I
THE TRINITY
Some of the Scriptures which imply the Trinity, or Tri-unity, of God:-
OLD TESTAMENT:
The Hebrew word Elohim, God, is the plural form of El, or Eloah, meaning primarily "Mighty One;" for example:"In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth."
Notice the plural pronouns referring to God in Genesis 1:26; 3:22; 11:7 and Isaiah 6:8.
God, the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit, are constantly mentioned as co-equal and in unison, for example:Gen. 1:1,2; 6:3; Job 26:13<z; 33:4; Ps. 139:7; Prov.8:22, 23; Isa. 11:1, 2; 61:1; 63:9, 10; Mic. 5:2; Zech. 4:6.
Some prominent prophetic passages concerning the Messiah, the Christ:Gen. 3:156; 9:26a; 12:36; 49:10; Exod. 12:13; Lev. 17:11; Num. 24:17; Deut. 18:15; 2 Sam. 7:16; 23:3,4; Job 19:25; Psalms 2; 8; 16; 22; 23; 24; 40; 45; 69; 72; 102; 110; 132; Prov. 8:22-31; Song 2:3,4; Isa. 7:14; 9:6,7; 11:1-5; 32:1,2; 40:3-5; 42:1-7; 49:1-8; 52:13-53:12; 61:1-3; 63:1-5; Jer. 23:5,6; 33:15,16; Lam. 1:12; Dan. 2:34,44; 7:13, 14; 9:26; Hos. 3:5; Mic. 5:2; Zech. 3:8; 12:10; 13:7; 14:4; Mal. 3:1-3; 4:2.
NEW TESTAMENT:
The initiatory ordinance for Christian discipleship – water-baptism – is in the Name of the Trinity:Matt. 28:19. The Trinity is mentioned in the Mission of Jesus:at the beginning:Matt. 3:16, 17; at the climax:Heb. 9:14; in its purpose:2 Cor. 1:18-22. The Son sends the Holy Spirit from the Father:John 15:26.
The Trinity manifest as to the believer individually:Rom. 8:15-17; the Church unitedly:1 Cor. 12:4-6.
The Trinity in Paul's summary:Eph. 4:4-6.
The Trinity in Paul's benediction:2 Cor. 13:14.
The Trinity in eternity:Rev. 4:5b, 86; 5:5-7; 22:16-21.
Notice the "Holy, Holy, Holy!" in the worship rendered by the seraphim and the cherubim in Isaiah 6:3 and Rev. 4:8.
God in His existence:(1) was, (2) is, and (3) ever shall be.
In His government is:(1) omniscient, (2) omnipresent,
(3) omnipotent.
In His character is:(1) life, (2) light, (3) love.
The record in the New Testament of the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy, constitutes a remarkable link binding the two volumes together. The "scarlet line" runs through the whole book from beginning to end.
II. GOD'S MARK ON CREATION
The number three, the number of the divine trinity, appears as the basic number of the universe.
Matter exists in space, time, motion.
Space occupies three dimensions:length, breadth or width, height or depth.
Time has three relations:past, present, future.
Motion has three relations:direction, velocity, distance.
Stability is maintained by support in three directions:for example, a stool, or a flag-pole.
No enclosure can be made with less than three straight lines.
Surveying is based upon triangles.
Matter exists in three forms:gaseous, liquid, solid.
Kingdoms in creation are three:animal, vegetable, mineral.
Basic colors are three:red, blue, yellow. Upon this principle is based the art of color-printing.
Dominant notes in music are three:do, me, sol.
The sun's rays give light, heat, chemical action.
Man is a trinity of body, soul, spirit.
Spiritually he has mind, heart, conscience.
His personality is manifest in intelligence, emotion, volition; to which corresponds his responsibility in thought, word, deed; and his reasoning depends on major premise, minor premise, conclusion.
The family is a trinity of father, mother, children.
Government has three functions:legislative, executive, judicial.
And in all branches of science and art, the number three appears in a fundamental manner.
III. GOD'S MARK ON THE BIBLE
The number three, the number of the divine trinity, is also stamped upon the make-up of the Holy Scriptures, indicating that our Bible is a perfect and complete book.
Old Testament writings:36=4x3x3 God's Testimony as to the world.
New Testament writings:27=3x3x3 God's Testimony in Jesus the Christ.
Complete writings:63=3x3x7 God's Testimony complete.
Note that 1st and 2nd Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings, and 1st and 2nd Chronicles, in the original Hebrew, are one book each, making the total for the Old Testament 36. Notice the prevalence of the divine number, three, indicating divine control in the production of the Holy Scriptures.
The Old Testament number is three times twelve. Twelve is the number of the tribes of Israel. The Old Testament is largely their history and experience. Jehovah selected this nation as an experimental sample of the human race, in order that the whole world might learn by His dealings with them, their need of Him and of the Saviour, whom He had promised (Gen. 3:156; 12:36). See Rom. 3:19 and its context; also 1 Cor. 10:11; Hebrews 1:1,2; 10:1,2,12.
Twelve being three times four, indicates the divine taking hold of and controlling the human. Four, a divisible weak number-in contrast with three-readily suggests our north-south-east-west world of men. Twelve signifies government.
In the New Testament, which is essentially the record of the "Second Man"-in contrast to that of the "First Man" and his progeny (1 Cor. 15:45-47)-there appears only the number three, and this is cubed-expressed in the third power-suggestive of solidity, certainty, assurance, reality (2 Cor. 1:19, 20).
Then in the total appears the number seven, which readily stands for completeness, perfection. Seven has this meaning not only in Holy Scripture, but also in Nature, as in the seven steps of the musical scale, or the seven primary colors of the spectrum of light as manifest in the rainbow.
There is thus written wide and large before men, the fact that the Triune God is both' the Creator of the Universe, and the Author-in-chief of the Bible.
Concerning the numerals of Scripture, see F. W. Grant's "The Numerical Structure of Scripture;" also the Introduction to the First Volume of his "Numerical Bible," and one of the appendices to the volume on the Psalms. -E. B. Craig.