Matthew 28:9,10; Mark 16:9 - 15; Luke 24:32 - 43; John 20:19 - 23

It would be helpful to draw attention to the word "form" in Mark, and from that to point out the character of each record of the manner of the Lord's appearing to the disciples after He rose from the dead. The expression "another form" is one which requires attention; it is peculiar to Mark. He has in view the state of the disciples. His narrative calls special attention to their unbelief; so that in telling us about the form, Mark simply says, "he appeared in another form to two of them as they went into the country". Revelation 1 and 2 enlarges on this comment. If the Lord's form is not natural, if the manner of His appearance to us is not normal, it denotes things are not right with us. The form seen in Patmos called attention to things that existed. The fact was that the assembly had left its first love, and His appearance was abnormal. It is a serious matter to find the Lord appearing in an abnormal way.

Mark's gospel calls special attention to the state of unbelief which underlay the movements of the disciples after His death. The Lord not only speaks to us when there is departure, but He changes His attitude, and you cannot say in what form He may appear. The state of unbelief was the necessity for that. Each of the addresses to the seven assemblies opened with the Lord in a position or aspect suitable to its state.

It is helpful to get the outline of the four evangelists' accounts. The normal account is found in John's gospel. Matthew's account is in keeping with his point of view, and the Lord intended to produce in the

disciples a sense of His position in administration, hence He acts at a distance, maintains a royal dignity in His relations with them.

It is not the Lord's love which changes because He rejects what is unsuitable in us. The Lord's love never could change, but in faithfulness His attitude to us changes if He sees what is displeasing to Him. His dealings with the saints in the Revelation are abnormal. It is not "I myself" till the close, but He is in rather a disciplinary attitude. All, save in the address to Philadelphia, are other than normal.

A normal state is where love could have its free course. The Lord's supper had become clouded by human innovation, so that it had lost its identification. Now restored to us in its original simplicity, and in the measure in which saints are in keeping with it, we realise "It is I myself": the Lord Himself, that is the Man. In Luke the characteristics are, it is a real Man, with all a man's affections. When we apprehend the significance of the form in which the Lord presents Himself it results in our recovery; so the way in which he presents Himself to the assembly really brings about the state seen in the overcomer.

The Lord assumes a natural and normal attitude in speaking to Philadelphia. He only assumes an abnormal form in view of recovery. On one occasion in the Canticles He only puts His hand in at the door. The bride, having that suggestion made, can give a full outline of His Person. He is described by one who loves that Person. The Lord graciously acts in that way to bring us back, that the assembly's relations with Him should be resumed. Luke's account is normal as regards the Person - the Man: "It is I myself"; therefore it says in Luke, "they were glad". At the end of Revelation also it is "I, Jesus", a term which the assembly will understand. It is the Person. If recovery is to come in it is

through the Person of Christ. His hand is active, it may be through discipline.

"Going into the country" seems so simple but really lies at the bottom of the assembly failure. It is taking up an earthly position instead of having their faces to Jerusalem. "Another form" is a different form, not a normal one. It is different from what He is in His own Person. As a matter of fact in Luke they did not even know Him. Song of Songs 5:3 - 6 shows a great test of affection. The sight of His hand puts her affections in motion. The two that went into the country had been treated similarly, only He goes all the way with them into the house; then being there, He breaks the loaf and they know Him. He does not tell them what to do; but what they did was to return in that same hour to the eleven, who were in a right position though unbelieving. The Lord said to the assembly at Philadelphia: "I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth". (Revelation 3:10). They had returned to the city. In Nehemiah a premium had to be put on dwelling in Jerusalem. They cast lots, for the disposition was to go into the country. The assembly should have retained its place in the centre of divine thought and rule.

The city is an abstract idea now; it has no concrete form yet. It is a divine conception introduced to meet what man had brought in. God introduced the idea of the city to Abraham. Going into the country is connected with minding earthly things, and then eventually we see in Revelation the woes are poured out on those that dwell on the earth in contrast with heaven-dwellers. Because these two had had the light and had been with Jesus, their going into the country was a serious thing, showing they were not attached to the divine centre. In recovery they returned the same hour and find the eleven, and those

that were with them. They were following righteousness now. They found "the eleven", who represented the authority of the Lord. It is a question of where one's heart is. They found the eleven; that is, they returned to the order set up by Christ in authority. In connecting Mark 16:13 with Luke, who gives more detail, we see the recovery was complete. The recovery was analogous to Philadelphia. It was recovery to the order that the Lord established, not partial, but complete. It is not complete unless brought back to the authority of Christ, that is the city. Paul completes the city, and he alone speaks of it formally as "Jerusalem above". Recovery is to God's centre, and where it is genuine we find an acknowledgment of the Lord's authority.

The city is the assembly, but it is not yet in heaven. The apostle says, "Jerusalem above", speaking abstractly as something which will exist, so it is a matter of light. The acknowledging of the Lord's authority is seen in their returning to the eleven. He had commissioned the eleven. We have not the eleven today, but we possess their writings which represent the authority of Christ. Where this authority is recognised we should soon find the right company. The principle in Acts 2:42 abides till the end, "The apostles' doctrine", because it is a question of their authority.

When He broke the bread, their eyes were opened. One sight of Him in the breaking of bread is enough. He was "known of them" through that. He took the place of 'House-father' at Emmaus, which recalled similar occasions with them as Head of a family. Prior to that He made their hearts burn on the way. The Lord drew near but in another form; He deliberately disguised Himself to get at their consciences, and used very strong language, saying, "O, fools". He made as if to go further to call out their affections. The state of unbelief is seen here

In spite of the great privilege that the Lord has afforded us, we should ask ourselves, Is my heart believing or unbelieving? Am I governed by darkness or light? Our natural selfishness would dispense with exercise. In unbelief there is no exercise. In going into the country and sitting down in quietness there is no exercise. Unbelief is at the root of most of our troubles. The underlying state is that there is the selfishness of nature which would dispense with exercise.

In Ezra's day they cast lots as to who should dwell in Jerusalem. The converse is ordinarily the case, the city forming such an attraction for the young. In man's city the lust of the eye and the pride of life are ministered to, but in Nehemiah 11:1, Jerusalem is called the Holy City; it affords nothing for the flesh, the flesh has no hankering after the city of God. The area was as large as when David occupied it, but people all wanted to go into the country. The nobles dwelt there; these were men who had taken up their responsibilities. Resurrection men appear there in Matthew. It is the city of light and rule; there is only one Jerusalem. Flesh does not seek it, but the country.

In the question of recovery, what the Spirit does is to bring us back to the previous appreciation of Christ in the Supper, and this effects recovery. What Luke brings us to is real humanity, the spirits of just men made perfect. Jerusalem is peopled by those. In Jerusalem we see the kind of men who have taken character from Christ: they are of Him.

In John's gospel Mary's message placed them in a normal position after they are assembled. They are in a normal state, so John opens up our great spiritual privilege. The Lord is seen as the last Adam and the Head of a new race, the Son of God. They are now prepared for the unfoldings of the new Head. "But these are written that ye might believe". (John 20:31)

John opens up to us the last Adam, a life-giving Spirit.

How wonderful to be shut in with Christ. He brought them into a new life as His brethren. We get the unfolding of what Christ is as the ascended One. In verses 19 and 21 "peace" repeated shows the thought of the Lord's heart for them; they are doubly fortified in peace.

"IN THE MIDST"

Hebrews 2:12

It seems to me that we ought to seek to arrive at the truth of what the Lord had in His mind when He uttered these words. Did He take account of the assembly in the light of God's purpose, or did He also include in His mind the wilderness circumstances? My conviction is that the latter was not in the Lord's thought; but that He contemplated the saints as gathered around Him consequent on His death and resurrection, and so viewed as outside of wilderness conditions. To apprehend the thing in a concrete way, I think we have to go back to original conditions. We have to do this to rightly understand any assembly truth; and I would say that when the saints came together "in assembly", the Lord came to them and this was realised. The Spirit does not record, or give examples of the inward working of the assembly viewed in this exalted position after Pentecost. I think it is left to intelligent affection to find out. The scene after the Supper when they sang a hymn, is the closest analogy as to the singing, but this was before the Lord's death and resurrection; they were then on Jewish ground. Afterwards, the disciples would be regarded as His brethren before the Father, as now made known, but referring to Hebrews 2, it is well to remember, that it is not the unfolding of assembly truth, but primarily to show the humanity of our Lord. Therefore, it is not to determine when He sings, but shows that He sings in the midst of the assembly; it is a characteristic function, as also declaring the Father's name to His brethren.

It seems clear that the primary thought of the assembly is that those who form it should be together; and its distinctive privileges are thus enjoyed; this

will be true literally when we are "caught up together". Much may be said of the wilderness as involving God's ways, but it is incidental. Though our wilderness condition cannot be ignored, yet I am sure it is not right to apply to us as "in the wilderness" what Scripture connects with us viewed as "in the land".

My conviction is that the Lord in using the precious words recorded in Hebrews 2:12, did not contemplate the saints as in the wilderness, or in incidental circumstances, but rather as gathered together as the glorious result of His death. Were one to take the assembly as viewed only in the light of this passage, we would think of it in no other circumstances than as surrounding Christ to "go no more out". That is, we should not think of the wilderness. I am therefore afraid that if we make the praise here to include what may ascend from individuals, as such, we lower its character. I believe it refers to the assembly as outside all here, and that it extends beyond the present period. Indeed it does not specially refer to any period. From another point of view, I believe the words "in the midst" in their ordinary force, mean that the saints are together.

November, 1913.

THE BROTHERLY COVENANT

Hebrews 13:1; Deuteronomy 2:1 - 9; Amos 1:9

My thought is to speak a word about the relationship in which the Lord has set us as brethren, a term which is, thank God! now current among us, and the fact that it is current and appreciated shows, that there has been recovery amongst the people of God. The exercise is that what has been recovered may continue; not only the relationship, but that which belongs to it, that is, the love that is suited to it, brotherly love, and so I would wish to enlarge on the subject by the Lord's help, especially as found in the epistle to the Hebrews, which is not a formal, apostolic epistle, but one written on the ground, as one might say, of mutuality. The writer begins by saying, "God having spoken...... to the fathers in the prophets, at the end of these days has spoken to us". He is not assuming that he had any special official place, but having a message involving an exhortation, he delivered it on the ground of mutuality.

In writing his apostolic letters, Paul usually associated with himself a brother, and this is especially so in corrective letters. You will recall that in writing his first epistle to the Corinthians he associated with himself "Sosthenes the brother", and in the second letter, "the brother Timotheus"; that is, combined with his official position as an apostle, there was the brotherly representative. Those who have to do with military matters know how at the tribunals a military representative is there, representing the claim of the military authorities, and while, of course, this is very different from what a brother suggests, I name it as illustrating the idea of association in acting. Although Paul was a brother, he was also an apostle, and as an apostle he represented the authority of Christ; the authority

of Christ was vested in him, as it had been in the twelve.

It is a point of great interest in the opening of the Acts to see how Peter on the day of Pentecost stood up in his official capacity as an apostle not associated with the hundred and twenty; that is, with the brethren as such, but with the eleven; "But, Peter standing up with the eleven", (Acts 2:14). They were the ones who had been commissioned to announce the glad tidings, and it is said of those who believed through Peter's testimony, that "they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship"(verse 42); they were brought into a new system which superseded that established by Moses. Instead of Moses' seat, it was Christ's seat, represented in the apostles; that was how matters stood at the beginning. When we come to Paul, we find that he is careful to associate with his authority the brotherly spirit. There was one linked with him in writing the letter to the Corinthians who had the heart of a brother; that would tone the letter, not that any modification was necessary, for Paul had the heart of a brother, but he would by this means assure the brethren to whom he was writing that what he wrote was not out of keeping with the spirit of a brother; so we read, "Paul, called apostle of Jesus Christ, by God's will, and Sosthenes the brother", (1 Corinthians 1:1).

You will find this principle of associating others with him common in the different epistles of Paul, but especially in the corrective ones, and it is worthy of special note that when he wrote to the Galatians he mentions not only one brother, but "all the brethren with me", (Galatians 1:2) It was not only the affections of the brethren, but their solemn judgment as to an error that was about to rob the people of God of their liberties. It is a serious thing when all the brethren, or the brethren generally, are of one mind about a matter. That which belongs to Christ, His

rights, and the liberty of the saints were threatened and therefore the apostle associates with him in his letter to the Galatians "all the brethren". "Paul, apostle...... and all the brethren with me". I call attention to this, dear brethren, so that we may see how the spirit of the brother is to pervade everything in Christianity, from authority down to the relations in which we stand one toward another.

When we come to the epistle to the Hebrews, it is not the authority of the writer that is in view, but the mutuality that should mark the people of God. When I speak of mutuality, I speak of what we have in common in the way of possession. The early Christians began, according to Acts 2, with holding everything in common; "all things" were in common. The principle was so pronounced amongst them that even their material possessions were held in common. Paul distinguishes in that regard in 1 Timothy and elsewhere. In writing this epistle, the writer speaks of the spiritual things which Christians have in common, and they are very much greater, I need not remark, than material things, for they are enduring, and they become a binding element amongst the people of God. I suggest for your consideration expressions which recur frequently in this epistle, "we have" and "let us". We have things in common. It is not that he says, "do you", but "let us", and that leads on to what I may call in the language of Scripture, the "brotherly covenant".

