Page 182 - Foundations

My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my
groaning.... But I am a worm, and not a man, a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All who
see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, “Commit yourself to
Yahweh; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him...” I am poured out
like water, and all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. My strength
is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And You do lay me in the dust of
death. For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my
hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; They divide my garments
among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

If the message of Christ being born of a virgin, living a sinless life as the spotless Passover Lamb,
suffering death on a cross, and rising again remained a mystery to men and angels, it was NOT due
to a lack of God foretelling these events. Rather, it was due to the unbelief and dullness of those who
heard the message. Dr. Faulkner’s argument is a hollow one. If God could foretell the entirety of the
Gospel message through types, shadows, and words of prophecy recorded in the Old Testament, yet
the Gospel be referred to as “a mystery” in the New Testament, it reasonably follows that the same
message declared in the stars of the heavens could be present yet the Gospel remain a veiled
testimony not comprehended by the majority of humanity. The apostle Paul argues this very point,
stating that the Gospel was proclaimed, but its message was not believed.

Romans 10:14-18
How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in
Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they
preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad
tidings of good things!" However, they did not all heed the glad tidings; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who
has believed our report?" So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. But I say,
surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; "Their utterance has gone out into all
the earth, and their words to the ends of the world."

In the last sentence of the Scripture above, the apostle Paul is quoting David’s words from Psalm 19.
Let us look at this passage again and compare it to the statement made by Paul.

Psalms 19:1-4
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there
words; Their voice is not heard. Their utterance has gone out through all the earth, and their words
to the end of the world.

Can the matter be more plainly stated than Paul has made it? He both asks and answers the question
of whether the Gospel had been proclaimed to humanity before Christ came. “However, they did not
all heed the glad tidings (Gospel); for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report?...’ But I say,
surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have...” Paul not only tells us that the Gospel
has been proclaimed, but he provides two witnesses on the matter. He cites the prophets, among
whom Isaiah was one of the chief to foretell of the coming Messiah, His suffering, and ultimate
triumph, and Paul makes mention of the heavens as a second witness to the Gospel message by