Both Alpha and Omega are vowels.  A vowel is required to form a

complete sound.  Without Christ the promises of God can never be fulfilled,

but with Him every jot and tittle shall be accomplished.  He Who bowed His

head upon the cross crying, `It is finished', shall one day sit upon the

throne and say `It is done'.

As we review the black night of tribulation that casts its gloom over

this book; as we see the persecution of the saints, the mark of the beast,

and the worship of the dragon, our hearts unite with that of John in response

to the word of promise.  Amen.  Even So, Come, Lord Jesus.

`Oh what a bright and blessed world

`This groaning earth of ours will be,

`When from its throne the tempter hurled,

`Shall leave it all, O Lord, to Thee'.

It is the key that unlocks the dispensations and should govern our

entire approach to the Scriptures.  The Scripture that enjoins the practice

of this principle is 2 Timothy 2:15, `study to shew thyself approved unto

God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of

This verse divides naturally into three parts:

The approval of God.

The unashamed workman.

The essential principle of interpretation.

In chapter 1 of 2 Timothy there is an anticipation of the great

principle of right division, for the apostle emphasizes `the testimony of the

Lord and of me His prisoner'.  He refers to that calling that goes back

`before age times' but is manifest `now' that he is a prisoner.  He draws

attention to his own special ministry to the Gentiles and the `good deposit'

entrusted to him and afterwards committed to Timothy, when he urged upon him

the importance of having a pattern of sound words which he had heard of him,

and in chapter 2 he exhorts Timothy to commit to faithful men `the things he

had heard of him'.  What is all this but the application of right division?

Here a distinction between the apostle's earlier ministry and his `prison

ministry' is intimated.  Here is a recognition of the distinctive calling of

Ephesians 1, `before the foundation of the world'.  Here is the claim that

the apostle, preacher and teacher of the Gentiles, is Paul, and here the

distinction is made between `that good deposit' and other parts of God's

If Timothy is to be unashamed of his work he must know and appreciate

these distinctions, otherwise (by occupying himself with service that belongs

to other callings and dispensations, and so not being engaged in `God's

building'), his work, being revealed by fire, will be found worthless.  While

Timothy might be expected to perceive the necessity of right division, Paul

is anxious that he should not be left to his own inferences.  How then shall

the apostle best put the principle that is vaguely seen at work right through

chapter 1?  Shall he once more go back in mind to the child Timothy at his

mother's knee?  Shall he visualize the teaching of those holy Scriptures that

had made Timothy wise unto salvation?  Does he remember that a Jewish mother