I do not know whether you have noticed the expression, but it occurs in the scripture I have just read from Amos, "Tyre...... remembered not the brotherly covenant". The principle of covenant is very pronounced in the epistle to the Hebrews, and I think that this principle helps greatly in the formation of mutual relations and bonds; indeed, in this as in all else, we have to learn from God. According to Thessalonians, it is God who teaches us to love

one another, ye "yourselves are taught of God to love one another", (1 Thessalonians 4:9) and so I believe that the brotherly covenant must be the outcome of what God is to us in Christ.

In this epistle you will find the thought of covenant alluded to in different connections. It is said of Jesus that He became Surety of a better covenant; that is, a better one than the first, and it is established on better promises. Let us not shelve these promises for a later day. They are for us in the principle of them, and so also is the "better covenant", (Hebrews 9:6) of which Jesus is Surety. Primarily it is consummated as regards the house of Israel and as regards the house of Judah, but Jesus is the Surety of it, and, moreover, it is later said, we have come to Jesus the Mediator of it, we have come to that Man; and in the last chapter of this epistle we read that the God of peace "brought again from among the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep in the power of the blood of the eternal covenant". (Hebrews 13:20) Note eternal covenant; that is to say, one which is never to be broken, for it is not dependent on us, it is effectuated through the blood of Jesus; it is dependent on God, for Jesus is brought again from the dead in the power of the blood of it, and He is the great Shepherd of the sheep. What a Shepherd for the sheep to be under the care of! We have to take account of the Lord in these various connections.

We have to know Jesus in every connection, and what a study for our hearts to contemplate Him in these varied ways. He is Surety of a better covenant, He is Mediator of a new covenant, He is the One who has made the covenant effective, and then He is the great Shepherd of the sheep whose blood sealed the covenant! How important to know Him too as the One who has come out of the grave in the power of the everlasting covenant! The covenant is a question of the love of God all through, what His

love is to this people and what it provides. How every shepherd, as knowing the great Shepherd of the sheep would be concerned that the saints should not miss anything of that love! It is all to be brought to the sheep; they are to be nurtured in it. As Israel in the future will be brought up under the "apple tree", that is, under Christ as the. Mediator of the new covenant, so we now as Christians are brought up under the nurture of Christ, nourished in the love of God. We have to learn Christ in these relations, and as learning Him we come to apprehend the idea of covenant, and in this way we learn to maintain the brotherly covenant.

Now the assembly began with that, but all were not true to it. Tyrus is the figure of such; whatever the covenant relations may have been, Tyrus disregarded them, "and remembered not the brotherly covenant": His punishment on that account is, that "I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre". Am I aware of the fact that I am in relation to my brethren in a holy covenant? It is from God that I learn what the thing is. At what cost, beloved brethren, has God brought in the thought and made it effective for me in the Mediator! Think of what the life, of Jesus here upon earth was to God! He who grew up, as it is said, as a tender plant, He who was ever green for God, whom He regarded as His "only One", His Elect, in whom His soul delighted! It was that One whom God gave up. The life was in the blood, but what a life was the life of Jesus! God gave that up in order to make His thoughts effective for you and for me, and now, am I not to be according to that? If that precious life was surrendered by God, and that precious One brought up from the dead, in the power of the blood of the eternal covenant, as the great Shepherd of the sheep, what effect has that on me? What about my life? My life after the flesh is of no value surely; it is

forfeited by sin. God's word to Adam was "dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return". (Genesis 4:19)

But then I am a Christian and a Christian is born of God; he is born of water and the Spirit, and made to live too in the power of the Spirit in the life of Christ; viewed thus he is not dust; there is in him something for God, something that abides. What am I to do now with that life? Paul tells us: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the compassions of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your intelligent service". (Romans 12:1) "The body is dead on account of sin, but the Spirit life on account of righteousness". (Romans 8:10) The body in itself is dust, but it is of great value now in that it is animated by the Spirit of God. See what a Christian is for God, what he is now as emancipated from sin, living in the Spirit; the Spirit being life! There is that which is to be for God. So the body is presented, not a dead sacrifice, but a living sacrifice. That is all the fruit and effect of what I see in God, made good to me in the death of Jesus, who was brought again from the dead in the power of the blood of the everlasting covenant. My life is to be thus devoted to God.

It is in that way I enter on the ground of the brotherly covenant. I have love in my heart. God has placed His love there, and what for? That we should be like Him; as David said, when established in his kingdom, "Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" (2 Samuel 9:1) It was a brotherly covenant, for Jonathan had made a covenant with David, "he loved him as he loved his own soul", (1 Samuel 18:3) and David in his lamentation over the death of Jonathan said: "thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women", (2 Samuel 1:26) and now he would show kindness to the house of Saul for Jonathan's sake. So with the sense of the love of God in my heart I look at the brethren, and I act

to show the kindness of God, and the love of God for Christ's sake. That was what Christians were at the beginning, but, alas! as with Tyrus, the covenant has been broken; there have been those who have been untrue to the bond in which the Lord has set us. "For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not revoke its sentence", Jehovah said; the punishment is irrevocable. As the Lord says to Thyatira, "I gave her time that she should repent, and she will not repent". (Revelation 2:21) That is God's way; there has been the transgression; the brotherly covenant has been broken; and then the punishment is fixed. I only cite the case of Tyre as an instance.

The Lord has His eye on everything that is going on down here in the sphere in which His name is publicly owned; He walks "in the midst of the seven lamps". (Revelation 1:12) When He comes to Philadelphia He finds there the brotherly spirit. I have no doubt that the very name suggests it, and in it He has His place. I make bold to say that the Corner stone is in Philadelphia, for everything is for Christ; it is what is after Christ. He said, "thou hast kept my word"; and "thou hast kept the word of my patience". The promises to the overcomer are connected with what belongs to Christ, "the temple of my God...... the name of my God...... the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my new name". Such is what He offers to those who are marked by brotherly love.

Well now, in reading the passage in Deuteronomy, I wanted to show how God has respect to the rights of brethren. I have no doubt in my own mind that mount Seir refers to the place of the brethren. You will remember that it is said in this book that "there are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir to Kadesh-barnea". (Deuteronomy 1:2) I believe it is true spiritually, that the way into privilege is via the

brethren; in that sense Colossians precedes Ephesians, for finding the Christian circle leads on experimentally to the heavenly place. The other way is a long way round and involves much exercise, and that may be necessary, but the divinely short way is via mount Seir.

I do not refer to the passage for that reason, but, as I said, to call attention to the fact that God has respect to the rights of the brethren. You may say to me, I did not know we had any rights. If I claim any I am in a false position, but I must recognise that you have rights, and so the word here is "Command the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the border of your brethren the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir ... meddle not with them". I have, therefore, to respect the brethren: they have rights: if I regard them according to God, there are no people who have such rights as the brethren. In the first epistle to the Corinthians "all things" are said to be ours, and amongst them the servants, the ministers, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas. Must I meddle? must I interfere? In Christendom the thing is reversed; you hear of certain men speaking of their flocks, whereas the truth is that the minister belongs to the congregation. If the Lord has graciously supplied a means of help for His people at the present time, let us not meddle, yea; rather let us see to it that the saints get all there is for them; they need it.

Then it goes on to say, "I will not give you of their land". You may say, It refers to Esau; it does, but he is regarded here as representing the brethren, and there must be no interference; their land is given to them according to the counsel of God, and we must not take it away from them. You may say, There is very little in this brother or in that one; but remember this, the Lord is able to make him stand, and the ministry he has received

from the Lord he is responsible for, and the Lord will hold him to account for it, and that ministry is the property of the brethren. Then the reason given why God will not give them of their land is "Because I have given mount Seir unto Esau as a possession", and further it adds, "Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink". I do not pursue the passage. I bring it forward in order that we may see that the brethren have divinely given rights, rights granted to them in the sovereignty of love, and no one must meddle with these. Let the Lord have a free hand in His own heritage. Paul could say, "I have planted; Apollos watered; but God has given the increase". (1 Corinthians 3:6)

And now, dear brethren, I have said to you what I had in my mind, and in conclusion I come back to that one verse, "Let brotherly love continue". (Hebrews 13:1) I believe that that one feature is to mark the last days. There was a wonderful beginning for Christianity, and I believe, morally, there is going to be a wonderful ending, and one of the best evidences of it is that the bride says "Come". The Spirit takes the lead in this, but the bride is with Him. It does not say, The Spirit and the bride shall say, Come, nor is it let them say, Come, but "the Spirit and the bride say, Come". (Revelation 22:17) It is characteristic. It marked the assembly at the very beginning, and the passage indicates clearly that it will mark her at the end. I believe, that as the conditions in the world become more marked by the features of Antichrist, the saints, as they are exercised to maintain separation from all that bears that character, will be led on more and more in unison with the Spirit to say, "Come, Lord Jesus".

I commend to you the brotherly covenant, the importance of being bound up in the mutual bonds of divine love, so as to be fortified against the

covenants of the world; it is in this way that brotherly love is seen to work out, and we are exhorted to let it continue, and I am encouraged to believe it will. Scripture says "he that has endured to the end" (Matthew 10:22); it is not how one begins, it is how one finishes. If I have begun my Christian career in the enjoyment of the fellowship and the affections of the saints, let me keep there; the apostle says to the Thessalonians, "The Lord make you to increase, and abound in love one toward another", (1 Thessalonians 3:12) and this verse says, "Let brotherly love continue", let it abide. May God grant that in His grace it may be so with each one of us, and to this end bless His word.

THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

John 1:6 - 10, 15, 19 - 37; John 3:25 - 30

In reading this passage I have in view what has been already before us. I am encouraged to turn to this narrative of our Lord's ministry, because I believe it is specially intended for the last days. It represents the reserve which the Lord had from the beginning, and by which He intended to meet conditions which should arise consequent upon the breakdown of that which was established by the apostles.

The writer, as you will observe, introduces John the baptist at the outset, and he introduces him in order to emphasise the excellencies which were peculiarly evident in him, as if to suggest to us that the witness in the last days is to be marked by these traits. I see this to be the design in introducing the Baptist in such an early stage of the narrative. Whilst carefully retaining him in his place as subordinate to Christ, yet he brings him in at the outset. John "was not that light". The writer almost says, Do not mistake him, he is very far short of Christ; but whilst I beg of you not to mistake him for Christ, take account of the peculiar traits which are emphasised in him, for I want them to appear in you.

"There was a man sent from [not by here, but from] God". He was sent from God. Now I suppose that the desire of every one that loves Christ is to serve Christ, and so the point here is as to where you come from in your service. John was sent from God. The force of the word is that he had been with God. Very little is given of John's early life after his infancy, but there can be no doubt that he lived with God. Had he not it could not be said that he was sent from God. Now God may take up any

person to accomplish some act of government, as for instance, Cyrus. It could not be said of him, that he was sent from God. So the first great thing is to be with God. This is also one of the first great points emphasised about the Lord. "The Word was with God". The evangelist further states, "we have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only begotten with a father". That is how the apostles contemplated Christ. Note, they contemplated His glory, it was not a passing observation, but an interested occupation of the mind.

So John is presented to us as "sent from God". Here I would impress upon you the importance of being with God. You will find that in the Lord's ministry He habitually withdrew from the crowd. To be a minister one has to be with God, not with the crowd, It is quite true that He came down to the level of men, and that is the negation of the clerical idea. The Lord spent the whole night in prayer before He chose the twelve. He fitted the men for service, as illustrated in the man whose hand was restored in Luke 6, and then He prayed. Afterwards He chose twelve and named them apostles. Then He came down and stood with them in the plain or "level place". With the apostles He came down to the level of men, as we may say, in order to bless them. As Paul says, "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some". (1 Corinthians 9:22)

Coming back to John, this is how he is represented to us. He was sent from God. We were dwelling on the assembly at Antioch this afternoon. It was marked by priestly exercises Godward. Paul and Barnabas were sent from that company; not by it, but from it. So that it is well to inquire when a man presents himself to minister, who he is, and whence he is. The Lord made a point of who He was, and whence He was. The sum total of John's witness is given in the verses I read. First he says, "He is

preferred before me". Have I come to that in my soul, that another is preferred before me? Now that the Son of God has come, no one else can have the first place. And then the evangelist adds, "of his fulness have all we received". If we have not received of His fulness, we have not anything at all. So the Spirit of God turns aside to enlarge on His greatness. "Grace and truth subsists through Jesus Christ". They are perfectly blended in Him. "No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him". Not was or shall be, but "who is in the bosom of the Father".

Now look at verse 19. "This is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem". John the baptist was not there. Christ was not there. He was "with the Father". They came to John and said, "Who art thou?" What a question! Let us just face it, beloved brethren. Have I a lineage to pride myself on? Here are the leaders of religion, giving John an opportunity to assert himself. What would the flesh do were it allowed to answer here? John was of the priestly family; he could have said: My father was a priest, and my mother a daughter of Aaron. But John was not governed by fleshly feelings. How ready we are to advertise! Simon Magnus was "giving out that he was some great one". This is an anti-Christian element. "The beast" will be marked by it in a pre-eminent way. Let us beware of advertising.

Now see how beautifully the Spirit of God presents the opposite in John. He "confessed and denied not". In Matthew and Luke the Lord defends John. Let us leave our reputation to Christ. He takes care of it, and we should have no reputation save what He commends and defends. You cannot say anything too bad as to what I am capable of as a

man in the flesh, but if you look at me as a man in Christ, you cannot say anything too good, but, as I said, the Lord will take care of our reputation.

