“Divine Order In Creation And Scripture” – Part 3

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

[Study Aired August 13, 2026]

Last week we looked at how Christ and His body are not divided. This week we’ll look at how is used in God’s word in a positive way (2Ti_2:15, Isa_28:10).

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Isa 28:10  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

Regarding fractions, we know that 0.1 is the same as 1/10, working our way up, 0.2=2/10, 0.3=3/10 right up to 1.0=10/10

Looking at these fractions, which are numbers that have been divided, we can use this illustration to remind us in type and shadow that there are measures of God’s spirit (Rom_12:3-5) and that God is working with us to bring us to a point of wholeness, singleness in Christ (2Co_11:3, Rev_17:14), represented by the number 1 or 1.0 [unity] (Eph_4:13).

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.[Eph_4:16]

Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:[Luk_21:19, Rev_3:10]

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity^G572 that is in Christ.

haplotēs hap-lot’-ace From G573; singleness,[one body] that is, (subjectively) sincerity (without dissimulation or self seeking), or (objectively) generosity (copious bestowal): – bountifulness, liberal (-ity), simplicity, singleness

Gideon‘s Army reduced or divided to the glory of God: 

Two sections scripture that connect with this story of Gideon’s army are found in Romans chapters 11 and 9 (Rom_11:30-36, Rom_9:17-26): God always wants us to remember that we are His workmanship and that our salvation is not dependent on anything that we bring to the table, although we do work out our own salvation with fear and trembling when we know it is God who is working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure which is to give us the kingdom (Php_2:12-13, Luk_12:32).

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Rom 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

[God’s power is a two edged sword (Heb_4:12) and the way Pharaoh’s heart was softened and hardened was to remind us that the blindness of this world and the bondage of sin is something that God is causing through Satan, the god of this world, who is typified by Pharaoh here (Jas_1:13-18, 1Ki_22:22). We know boasting is excluded by the law of faith (Rom_3:27), and sin is something repented of by God convicting us of it via the riches of His word that we are blessed to hear with spiritual ears (Rom_2:4, Rom_10:17) so we can be delivered from our sins through Christ who is able to wield that sword righteously in our heavens unlike Peter who cut off the ear of the servant (Jhn_8:36 , Christ is Heb_4:12)]

Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy,[Rev_11:3, Col_1:27, Zec_4:6, Rom_8:9] and whom he will he hardeneth.
Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Rom 9:22  What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Rom 9:23  And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Rom 9:24  Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Rom 9:25  As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
Rom 9:26  And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

With these verses in mind, here are is Gideon’s story:

Jdg 7:1  Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
Jdg 7:2  And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.(Eph_2:8, Rom_3:27 , Deu_7:22)
Jdg 7:3  Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

Jdg 7:4  And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.Jdg 7:5  So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his
tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
Jdg 7:6  And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
Jdg 7:7  And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.[three hundred men]

The called, and chosen and faithful are represented by Gideon’s army that was whittled down or divided from 32,000. Of this lot 22,00o departed early from mount Gilead and there remained 10,000, both numbers representing multiples of ten that represent the flesh, the way that seems right to us (Pro_14:12), our old man that must be put of via judgement (32,000 + 22,000=54,000 and 5+4=9 which is judgement).

The number 2,000 that is connected to 32,000 and 22,000 bears witness that this dividing of the army is a work of the Lord. The 300 that remain represents the new man, who is the 8th of the seven and will be more than a conqueror through Christ, enduring to the end (Rev_17:11).

Caleb is typical of those who have God’s holy spirit within (Num_14:24 , Rom_8:9 , Col_1:27 ), telling us that Christ is the only way we can make war against the powers and principalities we wrestle against (Eph_6:12)). This picture of the preparing of Gideon’s army is reminiscent of the parable of the Sower that results in many seeds not going onto maturity except for those that God had ordained Jdg_7:4-7 , Gal_3:16]. In Gideon’s case the few of (Mat_21:14) are represented by the 300 that remain, which is a symbollic number that tells us a process of judgment must be upon the few who are called and chosen to endure to the end (1Pe_4:17-18) in this life, being made ready through judgement [3x10x10=300](Rev_19:7)

Christ grew in “wisdom and stature“ (Luk_2:52) and we being like him (1Jn_4:17) grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour via judgment (2Pe_3:18, 1Pe_4:12, 1Pe_4:17). Christ having the spirit without measure does not mean that He didn’t have to grow (Joh_3:34), but rather that the spirit given by God was the assurance that Christ our high priest would mature and never sin as a result of that power given to him to overcome every trial in this life as our spotless, sinless sacrifice, and finisher of our faith. Christ went on to tell his disciples that they would drink the cup prepared for them (Mat_20:23), and that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church (Eph_1:13-14, Rev_7:4 , Rom_5:10). That cup we drink represents the trials and much tribulation that we must endure (Act_14:22) in order to grow and go unto maturity in the Lord, being able to quench all the fiery darts of the adversary, so that we can one day rule under Christ (Eph_6:16 , 2Ti_2:12).

