The Clock and the Book.

You see the clock has two hands, and if you are to know the exact time, you must look at both of them. Sometimes I think the Word of God is like that. We cannot tell the time by noticing only one of the fingers; and we cannot get the whole truth as to any subject by only giving heed to one portion of God’s Word. We must take it as a whole, and look to the Lord to give us understanding as to how to “rightly divide” it (2 Tim. 2:1515Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)). We need both the pointers, but if there is any difference in value between them, the shorter of the two is the one we could least afford to lose. In the “Holy Scriptures,” also, those portions we may be most in danger of overlooking are by no means the least valuable and important. Some old clocks have only the “hour” hand; with such we could always tell nearly the exact time, but if we would be quite exact, we need the minute hand also. Only what use would the precise minute of the hour be to us if we did not know also the hour of the day? So we must notice the great divisions of God’s Word, or exactness as to particular portions will not be of very much value to us in learning God’s thoughts. On the other hand, if we would know just what is the mind of God about things, we must be prepared to have to carefully and patiently study each particular part. We must not suppose that all God intends us to know is in the “New Testament; “while it would be very wrong indeed to neglect that, and read nothing but the Old. But then we must learn how to distinguish the two. It would never do to lose sight of the difference between the two hands of the clock. We should make all sorts of mistakes as to the time of day. Again, we must not mix up together the teaching God has given for those of His people whom He has called with a “heavenly calling,” and has only left upon earth for “a little while,” to be “strangers and pilgrims” in it; with what He says about those people who are to “inherit the earth,” and whose days are to be long in the land which Jehovah their God giveth them. The one company are called to walk in grace, to do good and suffer for it (1 Peter 2:2020For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. (1 Peter 2:20)); to suffer evil and bless for it (ch. 3:9). The others are to be subjects of His government, when “justice and judgment” will be the establishment of His throne. To them it is said, “Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee” (Num. 24:99He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee. (Numbers 24:9)). Compare also Romans 12:20,20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. (Romans 12:20) with Psalms 137:8-98O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. 9Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. (Psalm 137:8‑9).
To learn “the truth” we must look at the whole dial. We must “consider” all that God has said, while never forgetting either that when we have it all before our minds, we are entirely cast upon the Lord to give us “understanding in all things” (2 Tim. 2:77Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. (2 Timothy 2:7)). How many mistakes are made through taking a truth and putting it out of its place, as if it were the whole truth instead of only a part of it!
W. TY.