What was of God in the Baptist was tested in a remarkable way by the messengers sent from Jerusalem and by the questions they asked. As the questions proceeded, the test became more severe. He says, "I am not the Christ". Then they ask him, "Art thou Elias?" He could have said 'Yes' with a measure of truthfulness, for the Lord said concerning him, "And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, who is to come". But John said "No"; he was not even Elias. The point here is, that you do not claim to be a special servant or vessel. Following this is the inquiry, "Art thou that prophet?" "No". The steadiness with which John maintained a true estimate of himself in this tempting interrogation is very striking. It is a model for all who would serve Christ today. But the temptation proceeds: "Who art thou?" "What sayest thou of thyself?" they further ask. He answers, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias". There is no assumption to new or special light. Why should we talk about new light when the sun is in the heavens? Christ is "that light"; as for John, he was just a voice, urging people to make a way for the Lord. So he says, "Make straight the way of the Lord". The Lord is coming in. You prepare for Him. That is the message. Get right with the Lord. That is the point. He is about to appear now.

Are we prepared for the Lord? If one might speak about "the way", in the Acts it is synonymous with fellowship. It was the way of the saints,, their manner, the new thing that Christ had brought in, that was evil spoken of; Acts 19:9. The great multitude have now turned aside from it. As Deborah

said, "The highways were unoccupied and the travellers walked through byways". How many of us here are on the highway of God? The Lord is coming and He will recognise "the way". It is His way. Let us make it straight. It involves the fellowship of God's Son, and of His death. Let us look to our associations. Further, the "Day-star" arises in our hearts, so that we should take care of our hearts.

They asked John, "Why baptisest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?" They questioned him now about his work. First, they ask about himself, then about his work. John said, "I baptise with water". There is no claim to anything great; it was negative. That was the nature of his work. Most essential, indeed, in its significance, as we know, but for the moment it was water in contrast with the Spirit. But he points to the Man who is coming after. Look what He does! He baptises with the Holy Spirit. Christ is going to fill the world with positive blessing.

The questions of the Pharisees' messengers being answered, we have John's unsolicited testimony to Christ. From verse 29 it is "the next day". He is done with the Pharisees. This begins another day. It is the substance of John's witness in a positive way. He "seeth Jesus coming unto Him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world". What a testimony! How the mind is directed to Christ! He is coming unto John, coming in the way of righteousness. Baptism with us is the demand of a good conscience before God. It demands baptism. Strictly, no one is righteous until he is baptised. The Lord said, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness", (Matthew 3:16). The Lord would not leave one item of righteousness unfulfilled. He is the accomplisher of righteousness for He takes away the sin of the world. And then, "This is

he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me". Then there is a further and separate testimony, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him". This was the evidence to John of the One who would baptise with the Holy Spirit. We have thus the accomplishment of righteousness in the death of Christ presented in John's witness, and also the great fact of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the sum-total of the testimony.

Then there is another part: "again the next day after". I wish now to dwell upon this fresh part of the Baptist's testimony. "John stood". He has done working now, we may say; he has introduced Christ, who is now to do everything. The One who is to fill the world with blessing is now on the scene. May the Lord give us to take our place and stand as a witness to this glorious Man! Two of John's disciples were with him. He looked upon Jesus as He walked. Jesus is not now walking to John. He is simply walking. Peter speaks of "his steps"; John is looking at Him as He walked. He says, "Behold the Lamb of God!" It is not Christ's work now, but His walk. John's word was like true ministry. True ministry directs the saints to Christ and not to the minister. The two were moved when John spoke. Ministry to the heart moves the saints. They heard John speak and followed Jesus.

Turn now to chapter 3: 25 - 30. John is now not only standing and looking at His walk, but standing and hearing the Lord Jesus. His heart is filled with joy. Our hearts should catch some of the joy which the Baptist had as he disappears, for we may say he disappears here. "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom ... rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled". He is now standing and hearing. In the first chapter he was standing

and looking; in the third he is standing and hearing the Bridegroom. John the baptist came to discern the voice of the Bridegroom. Have you discerned the voice of the Bridegroom? If you hear that voice you merge into the bride. It is much greater to be of the bride than even to be an apostle. I dwell on it, for it involves the voice of Christ's love for the assembly. There has been the distinct voice of the Bridegroom in the ministry that has come to us in these last days. Matthew 25 speaks of a cry which calls attention to the Bridegroom, but then there is the positive ministry of Christ Himself, which contains the voice of the Bridegroom. He that "standeth and heareth". It means the closing of the ears to other sounds and voices. What does it mean to me? It is that I belong to that for which Christ as the Bridegroom is coming

So John says, "The friend of the bridegroom standeth and heareth". I beg of you to stand and hear the Bridegroom's voice; He is about to come for the bride, and He would appeal to her now. "for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready". (Revelation 19:7) John speaks of making straight the way of the Lord; for us this involves making ourselves ready. "To her it was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen". The granting suggests distinguishment. Such array is in keeping with her dignity. The best robe was put upon the prodigal. But I would appeal to each heart as to whether we are ready for Christ. John says, "this my joy is fulfilled". So he disappears. What a sunset! Truly a sunset suggests past glory, but John goes down in that way. His greatest, glory is as witness to the rising Sun. He is filled with joy, in the sense of the greatness of the One who is rising in the heavens, and who is to fill the universe. He is here now for faith; "for the Son of God has come", but presently for sight.

CHRIST THE PATTERN IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD

Romans 8:29

Our brother has put a word into my month in the suggestion that an Ephesian saint is foreshadowed in Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 19:24 - 30. Ephesians presents to us the full answer to the gospel; that is, in the thought of full grown men. And it occurs to me, that at the end of the days of the period in which we live, it is the divine thought that there should be men such as Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth appeared, first, in the period when David was established in the kingdom, and again after he had gone through the period of rejection occasioned by the rebellion of Absalom. That is, Mephibosheth's love endured; it stood the test. Although, through his infirmity, he was unable to accompany David, as driven out of Jerusalem, his love was an abiding one. It was typically divine love, it never failed.

So now, I apprehend, the Lord is set to bring about men fully developed; as the apostle says, "In your minds be grown men", (1 Corinthians 14:20). Ephesians not only deals with the affections, but with the mind also. It is there we read of being "renewed in the spirit of your mind", and of "the spirit of wisdom and revelation" in the knowledge of God. That is something that is beyond what the physical creation would suggest. "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead" (Romans 1:20); but Ephesians goes beyond this in that it suggests the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God. So that there is in that way, in the suggestion of our brother, a very practical thought, the reappearance in the last days of intelligent devotedness and love to Christ. In other words, God is bringing about

now intelligent lovers of Christ. I have no doubt that in the middle ages, all the way down, there have been lovers of Christ. The addresses to the assemblies in Revelation 2 and 3 clearly indicate this. The Holy Spirit saw to it, that it was so, one may say. But one can scarcely assert that there have always been intelligent lovers of Christ; and so I would remind you that an Ephesian saint, characteristically, is an intelligent lover of Christ. Now if one is not a lover of Christ, one is doomed for a curse. Paul says, "If any one love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha". (1 Corinthians 16:22) A very solemn word, a warning which resounds throughout the period of the assembly to all non-lovers of Christ: "Anathema Maran-atha", That was Paul's judgment by the Spirit.

One looks into the heavens and sees the handiwork of God. I suppose one may be justified in saying that the idea of pattern did not appear in the formation of the physical system, which indeed, is, so to speak, but the scaffolding to the building. I feel assured that the remark is justifiable. Scaffolding wrought, indeed, with wonderful skill, but not more than that, for as the real structure, the spiritual structure, is completed, the scaffolding disappears. The putting into place of these marvellous bodies was truly wonderful, but I judge without pattern, and one may say that even Adam was not made by pattern. He was a "figure", truly, "of him that was to come", but the real pattern in the mind of God was Christ Himself and no other. When you come to the figurative representation of things in the heavens; that is the spiritual things, God said, "And look that thou make them after the pattern showed to thee in the mount". (Exodus 25:40) When you come to spiritual things, heavenly things, everything in made by pattern.

I have entered on a wide field. I can only just

touch on it, but when you come to what is before God, that is to say, a spiritual order of things, everything must be on the principle of pattern; and not a made one: it is the Son, as our verse says, "that we should be conformed to the image of his Son". Wisdom, was present when the foundation of the earth was laid, but in regard to the foundation of the earth there is nothing said as to pattern. We do read, indeed, of "all his work which God created and made" (Genesis 2:3), but when we come to the spiritual order of things seen in type in Exodus, all must be made "after the pattern showed to thee in the mount". This is the Son, not a made pattern, as I said, but "the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us". (John 1:14) That is the pattern, and so God is working according to that. I feel if I can leave that impression with you, I have succeeded in my object. He is working on that pattern, and will not be diverted from it in the least measure, for the pattern stands. The four gospels present it to us. And so Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, says, "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified". (1 Corinthians 2:2) It was his deliberate judgment formed as to how and what he should minister among them. So he says, as it were, 'I was true to the pattern in so far as it could be used among you'. He could not use the whole pattern on account of their state; but he was God's workman, and he laid the foundation as a "wise architect", and the foundation is Jesus Christ. He did not go beyond the foundation, but the foundation was according to the pattern.

Now the pattern really involves not only the form of the structure, but the material also. The specifications call not only for dimensions, but also material. Let us remember that. What God made the universe out of I cannot tell you, nor can anyone else. It was a creation, and faith accepts this. But God presented

beforehand in Christ the material out of which the spiritual universe was to be made; or builded. As I said, the specifications, so to speak, not only required form, but also the material that should be used. Paul laid the foundation according to pattern and according to requirement as to material, and the material was "Jesus Christ"; the order of Man the gospels present to us. That is the foundation. Take heed first how you build, and then what you build; pattern and material, we must be careful about both. That is to say, if I do anything for God in the way of service, it must be according to Christ. It is of no value at all otherwise; indeed, God has to come in and destroy it by fire. Is there anything that I have done, or am doing, that the fire must destroy? God will not suffer bad material in this building, everything is tested by fire.

In the second epistle to the Corinthians the apostle says, "he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God". (2 Corinthians 5:5) What is the "thing?" "We have a building from God eternal in the heavens", (5: 1) the apostle says, referring to the spiritual body. Now what is that body like? It is like Christ. The body that is said to be a building of God, eternal in the heavens, is patterned after Christ. It is wonderful that I am to have a body like that. The Word became flesh and dwelt among men. In that blessed Man you see the divine idea. There is no other. He appeared in resurrection in a spiritual body of "flesh and bone". Christians have a house "not made with hands, eternal in the heavens". Our present bodies are bodies of humiliation, but they shall be raised spiritual bodies, in incorruption, glory and power; (1 Corinthians 15:42 - 44). God has wrought us for this, for this "selfsame thing", the apostle says, as he thinks of the building from God; for we are to have bodies like unto Christ's body of glory as in heaven. God has had a definite thought

in His mind. He is working in us now, that when we appear in that body we shall be equal to it. The body and myself shall be wrought of God. As it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, so may it be said of us, "What hath God wrought?" He has brought a company who, both in regard of their spiritual state and in regard of their bodies, are patterned after Christ. That is what God shall have wrought then.

I have ventured on this line to show you in confirmation of what had been said, that God's work is now altogether on the line of pattern, and that pattern is the Son, so that the end stated is, "for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son". The word "conformed" includes all we have been speaking of. God brings in discipline, allows things to occur in our circumstances, thus the conforming work goes on, and all to the end that we should be "conformed to the image of his Son". It includes all we have been dwelling upon - namely, the work of God.

The epistles to the Corinthians enlarge upon what God is and does for His people. Colossians is more what Christ is: Corinthians is God. So that "he that hath wrought us for this selfsame thing is God", and He has also given us the earnest of the Spirit, so that the working has in view the Son of God, that every saint should be conformed to the image of that blessed Man. So it is all on the principle of pattern. God would bring out at the end of the days a complete correspondence to the beginning, not in quantity, indeed, but in quality. It is the antidote to Antichrist, who is undoubtedly looming in the distance. The mystery of iniquity is working, and it is working to bring about a man that shall be set over against Christ; whereas the Spirit of God, on the other hand, is working to bring in Christ, subjectively, in the people of God, so that there should be

in that way an antidote to Antichrist, a standard lifted against him. The conforming work of God brings about in us a likeness to Christ. The word "image" here is to be noted: that we should be "conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren". The design was not small. God has many before Him, and is working that they should all be like Christ, like the Son, so that He should be the Firstborn among them. Hence we have brought about a spiritual order of things.

The natural system is but the scaffolding to the spiritual, because it shall be certainly removed. The present heaven and present earth shall be consumed. They "shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat". But we "look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness", (2 Peter 3:10 - 13) "I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away", (Revelation 21:1). That is the spiritual order that shall remain, and everything there reflects what the Son is; "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature". (Colossians 1:15) How important is the work of God. If one looks at the handiwork of God; it is conforming them to the image of His Son.

Pages 32 - 76. Readings in New York, 1918 - 1919

READINGS IN CORINTHIANS

CHAPTER 1

This letter is parallel with that to the saints at Rome, in the sense that it affords light as to how believers who have received the teaching of Romans are to be regulated collectively. Believers in Rome are addressed as "beloved of God called saints". Their ecclesiastical position is not in view whereas those at Corinth are written to as the "assembly of God" in that city. Generally speaking Romans corresponds with Exodus, and Corinthians with Numbers. We may say it treats of "the assembly in the wilderness". In Numbers Moses is spoken to by Jehovah as "in the wilderness of Sinai". What follows is light as to how the saints are to be regulated collectively as in the wilderness. Ephesians views the assembly in heaven. The assembly of God in Corinth answers to the wilderness. We have to pass through the wilderness on our way to heaven, but our being in the wilderness is by divine appointment for testimony. Leviticus speaks of the tabernacle of the congregation, but Numbers speaks of the tabernacle of witness. Stephen speaks of "the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness", (Acts 7:49).

