GOD IS IN THE LIGHT
[p. 342] GOD IS IN THE LIGHT
It is worthy of observation that every revelation of God’s name centres in Christianity — nor can any name under which God had previously made Himself known be understood in its full significance, except in the light in which God is now revealed. All centres in the fact that “the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him”. The consequence is that we, as Christians, get the power and force of every name under which God has been pleased to set Himself forth. This appears to me to come out very distinctly in the Epistle to the Romans. In chapter 4 we are in connection with Abraham, in presence of “the Almighty”, in whom Abraham believed; and in chapters 9 to 11, we are, in the reasoning as to Israel, clearly in the presence of “Jehovah”; but all the truth presented has its character from the fact of God being now declared as “Father” in the Son. This light is now thrown on all that preceded.
The import of the name of “Almighty” is seen in the power of resurrection; this may be gained from Revelation 1, where the name of “Almighty” reappears; and as regards the revelation of this name to Abraham, it is plain that the promises could only be fulfilled by One having the power of resurrection; this lesson appears to have been emphasised in the offering up and typical resurrection of Isaac. God tested Abraham to see how far the revelation which He had given of Himself was effectual in him.
The name of Jehovah, on the other hand, seems to set forth the idea of the eternal faithfulness of God in contrast to the perversity and unfaithfulness of man. Hence in it lies the hope of Israel, who will hereafter sing, “Give thanks unto Jehovah, for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever”. If they [p. 343] have for many long years forgotten all that belongs to them in the calling of God, He has not forgotten it; “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance”.
Now assuming the above to be true, it is evident that the revelation of either name could not, in itself, indicate completeness, for the reason that each revelation was dependent morally on some other and further revelation. Thus though resurrection might come to pass as an exercise of divine power, so that God’s rights over all might be enforced, yet if it was to come in in the way of resurrection to life, then death, as being God’s judgment, consequent on sin, must be removed in the removal of that which had brought it in — “Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead”. Thus resurrection involved really a moral question, and not simply an exercise of power; and the moral question must be solved, and that by God Himself, in order that the power might come into exercise.
The same holds good in regard to the name of Jehovah. The curse of a broken law lay upon Israel; and their ingathering from all lands, and ultimate restoration in the eternal faithfulness of God, depends on the removal of that curse. It was morally impossible that God could ignore it.
This we are brought face to face with the fact of the judgment of death, and the curse of a broken law standing in the way of the display of the names by which God had revealed Himself, and had been in measure known; and it is this that brings in a “must” of the New Testament. “The Son of man must be lifted up”. It was in divine purpose to come out in holy self-sacrificing love, which would charge itself with that which lay on man by the righteous judgment of God, in order that that love might satisfy itself in the activities of those names under which God had revealed Himself. The bearing of the curse of a broken law, and the [p. 344] entering into death by the Son of God, removed all that stood morally in the way. He who accomplished this was the Creator of all. “God over all, blessed for ever” — the Son sent of the Father, that He might accomplish His will; and thus we have God now revealed in self-sacrificing love. He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all.
I think from what has been said that it will be seen how the partial light which God had given as to Himself depended on the full revelation in which God has now been pleased to shine forth in holy splendour. The power of resurrection, and that to life, has vindicated the name of Almighty; and the gathering of a remnant of Israel into the church, the name of Jehovah; and it need hardly be added that the power and faithfulness of God expressed in these names will yet come out into full display. But all this awaits the results of an activity of God, which is going on at the present time — the formation of a company of sons by whom God should be known in such a way as that they can freely approach Him and in the midst of whom Christ should be pre-eminent, the Firstborn among many brethren; and further, in whom every moral trait of Christ should be set forth — His fulness; and, still further, in whom, as the bride of Christ, God should show, in the presence of the universe, the exceeding riches of His grace — the witness of His triumph over all the power of evil. While we are in the light of that particular name, under which in Christianity God is revealed, we evidently have the good which attaches to every name, if we are prepared to accept the condition of separation which was distinctly marked in the case of the fathers and of Israel — for it is said, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty”.