Joshua gives us the establishment of the people in the land by divine leading and power, according to promise. There is conflict, snf the faithfulness of the people’s walk with God is tested.
The career of Joshua begins with crossing the Jordan in the power of resurrection, and has its place of power for conflict in Gilgal – circumcision – death to the flesh.
They eat of the corn of the land before they have any conflict.
JUDGES.
While Joshua is a book of victorious power, Judges is the book of failure in faithfulness, so that power is lost, Only that God intervenes in mercy, from time to time, to deliver and revive. Gilgal is exchanged for Bochim. Gilgal, the denial of the flesh, though seemingly of little importance, was the place of power; Bochim was the place of tears, but the angel of God was there.
RUTH.
The Lord intervenes Lord in grace to bring in the promised seed, and the restoration of Israel, but in the way of grace, on a new footing. Because of a famine in the land, Naomi, who represents Israel, goes away, and loses everything. Ruth comes back with her, and Boaz (strength) raises up the inheritance. It was old Israel, in some sense: the child was born to Naomi, but on the principle of grace, for Ruth had no title to promise.
Leviticus gives us God in the tabernacle, as in the midst of His people, ordering all things that suit their relationship to Him. The feasts represent Him as in the midst of the people, a circle round Himself.
NUMBERS
Numbers treats the journey through the wilderness, with insight into the inheritance (for us heavenly). It present a full prospect of all God’s ways in bringing them in, and of Christ Himself as the One who is to reign. Reference is made in this last remark to Pisgah, and to Balaam’s prophecy.
DEUTERONOMY
Deuteronomy provides a recapitulation of all God’s ways and dealings with Israel, as motives to insist on obedience, and to put the people on moral grounds in direct relationship with Himself. The three great feasts (chap. 16) have this character. The testing character of the law is stated, and at the same time the purpose of God in blessing, spite of failure under the law, is revealed; closing with the prophetic blessing of Israel, in respect to their then present condition.
In Exodus we find God visiting His people; redemption, and the establishment of relationships with His people. These relationships are presented in the testing of law, and the arrangements of grace.
In Exodus we find God visiting His people; redemption, and the establishment of relationships with His people. These relationships are presented in the testing of law, and the arrangements of grace. God bears with His people, with the distinct purpose of dwelling with them, and making them dwell in a place He had prepared for them. There are four immense principles – redemption, bringing to God, God’s dwelling among them, and consequently holiness. Priesthood is established to maintain the relationship with God, when the people cannot be in immediate relation. Connected with all this you have, the judgment of the world, and the final deliverance of the earthly people. With Moses, the man of grace, you have Zipporah, who represents the church, whereas the people are witnesses of Christ’s abiding connection with Israel.
From the Red Sea to Sinai we find the whole picture of God’s dealings in grace in Christ by the Spirit on to the millennium, and the millennium itself.
In chapter 19 the people put themselves under law, and get law instead of worship founded on deliverance and grace.
Creation is first treated of; then innocence, lordship, and marriage, the figure of union with Christ. Next we have the fall, man’s sin against God, and then in Cain man’s sin against his brother. There is, at the same time, a witness of certain righteous persons: Abel in sacrifice, Enoch in life, and Noah in testimony of approaching judgment. You then get the complete corruption of the whole system, and the deluge.
GENESIS.
In this book we have all the great principles of God’s relationship with man, without bringing in redemption which makes a people for God and a dwelling-place for God in man. You never, save in chapter 2:3, get the word “holiness” in Genesis; and you never have God dwelling with men.
Creation is first treated of; then innocence, lordship, and marriage, the figure of union with Christ. Next we have the fall, man’s sin against God, and then in Cain man’s sin against his brother. There is, at the same time, a witness of certain righteous persons: Abel in sacrifice, Enoch in life, and Noah in testimony of approaching judgment. You then get the complete corruption of the whole system, and the deluge.
Having had in Enoch a figure of the church, we get in Noah deliverance through judgment. Then a new world begins, God entering into covenant with it, and government introduced to prevent violence. But the governor fails, and God’s plans as to the races of men are brought out. We find God making nations, in consequence of man’s attempt to remain united so as to be independent. In the midst of these nations we have, in Nimrod, imperial despotic power in an individual. It is connected with Babel, the place of man’s wickedness. In point of fact, the division of mankind into nations comes by judgment.
Shem’s family having been owned on the earth – the Lord God of Shem, national existence is recognized as God’s principle of the constitution of the earth. He now begins an entirely new thing. He calls out an individual to be the head of a blest race. Whatever individual saints there had thus far been, there had been no counterpart of Adam as the head of a race. Abraham was called out to be this. Election, calling, and promise are connected with his calling. Consequently you have Abraham here, as a stranger and pilgrim, with nothing but his tent and his altar. He fails, like everybody, but God judges the world – Pharaoh’s house – for him.
We then get the distinction between a heavenly-minded and an earthly-minded man; the world having power over the earthly-minded (Lot), and the heavenly one (Abraham) having power over the world. In connection with this we have in Melchizedek the future priest upon his throne, linked with God’s supremacy over heaven and earth. Abraham’s separation from the world having been demonstrated, Jehovah presents Himself to Abraham as his shield and reward. We first get the earthly inheritance and people, that is, in promise. Abraham looks for the promise in a fleshly way, and that is all rejected. We have then the promise to Abraham of being the father of many nations, God revealing Himself as God Almighty. We have also His covenant with Abraham, and the principle of separation to God by circumcision. Chapter 18 gives the promise of the heir, the judgment of the world (Sodom), and the connection of a heavenly people (Abraham) with God, by intercession. In chapter 19 we have the connection with the judgment of the earthly people (Lot), saved as by fire through the tribulation.
What follows this, in chapter 20, is the absolute appropriation of the wife, whether Jerusalem or the heavenly bride, as the spouse of the Lord. The old covenant (Hagar) is cast out, and, the true heir (Isaac) comes. He takes the land (chap. 21).
Chapter 22 begins another series of things. The promised heir having being offered up, the promise is confirmed to the seed. Sarah dies (chap. 23): this is the passing away of the old association with God on the earth. Hence, in chapter 24 Eliezer (in figure the Holy Ghost, or His work on earth) is sent to take a wife for Isaac (Christ), who is Heir of all things. Isaac is not permitted to return to Mesopotamia. So, Christ, in taking the church, cannot come down to earth.
However, the moment we get Jacob, we get the head of the twelve tribes. He goes to Mesopotamia for Rachel and Leah, typical of Israel and the Gentiles. Jacob is the elect, but not the heavenly people. He goes back to Canaan, gets the promises, with all sorts of exercises, as Israel will, but, if he does, he must give up old Israel (Rachel) to get Benjamin, the son of his right hand.
In the brief notice of Esau’s offspring we find the world in vigour and energy before God’s people are. Then another history commences, that of Joseph. This portrays Christ, though connected with Israel, rejected by Israel, and sold to the Gentiles. He now comes to be the head, having the throne, and governing all Egypt. God has done with Israel, receiving a Gentile wife, and calls his children by names typical of Christ’s rejection and blessing outside Israel. He receives back his brethren in the glory. This part closes with two distinct testimonies, the will of Joseph about his bones, and Jacob’s prophecy that they will all be back in the land and the promises to Israel be fulfilled.
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Canticles
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
In addition to his Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, John Nelson Darby produced a short outline. They were based on a series of lectures in Birmingham. This is being reproduced here.
As time allows I will go through it, making the language clearer and up to date, only where necessary. This will not be a summary.
God alone is infallible; for “infallible” means one who cannot fail. Truth is not the same as infallibility; truth is the opposite to error, not to fallibility.
Objection: You cannot say that anything is infallible.
Answer: God alone is infallible; for “infallible” means one who cannot fail. Truth is not the same as infallibility; truth is the opposite to error, not to fallibility.
Scripture comes from God; it presents the truth; it is infallible. But there is no need to defend it to the infidel who rejects it. However, There is a difference between infallibility and perfect truth. If I question the infallibility of scripture, I am making a statement about the book. However when I reject perfect truth, I avoid facing what affects my conscience.
In strict logic, only one who is incapable of erring, is infallible in what he says,
