Luke 21:8

Christian, Be Not Deceived!

CHAPTER XX.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE "FIRSTS" AND THE "LASTS" OF SCRIPTURE.

An experienced miner seeking gold knows by "outcroppings" or certain indications on the surface of the earth that the precious metal will be found by digging below the surface. Similarly, he who searches the Scriptures will know by the "outcroppings," which the Holy Spirit has designedly and conspicuously placed in the general structure of Holy Writ, that patient digging into the mine of truth will bring to view more precious things from the Word of God.

In our next chapter we will deal with the law of the first and the last mention which is employed in conjunction with the laws of repetition and enlargement, and of type and antitype. In this chapter we wish to draw attention to the significance of the "firsts" and the "lasts" of Scripture used in a general way without direct reference to the law of type and antitype.

By drawing our attention to the significance of the "firsts" and the "lasts" of the Bible the Holy Spirit leads us on to continue our searching until we see that a definite law or principle of interpretation exists in the Scriptures themselves.

As the shape of a leaf often indicates the general shape of the tree, so the design of each book often indicates the design of the whole of the Bible.

It could be pointed out that in most books of the Bible there are definite and important connections between their commencements and their endings. These "firsts" and "lasts" are some of the "outcroppings" seen in the structure of the Scriptures.

The first and the last books of the canon of Scripture stand together vitally related; they are like a golden clasp that binds in one book all the other books between. The first themes written in Genesis-because Jesus is "the first and the last"—foreshadow the last themes in the last book, Revelation. Things appearing in the first chapters of Genesis re-appear on a grander scale in the last chapters of Revelation.

We read concerning the first two brothers mentioned in the Old Testament that Cain murdered his brother—he took his life from him. Gen. 4:8. In contrast, we read in the sacred narrative of the first two brothers brought to view in the New Testament, that Andrew sought out Simon, not to kill, but to lead him to the Life-Giver. John 1:35, 41, 42.

In Gen. 3:9 we read that God sought fallen man with the question: "Adam ... where are thou?" In the first question asked sinful man God was seeking to woo him back. The first question asked in the Book of Matthew is: "Where is He that is born King of the Jews?" Matt. 2:2. Thus, there is a balance between the first question of Gen. 3:9 and the first question recorded in Matt. 2:2. In the first question in Gen. 3:9 the Saviour sought fallen man to save him; but in the first New Testament question fallen men are seeking salvation and enquiring where they could find the Saviour. As stated in 1 John 4:19: "We love Him, because He first loved us." We seek Him (Acts 17:27) because He first sought us. John 4:23. The right understanding of the firsts and the lasts of Scripture points us to Jesus the Saviour from sin, and the Destroyer of evil.

In the history of New Testament times the first mention of the Lamb of God" is that He "taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29. The first mention of the Lamb in the Revelation is where Jesus is represented as "a Lamb as it had been slain." Rev. 5:6. Only by His death could Jesus take away our sin. The first recorded words of Jesus were: "Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business." Luke 2:49. The last words spoken by Jesus before He returned back to heaven after His resurrection were: "I ascend unto My Father, and your Father, and to My God, and your God." John 20:17.

Jesus, the Creator-Redeemer, is brought to view in the first verse of Genesis, and He is also mentioned in the first verse of Matt. 1. The Old Testament closes with the word "curse." Mal. 4:5. Sin brought about the curse. See Rom. 5:12-21, where Paul explains how Adam's sin brought the curse of sin and death into the world, and how, by Christ's righteous life and atoning death, grace enables the believer in Jesus to obtain eternal life. Hence, while the Old Testament ends with the word curse, the last verse of the New Testament (Rev. 22:21) reads: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all."

Genesis is the book of beginnings—of the world, and all things in it; of life, sin, death, races of men, wars, etc. Genesis commences with "the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein" (Acts 14:15), and ends with a dead man in a coffin. Gen. 50:26.

The first promise in the Old Testament (Gen. 3:15) is that Jesus would come the first time. The last promise in the New Testament is that Jesus will surely come the second time. Rev. 22:20. "This is the book of the generations of Adam." (Gen. 5:1.) This is the first time this expression occurs in the sacred writings. The last occasion this expression occurs is in the first verse of Matt. 1: "The Book of the generation of Jesus Christ." In every conceivable manner in the Scriptures the Holy Spirit has glorified the work of the Creator-Redeemer.