The tabernacle did not suggest outward greatness or grandeur; it was comparatively insignificant externally, and this agrees with the apostle's remarks here about the Corinthians and himself. Emphasis is laid on the littleness of things from man's point of view. They were to consider their calling: not many wise or mighty after the flesh were called. The manner of the apostle's preaching, too, was not such as to inspire worldly interest or approval.

This epistle has a general as well as a local, bearing, and has a certain prophetic character, especially as

introducing the Lord's supper. As intended to meet failure, being corrective, it affords peculiar help throughout the whole history of the assembly. The fleshly pretensions and laxities that developed at Corinth reappear, alas! continually, and hence the principles set out in this letter for correction and recovery are constantly applicable.

"Sosthenes the brother" is introduced at once in Paul's salutation. There is always great moral support in the brother. Brotherly sympathy is a great feature of Christianity. Paul valued it, and it goes through to the end. It specially marks the Philadelphian period. Revelation is marked by it. John, in writing to the seven assemblies, is their brother. Another brother, Timotheus, is associated with Paul in writing his second letter to the Corinthians. Writing to the Galatians, Paul associates with him all the brethren in his company. He was not alone in his exercises, far from it. The idea of a brother is more in evidence in the chapter before us, however, the brother being mentioned personally.

The first epistle gives the exterior of the structure, the second more the interior. The latter leads on to "a man in Christ". Paul had laid the foundation at Corinth as "a wise architect". His architecture was not of the Corinthian style; it was of a divine order. The foundation laid was Jesus Christ - an order of Man (blessed be His name) infinitely removed from that held in honour at Corinth. The foundation had the whole structure in view. It was not modelled after the fashion of the world: Christendom, alas! has come to this. Paul's architecture was heavenly.

"The testimony of the Christ" in verse 6, refers to what will be set forth in Him as anointed for God's pleasure. "The testimony of God" in chapter 2: 1, is more what God is as revealed in the gospel. Paul announced it humbly and unpretentiously, for it involved the order of Man that "the life of Jesus"

bore witness to. "The Christ" is the anointed Man, in whom God sets forth all His thoughts; Jesus is the order of Man who is for God's pleasure. Those spoken of in Romans 3 as justified are "of the faith of Jesus". The testimony of God involves that men like Him are brought in for God, hence "good pleasure in men".

We may say that Romans is the testimony of God, Colossians and Ephesians the testimony of the Christ. 2 Timothy speaks of "the testimony of our Lord". (2 Timothy 2:8) Outwardly others have dominion over us, but there is One who is our Lord. Mary says,"My Lord". He is not yet wielding His authority outwardly, but His protection is nevertheless real, and known to be this in a spiritual way by those who have faith. The victory that marked Paul's path witnesses this fact. The testimony of our Lord is seen in power and endurance in suffering on the part of the Lord's people in this world.

We are called into the fellowship of God's Son; verse 9. The dignity and greatness of what we are called to is in view here. Later on in chapter 10, we have the fellowship of His death, and also in 2 Corinthians 13:14, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. It is of here, not with His Son. The character of the fellowship is referred to. How great our privilege is! The faithfulness of God, however, is the leading thought in verse 9. He had made no promises to the Gentiles, but now that they were taken into relationship with Him in grace, He was to be known to them as faithful. The second epistle enlarges on this subject. The first nine verses of our chapter are introductory, they show how richly the Corinthians were furnished.

In addressing "all that in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ", Paul does not add with a "pure heart" as in 2 Timothy 2:22. Every one who professed to be a Christian then was included;

all were obligated, but 2 Timothy makes a difference. We are to walk here and to "follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart". Universality is emphasised here in 1 Corinthians 1, and the same Lord was recognised by all, He is "both theirs and ours".

While the Son is introduced in verse 9, the truth connected with Him as so regarded is not developed in this epistle. The apostle begins to exhort in verse 10 but it is "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ". Authority was needed, and this is seen throughout, even in regard of the Lord's supper. Administration is in His name down here, this involves His absence.

The latter part of the chapter enlarges on what Christ is, as presented in the gospel. Wisdom is put before righteousness in verse 30. This is characteristic of the epistle, for local influences had to be met, and the dangers from human, that is, Greek wisdom were great. "Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who has been made to us, wisdom from God, and righteousness, and holiness, and redemption". This is objective; verse 24 is subjective more: it refers to the estimate each of the classes mentioned had formed of Christ. To the Jews He was an offence; to the nations, foolishness; but to the Christians He was "God's power and God's wisdom". Although three classes are mentioned in verses 23 and 24, there are, in the final analysis, really but two, "them that perish" and "us that are saved", verse 18.

CHAPTER 2

It will be noted that throughout this epistle God is made specially prominent, and what He is as in contrast to man. "Of him", says the apostle, "are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption". God had chosen certain ones in Corinth, generally from among those regarded as

insignificant in this world, and had given them a status in His world; He had placed them in Christ, whom He had made to them everything that they needed as before Him. Thus man, whatever his culture, is shut out; the believer is independent of all worldly supplies, for God has furnished him with everything he needs, making Christ all to him.

Of course, God is before us in all the epistles, indeed, in all Scripture, but He is peculiarly so here, as compared, for instance, with Colossians, where Christ is emphasised more. God was to be known in His assembly through the order and holiness seen there in contrast to what man is as seen in this world. It was "the testimony of God" that Paul had announced at Corinth, and his preaching was in every way in keeping with this. He had determined to know nothing among the saints there, but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He was taken up with the order of Man that pleased God. The fact that such an One was crucified spoils all the glory of man in this world. The apostle's determination was in view of the general conditions at Corinth. Human education, social distinction, and the like had a great place in this Greek city, and the introduction of God, as presented in Jesus Christ crucified, in Paul's testimony, struck at the root of all this.

Paul was in full accord, in the manner of his ministry, with what he ministered. He avoided all that would appeal to the flesh, and his word was "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power", that the Corinthians' "faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God". These believers had thus a wonderful opportunity to start well; they had some eighteen months of Paul's work and manner of life. Not only did they have his doctrine but also the spirit and power in which he ministered; that was an immense advantage, which the saints at Rome did not have, when the

epistle to them was written. The apostle, having weighed the peculiar influences of a city like Corinth judged that he would know nothing there but "Jesus Christ, and him crucified". Such knowledge is the only effective antidote to human pride. It is of all importance now as the sure fortification against the spirit of Antichrist which denies "Jesus Christ come in the flesh", 1 John 4:3.

Having spoken of the subject matter and character of his ministry at Corinth, the apostle touches on what he ministered elsewhere, by way of contrast. He spoke wisdom among the perfect, but not the wisdom of this world, but "the wisdom of God in a mystery". The Corinthians were carnal, "babes in Christ". They were Christians, being "in Christ" but had not gone on; they had not grown. Evidently they had not grown as they should have, even under the apostle's influence, for eighteen months should have taken them out of the babe state, which is passed for a much longer time in the spiritual, than it is in natural history. The Thessalonians got on better; they had the apostle a much shorter time.

The "babe" state among Christians is generally marked by undue recognition of gift or signal ability in others, which tends to partisanship. Compare chapter 1: 11 - 13. The blind man of Bethsaida in Mark 8 is an illustration; the Lord led him out of the town before He opened his eyes. In the town sin is concentrated, and hence the peculiar danger there for young Christians. The blind man, having his eyes opened, first saw men as trees walking; men would thus be unduly great in his estimation; this is always the danger, but afterwards he saw all men clearly.

One object in this epistle to the Corinthians is to teach the Lord's people how to form a right judgment of everything. We are to have a true estimate of every man and every thing; "he that is spiritual

judgeth all things", as is said in our chapter. Among the perfect; that is, those whose moral senses were fully developed, the apostle spoke "the wisdom of God in a mystery". This suggests Colossians and Ephesians. In Colossians 2:3 all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are said to be hid in the mystery and in Ephesians 3:10 the "all-various wisdom" of God is spoken of as seen in the assembly.

The Corinthians were unable to take in such light, being but little beyond the natural man as to their practical state; their spiritual ability was very limited notwithstanding their great advantages. Although richly endowed with gift they made but poor use of it, and this was a sad discrepancy, but alas! constantly noticeable among the people of God. The Corinthians seem to have regarded gifts almost as playthings, things to adorn and distinguish them as men in this world, whereas they are precious endowments, by which, as given by Christ the Head, the assembly is to be edified and instructed.

Presently the wisdom of God shall be manifested in all its various workings, but now it is hidden; it is in mystery now, and is thus ministered to those who appreciate it and can understand it. It was "ordained before the world for our glory". Wonderful surety! The princes of the world knew nothing of it, or they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Jesus on earth was the expression of it. Wisdom is personified in Proverbs 8, but it took form in Christ when become Man. Luke presents it to us, especially in chapter 7, where wisdom shines in a remarkable way, and is there said to be "justified of all her children". Note the centurion and the woman in Simon's house.

A distinction has to be made between the revelation of God in Christ and the things revealed by the Spirit. "Things which eye has not seen and ear not heard" are revealed to us by the Spirit. They are prepared for those who love God. "The Spirit searches all

things, even the depths of God". The astronomer searches the heavens with his telescope, but the Spirit searches the blessed depths of divine love and reveals the wonders that are there. They are for the Christian; things there are prepared for us. When God prepared the heavens wisdom was there; how much more was so in the preparation of our things! These things being spiritual and of God are altogether outside the range of the natural man; he is carnal and they are spiritual. Not valuing them, he does not receive them, and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But the believer, having the Holy Spirit, has the ability to know the things that are freely given to us of God. Further, normally, he has the mind of Christ; thus he is able to think as Christ does. In measure he judges, or takes account of men and things as Christ does

CHAPTER 3

Wisdom is more prominent in this epistle than righteousness, although, of course, the latter has its place. The fact that the order that should mark the house of God is in view explains this. There is great evidence of divine wisdom in the structure of the epistle. Wisdom is the handmaid of love, and love in peculiar fervency underlay what the apostle wrote. The Corinthians were his "beloved children", and the apostle's communications to them were in genuine fatherly affection, although largely taking the form of warning and admonition. Chapter 2 emphasises the spiritual, but the Corinthians, alas! were not spiritual. Although they had the Holy Spirit, they were but "babes in Christ". The subject of spirituality is brought forward so that the Corinthians might realise their poverty in this respect. Chapter 13 has the same bearing in regard of love. "The spiritual discerns all things, and he is

discerned of no one". How great is the advantage he possesses! Normally the Christian has the mind of Christ; he has no puzzles. Although undiscerned by the worldlings about him, yet the spiritual man has no dark parts; he is transparent, and quite well understood by those who are like himself. The Lord in John 15, verses 26 and 27, distinguishes between the testimony of the twelve, as having been with Him from the beginning, and that of the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 2 the Holy Spirit is the instrument of revelation, and He is also the power in the believer for understanding the things revealed. He is the Spirit which is of God. The twelve bore witness to Christ, as He was here, "all the words of this life"; the Holy Spirit, through Paul, brings in the heavenly things.

Although the Corinthians had the Holy Spirit, they were carnal; the apostle fed them, however, but this could not be with meat, but with milk. Their carnality was largely evidenced in partisanship; this usually appears in young or stunted Christians. In the world partisanship is legalised, and this is true in Christendom also, but it is a most baneful thing among the people of God. Scarcely anything is more hateful to a spiritual man than that he should be regarded as the leader of a party. It must have been very painful to Paul. The Corinthians walked "as men". To do this does not necessarily involve what is outwardly sinful. It works out in natural preferences and selections. It is quite natural for a man to like another of his own rank or education. National prejudices, too, come under this head. In a word, the principles that mark the world are here condemned as appearing among Christians. For a brother to accept the fealty of others in any sense, or to aim at being a recognised leader, is a serious matter; it can only serve the enemy's designs. It makes for division among the saints.

Paul's careful judgment as to what he should present to the Corinthians is very striking; it was "Jesus Christ, and him crucified". The blessed character of that Man presented to them in Paul's ministry was calculated to lay a foundation in their souls, that would, if truly accepted, save them from the very evils they were allowing. The blind man of Mark 8 who had his eyes opened, first saw "men as trees, walking". He is a type of the Corinthians and, alas! of many at the present time; subsequently "he saw all things clearly". Following this in Mark 8 Peter confesses that Jesus was "the Christ". Normal progress is indicated in this. The Lord inquired of the disciples, "Whom do ye say that I am?" Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ of God". Here in 1 Corinthians 3, the question is, "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos?" They were ministering servants through whom the Corinthians had believed; but Jesus is "the Christ of God", the anointed Man, by whom God effects all that is in His heart.

There are two figures employed here, agricultural and architectural. As to the first, Paul had planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. Without the "increase", which is from God alone, the planting and the watering were useless, and so it ever is. This thought, as constantly before the mind of the servant, keeps him humble and dependent. The Corinthians were "God's husbandry" and "God's building". Husbandry gives the idea of life in its normal development and position; building would be in view of a sphere, where life is enjoyed. In Luke 15, the house is in view as the place of enjoyment. Paul was a wise master-builder and laid the foundation, and "another buildeth thereon". The reference is to a building just started; the symmetry and beauty of it are not yet apparent. There is not much to see yet, but much work to be done. The important consideration was as to how one would build, and

what material he would use. "Let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon"; "the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is". A very large number were employed by Solomon in building the temple, and many have been engaged in building the spiritual structure: hence the necessity for the apostle's instructions here.

Besides being God's husbandry and building the Corinthians were His temple. The truth of the temple is a great feature in Christianity. It is connected with the presence of the Spirit of God in the saints. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" In Ephesians and 1 Peter God's building is presented more concretely. In Peter the stones are said to be living, so that the material is prominent; the same is true of Matthew 16. The complete structure is in view in Ephesians and Christ is said to be the chief corner stone. In Him "all the building fitted together increases to a holy temple in the Lord". Divine communications are received in the temple; the blessed light of God in Christ as Man is diffused from it. The Psalmist speaks of inquiring in God's temple. Those who avail themselves of it have the mind of God about things. They are not in doubt, they know. It is wonderful how things become clear when they are considered in connection with the saints, as having the Spirit of God.

CHAPTERS 4, 5

The closing verses of chapter 3 enable us to see the relation between the congregation and the ministers. Paul, Apollos, and Cephas are said to belong to the Corinthians. "All things are yours", the apostle says,. "whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours". All the

gifts are given to the assembly and for its up-building; so no one should assume to be in charge of "the flock"; he is the servant of the saints. That is what this passage teaches us. Of course, Paul was more than that, because he was a minister of Christ, and a steward of the mysteries of God. This shows the great place the assembly has, for all things belong to it; a fact that we forget. We may think that possessing a little bit of land adds to us as Christians. It does not, because "all things are yours". The saints as joint-heirs of Christ, are the heirs of all things. "Therefore let no man glory in men". Elsewhere we are enjoined to honour those who minister in the things of God, hence the importance of reading every part of Scripture in its context. Men here would be taken account of in a natural way, not as spiritual leaders. The Corinthians were making party leaders of local men. Christendom is divided up into parties as suggested here. One says he is of Paul, another of Apollos. Christendom is founded on that principle; and the thing is legalised, for denominations are accepted as right. It is a serious matter and condemned in this letter.

Although the gifts are for the assembly, each servant is responsible directly to the Lord as regards his ministry. He is not controlled by the congregation. Ordinarily, the pastor, so called, is owner of the flock, or the flock owns him. He is either, a paid servant, subservient to the wishes of the congregation, the congregation being his master; or, if he has sufficient moral weight, or mental power to sway all, he is lord over God's heritage. This epistle is the antidote to all that, because it states that Paul and Apollos and Cephas belong to all the saints, but the Lord's right to control and direct His servants is carefully guarded. "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God". In that way the

servant is directly responsible to Christ; "to his own master he standeth or falleth".

Then later we have, "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge", 1 Corinthians 14:29. So the saints are regarded as in a position to judge as to a man's doctrine. It is remarkable in Antioch where the Spirit asserts Himself as supreme in the assembly. He says, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them", Acts 13. He did not simply say to Barnabas and Saul, 'You go to the Gentiles'. He told the saints to separate those two men, and then He sends them out as separated and as obtaining the fellowship of the saints, and after they had fulfilled their mission, they returned to Antioch. It says, "they sailed away to Antioch whence they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. And ... ... they related to them all that God had done with them", Acts 14:26, 27. The apostle had transferred the things of which he had been speaking to himself and to Apollos, that the Corinthians might learn in them not to think of men above what is written. The passage reads, "And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another". Although he used his own name and that of Apollos and Cephas, he really referred to certain local leaders. The brethren were being divided up into sects, each having his favourite teacher; so he brings in these great facts to show the folly of it. Now, if you follow what he says, about himself, you will see that he did not want to be a leader. It is a very poor thing to want to be a leader merely for the sake of being prominent. He goes on to say, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if

thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" Then, verses 9 - 13, "For I think that God had set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place; and labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day".

What a remarkable description of the apostle's experience! He is seen as a very humble man in contrast to the leaders in Corinth who were really puffed up. So he says, "It is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea I judge not mine own self ... ... but he that judgeth me is the Lord". He leaves it all with the Lord. What an example for servants we have here! Men subject to like passions as we are; but they were so subject and self judged that they were content to be marked by what is outlined here. It has been said that we should be prepared to go to the wall. Paul evidently had gone to the wall as regards position in this world. Think of the word, Filth! "We are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things". Remarkable expression! This is the path the flesh would not tread. There were those in Corinth also who were treading quite a different path. They were reigning as kings, but they were reigning without the apostle. He was not indifferent to the way they regarded him, because in truth, they were not making him a leader, it was local men. Their estimation of Paul only indicated

where they were spiritually. Spiritual Christians value spiritual men and spiritual ministry. So he says: "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus have I begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me".

Parentage, in a spiritual sense, is a very wonderful thought; it is more than simply giving light; Paul had begotten them in Christ Jesus through the gospel. The truth was, that although he was their spiritual father, they were not characteristically his children; they were not formed after him. Timothy was formed like him, he bore the character of Paul. "For this cause", he says, "I have sent to you Timotheus, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord". It is as if a man had a large family, and all were disobedient but one; he has one like himself, one true child. Paul says in effect, 'I have sent you Timotheus, my beloved child; he is just like myself, so that you may have a conception of what a child of mine should be'. Of Timothy Paul said to them, "who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every assembly".

Paul's character and teaching were the same everywhere. "I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you". That is fatherly affection. What was the trouble? These saints had a year and a half of instruction from Paul, more favoured than other saints and yet there was a poor result. It shows the incorrigibility of the flesh unless it is judged. Unless we judge the flesh we do not make headway. Timothy was a bright contrast to the Corinthians; he was faithful. He had a good mother, as well as a good father in Paul. I suppose the Corinthians were lacking in the maternal side. Timothy had a good mother and a good grandmother; 2 Timothy 1:5.

Coming to the end of the chapter, we see how Paul would act if he came among them, how he would deal with those who were puffed up. He says, "But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power". Then he raises the question, "What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?" It was for them to decide how he should come. If they continued in their self-will, he would have to come with a rod. If the apostle Paul were to come now into Christendom, with all the authority vested in him by Christ, what a state of things he would find! What would he do? Suppose he came with a rod, which represented his authority, how serious it would be. It raises the question as to where I am in my soul and in my associations, whether I am in a position to which the rod would apply.

The next, chapter 5, shows what the rod signifies, It is the principle of the rod, because it involves Paul's authority as well as their responsibility. "For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed". Then he goes on to say; "in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus". He must apply the rod in this particular case. The thing is too flagrant; it must be dealt with. If it is not dealt with the saints will become wholly leavened, and the apostle would not have that. It was a very salutary dealing because it preserved them. In a sense he puts his rod into their hands, for the formal act of excision would be theirs. It should take place when they were gathered together.

CHAPTER 5

In our day apostolic authority is lacking, but this chapter teaches us that evil cannot be countenanced among the people of God, whatsoever our weakness. First he says: "Ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned". We can do that, we can mourn, we can be humbled about the thing.

Delivering to Satan was by apostolic authority. No one could assume to do that now. If we come together in repentance the Lord would come in. If we are exercised, and humbled, and mourn, the evil person would be taken away; that is, the Lord would act Himself and take away the wicked person from among the saints, or the Lord would help us to clear ourselves, for we cannot go on with sin The first great point to see is that the evil must be dealt with. That is most important. If we have not power to deal with the sin, we should be humbled about it; but we must never allow the idea that it can be left alone. Sin must be judged, and the guilty person, if he does not judge himself, must be refused. That is the ground we take in our souls.

Paul says, "When ye are gathered together, and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one unto Satan", etc.. This involves administrative prerogative in the assembly, augmented by the apostolic rod, only you have delivering to Satan, which, as far as I know, is limited to apostolic authority. The assembly does bind on earth, and what is bound on earth is bound in heaven, but delivering to Satan seems to be an apostolic prerogative. Paul speaks in 1 Timothy 1:20, of doing it himself without reference to the assembly. He puts the "ye" first here in verse 4 of our chapter. "The power of our Lord Jesus Christ" connects with the assembly. We have not the apostle's spirit now, but we have the Holy Spirit, and so

"the power of our Lord Jesus Christ". They are distinct things. "The power of our Lord Jesus Christ" would be ever available to the assembly, but here the saints are augmented by Paul's authority, because the case was so serious.

It is hardly in keeping with our circumstances to assume the power to deliver to Satan now, although this passage remains as light. It is better to be humble and recognise that there are many Christians who are not walking in fellowship fully, and yet you cannot assume that they are wicked persons. The conditions in which we are today are different from those at Corinth. Sin must be dealt with, as we said; and this scripture shows the mind of God as to it. It is a question of how the discipline is to be executed; that is, whether now it should not be by an action of withdrawal from wickedness, or a wicked person as Paul indicates in 2 Timothy 2. Is not this the principle that should govern the saints now rather than formal excommunication; that is, "put away" which involves the assumption to have authority. Verses 4, 5, 7, and 13 involve assembly action, only verse 4 emphasises the power available to execute the discipline. "Taken away from among you", in verse 2, is not the same thing as "put away from among yourselves", in verse 13. The former would be the Lord's direct, or indirect, action; the latter the assembly's which as expressed in this passage involves authority for public administration.

While judging sin according to the holiness of God, even as at the beginning, and refusing to walk with a wicked person, it seems that humility in us in a day of brokenness would avoid assuming public authority now. Still, the person convicted of sin, which he has not judged and forsaken, must be told that he is unfit for Christian fellowship, and that the saints can no longer walk with him. Undoubtedly

the Lord confirms such an attitude on the part of His people, and the effect in result will be the same as it was at Corinth. Indeed, the Lord's discipline goes on constantly with us according to the state of our hearts. If a man eats the Lord's supper, unjudged in his own soul, he comes under judgment from the Lord. The saints may not discern his state, because his outward demeanour may be quite correct, but his inward state being wrong the Lord deals with that. We must deal with overt acts. The Lord cuts an unjudged person off, as Paul says, "for this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep". It is an exercising thing to be made sick, because the Lord may be dealing with us. Some are cut off; that is, by death.

2 Timothy is, of course, quite in accord with the teaching here, but in it the Lord provides for the altered conditions in which the saints find themselves in the last days. To the Corinthians Paul said, "Do ye not judge them that are within?" That word "within" referred to the Christian profession then. The Christian profession comes under the eye of Christ, and God judges in it. You will find eventually that Christendom will be judged. The Corinthians should then have done it, but we cannot do it now. We judge Christendom in a way, but we have no power to change it. All you can do is to set yourself right in regard to what is unclean, and to walk with those who are clean. We know that when the Lord Jesus comes the thing will be dealt with. The addresses to the seven assemblies show what He thinks about things. At the same time, you enjoy the light of 1 Corinthians. In the last chapter of the Old Testament the word is, "Remember the law of Moses, my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments"; the whole law. The whole New Testament holds good in the truth of it now.. We have the light

of it, only we are regarded as children of wisdom, and so able to act wisely. We do not act pretentiously; a few such as we are now cannot assume to act as the assembly did before the breakdown occurred. Yet as said already, we must not tolerate sin.

CHAPTER 11

The thought of headship is designedly brought in before the Lord's supper. The order that God has ordained in creation is seen first. We should observe that it is not husband and wife here; but simply man and woman. The teaching in this passage should work out in the assembly. It is not simply that one is head of his wife. Headship is in the man, and this is a denial of the modern theory of women's equality.

Every woman has a head in this sense. In principle she has a head in the man, whoever he may be. There is a difference between this teaching and that in Ephesians 5 where the truth of Christ and the assembly comes out. "I speak concerning Christ and the church". Here in 1 Corinthians 11, the assembly is not specially referred to, although the truth stated is really not seen elsewhere. It is the order that God has prescribed in the creation. "The head of every man is Christ; and the head of Christ is God". Public order is in view here, whereas in Ephesians it is more a question of affection and the subjection that goes with it. "Doth not even nature itself teach you?" would hardly fit Ephesians.

If a man does not avail himself of his Head he is disregardful of the order that God has set in creation. The injunction as to women having a covering on the head is very much neglected. What we have to deal with first of all is far more serious than that; it is the assumption that women are on an equality in every sense with men. It is, I believe, a feature

of the final apostasy. If this great principle that God has set up in creation is denied in the world generally, it should be seen in the Lord's people. Indeed, it is among them only that we can hope to see it, but it will become manifest in the habitable world to come, because Christ will then be seen in that position, and the relative position of man in regard of woman shall be manifested. It is to be seen now in the way of testimony in the assembly of God, for this epistle insists on the order that is suitable to the house of God.

It is very important, that in the matter of prayer, which indicates dependence on God, this order should be recognised. So a man's head is to be uncovered and a woman's covered in praying, "because of the angels". "Praying or prophesying"; speaking to God or for God. "For man is not of woman, but woman of man. For also man was not created for the sake of the woman, but woman for the sake of the man. Therefore ought the woman to have authority on her head, on account of the angels". Then it says, "Does not even nature itself teach you?" You have the words created and nature, showing that it is a question of the order God has established for the working out of divine wisdom. When Christ was born the angels celebrated it saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men". (Luke 2:14) That was what they saw in view. This order here is bound up in the good pleasure, which must, necessarily, call for the order that God has prescribed.

The woman, being in the transgression failed to observe her head. If she had recognised Adam's headship she would have been saved. The enemy knew where to attack; he did not attack Adam directly, and we may say that at that time God was Adam's Head; he should have turned to God. He reversed the order involved in his position in

listening to the woman. Although you would rather see the things itself without the sign; that is, the covering on the head, than the sign without the thing, yet, the sign is important. This epistle is full of details as to the order that God requires. He says, "Now I praise you, that in all things ye are mindful of me; and that as I have directed you, ye keep the directions". He makes that a matter of praise on their behalf, so that nothing is unimportant in that way.

I think Proverbs 8 suggests the primary thought. Wisdom was there at the beginning and her delights were with the sons of men. Even so Christ's administrative service would have in view the bringing about of such an order of things. The kingdom is to that end. That is what the angels had before them. They did not celebrate the kingdom, but that God would be glorified and have good pleasure in men, and the kingdom is to that end. Headship is a principle that shall remain, but lordship ceases, we may say, when Christ gives up the kingdom to the Father.

When Paul comes to speak of the assembly in verse 17, he begins with the Lord's supper. Love is to be the great ruling principle in the assembly, but, as formally together, the men have their heads uncovered and the women have theirs covered. The apostle is now entering on the great truth of the outward order of the assembly, and he shows the Corinthians at the outset that when ... ... they came together into one place, it was "not to eat the Lord's supper". It was a serious matter he was to bring up. He says, "I do not praise, namely, that ye come together, not for the better, but for the worse". This was a serious thing, so he would correct it. In the Lord's supper we are committed to fidelity to Christ. We should be intelligent as to what we are bound up with, for every time we eat the bread and drink the cup we commit

ourselves to what it involves. On the other side it is most blessed, for it represents love; it is the great expression of Christ's love.

On our side the loaf involves a "brotherly covenant". Amos says, referring to Tyrus, that he "remembered not the brotherly covenant". (Amos 1:9) 1 Corinthians 10 is on that principle; "We being many, are one loaf, one body; for we all partake of that one loaf" (verse 17): but chapter 11 is what Christ is toward us. We are to be in accord with this, but as being one body we must be true to one another also. Chapter 10 refers to our walk outside; chapter 11 to our behaviour inside.. "So that whosoever shall eat the bread, or drink the cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty in respect of the body and of the blood of the Lord". Nothing can be more serious than sin in respect of that, as it says, "guilty in respect of the body and of the blood of the Lord". The body and the blood of Christ refer to the greatest possible evidence of His love to us, His death. Failure here brings in the direct discipline of the Lord. "Unworthily" refers to conduct when we are gathered to eat the Lord's supper. At Corinth the rich and poor ate separately, it was in an "unworthy manner" as the outcome of a bad state of soul. He says, "For each one in eating takes his own supper before others, and one is hungry and another drinks to excess".

"But let a man examine himself and so let him eat". This implies that we are to discern the state of our souls as we partake of the Lord's supper. "Let a man prove himself" refers to self-judgment before God. These chapters come home in increasing force to the saints in the closing days. Sin is becoming accentuated and is coming in in many varied forms; and Satan would overwhelm the saints through it. The Lord's supper is, in that way, a bulwark for us, for in it we are brought back to what is suitable to

God, the death of Christ being the testimony to this.

In chapter 10 we have what refers to our public walk and associations, and in chapter 11 our state before God and the manner of our behaviour when we come together. We should judge ourselves at all times, but in a peculiar way as we partake of the Lord's supper. The Lord has His eye on every one of us, in a special way, I believe, as we are at the Supper. "On this account many among you are weak and infirm, and a good many are fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, so were we not judged. But being judged, we are disciplined of the Lord". That is not assembly discipline. It is what the Lord Himself does.

The Corinthians should have been able to adjust one another. We ought to know what is suitable, and if a brother is not taking part suitably when we come together, there ought to be grace to tell him so, things should not be allowed to pass. The Lord may act in discipline today, on the principle spoken of here, for if sin is not judged by us, the Lord will come in. Did He not act thus our state would be such that He could not go on with us. From 2 Corinthians 12:21 we learn that there was wickedness at Corinth that had not been judged even through the light ministered in the first epistle, but what they failed to do, the Lord was already doing, nothing is overlooked. If the apostle visited the Corinthians he would judge and bewail what they overlooked.

The great feature in the Lord's supper, as seen in this chapter, is the calling of the Lord to mind, it is a memorial to Christ for the affections of the saints. "Not distinguishing the body" refers to the body of Christ. If one does not see that it is His body in view, they are looking at the mere material things. The body of Christ is that in which the will of God was perfectly carried out. It is very

serious to slight His body. Christian intelligence is supposed in this epistle. "I speak as to intelligent persons; do ye judge what I say?" Understanding is a great feature of Christianity. In the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, the seed which fell by the wayside did, in a measure, get into the man's heart, but he was not understanding it, so Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in his heart. The understanding grips the truth, and so it finds a fixed place in the heart; thus the enemy cannot take it away.

CHAPTER 12

The word "concerning" would suggest that there had been inquiry as to the subject. The whole epistle is largely built on reports and inquiries which had arisen from the untoward things that had come into the assembly. The early chapters especially indicate this. If a person spoke in spiritual energy the saints were to judge what that energy was, whether the Holy Spirit or some other spirit. There was a test given as to whether the man was speaking by the power of the Spirit of God, or by another spirit. Tests are helpful, although they may be negative in some instances. Saying, "Curse on Jesus", or anything that would involve that, anything that would be derogatory to Christ, however much energy and influence he might have, it would not be the Holy Spirit. There is an idea with some in Christendom that if there is spiritual manifestation it is something commendable, as though there was only one kind of spiritual manifestation; therefore, what is devilish shelters behind that state of things.

"No one can say, Lord Jesus, unless in the power of the Holy Spirit". In the epistle of John we are told to prove the spirits. "Every spirit which does not confess Jesus Christ come in flesh is not of God". (1 John 4:3) "Lord Jesus" would imply reality. It would be

what one says from one's heart. The condition here spoken of would come about possibly through natural relationships, that is, households would be mixed, some still connected with demon worship, perhaps a sister or a brother, therefore, the solemnity of the warning. Christ is the test. The place He has as Man is the test. Satan will admit much in regard of Christ, but that He is Lord he will not admit, unless he is forced to. He will not admit it voluntarily. Thank God, he will be forced to. In a certain sense, it may take place now; but he will not admit the place that Christ has, as conveyed in the expression "Lord Jesus", voluntarily. Whereas, it is the expression that one who loves Christ uses. Paul says, "Remember the words of the Lord Jesus". They seem to be the expression used by one who loves and reveres Him. You will not find men generally employing the expression "Lord Jesus". The Holy Spirit would produce the love which would employ this expression.

There is a difference between Romans 10 and this confession. In Romans 10 it means that that Man is Lord. Here it is the expression of your love and reverence. It is not simply that the speaker is acknowledging Him as Lord; the way he refers to Him is in view. Having given the test whereby the saints would discern the spirits, he goes on to develop the unity that marks the operations of the Holy Spirit. We have mentioned; gifts, services and operations. First "the same Spirit"; secondly, "the same Lord;" and thirdly "the same God". It is a parallel passage with Ephesians, where it is said: "There is one body, and one Spirit ... ... one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father". This is also to show how unity marks all, whether it be the gifts, administrations, or operations. Variety in unity is what marks what is of God.

The Godhead is seen here, the Spirit, the Lord

and the Father. In the wide circle embracing the government of the universe, there is not anything to jar with the smallest operation. The operations of the Persons in the Godhead have one end in view; it is unity in variety. God's operations are universal, including government; it is a great rest to the heart to know that He is working in everything and that all He is doing is in connection with His own great scheme. So government does not jar with what is being carried on by the Holy Spirit.

As regards specific gifts, as we may call them, God gives them according to this epistle, and Christ gives them according to Ephesians. Here the kind of gifts which the Spirit gives are stated: "For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another diverse kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues; but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will". The specific gifts are mentioned at the end of the chapter as "set in the assembly" not in the body. The gifts of the Spirit are just as enumerated here, and they may be found today. Of course, there would be modifications in regard of tongues, etc., but if the Holy Spirit is allowed His place there are those which are essential.

God's operations in the way of government would make room for the operations of the Spirit. Hence you pray for those in authority so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. The operations of God in government are with a view to preserve what is of Himself there. Thus the gospel testimony goes out. Government restrains evil and limits it so that the gospel should be presented. Hence, Antichrist has not

been allowed to develop and will not be while the gospel era continues. In some parts of the world today there is hardly any liberty for the testimony of God. A poor government is better than no government. So Paul enjoins prayer for the government in his day, and it was then when Nero was in power.

The body is introduced here to show the interdependence of the members. It is not that I must not say, but "cannot say". It says: "The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee". Viewed spiritually we cannot do without each other. Every member should understand his place and responsibility and not altogether depend on the gifts. Christians, therefore, suffer untold loss because all are not walking in the truth. One who assumes he can get on independently shows he is not spiritual. The greatest member cannot do without that which is least. What the Spirit of God frowns upon is the spirit of independence. But "all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ". He cannot do without the least any more than we can do without the greatest; in fact, there are organs in the body which, perhaps, very few of us know about, but they are essential to its life. The least, as well as the greatest, has been placed there by divine wisdom and forethought. If we realised our membership one to another we would see to it that there should be no thought of separation that could be righteously avoided. So the discipline spoken of in chapter 5 is in order to save the man. The man must be preserved. When the tribe of Benjamin had been separated from for a righteous cause, as seen in Judges, the break in the unity was felt by the others, a brother was lost to them. They grieved over it and eventually they came to God about it, and God heard them and restored them their lost brother, and there was unity in Israel again.

The gifts of the Spirit as enumerated here refer to what may have developed at Corinth or in any assembly at that time; but the specific gifts are set in the order of their relative importance. "God hath set certain in the assembly, first apostles", etc.. That refers to the whole assembly, not simply the assembly at Corinth.

It is a question of the organism when you come to the body. It is a different idea from the assembly; but brought in here in regard to independency. For instance, "If the foot say, Because I am not a hand I am not of the body". Why should it say that? That is the element of independency Then we have what we cannot say, that is the correction. A brother may say he can get along without another, but spiritually he cannot.

If gift has been given, the saints should recognise it. The recognition of gift is the recognition of the Spirit. A gift would carry weight. Those who refuse the gift would not get the good of it; but the man who has the gift develops in strength; although they may refuse, they lose, he does not. Generally, however, a man is more likely to suffer from over appreciation than from under appreciation.

In Corinth they underestimated Paul, but he points to themselves as a testimony to his apostolic gift. Some of them were defying him; but he says: "I will come to you shortly ... and will know, not the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power".

CHAPTERS 13, 14

The subject of gifts, or spiritual manifestations is dealt with in chapters 12, 13, and 14. Chapter 13 is to set things in their right relation. The subject is introduced in the beginning of chapter 12. "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant". The end in view is the building up of the assembly. The value of the gift is seen in this

work of building up. Hence the importance of love introduced in chapter 13. Aside from the possession of love, the gift is valueless. So, having brought in at the end of chapter 12 how God had set certain gifts in the assembly, and giving the list of the gifts, he says: "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way"! LOVE is the "more excellent way", and it is the normal possession of every Christian. Chapter 13 places in its own position of importance as compared with gifts. It is inconceivable that these gifts should exist aside from love, but they are treated as by themselves in their relative value.

If the assembly remained as it was at the beginning, the gifts of the Spirit would be unhindered; they would be developed in each local assembly undoubtedly. But the gifts enumerated in the closing verses of chapter 12 appeared in the assembly as a whole. "God has set certain in the assembly". That was not the local assembly at Corinth, but the assembly in its entirety as set up on earth. Love is distinguished here as the greatest thing, because it is what God is, and so it is that which abides. Love is what I am; gift is what I have.. If I have not love, I am nothing. A man's stature is not his gift but his love. In the house of God a man is to be measured by his love, not by the good address he may give to the saints, nor the good gospel he may preach, nor what he may possibly give away. We need to expand our idea of love. We sometimes think it is merely the expression of affection to one another; but viewed as we get it here it is something greater than that. Of course, it includes affection for one another; but it may even take the form of severe judgment, for everything that God does is the outcome of love. So it is love by itself that is treated here. It is not brotherly love exactly, but love by itself in the various ways in which it works

out in Christians, as John's epistle teaches. Love had not really been known before the death of Christ. "Hereby we have known love, because he has laid down his life for us". There were individual expressions of love before; but love, as it is in God, was not really known until Christ died, and it is that love which is treated of here. The traits of it as described here came out perfectly in the Lord Himself when here on earth.

Everything that God does is in some way an expression of His love. All must be traced back to that, for that is the one thing He is said to be. Of course He is said to be light, but that is relative; He is essentially love and never anything else, so all that He does must necessarily be the result of that, hence, love, in the assembly as it is treated here, works out in the same way. All that is done in the assembly should be the outcome of that, even though it may be discipline. It covers righteousness and holiness if we contemplate it in its full meaning. So in the working of discipline righteousness and holiness are essential to the proper showing of love; only righteousness and holiness are to be regarded as attributes. Love is not so regarded, for it is essentially what God is.

It may be said that the lake of fire is the result of righteousness and not of love, but it is the outcome of love in God. The limitation of evil is entirely according to the love of God; that evil should he circumscribed and rendered ineffectual is surely a great mercy. In Revelation we have Satan cast into the bottomless pit, and shut up, and a seal put upon him for a thousand years. But after the thousand years, having been loosed out of his prison, he is cast into the lake of fire, where the beast and the false prophet are: and he has no power there, for he is not only circumscribed, but in an area in which the judgment of God is complete and final.

Any one who knows what sin is is thankful for that. That helps us to have a better knowledge of what the death of Christ really was. Evil seems to be taken lightly, because we are not sufficiently acquainted with the nature of God as seen in the death of Christ. Evil is intolerable to divine love and must be disposed of in such wise that it is rendered ineffectual. It says: "The devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are", and subsequent to that: "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire". That is wholly compatible with what God is - love; for God hates evil, and love in the believer hates evil also, because evil is destructive and demoralising. The more one comes in contact with sin the more relieved one is to know that God has such a means of disposing of it eventually.

The Spirit would carry us back to the death of Christ where it is all judged. The Holy Spirit appearing in Acts 2 in cloven tongues like as of fire brought in what God is against sin. There is always in the believer the means of judging and disallowing what is of the flesh. Here in 1 Corinthians 13 we have the qualities of love. "Love has long patience, is kind; love is not emulous of others; love is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up, does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek what is its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute evil, does not rejoice at iniquity, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails". All these traits were to be seen in the life of Christ. It is love as seen in Christ or the saints that is in view here, it is not as it is expressed in God Himself exactly.

"The more excellent way" is love. If one is greater than his gift it saves him from being proud of his gift. Reciprocation of affection is greater than any satisfaction one may get in the exercise

of one's gift. There is real joy in the exercise of one's gift in the power of the Spirit, but it is not equal to the joy we have together as brethren. Gift in the assembly would seem to be the means by which the avenues are opened, the food is suggested and brought in. The climax of all gift would be "the increase of the body to its self-building up in love". Ephesians 4:16. The gifts according to that chapter are for the edifying of the body of Christ; the body builds itself up in love. The gifts greatly add to it, but the organism is such that there is power for its self-building up; but if we despise the gifts from Christ we suffer loss. Christendom has lost sight of the organism, all there is made to depend on man to keep things going. The thought in this chapter is that love abides. Gifts, on the other hand, come to an end; that shows their relative value.

Chapter 14 treats of the gifts in exercise; the machinery, so to speak, is working. Chapter 13 is like the oil that enables it to go smoothly, so the greater part of the chapter is taken up with pointing out that the use of a sign gift may become a positive hindrance in a meeting, because it is not used intelligently. Paul speaks of the gift of tongues, as an illustration, to point out the danger of occupation with something which distinguishes you instead of your being concerned about what edifies. It would not apply to us today literally; but it would apply to any of us using what ability he may have for the sake of using it, without seeing that whatever one does in the assembly should be done with one end in view, and that is edification. What we are warned against here is precisely the thing which has brought in the outward ruin, that is, the prominence given to the individual. I am speaking broadly as to what has come to pass in the history of the assembly.

The Lord has helped in these days in raising up

"helps" through the whole assembly instead of one in a given centre. The Lord seems to be working so that the whole assembly is benefited. It is not that it is different from the Lord's original way, but it is more emphasised. I think the original way in Christianity is expressed in Proverbs: "The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands". That is the public position, they have no king; they have One really, but He is not visible.

The principle of a meeting arranged for two or three to speak is supposed in this chapter, as stated in verses 26 to 33. What is to be noticed is, that you should have something. What caused the trouble in Corinth was not that they had something, but they were not regulated in the use of what they had. We are supposed to have material, for it says: "When ye come together, each of you has a psalm", etc.. We may not have all these things, but there is the principle of having something for the saints, and the point here is to be regulated, so that all should get the benefit of what each one has. It would not be right to prepare anything for the meeting for the Lord's supper; but it is quite right to have things for other meetings. I certainly would urge that each brother should cultivate having a well-filled storehouse. But then, "the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets". If one has something he can wait for a suitable opportunity to give it out, only let us be sure that what we have is from the Lord. The Lord's supper is to make everything of Christ among us so that as a result He is there as Head. It would, therefore, be out of place to have something prepared with the intention of delivering it.

Clearly what is before us is that by which we should be regulated, namely, intelligence or understanding. It is not simply that the Holy Spirit suggests to you and to me what each should do; I should be regulated by my spiritual understanding

in what I do or say. So even though I have the thing, and have it clearly, yet I use my understanding as to whether that is the thing now. The apostle says: "I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing also with the understanding". He does not say the Holy Spirit for it is his own spirit, that he thought of. You often hear one say, 'The Holy Spirit prompted me and I had to do it'. But that is not how matters stand in the assembly. The point in this chapter is the intelligence in which things are done there. So the speaker's own spirit is really under control; he is not subject to a powerful impulse which he cannot avoid. "The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets".

We have following on this a general principle: "Let it be two, or at the most three". It seems to me, that it is a merciful provision of God when the saints come together, that there is this general limitation to public ministry. Meetings should not be prolonged so as to become wearisome. This chapter has in view, not exactly what is pleasing to God though, of course, He is always in view, but the effects things have on the hearers. It says: "If therefore the whole assembly come together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and simple persons enter in, or unbelievers, will they not say ye are mad?" Then, "Tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers; but prophecy, not to unbelievers, but to those who believe". So in the assembly you are occupied with what is for believers. We have to get the principle of the things. We have not the gift of tongues now for it is hardly needed; but the point is that what we say in the assembly is for believers, for their edification. Even the giving of thanks to God may indirectly be for instruction. It has not that in view specially, but indirectly it has that effect. It is very edifying

to hear a brother give thanks in power. It is a great thing to have liberty in addressing God if it be but in five words.

Paul says: "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge". We are never supposed to be apart from exercise; we are either speaking or judging. Judging here is not criticising. The hearers should examine or prove what is ministered. This is the opposite to an indifferent or restless spirit, which, alas, is often seen. Judging is that you are interested in what is going on and forming an estimate of it. You are not ready to receive anything which is not of God. So the speaker is in that way in a position where he has to be careful and he is helped on that account. We have three things: edification, encouragement, and consolation.

CHAPTER 15

It is to be noted that resurrection is left for the end of this epistle. Whereas it is referred to immediately in the second epistle to the Corinthians in chapter 2, verse 9. This, no doubt, was because of the state of things at Corinth when the first letter was written. Here it is treated in its full bearing in regard of death as opposed to God, rather than involving the special privilege of Christians now, as in Colossians. It is a question of God's power which the existence of death challenged, and that we could not know anything beyond the grave, was also challenged. "How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?" The apostle takes occasion to show how the moral universe must be established in resurrection. It is presented therefore in relation to the general testimony of God rather than showing the special position of Christians now. In Colossians it is: "ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead". (Colossians 2:12) But here it is a question of

the testimony as Paul preached it in its full bearing. "But I make known to you, brethren, the glad tidings which I announced to you, which also ye received, in which also ye stand, by which also ye are saved ... ... unless indeed ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you, in the first place, what also I had received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he was raised the third day, according to the scriptures". I think it is well to see that he is dealing with the thing, as you might say, in its entirety. It is the subject itself being dealt with, although the effect should be that we are "Steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not vain in the Lord".

The burial of Christ, clears the ground entirely of the man who was offensive to God, in view of a new beginning for God; He having in grace taken the place of man according to the flesh. It reminds us of 2 Samuel 21 where all the bodies of the offenders had to be buried. It was after the burial that God was entreated for the land and was propitious. As if man has to learn what it says in the Psalms. "They die, and return to their dust". (Psalm 104:29) Speaking, I suppose, in irony of man's natural origin, he has to return to his dust, to the source of his being as regards his body, a very humbling thought. Christ has died vicariously, and was buried, and has submerged the offending man. "But now is Christ risen from the dead". It suggests Genesis 6, "The end of all flesh is come before me". All flesh was submerged. If He was buried, all flesh was removed from before the sight of God, nothing left of man according to the flesh. Crucifixion would be the character of His death which was public; but burial is putting wholly out of sight. Abraham said: "that I may bury my dead out of my sight". (Genesis 23:4) It is a remarkable statement.

Though he loved Sarah, yet as dead she should be out of his sight. There is no revival of that kind of man so "God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him". It is a question now of resurrection.

Resurrection is not resuscitation. The triumph of God has been secured in a Man. The Man who comes out of death first is the Man who glorified God on earth. Resurrection involves that what comes up pleases God. The going down refers to what displeases, hence His burial is part of His vicarious work and the coming up is on account of what He is. "Christ the firstfruits" is the Man who glorified God on the earth. In Christ's resurrection something is introduced the like of which had never existed before. Lazarus, and the young man of Luke 7 and others were signs. They did not set forth the new order of man; they were brought back to the natural life. In Christ we see a Man invading the whole domain of death and bringing everything that Satan had plunged into it out of death, so that even the wicked dead will have to say to that Man. A Man will dispose of everything for God, both those who are of His order and the wicked.

A complete triumph for God has been secured in a Man. It is really a world out of death we come into It is well to take account of the fact that Christ had glorified God on earth before He died vicariously. His burial is the counterpart of His vicarious death. "Christ the firstfruits"; He begins the new order of things and all are brought up according to that, so the development of the teaching is; "As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly". Only "It is raised in incorruption ... ... it is raised in glory ... ... it is raised in power ... ... it is raised a spiritual body". All these are details emphasising the character of the resurrection; but the fulness of it is: "As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly". Thus we are made to correspond with

Christ, "What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?" He came from heaven and went to heaven.

There is a connection here with Leviticus 23. There we have Christ the firstfruits; without that there could be no place for the feast of weeks; that is, Pentecost. The one necessarily depends on the other. The sheaf waved before Jehovah by the priest, refers to Christ out of death; and afterwards the "two wave loaves were offered". God virtually says, 'This is what I am going to populate My universe with'. Here we have "Afterward they that are Christ's at his coming". It is a question of kind, of order, the grain of wheat. The Lord felt death fully; He says prophetically in Psalm 102"take me not away in the midst of my days". This shows that His death was not from weakness, but that He died in the vigour of manhood; but, then, He felt it: "Take me not away in the midst of my days". It was a surrender. The "much fruit" from "the corn of wheat" would include all the redeemed. The full result of His death would be seen in all that are His.

When the Sadducees raised the question of the resurrection the Lord said, "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God". Then He cites that passage in Exodus 3"I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living". The revelation God made to Abraham involved this, and then He made a covenant with him; namely, that of circumcision. The sign of circumcision in the body, typically involves the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit gives the certainty of resurrection. The Old Testament saints did not have that. Paul says, "For we are the circumcision which worship by the spirit of God, and boast in Christ Jesus, and do not trust in flesh",

Philippians 3:3. The Holy Spirit is the power by which are raised, so that we already have the victory. It is not only that we shall have it; but we have it. "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory". The truth of resurrection is taken up here only with the saints. Paul does not refer to the wicked dead here. Resurrection, as it is dealt with here, carries with it a moral thought; it is not resuscitation. The wicked dead shall be brought back; but the principle of resurrection results in a new order of things, that which is of God.

The first burial in Scripture is in the light of resurrection. Abraham bought a field in which to bury Sarah. It was bought in the light of resurrection. Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph had that spot in view. It is interesting that Isaac, as typifying Christ risen, was introduced before burial is mentioned. First, we have in Genesis 17"I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect". Then Isaac is brought in on that principle of God's almightiness. Then he is raised from the dead; received back in a figure. There is the idea of a new order of things in Isaac. The man out of death comes into view, and then the burial of Sarah.

Death is looked at as an enemy as it affects the saints of God. It is a penalty in regard of the wicked. It was a penalty on man as having sinned. Viewed as a penalty it is not an enemy, it is God's servant; but as Satan uses it against the people of God it is an enemy. It is dealt with in this chapter in regard of those who are affected by the power and life of Christ. "For as in Adam all die, eyen so in Christ all shall be made alive". That brings in the idea of headship. It does not include the wicked dead. Even as in Luke 20:38 "for all live unto him" refers to those who had faith.

Resurrection is the annulling of death for us. When I am taken out of death it has no power over

me; in fact, Colossians and Ephesians teach, that it has no power over us now; but it is annulled literally when we are taken out of the grave. An unconverted man is afraid to die; death is God's penalty on him. After the redeemed are taken out of death the wicked are still retained there; for them hades and death are a penalty. No one really understands death save those who have the Holy Spirit. Such understand the consequences of death, they see it first of all as a penalty. This chapter shows that the saints get the victory from that point of view. The wicked dead never get victory.

We have a figure in Goliath who had a sword, a figure of death, and he wielded it over the Israelites for forty days, typical of the period in which Satan held men in terror by death. David took it out of Goliath's hand and used it against him. Scripture teaches us that death is ours now; 1 Corinthians 3:22. But although Satan had the power of death, that power was annulled when Christ went into death. Satan could use it only as God permitted, as in Job's case he was not permitted to touch Job's life; Job 2:6. Satan has put many men to death; the martyrs witness to this.

The resurrection will apply to the wicked dead also. The Lord says, "The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation", John 5:28, 29. But they are simply brought back to be consigned to what is called "the second death", the lake of fire. Death is ours now in the sense in which we can apply it against the flesh; besides, that too, it may be the means of our departing to be with Christ.

"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death". A condition of things will be brought to pass in

which death will never have a footing again. Now, through faith, those "who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:15) are delivered. Primarily death was a penalty. God said, "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die". (Genesis 2:17) So that it says: "death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression". (Romans 5:14) It is thus seen extending over the whole race of men; but in the Jordan it is seen in a condensed form as acting against God. It was an enemy, it was between the people of God and the land of promise. It is in connection with the land we see the full idea of the enemy and there it disappeared. The Red Sea did not disappear. Death remains on the earth today as it always did, emphasised sometimes more than at other times; but when you come to the Jordan the thing disappears, it is cut off out of sight; in fact, when the people came to the Jordan there was no water in it at all; that is what has come to pass for faith, so that we have the victory now. The nearer you get to death the more you realise it is so.