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

God made provision for Christ’s physical struggles in the flesh, and His experience of evil in this life was for our sakes so that we could have a high priest (Heb_4:14-16) who could identify with all that we go through in a life that can now see him increasing as we decrease (Joh_3:30), another most important ratio to contemplate of the author and finisher of our faith (Heb_12:2). Our old man is incrementally being divided and conquered by Christ, by little and little, and so our trials continue to nourish us in this life (Exo_23:30, Num_14:9).

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (Rev_3:10)
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Exo 23:30  By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

Before we look at some more concrete examples of the positive use of division in the bible, there is a wonderful example of this in nature that can serve to help us understand how the spiritual organism of the body of Christ is growing day by day (Rom_1:20). That example is seen in plants. The process is called Meristematic Cell Division, which describes how a plant fractionalizes to grow and in time to bring forth fruit (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meristem).

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

I don’t want to spend too much time on the science of plants, but rather just make the point for now that this Meristematic Cell Division parallels very wonderfully with how God’s spiritual creation is developing.

God is the husbandman who oversees all of His creation and has in like manner as with plants, created the conditions for all of humanity to grow, so that ultimately all the harvests of God, will be saved via a process of judgment (Barley, Wheat, and Grapes Deu_16:16), and God will be all in all (Jas_5:7, 1Co_15:28).

We are in His hands and ‘Paul plants and Apollos waters‘, but God gives the increase (1Co_3:6) as we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it is the Vine Jesus Christ (Jhn_15:5) who we are connected to who is working in us as God’s workmanship (Eph_2:10) both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Php_2:12-13). Ultimately just as with the healthy physical plant, God has deemed that the bride of Christ will be made ready and that readiness will be reflected in our being stablished, strengthened, and settle at His hand (1Pe_5:10).

Jas 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

1Co 15:28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

What about bread?

Bread is also very analogous of the growth process that is happening in the body of Christ. When Jesus says it is one seed not many seeds (Gal_3:16) the same is true of the positive representation of bread in his word, where a woman, the bride of Christ takes leaven and puts it in “three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened” (Mat_13:33).

Again ‘three’ being the process of judgement which is upon the body of Christ that is unfolding as we are sanctified by His spirit (Jhn_17:17). In this case the leaven growing in us in a positive use of leaven is likened unto the word of God that must mature and be rightly divided within us if it is going to mature us in this age.

Jhn 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

What comes to mind is how the loaves and fishes were multiplied (Mat_14:17-21, Mat_15:36-39), remembering that this bread represents the wave offering of (Exo_29:23-24, Lev_8:26-28, 1Co_10:17) which is typical of Christ’s life on this earth. Include the two loaves being offered in (Lev_23:17) that represents Christ’s body the Church (Col_1:24). Grace and truth comes by Jesus represented by the 5000 and it is all the world that will partake of this bread of life, in time, represented by the 4000. The 4000 can also represent the complete compliment of God’s elect, the entire body. This all shows us the power of God to accomplish what He has determined for mankind from the foundation of the world (Eph_1:11).

1Co 10:17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

Mat 14:17  And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
Mat 14:18  He said, Bring them hither to me.
Mat 14:19  And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
Mat 14:20  And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
Mat 14:21  And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Mat 15:36  And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
Mat 15:37  And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
Mat 15:38  And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.
Mat 15:39  And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

If we add these two numbers, we get 5000+4000=9000 which represents judgement that is now upon the house of God preparing us to be the 9 pillars, which will distribute the bread of life from the temple (Eph_3:10) that we will be to the rest of the world one day. In that temple there are five pillars at the front and four pillars at the back toward the holy of holies. This number [5] represents the grace and faith that the whole world [4] will experience via the judgment that the saviours who come up upon mount Zion will bring to all the world (4), delivering them as Joseph did with his brothers via that judgment of God’s word, which is likened unto bread (1Co_3:16). Bread is sweet in the mouth, as is the gospel message of the salvation of all, but it is bitter in the belly for our old man who must be destroyed in order for us to enter into the kingdom of God (Rev_10:9-10). Judgment is that one event that is common to all men, and the means that God has devised to save his banished is through Christ and His body who were the first to be judged and “scarcely be saved in this life” (2Sa_14:14 , 1Pe_4:17-18).

2Sa 14:14  For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

Judgement is process that takes time, as does the growth of a new born in his mothers womb. Christ’s words and works throughout his life were a parable for us to understand this growth process that must take place in His children. Being roughly nine months in Mary’s womb is also a parable of how judgment is on the church (1Pe_4:17), starting with the head, Jesus Christ, and then the man child who represents the body of Christ. A child in the womb grows via the dividing of cells, and this physical phenomenon is also a parable that connects with the story of the loaves and fishes if we can see that the body of Christ is one body made up of many members (Eph_4:16).

Next week we will continue to look at the use of number combinations in scripture, not just the meaning of any single number that is critical to know, but also how some of the real time applications of those numbers or combination of the numbers, can reveal hidden treasures of God’s word for us (Pro_25:2).

Pro 25:2  It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.