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them? Oh, no! He `hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in
heavenly places in Christ Jesus' (Eph. 2:6). And where is He? Why He is:
`Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come' (Eph. 1:21). God be praised! Our place is with Him There.
Hallelujah!
One day -- it may be soon -- the times of the Gentiles will be over.
The prophetic clock will start again, but `that's another story'.
(1)
Bethlehem.
Kingdom proclaimed.
(2)
Matthew 13.
Kingdom underground
(Parables).
(3)
Calvary.
(4)
Pentecost.
Kingdom preached a
second time.
(5)
Cornelius.
Gentiles grafted in.
(6)
Prophecies ceased.
Door shut.
(7)
Now.
No prophecies -- but
'Whosoever will'.
(?)
When? No time
Prophecies concerning
given.
Israel recommence.
WHAT IS OUR TRUST?
In the early days at the Chapel of the Opened Book, a `Brains Trust'
was held monthly, and the first question put to this meeting was:
`What is our Trust?' Will you please define the trust committed, first
to the apostle Paul, and then by the apostle to Timothy, and now to
us?' (2 Tim. 1:12 -14; 2:2).
Briefly the answer was as follows:
Firstly. Paul had a twofold ministry which we may conveniently divide
into (1) Gospel, (2) Mystery. The gospel, as preached by Paul and found in
the epistle to the Romans, is our trust. Its good news is a justification by
faith without works of law; its ground is the atoning Sacrifice of the
Saviour and its availability to the Gentile by reason of the reconciliation
of which Paul was an ambassador.
Secondly. As the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles, Paul
received, by revelation, `the mystery', a calling of the Gentiles of a
peculiar nature, operating now, during the `Lo -ammi' condition of Israel
(Hos. 1:9; 3:1 -5).
Thirdly. Our trust consists in a faithful presentation both of the
Gospel and the Mystery and, as a means to that end, the apostle enjoined upon
Timothy the need to `hold fast the form of sound words which', said he, `thou
hast heard of me' (2 Tim. 1:13).
By the time the apostle Paul had finished his course, `all truth' had
been given. Instead therefore, of speaking of the Comforter, Timothy, his
companions and all his successors, were referred to the `sound words' which