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The writer of this article has no fuller revelation given to him than to others, of the
purpose of God which is being wrought out through the ages; he stands exactly where
the reader himself stands. He has opened the Bible, and the opportunity to "search the
Scriptures" must ever remind us of the limitation which those self-same Scriptures set
upon our search.
Purpose in Old Testament.
The A.V. uses the English word "purpose" to translate eight Hebrew words, and two
Greek words. The verb "to purpose" is translated by seven Hebrew and six Greek words.
These original words mean a word, device, delight, thought, work, counsel, desire,
foundation and intention. Whether we can hope to solve the problems that are associated
with the outworking of this purpose or not, it is a comfort to realize that the Scriptures
give us every assurance that, however inexplicable certain happenings and developments
may appear to us, all are known, all are under control, and when the time is ripe we "shall
know, even as we are known". With this limiting proviso in mind, we can now freely
meditate on all that is written, and refrain from intruding where no explanation has been
given.
First let Ecclesiastes speak:
"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven"
(Eccles. 3: 1).
This is salutary. To know or to reveal any part of God's purpose before the appointed
time could be disastrous and play into the hands of the great Enemy. This explains the
evasive answer to the Apostle's question, recorded in Acts 1: 6. It may be well to
remind ourselves that the Serpent did not tempt Adam and Eve to commit some brutal or
degrading sin, but to "be as God, knowing good and evil", which though forbidden while
man was in his infancy, is the very mark of those who are "perfect" or "full grown"
(Heb. 5: 14). Moses desired to see the glory of God, but was told that he could only look
upon His "back parts"; the time had not then come for the fuller revelations of God's
purpose that are found in the N.T. Even there we are not given a complete revelation
"from the beginning to the end", but are pointed on to a future day of complete
revelation.
The word translated "season" in Ecclesiastes means an appointed and appropriate
time, and is expanded in the words of Habakkuk, and although it is not the same Hebrew
word that is there translated, it is an inspired commentary and a word to guide and assure
when we feel baffled. We subdivide the passage so that each portion may speak clearly.
"(1)
The vision is yet for an appointed time,
(2)
but at the end it shall speak, and not lie:
(3)
though it tarry, wait for it:
(4)
because it will surely come, it will not tarry" (Hab. 2: 3).