time ago a number of well-taught and highly regarded brethren were deceived by Adventist doctrine, and were happy to have some fellowship with them. Even when remonstrated with over this issue, they declined the exhortation to sever links and publicly reject the false teachings of the Cultists.

There is NEVER any need to know what the Cults and their false teachers espouse; we only need to know what WE believe to safeguard our souls.

While I am only aware of one meeting place designated "Seventh Day Adventist, [in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, U.K.] their literature is both abundant and available. Furthermore it is relatively cheap and finely produced, giving a desirable quality aesthetically! They never mention "Seventh Day Adventists in their literature, and use a simple sounding publishing house. They deny the intrinsic Deity and impeccable Humanity of our Lord Jesus. They teach soul sleep and annihilation. of the lost. Their errors are a deadly poison, a thoroughly abominable system.

Beware of their insidious literature with its attractive presentation and binding. It hides a multitude of heinous error and false teaching.

Ellen G. White [1827-1915] wrote approximately 40 books, and over 5000 articles for periodicals. For more information, especially so as to recognise Adventist literature, may I direct you to the Wikipedia site.

May the Lord graciously garrison His own around with His powerful arm, protecting His people from deadly error in these "the last days."



The Mandrakes Yield Fragrance

"The mandrakes yield fragrance."

Song of Songs 7:13.

A sister recently said to me "I am not concerned about having little knowledge of the Bible, as I will know it perfectly, from cover to cover, when I am in heaven." I remain unconvinced, but that is not the main thrust of that upon my heart.

Nevertheless, if we are content to have scant knowledge of the Word of God, we will know real deficiency in our appreciation of the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is Centre, Sum, Subject and Object of the written Word, and that precisely and preciously for "His own."

The mandrakes, or "love apples," yield fragrant incense arising from the hearts' affections of the Lords' people. Exhilarated, intoxicated with the Lord Himself, in all His infinite beauty.Thus we further read, "And at our gates are all choice fruits, new and old:" Perhaps answering to the "treasure" brought out by the "instructed" child of God, [Matthew 13:52] from as it were his basket of first fruits, [Deuteronomy26:2] in anticipation of, and for, the sweetest purpose and highest privilege afforded to him, that of worship. "Things new and old" vouchsafed to us by Him; new wonders revealed, old meditations remembered, as day by day we peruse the Word. Solomon himself would teach us that "by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance." Proverbs 24:4.

Now, have we "kept," reserved these things for ourselves, for our enjoyment only? Or have we individually, "laid them up" for One who is Beloved? Choice fruits are to be found at "our gates," plural, or so it should be; but have we personally treasured them up for Him alone, the One who then we may call, "MY Beloved."

How precious those brief moments when gathered to His Name, and in remembrance of Him in His death for us, audibly and in silence we present our first fruits to Him, trusting that the Spirit of God will endue them with a savour of a sweet smell ascending to the very Throne of God.

May we be so freighted every time we draw nigh and enter in to the Holiest of all. 

[Quotations from JND New Translation]



Paradise

PARADISE

Paradise, the present abode of the departed saints: Paradise, what a beautiful word!
A word that appears to have an Oriental origin; The King of Persia was said to have gardens which were called paradises, full of everything beautiful and good that the earth could produce. (The LXX adopts this word for the Garden of Eden, signifying "delights,") which may account for Eden often being referred to as Paradise,; and perhaps the use of the word in the N.T. as denoting some place of happiness and blessing in the heavens. 

Paradise: this blissful word only occurs three times in the N.T. Scriptures: 
Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:5; Revelation 2:7.
The first reference is that statement our Lord addressed to the penitent robber crucified alongside Him at Calvary. The second Scripture penned by the Apostle Paul equates Paradise with the "third heaven," (as distinct from the dual heavens, atmospheric and stellar,) not "heaven itself." While the third reference differs from the former two verses indicated. They refer to the present disembodied spirits of the saints who are "absent from the body," and "at home with the Lord." Whilst the third occurrence addressed to the over-comer in Ephesus where it is titled the "Paradise of God," is identified with the after-resurrection state as described in Revelation 22:2. It points forward to that moment when all believers will receive their "bodies of glory," their resurrection bodies. Then as suggested saints will not enter into the "Paradise of God," one by one as "put to sleep through Jesus," but ALL reunited "in the air," to meet the Lord and be raptured to the "Fathers' house!"

Of late the import of this precious truth has been upon my heart. Not least because I "found" a couple of lines penned by a saint of old which awoke a responsive "amen" within my breast; he wrote,

" 'Twixt me and the Resurrection

But Paradise doth stand"

And whilst fully admitting "The sky not the grave is my goal," nevertheless a realisation that if I was to pass through the article of death, it would but prove a portal into Paradise, and the immediate presence of my Lord and Saviour, even the Lord Jesus. How wondrously comforting to every frail and feeble waiting saint.

But it has come to my attention that many of the Lords' people are somewhat ignorant about Paradise; often failing to distinguish it from Heaven itself. Frequently failing to note the difference between "heaven" and "the heavens," too! Another reason for using "better" translations in an age where a multiplicity of suspect and subversive translations abound.

It has not been my intention to write a full exposition concerning the true understanding of Paradise. But I am concerned that recently a beloved, highly respected "brother" has given oral ministry, and written an article also, both of which which contain much error, as far as I am able to grasp the truth regarding this precious "place."

In concluding this brief glance at that which lies beyond the grave for the believer who "falls asleep," I would like to remind or inform my fellow saints of the last days of a truly godly brother.

When J.G. Bellett knew that he was to be "called home," he spoke eloquently of his anticipation of Paradise. He made it clear that he was so longing for a "time" ALONE with Christ! He loved the thought of one day being reunited with those brethren and sisters he had so loved during his earthly pilgrimage; to be "caught up together with them" at the Rapture. But in the "meanwhile" he craved a season alone with his Saviour.  

It is recorded that he said these rapturous things, among others, as he neared his transport into Paradise.

"My precious Lord Jesus, Thou knowest fully I can say with Paul, "to depart and to be with Thee, which is far better. Oh, how far better! I do long for it!"
I have Himself - Himself! I am going to be with Himself!"

"Oh, to be with Him BEFORE the glories, the crowns, or the Kingdom appear! It is wonderful, wonderful!"

Brethren, beloved of the Lord, may it be "wonderful" to you and to me, for His glory!