NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 4

1 Chronicles 4:9, 10, 21 - 23

C.A.C. I was thinking that in chapter 2 the government of God is seen in a serious aspect in respect of those who are set in a position of privilege in Israel. In verse 3 we get Er, and in verse 7 Achar, who is spoken of as "the troubler of Israel". I think we see in these two instances the government of God acting in severity in regard to those in a place of privilege; so these cases become a serious warning to us.

Ques. Would you say one was on the moral side and the other on the religious?

C.A.C. They were both wicked men mentioned to bring home to us that what is wrong in the sight of God will never be passed over in those who are in a place of privilege.

Rem. "You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore will I visit upon you all your iniquities" (Amos 3:2).

C.A.C. God never overlooks evil with its resulting punishment in those positionally near Him. So if we name the name of the Lord we must withdraw from iniquity. If we do not, we shall partake of its judgment.

Ques. Is that seen with the Corinthians? They are disciplined. Is it not to save us from being condemned with the world?

C.A.C. Yes, surely, and God calls His people to come out of Babylon, not to have fellowship with her sins and partake of her plagues. God is sure to judge what is, wrong, and if christians do not separate from what is

wrong they are sure to partake of its judgment. Achar brings in another principle. He is called "the troubler of Israel". These instances have to do with the fellowship. Achar committed all Israel to iniquity. Though one man sinned, all were committed to it; such was the unity of Israel. That should make us very careful for we take all the brethren with us wherever we go. A young brother lying in his bunk on board ship the first night of his voyage thought to himself, I may not see a believer for two years, but how I behave myself on this ship will affect the universal fellowship of God's people throughout the world. That was not bad for a young lad, was it?

Rem. In Joshua 7 the whole of Israel was involved.

Rem. The whole point as to Achar was that no one knew it but God.

C.A.C. And they could not meet their enemies; and if we do not leave what is wrong it is a serious matter. If they sinned they lost all their power, and our power lies largely in our separation from all that is wrong. The brethren all suffer, even if they do not know of it. These are great principles brought out for the returned remnant and therefore to be pondered carefully; they are full of instruction for us.

Then we get in chapter 2 the introduction of Christ.

Ques. You refer to "David the seventh"?

C.A.C. Yes, David is Christ, and the Spirit just introduces him, he is just mentioned.

Ques. Why is David the seventh in Chronicles and the eighth in Samuel? Is it there in contrast to Saul that he is the eighth -- the man after God's own heart -- while here it is spiritual?

C.A.C. Yes, here it is perfection, the seventh, not exactly after a new order; and the Spirit of God is delighted when He can bring in Christ and give Him a footing in our hearts. His greatness and glories are all

developed later in the book, but here He is just introduced.

When Paul is writing to the Romans he begins, "God's glad tidings ... concerning his Son (come of David's seed according to flesh, marked out Son of God in power ... )". Well, he can build the whole epistle, the whole gospel and counsel of God upon that; the moment we have Christ, we have everything!

Rem. "In him is the yea, and in him the amen"; (2 Corinthians 1:20) finality is in Christ.

C.A.C. God can do anything in a soul where Christ has a footing. Our progress and our knowledge of the mystery all hang on Christ being in our affections. And what we get in chapter 3 is that His genealogy is traced right down long after the captivity, i.e. the royal line is undisturbed by the captivity, and all the public failure of the assembly has not touched what is in Christ. He is Head in spite of failure on our side. It does not touch that line, does it?

Ques. Would the introduction of Hebron suggest the thought of purpose coming into view? It comes several times.

C.A.C. Hebron was built before Zoan; it seems connected with divine purpose which is before the world.

I thought chapter 4 gives us more how spiritual things are maintained in the saints. The introduction of Christ typically involves everything -- the whole counsel of God; but things have to be reached and maintained through the exercises of the saints; that is the subject of chapter 4.

Ques. Were you thinking of Jabez's mother?

C.A.C. And Jabez himself, so that on the side of the saints everything is reached through exercise and prayer.

Ques. Is that not the great feature of Judah -- "Hear, Jehovah, the voice of Judah" (Deuteronomy 33:7)?

C.A.C. Yes, we have been noticing in reading the books of recovery how much hangs on prayer. The whole movement of recovery is brought about by the intercession of Christ, also by the intercession of saints, and Jabez is one of the outstanding men of prayer in Scripture. He emphasises to us that things can only be received from God. We very often think that we can get things some other way, through ministry, reading the Bible or thinking about things; but we can only get things from God.

Rem. I am sure of that. Would you say that discipline runs along with it so that God can bring about what we request?

C.A.C. There was a painful exercise. Jabez was the product of painful travail on the part of his mother, and he took up the exercise of getting things for himself from God.

Rem. The Corinthians were reminded of it, for it is "God the giver of the increase".

C.A.C. Yes, we have delight in ministry, for ministry tells us what there is to be secured, but it never gives us anything. Is that going too far? That is why we are so interested, because it tells us what treasures there are. But if we want it, we must get it from God, we must pray; there is no other way. "Request", an emphatic word, you really want it. Sometimes I have heard a brother pray a long and wordy prayer, and at the end I have wondered whatever he wanted! I think the Lord would say, What is it you want? Jabez was a definite man and could state definitely to God what he wanted.

Rem. It was all for himself!

C.A.C. That is right! To desire to have made good in your own soul your position in Christ, that is the beginning, the first thing I want. I think we must start there.

Rem. Yes, so he prays to the "God of Israel", indicating

the whole scope of God in His word.

C.A.C. Yes, and his personal part in it. God likes the singular number in young souls.

Ques. Does Jabez's prayer contain the germ of Paul's two prayers in Ephesians -- the God of resurrection, and the great scope of God in Christ -- that is where there is enlargement, is it not?

C.A.C. It seems to me that Jabez represents a young soul on whom is dawning the blessing there is in Christ, and who wants it for himself. We must begin with what is individual. He wants to be blessed and rightly enlarged. Well, I think the blessing he desired is opened out in this book of Chronicles. It is all available, but if we want it we must go in for it in the Jabez way. Sometimes we have to wait a long time for the answers to our prayers, because we are not at all ready for them. I may ask for spiritual things for which I am not ready. God may answer now a prayer I made forty years ago.

Rem. A prayer to be blessed is precious to God; it honours Him.

Rem. He goes on, "And that thou wouldest keep me from evil". Would that be as a safeguard from inflation?

C.A.C. Yes, he wants God's hand with him for preservation. When we get enlargement and a bit of joy we get careless and the enemy takes advantage. After Paul had been in the third heaven he had the thorn. We need that mighty hand to preserve us from all the subtle snares of the enemy in connection with blessing.

Ques. What answers to the mother today? It looks as if Jabez was the product of a mother's exercise, watched over by prayer.

C.A.C. Would she represent the assembly in any way? It is one service of the assembly. The maternal exercise is the yearning for some product for God. We see it in Hannah, she wanted a man for Jehovah.

Rem. No meeting could die out if Jabez's mother was there.

C.A.C. Well, that is exercising.

Rem. Paul wrote, "My children, of whom I again travail in birth until Christ shall have been formed in you" (Galatians 4:19).

C.A.C. I think that is the mother-spirit.

Ques. Is that the cause of this definiteness? It is like Jacob's "I will not let thee go except thou bless me". And God changed his name, he was "Israel", the man who received the blessing. That meant enlargement.

C.A.C. And it is prayer! It is simply, I cannot, but God can -- that is prayer in a nutshell. If we do not pray on that line, we shall get nothing.

Ques. Are these exercises furthered in the valley of craftsmen?

C.A.C. I think the next exercise is that you want to be serviceable, to be able to do something to further the work of God; most of us are amateurs, not skilled workmen.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 4

1 Chronicles 4:21 - 23, 38 - 43

C.A.C. We were considering last week that, the Spirit of God having introduced David, who is typical of Christ, we get in chapter 4 certain features marking the saints as indicating the line on which things are maintained on the side of the people of God. The first great principle is Jabez, the thought of prayer, and then the next special feature called attention to is the thought of craftsmen. "The father of the valley of craftsmen; for they were craftsmen". This introduces the thought of skilful labour, which, I suppose, is very essential. We should not be edified by prayer alone. I thought there was a moral order in the exercises suggested.

The first thing is that the Spirit of God would lead us to be enriched and enlarged in our own portion in Christ, and then the thought of being serviceable in connection with the work of the Lord. "Craftsmen" means skilful labour in connection with the work of the Lord.

It is an early exercise; you see it in Saul of Tarsus; "What shall I do, Lord?" (Acts 22:10). The work of the Lord is the most highly skilled work in the world.

Rem. So you get it in Judah, the royal tribe.

C.A.C. I have wondered if it is not an exercise we all need to take up -- to be skilful to serve the Lord.

Rem. The craftsmen are in the valley. Does that suggest the lowly character marking them?

C.A.C. That is very helpful. Paul puts it into words; "Serving the Lord with all lowliness, and tears, and temptations, which happened to me through the plots of

the Jews" (Acts 20:19). We need to take the service up. In the christian profession it has become official, a college education, but that is too poor. We must have an education and qualifications of far superior quality to that.

Ques. Would the qualification be affection for the Lord?

C.A.C. I suppose every brother or sister who prayed would be qualified for any service the Lord would have us take up. I see many christians who 'do their best'.

Ques. Would the gospel bring such to light? Romans 16 gives Priscilla and Aquila "my fellow-workmen in Christ Jesus", and Andronicus and Junias "my fellow-captives", and Urbanus "our fellow-workman in Christ". Would they be workmen?

C.A.C. That is very good, and they were all skilled craftsmen, not amateurs. And it is everyone, we are all to fit in. It means great subjective exercise and there would be enquiry as to what the Lord would have us do in His work. And we want to be skilled like Aholiab and Bezaleel, who were highly skilled workers for the tabernacle.

Rem. Men and women were all employed in the work of the tabernacle.

C.A.C. It is an important exercise for us, and if we serve in the power of the anointing we do it in excellent quality; in the power of the anointing it cannot be improved upon. An old brother said that his encouragement was that no brother could preach like him. He had the sense that if any of us is qualified to render a divine service no one can fulfil it but ourselves. There is no thought of imperfection in the work of the Lord, whether gifts in the assembly in Corinthians or Ephesians. It all works from the top and is perfect in character. We want a very high standard before us of what the

work of the Lord denotes in skill and perfection.

Rem. "And to each one his work" (Mark 13:34).

C.A.C. And He would not give anything a man could not do. The Lord does not expect us to do another's work.

Rem. Sometimes it is work for the Lord and not the work of the Lord. "Abounding always in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58 ).

C.A.C. Yes.

Rem. A zeal for God, not of God; a similar thing in Romans 10:2.

C.A.C. Yes. We need the work of the Lord to be carried on in the way of instruction of the different parts, so that the whole body of saints becomes an intelligent company.

Rem. "Building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit" (Jude 20).

C.A.C. And the work of the Lord is carried on mediately now; He puts it into the hand of the saints. It is no use to say, 'Well, I am not qualified', we must find out what our qualification is.

Rem. "To each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of the Christ" (Ephesians 4:7). There is responsibility, as you have reminded us before.

C.A.C. It is stimulating and encouraging to take account of that; we all want to be active labourers in the work of God.

Rem. There were some set over the service of song (chapter 6: 31) by David.

C.A.C. It all culminates in the service of praise.

Rem. It seems to begin with it in the prison at Philippi.

C.A.C. I thought we might consider briefly the byssus workers, for there are thoughts dropped in by the Spirit

of God -- intentionally put there by the Spirit of God.

Rem. It would be fine work.

Ques. Does it compare with "the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints"? (Revelation 19:8).

C.A.C. The saints are to be invested with features of Christ. I think that Epaphras was one of the byssus workers. He laboured fervently that they might "stand perfect and complete in all the will of God" (Colossians 4:12).

Rem. It is the working out in the saints here, not a question of ministry.

C.A.C. Yes, I thought so. In Philippians 1:9 it is, "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge and all intelligence, that ye may judge of and approve the things that are more excellent, in order that ye may be pure and without offence for Christ's day, being complete as regards the fruit of righteousness, which is by Jesus Christ, to God's glory and praise".

Christianity is not a negative thing, not merely that Christians do not do things, but they are invested with all that is positively good and right. I think that is the thought of the byssus throughout Scripture. They put on the new man which we have all done. All saints are regarded as having put off the old man and having put on the new man which is "renewed into full knowledge according to the image of him that has created him" (Colossians 3:10). If not, then we are not in the Christian position at all! Now we are to have exercise to put on these beautiful features which correspond to the features of Christ; for instance, it comes out in such words as these: "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another" (Colossians 3:12, 13). "And to all these add love, which is the bond of perfectness" (verse 14). All this seems

to correspond to the byssus. If we have put on the new man we cannot possibly be comfortable to allow the contrary; that becomes instinctive. So the Christian's heart condemns him if he allows anything contrary to the new man.

Rem. You say we have all put on the new man. Will you explain when and where?

C.A.C. Well, Scripture does not precisely say when it is done. We want to understand, for it is what we want to get, all of us. Scripture always assumes it. We have it both in Ephesians and Colossians spoken of as a thing that is done.

Rem. And that we have done it -- a moment arrived at.

C.A.C. Well, I do not know when you did it!

Rem. There are young ones here and we want to be clear.

Rem. It is the normal progress of the Christian.

C.A.C. There is a moment in our exercises when we see the true character of the old man. The old man is not an individual but a collective thought; it requires all the children of Adam to make up the thought of the old man. There comes a time in our history when we see the true character of the old man with feelings of repulsion, and we come to the conclusion that the old man ought to be rejected by God, and if so, I come to that conclusion. Colossians is practical, not practice. J.B.S. has likened it to a man going to work. The first thing he does is he takes his coat off. That is not practice, but he means to work!

In the history of our souls we come to see the true character of the old man; all his features are taken from Satan. Have I any desire to go on with what takes character from Satan? But I see another thing, there is a new man. It takes all the saints to make up the new man, and all the features are of God and derived from Christ. Well,

any christian says: I am delighted with that, and then comes in the practice, and I must not let anything contrary come into evidence. If we have not come to it we should make haste and do so. Am I going on with what is of God or what is of the devil? "And your having put on the new man, which according to God is created in truthful righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24). Well, that is what I am after. I fail and am inconsistent, but that is what I am after. Will that help the young ones?

Rem. It will help me anyway!

C.A.C. Think of the issue that is in view, that we come unto that full-grown man, and everything is measured by Christ. "At the full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). And we are going that way, and all the gifts are for that.

When we are baptised we put on Christ, baptism is the starting out. It is done in the power of the work of God in the soul, leading us to judge what is of the devil and be attracted by what is of God seen perfectly in Christ. If I look at Christ, if I see any characteristic of Christ, I am entitled to say: That is my life.

Rem. And it is not attainment but what is true of us.

C.A.C. These are the ABCs of christianity, what is normal; and all connected with the thought of byssus-workers. How much instruction lies in one verse!

We are apt to get the blemishes of persons before us, but if I could follow that brother or sister into their chamber what would they be praying for? I see a lot of failures but you want to follow the saints into their chambers. You might find the poorest sort of saint perhaps going through a struggle to get rid of hindrances. It is going on universally in the saints. Sometimes it is a long time before you see it, but it is going on all the time. If I look in my own heart, well, He is giving just the same

kind of exercise to every brother and sister. It is most important, this putting off and putting on, and all true exercise starts from there. Now I have come to the refusal of the flesh, and it means every day and all day long I refuse the features of the flesh. And what a happy day it is if I can put on some feature of Christ.

Rem. Then the potters are mentioned.

C.A.C. When you come on to this, what need there is for the formation of vessels. If all these beautiful things are true, I want to be a vessel for them. I may have knowledge of the Scriptures and gifts, but something more is wanted, i.e. spiritual formation. The potters are for this.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 4 AND 5

1 Chronicles 4:23, 39 - 43; 1 Chronicles 5:18 - 22

C.A.C. We have been noticing that this book was written after the return from captivity, and that it contains instruction for the remnant. This long list of names is not just a record, but is composed of names selected by the Spirit of God to be put on record, and so is connected in a way with the book of life, and the incidents mentioned are selected ones to convey to persons certain instructions.

Ques. What is the connection with the book of life?

C.A.C. It is a record surely connected with God's thoughts and ways of blessing; that is the character of this book. The whole of the book is occupied with the introduction of David; and it seems that the names are standing in some relation to Christ, and the incidents are selected incidents.

We have spoken of the byssus-workers in verse 21 of chapter 4, and we just touched on the potters last time; and then there are "those that abode among plantations and enclosures", of whom it says they dwelt there with the king for his work.

The byssus-workers refer to the saints being invested with the features of Christ, which would be practical righteousness; and the potters and those who dwelt with the king for his work would signify the thought of the formation of vessels suitable for the king and for his work.

Ques. What does the sentence, "And these are ancient things", mean? It seems rather a disjointed one coming in there.

C.A.C. It is interesting as coming in there. I think it reminds us of what John speaks of. He speaks of "That which was from the beginning", and of the commandment that was "from the beginning". You must not get away from the starting point! It signifies that that which is of God is of old standing, connected with His eternal purpose in Christ.

You can see that what is connected with the king and his work is abiding in its character. The king is surely Christ in His lordship, His authority and His work. It is very important that there should be suitable vessels; and they are looked at here from the side of responsibility, i.e. they are not gold and silver, but made by the potter. We need to be formed by our responsible exercises, formed as vessels suitable to the king for his work.

Ques. Do you connect these things with David, and not Solomon, in view of the day of Solomon?

C.A.C. Yes. I think that David is the great central object of this book, as typical of Christ. He has His place in David character, and it is possible for us to be with Him, to take up the exercise of being suitable vessels now. The epistles to Timothy and Titus have very largely in view the formation of suitable vessels, and tell the kind of persons the saints are to be, to be suitable to the Lord.

Rem. "If therefore one shall have purified himself from these ... . he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified, serviceable to the Master, prepared for every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21).

C.A.C. It is astonishing how much there is of a practical nature in those epistles. They tell what kind of persons bishops, deacons and the saints have to be.

Rem. There are names mentioned in 2 Timothy.

C.A.C. And as we said in Romans 16. There is the mentioning of these lists of men as suitable persons to be put alongside the epistle; they would not discredit it! Am

I a credit to the testimony, so that I could have my name put in the next book of chronicles?

Rem. So it says, "They dwelt with the king".

C.A.C. Yes, that is good. You do not generally hear of potters dwelling with the king! It is not the number of meetings I attend, but what I do every day that matters.

Rem. When it is seen in relation to the king, there is a dignity conferred upon it.

C.A.C. A dignity is conferred on the humblest service. If I think I am a vessel for the service of the king, I have to be careful.

Ques. What would those abiding among plantations suggest?

C.A.C. It rather suggests how the saints are put together in local settings. The Lord has seen to it that, if there is a proper exercise about being a suitable vessel, not malformed or useless, He would put us together in conditions favourable to right growth. "Enclosures" give the idea of separation from the world like the type of the walled city in the Old Testament, the type of the assembly having its own life but in separation from the world.

Ques. Is verse 23 connected with verse 22? They were men who had ruled over Moab.

C.A.C. That is very good, I think Moab is the pride of the flesh, and if that is overcome we are well on the way to being serviceable to the king.

Rem. Death had been met in Moab. There is no thought of doing anything in these conditions, unless death had been met.

C.A.C. Yes, quite.

Rem. There seems to be a moral order of a progressive nature here, beginning with the byssus-workers, till the saints are put together in company.

C.A.C. Things are worked out in skilful labour. There is no science in the world that requires so much

skill as christianity.

Rem. Paul's ministry progresses until things are linked up in priesthood.

C.A.C. And we are all committed to these features of the work; it all has to be worked out in skilful labour. We come in chapter 6 to priestly service. That is in view all through, it is all leading up to that.

Rem. The putting off and putting on would lead up to that.

C.A.C. Yes.

Ques. What is the thought at the end of the chapter?

C.A.C. I thought we got to the idea of what is aggressive, i.e. military expansion, the remnant in extended territory, which is an important exercise. God expects from His people that we should be on the look-out to extend our territory; so in the days of Hezekiah we get those Simeonites who extended their territory, and some in the next chapter in the days of Saul. So all through Scripture down to Hezekiah's times there was the possibility of extending the territory -- so there is still.

Ques. How do you apply territory in a spiritual sense?

C.A.C. I think the history of recent times shows how territory can be extended -- even during the last hundred years truth has been opened up to us in a wonderful way! There was conflict in chapter 4 with Ham and the Amalekites, and in chapter 5 with the Hagarites, i.e. the legal or religious side of things. Ham would be what man is naturally as governed by his natural desires, and the legal element has to be dispossessed, and in the dispossession we acquire something. If I gain a spiritual victory over my desires, it results in expansion of territory; I am the gainer.

Ques. Do you think we get any expansion without conflict?

C.A.C. We have to fight for every bit of ground that we possess. None of us possesses any spiritual territory unless we have fought for it.

Rem. There is not only territory but increase in those that occupy it.

C.A.C. Surely; the two go together.

Rem. It says that the sons of Simeon did not multiply like the sons of Judah, so that on the royal line there seems to be increase. The flocks coming in would suggest that there is pasture.

C.A.C. Yes, we should be always on the look-out for what would feed us, and for larger pastures.

Rem. Epaphras combated for the Colossians that they might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. It is an extended thought.

C.A.C. It is possible for us to take possession of something that never has been possessed before and in the conflict with the Hagarites the spiritual features come out very distinctly. The Hagarites were delivered into their hands, for they cried to God in the battle, and He was intreated of them; because they put their trust in Him, and in verse 22 it says, "For there fell down many slain, for the war was of God". I suppose Paul writing to the Galatians was fighting the Hagarites, was he not?

Rem. If we do not take up the conflict, the enemy will take our possessions from us.

C.A.C. So there is a warning in the end of the chapter. They went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, and the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Put king of Assyria and the spirit of Tilgath-Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away -- that is just the warning. Instead of overcoming, they were overcome and carried off into captivity, because they left Jehovah and went after the gods of the land.

Ques. What would the Amalekites represent?

C.A.C. We know how they came up as soon as the children of Israel had, typically, received the Spirit, to fight against them. They represent the flesh as worked upon by Satan in opposition to the Spirit. Satan stirs up the flesh to opposition. Then we have to cry to God. These people did, for these people trusted in God. When you get the religious element, you get God particularly with His people against it. Legal flesh is very deceptive and it needs the power of God to overcome it. God seems to take special note of what is against the Spirit. There are solemn warnings with reference to what is against the Spirit, that have not been given as to the Father and the Son. God is specially jealous with regard to any opposition against the Spirit. The Spirit is unseen, the world cannot see Him or know Him, yet it is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened, that, a divine Person Himself, He is come into certain limitations here that would not happen to a Person as in the Godhead. So God is jealous that anything opposing the Spirit should be treated unsparingly. We need to be more sensitive as to the things that grieve the Spirit, particularly doing things in a religious way, which is the great opposition to the Spirit now. Flesh putting on a religious character, that is the Hagarite.

Rem. A hundred thousand human souls were taken captive, so it was a large force, yet God comes in for a comparative few and they overcome and gain much spoil.

C.A.C. And God has given His people great deliverance in these days from what is legal. It is an immense thing to be free from the Hagarites -- a party that God hates. Paul tells the Galatians that in going back to Judaism they were going back to what was as bad as heathen idolatry. It has been said that the Spirit is more ignored in christendom than Christ is.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 5 AND 6

1 Chronicles 5:1, 2; 1 Chronicles 6:31, 32, 48, 49

C.A.C. We have noticed that these names in the early chapters of Chronicles are selected names, not all of them being given. They are selected as standing in reference to the work of grace; and we find that out of the tribes three are selected for a special place in the ways of God, just as the Lord selected three of His own disciples for a special place of privilege and service. It is all done sovereignly. So we find that royalty is connected with Judah, the birthright with Joseph, and the service of God with Levi. It seems to me that the Spirit would have us link these thoughts together, as we see them linked in Christ.

Ques. Would you open out a little the thought in connection with Judah being peculiarly connected with the royal line?

C.A.C. It is distinctly said in verse 2 that "Judah prevailed among his brethren, and of him was the prince", that is, God was pleased to connect the thought of royalty with Judah. It seems to me this is the divine order in which we take things up; we must know the Lord first as the great Administrator of divine grace in the kingdom of God. It is our first lesson in grace, to see the royal place He has as Administrator of divine grace, everything coming to us through Him.

Ques. Does Peter suggest that side in speaking of the saints as "a holy priesthood" and "a kingly priesthood", in view of the service of God?

C.A.C. The first thing we must learn is how God serves us in Christ, how God ministers to us. Well, that is

connected with the Prince. It is like Romans 5 really, a scripture we are all happily familiar with; "Having been justified on the principle of faith, we have peace towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom we have also access by faith into this favour in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God". And the whole chapter is the opening out of the royal grace which is administered in the kingdom of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. I think we must see that is how we begin.

Rem. In Psalm 78:67, 68 Judah comes foremost as the subject of divine choice; "He rejected the tent of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim, But chose the tribe of Judah". The element of divine choice enters into it?

C.A.C. Yes, and it has pleased God that royalty in this sense should be executed by the One who has come of the seed of David according to the flesh, and we have to learn to prize Him in that character first. I do not think that we get hold of the birthright first, or the service of God, but the kingly administration as vested in Christ -- all is administered through Him, the risen and ascended Man who is the true David.

Ques. Why is it prince and not king?

C.A.C. I suppose the title of Prince gives more prominence to what He is personally than to what He is officially. It is the thought of personal quality that attaches to Him. He is spoken of as the Prince of peace and the Prince of life. It is the One who in all His personal excellence administers the grace of God to us; the whole favour of God is administered to us in a rich and princely way.

Ques. Have we not sometimes been a little afraid of sovereignty, but seen rightly it gives stability?

C.A.C. The time comes in all our histories when we,

glad to be done with ourselves, become most thankful for divine sovereignty. My nature is such, so stubborn, that I should have resisted grace to the last drop of my blood. It is the same sovereignty that has wrought in each saint, so that we are brought into subjection to Him in the character of the Administrator of grace. God repeatedly passes by the firstborn, showing that nature is incapacitated.

Ques. It is not arbitrary, the passing by?

C.A.C. Well, there is a suitability in His sovereignty. There is never any reason for God to bless anyone, but if God passes by certain persons there is a reason in it that will be seen to justify Him.

If God is exercising His rights in the way of mercy and grace, they are still His rights. The gospel calls for obedience, it is not merely to be believed but obeyed. He says, "I have exalted one chosen out of the people" (Psalm 89:19). He passed His eye over all the people and selected Christ. He is the chosen One; God has made selection of Christ. So that now we are to sit down under His shadow, everything that is sweet and precious to us being administered through Christ in His princely character, and we are to sit under His shadow.

Rem. So that they came with one heart to make David king.

Rem. He is the eighth.

C.A.C. Yes. We could not furnish any reason why God takes us up. There is a moral reason for passing people by which will be justified, but there is no reason for blessing but God's sovereignty.

Why was I made to hear Thy voice?
And enter while there's room?
When thousands make the wretched choice
And rather starve than come.

I think there are steps; God carries on His work in an orderly way. First we learn royalty, and that there cannot be a reason why we came in except that we were called -- a mighty, unseen voice called us to receive Christ; and sitting down under His shadow we have all the favourableness of God shining down upon us in Christ.

Rem. "Justified freely" is "without a cause".

C.A.C. It is the same word as "They hated me without a cause". That is, on our side there is no cause whatever; it is simply a matter of God's favourableness. I suppose we pass on in our spiritual history to the apprehension of what the birthright involves. It is Joseph's. The birthright is bound up with the inheritance. The ability to take up the birthright was seen in Joseph, so he received a double portion, which is the birthright. As we go on we get an appreciation for the inheritance. I do not think that young believers care much about it; they do not think, of it, they do not want it. They are occupied, rightly, with the royalty of Christ and filled with wonder, love and praise at the immensity of the grace administered through Christ. When we get a little established in that (for we all could be more so), we go on to think of the subject of the birthright, which is connected with the inheritance.

Rem. "That they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me" (Acts 26:18).

C.A.C. A very good verse showing that the thought of the inheritance is linked up with the service of God.

Ques. What does the inheritance really mean?

C.A.C. We must begin with CHRIST. He is the true Judah, the true Joseph too. He is the Heir of all things in Hebrews 1. He has taken "a place by so much better than the angels, as he inherits a name more excellent than they" (Hebrews 1:4). The heirship has to do with the

inheritance; to be an heir there must be an inheritance. It is rather what flows from sonship. "Thou art no longer bondman, but son; but if son, heir also through God" (Galatians 4:7). Heirship is in connection with sonship in Galatians, and with children in Romans, as we all remember.

Rem. It is "given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel".

C.A.C. We think of Christ as the Heir; we shall get no right thought of the inheritance otherwise. He is Heir of the inheritance, and between the creating and the inheriting He had to bring in redemption to relieve it of the encumbrance. He found it encumbered, sin and death had come in. He had to exercise the right of redemption.

Rem. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of offences, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7).

C.A.C. And not far from that, "The redemption of the acquired possession" (verse 14). All things are His acquired possession because He exercised the right of redemption; He cleared the encumbrance that was on the inheritance. These are very enlarging thoughts of Christ.

Rem. "So that, death having taken place for redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, the called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance" (Hebrews 9:15). Is that the clearance of the mortgage?

C.A.C. Yes, people wanted deliverance, and with a sense of sin could not appreciate the inheritance, nor take part in the service of God. It is applied to everything. He is exercising the right of redemption in reference to the whole universe; the whole universe is stained with sin and death and He has to remove it.

Rem. In the case of Israel the persons and the inheritance

have to be redeemed.

C.A.C. He created all things, a vast universe; it will not have a spot on it. Sin came in and affected the whole created universe, and He exercised the right of redemption through His death not only for persons but for things -- Hebrews 2:9. To think of Christ as Heir of all things, and then that He is going to have joint-heirs! The saints are called into this wonderful position as children of God, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. You should not see people going about with long faces as if they were poor! Do you think that anyone who is spiritually poor knows anything about this?

There is no other in view. You will not get any right thought of it unless you see there is only one. The longer we think of it the more astonished we shall be that He has joint-heirs and that they are to share with Him. God makes us heirs, "Heirs of God" -- not Christ.

You see at the present time the Heir has been killed. "This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may become ours" (Luke 20:14). The dark plot has succeeded in the eyes of man. What are the nations quarrelling about? -- something that belongs to Christ; the inheritance belongs to Christ.

