CHAP. 24:34 to 44
The expression “this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled,” has given occasion for a false interpretation of these verses; and many have sought to prove that it was all fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem. But this won't hold water for a moment, and there are many scriptures both in the O.T. and N.T. which prove that “generation” as here, is used in a moral sense. Look at Matt. 11:1616But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, (Matthew 11:16), for instance; and again, at chap. 12:45. The unclean spirit is that of idolatry. We hear nothing of idolatry among the Jews after the Babylonish captivity, but they will be, alas, worse idolaters than ever before “The unclean spirit” will find the nation in the day that is rapidly nearing, quite prepared to receive him. The Lord shows it is figurative language He is using—an unbelieving, Christ-rejecting, “generation.” So the word is used in a moral sense in Deut. 32, Psa. 12, Prov. 30, etc. Other stubborn nations there are, which have been absorbed by their neighbors, but the Jews, in spite of all to which they have been subjected, “a nation scattered and peeled,” have been and will be kept distinct, and brought back to their land in unbelief, to receive the man of sin, the devil's great masterpiece, whom they will receive as their Messiah!
The dispensations are the way God lays out time. First, there was the dispensation of innocence; then of conscience, but without government; then of government, after the flood; then law; and now, if we may speak of this present time as a dispensation, it is that of grace. If we look at the church, we cannot properly so term it, but if as the kingdom of heaven we may. After this comes the reign of righteousness; and finally, the eternal state. Unless we see these several varieties of God's dealings, we do not rightly divide the word of truth. For instance, there has recently been some talk of eliminating the imprecatory Psalms. People feel that it is not Christian language, but they do not see that after the church is gone it will be as right for the saints then on the earth to use them as it was for Stephen to pray for his enemies. It would mean confusion if we held that both could be pleasing to God in every measure of time. The word “dispensation” means the ordering of the household.
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (ver. 35). Is not this exceedingly sweet for us to meditate on! The child of God knows he has a foundation for his faith more stable than heaven or earth. The Lord speaks of His own words; the word of the Lord endureth forever. How ever men may seek to detract from the word of God, by His grace may we hold fast all God has given to us. The quotation in 1 Peter 1 about the word of the Lord is in reference to being born again, and this is ever by the word of God Himself. It is surprising how small a portion of His word God may use to impart divine life. Here it is the Lord's own words, but the whole word of God has a divine character. We can say, I am sure, that the one who knows most and studies most, and has been taught by the Spirit, feels how he has only just touched the surface of an inestimable treasure. Whatever truth we have is what we have received; no one can boast of originality about truth, Some did at Corinth, and the apostle says “What have ye that ye have not received?”
Ver. 37. Now the very fact of bringing before the disciples the days of Noah would serve to show it bears a Jewish character, for it is Enoch who is the type of the Christian. In Heb. 11, we have first God making a home for man, then an accepted worshipper, and then one walking with God and who was translated before the waters of judgment came upon the earth. You could not have the rule of grace, and of judgment, in the same dispensation. Now it is grace reigning through righteousness. Righteousness is suffering now, but in the millennium it will be righteousness reigning; and then in the eternal state “righteousness will dwell.” But Enoch was in the secret of the deluge. You often find there is a partial fulfillment before the final one. So when Enoch had a son he called him Methuselah, which means “after his death it is sent,” and his age exactly reaches to the deluge. Does not all this prove that Enoch was in the secret of the judgment at, hand, as well as that which is still future as recorded by Jude? That was his prophetic word, but he was taken away before the deluge. Just what God will do for us, who are to be kept “out of the hour of temptation” which is to try the dwellers upon earth.
The Lord speaks of Himself as the “Son of man.” No one ever addressed the Lord Jesus as such, and when that title is given Him in scripture it is either as suffering, or exalted. He suffered here and God has exalted Him and put everything under His feet, and given Him higher and wider glories because He was denied His rights here. When He comes as Son of man it is in judgment, and coincides with His revelation or manifestation, that is His coming with all His saints. When He comes for His church it is in purest grace, and it is most important to see this; not a hint is there of judgment when He comes for His own. So those who talk of His only coming for a certain portion of His church really know nothing about it. Only think of a mutilated body! Only think of part of a bride taken! As we said last week, we cannot properly speak of the last “member” being added to “the body” (Acts 2:4747Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:47) is “The Lord added together"). But there is a “building,” a temple being built of “living stones,” not yet completed but “growing” unto a holy temple—a divine building together, not man's, about which the Lord says, “I will build my church and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it. When the last stone is added to this growing temple it will be complete, and then “He that shall come will come and will not tarry.” He will not tarry, but He tarries till then. “While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.” But God will never have His gospel preached to mock souls; and so when preaching it one has the thought that this temple is not yet complete, there is another stone to be added. When it says, “whether we wake, or sleep,” the sleep here is that of death; but in the words “they that sleep, sleep in the night,” it is moral.
