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We continue serializing the excellent booklet written in 1938 by the British-Israel minister, Rev. Rupert Thomas. We have not edited the material except for style—such as adding a comma here and there for clarity, or breaking up large paragraphs for legibility purposes on our modern, 2 inch-wide electronic devices.
We have left the English spellings as is, such as in the word “Saviour,” as opposed to the correct spelling of “Savior.” (A touch of humor there to evoke a grin from our dear friends across the pond.) All boldface and underlined portions indicate my emphasis. However, italics are by the author. All comments in [brackets] are mine. QUOTE:
“Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterwards that which is spiritual.” 1 Corinthians 15: 46.
In the revelation of His will, God adopted this principle, and Paul, in expounding the revelation, emphasizes it for our learning.
The purposes of God are based upon eternal principles, and because these principles emanate from Himself, they are like Himself, unchangeable and unimprovable. It is impossible to obtain a right exegesis of the Scripture apart from recognition of these principles.
Unfortunately, where some recognition has obtained there has been an undue emphasis on a part only of the principle, and a consequent distortion which is inevitable to an over-, or under-estimate of anything. It is as disastrous to stress the spiritual to the exclusion of the natural as it is to stress the natural to the exclusion of the spiritual.
The whole economy of God’s purposes, in its various manifestations, is marked by an operation in and of the three realms: the natural, spiritual and supernatural.
The realm of the natural has reference to that sphere with which we have most to do, and, in consequence, know most about. It is that realm in which all human activity functions as in birth, life and death; —Marriage, propagation and education; —Family, tribal, racial, national, and international policies and relationships.
All these are matters of deep human interest, all of which to a greater or lesser degree take toll of man’s time, strength and accumulated resources.
The realm of the spiritual is less understood, for the very sufficient reason that, the first being natural, the demands of the first have so outgrown the place and hindered the working of the second, that it is given only passing thought.
It must be remembered that the order is not one of relative values. That is to say, the natural is not first in order of importance, but in order of experience. Thus it is that the natural realm, being first in the experience and understanding of mankind, gains a place of greater importance than any other sphere.
And, until there comes a spiritual awakening, the spiritual realm is unknown, or at the best but hazily conceived, or granted a tardy acknowledgment of possible existence.
Nevertheless, the realm of the spirit is as much a fact and the things pertaining to it as real as the most real things of the natural realm. It is not merely “heaven,” neither is it a place, but a realm wherein beings and things exist which are governed by laws other than those which govern the human and natural spheres of life.
That is not to imply that it is a sphere which is completely distinct from the natural realm, or incapable of being brought into co-operation with the natural realm. It is rather a realm that is higher, more complete and less subject to limitations such as persistently handicap the natural order of things and clog the wheels of progress.
It is obvious, therefore, that the amalgamation of the spiritual with the natural realm, to impregnate the lesser with the greater, is to enhance the lesser and widen the scope of the greater.
If the realm of the natural becomes governed by the laws of the spiritual, which have greater powers and fewer limitations, then the natural laws are not removed, but are given fresh and fuller impetus and greater possibilities. The natural limitations of the natural realm are removed by the acquisition of spiritual powers and the operation of spiritual laws which, within themselves, have no such limitations.
The Supernatural Realm
The supernatural realm is further removed from the natural, in so far as it is the peculiar sphere of the Divine Being—the Godhead.
Again, this realm is not so far removed from the natural or spiritual spheres that it has no concern, connection, or co-operation with them. It is the realm of God, but God is not so far from the realm of the spirit and the realm of the natural that He cannot and will not identify Himself with their respective operations in this universe.
If God has purposed, planned, and designed, for the benefit of His creatures then, in order to fulfil such purposes, He must have a means of co-operation with His creatures; a knowledge of earth’s affairs and of human throbs and throes. Such will ensure to Him a complete control of all matters pertaining to the natural realm, in order to make it as perfect as His own perfect supernatural realm.
The centre of the universe that, to our limited knowledge, is filled with specific interest to God is this earth. The centre of interest in the earth is the human race. The race, obviously, is not a thing of a day or of a year, but nevertheless of a calculable period of ages.
Has the race run on its course and proceeded in its development for the last six thousand years, without any contact with, or interest in, or intervention from the spiritual and supernatural realms? History and experience forbids anything but a negative reply to such a query.
The human race finds the whole of its history marked with Divine operations, and the high points in its history are almost inevitably where there have been the manifestations of supernatural operations by the application of spiritual laws in and through the natural realm.
That which is used and exercised by God, proceeding from Himself, is good, and that concerning which He condescends to exercise His purpose must also be worthy of our consideration since it is worthy of His. God in His realm of the supernatural is concerned to operate by spiritual laws in the realm of the natural.
He desires thus to consummate a purpose and plan which, while leaving the respective laws of each realm intact, will glorify Himself by the permeation of each realm with Himself so that God will be all and in all. END QUOTE
(To be continued.)
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