Bible Commentaries

Divine Appointments

1 Corinthians 12:28-30 : "And God hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?" This is the Old Testament translated into later language. So is this: "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all... For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." Paul, then, was but Moses evangelised; the God of both Testaments is the same. The great mischief Numbers 6:24-26):—

In Exodus 17:14, especially as we read ( Exodus 5:16) that when Moses built the altar which he called Jehovah-Nissi (Jehovah is my banner), he exclaimed, "Jehovah will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." This expression may have given the name to the book.

"Handfuls of Purpose"

For All Gleaners

"Every man... shall pitch by his own standard!"— Numbers 2:2

Order is necessary to success.—Men cannot be allowed to run from standard to standard.—Obedience to this precept would reconstruct the Christian army.—There is a natural fondness in the human heart in the matter of changing standards.—Such changing represents action without progress.—It is to be especially noticed that there is a standard for every man.—Individuality is the gift of God.—Individuality does not destroy the social bond; while contributing to its strength it adds much to its variety.—Denominationalism in the Church has its uses.—As no one standard is the army, so no one denomination is the Church.

There is a psychology of denominationalism.—Moral or intellectual constitution renders it impossible that all men should be content with the same ecclesiastical conditions.—Every temperament has its own standard.—No man should say that another is not in the army because he does not belong to some particular standard.—Loose-mindedness which supposes that it is a matter of indifference as to whether any special standard should be chosen is strongly discouraged by the spirit of this text.—Observe, every man is not called upon to direct the army.—Some men have simply to pitch by their standard, and wait for orders.—"Blessed is that servant who, when his Lord cometh, shall be found watching."—"Choose ye this day whom ye will serve."—Enemies of Christ are sometimes bolder in the avowal of their standard, than his friends.—Boldness in the faith when regulated by intelligence and chastened by patience is a sign of progress in the highest life.