In our very next chapter it speaks of the true saints of God getting into a sleepy state, they began to nod, and got into sleeping places (churches and chapels) that is, we have indifference to Christ, which is saddest of all. Although the church will be taken away it will be only a nine days' wonder, and so the Lord says here, They “knew not till the flood came” etc. (ver. 39). Those in Noah's day were willingly ignorant, and that is what the apostle Peter deals with in his Second Epistle. I do not think that Peter distinguishes the parts of the coming, but speaks generally. They are willingly ignorant but God interfered by the deluge. God has recorded it, so they can know it; and they are willingly ignorant also of the Lord's coming, for the same word reveals both.
I suppose perhaps the oldest book in the Bible is the Book of Job. At any rate, it bears the same relation to the poetical books as Genesis to the historical; so it is very early—after the flood, but before the law. And let us think how over 3,000 years ago it was written there, “Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull gendereth and faileth not, their cow calveth and casteth not her calf. They send forth their little ones like a flock and their children dance. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. They spend their days in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave, therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways” (chap. 21:8-14)!
They are “willingly ignorant” and “the mind of the flesh,” man in his whole being “is enmity against God.” Nothing shows the necessity of a new nature clearer than that. There was feasting etc., going on when “the flood came and took them all away.” “So shall also the coming of the Son of man be,” and I suppose there must have been a tremendous population on the earth then. And no flesh was visible. It was either shut in the ark or under the water. “The end of all flesh.” God will be justified in His sayings, and it is a wonderful mercy for God to give us faith in the plenary inspiration of His word. There is many a thing that forms a wrong impression on our mind because we have only a partial knowledge about it, so let God be true, if ever there is a difficulty, and every man a liar, including myself.
What all the great minds of the world are trying to find out, namely, the mysteries of nature, the Spirit of God calls them shallow things, the things of this creation; and even to these, man has no line long enough to reach. But we have the deep things of God in this divine revelation, and man's mind can never fathom them. We do not know what changes took place on this earth at the time of the flood, but there is abundant evidence that there have been tremendous catastrophes on the earth's surface. And the way in which the Bible opens, is quite enough for a simple believer to see that God did not create it in a state of chaos.
When but “waters,” it was by His fiat the dry land appeared. I believe there is very beautiful typical teaching in this. But there is room enough between the first and second verses of Gen. 1 for all the geologic ages. If we consider the typical teaching, we see, first, man in his fallen ruined condition and the spirit of God active there; then there is a voice that speaks-the word of God, “Let there be light"; then on the third day there is a standing for man which never could be but for the work on Calvary.
“Then shall two,” etc., “one taken, the other left” (ver. 40). Although it is a fact that when the Lord comes there will be what would correspond with this, yet where judgment is before us, as in these verses, it is one taken in judgment and the other left for millennial blessing on the earth.
The whole discourse is divided into three parts, the first is Jewish, ending with verse 44. Then in the second part the saints of this dispensation are in view, as servants to care for the household (vers. 43 to 51); as virgins to watch for the Bridegroom (25:1-13); and as servants to occupy till He come (vers. 14-30). Lastly (25:31-46), the Son of man comes in His glory, when all the Gentile nations will be dealt with. We need to weigh all this well. May we all be found watching, for the Lord says in Mark, “What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch.” We are to wait for, to watch, and also to be found doing or serving. The young Thessalonians turned to God from idols to wait for His Son from heaven; we should ever be “waiting” and “serving” as there is also the contrast between sleeping and watching.
Ver. 43. I judge the “goodman (or, master) of the house” etc., is a word for the remnant really to be ready when the Lord comes to them. As a matter of fact Satan is the God of this world. There will be some that will be wise and understand, though they won't understand what we know, but they will understand what we do not, the things that refer to them, as for instance the number of the beast, it will be clear to them as daylight.