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We must examine a term employed throughout the book of Job in ways that impinge
closely upon the office of Mediator in our next study.
No.4.
A testimony in its own peculiar season.
pp. 78 - 80
The Apostle Paul follows the statement that Christ is `the One Mediator' by the words,
"To be testified in due time" (I Tim. 2: 6).
The proposition is this. Every dispensational change, or every vital link in the purpose
of the ages, is the subject of a separate witness in the N.T.
The first witness is John the Baptist (John 1: 7, 8, 15, 32, 34).
"Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth" (John 5: 33).
John the Apostle is a witness to the finished work (John 19: 35).
The witness of the early Acts is to the Resurrection.
"Ye shall be witness unto Me" (Acts 1: 8).
"Beginning from the baptism of John, unto the same day that He was taken up from
us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection" (Acts 1: 22).
Here then is an unbroken chain of evidence, from the baptism of John unto the
Ascension. To this of course could be added the supplementary witness recorded in
Acts 5: 29-32 "And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost
Whom God hath given to them that obey Him", or again as it is written in Acts 10: 39, 41.
At the conversion of the Apostle Paul another phase of witness appears, which was
destined to carry the torch of truth to its furthermost bounds. The night following his
apprehension by the Roman guard, the Lord appeared to Paul and said "Be of good cheer,
Paul; for as thou hast testified of Me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at
Rome" (Acts 23: 11). Here then is a further extension of evidence, linking the
apostolic witness at Jerusalem with far off Rome.
At his conversion, Ananias who had been sent by the Lord, said to Paul "The God of
our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldst know His will, and see that Just One, and
shouldest hear the voice of His mouth, for thou shalt be His witness unto all men of what
thou hast seen and heard" (Acts 22: 14, 15).
The witness of Paul is twofold. The first part of his testimony ended at Ephesus
(Acts 20: 21) "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks repentance toward
God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ". This testimony, however, came to an end.
"And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the
kingdom of God, shall see my face no more" (Acts 20: 25).
The reason for this is given in verses 22-24: