The chapters in this volume appeared as separate articles in The Gospel Witness of Jarvis Street Baptist Church, Toronto, from May 1963 to January 1965 under the general title, Inspired Principles of Prophetic Interpretation.

Excerpt:

Chapter 2

How God Says What He Means

"GOD means what He says and says what He means" is a criticism commonly used in the attempt by some to dismiss that which they label "spiritualizing", as a handling of God's Word unworthily. It is sometimes repeated in such confident manner as to give the impression that this is the final word of argument, an indisputable maxim, an end to all controversy. Like everything else touching the Scriptures, however, it should be given serious examination, for it is not irrelevant to any aspect of the main contents, types, prophecies, and doctrines. There will be no disputing among those who hold the Divine Being in reverence and respect His Book, that God does indeed mean what He says. "He cannot deny Himself'."It is impossible for God to lie". He will not alter the thing which is gone out of His lips. Upon His Word unreserved reliance may be placed. But the enquiry arises, Does God in making His will known by selecting earthly things (Joh_3:12), and expressing His will in "words of earth" (Ps. 12), "words which the Holy Spirit teacheth" (1Co_2:13), and admittedly meaning what He says -- Does God thereby restrict His meaning to the earthly and literal? He means what He says, but does He fix a rigid literal limitation to His meaning? Or, in what God says, are His chosen literal objects intended to represent, to reveal and to direct to the spiritual? Therefore, is it not in this latter objective that we may discover what He means?

It will be acknowledged that the Author is the final exponent of His own thoughts expressed in what He says, and that what He meant, though not disclosed at the time of His speaking, determined His selection of the subjects and terms He used.
Therefore, what He says will befit the spiritual complement disclosed in what He means. Must the Spirit's exposition of a subject be confined to our human understanding of the matter? Is there not such a thing as an earthly story with a heavenly meaning? Would it not be our wisdom to follow the counsel contained in the ancient couplet: "The New is in the Old concealed; the Old is by the New revealed"? What God said in the Old Testament is given His meaning in the New Testament. Yet contentment with the finality of spiritual meaning as supplied in the New Testament is met with the criticism: "Mysticizing or vaporizing glosses called interpretation". We are accustomed to sing of God's providence, "God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain". Is not this equally true of His Word? Examples of the spiritual purpose and the spiritualizing principle abound in the teaching of our Lord and His apostles. Surely their manner of expounding what God says should be our guide in seeking to know what God means. If spiritualization is unwarranted we shall find ourselves in danger of placing our Lord and His apostles themselves, if reasoning be consistent, under criticism!