"The first Adam" married to Eve is set forth as a type of "the last Adam"-Christ and His Church. (See Ephes. 5:22-33.) "The first Adam, the sinful father who bequeathed a legacy of death to his children, is set forth in contrast to "the last Adam . . . a quickening spirit ... The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven." (See 1 Cor. 15:45-49.) "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (v. 22. See also Rom. 5:14-19.) Adam received his mortal life from his Creator-he "was made a living soul." But Jesus, "the last Adam," was a life-giving spirit. "The first Adam" takes his children with him into the grave; "the last Adam," being the Creator, possesses in His nature and essence the fountain of life. (See John 1:4; 5:21; 10:10; 12:24; 1 John 5:12.) Glorious truths are learned when one heeds the laws of the interpretation of Scripture set forth by Christ Himself.

"This is the book of the generation of Adam." In the table of Adam's genealogy which follows these words–the first time they occur in Scripture–we read eight times: "And he died." (See Gen. 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31.) Following the last time that phrase is employed in Holy Writ—"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ," the repeated word is "begat." The 40th birth is that of Jesus. Forty is 5 times 8. The number 5 is used by the Holy Spirit in the Bible for grace, and 8 is the number representing life from the dead—the resurrection number. By the grace of Jesus Christ the dead will be resurrected at His second coming. (Rev. 22:20-21.) "The first Adam's" genealogy ends in death; "the last Adam's" genealogical table ends with the begettal of a new life—and the assurance of eternal life beyond the tomb through the grace of Jesus Christ.

Other wonderfully gripping truths are learned by a further study of the genealogical tables of the Bible when the principle of the first and the last is applied to them. But we must turn from ancestries to books. The Book of Exodus opens with God's people being oppressed and learning the ways of the heathen; it closes with the people re-learning the ways of God by means of the sanctuary service set up in their midst. See Ps. 77:13. The Psalms (1:1) begins with God blessing man, and ends with man blessing and praising God. (Ps. 150.) The last five Psalms begin and end with "Praise ye the Lord."

The book of Proverbs commences with the kingly man, and ends with the queenly woman. (Prov. 31:10- 31.) Ecclesiastes begins with the king's statement that "all is vanity" (1:1, 2), and ends with the king's advice to shun all vanities because of the coming judgment. (12:14.) Matthew (1:1) begins by declaring that Jesus is the King of Israel; it ends with the King's command and promise to His spiritual Israel—the church—to go in His power to preach the gospel; and His promise to be with His followers till the end of the world. (Matt. 28:18-20.) Mark commences with the ministry of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, who opened up the Master's ministry; and it ends with the ascension of our Lord. The ascension closed His personal service upon the earth, and commenced the work of the Disciples as His repre- sentatives. In this capacity they went forth with great power, "the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following." Mark 16:20.

The gospel of Luke opens, after the preamble (which was designedly included for another reason which cannot be explained now), with the birth of John the Baptist. John was born in answer to the prayers o f his parents. (Luke 1:13.) John's priestly father burnt the incense upon the prayer altar (v. 9), and it was at the time the people were praying (v. 10) that the angel of the Lord appeared unto Zacharias "on the right side of the altar o f incense." (v. 11.) Thus the commencement of Luke's Gospel brings to our attention the prayer altar in the temple. This book closes with the promise of the Holy Spirit Who would come in answer to prayer. (See Luke 24: 49, and compare with Luke 11:13.) Thus the prayer altar and the temple in the first chapter are mentioned in the last verses-and also the gladness of heart which comes to those who pray. Luke 24:53.

The gospel of John commences: "In the beginning"—before the birth of any human being, and before the worlds were created. John takes up the pen of inspiration to prove that Jesus is the Almighty Son of God, and his book opens with the explicit declaration that Jesus Who came in human form was God's Son. (John 1:1-3, 14.) John's gospel ends with what otherwise would be an unnecessary hyperbole if Jesus is not the Son of God. For as Creator of the vast, illimitable universe (which John (1:1-3, 14) declared Jesus to be) all that He has done could never be recorded in all the books in the world. From the first words to the last of his gospel John reveals Jesus as the eternal Son of God, possessor of infinite power.