Rem. "To head up all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth" (Ephesians 1:10).

C.A.C. That is very good because it shows the extent of the inheritance. All things are to be headed up in Christ, and we have obtained an inheritance in Him; so the Holy Spirit would carry us into the whole vast expanse of what Christ is coming into, and people knowing a little about that would be qualified to serve God; it is the common portion of the saints in Christ. Nobody could say that it was not in the Scriptures. So this is the wonderful thought of heirship. It is so little dwelt upon in our meetings, and though we speak of sonship, we have

not much to say about what accrues to us as sons!

Rem. What about Ephesians 1:18 -- God's "inheritance in the saints"; is that a step further?

C.A.C. Yes, because it shows the extraordinary way God is pleased to take up His own inheritance. In a sense Christ's inheritance is God's, because it is all God's inheritance that Christ is Heir of, but He takes it up in His saints, and God enjoys it in seeing us enjoy it.

God's portion lies in our taking things up that He has given to us. It is as God sees His saints enjoying it that He enjoys it. How far have we entered into it, so that we can speak to God about it as persons who understand and appreciate it? God would say, 'I am delighted with it! You are valuing the very thing that is delightful to Me', that is how God gets His inheritance. There is a vast expanse that we enter into as inheritance in Christ, but God gets it in His people who can intelligently take up what God has given them in Christ.

Rem. "That ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height" (Ephesians 3:18). Is that it?

C.A.C. It is. It is the vast expanse, surpassing knowledge, of the inheritance, so that God may get the "glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages". That is the service of God.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 6 AND 9

1 Chronicles 6:31, 32, 48, 49; 1 Chronicles 9:24 - 34

C.A.C. My thought in suggesting these verses was that, as we were seeing last time, there are three tribes selected to bring out certain divine thoughts. The third one, which we left, is this one, Levi.

Ques. Would you say a word as to the great importance of the priestly family?

C.A.C. It has to do always with the service of God, and we find that David set Levites "over the service of song in the house of Jehovah after that the ark was in rest". I suppose that David here is a type of Christ as Head, providing for the service of song at a particular time, and I believe a time which answers particularly to the present time, for the ark was at rest and the house of Jehovah not yet built, and the service was carried on before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. I think that gives it a particular application to the present time.

Ques. Why does the service of song come before the services in verses 48 and 49?

C.A.C. I suppose the most elevated form of service comes first, but verses 48 and 49 show that the service as inaugurated by Moses had ceased, but was carried on according to all that Moses had begun, so that David did not supersede, but added to the service.

Rem. The service of song was introduced by David.

C.A.C. That was a great addition, was it not? Moses instituted what is called the sacrificial system.

Rem. There had been songs, but no service of song.

C.A.C. It was a very great addition, because it evidenced

spiritual elements that did not connect with the sacrificial service. The great point of time is that the ark is at rest and the house of Jehovah not yet built. It is in tabernacle conditions that the service of song goes on; so really two services were going on, services of song, one at the tabernacle at Gibeon, and one before the ark in Jerusalem. The ark was not at Gibeon, yet the service of song goes on there, showing that though God had disowned the tabernacle of Shiloh, He still owned that at Gibeon. I think it is representative of the service carried on at the time of public failure. The tabernacle system God had forsaken, and had no intention of restoring, yet He was pleased, in the place of failure, for it to go on in a wonderful way.

Rem. The tabernacle service seems in shadow here, while the singers come into prominence.

C.A.C. David specially inaugurated the service of song. This is all interesting because it is written for remnant times. This is a very beautiful suggestion that in the presence of failure the service of song should go on under the headship of Christ.

Ques. How would the service of song go on at the present time?

C.A.C. It would be what is expressed vocally in the assembly, and would apply to hymns and utterances of praise.

Ques. Would the singing of the hymn on the mount of Olives, and Paul and Silas praising God, be illustrations of vocal conditions?

C.A.C. Yes, and therefore the headship of Christ would be evident on all those occasions, and if only two saints were left to walk together, Christ could be owned as Head, and under His headship they could still carry on the service of God. It is comforting, that.

Rem. The two in prison at Philippi could.

C.A.C. Yes, and so in the present time, which none could call exhilarating, it can be. To those two men Christ was Head. It cheers us, does it not?

The different elements alluded to in the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles intimate most important matters to be attended to in remnant times; for it was written by Ezra expressly for remnant times.

Ques. Do you think that verses 33 - 36 give a kind of clue to what really animates the service of song? Heman (faithful) was of the descendants of Korah. He was the chief singer; then there were Asaph and Ethan.

C.A.C. You have the sons of Korah leading in the songs of God. "His mercy endureth for ever" is in one of their songs. They owed all to sovereign mercy, and are the ones to voice the singing. They came in on the ground of mercy. I do not feel that I can come in on any other ground! Whether it be conversion, or the light of separation, or a good meeting; it is all mercy! "His mercy endureth for ever" -- it touches every point.

The ark has reached its place of rest now, but the house built by Solomon looks forward to perfect conditions, when "there is neither adversary nor evil event" (1 Kings 5:4). That is the key to those wonderful chapters of John from 13 to 17, when the ark was about to enter into its rest. "Jesus, knowing that his hour had come that he should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, loved them to the end". The ark was about to enter into its rest, but the saints are to be left down here in the wilderness to carry on the service. At the present time tabernacle conditions continue, wilderness conditions. We can never gather without being reminded that we are in the place of assembly failure, just a handful instead of all the saints being here. It is a peculiar delight to God -- the perfect service that David ordered. If the service of

praise is ordered under the headship of Christ, it is perfect. I doubt whether we ever have a meeting where everything is under the headship of Christ. We need to be exercised as to it. Yet in spite of feebleness and ignorance God brings out the fulness of His mind. Think of having such a book as Chronicles written in a time of breakdown. It is very fine!

Rem. I suppose the sacrificial service goes on when we eat the Lord's supper? I suppose that is the great basis.

C.A.C. I thought the loaf and the cup were sacrificial and connected with the lordship of Christ (like Moses), not with His headship. It is the Lord's supper, and if we addressed God, He would not be pleased, it is not His supper. There is the thought of death as coming upon the Lord, that He suffered the whole weight of death, and He gave His body. It is not so much what He removed, but the wonderful way He removed it. That beautiful, holy life ended in death. How it takes away everything that we are. It would clear the ground and nothing would be left but Christ.

It is only in the life of Christ that we could come under His headship, that is, He is not the life for a company of sinners.

Ques. "I will not drink at all of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God come". Is that not the Lord severing His link with the earth, and then on the mount of Olives His link is with heaven? He can only be known thus. Does not the eating of the bread and drinking of the cup prepare us for that position?

Ques. Not only intelligently but affectionately too?

C.A.C. What a thought Mary must have had that He was going into death -- such a Person! This thought would cut us free from the world and every other man to be free for Him to use, as Head. It is the way we know

divine love; apart from what is sacrificial I do not know that there is any disclosure of it otherwise, but it is liberating from ourselves. A christian lives in the holy life of the Man who died for him in love. Then we should worship Him as Head: I do not think He would give us the good of headship before we worship Him as Head.

When together we should know His headship after the breaking of bread. We worship Him in wifely affection. These are great realities to be touched. I pray to enter into them more. Then having worshipped Him in wifely affection we should come under His headship for service. There would not be any discordant notes after that! The tendency is to pass too quickly from the Supper to the Father as if we could go collectively to the Father without the Head.

Rem. God would have a greater place if we went on these lines.

C.A.C. I think so. These were all intelligent men; you cannot imagine the tune breaking down there. These things do not happen there.

The unfailing and inexpressible character of His love is brought before us; He has given up His life sacrificially for us. We think of the love in which He did it -- what a spring for worship! It prepares us to accord Him supremacy as Head, and that would prepare us for Him to lead as Head. And we cannot do without the Lord. When we come to this side of things we want His support and indication how to move. We do not recognise how we need Him in the service of God.

Ques. I wondered if resurrection was the only sphere in which the Lord can move among His own. Are we not in danger of passing directly to ascension?

C.A.C. In John 12 they made a supper for Him. It is on resurrection footing. A man sits at the table who had come out of death. He is a sample of those people, they

are all risen with Christ. If He comes to us it is after the order, according to the condition, in which He is. He says, 'It is for you', that is, it is to convey His love, an inexpressible love.

Rem. F.E.R. has said that the Lord takes no part in His remembrance.

C.A.C. In Luke 24 it is quite different. It is the life in resurrection that He made known and His breaking of bread there shows it is by death. I wonder sometimes how we should feel if the Lord actually came in.

Rem. It says He stood in the midst of them.

C.A.C. And it says they were frightened. I think what has been said as to not passing over resurrection is very important. We must go by way of the resurrection position.

Rem. We shall never reach the service of song otherwise.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 6 AND 9

1 Chronicles 6:15; 1 Chronicles 9:1

C.A.C. My reason for reading these two scriptures is that they give the standpoint from which these two books are written, probably by Ezra, written at any rate after the return of the recovered remnant. They give us the truth as God would have it to be known by a recovered remnant, and so they contain what is most important for us if we are in that position. It is a great part of the Scriptures specially written for such persons.

Rem. It is very interesting. So the whole period concerned is similar to Kings, but from a different standpoint.

C.A.C. And from a standpoint that fits it into our own position in a remarkable way and is meant to help us at a particular juncture as intended for the recovered remnant in infinite mercy. So the whole book is pervaded by a spirit of grace. Failures are only mentioned in these books when they are needed to bring out the character of grace. They are steeped in grace, and so are specially adapted for the dispensation of grace.

The only thing that will stand is the economy of grace. That ought to be a fixture in our hearts and minds. It is the only thing that will stand for eternity. The most prominent Person in the first book is Christ, and we reach the end in the second book, which is that God should be served in a way suitable to His own desires and character. We have been reading Ezra and Nehemiah, ministry addressed to the returned remnant to encourage them, and now it is in spiritual order that

we should read these books written by Ezra. It is not a diversion from the line, but pursuing the line a little further.

Ques. Do you think it shows that God will encourage this matter of service right through to the end?

C.A.C. The first chapter is most essential to be familiar with. It shows the whole human family under God's view.

Rem. And then the bringing in of Christ, after all the misery and failure that came in.

C.A.C. The three branches of the human family are given. The three sons of Noah are brought into view without failure, they are in the view of God for blessing. God would have us familiar with this. The whole world is in view for blessing through the bringing in of Christ.

Rem. Shem means 'name' or 'renown'. Ham means 'blackened' or 'darkened'. Japheth means 'God will enlarge'.

C.A.C. We must remember that the whole human family is blessed of God through the bringing in of Christ. God told Adam to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. There was no more blessing for man till after the flood and God smelled a sweet savour from Noah's offering. His three sons were then under God's hand for blessing, and that is the position today. I think it is fine! (Genesis 9:1).

Rem. God blessed Jacob and Esau.

C.A.C. Yes. It is very beautiful that there is a blessing for Esau as well as Jacob. If God puts a name down in His chronicle, which corresponds to the book of life, you may be sure it is for blessing. He puts them down according to His thoughts. Christ died for every one of them, and He can act according to His own grace -- from Himself, all on the ground of Christ.

Rem. Isaac is before Ishmael, Christ is in view all

through.

C.A.C. Yes. Of these great fathers like Abraham it is said that in them all the families of the earth should be blessed. It was in view when God called him out. And in Israel shall all nations be blessed. It is particularly the character of the present time, all nations and all men.

Rem. Of Shem, Ham and Japheth, the sons of Japheth are named first. He is on the line of promise first.

C.A.C. Quite so, Japheth is the eldest, but Shem has particular blessing -- that Japheth, the gentile, may come and dwell in his tents. All that Shem had was to be shared by the nations. The Jews never took this in. God has all men in view for blessing; this is what I gather from 1 Chronicles 1. Of course, it required the coming in of Christ to make it effective.

Rem. "Thou hast ascended on high ... thou hast received gifts in Man" (Psalm 68:18).

C.A.C. All the gifts of the ascended Christ are not only for the children of God, but for the rebellious, "Even for the rebellious". God has such large thoughts, we have such shrivelled-up ones. We need to get out into the wide scope of God's thoughts. That is why we arrive at the knowledge of God in this chapter. I think Luke must have had peculiar pleasure in reading the Chronicles. This is a chapter where Ham, Shem and Japheth are all brought in, showing God's mind towards the whole human family.

Rem. We should think of the sons of Shem first.

C.A.C. Japheth has the first place really. God knew the greatest acting of His grace was to be amongst the gentiles. The assembly is characteristically a gentile company.

Ques. Is Japheth dwelling in the tents of Shem now (Genesis 9:27)?

C.A.C. Yes, we have not a thing that we have not received from Shem. We have Christ. "Of whom, as according to flesh, is the Christ", it says (Romans 9:5).

Ques. Why is Shem put first in Genesis?

C.A.C. Because it defines the one in which the blessing would come, that is God's sovereignty. He was going to enlarge Japheth and bring him to dwell in the tents of Shem.

Ques. Is Christ getting the greatest comfort from Japheth now brought into the tents?

C.A.C. Yes, Israel is dead, but He is getting His wife notwithstanding and she is for comfort to Him. Well, it seems to me that we get instruction of a very wide character here, for instance we read that Cush begot Nimrod (chapter 1: 10) and in verse 19, "To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days was the earth divided". In connection with them there is the thought of the development of government, and the ordering of the nations by God, all in view of blessing. We have to take account of that; we are living in Nimrod's day and Peleg's day, and we ought to understand that.

Rem. I am afraid I do not!

C.A.C. Well, it is worth giving a little attention to. After the flood God did not allow lawlessness to be unchecked; He put the sword in the hand of Noah, and so there has been a check on man ever since. Capital punishment was instituted by God.

Nimrod is the first man that had a kingdom, so that government as set up is a principle set up by God in the world. I think Nimrod is introduced here from that point of view, as exercising government under the eye of God. He began to be mighty on the earth. In the history in Genesis we are told he was mighty before Jehovah, that is, under Jehovah's eye in the exercise of government.

Rem. In Genesis 10:9, it says he was a mighty hunter.

C.A.C. Personally he was an unlikely person, not a character of which God would approve. He was a rebel, and a hunter finding his gratification at the expense of others, teaching that we should never expect government in the hands of his people. God allowed him to have the first kingdom. No ruler ever had power except as allowed of God, and in view of blessing. The government of the world from God's standpoint has in view the blessing of men. "It is God's minister to thee for good" (Romans 13:4).

Rem. There is a government going on in the assembly, so it speaks of "governments" (1 Corinthians 12:28).

C.A.C. Yes, there are governments in the assembly that would judge evil and can guide in times of difficulty, those with capacity for spiritual rule.

The ordering of God is in view of the blessing of men. So in Peleg's time, in his day the earth is divided. God divided the one human family into nations by altering their speech. It is God who made the nations. He has made them exist today in relation to the assembly.

Rem. "When the Most High assigned to the nations their inheritance, When he separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32:8).

Ques. Would you apply it in reference to the assembly in principle, as a principle that never changes?

C.A.C. All God's ways in government must be subservient to His grace. We cannot always see it. He will not let nations go a step further than what will carry out His thoughts. That is the position in which the assembly is set, amongst the nations, gathered out from among them. All the ordering of the nations is set in relation to the assembly; people do not think it, but we do. We know

that all going on in the nations is going to be broken up, as Daniel's image was broken to pieces by the stone cut out without hands. That is how we regard the nations; the next thing when the stone falls on them is that the whole structure crumbles into dust (Daniel 2:34, 35).

Rem. The saints should judge, and stand apart from, every principle of it now. We are going to judge the world.

C.A.C. The saints have a judgment about all the powers that be; the government of this country is highly favourable to the people of God, and the gospel can be freely preached. Of certain other governments we have a moral judgment; they are opposed to the saints and to all that is of God. We know what will happen to them.

Rem. He has "made of one blood every nation of men to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, having determined ordained times and the boundaries of their dwelling" (Acts 17:26).

C.A.C. "That they may seek God". God made a man a German that he might seek God, and He says, "Being therefore the offspring of God". It is very much in line with 1 Chronicles; God's object in dividing the nations was a pure action of grace to weaken them that they might be more dependent on Him, not arrogant and independent. And He uses them to weaken one another, sucking each other's life blood. God wants to weaken them to exercise His grace upon them. Supposing Russia were allowed to dominate and to destroy all the saints, well, God allows other powers to check it. God makes use of the power that is vested in man to restrain lawlessness, and provide either liberty or exercise for this country. If it became a persecuting power it would be discipline and profound exercise for us. Well, that is for blessing too. A christian is master of the situation; he is always on the top whatever happens. Nebuchadnezzar

had the most distinguished place in the government of the world that anyone ever had. He was the head of gold, yet he died converted. Think of meeting Nebuchadnezzar in heaven! It was the best thing that happened to Lot, those five nations taking him prisoner.

Rem. The devil said, "I will give thee all this power, and their glory; for it is given up to me".

C.A.C. The Lord did not dispute it. The devil has no right any more than Nimrod. It is a usurped authority that the devil has, with no right whatever, except what the sin of man has given him as right over man. I have often thought it strange that he dared to say such a thing. When the beast comes up out of the pit, it is satanic and will be judged under that form. The powers that be are ordained of God.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 9

1 Chronicles 9:24 - 34

C.A.C. I think we come in this scripture to the responsible care and service of the house, not exactly the official service, but the diligent care that everything should be in order and ready for service.

In the Darby Translation we get the word "trust" several times; at the end of verse 22, "David and Samuel the seer had instituted them in their trust", and verse 26, "in their trust, ... for they stand round about the house of God during the night", and verse 31, "Mattithiah of the Levites ... was in trust over the things that were made in the pans". It signifies that there are certain things entrusted to us.

Rem. The note in the Darby Translation is interesting and says that they were appointed "on account of their faithfulness".

C.A.C. A trust is not of much value if it is not committed to faithful men!

Ques. Is that a gift?

C.A.C. No. I suppose anyone may be faithful without gift.

Rem. I wondered how far it was open to all, in relation to these holy things?

C.A.C. I think it is a holy trust that anyone loving the Lord would be delighted to take up. It is a test as to where our hearts are. Some long to take up some kind of trust for the Lord; it would be a poor kind of brother who does not. There are many things to be looked after, and a great deal of care and diligence is required so that

everything should be ready for the service of God. I think that should be in our minds. It does not do for us to wait for Lord's day morning for that.

Rem. It mentions "seven days from time to time" (verse 25). What does that mean?

C.A.C. It is very significant that the service ran in periods of seven days, is it not? I think our service runs in periods of seven days, and we have to be careful that the six days that precede the Lord's day should prepare everything for the service; so that the material is all on hand; you do not have to run and seek for it every time -- it is on hand.

Rem. I have often thought that all should be contributory, a yield, so that it should all find a place in the house of God, all contributing to that end.

C.A.C. Yes. The first thing is door-keeping.

Rem. I noticed that there are the thresholds of the tent, the entrance, and the entrance to the tent of meeting.

C.A.C. It suggests care as to what we bring in, does it not? Responsibility as to reception would be included in it. There is no thought in Scripture of people coming in on their own responsibility alone. We are exercised continually as to what we bring in; we have to guard the approaches to the house continually.

Ques. How would you apply that now?

C.A.C. It would no doubt refer to the kind of company we keep.

Rem. Whatever the service, is it not in view of the character of the service? The expressions: the camp of Jehovah, the house of the tent, the house of Jehovah, struck me.

C.A.C. Yes, that is right; we have to do with God and we have to be careful not to admit anything into our ways that is not suitable to God. Companying with the

world does not preserve the holy character of the service of God. The value and power of the public service depends very largely on what goes on in the households of the saints -- the conversation and the books read there. It may be a real drag upon the service of God.

Rem. The test of a thing is the house of God, not what I think of it.

C.A.C. Exactly. Is it suitable to stand in relation to the service of God? There should not be anything in our houses unsuitable to that. This all enters into keeping the doors of the house, does it not? We are all to be doorkeepers in that sense. It says that Phinehas was the leader over them formerly. Phinehas is not the sort of man I would like to come into my house if anything were unsuitable. He is a man who could use the sword; he would not tolerate any worldly admixture.

Rem. Nehemiah cast out all the household stuff of Tobijah.

C.A.C. We have to guard the treasures all the time. It speaks of some in verses 26 and 27. We are in charge of the most wonderful stores ever entrusted to anyone. These stores of spiritual wealth are all found in the house and they are to be guarded.

Rem. The thought of treasuries or stores is like a thread running through the Scriptures. Why is it?

C.A.C. I think it refers to the wealth that has been permanently accumulated in the house; the Scriptures for instance. We have the oracles of God. Think of what it was to have the gospels and epistles; every one as it was written was put into the treasury. At first they only had the men who wrote them. All the ministry of the Spirit that has gone on in the assembly is part of the wealth that is there and should contribute to the assembly, do you not think? You think of the wealth that has come into the house even in our time -- the amazing

spiritual wealth and fulness that has been brought out in the lifetime of some of us here. It is our responsibility. Everything from J.N.D. and F.E.R. -- I have got a responsibility in regard to it, I have to guard it. What kind of service would go on if we were consciously possessed of all in the ministry and all in the Scriptures? We should want to lengthen the morning meeting! Every word in the Scriptures is committed to our personal trust, and if we do not keep it, printed Bibles will not keep it.

Rem. To be kept, not to be reserved, but used.

C.A.C. It is all to be utilised in the service of God, because it is there. We do not produce it when there at the meeting, because it is all in hand; what is required is there to be drawn upon. It is to be guarded through the night, verse 27. "They stayed round about the house of God during the night". Is that not how we should regard all ministry?

Ques. What do you mean by guarding it?

C.A.C. Well, seeing that it is not taken away from us by any means, or allowed to deteriorate. We are entrusted with the holy charge of everything ministered by the Spirit.

Rem. "Keep, by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us, the good deposit entrusted" (2 Timothy 1:14).

C.A.C. I think that is exactly the thing in New Testament language; we should think of it all in that way.

Ques. Did not F.E.R. say that we bring the Lord with us to the meeting, or words to that effect?

C.A.C. We shall not find Him there if we do not bring Him. It is what we bring. We want to take up the sense of responsibility. It is feeble with us; I know it is with me. We are slow to take things up as a responsible trust.

Then there are the instruments in verse 28, and so on.

Rem. "Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the

doors of the house of Jehovah" (1 Samuel 3:15).

C.A.C. Does it not show that even young saints can have a part in this trust -- even a boy! There may be one young brother or sister that can do wonderful things; it is not limited to grey-haired old brothers.

We want all the utensils of service all ready for use; that is the point of caring for them, so that everything should be ready for all to function rightly.

Rem. Elsewhere the charge is under the hand of Aaron. Why is that?

C.A.C. The great point in Chronicles is that it is under the hand of David. Christ's headship is more prominent than His priesthood in Chronicles. If I am subject He is able to indicate what I am to do. It is the suitability and the furnishing here; there is nothing about the actual service here. Everything here is clean and ready for use. "The fine flour, and the wine and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices", are all ready. The great thought is that in the house all is ready.

Ques. What is the signification of those things?

C.A.C. They were material for offerings and stood specially in relation to the oblation; it is not the thought quite of what is sacrificed here. We saw in chapter 6 that the sacrificial system went on according to Moses, and the service of song with David. It is connected with the appreciation that is in the assembly of the precious humanity of Christ, the introduction of what is of God in Jesus Christ come in flesh. All that is pleasing to God and precious to Him is found there. Well, there is richness then. We touch it very lightly in the morning meeting, but we do touch it in the holy humanity of Christ as anointed. It has helped me that we can learn what is spiritual in Christ. It is levitical care of all that has come out in Christ, because it is Christ personally here. The point here is it is treasured, not offered, it is ready to be

offered.

Ques. Would the scene in John 12 illustrate it in some measure? The ointment was treasured and then expended.

C.A.C. Yes, but she had not to go and buy it. The people who had to go and buy for themselves were too late! Often in a meeting we should like to run and buy things, to freshen things up, but it is too late then. I do not mean that the Lord does not come in in His grace and make a poor meeting into a rich one. When it is there, it is only a question with the brothers as to which shall be the first to voice it. It is all there. It gives me a wonderful thought of the assembly, of the wonderful treasure that is there when we are together in assembly character. Everything in the Scriptures and the Spirit is here. We do not know much about it, but that is the thought of Scripture. The vessels were brought in by number. It is very fine. They were counted over to see that nothing was missing.

Ques. What is the thought of the frankincense?

C.A.C. I think as far as we can gather from Scripture that frankincense stands in relation to prayer. It would be the voicing in prayer of what would be infinitely delightful to God, especially prayer of assembly character -- such as the prayers of Jesus, how delightful they were to God! They astonished the disciples, so that they said, "Teach us to pray". They never heard anyone pray like that, and they wanted to pray. Then the ointment of the spices, the sons of the priests compounded it.

Ques. Is that a limited thought?

C.A.C. It is a part of the whole furnishing; it is the holy anointing oil. The anointing is a public matter. It is important that in the service of the assembly all that is done publicly should be in the grace of the anointing.

Rem. It requires skill and priestly sensibilities.

C.A.C. I feel we are often on the line of doing the best we can, but that is not good enough for God; only what is done in the power of the anointing is acceptable. All this enters into the preparation for service.

Then we have things that were made in the pans and loaves in rows -- so that the loaves speak of the saints as identified with Christ, having Christ as their life, and that is how we properly view the saints in the assembly, as persons who have Christ as their life.

Rem. The Kohathites had this service.

C.A.C. Of course, if we could not understand the loaves set in rows, we could not understand the Lord saying, "My brethren" (John 20:17). If He said, "Go to my brethren and say to them ...", He looked at them altogether apart from the flesh, and as one with Himself, and He sent the message to them as "My brethren".

Ques. They were sanctified and set apart; is that why the bread is in rows?

C.A.C. It is all a subject for meditation and prayer. We might well covet to be like those in verse 33, free for employment. They were perfectly free from every other claim. In the assembly we are free from all natural claims so as to be wholly occupied in the service. There are obligations pressing very heavily on some of the brethren now, but some are finding out that they can be free from them all because their heart is in the service, and in the service of the Lord we can be free from every claim. A man's wife is not his wife in the assembly, she is his sister. So we can be without distraction.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 10 AND 11

1 Chronicles 10:1 - 14; 1 Chronicles 11:1 - 3

C.A.C. On a previous occasion we saw how David was introduced as a prince and how he ordered the service of song in the house of Jehovah and also the position of trust to see that everything was provided in readiness for the service -- all those numerous spiritual suggestions that we were looking at last week. I think the mind of the Spirit is that we should look at this chapter before us in the light of all that has gone before.

Ques. Is your thought that in the light of what you are considering the man after the flesh has to go?

C.A.C. What is not in keeping with the order of things we have been considering must go, the unfaithful man must go in death. The more we consider what God has brought in in Christ and by Christ, the more plainly we should discern that the man after the flesh can have no part in it whatever. So Chronicles does not give the history of Saul, and is only concerned to show that he died.

Rem. "And all his house" (verse 6) is very striking.

C.A.C. It is, it is a clean sweep of all that generation typically.

Ques. Would you say that the Lord was behind it all -- the transference of the kingdom of Saul and his death?

C.A.C. It is very striking. It was not the Philistines that killed him; it says distinctly that Jehovah slew him (verse 14). It was directly attributed to Jehovah, He slew him. In Acts 13 it says God "removed him".

So this is very important instruction for us, giving something we have to come to. We have to learn the death of the unfaithful man for ourselves.

Ques. Is that to be learnt in the light of all God has brought in?

C.A.C. Yes, and really the end of the unfaithful man we learn in the death of the faithful Man. It pleased God that the man after the flesh should have his opportunity and should be tested, so that it might be known by experience what the character of that man was. It took forty years of experience to learn the character of that man.

Rem. Elsewhere Samuel is told not to mourn for him.

C.A.C. Yes, God says, "I have rejected him". The man after the flesh is rejected by God -- he cannot be subject; none of us can afford to give him any footing whatever.

Ques. Does the teaching of the chapter correspond with Romans 6?

C.A.C. I think that is a good suggestion. It would fit in with what the men of Jabesh-Gilead did, for they buried him. In spiritual import they identified themselves with what God had done. It was a matter of personal exercise: they buried him. That was what was in your mind, I think. It rather goes with the exercise of baptism. We were identified with Christ in baptism. God was pleased to put baptism at the very gateway of the public christian profession, and we were publicly baptised to Christ; but then He had died; no one was ever baptised to Christ till after He died. If we had not some thought of living with Him we should not care for baptism; so people used to put off baptism till they were about to die, when it was no use. It is no use for a man to be baptised who is going to heaven and certainly no use for a man going to hell. He is going to live here identified with a

Christ that has died. Whose death did He die? -- His own? Certainly not! The death that He died was my death, and we really come to see the end of Saul in the death of Christ, speaking typically.

Rem. "Concerning whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of some other?" (Acts 8:34).

Rem. A terrible way out, was it not? Saul fell upon his sword.

C.A.C. Yes, actually he was a hopeless man, and the flesh is always hopeless. It is a terrible thing to those who have not life -- death is a terrible thing to one who has no link with One out of death. What we find is that David is alive all the time that this is happening; the Spirit of God had introduced David and he was there before Saul died; and before God had put man in the flesh to death He had introduced Christ, so our death with Christ is in view to our living with Him.

Baptism goes with lordship, so that what follows is that they made David king; they all gave him the place of supremacy. They come to him and say, "We are thy bone and thy flesh". Baptism is in view of lordship. You can be baptised in about a minute, and it will take all your life to learn what it is -- a lifetime lesson. I suppose some hardly come to understand it until they come to die themselves.

"We are thy bone and thy flesh", they said. They had the thought of being thoroughly bound up with David, and we with Christ. "For if we are become identified with him in the likeness of his death, so also we shall be of his resurrection" (Romans 6:5).

God had prepared their hearts, and we never get anything from God apart from preparation. They had thought of David for many years, they really apprehended God's thought in advance of the time. He works and prepares hearts by giving them some appreciation of

Christ long before they see the end of man in the flesh. Otherwise we should collapse in despair, should we not, if we saw the end of the man in the flesh before Christ? We are baptised to Christ; Israel and Moses are a kind of illustration of what baptism is. It is a great thing to come to it, that we are of Christ's bone and of His flesh. It is as much as to say: We live in Thy life. It is good when we come to the point that we really see the end of the man in the flesh, and that we are bound up vitally with Christ, and He is our life.

Rem. He said to Saul, "Why dost thou persecute me?"; is that the thought?

C.A.C. That is the idea -- the life of Christ coming out in His saints made Saul of Tarsus persecute. The thought of living in the life of the One who died for us is very precious, we need to take it in more and more. "We are thy bone and thy flesh". Here it is not Christ that says it, but it is so in Genesis 2 typically. The Man says, "This time it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh". Typically it is Christ acknowledging the assembly as of Himself. But here typically it is not Christ, but the saints who say it. And it is in the light of it, I suppose, that we come together to remember the Lord.

Rem. It is in view of the service of God?

C.A.C. It has to do with the service. The service of God is set up by Christ; therefore it is important that we should come under the control of Christ. If we are in subjection to the Lord, we come into the gain of the Spirit. If we are not subject, we might as well not have the Spirit at all; the Spirit can do nothing with insubject persons.

As we break bread, we set forth that we are one body. "We, being many, are one loaf, one body; for we all partake of that one loaf" (1 Corinthians 10:17). The saints looked at as the one loaf is very like these men saying, "We are

thy bone and thy flesh".

Ques. Laban recognised that in some way, I believe?

C.A.C. He referred to it as family kindred, but there is more than that with the saints, there is a corporeal identification with Him. You could not have it in a natural way, could you? So Scripture says "Your bodies are members of Christ" (1 Corinthians 6:15).

Ques. How far does Philippians 3:3 come in here?

C.A.C. Well, that is clearly the christian position defined in very few words. "Do not trust in flesh" means that Saul has gone out. These people rejoiced in Christ Jesus; they were instructed of God that He was Prince and Leader. Now Saul having gone out, the people are in perfect liberty to find all their delight in David. We often sing in the morning meeting, "We live of Thee". He gets His place and is in control, and the service is then all ordered according to God.

Ques. What was the thought of David making this covenant with the elders of Israel?

C.A.C. I think it went with the way the Lord made Himself known in resurrection. He linked Himself on with them. They must have had a very distinct sense that there was a living bond between Him and themselves.

Ques. Does Hebron give the thought of purpose?

C.A.C. It is not quite the same as Jerusalem, and I should think would be connected with the purpose of God and the resurrection position.

Ques. Does it refer to fellowship at all?

C.A.C. I think there is some thought of that in the words "gathered themselves". The antitype is in the saints coming together to give Him His place. This is in part individual, but not all. He wants to have His place collectively. He wants to see the saints attracted together powerfully for Him to get His place, for what God gets depends on Christ getting His place.

Rem. The thought of leadership is seen in "Thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel"; then to feed Israel and be a prince, and then he is king, he is supreme. His authority is recognised and followed.

C.A.C. We should hardly get the gain of Christ's headship if we do not give Him His place as Lord.

Rem. So the Supper makes much of the Lord, and brings Him into prominence.

C.A.C. In 1 Corinthians 11 I have noticed that "the Lord" is mentioned seven times in two or three verses. He comes in first as Lord, so each would be exercised to be in subjection to Him, and if He had us all under control, it would be very easy to change His attitude and take His place as Head. I do not see how the service of God could go on under any other principle. So they anointed him, the people did so, and I think the Lord looks for that. They had come to the truth of it themselves. It is very much like saying 'Lord' to Jesus in the power of the Spirit. When we do that we truly anoint Him, so when He is anointed He will take charge, and loves to, of all matters in the service of God.

Rem. Every movement would be under His lordship from the very beginning.

C.A.C. Yes, all that is under His control. There are many services but one Lord; so no service would clash with another. It is painful if it does and shows that there is a want of subjection to the Lord. We all own this. Raising a tune is one of the services carried out under the Lord. All that goes on belongs to the services that go on under the same Lord. So the portion before us is very important, the end of the unfaithful man who is very close to us, so that it keeps us constantly on the alert. That held in the soul enables us to take the ground spiritually that we are bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh, and we are glad to think of the place that He fills by

appointment; that of Prince and Head.

Rem. "I have anointed my king" (Psalm 2:6).

C.A.C. That is God anointing His king; on this occasion the people anoint Him. Are we anointing Him, giving Him by the Spirit all that is due to Him? Then he enters into covenant with them -- there is a definite covenant. There is no covenant subsisting now between Jehovah and Israel.

Ques. But there is between Jehovah and David?

C.A.C. Yes, viewing David as prophetically Christ the covenant stands firm, nothing can invalidate it. Speaking of it typically there is a definite bond with the Lord formed in resurrection; He was very particular to link on with them.

Rem. In Acts 1 He "assembled with them".

C.A.C. And He ate and drank with them -- a wonderful thing! It is wonderful to think they could eat and drink with a risen Man, and He ate and drank with them. And the establishment of the kingdom was necessary to the service of God.

It all has a definite bearing on ourselves, having been written in remnant days in view of recovery.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 11

1 Chronicles 11:4 - 14

C.A.C. It is very wonderful that the Spirit of God hastens in this book to bring David to his highest point of exaltation. You get nothing of his seven years at Hebron; that is passed over to bring David at once to Jerusalem -- to Zion, reminding us surely that we have to do with Christ in His highest place of exaltation. The Spirit of God begins with Him there, and we begin with Him there. In this present dispensation of grace we begin with Jesus exalted to the highest possible point.

Rem. In connection with passing over the period at Hebron, it was something like the Lord being here with a few of His own in humility and all that marked Him then; but really we start with Him as the ascended Man.

C.A.C. It is very good to see that, and that the Spirit of God has in mind that we should all move with Him. "All Israel" is mentioned in verses 1, 4 and 10 -- all Israel are brought in as moving with David, the Spirit of God having in mind that all the saints are to move with Christ.

Rem. We are all typically included as having part with Him in His personal place of exaltation.

C.A.C. It is a great help to have that distinctly before us, that grace has taken on a most wonderful and glorious character in Jesus being exalted. While the Lord was here grace was not positionally in the setting that it is in now. All the fulness of grace was there in Him personally, but it was not seen in Him positionally.

Rem. Now it is universal, available to all.

C.A.C. It is wonderful to think that God has brought about that there are those on earth who are of His flesh and of His bones, and so capable of identifying themselves with Him, prepared in their thoughts and affections to link themselves up with a glorified Man in heaven. There is nothing more wonderful on this earth.

In Ziklag we have what answers to Romans, and really Hebron answers to Colossians, and Jerusalem to Ephesians, as has often been noticed. So that grace takes on a character in the epistle to the Ephesians that does not appear anywhere else. Nowhere is it so magnified as in Ephesians; it is magnified positionally. Jesus being glorified we can sing now, 'O the glory of the grace'. It required that Jesus should be glorified before He could in the fullest way glorify the Father. He said, "Glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee" (John 17:1). There was something still required when the Lord was on earth. Now that He is glorified grace takes on a wonderful character -- an inconceivable character to the human mind.

Rem. "The riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7).

C.A.C. And in chapter 2:8, "Saved by grace". It takes in the whole thing, that we are seated in Him in the heavenlies. No one understands being saved by grace until he sees it includes that.

Rem. The Lord said, "I go to prepare you a place" (John 14:2).

C.A.C. Yes. The Lord never had anything less than the full thought of grace in His mind, and it is wonderful that as saints we can move with Him from death to resurrection and then to ascension, entitled to move with Him to the highest place, the most glorious place in the universe. You can understand how the Spirit of God was eager to get there.

Rem. They moved in affection as being of his bone and of his flesh.

C.A.C. They were in corporate identification with him. There should be with us a consciousness that we are of His bone and of His flesh, that is, of His order. That order of Man is seen in Christ risen from the dead and the Spirit would lead us into the realisation of that order of Man. If we are of His bone and of His flesh, we have finished with Saul, the man after the flesh; we are finished with the world if we are of the bone and of the flesh of the risen Man.

Rem. You must get on to the Jerusalem position to get that fulfilled.

C.A.C. It is interesting to see that in Chronicles the Spirit will not be delayed at Hebron; He hastens to Jerusalem, and the Spirit of God would always be intensely set on our reaching the full thought of the exaltation of Christ. What is magnified here is that he takes the stronghold of Zion, which is the city of David. That is a most important point in Scripture because it is the introduction of Zion, and we all know it has a most remarkable place in Scripture, in the Psalms and in the prophets, and here we get it first introduced. And we come into the thought of Zion too, we "have come to mount Zion" (Hebrews 12:22). We ought to know something about it if we have come to it. God dwells there. "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined forth" (Psalm 50:2). "The mount Zion which he loved" (Psalm 78:68). So it represents what He loves, where He dwells and out of which He shines -- a system which answers perfectly to God.

You can quite see how God was cherishing in His heart the thought of an order of things which would satisfy Him and in which He could dwell and in which He could be known by His creature man, treasuring it

for four thousand years, wrapping it up in beautiful types. Every time the Spirit wrote down "Zion" in the Scriptures God was delighted and said, as it were, 'That is before Me and never will be set up until My Son comes down into death and goes to glory'. Nothing could be added to the Lord personally; He was as great as a Babe in the manger as in the glory. The gospels were written and should be read in the light of His being glorified. The references to Zion in the Psalms would repay careful consideration. In Psalm 87 you get the thought of being born in Zion, a wonderful thing; the saints are really born there.

"Jerusalem above ... which is our mother" (Galatians 4:26) is a similar thought; but God writes down in a book the names of those born in Zion. We have been born into that wonderful system which all radiates from Christ in glory.

Rem. It would have a wonderful effect if we realised we started from there.

C.A.C. Christians are very slow (and we cannot say much for ourselves) to take in the fulness of what is established in Christ glorified. All christians value His death or they would not be Christians at all, but many do not go beyond the cross; but really what we have to do with is Christ glorified. I think the majority of believers believe that Jesus has gone back into the position of Deity; they do not entertain the thought of a glorious Man in heaven, a Man with a real body of flesh and bones, and a glorious system of grace centred in that Person. It would deliver saints from themselves and the world in every form.

This "castle of Zion" (A.V.) seems to have been the great stronghold of Zion. I think we should understand that there is a tremendous power of evil in the universe. Of course Satan is a great power of evil, and there are

principalities and authorities and wickedness in the heavenlies, and death itself is called an enemy -- all these are powers that are seeking to obstruct God's way. They said, "Thou shalt not come in hither". I think that Zion represents the headquarters of the enemy where all evil powers are entrenched and would not let the Lord have His way. Satan and all with him are determined to obstruct God being known. Nothing is so hateful to him and his angels. But the Lord Jesus has entered into combat with all these powers of evil, "having spoiled principalities and authorities, he made a show of them publicly" (Colossians 2:15). He, the true David, has vanquished every power that was hostile to God and to grace, at Calvary.

Rem.

'The mighty work was all His own,
Though we shall share His glorious throne'. (Hymn 308)

C.A.C. It does not identify any of them in the taking of Zion; we come on to the mighty men; Christ has had a good many, and has some still, but David took Zion on his own. The mighty men come in to promote the exaltation of David; now we are all called into that business. The Lord Jesus has met everything that was adverse to God and to us, for what is adverse to God is adverse to us; He has overthrown it all and made the city His city. The great thing is to see what Christ has effected. He has annulled Satan, Scripture says, and death is annulled. People may say, 'But O, not death, it is as busy as ever, you see it every day around you'. Ah no, in Christ you see Satan annulled and death too. The object of the Spirit of God is not reached unless we are brought into it.

Rem. And we are encouraged by the consideration of the Lord, and we come into the joy of it so.

C.A.C. That is just the point. We are painfully familiar with the scene of pain and death, but God would have us

familiar with Zion where nothing enters but what is pleasing to God. He would have us see Him shining out in His wondrous grace, and live in it. The city of David is a permanent idea.

Ques. What corresponds to the city of David today?

C.A.C. I suppose that you see first the system of grace which has been brought in by the Lord Jesus Christ, and then you see the saints all identified with it in that they dwell there. I think you must bring in the assembly to get the full thought of it.

Rem. And the thought of administration; it supposes all that He has secured at the hand of the Lord; it must of necessity include the assembly and His handling of it.

C.A.C. Yes, there is a whole system of things mentioned in Hebrews 12 in which Zion takes the first place. It is in contrast to Sinai, the system of law, and we might say Satan has captured that system.

Rem. "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined forth" (Psalm 50:2).

C.A.C. Yes, it is the city of the great King, beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth (Psalm 48:2). God would have Christ and what is expressed in Him the joy of every man.

Rem. "That he might display in the coming ages the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7).

C.A.C. That is Zion! We are going to be His display in the coming ages of the surpassing riches of His grace in the kindness of God. You cannot add anything to the surpassing riches of His grace and the kindness. When the assembly comes down, it has the glory of God, it is His greatness in grace, each constituent part a sinner saved by grace. F.E.R. used to say that grace is commensurate with glory, so you must have a glorious Saviour to set it forth.

"And he built the city round about". Well, that is going on in our hearts in this room tonight. The building is going on, bringing persons into the good of it so as to give God the glory of it. And God sets these things before us pictorially; He does not give us just statements; it is marvellous grace.

Can we not see how all this would prepare us for our part in the service of God? This is a book for remnant times at the close. We must all give our whole hearts and minds to the consideration of these things; it is an urgent matter and God's will for us.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 13

1 Chronicles 13:1 - 14

C.A.C. The teaching changes in this chapter; David has previously been a type of Christ, while now the ark of God is the subject. The ark of God typifies Christ as seen in the gospel of John.

Ques. The remnant had not the ark; would that have a bearing on the subject?

C.A.C. The ark of God is God being in full declaration. It has its bearing on remnant conditions. There has been a long period in the history of christendom where the ark has been disregarded.

It is the "days of Saul", when what is pleasing to men is in the ascendancy. It is impossible under such conditions that there should be enquiry of the ark of God. There were suitable conditions in David for the ark to get its place, so it suits remnant times very well. This book was written for them.

Rem. John's writings come in the close of the period.

C.A.C. John's writings come in when Paul's dispensation had broken down. Then faith and love will look to God. There is no spot or stain on the ark, and that is cherished in the hearts of God's people. During the last hundred years there has been movement towards the ark and we have been learning something of the due order. God intends the general movement to affect the whole assembly ("all Israel"), David being a type of the work of God in saints that cherish the thought of Christ being honoured. Christ as the ark is God in full declaration,

but this entails the service of God being carried out perfectly, and they had to learn by their failure how to honour Christ.

Many lovers of Christ serve Him zealously but displease God in the way they carry out the service. They serve Him in relation to what He is to them and not according to God. That is the lesson of this chapter. Some believers take 'the sacrament' after a preaching. That displeases God very much.

It is a great thing to apprehend Christ as the ark of God -- the full establishment of God's will, without a flaw. It is not found in christendom. The ark being God in declaration means inaugurating a service which is compatible with its own perfection. It is God saying, 'I want you to know Him in relation to Me'! It was a great work of God for David to bring the ark up, and there was need for the utmost care and consideration in doing it. Jehovah sits "between the cherubim".

The One who smote Uzza was discriminating and exercising His attributes judicially that men might honour Christ and give God His place.

Rem. Ezra was an "instructed scribe".

C.A.C. He would have been very useful to David if he had been at hand, and could have told him how the ark should be carried.

Ques. Why should it be carried on the shoulders of the priests; would it indicate power and affection?

C.A.C. It would show that it depends on spirituality; there is none in a "new cart". The Philistines had little knowledge of God, and He accepted it from them, but Israel had the oracles of God. It is a matter of personal exercise and affection to secure a place for Christ that is suitable, and in a way that is suitable.

Ques. Is Corinthians analogous?

C.A.C. Corinthians illustrates this chapter. They

were touching the holy elements of the Supper with unsanctified hands, and many of them became weak and infirm and many died.

In that epistle Paul stresses the thought of the temple. "The temple of God is holy, and such are ye". It was not done in due order; the assembly is a place of order and anything disorderly is always displeasing to God. It is all a matter of leaving the due order. We need the utmost care to gather up from the Scriptures the will of God; it must correspond with the perfection seen in Christ, that must set the standard. "I am come down from heaven, not that I should do my will, but the will of him that has sent me" (John 6:38). "My food is that I should do the will of him that has sent me" (John 4:34). "I do always the things that are pleasing to him" (John 8:29). That is the ark of God, the same character being reproduced by the Spirit in the saints.

Ques. How could it happen today?

C.A.C. It makes the government of God a serious matter with those who irreverently take the Supper and come under judgment. It is the natural element brought in where all should be spiritual. If the natural element enters in today it is sure to stumble. It is a warning to us how the most spiritual brother may through unwatchfulness displease God.

The new cart was a Philistine precedent copied without spiritual discernment. We may do the same thing without weighing over whether what we do corresponds with the will of God. The spiritual conditions lacking with David and Israel were found with a poor Philistine and he gets nothing but blessing (verses 13, 14). At the moment he took precedence over David and all Israel. This chapter does not close without showing us the supremacy of grace.

It is God's order that glorifies Christ. God's order is

always better than man's. The thought of the ark borne on the shoulders as we get previously is the ark carried in testimony, but here it is the progress of the ark to its proper place, but delayed on the way because of failure in the due order.

Rem. "Arise, Jehovah, into thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let thy saints shout for joy" (Psalm 132:8, 9).

C.A.C. That is beautiful. It is the full revelation of God in His Son brought to repose in the hearts of the saints, so that they are spiritually able to serve God. He has been declared by the Son "who is in the bosom of the Father"; there is no flaw in that declaration and the saints come into that. It requires to be learnt and we are left here to learn it and the spiritual order it requires. We are not left here to earn a living!

Rem. "But the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for also the Father seeks such as his worshippers" (John 4:23).

C.A.C. "God is a spirit: and they who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth". That is the climax. This chapter of Chronicles was written for our particular instruction tonight. But there are provisional stages; we do not get here the final climax, the ark was in the house of Obed-Edom three months and then in the tent pitched by David for it, before it was placed in Solomon's temple. We arrive at the full thought of God by stages. David took the hint and elevated this man to the peerage -- a poor Philistine turned into a Levite (chapter 15: 18). It was all to magnify grace, when all in Israel was missing its way, David and all, so that David resented God's way with him; but we have to accept it. It is wonderful to think that God should be pleased to reveal to a few poor good-for-nothings the secret of His

good pleasure in Christ, giving them intelligence bit by bit. We ought to be more intelligent every year. We learn by our failures. Through failure God taught David and all Israel important lessons. What interests me is that all Israel moves with David; they have all got the spirit of David, as a people who had said, "We are thy bone and thy flesh", but failed in their purpose for want of attention to divine order. Our great desire should be to please God according to His own pleasure. We should be quick to pick up the spiritual hints given in Scripture.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 16

1 Chronicles 16:1 - 43

Ques. Is there any special significance in the sacrifices of the seven bullocks and seven rams in chapter 15: 26? Thousands of bullocks were offered by David, and when the ark is brought to the temple they are without number.

C.A.C. I think it is to make known to us that as a place is secured for Christ, and the Levites' service that would bring Him in is helped of God, there is a spontaneous sacrifice to God in the matter -- a spontaneous movement in the affections of the people, encouraging us to see that if we are helped to secure a place for the ark, God will have a portion; which is indeed developed in the chapter we are reading this evening. The result of the ark getting its place is this wonderful psalm of praise to God as linked to the service of God in the assembly today.

Rem. I wondered if the bullocks and rams would be the intelligent service in the assembly, the spiritual result.

C.A.C. David represents believers who honour Christ, but need to be instructed to give place to what is priestly and levitical, so it answers very much to the position of many saints today. They desire by grace to honour Christ and find a place for Him, but there is the need of the priestly and levitical elements to be brought in; we need spirituality; devotedness to Christ is not sufficient. There are thousands more devoted than we are in this room, but they entirely miss the mind of God because they do not cultivate spirituality, and so are devoted according to their own idea. It is solemnly true

at this juncture that there is a good deal of devotedness, but also the need to cultivate spirituality, and there is not due attention given to Scripture and therefore no place secured for Christ according to the pleasure of God.

Rem. If a thing is taken up after the due order, God would help, and the intelligent offering would show it was understood.

C.A.C. And the recognition that all is based on the death of Christ, a full apprehension of that in the soul, that everything of value for God is based on the death of Christ. It grows upon us, so that every Lord's day there would be enlargement in our apprehension of what has resulted from the death of Christ. The assembly begins afresh on each Lord's day.

Ques. Has this a definite point in our morning meeting in its spiritual value?

C.A.C. Yes, I think so. As I understand it, the city of David represents a spiritual position secured on the ground of overcoming. It is a position that none of us secures without fighting for it, but when secured it is a place for Christ. David thinks of that -- a tent for the ark.

It is a provisional idea.

Rem. We suggested last week as to whether these things had not an assembly setting.

C.A.C. Christ is magnified in the affections of the saints so as to have a definite place there. He is brought in as the ark of God -- that is John: as the ark of Jehovah -- that is Matthew: and as the ark of the covenant -- that is Luke. It is not as the ark of the testimony (Mark) here; this is an inside matter. It is not a question of testimony here, but what the saints find for their own hearts in Christ.

Ques. Musical instruments and music generally seem to play a part in this scene. What is your thought as to that?

C.A.C. It intimates the joyful element in the scene. David added song; that is, there is great richness about the service, it is not cold doctrine but musical.

Rem. The note in the Darby translation has "transport" (chapter 15: 22), so that it is the delight and joy of the hearts of the saints.

C.A.C. It suggests the service being taken up in a definite and responsive way.

Ques. A bullock is the largest offering; a ram would typify devotedness and consecration, and there is the character of the burnt-offering in the seven bullocks and seven rams in verse 26, would you say?

C.A.C. Yes, the character of the offering is not specified but I would suppose that it was the burnt-offering.

Rem. There seems to be a kind of order in the thoughts. The character of the offering is not given here; the stress is on the sacrifice. In chapter 16 they presented burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and it says, "When David had ended offering up the burnt-offering and peace-offerings".

Ques. Is there not a distinction between the presenting and the offering up? In Exodus the offering is brought and then offered up as suitable for sacrifice.

Ques. Is this sacrifice of seven bullocks and seven rams more like what we get at the Supper, the glories of the Person who went into death -- not so much the great work done, as that in the light of His Person?

C.A.C. That is, God is glorified; there can be nothing greater than that. So it is a matter of continual exercise that our hearts should be enriched in the apprehension of Christ. We should look for it in the morning meeting that the Spirit should enlarge the apprehension of Christ to us, especially in those who take an audible part. And then the saints will get their portion; every one gets his portion in verse 3.

Ques. What are the three things there? -- and what place does David take here in ministering in this way?

C.A.C. I think it is the result of exercises worked out in the hearts of saints to their completion, not exactly the divine side, but as reached in the affections of the saints, what we have to take up. There is food and refreshment; it shows how well furnished the saints will be if God has His place. We come together having this thought of Christ having His place, and God being served acceptably; then we find out we are well furnished.

Ques. The service of God would not set our thoughts on ourselves, but what will Christ have as the ark, and what is there for God?

C.A.C. God engages our hearts with what is absolutely perfect; all we can dwell on in Christ is absolutely perfect. The psalm that David delivered is full of Jehovah.

Ques. Does the thought of David blessing the people and then dealing to everyone bread and wine and a raisin-cake suggest the Lord dealing support to His people in view of God getting His service, and owning it?

Rem. The bride in Canticles says, "Sustain ye me with raisin-cakes", in the presence of Christ. Is it not to support us in view of divine service?

C.A.C. It is really in view of our taking up the psalm. The ark is brought into its place, and God is ministered to, and the people are fed, refreshed so as to be able to take up the service of God.

Rem. It is striking in that way that Melchisedec brought forth bread and wine, and here something is added. It was not sufficient really. The raisin-cakes might be what would sustain us in power.

C.A.C. We all need support to sustain us; we cannot take up divine things without divine support. We need it to get any good from reading ministry; we need to pray

beforehand as needing support to profit from what comes before us.

Rem. Paul's prayer was that they might "be strengthened with power by his Spirit in the inner man" (Ephesians 3:16).

Ques. The Spirit is sparing of mentioning failure in this book, so why do we get Michal mentioned here?

C.A.C. I thought she was brought in to show that we must not expect any sympathy from the religious man for anything that makes much of Christ and gives Him His place, or what is due to God. We must not expect it.

Rem. Michal was looking through the window.

C.A.C. She was interested, looking on in a critical way.

What we find here is that every divine element moved together; the elders, the captains, the priests and the Levites all moved together as spiritual elements do.

Rem. Nothing is so unifying as putting the ark in its place.

C.A.C. And the ark of the covenant, the One in whom God has thoroughly committed Himself to us, and when we get hold of that there will be no shortage of praise.

Michal is put as a warning, as that element may come in. I wonder whether we understand quite the difference between the service of David and the service at Gibeon?

Ques. Will you please tell us?

C.A.C. It is evident that David saw to it that both aspects of the service were maintained. There were two services going on, the one before the ark, and the one at Gibeon. Evidently the one before the ark was the more spiritual service but did not set aside the Gibeon one.

Ques. Was it wrong?

C.A.C. No, it was right. I think it represents the public side. It is not exactly the same, but it is the service

of God on the public side. The service before the ark is service taken up on spiritual and heavenly ground, the spiritual service of the assembly. There is another public aspect of service, only of a temporary character, and soon going to cease.

Rem. David leaves Gibeon and goes to Jerusalem.

C.A.C. Yes, he gets spiritual promotion. I thought that the breaking of bread was at Gibeon.

Rem. "Ye announce the death of the Lord, until he come" (1 Corinthians 11:26).

C.A.C. And what goes on in the meeting publicly is Gibeon. The tabernacle service was in the wilderness; it was made for it and so suggests certain things are temporary. The breaking of bread is only temporary; it is not to go on a minute longer than the Lord intends, not a minute longer than when He comes. The woman is to keep silence in the assembly; that is the sort of thing that is temporary.

As we enter into the spiritual side, the public side should be enhanced. All that goes on in the meeting is to be comely and orderly, and belongs to Gibeon; but the city of David, and the ark there, is the spiritual side which we take up in power.

Rem. Like singing a hymn and going to the mount of Olives.

C.A.C. Yes. We come together to break bread; that is the wilderness, a temporary provision. Having broken bread we enter on the spiritual portion.

It is important to distinguish between the public side and the spiritual side. The more enhanced things are on the spiritual side, the more the details would be put right. If anyone said what was not true, what a blemish that would be in the public service.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 21

1 Chronicles 21:1 - 20

C.A.C. I think this part of David's history is typical of the exercises of a believer, particularly the believer who is marked by having considerable light and a very considerable degree of spirituality. If there is anyone here who regards himself as being particularly spiritual and as having much light, this scripture has a particular bearing on that brother or that sister.

The house was to be built by the coming in of one who had the place of son (one of a suitable spirit -- not a man of war), that is, the house is connected with sonship as is always the case in the New Testament. Are we characterised by the spirit suitable to the house? God had to expose in David at this time a spirit working which was unsuitable. The same thing may be working in any one of us tonight. Are we characterised by not having the spirit of the house? David had greatly lost ground here as regards his spirituality; he was unduly severe in carrying out what was right (chapter 20: 3). Wrong has to be dealt with but it should be dealt with in the spirit of the house. I must confess I am not up to that, I am apt to be harsh and use hard language, but that spirit will not do for the house.

Though Satan is put forward here, God had in mind that David was to be developed in the spirit suitable to the house, and that is what God is after in every one of us, and He will take the most severe means, if necessary, to bring this about. The numbering was done in a wrong spirit, in a spirit of self-importance, a thing Satan can

always work on, and God allows it to be brought to light in order that it may be judged. "Bring the number of them to me, that I may know it", David said. He was not thinking of Jehovah at all, he was only thinking of his own self-importance. God will not have that spirit, he absolutely refuses to have it in His house. But when David acted in shepherd character in numbering, that was acting in the spirit of the house. It is very important to pray for the Lord's servants on that line, but we need to begin at home.

David's sin comes to light through Gad the seer. David at once realises the serious nature of his sin and he takes the blame on himself; that is the spirit for the house, and God is not going to leave any one of us alone till that has come to pass. It results in a much greater appreciation of Christ -- everything hanging on Christ.

Ques. Is it to develop the spirit of sonship?

C.A.C. Yes, so that David himself has to die in order that the son may come into view who would carry out everything that was for the pleasure of God; and all that was made known to David.

We have all to come to the threshing-floor where we learn to divide between the flesh and the work of God, the wheat separated from the chaff, and get the light of God's mind. All that comes out in the last chapters of this book shows that the wheat had been separated from the chaff, and it is connected with sonship. God's standard for us is sonship. David was a far more valuable man after the threshing-floor than before, and this is always the result of the threshing-floor, to develop spiritual value in the saints. It is beautiful to see this readiness of David; he shows no resentment at all under discipline. It was Gad and not Nathan here. Nathan could bring the prophetic word to bear on David's conscience, but Gad was David's seer. Seers see what God is at at any given

moment, whether individually or collectively, and what is going on in a spiritual way. Without a vision the people perish. It is beautiful as bringing out the effect on David's spirit, something comes out in him which is much greater morally than the failure. We are to look out for something much greater than what went on before the failure. The Lord is concerned that even the sense of failure may not weaken the saints. "I have besought for thee that thy faith fail not", He said to Peter (Luke 22:32).

David did just what he was told to do. That is the beautiful spirit that is to be admired and emulated.

A choice was given him of the kind of discipline. There were three days with Jehovah. David saw great spiritual results to be gained from those three days and quickly. We may count upon God to make quick work in regard of discipline; we should desire quick work. I think we can shorten God's discipline, it rests with us. Discipline is always a great advantage to us in view of the house. It is all to prepare us for going up to the threshing-floor where is the altar. It is great light. God had been talking about it for hundreds of years, but God had never indicated where He would place it till that moment. There is nothing more remarkable than that it was the altar of burnt-offering. David moves right over to God's side, and we must move over to God's side. It is a magnificent finish, and God answers by fire. It shows how God recognised and had never left the thought of the true spiritual value that was in David.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 21 AND 22

1 Chronicles 21:18 - 30; 1 Chronicles 22:1 - 5

C.A.C. It would be helpful to consider David and Ornan together as presenting to us great instruction in relation to the present service of God.

Ques. What is represented, would you say, by Ornan?

C.A.C. Well, I think we see the sovereign work of God in Ornan in its completeness without any complications incurred by his own experiences, for he is an unknown man.

Rem. He was a Jebusite.

C.A.C. I think the whole principle on which the house of God stands is brought out by Ornan, that is, the sovereign mercy of God. David judged his self-importance as sin and we know well we have to come to that point, and as soon as he reaches that point he has a seer -- Gad is particularly called David's seer (verse 9).

I doubt whether we come to the truth of the house without this. It is reached by the sovereign mercy of God, and we might all come into the thoughts of Christ by sovereign mercy. It is a point that brings us to all the thoughts of God at one stroke, is it not? So Ornan says, "I give it all". But David has to go through experience that brings him to it experimentally. He learns that everything he prided himself in is sin. And then we get the seer -- capacity to see things as God sees them. Gad -- what a lot of spiritual endowment we have which we have never utilised! It is a great thing when we appropriate to ourselves the power of seeing as God sees. He

is called "David's seer". We recognise that anything that gave us self-importance is judged. It is a great turning-point in the soul's history when we begin to think of others. David, instead of numbering the people in a vainglorious way, now calls them sheep and is ready to suffer for them; that is the only spirit that is of any good in the house.

The seer comes in when the conscience has been touched. David came to it: "I have sinned greatly". The seer gave him light as to the mind of God so as to understand this wonderful new place and position in which the blessed God is to be served. Have we the seer for this? We get insight into the way in which God would be served, it is a new principle with which we want to be well acquainted.

Ques. David seems to add the altar, not the house?

C.A.C. David identified the altar with the house; if you have the altar you have the house in principle; one simple divine element involves all the rest. It is wonderful! So Jacob had the same, but he saw the house of God in it. Though there is nothing to see yet, we can have the whole truth about the house in our soul.

Ques. Does it not suggest the greatness and value of the death of Christ in all this?

C.A.C. Well, surely.

When we have judged ourselves we get ability to see how God is approached and to think of others and see value in them and so be prepared to suffer for them. David had a deep sense of the divine value of this way of approach to God as we see in the six hundred shekels. Do we value the wonderful way of approach to God that has been opened up to us? Ornan valued the exercises of David but we are not told how he arrived at this.

Ques. How do we reconcile sovereignty and it reaching us experimentally?

C.A.C. We have to take account of both. In sovereign mercy we have redemption; we have been transferred from Adam to Christ in new creation, all on the ground of God's sovereign mercy. We have to take account of saints in that way. I am poor, I have few shekels, but we take account of the saints as "in Christ Jesus". You find the two lines coalesce. The experimental line is always humiliating; you never had an experience with God in your life that was not humiliating, while sovereign mercy brings you into things at a stroke. Ornan saw all that David saw. Ornan hides himself when he sees the angel, he disappears. He gets ability to contribute to the divine way. It was a great contribution, "the oxen for the burnt-offering, and the threshing-sledges for wood, and the wheat for the oblation", and he says, "I give it all". David had come to the divine measure of the thing, six hundred shekels of gold, and the weight of it is given. It represents a saint breaking bread, one who has come to the sense of a divine way of approach to God. He values the new movement throwing the old dispensation entirely into the shade. It was the most important moment in the history of Israel; God was giving light as to a new approach to Him all on the footing of sovereign mercy. Ornan shows you the gentile distinguished; it is really the mystery.

Ques. Is not this a beautiful coupling brought together?

C.A.C. I think that is interesting. It is new. That is what gives such exuberance to the morning meeting, because we are brought into it purely in mercy. So the threshing-floor of Ornan represents the great principle of sovereign mercy.

Rem. Solomon mentions mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1).

C.A.C. This principle is carried through into the full

thought of God, so that however much we come into the light and blessing of sonship we come into it having the light of sovereign mercy; it is carried through. So we not only get sovereign mercy in Romans, but we get it in Ephesians.

Rem. Moriah means 'visions of Jah'.

C.A.C. Yes. This chapter is an illustration typically of a soul learning the truth of Romans and Galatians, getting free from the old system and coming into the liberty of the new position. It is as if God would say, 'Well, there is nothing here of you, everything here is of Me'. We never touch real liberty until we reach that, that everything that we stand in is of God. There is a pure product. I think we come here to do a bit of beating out so as to get rid of the chaff and get the pure wheat. The Jew is not great enough to fill God's house, you must have the gentile to fill God's house.

Ques. How are we to understand the action of Ornan's four sons?

C.A.C. It is suggestive that they have come to the same point morally as David had; they went out of sight in the presence of the destroying angel. But they come into sight again; the oxen are given.

Rem. It says David was afraid (verse 30). It is good to fear.

C.A.C. We ought to be afraid of the old system of things -- afraid to enquire at Gibeon, knowing what it is to be in the acceptance of the burnt-offering in the threshing-floor. And there is no linking on with the old system; it is discarded and David will not go back to it. We do not want a system that recognises man in the flesh, and the whole system of the religious world does. David represents the believer entirely delivered from the old system, and he is afraid of it. Solomon answers more to Hebron; the old system is brought spiritually into the

light of the new in the sonship of Christ. We have to do at the present time with a system entirely new, all of God, and it all centres in Christ and in the burnt-offering; it has nothing to do with man after the flesh. We can hardly understand what a new thing it was for God to set up an altar of burnt-offering in the floor of Ornan.

Ques. Why is it "burnt-offerings and peace-offerings" (verse 26)?

C.A.C. I think it shows how completely David has come over to the divine side. He has finished with the old and he sees a new system all of God and all subsisting in the value of the burnt-offering. We realise our spiritual unity when we come together, a brother says what is making you supremely happy, what is welling up in your own heart. He had no right after the old system, but there is no restriction whatever in the house; there is no silent brother in the house.

Rem. That is a difficult question.

C.A.C. I do not think so, because everyone is so happy.

Rem. Every one says "Glory" (Psalm 29:9).

C.A.C. There is not time for many but in the principle of it every brother's heart is ready. The principle of the house is liberty. All this is on the way to sonship which we get in the next chapter.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 22

1 Chronicles 22:1 - 19

C.A.C. This, it is clear, is a chapter in preparation for the new order.

Ques. Why do you speak of it as a new order?

C.A.C. Because it stands in contrast to the old order in connection with the tabernacle, everything having broken down in connection with the old order. God began afresh on the principle of the sovereignty of His mercy, and the house was to be built in connection with that principle.

Rem. So the house and the altar are put in the first verse.

C.A.C. Yes, the fact that David had been accepted and his offering answered by fire showed he was accepted according to the new order and that the house was to stand in that connection.

Ques. There are only four instances in Scripture where God answered by fire, I believe, showing, would you say, that the offering was according to His own thought and desire?

C.A.C. Yes, God found pleasure in it. So that from this moment the whole book is a preparatory instruction in view of the house being fully set up -- so it is most important for us.

Ques. "Elohim" is added here. What is the import of that?

C.A.C. I suppose it is God known as in relation to men. Elohim by itself would speak of His creatorial power; but Jehovah Elohim is what He is in relations

with men, a very precious thing to think of. He loves to be in relationship to men, to have men near Him, and to have them in His own house on His own terms.

All that follows in this book is preparatory, and we must go through this course of education if we are to be near to God in His house and serve Him. This book was written for those who had returned from the captivity, so that it specially applies to us, for God had saints of the present period specially in view. It was intended for instruction for us if we have known what it is to come back from captivity. It is all based upon His own sovereign mercy, and what power is going to overturn that? So we have the selection of Ornan the Jebusite, whose ancestors should have been killed in Joshua's time, and David gets all "the strangers" -- it is all sovereign mercy. It is prophetic that God is going to give the gentiles a great place in His house. If that does not give us joy, I do not know what will! It should be imbedded in our souls that we have to do with God in sovereign mercy alone. We never had any promises or covenants, yet are given a place in His house. And the material is suitable, for if God is working on the line of sovereign mercy He must have suitable material; there is no limit to this preparation. Well, that is the way that God prepares for His house. It is not the finished product here, it is the material. Most of us are in the very early stages, not finished material.

But the thing is there in its completeness in the mind of God, and it is a complete thing in the mind of faith. There may be nothing to see, but faith is entitled to see the full thought of God. The saints are taken up sovereignly in order that they may be eventually a finished product to make up the house worthily. As far as I see, the wrought stones are the saints viewed from the standpoint of the divine calling. The Lord said, "Thou art

Peter" (Matthew 16:18). He was a stone in the calling of God.

Rem. And you see how developed he was in the epistles.

C.A.C. So that the saints can be viewed in that light -- "Ye also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22). That looks at the saints as wrought stones brought into their place. We need this view. The calling of God had nothing to do with any behaviour on our part; God called us because He chose us. God has prepared the works beforehand in the light of Christ; you could not add anything. I do not know that I am authorised to do anything that Christ did not do.

I think it is very beautiful to see the Lord as the antitype of David preparing the material in the days of His flesh and after His resurrection. The eleven were all divine material, and hundreds of other saints.

Rem. And the strangers "from every nation of those under heaven" (Acts 2:5).

C.A.C. And it extends out to the gentiles in chapter 11.

Rem. "And I have other sheep which are not of this fold; those also I must bring" (John 10:16).

C.A.C. God's thought from the outset was to bring in the gentiles. Whether it was iron or brass or cedar wood, it all represents the kind of material suitable for the house.

Ques. What do the workmen represent?

C.A.C. The workmen represent those whom God has fitted to carry on this work. The apostles were all skilled men for the work of the house. It is all opened out in the succeeding chapters and developed in great detail, the order of the Levites and so on.

Ques. Why is only the burnt-offering mentioned?

C.A.C. I suppose that all is looked at from the divine

side; it is not a question of the sin-offering or the trespass-offering.

Rem. There is remarkable detail given, even the nails of the gates are mentioned -- the minuteness of it! I suppose Barnabas was a nail, opening the doors for Paul to come in.

C.A.C. It suggests the idea of things being firmly held together, which is an important thing.

If we think of Christ in His David character providing all the material -- it is without limit, He provides everything. All these things represent what the saints are brought to know of God through Christ; there is no other material. Look at the impressions the apostles got from the Lord Jesus, which they never forgot, and which entered into their service in the assembly. So that to ponder the gospels would form us very much for the house. We should get impressions of God through the Lord Jesus suitable to form a constituent part of God's house.

Rem. It is the house more on the side of God being served here.

C.A.C. I think it is service Godward that is in view; and how acceptable to God if we can bring in impressions of Himself that we have received through the Lord Jesus. His mediatorial service has not ceased; He is still ready to give us these impressions now, and continually. Then we get the great fact that the house can only be built as the thought of sonship is entertained.

Rem. When Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16), the Lord recognised at once the material for the house.

C.A.C. That exactly fits in with what we are saying. The house could not be built without the Son, and the thought in Solomon is not introduced in a mature way; you do not get that until the second book of Chronicles. I refer, of course, to the apprehension that the saints have

of Him; it is fully matured in Him, but not with them in apprehension. It sets forth that we do not come at once to the mature thought of Christ as Son. In the gospels we get two things, the thought of David collecting the material and also the thought of sonship, both here and there as set forth in Christ.

Rem. This is where Paul's ministry comes in.

C.A.C. You have not the mature thought of Christ in sonship till Christ was in glory. It was left to Paul, and with him you get the thought in maturity; it is not a "young and tender" thought.

Rem. So we do not get it until the return from the captivity.

C.A.C. Satan would connect His sonship with His deity. Scripture always connects Christ's sonship with His humanity and so brings us into it. None of us has the slightest apprehension of sonship till we see it in Christ. The apostles on the mount were told "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON" (Matthew 17:5). They learnt sonship first in Christ, and we all have to learn it first in Him. And at the end of that chapter He speaks of "sons" -- "Then are the sons free" (verse 26). You go, the Lord says, to the sea for a fish and give them something "for me and thee" (verse 27), that is, He puts Himself along with Peter in sonship -- it is beautiful! I do not think that we apprehend sonship until we see it in Christ, and hear Him say, "For me and thee". With most of us the thought of sonship is very immature; it is undeveloped, so we are just typically where Solomon is in this chapter, though we do not need to remain there. We all have, I suppose, some thought of it. Martha had some thought of it, "I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who should come into the world"(John 11:27), but very little.

Ques. But we need not be discouraged?

C.A.C. The Scriptures always comfort us; they

expose us, but they never depress us. If I have only begun, well, what a great thing that is. I have not come to stand, or kneel alongside the man in John 9; he has reached the mature thought, it seems to me. So it is reached in suitable material; it is what I know of God that constitutes me such. "The greatest and precious promises, that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). As we take in the promises and live on them we become so.

Rem. "Conformed to the image of his Son" (Romans 8:29).

C.A.C. That is the mature thought, not the "young and tender" thought. One of the first thoughts that I had when converted was, 'Man's thoughts never rise above service and God's thoughts never go below sonship', and I put it into my first preaching.

Rem. "We have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father" (John 1:14). Is that the mature idea?

C.A.C. I thought so, because John is writing as having come to the maturity of it all. He writes his gospel, "That ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (John 20:31). The whole gospel is written to bring us to a mature thought of the Son of God. It is a turning-point in the soul when it comes to look at Christ in relation to God. With the young convert it is different; he is full and rightly so of what the Saviour has done for him. But Christ stands in relation to God in the most blessed relationship of affection. If the house is built upon that, what kind of a place it would be! God's house is made up of people who have all come under the influence of sonship as set forth in Christ, and that determines our relationship with God though He has a distinction attaching to Himself, a glory about Him that will never be shared; but the position and relationship we share. We see what

saints have lost for many centuries through not apprehending the sonship of the Lord in manhood.

It is very touching that David has prepared all this in His affliction. I think that it was a suggestion that all the provision for the house is the result of the sufferings of Christ. You cannot detach any part of it from the sufferings of Christ. In Hebrews you get, "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make perfect the leader of their salvation through sufferings" (Hebrews 2:10). It is through His afflictions that everything is brought in. It is like Psalm 22, where you get the afflictions of Christ in a most profound way, and yet you get the results, "In the midst of the congregation will I praise thee". It is the house.

Rem. "Thou that dwellest amid the praises of Israel": He said that on the cross.

C.A.C. It was in His heart that the praises of God should be in the hearts and on the lips of His people, it is really the house.

Ques. At the end of the chapter all the princes are commanded to help; who are they?

C.A.C. They are those who are able to come into this blessed work and further it. It suggests ability in the saints really to help on the work in the house of God.

Rem. And it says God is with them.

C.A.C. Yes, what we find in the end of this book, and it is a very great chapter, is that all the people are brought into it with Solomon in that way, to offer willingly; and it results in one of the greatest ascriptions of praise to God found in the Old Testament. So we are all brought into it.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 23

1 Chronicles 23:1 - 5, 24 - 32

C.A.C. In the previous chapter the thought of material is prominent, the preparation of material; but in this chapter and in the chapters that follow it is the thought of the personnel. It is quite clear that material without persons would not result in very much.

I suppose the effect of knowing Christ as David would be that we should be prepared to come under Him as Solomon. So that David at the end of his days, so to speak, hands over not only prepared material, but prepared persons.

Ques. It is significant that this takes place before David died, so that there is a kind of dual rule. What is the reason for that?

C.A.C. I thought it showed that David and Solomon must both be taken account of, one might say, at the same time. You see, David has to do with the subjection of contrary elements. All dealings with the workings of the flesh, for instance, do not come under Solomon at all; David has to do with that (and the Lord has to deal with it in us). The subduing of what is adverse belongs to David, not Solomon. Solomon is introduced, not in a mature way, but as young and tender, signifying the early apprehension of the soul as to Christ in sonship; therefore that element in the souls of the saints is to be helped and energised and strengthened, because in the apprehension of Christ as Solomon, as the Son of the Father's love, we are really prepared persons for the service of the house.

Rem. We get the "sons" of so-and-so repeatedly in this chapter.

C.A.C. Yes. I think the thought of sonship is introduced in Solomon, and the house is to be under Christ as Son, that is, His activities in lordship do not enter into it: in that He is dealing with contrary elements in you and me, and until subdued we cannot possibly take part in the service of the house. There is to be a subdued order of peace in which we can enter into service in divine completion.

This chapter is the Levite chapter, and the next is the priestly chapter. Unless contrary elements are subdued, we cannot possibly be Levites or priests. All in the house is under Christ as Son, Hebrews tells us; so that the great help given to the church in recent years as to the sonship of Christ has a direct bearing on the service of the house and is to prepare us for the service. Not only is material required but persons, so the next three chapters are full of names of persons -- material is not enough. It is all here in a certain sense, but we want it, not in the Bible, but in the saints. Take the hymn book, for instance, containing beautiful hymns of praise and worship; what is it worth without persons to sing the hymns?

Rem. "Set your heart and your soul" (chapter 22: 19).

C.A.C. Yes, that is persons. The first levitical service is viewed in a comprehensive way because it really includes what is priestly. "Twenty-four thousand were to preside over the work of the house of Jehovah; and six thousand were officers and judges; and four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised Jehovah with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith" (verses 4, 5). It requires persons.

Ques. Prepared persons, would you say, under the hand of David?

C.A.C. Yes; I think typically all these persons in these

chapters are prepared under the hand of David and ordered by him, though they are going to be continued by Solomon. It is most important and ought to be done quickly. With us it is often very slow work; but in this chapter all are subdued, so they can be officers and judges and use the instruments -- so they are all prepared servants. Yet Solomon's temple is nothing compared with what we have to do with today. I cannot take up anything that God has not prepared me for -- none of us can.

Ques. In the first verse, was this the maturity of him as lord?

C.A.C. I think his work, his subduing work, is finished, and all is to be handed over to Solomon -- to be under the blessed influence of sonship as seen in Christ. Of course, in our own history the two things overlap. There is a suggestion of the two. The authority of Christ as Lord, rebuking and subduing what is of nature, goes on with us all, but that is not quite the teaching of the type. Then when David comes to the end of his days the work is finished and persons are handed over as qualified. The thought of sonship runs through these chapters and certainly dominates the position with Solomon.

I think there must be the spirit of sonship in us to appreciate sonship in Christ, but God sets it forth in its perfection in Christ and we learn it there.

Ques. Our experience normally is to be under the lordship of David and then under Solomon?

C.A.C. That is the teaching. It will not help us much to see how much we have entered into it, but you want to see the teaching. So here twenty-four thousand qualified persons are over the work of the house. You get multiples of twelve, an important number with the Lord; He appointed twelve.

Rem. In the one hundred and twenty at the beginning

of Acts you get a multiple. They are qualified persons for the house.

C.A.C. In the time of the apostles, the elders carried out the responsibility; we all have to do it now. Of course, elder brethren have a responsibility that does not attach to younger ones, that is always true. None of the people contemplated here are novices, they are capable persons. The number twelve shows that order is a great matter in connection with the service of God. I think it is the thought of order -- nothing is left indefinite, at a loose end. The one hundred and forty-four thousand in Revelation 7 and Revelation 11 all carry the same thought of things set in divine order.

Ques. Should each have a definite service in the house?

C.A.C. I think so, the thought in the service of the house of God is that we know how to blend with others. Liberty in Scripture is always subordinated to order. "Let all things be done comelily and with order". So no one can plead liberty as an excuse for disorder.

Rem. "The perfect law, that of liberty" (James 1:25), is that it?

C.A.C. Yes. I think that is a very good illustration. These appointments were very important. There are six thousand officers and judges; that is the disciplinary element in the service; without that everything would go to pieces. Then the doorkeepers, there are four thousand of these; for lack of them the church has come to disorder today, and it has led to ruin in the church. And lastly there are four thousand "Who praised Jehovah with instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith". The Lord has made the instruments; no instruments are of any melody in the house of God but what Christ has made. Christ has made instruments that are suitable to the praise of God. Now, can we handle those

instruments? That is the question.

Rem. In Colossians 3, "Let the word of the Christ dwell in you richly". That is the necessary preliminary before psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

C.A.C. Quite so. I think that is it. You see the instruments of praise now are those that Christ has made, so that we are to take up the praise of God as brought out by the Lord Jesus. He has brought out the whole way in which God is to be praised, there is no room for innovations.

Ques. Is there a difference in blessing and praising, verse 13 and verse 30?

C.A.C. Yes, the praising would be Godward, and the blessing would be manward.

Ques. Would you say more as to the instruments -- is it apprehension of Christ?

C.A.C. I think the instruments of praise were made by Christ coming into manhood, taking up a place relative to God as Man, so that how He knew God and how He praised becomes the standard of praise. Nothing less than that would really be acceptable to God.

Ques. Is the praise a good deal the outcome of suffering?

C.A.C. Quite so; and the Lord has established the praises of God by His own suffering. I think Psalm 22 would establish that; He was suffering with the praises of God in His heart, that they might come into human hearts.

At the end of the chapter it is interesting to see that God wants the younger brethren in His service; it is the final thing that David thought about. It is very important that the younger brethren should come into the service. If they wait now till they are thirty, the probability is they will never come into it. The service is so vast and marvellous in its extent that there is scope for everyone. I do

not think the Lord is pleased with a meeting where only old brothers take part. David strikes ten years off the limitation. We like to see the young men at the care meeting; how otherwise can they learn the character of the house of God?

The last addition he makes to the service is to lower the age to twenty years. It is put there to encourage the younger brethren to come forward in the service -- that is why it is put there.

Rem. In Exodus 24:5 the young men are mentioned.

C.A.C. Yes, and it is a feature that is very pleasing to God. It is what we need to be exercised about. The service cannot go on in divine order without young men.

Rem. And it is continually -- to stand every morning and evening to thank and praise Jehovah. It is a continuous thought therefore.

C.A.C. And he goes on to speak of the variety of the service. The levitical service is to be suitable to the priesthood, verse 28, and then he goes on to speak of it all in detail; it is most important to consider it.

Rem. It is rather interesting that "they cast lots ... . the small as well as the great, the teacher with the scholar".

C.A.C. That is the idea; Scripture is full of it; they blend together. The Lord sat on the ass and He sat on the colt; He would control both. All this is encouraging. Of course, the younger ones learn from the older ones, so that the older ones should serve with intelligence so that the younger ones can safely follow them.

Ques. Is there a change of service here?

C.A.C. It does not mean that the carrying service is over, but it is not the question here; that is another matter. A man cannot serve if he does not know how to carry through the wilderness so that what sets forth

Christ is not damaged. But all that is done with here; it is another character here. It would be all wrong for a man to serve in the house who was not right in the wilderness.

Ques. Why is it the family of Levi here?

C.A.C. I think because here it is the general thought of service in the house. The levitical is more general than the priestly family but the latter is included in it.

Ques. Would you say a word about the working out of the principle of courses in the service of God today?

C.A.C. Yes. It seems to me that the great principle of order entered into it. Each course had its day. I think it would suggest mutuality and the acceptance of responsibility. The danger is that we are content often to let others do the service, but that is not levitical. All are priests, are they not? Well, why should they not serve? God would encourage liberty in these matters and show the vast range of material over which we can travel in the service of God, the shewbread, the meat-offering, the unleavened cakes and that which is baked or fried. So there is something that any brother could take up. No brother could say, 'There is nothing for me to touch in the service of God'.

Rem. They would make progress in that way.

C.A.C. Yes, I think so. The shewbread would be the saints as before God in the life of Christ and therefore exceedingly pleasurable to Him -- a thought to enter the service whenever we come together, and so of the oblation, the fine flour; all this is to enter into the service, that is, that new and sinless life come into manhood.

It is an exhaustless theme, and God is never tired of listening to it brought out in praise. It is Christ and the Spirit apprehended objectively; it is "saturated with oil". God has given us the privilege of contemplating the Spirit objectively in Christ -- that which is saturated.

Rem. I do not quite understand.

C.A.C. In the blessed life of Christ you see the Spirit objectively; it was permeated with the Spirit.

We bring it before God, and how He loves to see us enter into it. Perhaps we say we cannot grasp it. Are we content not to grasp it? If so we are content to take the place of not being qualified. It is a great thing to contemplate the Spirit without any admixture. It would be mixed in me, so if you looked at me, you might be disappointed, but if you look at Christ, you will not be disappointed, you see manhood perfectly saturated with the Spirit. It is an essential part of His service; God loves to have that brought before Him.

There are three thoughts; the anointing, the mingling and the saturating with oil, and all three are in Christ. There you see a life anointed and mingling with the power of the Holy Spirit, and lastly there is the thought of saturation. He was saturated with the Spirit, so all He did and spoke was by the Spirit. Even in the resurrection He gave commandment by the Spirit.

Rem. There is the exhortation to "be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18).

C.A.C. We ought not to put that away from us as an impossibility, being filled with the Spirit; it is a spiritual possibility. How pleased God is to have these things brought before Him in the revived affections of a levitical company who can appreciate them, our whole soul permeated by virtue of the things we say.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 24 AND 25

1 Chronicles 24:1 - 31; 1 Chronicles 25:1 - 8

C.A.C. What we were seeing in chapter 23 was how the service of the Levites blended with that of the priests, intimating to us, I suppose, that the ministry of the word is always to have in view to help what is priestly. I believe the Lord would have all those who serve in the ministry of the word to have this in mind, that whatever they may take up in their ministry, the thought in their minds may be to further the service of God in a priestly way.

Ques. God's blessing is in view of what is for God?

C.A.C. Yes. We find servants in the New Testament, teachers and prophets, men at Antioch, and it is said of them that "they were ministering to the Lord", they were characterised by the priestly element.

Ques. Would Paul and Timothy set out the thing in a practical way? Paul sent Timothy to various assemblies. Would they illustrate "the small as well as the great"?

C.A.C. Yes, quite so. It is good to see that that is the end in view with all service carried on in the house of God. It is the end of all the service spoken of in the two epistles to Timothy, which are levitical in character. All has in view that the priestly service should be in order.

Ques. Is that why the sons of Aaron are to be divided with the sons of Levi in a detailed way?

C.A.C. God would impress on us that great matter at the present time, the carrying on of His service.

Rem. The sons of Levi were to unite with the sons of Aaron in that way.

C.A.C. There is a happy blend, all is co-ordinated

and ordered in these chapters. Every discord is eliminated and all are working harmoniously with the thought in view that the great service of God can go on.

Ques. Their place was sovereignly ordered?

C.A.C. We should all feel that we are committed to this matter. Room is made for the chief of the fathers, and for all the brethren, as well the small as the great. There is room for all to come into this matter, room for the youngest and smallest of us.

Rem. It is good to see that a place is allotted to the smallest -- their place.

Ques. How do we acquire priestly instincts and ability?

C.A.C. Do you not think that the Lord gives exercise to His servants, even to take up their service in a priestly way? Paul says, "God ... whom I serve in my spirit" (Romans 1:9). He was really in a priestly state, serving God. I suppose that in preaching Paul would have the same thought that he was ministering to God in the way that he preached. "We are a sweet odour of Christ to God, in the saved, and in those that perish" (2 Corinthians 2:15).

We are led on as we are able to see that the great thing is to minister to God. Paul says, "Carrying on as a sacrificial service the message of glad tidings of God, in order that the offering up of the nations might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:16). He is looking for the result for God; that seems the priestly touch.

Rem. I was thinking of Dorcas; she seemed to limit her work to what was levitical; then she died and after that the spiritual element comes in.

Rem. I thought we got a priestly touch in the sense of our relations to the true Aaron. It is an inheritance in a way, is that right?

Rem. I wondered if we were free to serve in this way

until moral questions are settled with us, and whether we can be on the level of priestly service until we are in the good of sonship?

C.A.C. This is the divine thought, that all that is levitical is to contribute to what is priestly. And all is set in order here, the ordering of things is in view of the house being built. We get the priestly family, of course, in chapter 24, the divisions and courses of the sons of Aaron. And we find amongst them those spoken of as "heads of fathers' houses" and "princes of the sanctuary and the princes of God" in verse 5, i.e. the thought of those who are personally qualified to give a lead in the priestly service. I think all these elements are in the mind of God to come into view in each local assembly.

Rem. It is a helpful principle to see the mind of God first, and then to see how that is developed.

C.A.C. With Asaph we come back from the twenty-four courses of the priesthood to think of the service of song.

Ques. Could you help as to "casting lots"?

C.A.C. Yes, the twenty-four courses have their position in the service assigned by lot; there is no self-choosing. We have to work along with the priesthood in its universal aspect, to take up our assigned place in relation to the universal service of God in a priestly way.

Ques. Does the lot not involve divine choice?

C.A.C. It is the principle of the service that everything is ordered, it is an ordered system.

Ques. There were more sons with Eleazar than with Ithamar?

C.A.C. Yes, the principle of sovereignty gives a greater place to some than to others.

Rem. No one gift is to predominate.

C.A.C. And all are related and correlated in divine wisdom. You see, the thought of courses has been quite

lost sight of in the religious world; you get one person carrying on the service. But God has recovered it. So that each member of the holy priesthood is to function in his day, that is, there is room for it. The Lord has been teaching us that the reduction of the size of the meeting makes it easier for the priestly courses to function.

Rem. In the beginning of Luke we get a priest fulfilling his course.

C.A.C. Yes, it says "He fulfilled his priestly service before God". Are we in our divinely allotted place? It is a question for us to raise for ourselves.

Rem. There is perfect blending, "One with another". It puts both together as "Princes of the sanctuary" and "Princes of God".

C.A.C. Naturally there might be some kind of feeling of jealousy, but spiritually there was none; they work in harmony. It is good to see the order in the house, even if we see it only in a small way; each course taken on as the other has finished.

In the assembly each brother should go on with the course where the other has finished, and the next after him and so on. I think that is the divine idea. So there is the progress of the service, until the whole spiritual year is accomplished in that way.

Rem. That would avoid repetition.

C.A.C. I doubt very much if repetition is pleasing to God in the assembly; we should move on in the service.

Ques. What of the separation of the priests for prophecy?

C.A.C. The military side comes in here. All that is done in a militant way is intended to be developed into the service of song. The faith has to be earnestly contended for (Jude 3). It is all that the service of song should be enhanced. The Reformation and whatever conflict for the truth there has been results in that.

Rem. You may get a victory as in Exodus or defeat as in the end of Samuel, but both lead to song.

C.A.C. The great revival of the truth as to Christ and the assembly resulted in a marked change in the service of song; hymns were written in the last hundred years such as were never written in the church before.

Rem. A good soldier would have the service of song before him.

C.A.C. No one contended for the truth like J.N.D., and no one contributed so much to the service of song; and all that grew out of the militant character that great servant had to take up in the conflict for the truth. We sang one of his songs tonight. I think that is the principle, and we should get on to that side of it, not considering that the conflict wastes time but thinking of what has come out of it. The conflict regarding the sonship of Christ has resulted in greater praise.

Then the thought of prophecy is very interesting, as in chapter 25: 1, 2 and 3, showing that the element of prophecy comes in in connection with the musical service.

I think the word "Direction" is very good. The Lord is Director of things. It is not headship, but more as Son over God's house. Everything is at the hand of the king through Asaph, and I think we need that. I think the Lord is seen very much as Director at the end of Luke; it is not exactly lordship or headship, but the Lord directing. I think the Lord has to direct us, so as to bring us into harmony with Himself, before He can come in as Head. It is a service on the mediatorial side which magnifies God and so directs us that we come into harmony with Him. Asaph was the director. Indeed, the very word is used in 2 Thessalonians 3:5, "The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God". I think it is a principle that we must accept, that He can direct us into

harmony with Himself.

Ques. First under the hands of Asaph and then at the direction of the king?

C.A.C. It is the principle of direction, and, of course, the Lord may use a brother that would direct us; He would use a word perhaps in the assembly. We need directing into the love of God and His thoughts. As Mediator, He directs us into the things of which He is the Mediator.

Then the principle of prophecy enters into it. In the most exalted service of the assembly this should have a place. Here, in what is addressed to God, is an element designed for the formation of the assembly. So that one taking part with his spirit ministers to God, but he should do so with his understanding also, so that the saints are helped, so that there is a prophetic element in it that helps the saints.

Rem. That makes two meetings!

C.A.C. This is the most refined and elevated character of service that we have, and the element of prophecy comes in, so that not only God gets something, but the saints too, this prophetic element adding to our knowledge of God, on the formation side, so that we are increased in our knowledge of God. Take Hymn 12, what a prophetic power there is in it. Who could sing it without being enlarged in the thought of Christ where He is and there for His people, and the priestly service of God? So there is something additional brought in: so that we get a touch of God we did not have before. It is in that character.

"All these were sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to exalt his power" (chapter 25: 5). It is not exactly God speaking to us, but words spoken that make much of God and the people of God; that is on the Ephesian line. Heman magnifies God. It is what we say

to God -- "the words of God". I think perhaps we have lost the sense of the things that are presented in this chapter; direction and this element of prophecy entering into the service of God.

Rem. Saul prophesied.

C.A.C. The effect of prophesying in divine power is to make other people prophesy. So a prophetic word in a meeting stimulates another good prophetic word.

The prominent thought when we come together in assembly has in view the service of divine Persons, but it has this thought of prophecy brought into it; so the morning meeting ought to edify us more than any other meeting.

Ques. How do instruction and skill enter into it (verse 7)?

C.A.C. I suppose it is the working out of the thing. "Twenty-four thousand" represents the assembly in its highest privilege of service, and all are represented as instructed and skilful.

Ques. Would it correspond with the prayer in Ephesians 3; the divine power is reflected in the saints?

C.A.C. The thing is presented in its ideal perfection first, and then there is a verse to encourage us so that the smallest one could come in (verse 8). If the apostle Paul were present he would not say anything that would not be true for the youngest. You get the prophetic touch in Ephesians 5:19: "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs". It is the prophetic side of the matter.

We may have a harp or lute, or a cymbal; there are different grades of service. The harp calls for the greatest skill. There are some hymns that the feeblest brother can enter into, and others need spiritual maturity. There is a united service in singing a hymn. It is a wonderful thing, a company of persons come up from the wilderness, and

so coming under the hand of the Lord, His direction and then His headship, that they can sing together to God! It moves heaven.

We get hopelessly formal; we need to enter in our affections into our singing. Fifty or sixty persons blending in their singing, magnifying God and His love -- why, it would be a little bit of heaven let down into the sordidness of this world!

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 26

1 Chronicles 26:13 - 28

C.A.C. These five chapters 23 - 27 are full of instruction, particularly as to service; so they are to be much pondered by those who wish to have part in the service of God. We get the priestly service, and the levitical service, and there is the general service.

What we come to tonight is the service of the doorkeepers. We were considering the singers last week, and it is noticeable that there were just as many singers as doorkeepers, four thousand of each, indicating that the service of song requires to be accompanied by the service of doorkeeping.

Ques. Is that to safeguard the service of song?

C.A.C. I thought so; this service must necessarily go alongside the service of song, and it is perpetual service, not something that acts once and is done with. Every time an Israelite came up to worship he came under the scrutiny of the doorkeepers. It would be linked up with the power to discriminate, especially as the doorkeepers evidently kept watch that there should be suitability to God in whoever approached Him; not whether it was a rich or a poor man, or whether he had qualifications recognised amongst men; that would not enter into their considerations at all, but was he suitable to enter into the service of God?

Ques. Can that be applied as a principle today, and how?

C.A.C. It not only may be applied, but it must be applied!

Rem. I wondered if it could be applied to each one of us individually? "Let a man prove himself, and thus eat" (1 Corinthians 11:28).

C.A.C. I think that is very good. It refers to the principle of holy watchfulness that applies to the service of God. So the persons are scrutinised all the time, and I do not think there could be any house of God without that. It is not only what sort of person comes into fellowship, but this comes in continually, it is the principle of holy vigilance in what concerns God.

Rem. "I will be hallowed in them that come near me" (Leviticus 10:3).

C.A.C. That is very helpful. I think the principle is seen in action in Hebrews 12:15: "Watching lest there be any one who lacks the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person".

It says you are to be on the watch that no evil thing come in. "They watch over your souls, as those that shall give account" (Hebrews 13:17).

It is a general principle now that there is a care meeting. The care meeting involves doorkeeping; it is to keep a careful watch that there is nothing contrary to God. If that is not it, I do not know what is!

Rem. It is not merely for accounts!

C.A.C. The great subject of care in the house of God is persons.

Rem. And not only the persons, but what they might bring in with them. Energy and often courage would be needed in the care.

C.A.C. Yes, it would take some courage in some of these men to speak plainly to someone who wanted to approach unsuitably, and say, 'You must go and wash your robes before you come in here'. But it would have to be said; it is part of the service. We did not come into fellowship

with the expectation that every part of it was going to be easy, did we? And this principle would be specially seen as exercised by the elders in the apostles' time, and in our day in the care meeting. The principle of care is to be exercised by every one of us, that the assembly and every individual member of it is suitable to the service of God.

Rem. We need faithfulness in pointing out what is unsuitable.

C.A.C. I plead guilty to having little courage, but that does not excuse me. You see, when the Lord was here, many things had a footing in what He spoke of as His Father's house, but then He dealt with it; that is the principle.

Rem. Paul called the elders together in Acts 20. He said, "Shepherd the assembly of God" (not feed) and "Watch". Is that the principle?

C.A.C. It is "The assembly of God, which he has purchased with the blood of his own". It is as much as to say He is entitled to it on the ground of purchase, and who is going to be bold enough to rob Him of it? We see that the service of song needs to be balanced by the service of doorkeeping.

Rem. It is easier to speak to God about people than to speak to them directly.

C.A.C. That is just where courage is needed in the service of God. It is perhaps a more important element in the service than we have been apt to think.

Rem. So that one coming up to the gates would expect to be scrutinised.

C.A.C. And that would lead to a wholesome fear, would it not? This would not only bear upon the service of song, but also upon the care of the treasures and of the dedicated things which followed.

Ques. Would you link the care meeting with every

gate? This function was exercised at the gates.

C.A.C. Yes, and every gate was furnished.

Rem. It would be a place of counsel and judgment, each gate, not to be exercised by one person only but it would be of general application to be effective.

C.A.C. Quite so. We are all in responsibility in regard to it, for we do not want the service of God to suffer.

Ques. Would the casting of lots show the necessity of divine choice?

C.A.C. Yes, and it is a principle that runs through the service; it is all a matter of divine assignment. It is a principle that we have to accept in connection with divine service.

Rem. The Lord has the disposing of the lot (Proverbs 16:33).

C.A.C. There is no mistake about the divine assignment of service. We have just to accept the position of service in which we are set.

Rem. The gates suggest that the service would be in our own locality.

C.A.C. So that this service is universal; there are four gates. The service of song and the service of doorkeeping is universal; and then we find that there is need for this care in view of the treasures in the house of God. It is a house furnished with treasures, which is a thought not much developed in Scripture until we come to this portion. They are to be conserved with great care.

Ques. To be kept there and not to go outside?

C.A.C. They are to be kept there and not to be diminished, these treasures, which are distinguished from the holy vessels. The treasures I should take to be what has taken form in the souls of the saints. The holy vessels of the sanctuary represent the divine side, things that are true in God and true in Christ; but the treasures represent something in addition to that. You see there is no

possibility of increasing what is on the divine side. You could not increase the ark, or the mercy-seat, or the table of shewbread, or the altar of incense. But when you come to the treasures, there is possibility of increase, and we all want to be in it.

Rem. "And I will fill their treasuries" (Proverbs 8:21).

C.A.C. Then they become capable of addition. Certain things are made good in the saints in relation to their affection and spiritual understanding, and this is just as great a reality as what is made good in Christ, and these are the treasures in the house. The possibility of expansion on that side is unlimited.

Rem. "Which thing is true in him and in you" (1 John 2:8).

C.A.C. Yes. The New Testament Scriptures were written by men who had the substance of the things in their souls. It was all in John's soul before he put it down in his gospel and epistles. It is what is inwrought in the saints; and how important to conserve that.

The dedicated treasures are an advance. You get the treasures in verses 20 - 22, and then the dedicated treasures follow. So you find such a brother as Saul or Joab, that he turns out to have had something more than you expected! We come across a brother like that sometimes. A man may end his course badly; Joab and Saul ended badly, under the judgment of God, and yet they left something to be preserved. We have some hymns written by those who have gone out; they are among the dedicated things. They are the spoils of conflicts, acquired through taking part in the testimony.

Ques. Should everyone acquire something through conflict?

C.A.C. In every controversy and conflict that arises in relation to the truth there is a gaining side and a losing side. If on the divine side, there is great gain, if not, there

is loss; so that those who miss their way in times of controversy go back altogether and seem to lose what they had. But those who go on with God get spoil that can be brought into the house of God.

Ques. The names of these men might suggest something?

C.A.C. Samuel represents a spiritual man who finished his course with joy. Joab and Saul finished badly, but they left something that was of equal value with the dedicated things. This would have a special bearing on the conflict of the last days. The battle for the testimony during the last hundred years has yielded permanent treasure, and it is part of the service of God to see that none of it is lost. No one is competent to serve God intelligently today who does not understand the conflicts of the last hundred years.

We are to take account of the treasures and dedicated things. It is a great thing to take account of the work of God in His people. The treasures would be rather what the saints know of God as revealed in Christ, what has taken form in the saints. We can see it clearly in the beginning; what wonderful things took form in the souls of the apostles before the New Testament was written, what took form in the minds and souls of those favoured men.

Rem. The introduction of the dedicated things is by king David and the chief fathers and the captains in verse 26, king David being in the lead.

C.A.C. Showing that it is a military matter, and that comes down to every one of us. Suppose we have to contend for any part of the truth, to contend earnestly for the faith; it pays very well to contend for it, for you get much more established in the faith than you were before.

In recent times I suppose that no one engaged in so many conflicts as J.N.D., but then look at the spoil that

came out; every error met brought out the truth more clearly than before.

Rem. 'The Sufferings of Christ' was spoil that came out as a dedicated thing.

C.A.C. Yes, we ought to think of the wonderful working of God that has brought out this spoil through His servants, and we ought not to let it be stolen or damaged. It is to be held in every locality, and I think that is what comes out in chapter 27. We find that everything is under divine control and there are storehouses in every village, which would suggest local assemblies. What we find in chapter 27 is the detail of the management of king David, the divisions; it is typical of all the service which comes under the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 12 there are "Distinctions of services, and the same Lord". I believe that covers chapter 27, everything is looked after. I suppose if we took up the truth as set forth in I Corinthians, we should find everything is provided for and looked after. They were not in the good of it, but it was there, and Paul wrote that they might come into the good of it; and it is for us to come into the good of it now, and see that all the servants are under the same Lord.

Rem. It speaks of great wealth generally, oil and wine and herds. It seems to cover the whole inheritance.

C.A.C. Yes, it does.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 27

1 Chronicles 27:25 - 34

C.A.C. I thought it would be instructive to distinguish between the service by courses, which has occurred mostly in these last five chapters, and the service in a departmental way which comes before us in the verses read. I think we need the instruction; it would be simple if we did not, but I think we can see how important it is in relation to the working out of the thoughts of God in the assembly.

Ques. Would you open up your thought as to departmental service? Does it apply to service today?

C.A.C. I think it is important to recognise that the Lord's matters and service are distributed, that each one has to take up his own department and not be diverted from it by occupation with what others may have to do; he must get on with his own part. But it is important before we come to that side of things that we should understand the bearing of serving by courses: it is obvious there was no variety in the service. It was taken up by different courses; twenty-four courses of priests and twenty-four of Levites and the twelve courses in relation to the king's matters, but in each case it was one service, there was no variety in the service, for in all service Godward there is uniformity, it is universally the same.

Ques. Just as the offerings were uniform in Numbers 7?

C.A.C. Quite so, whatever one course of the priests had to do in its service, each other course had to do, the service was precisely the same. It passed into many hands;

the vessels of service were named and came in rotation, but the service was exactly the same; and everyone in the holy priesthood was competent to take part in it. It is very important that we should have that in our minds.

Ques. Is it an obligatory service?

C.A.C. Well, of course it is. The holy priesthood was called to take it up. At the same time it is an immense privilege. In the service of the assembly all know God in the same way. There is not the slightest variation in the way the saints know God. All the saints know Him as revealed in Christ. There is perfect unity in the fact that they all have the Spirit of sonship by which they cry, "Abba, Father". There is positive unity so that it is one service wherever it goes on; and it goes on in courses and does not depend on one or on a few, but is committed to the holy priesthood. Now, I wish the brothers would help; this is a great subject.

Rem. Ephesians 4:13 would bear on this.

C.A.C. This is simple foundation truth spoken of here. I am thinking of the character of the service of God and the unity of it.

Rem. It is the way in which all the saints are set in the light of the Father, not how far we have moved.

C.A.C. These types present the thing as it is in the mind of God, and to see what is in His mind helps us because it is true for all saints.

Rem. They followed the instructions.

C.A.C. Yes, actively. Everyone in the holy priesthood is ready for his turn in the service. There is no thought suggested in Scripture that there should be a holy priest not ready to take his turn. That is God's thought of the holy priesthood -- it is not a one-man matter or for a few -- it is a beautiful conception of the priesthood. And, of course, this applies in principle to sisters just as much as to brothers. They are to be silent in the assembly, but

they are not silent because not taking part or not ready. Every sister must be ready for the service. One of the greatest and best priests in the New Testament is a woman, and an old one too. She departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day -- that was the service.

Now we are all to be in trim for the service. I would repeat it, we should all, brothers and sisters alike, be ready for the service. In the assembly at one particular moment one brother expresses audibly what is in the hearts of all, in every sister's heart and every brother's heart.

Ques. While we should be available, there is some part of the service for each, would you say?

C.A.C. It is to be carried out in liberty; everyone is free. Each one is perfectly free to take part at any moment in the service, that is the divine conception.

Ques. It says earlier that they were with the king for his service; is that it?

C.A.C. Yes, they were available, and we should all be ready when our turn comes, every brother should be ready to voice what is in the hearts of all. It is in his heart; he would not be a brother if it is not. Why does he not express it? He has not to manufacture it or make pretty words, and it is inside every other heart.

Rem. "That ye may with one accord, with one mouth, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 15:6).

C.A.C. That is exactly what I had in mind. Romans is an elementary epistle; the Spirit of sonship is in every heart, and it is not silent, that is, we cry "Abba, Father". It is not a silent thing, it is a cry, and on that ground with one another we can glorify God, so it is a unity of service taken up in courses. The thought of courses enters into the service of God in its highest character.

We have often remarked that this book is written for remnant times, showing how the greatest thoughts of God can be taken up and worked out in remnant times. There is competency for service in every member of the priestly service. The devil would like to make us believe that we are incompetent. If we have the Spirit of sonship we are competent, that is, normally speaking, when walking uprightly. The thought is that the sons are all free and all competent. I have it in my heart and every brother and sister has; who is going to voice it? I ought to be eager to be the one.

Ques. Would 1 Corinthians 12 give the order?

C.A.C. That comes in with the departmental service, for 1 Corinthians 12 is differing, and we must understand what it is to be all alike. In 1 Corinthians 1 you get "Those sanctified in Christ Jesus", that is unity, and the Lord's supper in chapter 11, which unifies the saints, but in chapter 12 you come to the different services of the Spirit allotted to each one, what belongs to him personally. This is hardly the direct service of God, but each individual takes up his own department and fills it out. I think practically we begin with the assembly, where we are all in the presence of God for service, but we are all alike; all appreciate the precious and adoring thoughts that come into my heart. Well, I will get up and express it; is that not how it works?

You do not say anything that is your own in the assembly; what you say is in each heart -- the outshining of God's love and His purposes and counsels. I do not know why we "come together" otherwise. I think that the priestly touch enters into every service, into preaching for instance. It is manward and Godward. Every word that Paul spoke went up as a sweet savour to God.

We are still restricted, partly because souls are not in liberty, not really free, but bound about with grave-clothes.

The bonds of the religious world are more hampering than we think, the thought of one man only taking part, instead of thinking, I have to carry it on. It does not follow that every brother takes part in every meeting, but the divine thought is that every one is available to take part, and all in liberty. When we have eaten the Supper and the Lord has His place, it is found that we are all alike, if you could look into every heart.

Ques. "To each one of us has been given grace" (Ephesians 4:7); is that the departmental thought?

C.A.C. Yes, because grace is given to work it out, and then he goes on to speak of gifts, they differ -- that is departmental. You begin the week with the assembly, and then the departmental service is taken up in the light of the circle where all are alike, where all are in the liberty of sonship. It is important in the way of God getting His part. None of us are mere listeners but all taking part. Priesthood is dependent on sonship, so that priests are intelligent and would know what part of the service is requisite next, and that is a check on brothers, for the sisters know what should come next and if I give out unsuitable hymns they are all sorry.

There is a further part of the teaching in the earlier verses of chapter 27. What you find is that there is the service of the king in every matter, and there are twenty-four to took after it. This is not exactly priestly or levitical service, but giving attention to work connected with the king. There were twenty-four thousand for this, and there would be equal faithfulness, for it would be a question of fellowship and maintaining what is due to the Lord. We are all committed to it. There are twelve courses in regard to this service. Twelve and twenty-four are universal numbers, so I think any particular course would represent any particular local assembly. Now we are all alike on that footing.

Rem. "God is faithful, by whom ye have been called" (1 Corinthians 1:9).

C.A.C. Yes, and therefore we have to be faithful to maintain what is connected with the fellowship. The courses go right round, and we are to be ready to take our turn in anything that touches what is due to the Lord.

Rem. Lydia was judged "to be faithful to the Lord".

C.A.C. Yes, she is a model for all. It applies to every saint. If any matter has to be dealt with for the honour of the Lord, we are all in it, every sister as well as every brother.

Ques. Who do the rulers over these divisions represent?

C.A.C. It is all a matter of order. Practically the princes give a lead in these matters, but then everyone must take his share in it.

Rem. "We beg you, brethren, to know those who labour among you, and take the lead among you in the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 5:12). They would be the rulers.

C.A.C. Yes, I thought so. These courses represent things in which we all have our share and should be prepared to take our turn. It may be painful or distressing, but I must be prepared for it if it is my turn. I think it all helps us to take up our individual service, and each one his own particular department.

The knowledge of these principles would preserve us from taking up any department of the work which would interfere with unity. All the different officers are members of one body (Romans 12:4), so they do not bring in any element of division, but co-operation.

Ques. What are the king's treasures?

C.A.C. We all know that the Lord has great treasures. There are all these departments which tend to enrich and magnify the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rem. Archippus was told, "Take heed to the ministry ... that thou fulfil it" (Colossians 4:17).

C.A.C. Yes, we need exercise as to whether I know what department the Lord has set me in. I ought to know. The Lord would be very pleased to let me know and then we should go on with it diligently (Romans 12:7, 8). Find out your part and go on with it. It would save us from independency if we began with a spiritual understanding of the courses; then we should not bring in any element of discord.

Ques. Why are Ahithophel and Joab mentioned among them?

C.A.C. I think to show the whole matter is viewed from the divine side. They both fell out of their department, as many have done. They had selfish motives working which took them out of the unity of the service. So there is a warning that we should know what our department is and go on diligently with it. It is very important that we should understand how to work according to the courses first, and then take up our departmental service in the light of that, and then it will always harmonise and never conflict with what other brethren are doing.

SERVICE BY COURSES AND BY OFFICES

(Notes of an Address)

1 Chronicles 23 - 27

It will be found helpful to consider the difference between two kinds of service which are clearly distinguished in the appointments of king David. In 1 Chronicles 23:6 it is written that David divided the Levites into courses, of which there were twenty-four courses of the sons of Aaron. These composed the priestly family. There were also twenty-four courses of Levites (1 Chronicles 25:8 - 31). Both the priests and the Levites served in relation to the house of Jehovah. Then there were also twelve courses of chief fathers and captains of thousands and their officers who served the king month by month throughout the months of the year (1 Chronicles 27:1 - 15). And, in addition to those who served by courses, another class was composed of men who served in certain distinctive offices which were permanent, and did not pass from one to another (1 Chronicles 27:25 - 31).

We need to understand the teaching of all this if we are to serve God intelligently and in an orderly way, as He intends us to do. It would be generally admitted that believers have been saved that they might serve, and yet there is a great deal of uncertainty and much time wasted, because many have a very vague idea of how they ought to serve. Many dispose of the responsibility

by assuming that others are better qualified to serve than they are, but according to the truth no one is better qualified to do my part in the service than I am. People in the world speak of what is called the 'inferiority complex', which describes a morbid tendency to underrate one's own abilities. It is quite possible to suffer from this tendency in a spiritual sense. No doubt some overrate themselves, and go beyond their true measure in self-confidence and by the use of natural ability. But I believe it is a more common failure to hold back from doing what ought to be done on the ground that others can do it better. But consideration of the service as it is set before us in the Scriptures would help us all into greater liberty.

To begin with, it should be recognised that each believer having the Spirit is one of the holy priesthood, and is qualified to serve in a priestly way, and that this service Godward is the same universally. Each of the twenty-four courses of the priesthood had to carry on in its turn the same service; all were equally qualified for it. It is evident that, according to the truth, the same knowledge of God as revealed in Christ is in the heart of every saint. And the Spirit of sonship is in every heart. These precious divine realities qualify every believer for priestly service. I am not thinking, for the moment, of how souls may be darkened by bad teaching, or damaged by unfaithfulness. I am speaking of normal conditions according to the truth of the glad tidings, and assuming the maintenance of holy conditions. The teaching of the "priestly" courses is that the whole priesthood is qualified to function, and each member of it is to be ready to take his turn. It is the same service universally, though distributed in "courses" which bring the service into many different hands in many different localities. The divine thought is that the service does not depend on

one, or on a select few, but each one of the holy priesthood is qualified and at liberty to take his turn in it. It is to be desired that this should come more and more into evidence, so that it may be manifest that all the sons are free. It is a matter of freedom in the affections and in spiritual intelligence. Of course saints will not be free if they have not received the Spirit of sonship; and many are not free because they are bound with grave-clothes; they are trammelled by thoughts and habits which they have acquired by contact with the religious world.

Every brother and sister is one of the holy priesthood, and is competent in spirit to fill his or her part in the service. All are spiritually in liberty and there is one accord, one mouth, to glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. All can say, 'Abba, Father', in the Spirit of sonship. The sisters do not speak in the assembly, but they have part in the priestly service. Spiritual sacrifices are brought in their hearts, and all that is audibly expressed by the brothers derives substance and volume from what is present in the intelligent affections of the sisters. They function in the assembly as much as the brothers, though with them the service is more veiled. Every intelligent sister knows at any point in the service of the assembly the kind of hymn that should be given out, and how divine Persons should be addressed in praise. The priesthood of the Old Testament is typical of what characterises spiritual persons in the New and we should be altogether wrong if we limited this to the brothers. Among the choicest priests of the New Testament were such holy women as the virgin Mary and the aged Anna. We may be sure that they knew how to serve in a priestly way far better than the official priesthood generally, though Zacharias is the proof that there was at least one of that class who fulfilled the order of his course in a suitable way.

It is the service of spiritual men to voice in the assembly what is in the hearts of all, and spiritual men understand the service, and, according to the type we are considering, they are ready and, indeed, under obligation to fulfil their course when it comes to their turn. We may gather from the fact that all the priests and Levites had to serve in succession that it would be pleasing to God for all spiritual men to take their turn in the service of praise. No brother is disqualified, save by the allowance of something that is contrary to holiness. Each brother ought to know whether he is spiritual or not, and if he has to admit that he is unspiritual why should he remain so? Why should he go on in a state which unfits him for holy service?

The divine thought is that the whole twenty-four courses are to exercise priestly functions in turn. And if every brother is in the light of God revealed in Christ, and has liberty in the Spirit of sonship, why should he not be free to express what is in his heart, and what he knows is in the hearts of all in the assembly? It is the same holy service going on universally, and going on in uniformity, but enhanced by the variety of the "courses" which succeed each other. One can understand how the priest or Levite who loved Jehovah would long for his turn to come round. When it did he had about fifty weeks to wait before it came round again! We are much more highly privileged. We may have our time of priestly service in the assembly every first day of the week. If on one occasion a brother finds no opportunity by reason of others having much liberty and enlargement of heart in the service, he has only to wait one week and he may have opportunity to fulfil his "course". The service has the same blessed character each Lord's day, but it is enhanced, as we have said, by being carried on by different members of the holy priesthood. Such an order of

service is not only well-pleasing to God, but it is the exposure and condemnation of all that pretends to be 'divine service' in the religious world.

The Levites "under the direction of their fathers, Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, for song in the house of Jehovah" (1 Chronicles 25:6) were also appointed to serve in twenty-four "charges". This character of service is not altogether Godward for it is largely marked by prophesying (see 1 Chronicles 25:1, 2, 3), and this indicates that it is for the comfort and enlargement of saints with reference to the service of God. This feature is to be continuously present. It is not prophesying to exercise consciences, or to make men fall down as convicted (1 Corinthians 14:24, 25), but prophesying which brings the blessedness of God into the hearts of His saints in a very happy way. It is "with harps and lutes and cymbals", and it is said of some that they "prophesied with the harp, to give thanks and to praise Jehovah". This accords with the words, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and chanting with your heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19, and see also Colossians 3:16). Whatever is addressed to divine Persons in the assembly has a prophetic bearing on the saints who may be present. It forms and stimulates their affections Godward. The apostle Paul often introduces in his epistles prayers and ascriptions of praise to God, but it is evident that he does so with a prophetic purpose. That is, he has in mind to affect the saints in their relations to God by the expression of his own. And this feature enters into all the service of God in His house. It ministers to God, but it also promotes happy and worshipful feelings in His saints. This is the prophetic side of it, which is never to be absent.

It may be noted, in this connection, that Paul says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ" (Ephesians 1:3), and these words are the beginning of a long sentence which extends to verse 14. It is all such a worshipful utterance as might have fallen from Paul's lips in the assembly. He is prophesying "with the harp", sounding forth with spiritual skill sweet and varied notes, every one of which brings out the praise of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, but all having the saints in view, that their souls may be filled with the music that was in his own heart Godward. It was thus not only praise but prophesying, and this is an important feature of assembly service.

But what is prominent in the scripture before us is that the service goes round the whole levitical family. There are twenty-four courses with twelve Levites in each course, representing in a typical way the whole praising company, each one having to take up his service as it fell to him by lot. "The small as well as the great, the teacher with the scholar" (1 Chronicles 25:8). So that none can excuse himself on the ground that he is "small" or that he is only as yet a "scholar". Most of us, perhaps, come under these heads, and yet grace permits us a part in the great service of song and in its prophetic aspect. The fact that in verse 7 they are all said to be "instructed in the songs of Jehovah, all of them skilful" would intimate that all saints, viewed as divinely taught, are competent for this holy service. All have in their hearts the knowledge of God as revealed in His Son, all have the Spirit of sonship. Why should they be unable to express what is in their hearts? Why should any human order or any self-imposed restraint hinder the "harps and lutes and cymbals" from sounding forth, not only for God's praise directly but also to stimulate others in a prophetic way? God would have each brother in the assembly to be ready for his turn in the service. The time and manner of it is a matter of spiritual "direction" -- a word which

occurs five times in the first six verses of chapter 25 -- which suggests that order is preserved in the service. There is no clashing or discord, and yet every one of the 288 Levites gets his turn and harmonises with all the others. There is nothing at all like this in the human arrangements of the religious world. It is a most admirably ordered service, of which every part is a living contribution from hearts that know God and are supremely happy in praising Him. And every note thus sounded is expressive of what is in the hearts of the whole praising company. Each one who voices the praise is conscious that all the holy brethren are one with him in what he says, and that he is also stimulating in them what is precious in his own heart. This latter is the prophetic side of the service. It is evident that the knowledge of this secures liberty for all. No one need be nervous in the presence of persons who all think exactly as he does, and feel as he feels.

The Lord is the supreme Director of all spiritual service; He is the Minister of the sanctuary. Unless we come under His direction we shall not be skilful in the service. But there was not only the direction of David, according to verses 2 and 7, but also the direction of the fathers Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman (verses 2, 3 and 6). This shows, I think, that we may learn by observing how spiritual men and elder brethren move in the house of God, and by paying attention to any instruction which they may give us.

It is important to note that the same service is carried on by each of the twenty-four courses. Though many, in turn, have their part in it the service is one. It is giving thanks and praising God as He is revealed in Christ. It is uttering "words of God, to exalt his power", which I take to be words which speak of God, and exalt His power as it is known in Christ, and as it operates towards His

saints, giving them a wholly new place and state before Him. It rises to such notes as only those with the Spirit of sonship could reach. But it is a universal service; it is the service proper to every saint of the assembly. It is viewed here as taken up in turn by each member of the praising company. Shall we not all be inwardly moved to take our turn in that holy service in the assembly?

We pass in 1 Chronicles 27 to another kind of service in which there were twelve divisions, each division serving for one month "throughout the months of the year". The same service in maintaining what was due to the king had to be carried out in successive divisions all the year round. Whichever division might be actually serving, the rights of the king were to be maintained with equal faithfulness. Every one in the whole company of those who serve the Lord is under responsibility to maintain what is due to Him. Twelve and twenty-four are universal numbers, but all the saints are not exactly in active service all the time. But each division has to be in readiness to serve as its turn comes round. I think this applies to the maintenance of principles which involve what is due to the Lord. The principles of the fellowship have to be maintained in faithfulness; righteousness and holiness in respect of the truth have to be equally maintained by all. The division in charge at any particular time would represent those who are called upon to act in any matter for the honour of the Lord's name.

Such matters have always to be dealt with locally, and whenever they arise saints should be found ready to serve in relation to them. If any matter connected with divine administration in the assembly arises in any locality it is the time for that particular division to serve. And the fact that there were twenty-four thousand in each division suggests that universal principles must always be acted on. Each division takes account of what is due

to the Lord universally and acts, when its turn comes round, to maintain fidelity to the universal standard. So that, in the principle of it, the twenty-four thousand are present in dealing with each matter as it arises. That is, the smallest company of saints who may be called upon to maintain the rights of the Lord acts in the consciousness that what is rightly done represents the universal judgment of all faithful saints. And we all share an equal responsibility as to this, for if we are truly committed to the fellowship we must admit responsibility to maintain what is in accord with it. This service, in its actual administration, goes round and it is for each division, and each member of each division, to be ready to serve in it when the lot falls to us. None of us can say, 'This is not my business'. We are all enrolled to take our part in it, and we cannot righteously evade the responsibility of taking it up when our turn comes.

Then, in addition to the service by courses, in which all take part in the same service, there is also another kind of service in which each individual has his own particular office. This is seen, typically, in 1 Chronicles 27:25 - 34. We may be quite sure that each one mentioned in this section had some "particular ability" (Matthew 25:15) for the post to which he was appointed. We need to understand how to serve in "courses" first -- how to take our part in the service of the assembly and in the maintenance of the fellowship collectively -- so that what we do in our own department may fit in spiritually with what every other servant is doing. This is not recognised where a human order prevails, and hence the individual services do not co-ordinate. There may be a measure of faithful service individually, but it is carried on in a detached way. But, for us, the departmental service is that of members of one body. And, according to the truth, we all say, 'Abba, Father', together as in Romans 8

before we take up our different individual services as in Romans 12. In like manner we have the truth of the fellowship, and the coming together in assembly and the eating of the Lord's supper, in 1 Corinthians 10 and 11 before the apostle speaks of the distinctions of gifts and services and operations in 1 Corinthians 12. And after speaking of the distinctive gifts he is careful to show that they co-ordinate and co-operate as members of one body.

In 1 Chronicles 27:25 - 34 no one of those mentioned had to do the same work as any of the others. The whole substance that was king David's was attended to on the principle of each one doing his own part. There were many departments and they did not intermix, nor was any service transferred from one to another. Each kept to his own line and attended to that department to which he was appointed. But all were controlled in unity under the one king David. And so it is now. The different gifts, exercised according as God has dealt to each the measure of faith and according to the grace given, are all to be in diligent activity. There is to be no jealousy or interference one with another. "For, as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office; thus we, being many, are one body in Christ, and each one members one of the other" (Romans 12:4, 5). "But there are distinctions of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are distinctions of services, and the same Lord; and there are distinctions of operations, but the same God who operates all things in all. But to each the manifestation of the Spirit is given for profit" (1 Corinthians 12:4 - 7). It is for each one to discover through exercise and prayer, and through moving in the desire to serve, what he is spiritually fitted to do. And it should always be kept in mind that God loves earnest and diligent persons. If you go on with what comes to your hand you

qualify for some definite service.

We may be sure that each of the men named in 1 Chronicles 27:25 - 34 had shown some aptitude for the particular office he filled before he was appointed to it. And the Lord discerned some "particular ability" in each of His bondmen before He gave them the talents. Something is sure to come to the hand of every believer as a matter of service to the Lord, and as each one goes faithfully on with it he qualifies for some definite appointment. Speaking practically, this is how gift comes and is developed. No sleepy and indolent person was ever given an important office under the Lord's administration. The man to whom one talent was given was "slothful" as well as "wicked", but his one talent only exposed that he did not care to serve His Master at all, for he did not know Him. He represents a lifeless professor, and we may gather from that part of the parable that a condition in which there is no readiness to serve the Lord is most serious. The Lord's word is, "Cast out the useless bondman into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 25:30). This will be the end of those bondmen who are "useless". Service is not an optional matter; it is incumbent upon us to consider this very gravely. We are under obligation to be ready to take our turn in the service by "courses", and also to qualify for the particular "office" which is allotted to us in the body.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 28

1 Chronicles 28:1 - 10

C.A.C. Solomon had been charged to build the house before, as we read in chapter 22, but now he is charged in the presence of the princes and the captains and all those who served the king, and the mighty men and all the men of valour; that is, all Israel is brought in, signifying that God intends us all to understand this great matter. All these great men would be brought to understand that there was something greater in the mind of God than all their exploits or dignity, or whatever it might be. So I suppose God might have used any of us in varied capacities in doing His work and in fighting His battles, but He would have us to understand that there is something greater in His mind.

Ques. Would you say that there might be many distinguished and devoted servants in christendom not, however, apprehending this greater thought?

C.A.C. I think it might be said soberly that there are comparatively few who enter into God's thought of what He would have on the earth. The house does not refer to what is in heaven, but to what is set up and is a place of rest for God upon the earth. David was not a suitable man to build it, because he was a man of war and had shed blood. It is very necessary that there should be conflicts and that we should contend earnestly for the faith and stand for what is of God, but if we do not advance further than that, there will be no place of rest secured for the blessed God. It is necessary that adverse powers

should be overcome, but that is not sufficient of itself to secure rest for God.

No doubt it was in David's heart, but God has given us instruction in showing us that he could not build it. It is introduced to draw a sharp line between overcoming His enemies and fighting His battles, and building His house. There are many in christendom like that with no thought of securing a place of rest for God, where God can be resting.

Rem. A very choice thought.

C.A.C. Yes, it is.

Rem. David says, "Hear me, my brethren and my people" (verse 2).

C.A.C. Yes, it means that we are all to come in and all understand what is God's chief interest at this present moment. I think it is a very definite voice for us. God's thought is that the earth is to be His footstool. It is a restful thought as the youngest could understand. I suppose it means you are seated and your feet restfully provided for. It is wonderful that God should use such a picture, as if to say, 'That is what I want on earth, not in heaven'. And that is secured by human hearts entertaining what has come in by Christ, as David says here in verse 2, "I had in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Jehovah and for the footstool of our God, and I have prepared to build"; that is, the first suggestion is a house of rest for the ark of the covenant.

Ques. Is there any connection here with the Son over God's house (Hebrews 3:6)?

C.A.C. Yes, I think it is linked with this because what comes out is that securing the house of rest is connected with Solomon as typical of the Son of the Father's love; so I think that the ark of the covenant, if we take it up in application to ourselves, covers a great deal more than the new covenant.

Ques. Will you explain your thought further?

C.A.C. The covenant as known by Israel clearly covered all that was in the mind of God for them, and so for us it must include the thought of sonship -- the thought of the covenant as set forth in the assembly. It covers all that is in the heart of God manward, and therefore if we apply to ourselves the thought of the ark of the covenant, it means all God's thoughts in reference to man have been secured in Christ.

I think the building of the temple is the typical climax in the Old Testament; there is nothing beyond it, beyond God securing rest for Himself and bringing to pass everything in His heart. Of course, it was all typified here, there was nothing actually secured; so that Christ can rest, and He can rest in the place that He has in the hearts of His saints who take in all that He expresses of God's thoughts for man, and as we take it in collectively we make a place of rest for Him and the blessed God. It is called "the house of the mercy-seat" (verse 11) -- a beautiful thought, because it brings in the thought of the death of Christ in connection with it.

We need to let these things soak into our affections until they form us, and it is all brought about by Solomon, the son of His love, and Solomon speaks of Christ glorified. The Lord Himself speaks of the glory of Solomon (Matthew 6:29). And it is Christ glorified who builds the house; that is, He has passed through death and glorified the Father in all that He has taken up, and now He is glorified; and He is in the bosom of the Father; that is a more intimate thought than being glorified.

Rem. "Father, ... glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee" (John 17:1).

C.A.C. "And the glory which thou hast given me I have given them", the Lord says (verse 22). That is the glory of sonship, so that if we want to understand sonship, we

must see Christ glorified in heaven, reposing in the love of the Father. "Who is in the bosom of the Father", John says (John 1:18). So it is in the apprehension of the Son glorified that we see the character of the house, because it is the glorified One in the bosom of the Father who builds the house. F.E.R. used to say, 'Who can speak after the Son, and who can work after the Son?' It is finality.

The thought of the house is as precious now as when it first burst upon the hearts of His own. We must not overlook the thought of God having a footstool on earth. "Thus saith Jehovah: The heavens are my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what is the house that ye will build unto me? and what is the place of my rest?" (Isaiah 66:1). So the assembly is His footstool and therefore conditions are provided in God's house on earth that are restful for Him, and they are all provided by One in the enjoyment of the most intimate affection, by One in the bosom of the Father -- because He is there this minute! Everything adverse to Christ is going to be turned into a restful footstool for Him. His very enemies will have been turned into His footstool, so that everything adverse has been banished.

Rem. It would show that it is important to be following the teaching of sonship and the house and the service of God that is given in these days.

C.A.C. Yes, most important. We cannot be too thankful for the light that has been thrown upon the sonship of Christ in order that we should understand the character of the house. It took its character from Solomon. Scripture says, "No one has seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him" (John 1:18); and that was written sixty or seventy years after the ascension of Christ. That is, the declaration of God comes out from that Man glorified.

The house of God as a rest for God will never be understood apart from understanding Solomon, of whom God said, "I will be his father, and he shall be my son" (1 Chronicles 17:13). "1 will be to him for father, and he shall be to me for son" (Hebrews 1:5). Isaac and Solomon are the two great types of sonship in the Old Testament. So that the house is a place where God can be in comfort, if one might so say, in complacency, and be restful, because every heart is filled with the thought of the only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, and seeing that glorified Person who came to bring to pass everything of God manward, including sonship. I think it is fine.

Ques. You are not suggesting that it could not be said of Him on earth that He was in the bosom of the Father?

C.A.C. Of course, that is essential to the declaration; but to get the full thought of sonship you must have Him glorified. It is not the full thought on earth. So the gift of the Spirit is given in connection with Him glorified; you must have Him glorified to introduce the economy of the dispensation. Now you have the thing in all its magnificence according to the mind of God. And it is the Spirit coming down and filling human hearts that builds the house. I think we need to ponder all this carefully. If we entered into it how different, and more in power, things would be. In verse 11 we see that the pattern is given by the Spirit, intimating to us that these things are known by the Spirit, and that goes along with the glorified Son of God; what answers to that is the Spirit down here giving the light of it all.

Moses had to 'go up' to see the pattern, but David did not. 'Going up' means that in spirit we have to leave all on man's line. But here is a man on the elevated plane of the Spirit, so he did not need to. If we are on the level of the Spirit we are where all these things are understood. It

is the Spirit here which brings us into it, not just knowing that Christ is glorified; that will not help us at all.

Rem.

'And see the Spirit's power
Has ope'd the heav'nly door'. (Hymn 74)

Ques. Do we realise it when together?

C.A.C. The house of God is a general thought, but I think it is specially realised when we are together, in liberty and in freedom from the cares of this life. In a certain sense we should be glad never to separate. An old verse says,

'When congregations ne'er break up
And sabbaths never end'.

Well, to be engrossed with God and with Christ and with the things of the Spirit, why! we could not wish for anything better. But we have to go back, we need the discipline outside. David had the complete thought of God's house by the Spirit, and God has brought within our range by the Spirit what He is going to have on the earth for His rest. He says, 'I am going to have a people who understand all My thoughts brought in by the Son of My love, and I can rest there'.

Ques. How do 1 Peter 2 and Ephesians 2 fit in?

C.A.C. Peter looks at it in process of construction, so that he says, "To whom coming ... . yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house" (verses 4, 5). This is the complete thought here, which is a great help to us. In Ephesians Paul is looking at the whole gentile company as "built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit" (verse 22). Every thought is needed.

Ques. If we do not see the completed thought we are not likely to go on with it, would you say?

C.A.C. Yes, I am sure that is so. If we do not see it in Christ in sonship, we shall never see it at all. I may say that I am a poor feeble thing, but what has that to do with

it? What is my place with God? His Son glorified! It is a good thing to see the pattern. Not a single thing had been done here, for Solomon and his workmen would work to the pattern. We must never have it out of our thoughts for a minute that Christ glorified is the pattern. The Father has given to the Son that peculiar glory that He did not have in the days of His flesh, that He did not have before He went up there, and it is the heavenly glory of the Son of God that is the pattern: 'Thou art the Son!' (Hymn 181). Christ is risen and glorified, and there is something down here that perfectly corresponds with the Son of God glorified, and that is the assembly. Is that not a marvellous thing?!

Rem. David made great contributions to the house.

C.A.C. They were all brought into it that we should understand the character of the building and work according to the pattern.

Rem. The poverty of our thoughts makes it difficult for us to grasp such riches.

C.A.C. This chapter would help us as to the wealth, which it is impossible to calculate; we need to move more in the region of divine wealth.

There is, of course, the responsible side of all that is made known in light. In verse 8 there is the command to "keep and seek for all the commandments of Jehovah your God" -- that is, everything that is in the divine will. If we are careless we may miss all that we are getting tonight, careless people never get it. Verse 9 says, "For Jehovah searches all hearts, and discerns all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cut thee off for ever". That is just as true today as it was then.

Rem. And it is to be passed on (verse 8).

C.A.C. That is it, and if we get careless we may miss the house of God and the inheritance in a practical

sense. Most believers in the world today are missing it all, and we may miss it, but I trust we are not of that sort. Does not God discern in our hearts and minds the consideration of these things? And if it is not there more than ever, it is a pity. There is always the responsible side as long as we are here. Practically we may be concentrated on the ends of the earth instead of being concentrated on the things of the Spirit and the light of God, and we may miss it. However feeble we are in a spiritual sense does not matter. We are all feeble spiritually; we know very little of the glorified Son of God and of the Spirit here, but let us go in for them more and more.

Rem. It speaks of those with perfect heart who offered willingly (chapter 29: 9).

C.A.C. It applies to each of us tonight, that we should go in for these most wonderful things, more wonderful than anything heard of in the world. God is securing a remnant who cherish the house of God.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 28

1 Chronicles 28:11 - 21

C.A.C. I suppose we are all cognisant of the fact that there is more of the thought of the preparation and of the pattern in Chronicles than we get in the corresponding scriptures in Kings, indicating, I suppose, that in remnant times and days of recovery there is a great deal of exercise on this line if the house is to take spiritual form. David in this scripture is the representative of spiritual persons who are exercised with regard to the house of God.

Ques. Is this a subsequent exercise after what relates to kingdom matters?

C.A.C. Yes, certainly.

Ques. Is it your thought that in days of recovery it is very necessary to pay heed to the pattern of things? In John's epistles it is the things that are from the beginning that are to be heeded.

C.A.C. Yes, and the pattern is given by the Spirit, so that the whole thing is there in pattern before a single stone is laid down.

Ques. Would you say more about Moses going up for the pattern and not David?

C.A.C. The two exercises have to be brought together. Moses has to go up, David not. That is, Moses has to go up to the elevation of divine thoughts; he has to leave what is of the level of man to go up. David represents an advance upon that; he is a man on the level of the Spirit, he is of that elevation.

Ques. Is it your thought that while there is a line of

recovery or of building in progress, it is not exactly taking shape on that line, but it has been complete in the mind of God already?

C.A.C. In a day of peculiar weakness such as Chronicles portrays, it is specially important to get what is in the mind of God, so that we must work to the pattern.

Rem. We are not to shape things after our own ideas; it is a question of conforming to the thoughts of God.

C.A.C. David understood as a spiritual man, divinely taught, that the building of the house is contingent on sonship. Sonship is, of course, seen in Solomon not yet apprehended in a very mature way: "Solomon my son, the one whom God has chosen, is young and tender, and the work is great; for this palace is not to be for man, but for Jehovah Elohim" (chapter 29: 1). Solomon at this stage represents the thought of sonship only apprehended in a very immature way. Well, it is something to get that.

Ques. Does verse 9 mean, if you seek the Lord on this line?

C.A.C. Yes, it is the responsible side which is always present as long as we are here; it enters into everything, and it is, "If he be firm to do my commandments" (verse 7). It is always important not to disregard any commandment of the Lord; that secures the moral line. The great thoughts of God are developed here in David's mind, just as we should get an apprehension of the house, because it is to be built now.

Ques. Why is the porch mentioned first? (verse 11).

C.A.C. Because the porch is the important matter publicly, the outstanding feature which must have attracted attention at a great distance, being very prominent as far higher than all the rest of the building, and therefore what is to be represented of God to men in a public way.

Ques. Would the porch compare with the first epistle to the Corinthians?

C.A.C. I think it is the public side as represented really in the glad tidings, because the first thing to take account of in the house of God is that God should have a place of testimony in this world. It is God's approach to men in the glad tidings and all inside the house is there to give support to it, to give character and richness to what is represented to men. God has been pleased to put Himself into communication with men by means of His house. To take an illustration, there were one hundred and twenty persons in Acts 1, and God put His Spirit upon them in order that there should be set forth by them in a public way the great things of God.

Rem. It is interesting that the height of the porch is one hundred and twenty cubits.

C.A.C. Yes, I thought so. Those one hundred and twenty were acquainted with the life of the Lord here and knew Him in resurrection and saw Him taken up; it all enters into the height of the porch, I think.

Here we are dealing with the pattern, there cannot be any divergence from the pattern. Ezra writes this to help and comfort us in a time of weakness, and there cannot be any deviation from the pattern. God's mind cannot be any different today from what it was at Pentecost. It would not be so, because recovery must be on that line. We have it in the Scripture; it is very significant because David says he has it in writing.

Rem. "Every scripture is divinely inspired" (2 Timothy 3:16).

C.A.C. So that the two things are very remarkably brought together; the Spirit and the writing. He is as really and definitely here as He was on the day of Pentecost; there is no diminution; and then we have it also in writing; in the Scriptures we have it permanently.

Ques. With reference to the relative size of the porch and the house, would you say that what relates to God must always be greater than anything the saints can be?

C.A.C. Because the gospel is purely of God, and the assembly is creature; so the gospel must be greater, for it relates to God Himself, to divine Persons; there is no creature element in it. It is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all that is known of the Deity in the activity of divine love. When you come to the assembly you come to a creature vessel.

Rem. You once said that what is produced cannot be so great as what produces it.

C.A.C. Thank you for recalling it to me. It is so. All inside the house, the houses and the treasuries and the chambers are all directly connected with the porch and are, I think, what Paul calls "the mystery of the glad tidings" (Ephesians 6:19). Thus it is not only the glad tidings, but something behind the glad tidings; that is, a wonderful vessel for the support of the glad tidings. The particular bearing of this passage is that all that is behind is for the enrichment of the gospel. It is not only the glad tidings but there is a secret behind it and the secret behind it is the mystery. If the saints are not up to the truth of the house, there is sure to be weakness in the testimony. It is "the porch, and of its houses, and of its treasuries ...".

Ques. Why is there no mention of the altar and the laver?

C.A.C. Well, there is instruction in that.

Rem. The altar was of a very great size so must have been a very prominent object.

C.A.C. But it was really external to the house.

Rem. It was in relation to an opposite movement.

C.A.C. Yes, the approach of men. The prominent thought in these verses is God's approach to men; He has set up a wonderful way of approach to men.

Rem. "God's house, which is ... the pillar and base of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).

C.A.C. Yes, and it is the thought that there is something here in support of the testimony. If saints are weak you could not expect the testimony to go out in power.

There are various things spoken of: houses, treasuries, chambers and the house of the mercy-seat, and all are connected with the thought of the porch.

Rem. In verse 13 you come to the thought of the service Godward. Verse 11 covers the whole pattern, and the rest that follows is in detail.

C.A.C. The saints dwell together in the love of God; what a support that is to the testimony. They are set there and are near to one another, because they are all enjoying the same thing.

Ques. Will you say something on "the house of the mercy-seat"?

C.A.C. You come to the holiest there. "The treasuries" are an accumulation of precious things, such as have been gathered during the last one hundred years. Then the "upper chambers" would suggest the elevated character of all that is known in the house of God, "things above". The "inner chambers" would go with John 14 - 17 where the Lord is in secret with His own, opening up the thoughts of God. We enter the house in seeing that Christ is God's resource, to carry out all His thoughts and purposes. All that is for the support. The "mercy-seat" is where everything centres, and all that can be effectuated through this. He does not want us to deviate from the pattern. What are we really set for? Well, we must work to this pattern; there is no other way. Do we really want the house of God to be set forth rightly in this world? Public witness is a very great matter for God; the gospel is to be preached continually to men. I do not think the house of God is there at all if that is

not present.

Rem. "To announce among the nations the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of the Christ, and to enlighten all with the knowledge of what is the administration of the mystery" (Ephesians 3:8, 9). Paul was a herald.

C.A.C. Yes, so that all that Paul brings out in his special ministry as "the mystery" is all supposed to work out as a most blessed witness of the true character of God in a world steeped in evil.

Ques. If we conformed to this pattern, would preachers come to light?

C.A.C. It is the grand feature of the house that is involved. If not there in some extent, there cannot be a proper representation of God publicly. Paul was the one to bring out the great thought of sonship as seen in the Son of God. It was his ministry, he presents the Son of God. That is how he began, in order that we should apprehend sonship as seen in Christ.

They made Solomon king a second time (chapter 29: 22); that is, they came typically to maturity in the thought of the sonship of Christ.

And there is plenty of room to move about as we see in verse 12: "The courts of the house of Jehovah, and of all the chambers round about". It is a spacious place.

Rem. We seem to be so occupied with the poverty and smallness of things.

C.A.C. This chapter would correct that in the thought of richness and divine wealth and spaciousness, before he comes to the actual service of the house. People get tired of reading the Bible sometimes, they feel it cramps them.

Ques. How is that?

C.A.C. I do not know.

It is much according to the pattern to begin with the Son of God. If all christendom has disregarded the pattern,

it is all the more necessary that we should pay great attention to it. There are the courses of the priests and Levites, and then the instruments of gold and silver; we have to learn how to regard ourselves as vessels for the service of God. Weight is of importance, we are often so shallow and empty. They are utensils, not ornaments; that is, things for use.

Rem. There is nothing less than silver or gold.

C.A.C. They are the two aspects in which the saints can be regarded. As vessels of silver they have a place with God on the ground of redemption -- all saints are on that ground surely. There are certain portions and places we occupy in virtue of redemption, that we had no part in, and they constitute silver utensils. In another aspect they are vessels of gold.

Ques. Would it be the difference between Paul's and John's way of speaking?

C.A.C. Yes, generally speaking, but they overlap. Gold would represent what the saints are according to the work of God in them. John 17, for instance, is not a question of redemption, but what they are as divine workmanship, as born of God -- that is gold.

Rem. There are silver candlesticks as well as golden ones (verse 15).

C.A.C. It is to liberate us. You get a fulness and variety in the temple that is not in the tabernacle, and you get the thought of silver introduced largely as enabling the saints to serve as proving redemption; it is an element in liberty. When we eat the Supper we do so as vessels of silver, but when we move on we are vessels of gold. Redemption was accomplished entirely outside ourselves, and is going to be applied to us even as regards our bodies. Redemption implies that we are of great value to God, and He would do all in His power to liberate us to serve Him in His house, and it is in the

death of Christ that He effects that.

It is very interesting that you get this addition which seems to broaden the basis of service. Nothing can diminish the value of redemption and nothing can deteriorate our place with God as secured by the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus. It cannot be diminished and it cannot be increased. It is all very interesting as showing the pattern; now we have to work to it.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 29

1 Chronicles 29:1 - 19

C.A.C. In the understanding of the types it is necessary to see that David is a type of Christ as the One who prepares everything for the house. Solomon is the builder but David provides and prepares all the material; he provides all the material and the personnel.

Ques. In what way is David a type of Christ here?

C.A.C. In the most important sense nothing can be added to what Christ has provided for the house. All the impressions of God which constitute the saints' material for the house have been brought in by Christ.

Rem. "All that the Father gives me shall come to me" (John 6:37) is a prepared company, really in connection with the house.

Ques. Does Solomon represent sonship in the saints undeveloped here?

C.A.C. Yes, because if we look at the matter from the responsible side, that is, how the house actually comes into being, it must be worked out in the saints, but that is in connection with Christ in glory. David is a type of Christ here on earth in the declaration of God in all that can be known, and it is really the knowledge of God in the light of redemption; all that is brought into the souls of men constitutes them material to be brought into the house.

Rem. The gospel of Luke gives the gathering of the material and ends in filling the house with praise.

C.A.C. Luke brings in the silver side, as we saw last week; the gold and the silver go together. But when it

comes to working things out Christ as glorified must be known; He builds the house. The Spirit comes from Christ glorified; It could not be given before. So that the saints having the Spirit of the glorified Man are suitable for the building. We need to apprehend these thoughts to understand the greatness of the place that is being built now in relation to Christ glorified.

Ques. Everything is intrinsic and not of mixed material. Is everything to be prepared in view of its final completion and the glory coming into the house?

C.A.C. And all has been secured in the coming in of Christ in the David character in the accomplishment of redemption, so that those who receive Christ become material for the house.

Ques. Would the palace correspond with the thought of the house in Hebrews, being the greatest and involving all the administration? What do we understand by it?

C.A.C. I think it is in every way suitable to God. The palace is not for man, but for God. God would give us a deepened sense of the greatness of the palace. It is not for man and nothing has any place in the palace but what came in by Christ, so that it comes up to the requirements.

Rem. We have not reached the stage when it is in the full display of glory.

C.A.C. It is the thing proposed here, and God would suggest to us that He has something very great in His mind, that can only be worked out as the great thought of sonship is apprehended, as set forth in Christ glorified, not what He was here, but what He is now.

Rem. David said, "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer willingly ..." (verse 14) -- a very humble view of things.

C.A.C. What you find in Scripture is that saints have to distinguish what they are as the result of what Christ

has done, and what they are personally. Paul can speak of a man in Christ going into paradise, into the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:4), without a sense of disparity, and yet he could speak of himself as "less than the least of all saints" (Ephesians 3:8), also "I am the least of the apostles ..." (1 Corinthians 15:9). I feel sometimes that I am the poorest saint on the earth, I do really sometimes. And yet God had made them capable of providing such riches for the house. But then the exalted thought of what we are in Christ never prevents us from taking the lowest place personally. The higher we go up in that sense, the lower we come down here personally. He is bringing out that it is entirely of God, like the end of Romans: "For of him, and through him, and for him are all things ..." (chapter 11: 36). It goes along with "thou art exalted as Head above all" in verse 11 of our chapter.

Ques. Is he bringing out the key of the matter, the highest point reached?

C.A.C. I think it is the highest point reached in the Old Testament; we learn what has been brought in by Christ in the revelation of God in redemption; the spirit of sonship in the people willing to consecrate themselves to Jehovah, so that there is a wonderful offering on the part of the people and this leads on to the thought of the headship of God, that whatever Christ has brought in has its source in God; whatever has been brought in has its origin in God.

Ques. Does this go on to Corinthians, God all in all? (1 Corinthians 15:28).

C.A.C. I thought so, it goes on to God all in all; God is given the kingdom. We do not often reach the thought of God as Head above all in our meetings, though we reach the Father.

Ques. Is it realised under the headship of Christ? David here leads the people.

C.A.C. Yes, so David and Solomon are both types of the headship of Christ, and that leads on to the headship of God. Everything that God gives goes back to Him: you have here the highest point of worship in the Old Testament.

Rem. "When he gives up the kingdom to him who is God and Father" (1 Corinthians 15:24).

C.A.C. All kingdom rights revert eventually to God, what has been invested in Christ for the accomplishment of certain purposes all reverts to God. So it comes out here that David speaks of what he does in his affection for the house of God, so you see what he is in sonship. You see in Psalm 89 that he calls God Father, and he is the firstborn (verses 26, 27), so that David is in sonship as well as Solomon. And this spirit of sacrifice seen in sonship in David moves all the people, and that is what God seeks should be in our affections. It will only be built in that way.

Rem. If we understood better what Christ is in relation to the assembly as Head, we should have it in our affections.

C.A.C. Yes. I think it was all written that we might come into it now.

Rem. It speaks of sons and daughters in the palace: "Our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; our daughters as corner-columns, sculptured after the fashion of a palace" (Psalm 144:12).

C.A.C. Yes, it is the beautiful thought of the family setting in relation to God. A house without a family in it would not be worth much to God.

Rem. The thought of this offering that is so pleasing to God can be a spiritual expansion with the saints.

C.A.C. Yes, while Christ provides everything, yet the principle is extended to the saints of coming into line and contributing, and what gives rise to a wonderful ascription

of praise to God is what came out in the saints, the wonderful liberality to the house that leads David to break out into this praise as tracing all back to God.

Rem. The giving seems greater here; that is, what is provided in affection.

C.A.C. Yes, what he provides in his affection is really through his sufferings. That he goes through all that affliction would make the Lord's name to be dearer, and His praises to resound in the assembly. In a sense nothing can surpass what He has secured through suffering and death (see chapter 22: 14). Then there is the thought in this chapter of his affection; as son he thinks of all that can gratify God in His house, all that can spring from the spirit of sonship. They are two thoughts of the house that are commensurate.

It is beautiful to think of the Lord moving in His affections. "That the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father has commanded me, thus I do" (John 14:31), which is a wonderful side of it. John is what Christ secures on the line of affection, while Matthew, Mark and Luke give more what He had to pass through to secure praise for the Father.

Ques. "I have given of my own property" (verse 3); how would that apply to Christ?

C.A.C. He undertakes to supply out of His own wealth all that is necessary to enrich the house.

Rem. It was "over and above" all that he had prepared (verse 3).

Rem. There is something very personal about it.

C.A.C. And He appropriates in John's gospel all the Father's things. "All things that the Father has are mine" (John 16:15). He has a commonwealth with the Father.

Ques. Why did the people give so much, that they exceeded?

C.A.C. They took character from David. They had

before them the one who had given immense quantities of wealth, an incalculable amount, and they come under his influence and move in the same spirit. Nothing is of value in the house but the Spirit of the glorified Man in the saints.

Rem. He gave more than they all, and at this phase they exceeded.

C.A.C. What he gave here did not cover all he gave; this is what J.B.S. would call 'excess'. "Over and above" is surplus. In the gospel of John the surplus comes out; there is excess, that which necessarily must be when we consider who the Person is who gives it all. The Son's love and the Father's love: there is a surpassing character and excellence in it all.

The saints are furnished out of the wealth of God, "That hidden wisdom which God had predetermined before the ages for our glory" (1 Corinthians 2:7); what wealth there is in it. The result of our acquiring the wealth is that we have something to bring back to God, and it is our pleasure too, particularly in the assembly. It is brought back to God. It works out in our getting an apprehension of God as Christ has declared Him. He says: "In the midst of the assembly will I sing thy praises" (Hebrews 2:12); the heart of Christ is full of the thoughts of the blessed God manward. The saints having the Spirit of the glorified Man can bring that back.

Rem. "Keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people" (verse 18). It is Christ keeping the great thoughts of God in the hearts of His people.

Rem. Like the thought of the stones "to be set" (verse 2).

C.A.C. The saints have distinctiveness. The stones refer to what the saints are in their personal distinctiveness. So that John is not exactly like Paul, and Peter is different from either of them. The Lord has in mind to

have a great amount of variety and adornment in the house, so that the palace is worthy of the One for whom the palace is.

The apostles have a distinctive place in the assembly, they are peculiarly ornamental. It is wonderful to find one's place in the assembly where every person has some special thought of God; the measure may be large or small, but there is a thought of God in the heart of everyone and it came from Christ; he prepared it, and it is developed in each of us by the Spirit of sonship. Well, all that is part of the wealth and adornment of the house.

Ques. Would verse 8 raise an exercise with us: "They with whom stones were found"?

C.A.C. Yes, they gave them to the treasuries. I think there are specialities. If a brother or sister perhaps is given to write a hymn which finds its place in the service of God in the assembly, it is like a gem, it is brought in. And there are some who bring in thoughts of peculiar apprehension of God which is of wealth to the company. If you think of fifty persons together all having the Spirit of the glorified Man what would you look for and expect? Wonderful thoughts of God. Well, they are there, and it is the privilege of some to voice them. The thought is that they are there in the hearts of the saints before they are voiced.

NOTES OF A READING 1 CHRONICLES 29

1 Chronicles 29:20 - 30

C.A.C. What we see at the end of this book is the completion of the service of David, David being specially presented to us, as we know, as the one after God's heart and who should do His will. I was thinking of Acts 13:22: "And having removed him he raised up to them David for king, of whom also bearing witness he said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who shall do all my will". That is not a precise quotation from Old Testament Scripture, but it is a spiritual summing up of the great service of David, which is reached at the end of 1 Chronicles. It is in these closing chapters that David is seen as a man after God's heart who does all His will: that is, we see everything secured Godward. There is the pattern of the house, and the material for its construction, and the bringing of all the spiritual elements in Israel into line, and then this wonderful utterance of worship to God, perhaps the most remarkable in the Old Testament, ascribing all to God and attributing all to Him; that is, the whole will of God is seen as completed.

Ques. Does John 17 at all fit in with this? "I have completed the work which thou gavest me that I should do it" (verse 4), and "All things that thou has given me are of thee" (verse 7).

C.A.C. I think that answers precisely to this chapter. The work is viewed as completed, so that all that was completed by David can be, so to speak, passed over to Solomon; the will of God is done in a patriarchal way by David.

Ques. What is the special importance of that?

C.A.C. David is referred to in that way as the patriarch David. He would bring in in a patriarchal way what would be passed on to his son.

Rem. I have not quite got the idea yet.

C.A.C. This is the setting of the type, David brings the will of God to completion, but he has to pass it over to his son, has he not? The palace was to be built by his son. The thought is that the palace is the beautiful edifice in which all that David has brought in should be enshrined and preserved. It was Solomon's work to do it; David's part was a patriarchal part.

Ques. Perhaps you would explain what the force of patriarchal is?

C.A.C. The thought is a chief father, one who can transmit things to his children. In the type all would be handed over to Solomon, so that to learn the blessedness of Christ as David is preparatory to our learning His blessedness as Solomon, but we must not confound the two.

Rem. So that David speaks of "Jehovah, God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers" (verse 18).

C.A.C. Yes, the thought is seen in them, and especially in the twelve patriarchs. It is the thought of something coming down from the father to the son. We have to transfer the thought to its present setting, and see how all that is completed is passed over to one who is in the relationship of son; and the palace and all enshrined in it is to be built by the son.

Rem. It would open up Hebrews, Christ as Son over God's house.

C.A.C. Yes, it opens up the whole truth of the present position.

Rem. What He gathers up in affection, now He transmits to the family circle.

C.A.C. Yes, all is transferred into the hand of Solomon.

Rem. And there is David's request that the people should have it for ever "in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart", in the dignity of it (verse 18).

C.A.C. Yes, and all that Christ has accomplished in doing the will of God covers all that He was in incarnation and death and resurrection; all is covered by this David character. We all agree to that, but that is not Solomon. Now we must understand that first, otherwise there will be no palace. There is to be a palace now in which every precious thought brought in and made a reality by Christ as David is to be enshrined as a dignified structure which the saints are. But we do not come into that in any practical sense until we can distinguish between David and Solomon.

Rem. The palace began to be built when Christ was in resurrection.

C.A.C. It is not connected with David having done the will of God at all, but with Solomon.

Rem. In Matthew 16 the building comes after Peter's confession of the Son of God.

C.A.C. Building is by the Son; it is not a patriarchal thought. We must bear in mind as intelligent persons that for us David and Solomon are seen in one Person. It is not that we derogate glory from Christ by distinguishing His glories, but we enhance them. There is a thought of Christ as Solomon now; He says, "glorify thy Son" (John 17:1). What He has in mind is something different from the completed work (verse 4) ("I have completed the work ..." ), and that is the Solomon character, and in that character He builds the palace. God's will covers the divine pleasure. Now, He says, 'I want a palace in which to put it all'. It is passed on to the Son; it is the Son who is glorified.

Rem. Paul's ministry is on this line.

C.A.C. I think the apostle Paul is precisely the one who brought in Christ as Solomon. Paul's ministry is how the palace is built. His ministry of the glad tidings and the mystery is precisely how the palace was built. But there was something greater than his ministry -- what he saw. He saw Solomon, as it were, in his glory, which is a greater thing. And that is what He wants us to see now. The Son of God glorified -- that is Solomon; and everything is in His hand, in the hand of the glorified Christ, so that He can build a palace down here on the earth to enshrine and preserve these precious things until He comes again. The Solomon character includes the David character. What marvellous elevation it would give to our thoughts, and God would fill us with a sense of glory of Christ as the Son; He glorified Him in sonship.

Ques. Why is Solomon sitting on the throne of Jehovah as king (verse 23)?

C.A.C. He is exercising divine administration, but it is all in view of the palace being built.

Rem. Psalm 45 tells of the king.

C.A.C. Psalm 45 is David really, because it speaks of David dealing with his enemies. These great thoughts of God are intended to affect us in every position in which we are found. A clear view of Christ as Son would affect us at every point, and Paul's ministry would put us together as the palace. We do not know much about it.

Ques. Are we not too general in our thoughts as to the glories of Christ?

C.A.C. I think that we should remember that the Bible is a most analytical book; God has been pleased, and I believe I say it in all reverence, to take Christ to pieces that we might consider each particular detail by itself; the types do this for us, bringing them within our

compass.

Rem. "The Father loves the Son, and has given all things to be in his hand" (John 3:35).

C.A.C. That is clearly Solomon. What Christ does for God is David, and what God does for Christ is Solomon; it is quite easy to apprehend. Christ has met and overturned all power and dominion; He has cleared the ground and brought in all for God in His own excellence. "I have glorified thee on the earth, I have completed the work which thou gavest me that I should do it" (John 17:4). Can anything be added to that? It stands in all its grandeur for eternity. 'I have done all this for Thee, now glorify Thy Son'. Now that is Solomon. In the language of the type it is the building of the palace, because what the Lord does with the saints glorifies the Father.

Ques. Is it a greater thing here than the displayed glory in 2 Chronicles?

C.A.C. It is a wonderful climax, this chapter. I think it is greater because here you get the comprehensiveness of the divine thought. In David and Solomon put together you get the complete thought. It is connected with Paul's ministry because you get David and Solomon together.

Ques. Why is David telling the congregation to "Bless ... Jehovah ..." (verse 20).

C.A.C. The spiritual thought is that they have all reached what David reached, under his headship. He extends it to his brethren; and, of course, the blessed Lord calls all the congregation to share with Him. The whole will of God is brought in and established and He can praise God in the light of it, but then He brings the brethren into it. God is seen as the source, He is Head over all. This chapter makes prominent the headship of God; all is traced back to the Father. The Lord extends

the results of all He has done to the brethren.

Ques. Is there a point to be reached beyond utterance?

C.A.C. I think that is so. It is a wonderful climax reached. There is no such thing as silent praise, but there may be silent worship. You might get in a meeting like this a worshipful spirit without any utterance; the sense of the greatness of God and of what Christ has accomplished for God, and of what God has done with Christ, might make every heart vibrate with worship without any word being uttered.

Ques. Is it illustrated in Corinthians?

C.A.C. The principle is there really; of course, what is seen here is the greatness of the glories of Solomon.

"Jehovah magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him royal majesty such as had not been on any king before him in Israel" (verse 25). That is, it is the transcendent glory of Christ. What is in view here is the great result for God and that this glorious Person is great enough to build the palace. God would fill us with the glory of Christ as Solomon.

Ques. Why was Solomon made king the second time?

(verse 22).

C.A.C. To show us that the people have come to it. God made him king the first time and now the people do it. There is a great advance in the situation.

Ques. How does this work?

C.A.C. I think that God brings about by spiritual instruction and illustration an exceedingly great estimate of Christ in the hearts of His saints, and He gives us to see that all was the result of His becoming man.

It is all gathered up in Christ now as the Son. Christians generally have very little idea of Christ as Solomon.

It works, going on with some of us fifty or sixty years, the Spirit of God and the servants of God always toiling

with us. What are they labouring for? What is it all intended to do if not to make Christ great in our affections? All that God has done for us and in us, and all ministry, is to enhance Christ to us; we see Him in His surpassing excellence and it is transcendent. As to anyone who has seen the transcendent glory of Christ, do you think he would care a straw for this world? He would not look at it! He would not care whether he was rich or poor or high or low, when once the greatness of Christ personally had come before him; for here He is anointed to be prince which is what He is personally, not officially. Was He not magnified when He shone as light "above the brightness of the sun" on Saul of Tarsus? Saul then had not eyes for anything else.

Rem. The keepers of the vineyard were to bring Solomon a thousand silver pieces (Song of Songs 8:11).

C.A.C. He had five times as much as they. You think five times more of Christ than of any of His servants.

Ques. "Behold king Solomon With the crown wherewith his mother crowned him In the day of his espousals" (Song of Songs 3:11). What would the crown there represent?

C.A.C. It is very beautiful as bringing in the thought of what the assembly does for Him. The assembly loves to enhance Him. It is a feminine company which makes the Song of Songs one of the most interesting books, because it develops the feminine affection. The assembly loves to crown Him in the day of His espousals. Israel will rejoice in it, but we see it before Israel; Israel will enter into the joy that He has in the day of His espousals. It is not developed in the thought of Solomon, though you do get the gentile bride brought in.

This is the real spring of everything: there could be no

palace apart from this. That a palace is not the thought of approach is important to see.

Rem. They were eating and drinking before Jehovah with great joy (verse 22).

C.A.C. You see the happy condition of things, and I trust we know something of it in assembly and privately, the happiness of seeing the cumulative glory of Christ as Son.

Rem. The priest comes in here.

C.A.C. I think it is a beautiful hint of provision being made for priestly service, not only the administrative side in the son as king, but a consideration for the pleasure of God; it goes on with sonship. "And all Israel obeyed him. And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves to Solomon the king" (verses 23, 24). Are we really brought into obedience to Christ as glorified? Paul said he was "not disobedient to the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19). They all come into it, into obedience to Solomon. You cannot see Solomon without submission. "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6 A.V). Paul was reduced to absolute submission in the twinkling of an eye!

David completes his reign "full of days" (verse 28), and we see in the closing verses how the Spirit of God loves to dwell upon it.

Ques. What were "the times that passed over him" (verse 30)?

C.A.C. Those wonderful times that brought him to complete everything that was in the will of God.

Rem. It says that David reigned forty years over Israel (verse 27).

C.A.C. I think it reminds us that Christ does not get His full place with us all at once. There was a particular investiture of David at Hebron, but it was

some years before he got his full place. So with us, Christ gets a partial recognition of what is due to Him, but this book contemplates the complete thought, so that David gets his complete place and transfers it to Solomon.

AN OUTLINE OF THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES

NOTES OF A READING 2 CHRONICLES 1

2 Chronicles 1:1 - 16

Ques. Would you say there is any difference in the character of these books, the first and second books of Chronicles?

C.A.C. There would appear to be a certain change in the character in which Solomon is presented, particularly in the first chapter. In the end of the previous book Solomon is clearly a type of Christ, particularly in sonship and as building the house in that character; but it would appear in this opening chapter that we have to look at Solomon in a rather different light. We have always to distinguish in Scripture between persons who are typical of Christ and lines of conduct which rather indicate the shortcomings of such persons who are in other things typical of Christ. What seems to appear in this chapter is the great favour shown to Solomon by God. He "was strengthened in his kingdom, and Jehovah his God was with him and magnified him exceedingly" (verse 1); that is, on God's side every provision was made for him to act most successfully, but he appears to fall short of it.

Ques. Are you alluding to his going to Gibeon?

C.A.C. Yes, he was not a true son in going to Gibeon; his father would not have gone there.

Ques. In what sense was he below his proper calling?

C.A.C. It seems to me that the mind of God as to Solomon was that he should build the house, and he makes no reference to it whatever. I think he was below the level of God's thoughts. God had indicated His mind

to David. The two great outstanding acts of David's life were placing the ark in Zion and building the altar of burnt-offering in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. Solomon ignored them both.

Rem. We have thought he had a good beginning; this is not a good beginning.

C.A.C. He had a good beginning on the divine side. He had been furnished with all the means to fulfil his high vocation, but he took a lower line. It often happens with saints that they take a lower line than what is for divine pleasure, and they lose ground. Some of them lost ground in this chapter; Solomon did. Fancy a mighty monarch becoming a horse-dealer!

Rem. It speaks of the tent of meeting being at Gibeon.

C.A.C. That should have reminded him and us that the ark was not there, the very fact that God had forsaken the tent where He had dwelt among men as Asaph tells us. He was the leader of song before the ark and he tells us that God had forsaken the tabernacle of Shiloh; He had forsaken it. "And he forsook the tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent where he had dwelt among men" (Psalm 78:60).

Ques. Is this analogous to the Acts where the disciples were slow to forsake judaism?

C.A.C. Yes, we see how the early church soon declined, and took up a position that answers very much to the high place at Gibeon, dropping down from sonship; and in a public way there has been very little thought of David or Zion or of the ark being brought to a place of rest. There was no place of rest for God at Gibeon. The lesson of this chapter is to teach us to understand the difference between going on with the things that God bears with, and with what is for His pleasure. The ark represents the strength and the rest and complacency of God in covenant relation with His

people. There was no complacency at Gibeon and no house of God there. The chief interest of God was absent from Solomon's thoughts. He was a pious man and his prayer was answered but he fell short. We should be concerned to go on with what God has for His complacency and rest and not simply with what He bears with. He bears with christendom and one thousand things that christians go on with and yet He is not pleased with the way they are going on.

Ques. Are you concerned about the state of Christendom or ourselves?

C.A.C. Our concern is with ourselves. We do not want to speak about christendom. We do not want to speak of persons outside this room, but in it. The ark was brought to the place of God's rest. "This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it" (Psalm 132:14). Solomon in chapters 2 and 3 is brought back to the divine thought, and what God is doing with every one of us is to make us move from the things that He has borne with to what He has pleasure in.

Ques. What does "the brazen alter" signify (verse 6)?

C.A.C. The brazen altar represents a system that entirely failed to give rest and pleasure to God. It was not a time of rest and God forsook it -- a very solemn thing. God's thought was to dwell restfully and complacently in His people, and He secures that in Zion; and if He does not get it in Zion, He will never get the house built.

Ques. Is God speaking in that way today?

C.A.C. Yes, and I think that any faithful heart would say so, and if I am stupid and ignorant he will bear with me. He does so with men now, He bears with them, but they do not afford Him pleasure or give Him His rest. God's pleasure depends upon our moving in the light that He gives us. It does not matter how earnest and

active I may be, if I do not move in the light of God I cannot give Him pleasure. Solomon moved away from Zion.

Rem. The ark gives the key to the position.

C.A.C. Yes, that is what has come about by the coming in of Christ. "I have found ... a man after my own heart, who shall do all my will" (Acts 13:22). And David takes the city of Zion and makes it a royal city under his absolute control. Zion represents the assembly as a place where all that is due to Christ is rendered to Him; and grace reigns there. "Grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life ..." (Romans 5:21). It brings about that I do everything for the pleasure of God. On the divine side everything has been furnished for us; none of us can say otherwise.

Rem. The trouble is that we have not paid sufficient attention to the light that God has given.

C.A.C. I think that is just it. Many have remained in sectarian bodies because they have ignored the light that God has given in the last one hundred years. They are worshipping at Gibeon and God forbears, and His loving-kindness endures. "His loving-kindness endureth for ever", was what was sung before the ark and at Gibeon. It is a principle that can never alter, however stupid I am, but that does not secure His rest. Some might say, 'Moses made the tabernacle; the Scripture says so; what are you doing, bringing the ark to Zion, David? Why not leave it there?' David would say, 'Oh, God has moved on; there is a great difference since Moses made the tabernacle, and I am moving on with Him'. So that no christian can excuse himself or let himself off. God has provided in the Spirit and in the grace of Christ and in His own grace a sufficiency so that we need not stop short of God's own pleasure.

Ques. Is there a temporary thought in the tabernacle

as awaiting completion in the house?

C.A.C. Yes, it was in God's mind that the house should be built and the ark put there, but it gets its place in Zion first. We must understand the reign of grace first. It is a great matter with God that we should understand that He has moved in His ways, not carrying on what He was doing in the Old Testament; and He would have us understand that He bears with a certain legal system of things but it does not give Him pleasure, and christendom has gone back to it. There is much devotion and piety, but God is not pleased.

Rem. The Galatians had fallen into this.

C.A.C. The Galatians had left Zion after having been there. It is dreadful to have known the reign of grace and yet go back to law. The Colossians were in danger of it, and we all are in danger of it.

Ques. Would the altar suggest a 'miserable sinner' line of things?

C.A.C. There is bound to be a measure of bondage if we stop short of God's present mind, "... a spirit of bondage again for fear" (Romans 8:15). David, a spiritual man divinely instructed, was afraid to go to Gibeon.

Solomon ought to have been afraid to go to Gibeon.

Rem. This should stir us up to see what use we have made of the light God has given us.

C.A.C. Yes. We should ever remember that it is in Zion that God dwells. There is no scripture that speaks of Him dwelling in Gibeon. He loves to dwell where His grace in Christ has subdued every contrary element -- that is Zion. According to God's thought we have all been born there; we are all sons and daughters of Zion in God's thought (Psalm 87). If we go back to what has been discarded, we cease to be available for God's pleasure. He discarded the old system and brought in a new system. I think God loves the thought of dwelling. He did

not give up His thought of dwelling while the ark was in obscurity, but He had long patience, and in these last days He has had patience too until Christ should be recovered in the hearts of His people, so that He could have a place of rest. Now is He going to have it just at the end?

There are two great principles brought out; the placing of the ark in Zion which is the reign of grace, and the building of the altar in the threshing-floor, representing things set up in sovereign mercy; and those two things exclude by their positive power everything that is of the flesh. Now God says, "This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it" (Psalm 132:14). It is lovely. It all bears in a special way on this present time. Anyone can see what a legal state of things there was right up to the beginning of the last century, an admixture of law and grace. You were invested with the imputed righteousness of Christ and that was the best part of christianity! I believe God revived a sense of His grace and of His sovereign mercy. Now saints who have moved according to it are ready for the house. The legal system leads directly into the world; it led Solomon into worldliness. The chief high place is an idolatrous place of worshipping. Everywhere in christendom there is something of God to be found. Any thoughtful Israelite then would have said to himself, 'Where the ark is is the chief point of interest'.

Rem. In the gospel there were little ships on the lake and the Lord was in one. That is like the tent where the ark is.

Rem. It challenges us because the thing is out; David had told Solomon God's thought regarding the house and it has come down to us.

Ques. Do you think he was influenced by the captains of thousands and of hundreds (verse 2), was there danger in

speaking to them all? Paul conferred with the brethren and was wrongly influenced (Acts 21:18 - 26).

C.A.C. Yes, you see this principle of going to Gibeon illustrated in Paul, so that he went right against his own ministry. Where can God dwell? His dwelling place is Zion and represents that body of persons who have come under the reign of grace, under the mighty influence of Christ in grace. It does not matter what we say, if we are not there we shall not afford God rest. Our exercises bring us to the point that nothing will do for us except the sovereign mercy of God. We may be ever so spiritual as David was, but he became self-important, and we need not fear that God will not deal with our self-importance. But when David has found his true place, that he is a debtor to grace, he finds the altar where there is no room for anything but God. Then it is that we can move on to the house.

This chapter is important in bringing out the sifting character of things not giving place to God. God is working with all of us; He is not against us but "for us" to bring us to His thoughts, and so with Solomon. His going to Gibeon resulted in the silver and gold in Jerusalem being as stones, so that really precious things lost their value. He ends as a thoroughly worldly man, and all as the result of going to Gibeon.

He received all that he asked for. How pleased God would have been if he had asked for wisdom and power to build the house. David had emphasised it to him. I think God felt that. God answers his prayers, and He does many prayers that do not please Him. He bears with His people. Ought not these things to have entered the depths of Solomon's soul? He does not refer to them.

Rem. And God does not remind him.

C.A.C. He does not. God comes down to our level. Does that satisfy any of us? I ask myself, does that satisfy

me, or do I want to move into a region that really gives God pleasure?

Rem. It is like Paul going to Jerusalem.

C.A.C. That illustrates the thing beautifully. When he got to Jerusalem he found it was the most dangerous place on earth, and they made him a legal man too. In spite of that when he was in difficulty the Lord stood by him. Oh! what a Master He is to serve. Many of us know His forbearance in the same way.

NOTES OF A READING 2 CHRONICLES 2

2 Chronicles 2:1 - 18

C.A.C. I think we should look in these scriptures for the great principles of divine acting, which would help us in the understanding of matters connected with the house of God today. They are not recorded as history, but as giving us the mind of God according to the Spirit for present application; always bearing in mind, of course, that the house was not built until Christ was glorified, Solomon being a type of Christ as glorified.

Ques. Was this not a great step forward from what we had in the first chapter?

C.A.C. Yes, it seems that Solomon was not acting in the light that had been given to David his father when he went to Gibeon, so that what he does in chapter 1 falls short of what was really pleasing to God. Solomon was hardly up to it but I think he came to it in this chapter. He does not say anything in chapter 1 about building the house which was really the great matter before God. Gibeon was not the place where spiritual light was shining as to the present mind of God, the ark not being there; but now Solomon comes to the thought of God, and I think we can perceive that there is instruction in the kind of labourers that he employs.

Ques. He would be more a type of Christ glorified here?

C.A.C. Yes, and I think the fact of there being this large number of strangers that could be used in building is intended to show us the result that can be brought about under the influence of the power of Christ, so that

the most unlikely and refractory persons can become serviceable in building the house. We find from chapter 8: 7, 8 that these most unlikely persons, who had been under the expressed judgment of God in Joshua, are now brought under the control of Solomon and become tributary to the house, setting forth the kind of persons used today in connection with the building of God's house.

Ques. Is there something in the fact that the persons are mentioned twice, and the second time are described?

C.A.C. I thought it was intended to convey to us that God takes up those who are by nature children of wrath even as the rest, as Paul says -- that is the class of persons. So if such persons become tributary and serviceable to Solomon for building the house of God, it is a wonderful testimony to the power of Christ.

Ques. Is there a difference between "a house for the name of Jehovah, and a house for his kingdom" (verse 1)?

C.A.C. You mean as a distinction between the two houses? There is a house for Jehovah where service would be carried on Godward whereas the house of the kingdom would be where kingly authority would be exercised manward, so that both sides would be secured, namely, God's service for His pleasure, and the rights of His throne secured. We read of the throne, a wonderful throne, further on.

Ques. Are these the product of the assembly exercises of the saints? Do we see these things as maintained under the hand of Christ? Ephesians has both aspects.

C.A.C. Yes, I think that the effect of Christ glorified secures that all those who come under His hand become serviceable in relation to what is for the pleasure of God, and the maintenance of all that is for God in the kingdom. He can so transform what is worthless and obnoxious that it can be usable.

Rem. It is as persons in an ordered condition of things.

Rem. You get also the thought of the kingdom in Ephesians.

C.A.C. The two must always go together, the house of God for His service and pleasure, and the kingdom securing the rights of God manward.

Rem. We get the kingdom first in the practical application to ourselves.

C.A.C. Yes, that is the truth developed in the epistle to the Romans first. We must come first to "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit" (chapter 14: 17) and that is necessary if the house is to come into being for the pleasure of God.

Ques. I wondered why David is concerned with the materials and Solomon turns this thoughts to operatives?

C.A.C. David is the type of Christ as one who completes the will of God, a man after God's heart, and in a sense he provides all the material; it is the fruit of the incarnation and death and resurrection of Christ; but the building is connected with Him as Solomon, as Christ glorified. As the glorified One He builds the assembly: "I will build", He says in Matthew 16:18. I think the thought of skill comes out very prominently, the need for skill, which it is well for us to note. There is great need of spiritual skill, skilled workmanship; and the teaching we get here is not had by descending into details but by getting principles. You get here that there is no building of the house without the gentile. The sovereignty of God comes in as to the place chosen for the house, the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite (1 Chronicles 21:15). But the calling in of Huram shows a kind of necessity that the gentile should be brought in to get the true thought of the house of God.

Ques. Was this meant when David said that Solomon should add to it?

C.A.C. I think it is an intimation to us of the truth of the mystery.

Rem. David would suggest that the death of Christ laid the great foundation for Jew and gentile and as glorified He gathers them together to put into shape for the house.

C.A.C. It is most important for us to understand the truth of the mystery, the special ministry given to Paul. It is the great distinctive truth of the present moment and necessary for any right understanding of the house of God.

Ques. Would you explain what "the mystery" embraces?

C.A.C. I think it is a term that covers the present acting of God: first it is bringing Jew and gentile together as joint heirs, and a joint body and joint partakers of His promise in Christ Jesus by the glad tidings, and then it takes the form of God's work among the gentiles, as Paul says, "the mystery" summed up as Christ being in the gentiles, "which is Christ in you the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27); in a great company of gentile saints, while individual Jews that are added come in on the same ground. The truth of the mystery is far greater than the ways of God with Israel, than all the promises in the Old Testament. It was a hidden thing, not said to be hidden in the Scriptures but hidden in God. But there are intimations in the Old Testament, and I think that this is one of them, the fact that a gentile king is brought in to furnish for the house along with Solomon.

Rem. We get the Canaanitish woman in the borders of Tyre and Sidon in the gospel (Matthew 15:22).

C.A.C. Yes, on the borders of the gentile world; and the house of God was not there in its true character at Pentecost when limited to Jews. The ministry of Paul

brings in the true character. It was given to him, no one else had it. He is our special apostle; we need to give great heed to him. So it is very interesting to see Solomon and Huram so beautifully united in their care for the house, and a beautiful hint of how things would come to be in its being built. And the reality of it is now. We have part in it, taken up as worthless persons, so that Christ may subdue our lawless will for us to have part in what is to be for the pleasure of God. It is a thing we should cherish intensely.

The Lord's service on earth prepared the material, in the days of His flesh, but He put it all together by sending down His Spirit after He was glorified, and consequent on that Paul was appointed a special minister of the mystery to show how the gentile was called in, which is our part in it. It is all right material, there is no thought of a mixed multitude in the mystery. Paul was not one of the twelve; he was called in love with a special ministry which the twelve did not have. They had the ministry of the kingdom; Paul had the ministry of the assembly. We need to consider very carefully and closely the ministry of Paul if we want to be in the thoughts of God at the present time.

The importance of all this is that if we do not know how God is moving we cannot serve Him intelligently. Solomon was very pious in going to Gibeon, but he was not intelligent in God's mind and did not give Him pleasure. The great thought in the house is that everything is according to the mind of God, so that He can come in and take possession and be delighted with it. It is a great conception and we come to understand what a vessel of divine pleasure the assembly is. Solomon in writing to Huram speaks of the service that would be rendered Godward. In verse 4 he speaks of the incense, the continual shewbread and the burnt-offerings.

Ques. Is it the full range of offerings?

C.A.C. I think in principle these things cover the whole service Godward for the divine pleasure. The great thing in people's minds today is to get a service that suits man. It is not what suits me, but what suits God; and nothing gives Him pleasure but what answers to His mind. Solomon expects Huram to enter into it all, intelligently to follow all that he said. I think Huram represents the gentile as brought in to complete and fill out the thought of the house. Spiritual skill is being developed amongst the gentiles now. The great bulk of the assembly is composed of gentile nations, and it is developed there to be worked out in localities, not to be worked out as we think, but as He thinks. Looking at the saints abstractly they have the Spirit, and are subjects of divine teaching and they have intelligence. "I speak as to intelligent persons: do ye judge what I say" (1 Corinthians 10:15) is what Paul says as to the responsibility of the fellowship. I think Solomon speaks to Huram as an intelligent person, and I think God looks to us that we should understand what He says to us as to this knowledge of the mystery.

Ques. Were the wheat, barley, wine and oil for support to those in his service (verse 10)?

C.A.C. I think that strength for labour depended on the food supply. We are feeble in connection with the service of God, because we do not feed sufficiently on the divinely given food.

Ques. Would you say what the "incense" is (verse 4)?

C.A.C. The incense is how the saints speak to God in prayer and praise. Now, do we speak to God as in the knowledge of His own pleasure? If not, I am not qualified to serve Him. God loves that His own precious thoughts should be brought back to Him as sweet incense by His saints. The best example of incense that I know is John 17.

Rem. Is that the golden altar?

C.A.C. Yes, it is the Son speaking to the Father, as a divine Person, of course, but here in manhood, and speaking of the saints according to the thoughts of the Father and according to His own thought, and that is very pleasing to God. God would ever have us speak to Him as those who are in Christ. There is suitability to God's present thoughts. God thinks of us as in Christ, having a spirit of sonship and in liberty. I may tell Him of my needs, but my needs do not minister to His pleasure. Incense has fragrance and gives delight and so must have reference to the wonderful place we have before Him.

Then the shewbread no doubt represents all the saints as in the life of Christ before God for His pleasure. Have we learnt to regard ourselves as in the life of Christ and as such for the continual pleasure of God? The divine order would be secured as we held fast to that. The order of the bread speaks of the order of the saints as in the life of Christ. We are called to be that, to be in the life of Christ before God and to refuse the flesh. Paul says, "Rejoicing and seeing your order, and the firmness of your faith in Christ" (Colossians 2:5).

Ques. Is the Lord making a new arrangement in John 17? "When I was with them I kept them in thy name ... And now I come to thee" (verses 12, 13).

C.A.C. Yes, the Lord was contemplating the new position that He was about to take up, and the saints left here to live in His life, so that He might be glorified in them; as He says, "And I am glorified in them" (verse 10).

Then the burnt-offering is the ground of everything, the ground of acceptance. We are always on that ground, and as we are able to take that up we are for the pleasure of God. We bring before Him not our failures and shortcomings but the excellencies of that One. Now is the time when these things are real. All types were shadows

and the house itself was only a symbol, and it came to nothing; but what it typifies does not come to nothing! God would have us all serve in relation to this wonderful system all set up in Christ. We have come to the substance now.

Rem. So that the sabbath, God's rest, is reached in spirit and the new moons give a fresh appreciation of Christ.

NOTES OF A READING 2 CHRONICLES 3

2 Chronicles 3:1 - 17

C.A.C. Solomon is now seen moving in the light that was given to his father David. We noticed in the first chapter how he lost ground by not regarding the spiritual light which had been given; but now he moves in the divine light as we all need to do, and he recognises the principle that everything connected with the house must stand in the sovereignty of mercy.

Ques. You are referring to mount Moriah and the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite (verse 1)?

C.A.C. Yes, it was in the sovereignty of mercy that God indicated the place where the house should be built. It was when everything had broken down, and David himself completely. And in like manner the christian profession has broken down, but the sovereignty of divine mercy remains and that will not fail; and that is the fundamental principle of the house of God, that it stands in the sovereignty of mercy.

Ques. Is there moral significance in commencing "on the second of the second month", on the line of the second being established? (verse 2). All other is discarded.

C.A.C. That is very good. So you get the thought of Solomon's foundation. "This was Solomon's foundation for ... the house of God" (verse 3). We come to something that is going to stand. If the principle of sovereign mercy is accounted as the basis of everything, we have a foundation that cannot be shaken. "This was Solomon's foundation" it says, which apparently applies to all that

he did; the whole structure as set up by Solomon was marked by this foundational feature.

Rem. The foundation of the Lord's house is established in the mountains of holiness (Psalm 87:1).

C.A.C. Quite so. So that whatever may be done constructively in relation to the house of God today must conform to God's foundation.

Ques. Are you referring to the work in the saints?

C.A.C. I think the thoughts are blended. These thoughts are very prominent in the closing chapters of the first book; we see that Solomon is typical of the Son who builds, and I think he also may be regarded as representing the saints who come to the truth of what is the mind of God regarding His house.

Rem. The foundation of the house stands sure.

C.A.C. It even remains in difficult times. Paul says, "As a wise architect, I have laid the foundation" (1 Corinthians 3:10), and the saints are "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the corner-stone" (Ephesians 2:20). It is at the beginning and is also found at the end. So that is the importance here, that the foundation is found in remnant times -- difficult times, such as we are living in now. It is a great thought for the soul to get hold of at the present time, the thought of the foundation. It is the whole of divine teaching. We come to what is in the mind of God; Solomon does in this chapter, and apparently all that he does is covered by, "This was Solomon's foundation"; that is, it is to be taken morally, it is to be taken symbolically, and covers all.

Ques. Will you say a word as to mount Moriah?

C.A.C. It is the principle of things being shown by Jehovah. They will be permanent, not subject to modification or change, for it remains. The place of sacrifice was shown by Jehovah.

Rem. It is based on sacrifice.

C.A.C. It must be so. What is to stand must have a sacrificial basis. It is sovereign mercy that reaches us in connection with sacrifice.

Rem. It was in the fourth year of his reign that Solomon began to build.

C.A.C. It suggests that Solomon, like most of us, lost time by not paying serious attention to the divine light given. Time lost can never be regained, it is lost.

Rem. It is the exercise of a good many of us. There is the side that Christ is the Builder, but it is also for us to arrive at the point.

C.A.C. Yes, and I think that is how the Spirit of God would have us take it up. The house is formed through our taking up the exercise. Christ is the Builder, but He does not do it apart from those who compose the house. Here we have the outline of God's making a house to express Himself to men, but looking does not do it; it has to be done through the Spirit. It is the work of the glorified Christ, but it is really done down here. It is a continuous and permanent exercise.

Rem. "In whom all the building fitted together increases to a holy temple in the Lord" (Ephesians 2:21). It is a continuous thought. And it is "for a habitation of God in the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22).

C.A.C. Yes, and there is the thought of increase. There is the great thought that God desires to have a dwelling place here on earth where He can be expressed to men in the fulness of His grace. That is the primary thought of God.

Rem. So Christ is the expression of it.

C.A.C. It was expressed when the Son was here upon earth because His body was the temple, and there was the full declaration of God to men. It was begun in the Son incarnate, but that was extended in the saints. It is to

be expressed in man, to men.

Ques. Would the threshing-floor suggest the precious separated from the vile? Suffering is suggested -- David said, "In my affliction I have prepared ..." (1 Chronicles 22:14).

C.A.C. Yes, I thought so. David had to learn to judge the self-importance that desired Israel to be numbered, and he came under judgment on account of it, so nothing remained for him but sovereign mercy, and that is indicated by the threshing-floor. David had gone through the threshing-floor himself, that is, the process.

Ques. Did Paul go through it?

C.A.C. Yes, it was all on the principle of separating what is of the flesh from what is of the Spirit, so that there is a pure product and the wheat is preserved in its own character, separate from the chaff. It all enters into it.

Ques. What is "the first measure" (verse 3)9

C.A.C. That which is from the beginning. We have to learn the proportion in which things stand; they stand in certain definite proportion. It is the first instructions that we have to learn. There are certain things that correspond and stand in definite proportion to each other.

Ques. Will you explain the proportion in these divine principles?

C.A.C. I think we have seen before that the porch sets forth God's approach to men in the glad tidings, the most prominent public feature of the house.

Rem. That too began in Christ personally.

C.A.C. Yes, of course, but then it has been extended. It was greatly extended when the Spirit came down on the one hundred and twenty at Pentecost. Instead of one Man, there were one hundred and twenty of them, all to express what God is to men, and it has been extended ever since. What is set forth in the porch is measured by

what was in the holiest and by the altar.

Rem. The apostles recognised that the proportion had been destroyed by Judas and restored it before Pentecost.

C.A.C. Yes, they understood they were to be extended in the assembly. An extension from the temple is the house of the most holy place. It sets forth the most intense degree of divine holiness. There could not be anything more intensely holy than 'the holiest'. We find that the measurements of the most holy place are precisely the dimensions of the altar. If God had not been glorified in the altar about sin to the full dimensions of His glory and holiness, how could He present Himself in grace to men?

Ques. Is it in view of response in that measure?

C.A.C. Yes, ultimately. The greatest thought is God coming out, that must be the greatest thought. Whatever conception we may form of the holiness of God, it is essential to His house that we should have an intense conception of it. Where He dwells, He must dwell in holiness. Christendom has little understanding of holiness; it is the great lack, and therefore it has no thought of the house.

Now we are privileged to learn it in the most holy place. It is learnt there in the most holy place of all, where it is possible to know it. We learn not only righteousness but holiness in the death of Christ; it is a more profound thing than righteousness for it is connected with the very nature of God; righteousness is one of the attributes of God. The altar is called 'holiness of holinesses' in Exodus (see Exodus 26:33 footnote c), and the "holy of holies" is named the same as the altar (see Exodus 29:37), 'holiness of holinesses', speaking of the intense holiness of God. The Spirit of God would have us consider God's intense abhorrence of sin; if you get the

fullest setting forth of divine holiness in the holy of holies, you get the full setting forth of that holiness in the altar where holiness is glorified.

Now that is the God who dwells in His house. So that all that God is as known in the altar and the holiest corresponds with how He is known to men in the glad tidings. If we were true in what we sang:

'We boast in Thee, Thou source of good,
Thy glory fills our sight', (Hymn 35)

well, that is a glory of infinite holiness. I think more should be said of holiness in the gospel. It is not for me to suggest it, but I think holiness should be more preached in the gospel. Paul says, "According to the Spirit of holiness". He begins Romans with it (chapter 1: 4), which is the great gospel treatise. There are three things spoken of by the same form of words, 'holiness of holinesses': "the most holy place" (Exodus 26:33), "the altar" (Exodus 29:37) and "the incense" (Exodus 30:36) are all designated by that remarkable expression.

The great lack today is holiness. Someone said to me this week, 'What is needed is more love'. I said, 'What is needed today is more holiness'! And it enters into the presentation of the glad tidings. The great elevation of the porch, which was one hundred and twenty cubits while the rest of the building was thirty cubits, would indicate the great prominence God would give of Himself in all His holiness in the representation of Himself in grace. I do not think we have a true sense of grace if we do not see it connected with holiness. "Every one that has this hope in him purifies himself" (1 John 3:3) -- that is the thought of holiness.

Rem. The Lord addresses Philadelphia as "the holy", and in the same passage, lower down, "a pillar in the temple" is mentioned (Revelation 3:12).

C.A.C. Philadelphia exactly fits in here. None of us will be true Philadelphians if we do not take in this instruction in 2 Chronicles 3. Holiness is concentrated for us in the holy of holies. There is a whole mountain of holiness which is a thought of vastness concentrated there, and God's foundation is in the mountains of holiness (Psalm 87:1). God could not disregard His nature; how could He! All this teaching is very fundamental. The porch was overlaid with pure gold; indeed, every part of the house was overlaid, but the porch particularly is overlaid with pure gold (verse 4).

Ques. How do you connect the building with pure gold?

C.A.C. In that things can only be effectively presented by those in whom the work of the Spirit has been matured. The gold in this chapter would be best represented in one word, that is 'spirituality', meaning that one is formed in the divine nature. The great point in this chapter is what is overlaid; it is the overlaying that is stressed, not the substance overlaid, so you get no cedar in this chapter, no olive-wood and no stones for building. The only material mentioned is the cypress-wood. All this is to be considered carefully.

The "greater house" seems to indicate that the thing is extended. As we move outward there is great extension. The thought of extension runs through all the Lord's parables. You see in the holy place there were two things connected with the testimony: the table of shewbread and the candlestick. There is the thought of extension with both of them. The shewbread might be said to be the extension of Christ in the saints under the eye of God for His pleasure. And so with the candlestick. The Lord could say, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12): that is only one branch, now there are seven candlesticks. There is great extension of the light in the church.

Ques. What is there distinctive about the cypress-wood?

C.A.C. The Spirit rather discounts the thought of excellency in the material covered in order to emphasise the surpassing excellence of the covering material; whereas the thought of cedar-wood is prominence in things.

Ques. What is the distinction between pure gold and fine gold? Some things are overlaid with one and some with the other.

C.A.C. Is it not to call attention to the surpassing excellence of what God can bring out in men? Cypress-wood is typical of men that God can make such wonderful use of: men -- that class of being. Man was an object of great consideration to God, "Let us make man in our image" (Genesis 1:26). We have this great dignity, and God can do more with you and me than He could with the angels in heaven, for He can make the saints express Himself. And the work of covering with gold is going on this very minute, since it goes on after the Spirit is received. The greatest part goes on after He is received, namely, the development of the divine nature in the saint, which I think is the covering of gold.

Ques. Is fine gold connected with the saints or with Christ?

C.A.C. I am not sure that we can connect this covering with Christ, for if you allow me to put it, He was solid gold! It is what God could do in men; not exactly what He can do with Christ; of course, all is perfect with Him.

Rem. "We also are men of like passions with you", the apostles said (Acts 14:15).

C.A.C. That is the point, "I myself am a man" (Acts 10:26): Saul saw a man named Ananias coming in (Acts 9:12). It is a great thing for us to understand what it is to be a man. We must not hurry over this wonderful

instruction; it is something to ponder. God can take up men and introduce a formative power by the Spirit, which is operating now, so there should be a little more gold on me this year than last. That, beloved brethren, is God's great intention: that He should be suitably expressed at the present time in His house in this world -- not in heaven -- to bring men out in an entirely new character as formed by the Spirit. God must have men.

NOTES OF A READING 2 CHRONICLES 3

2 Chronicles 3:5 - 17

C.A.C. It has been brought before us on past occasions that the primary thought of the house is that God dwells there, His name is there, with a view to His being expressed in grace to men. There is also the thought of God being approached, which is a corresponding thought, but the first is the greater. The means of approach are set forth in chapter 4; but in chapter 3 it is the construction of the house. Thus at the present time God is giving great extension of what was presented to men in His beloved Son. That is, He is giving extension to it in the way of testimony, and one might say it is an extension of His pleasure.

Ques. Is that connected with the thought of "the greater house" (verse 5)?

C.A.C. Yes, as we move outward, things are extended, not as to their perfection and power and fulness, for that was all set forth in Christ Himself, but things are extended as to the scope of testimony and the sphere of divine pleasure. Things are vastly extended, for the house extends all over the world now.

Rem. And that would be consequent on the ascension of Christ and the gift of the Spirit.

C.A.C. I thought so; things are immensely extended on earth through Christ being glorified.

Ques. Would it be the aspect of the house in 1 Timothy, or in both 1 and 2 Timothy?

C.A.C. I think specially in 2 Timothy. I think you get the porch in 2 Timothy, and the behaviour in the house

in the first epistle. The porch is the prominent thing in the house. At the beginning of Acts the one hundred and twenty towered far above the temple and all its ritual. The Holy Spirit sent down from heaven gives the true elevation of the porch. There was a great extension in the one hundred and twenty, and more in the three thousand, and then in the five thousand, and then in the myriads, as it says in Acts 21:20.

Rem. In 1 Timothy it says, "Who desires that all men should be saved" (chapter 2: 4), and "Who gave himself a ransom for all" (verse 6).

Rem. "From the rising of the sun even unto its setting my name shall be great among the nations" (Malachi 1:11).

C.A.C. That is the result -- the response. But the response could never be equal to the coming out, because the coming out is God. The response is of the creature and that could never be so great.

Ques. "Boldness and access in confidence by the faith of him" (Ephesians 3:12). Is that the response?

C.A.C. This is the construction of the house which takes its character from Solomon's foundation all through.

Ques. We have often heard it said that 'the response is equal to the revelation'. How would it be not equal to it?

C.A.C. Well, that is true in Christ, that is the measure, the full standard. When we think of what God is in His nature and what His attributes are and then how He can come out in grace, that is transcendent. The city comes down from heaven, with the glory of God. Well, where did she get that? I only wish to distinguish between what is infinite with God and what is limited with the creature. God would have His people set together collectively as His house for the expression of Himself to men; it is the greatest of all.

Rem. "The glad tidings of the glory of the blessed God" (1 Timothy 1:11).

Rem. The approach of God is connected with the house, but must be greater than the house itself.

C.A.C. Yes, and afterwards the cloud came down and filled the house. The cloud was greater than the house. It was the Shekinah.

The saints are qualified by the work of the Spirit and as formed in the divine nature to give a just expression of God, and that is the thought of being covered with gold. Very little is made of the material in this book. In Kings, which gives the heavenly side, more is made of the cedar, the olive-wood and stones for building, but here more is made of the gold with which it is covered. It is a question of men being taken up, and taken up so that they may be covered with gold by the work of the Spirit.

Rem. That is men in general, not taking account of exercise, or large or small.

C.A.C. I think the material is emphasised in Kings because it regards saints as of heavenly origin. The prominent thought here is what they are overlaid with, the gold. The process is going on this minute for I assume that we have the Spirit. The work goes on as we refuse the flesh and give place to the gold. It should increase every year; every year there should be more gold on us.

Rem. It is the prominence given to God's side.

C.A.C. What is prominent is what is effective as the result of the gift of the Spirit, which is not the end as we are inclined to think, but the beginning. The gold is the best, the most excellent quality.

Rem. Much is made of God in the gospels which record the miracles of Christ as Man. It says, "All were astonished at the glorious greatness of God" (Luke 9:43).

C.A.C. It is a wonderful statement. Oh, that we could make that impression on people!

Rem. That comes out in Luke 9 at the foot of the mount of transfiguration after the deliverance effected from Satan.

C.A.C. The whole point is that God may have good pleasure in man; what was in Christ extended in men.

Rem. The Lord "manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him", it says in John 2:11.

C.A.C. Yes, it is the full declaration of God in the Son, and that is to be extended in the saints. It is the Spirit's work that covers them with gold.

Rem. The Lord asked, "Which is greater, the gold, or the temple which sanctifies the gold?" (Matthew 23:17).

C.A.C. It is a little different there perhaps; that is, the Jews and Pharisees were more occupied with what was outward, but then the great thing was that the temple was there; the spiritual reality of God's name being there was the great thing. We are all more apt to think of the outward than of the inward.

Rem. The great climax of everything is that God will "be all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:28).

C.A.C. Yes, I think that is the end of it.

Ques. Would the gold here represent the work of God in relation to the saints?

C.A.C. Yes, it is the thought of being constructed, it is the responsible side. It does not come upon us without exercise, but by refusing the flesh and going on with the Spirit. So the thought is that nothing appears but the work of the Spirit. The house was decorated too with palms and chains and cherubim, which I think falls into line with what we have been saying. Palms speak of victory, of overcoming. Gold is only acquired on the principle of overcoming. If what is of God is to come into practical power in our souls, we must refuse the

world and the flesh, so that overcoming is vital.

Chains are expressive of holding power. 'Captives in the chains of love', as we often sing. The bridegroom in the Song of Songs says his heart has been ravished "With one chain of thy neck" (chapter 4: 9). It is really by being brought under the captivating power of divine love that things are effected. Whole-heartedness is the product of being captivated.

Rem. I was thinking yesterday that it says, "Daniel purposed in his heart" (Daniel 1:8), and of Moses, "It came into his heart to look upon his brethren" (Acts 7:23).

C.A.C. God exercises a captivating power in the house. The hymn puts it in the future rather, but we would like it in the present. Saints moving on this line will be in personal harmony with the government of God. There would be nothing to conflict with His government.

The seraphim are more connected with His divine nature; the cherubim more with the attributes of God and are suggestive of things marking the saints as the construction goes on. Let us not forget that it goes on now, and it moves on these lines so that there may be a proper expression of God here on earth in His house. And God is dealing with each one individually to set aside what interferes with that.

Rem. Both the cherubim turned inwards in the tabernacle (Exodus 37:9), here they "were toward the house".

C.A.C. It think that shows that God in His government is protecting holy things. It is a new and additional feature. Now you get the thought of these large cherubim which are looking outward. I think it indicates the sense that saints get in the holiest of the protecting government of God. If it were not for that we should not be here any

more. The outward outlook is towards all nations, and so the government of God exercises a protecting influence so that we have the precious things of God.

Rem. There are the "precious stones" (verse 6), a different kind of ornament from the palm-trees and chains.

C.A.C. They would represent saints as having distinctive impressions of Christ. The divine nature is marked by similarity in the saints, all gold. Their exercises give some distinctive feature of Christ that becomes their beauty. It was so with the apostles, and so they are found in the wall of the city (Revelation 21:14, 19, 20). Mr Stoney used to say, 'We first admire, then accept, and finally, we adopt'. That is, the work will always begin with admiration; we admire what we see in Christ. Then we accept that is the only thing that will do for us, and the will of God; and finally, we adopt it. Do you not think that the adornment comes actually when we adopt it? We are apt to stop at admiring the features of Christ, without adopting them.

Rem. In the gospel I have been noticing how the Lord 'sends out' His disciples. "As the Father sent me forth, I also send you" (John 20:21) and other passages.

C.A.C. Quite so. Now the construction work depends on spiritual diligence. It does not go on by listening to ministry. We first learn objectively, and we admire. Then there is a point when we accept; nothing else will do. The thing that is true in Him is true in me. Then we adopt the thing, by the grace of God.

The cherubim being on the walls (verse 7) shows the saints are to harmonise with the government of God. Either we are against it, it grates on us and checks us and we chafe at it, or we are in harmony and find it always working in our favour.

Rem. "All things work together for good to those who love God" (Romans 8:28).

Rem. What a lot of chafing it would save us if we could see this.

Rem. The palm-trees and chains seem linked together.

C.A.C. Yes, I think so. It is a little remarkable that the "upper chambers" (verse 9) are brought in along with the "house of the most holy place" (verses 8, 10). They are covered with gold. The three storeys we get in Kings do not appear here.

Ques. What meaning do you attach to that?

C.A.C. I wondered if the "upper chambers" do not come out in the gospel of John, particularly in chapters 13 - 17.

Rem. They certainly seem upper-chamber chapters.

C.A.C. Would you say they go along with Ephesians? There you have got the elevation of the divine thought.

Rem. "Jesus said these things, and going away hid himself from them" (John 12:36). Chapters 13 - 17 are said in secret.

C.A.C. He is going to the Father, but linking them with Himself; they are His own in the world, and they are to have part with Him. It is often said that the "many abodes" (John 14:2) refer to the chambers of the house, but the place is where He is.

Rem. The length was according to the breadth in the most holy place (verse 8). What is the thought there?

C.A.C. Yes, it is just the same measure as the altar. As we have often been told, the altar is equal to the holiest, speaking of God being glorified with regard to the question of sin.

Rem. "Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him" (John 13:31).

C.A.C. It is in every sense equal to the holiest. That is why the saints can have to do with the holiest, because of the death and sufferings of the Son of man.

Rem. I wondered why Solomon made another brazen altar (chapter 4: 1).

C.A.C. I think the principle is enlargement in the temple. Things are all multiplied and extended. It all bears on this thought that God is extending things in His house. On the basis of God being glorified as to the question of sin, we can have to do with the holiest. And yet there is a veil in Chronicles still, showing that the teaching applies to the present time. There is no veil in Kings.

Ques. Would you say more?

C.A.C. Kings gives the heavenly side of things. You would not expect it in Colossians or Ephesians. If reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, there is suitability to the holiest. Reconciliation fits the saints for the holiest. But then we are not altogether in that region yet. We are living still in flesh, and to enter the holiest we must go through the veil. There must be the personal going in through the death of Christ, and through the value of His blood. That is, "Within the veil" is a purely spiritual region; so that in order to reach it we leave our responsible life and we go through the death of Christ into a purely spiritual region. So it requires exercise to do it.

Rem. There is no mention of scarlet here in the veil as in the tabernacle, but crimson (verse 14).

C.A.C. It brings out the varied glories attached to the Person of Christ, but then He had to go into death that we might go through the veil into the holiest. We cannot go in as natural men and women, we must go "through the veil".

Ques. What is the thought of the nails?

C.A.C. It is an interesting subject of enquiry, why the nails should be found only in the most holy place. It shows the necessity for things to be held together in the

power of the divine nature. It is an extraordinary weight of gold that covers the most holy place, showing that what pertains to the most holy place requires an extraordinary measure of divine development, things in that region being held together by the nails, which is necessary in order to touch the things that are most holy.

NOTES OF A READING 2 CHRONICLES 3 AND 4

2 Chronicles 3:15 - 17; 2 Chronicles 4:1 - 8

C.A.C. From what we have been reading, I suppose we should gather that things were moving outward, that is, we have had the holy place and the most holy, but now we get what is "before" the temple.

This portion, I should gather, has reference to the saints as set up in the place of testimony.

Ques. Is there any connection between the two pillars before the house and what we get in Timothy, "The pillar and base of the truth"?

C.A.C. I wondered whether that might be a reference or allusion to Jacob's pillar.

Ques. Is it the saints in testimony; is that why there are two pillars?

C.A.C. Well, I should think so. Two is a number that is connected with testimony in Scripture. I wondered whether the thought was that God would set up His saints in such a way that there might be attraction to His house, that people might be attracted to what they see in the pillars. They were before the temple and the thought of ornamentation on them would indicate something attractive. I think we come to that thought in this section. After leaving what is inside the house we are enabled to take up, or rather God would set us up as, an attractive testimony to Himself in this world.

Ques. Would the chains suggest divinely wrought links, and the pomegranates the unity of the fellowship? The pomegranates were placed on the chains.

C.A.C. Yes, that is interesting and helpful, say a little more.

Rem. The chains suggest distinctly the thought of links and the pomegranates what is compacted in divine affections. The fruit is of that nature, full of numerous and closely packed seeds. It is fellowship in love that binds together. The chains are golden and forged for eternity.

C.A.C. Yes, so that there might be divine features.

Ques. Were there attractive features seen in the temple when the lame man was there, and the apostles said "Look on us" (Acts 3:4)?

C.A.C. Yes, I think they were seen in those two servants.

Ques. What had you in mind with regard to Jacob's pillar?

C.A.C. I thought that Timothy was going back to the basic thought of the house of God.

Ques. Is there the thought of dignity attaching to the height of these pillars?

C.A.C. I think so. I wondered whether we could expect saints to come to us apart from being attractive. It should be an exercise to us that those who fear God and value His things should be able to take account of us as different from all around us; so that there should be attraction towards the temple.

Rem. "Of the rest durst no man join them" (Acts 5:13). It attracts what is of God and repels what is not of God, would you say?

C.A.C. Yes, I think there is a repellent power about what is of God, repelling what is contrary to itself.

Ques. That should be found among us in our local gatherings, would you say?

C.A.C. Yes, it is the divine thought. The pillars represent a certain prominence, they were lofty pillars, and

it is God-given prominence. There are two great principles clearly connected with them. Jachin means, "He will establish", and Boaz, "In Him is strength". That is, these pillars would represent the saints as divinely established in Christ and finding all their strength in God. So that things are not only set up but maintained. They are twin pillars, one is not without the other.

Rem. There is no mention of the material the pillars are made of. Would it suggest more what the saints are as in Christ; is it in that connection?

C.A.C. Yes, I should think so, that is, as established by God.

The epistle to the Romans is for that purpose. Paul says, "That I may impart to you some spiritual gift to establish you" (Romans 1:11). It is a great epistle to pray over if we want to be established, and it closes, "Now to him that is able to establish you, according to my glad tidings and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery". The Lord is able to establish us, not only in the elements of things, but in the fulness of what is in His own mind. Then we want strength to be maintained in what is of God; and these two thoughts are clearly set forth in these two pillars.

Ques. Is there the thought of adornment in the pillars?

C.A.C. I think so; so that we find at the end of Romans the long list of salutations and the different features in connection with the saints, which brings out how they adorn the position. What God would establish us in is all that came out for His pleasure in Christ. God is never going to change His mind in what pleases Him. He has brought it out fully in Christ, and now it is to be extended. That thought is prominent in connection with the temple; things take a larger form, they are extended and multiplied.

Ques. Why are things higher here than in Kings?

C.A.C. They are certainly higher than when referred to at the beginning of Kings: see 1 Kings 7:15, 16. Here the pillars are thirty-five cubits and the capitals another five cubits, which make forty cubits altogether. All this brought out in remnant times gives enlargement of thought to counteract the tendency to look upon it merely as a day of small things. God would counteract that by His word and get us to take an enlarged estimate of things.

We read in Ezra that the temple in that time was actually three times the size of Solomon's; so saying it was nothing was simply a delusion of their unbelief. God's things do not diminish, they increase. It is a fixed principle that does not alter.

Rem. James and Peter and John are referred to as being conspicuous as pillars and they gave to Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship to go to the nations and they to the Jews, so that all help together in the assembly.

C.A.C. Yes. We have to learn to look at things according to God. The day in which we are living is probably the greatest day of all, just before the translation of the saints of the assembly. God's thoughts are being learnt by thousands of saints all over the world, in ministry giving the greatness of God's thoughts in Christ, and the possibilities there are in the Spirit. So that when Paul is shut up in prison and in chains more is expanded in God's wisdom than when he was free.

Rem. "I have strength for all things in him that gives me power", Paul said (Philippians 4:13).

C.A.C. I think that is just what it is. We have strength in God to enable us to maintain the things in which He has established us. We are weak things we must confess, but it is because we are not established in Romans. God

would establish us in Christ and in the Spirit. It brings all that out; but we need the "Boaz" as well as the "Jachin".

Rem. I notice Solomon made a new brazen altar for the temple. This is not the one he used at Gibeon.

C.A.C. And it was a very much larger one, which I think brings out the sacrificial principle. This great altar,, twenty cubits square, shows that the sacrificial principle is to be very great in relation to the house of God. God has brought out the principle in its greatness in Christ; but the altar here refers to the extension of it in the saints.

Ques. Is the brazen altar here for God, or for blessing to men?

C.A.C. It refers to what is offered to God. Christ has introduced the offering period, He has offered up Himself. But the principle of offering is to continue, that is, there is to be a bringing to God of what pleases Him, and at some personal cost.

Rem. It seems to suggest to me here what God finds His complacency in, even in the cherubim.

C.A.C. I think, of course, the offering on the altar is particularly the burnt-offering, and that is delightful to God as a sweet odour of Christ, but it has cost something to get it, which gives it a sacrificial aspect.

Rem. "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God" (Hebrews 13:15).

C.A.C. Yes, it all costs us something. The knowledge of God in our hearts costs us something; we did not come by it easily. God bears with what does not please Him at Gibeon, but the altar is what ministers to the pleasure of God, and every sacrifice has been acquired through exercise.

Rem. The saints will never lose the sense of sacrifice throughout eternity.

C.A.C. It takes a great deal of its value from the force

of contrast now. We are to act Godward on the principle of sacrifice, that is, what a brother says in praise to God that has cost him nothing is of no value. What we have had through exercise and anguish of heart, and been broken to pieces over so that we can value Christ, we can bring as appreciating Christ, to God.

Then it is the same of giving; it works both ways. Paul says to the Philippians, "Having received ... the things sent from you, an odour of sweet savour, an acceptable sacrifice, agreeable to God". Well, that enters into the sacrifice on the altar too. It is a wonderful thing that this altar privilege is open to us. Christ has opened the way for us. It has been offered in the fullest possible way in Christ.

Rem. Ephesians 5:2 says, "Walk in love, even as the Christ loved us, and delivered himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour".

C.A.C. Yes, it is brought in in a practical way in the walk of the saints. It all takes on an altar character; how we walk together is really a sacrificial thing. If it were understood, we should be more ready to give up our self-importance and all that hinders love. And the sea comes in to help us in that connection. It shows the extensive provision for purification; three thousand baths is an immense quantity of water. And the sea is for the priests to wash in; there is no sacrificial service apart from it. The priests wash in it, so it is really connected with altar service. It involves the patient and persistent service of Christ as set forth in the three hundred and twelve bullocks.