Moses was a type of Christ (Deut. 18:15-18) Deliverer, Leader, Law-Giver, etc. Through Moses' ministry the first plague fell upon the Egyptians—water was turned into blood. (Ex. 7:14-20.) Jesus' first miracle was the turning of water into wine (John 2:1-11), and Jesus used wine as a symbol of His shed blood. (Matt. 26:27-29.) Water was turned into blood in the first Egyptian plague; the last plague brought death to all the first-born who were not protected by the blood of the passover Lamb, which was slain for their salvation. See Ex. 12.

In the first book in the Sacred Canon of Scripture (Genesis) the question of numbering the stars, if we are able (which, of course, we are not able to do), is brought to our notice (Gen. 15:5); the last book, Revelation, urges us to "count the number of the beast." (Rev. 13:18), which, of course, we can do. As we are thus directed to the thought of counting in the first book and again in the last book of Scripture we take notice of this indication that within the Bible will be found a numeric system. Jesus is "Palmoni, the numberer of secrets, or, the wonderful Numberer." (See Dan. 8:13, margin.) And those who follow the Master's injunction to heed the numeric system of Holy Writ will learn some amazing and helpful things.

Gen. 14:4 brings to view for the first time the number twelve, when harmony existed among the nations brought to our notice in that verse. The last occasion the number 12 is employed in Scripture is when there is harmony among all people in the kingdom of Christ. (Rev. 22:2.) The twelfth time the number twelve is mentioned in the Word of God is where the breastplate of judgment worn by the High Priest is first brought to view. This breastplate had upon it twelve precious stones, practically the same as the twelve foundation stones of the New Jerusalem. (Compare Ex. 28:17-20 with Rev. 21:19-20.) The breastplate was "Foursquare" (Ex. 28:16) just as the Holy City, also, is said to be "Foursquare." (Rev. 21:16.) The precious stones were arranged "in four rows" with three in a row; even as the future capital of Christ's kingdom has four sides with three gates to each side. (See Rev. 21:12-13.) From the first time twelve is mentioned, when the nations were in harmony, we are pointed all through the Divine Book, by the use of the number twelve in so many different ways, to the time when harmony will once more prevail among all people in the everlasting kingdom of the "Prince of Peace."

The first time the number 13 is mentioned is when we read: "Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled." (Gen. 14:4.) From that first mention of the number 13 in connection with a rebellion that number is associated in Scripture with the rebellion against God. Hence the dragon (the designation used in the Revelation for Christ's adversary, Satan) occurs 13 times in the Revelation. See Rev. 12:3, 4, 7 (twice), Rev. 12:9, 13, 16, 17; 13:2, 4, 11; 16:13; 20:2.

But the rebelling forces of evil eventually will be overthrown—the final conflict in which Satan and his hordes will be vanquished is given the symbolic, or antitypical, name of "Armageddon." (Rev. 16: 16.) As Megiddo is brought into the picture in the final conflict between the forces of good and evil we are not surprised to see that it is mentioned 13 times in the Scriptures. See Josh. 12:21; 17:11; Judges 1:27; 5:19; 1 Kings 4:12; 9:15; 2 Kings 9:27; 23:29, 30; 1 Chron. 7:29; 2 Chron. 35:22; Zech. 12:11; Rev. 16:16. The numbers employed in the Revelation are used in connection with Christ and His Church—and their enemies—and are not national numbers.

It is an erroneous conception to interpret "Armageddon" as a battle between nations at Megiddo. Such a belief is not sustained by any of the laws of interpretation given by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures themselves. As we shall show in our next chapter, there is a definite connection between the first and the last in the Scriptures. In the interpretation of last-day prophecies we must be sure to heed the Divinely-given principle of going back to the first recorded events, places, persons, names, etc. By this principle alone—and there are other principles of interpretation, all of which are in perfect harmony with the one we are considering—we know that the last, which is the thirteenth, reference to Megiddo (Rev. 16:16) will be the world-wide, spiritual counterpart of the first typical conflict fought at Megiddo, recorded in Judges 4 and 5.

By the principle of going back to the first mention to understand more fully concerning the last mention we know that the things of Israel, which form the basis of the Third Angel's Message, and which are mentioned so frequently throughout the Revelation, are rightly applied by us in a world-wide, spiritual sense.