"All that are in the grave shall hear his voice, And shall come forth". (John 5:28,29) Individual identity will remain in the glorified state. The principle in regard to the condition of the man inwardly, applies to the outward; that is, the thing as to its character; for instance, now that we are born of God, we are inwardly "as is the heavenly". That refers to us as Christians already; but still we are known here on the earth as the same persons; there is no physical change; our identity remains. So, as regards the body, all that it shall be evidently comes out of heaven. "Raised in incorruption ... ... raised in glory ... ... raised in power ... ... raised a spiritual body". Nothing of that comes out of the earth, but from heaven; it is a question of the character of the thing. We shall

be recognisable as the same person. It is not that the body is brought down and formed at that moment; it is changed by the power of God; but yet it will be "our house which is from heaven". (2 Corinthians 5:2)

If it were a matter of God creating a new set of bodies in heaven, that would not convey the idea; that would take us back to the original thought of creation. The idea in resurrection is power, it shows what God can do, and in it there is testimony to God's absolute triumph, not only in Christ but in the saints, Resulting from the working of divine power, the body of humiliation is transformed like unto Christ's glorious body, "according to the working of the power which he has even to subdue all things to himself", Philippians 3:21. The subduing is being effected now in a moral way in the souls of the saints and the consummation of that will be when we get our bodies of glory. Paul says, "But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body". God does it instantly. "We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye". (1 Corinthians 15:52) So you can understand the force of the word; "the exceeding greatness of his power".

The body in which we are raised could not be identical in a material sense, because it is spiritual in contrast to the natural; but identity involves that the same features are there, so that we are recognisable. The Lord after His resurrection said: "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see", (Luke 24:39) and yet it was a spiritual body. It is all set forth in the Lord. He is the pattern of what follows, only we must always guard what we say about the Lord going into death for He did not see corruption.

It is marvellous that God can do all this in a moment. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye". The question as to what bodies Moses and

Elias appeared in is solved by the knowledge of God. The knowledge of God is the solution of all these problems; the Lord met the Sadducees by saying: "Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?" (Mark 12:24) We cannot naturally understand how Enoch was translated that he should not see death, nor in what body he was taken to heaven; but the knowledge of God in one's soul sets us at rest about it. Moses and Elias were recognisable. As we grow old resurrection is more appreciated. You come to the top of a hill, so to speak, and then you are able to see over and down. It is an immense thing to apprehend the truth of resurrection. Of course, it should be seen at the outset, but I think it becomes greatly accentuated as we grow old. When the ark went into the Jordan it was two thousand cubits from the people; but the nearer they got to the river the more they perceived the effect of the Ark being there; they saw that the water had disappeared.

John 5 distinguishes between quickening and raising: "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will". If you take that in its application to us at the present time, as in Colossians, we are said to be "risen with him through faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead ... And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him". (Colossians 2:12, 13) Being raised with Christ through the faith of the operation of God gives you a new footing or status; quickening gives you the inward power viewed in the order in which they occur literally "at the end". In Ephesians 2 we have quickening and then raising up; this latter, however, goes further than resurrection.

Verses 20 - 28 come in parenthetically as showing the full bearing of resurrection and then the end:

"When all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all". (1 Corinthians 15:28) That is what, I suppose, we may call the final, fixed order of things. The mediatorial kingdom of Christ is brought to an end so that God rests. He is all as the Object of the hearts of His creatures and in all as life.

The Spirit turning from speaking of the Lord as Christ to the Son in verse 28 brings out the workings of the divine Persons. It takes you back to John 5, where divine Persons are acting together: "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work". Now the Father has given all things into the hands of the Son, so it becomes a mediatorial system and He works until all is brought to God, when there is no disturbing element. Verse 35 introduces the question, "How are the dead raised up?" The apostle enlarges his answer so as to bring out the character of the body as it comes up, and then he says: "Behold, I show you a mystery"; he opens up the mystery of all this to the saints: "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump".

Pages 77 - 157, "The Purpose of God in a Day of Small Things", Detroit, 1919 (Volume 39).

THE PURPOSE OF GOD IN A DAY OF SMALL THINGS

Zechariah 1

J.T. It helps to make clear the position here if we note that these two prophets laboured together on account of a certain condition at Jerusalem, recorded in the fourth and fifth chapters of Ezra.

"Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem, unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius; king of Persia", Ezra 4:23. "Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them, Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them", Ezra 5:1, 2.

If we get the situation clearly before us we will see the circumstances under which they laboured, and how they not only spoke the word of the Lord, but also helped in the building.

F.L. I suppose there might be a suggestion in that there were two. I was thinking of the two witnesses in the Revelation. It is rather interesting to see, if you compare Haggai with Zechariah, that Haggai speaks, then there is an interval and Zechariah speaks; then there is an interval and Haggai speaks; then there is an interval again and Zechariah speaks. That is, the one supports the testimony of the other.

Compare Haggai 2:1; Zechariah 1:1; Haggai 2:10;. Zechariah 1:7.

J.T. Haggai in his messages, I think he received five, deals with the condition of the people, calling attention to the lethargy that had set in among them, in that they were dwelling in ceiled houses and the house of the Lord lay desolate. The first message creating a movement among them, there is a second one, and a third one; and then there is a fourth one on the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, and there is a fifth one on that same day. This fifth message, I think, lays the basis for Zechariah, because in the last message he speaks to Zerubbabel, who undoubtedly typifies the Lord Jesus in connection with the purposes of God.

Verse 20 of chapter 2 reads: "And again the word of the Lord came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying, Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen: and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts".

F.L. I thought Haggai concerns himself particularly with the house and the glory of the house in connection with Christ; while Zechariah seems to concern himself more with the city, and the land, and the nations, and so develops a great deal more than Haggai.

J.T. Yes, and Haggai calls attention to the day on which they began to move and take account of things with God. Now he wishes that they should

note that day, for he says the blessing begins then. It says in chapter 2: 18, "Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider it. Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you".

An Israelite would value that day; he would go out occasionally to look at the different things to see how they were coming on. It would be a time of expectation from Jehovah from that point. The vine, and the fig tree, and pomegranate and olive had not as yet begun to bud, but now they were to watch for growth. That is, I suppose, the word of God moves us and we take account of His interests. We can find these four things in a spiritual sense developed; the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and olive.

W.C.R. What is the spiritual significance of them?

J.T. Perhaps we had better turn to Judges 9:9: The olive tree says, "Should I leave my fatness; wherewith by me they honour God and man?" And the fig tree says, "Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit?" And the vine says, "Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man?" These three are there, that which honours God and man, that which cheers God and man, and the sweetness and good fruit. These are features that developed from that day, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, and they are most essential things to have if we are set here in relation to the things of God. I suppose, the pomegranate would be typical of unity.

F.L. You get that from the garment of the high priest?

J.T. Yes. Those who come from the West Indies

say the form of the fruit suggests it. Although I am not much acquainted with that, I think the spiritual use of it would be unity. A Christian would go out and see how these things developed, beginning with that day, the day he became exercised by the word of God coming home to him.

F.L. So the Lord, in the day when the terrific pressure of things was to bear in on the remnant, does not throw them upon outside signs or marks, but says, they were to look for the budding of the fig tree. That would be their sign. There is the evidence of a divine work, a divine work which is responsive to His touch from the heavens in the rain and sun. It is the evidence of a divine work that we are to look for. As you said, they were to go out and look for it.

J.T. The Lord had cursed the fig tree before He left, and I suppose the budding would be the indication of an incoming of life. So it is with us.

F.L. He had reversed all that now.

J.T. No one would seek to occupy Christians with themselves, but certainly a godly Jew under those circumstances would consider from that day onward and see how the things went. The blessing of God was seen in the fruitfulness of his garden.

J.B. Three of these fruits, omitting the olive, were mentioned in regard to what the spies brought back from the land, grapes, figs and pomegranates.

J.T. Yes. So that they are a sort of heavenly growth. That elevates the subject a bit, bringing in a heavenly thought. Now the second message to Haggai is very interesting in the sense that it is the counterpart of the first, being on the same day. It connects the soul with the purpose of God. That is, there is the fruit growing on the one hand; and then the purpose of God, my relation to Christ: all that He has in His mind in regard of Christ. I think Zechariah enlarges greatly on that. You

have a definite person introduced here. Haggai leaves you with a definite person before your soul, a figurative person, Zerubbabel. He is left before the soul as Jehovah's signet, who is Christ, I suppose, suggesting that everything is, so to speak, to bear the impress of this Man.

F.L. It is evident there is a great expansion in Zechariah, and it seems to me that Haggai comes in on the moral line of recovery in connection with the house. Zechariah, as you said, takes up the purpose of God. It would help if you would give us an outline of what is in your mind in connection with Zechariah.

J.T. First of all, you have in the chapter read, the Gentile monarchies or powers, and their relation to Israel, Judah and Jerusalem. They had gone beyond the divine direction. They had done more than God had directed them to do and God is taking account of this. So the first chapter is the way that God takes account of the Gentile powers; they are met with these four "carpenters", remarkable kind of instruments to use to meet the influence or power of the Gentiles. The second chapter is God dwelling in Zion, and the "holy land". The expression "holy land" is found there: in Nehemiah it is the "holy city". And the third chapter, I think, is the kind of man that is to be in it. I do not know that we should go beyond that for the moment. That was what I especially had in view in suggesting this book. The message to Zerubbabel is very remarkable in that it comes in on the same day on which the saints are moved to look for fruit-bearing. We have the "fruit unto holiness", so to speak, but then Christ is the object of the purpose of God and that must be provided for in our souls. Here is the One who is Jehovah's signet, the One, I suppose, who is to stand for, to give character to everything, and our souls are to develop and progress on that line.

So what Zechariah opens up to us is the city and the holy land.

F.L. I suppose at the end of the second chapter we come to a kind of climax. That is, things have been pursued to the point of the Lord finding His inheritance in the holy land and the city, and all flesh is called upon to be silent, for the Lord is raised up out of His holy habitation. Then at the end of the third chapter, you would say, we get another climax. That is, the millennial order of things; every man calls his neighbour under his vine and under his fig-tree. First we have God's portion, and then blessing for men in the world to come.

A.F.M. That would be a clear advance upon Haggai, where they go to see if they are flourishing. You can call your neighbour under the vine and fig trees now

J.T. Yes. The vine and fig-tree are already grown and have flourished.

A.F.M. Do you regard these two things as encouragement for us who have left the confusion of Babylon and are seeking to be here in connection with the recovered light of God? Is that what is in your mind?

J.T. That is what I had in mind. First, Haggai bringing in the light as to the house and leading the movement which God formally approves; and then the subsequent messages of Haggai, leading up to Zerubbabel, who is definitely set before the soul as he who is Jehovah's signet. I think that we are in that way set on the line of Colossians. Here is a man for God. And Zechariah, I think, opens up typically Ephesians to us.

G.W.H. Colossians gives you the Man.

J.T. Yes, He is definitely before the soul now. I suppose Romans is the budding, the principle of things in the soul. You go back to that. You have "fruit unto holiness". Then you get a Man, a

definite object for the soul, in Colossians; and in Ephesians the full purpose of God, the sphere of it, and the order of Man that will be there.

W.H.F. You are speaking now in regard to the scripture before us, that it gives a sort of detail in regard to Colossians and Ephesians?

J.T. I think Romans is the spirit, or principle, of things in Christianity. That is, you have the principle of faith there, the budding. All is there. It is potential; that is, there are great possibilities. They are not all achieved yet, or accomplished, but they are all there potentially, so it becomes evident that Romans is the great fundamental epistle, as we have often observed. I refer to it now as that which treats of life in the Spirit, the secret of fruit-bearing. But Colossians is more than that. It is assumed that they have love for all the saints, which is a great evidence of the power of the Spirit in them. The Spirit is hardly mentioned in Colossians, His work is in evidence more. In Romans the Spirit is very prominent, but in Colossians it is the effect of the Spirit: the evidences of life are there, but there was a need of recognizing the Head. The Colossians were amiss on that line, and the Christ is brought in in His personal dignity as Head, which they were to hold. They were to hold the Head. He was the source of everything for them. There is nothing much said about the sphere of things in Colossians, because the point was to get Christ into their hearts in His position as Head. But when you come to Ephesians the sphere is introduced almost immediately. God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. It is where the thing is in Ephesians, and so we are raised up and made to sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. So in the third chapter we have the length, breadth, and height and depth; it is a question of the domain or sphere of things.

G.W.H. In Ephesians you "grow up into him in all things".

J.T. In all things Quite so.

W.H.F. I was wondering what bearing this would have upon us at present?

J.T. It seems to me, that it is of immense moment to us to have opened up the scope of the truth in that way. In the day of small things we are to have all the truth, although compatibility may not always be apparent: especially the truth which relates to the house of God. If we love the truth we want all the truth, because the truth is to be loved and every item of it must be held in our souls. It seems as if these prophets were used of God to bring in the great features of the truth that had been communicated in the Old Testament; the truth of the house of God and the land. The latter was given to them according to purpose.

W.H.F. All centred in Christ, and, as I understand it, in Old Testament scriptures you get certain details that help in regard to the New Testament.

J.T. Details that are not found in the New Testament, and hence the importance of the Old Testament and the understanding of it so as to fill out the truth in our souls.

R.L.C. In Galatians the apostle reminds those to whom he wrote of the blessing that once "ye spake of" There was the taking note of what God had given and which they had lost the sense of He reminds them of brighter days. They had lost the sense of it.

J.T. As Jehovah reminded Israel, through Jeremiah, of their brighter days. He says, "I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when ... ... Israel was holiness unto the Lord", Jeremiah 2:2, 3.

F.L. "When thou wentest after me", showing there had been that response. The prophet Zechariah

is in a measure a condensation of the whole of the Old Testament. With Haggai and Malachi, it is the closing word of the Old Testament testimony, and brings it all up and connects it, typically, with Christ. Everything is summarised and brought up to a definite and ordered conclusion. We are established in those things now. So when He speaks to Nathaniel about sitting under the fig-tree we are supposed to understand the reference. And the same applies to many other references in the New Testament. This is especially evident in the book of Revelation.

J.T. They "searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were so". This shows how Old Testament scriptures were regarded as confirmatory of what was presented in the gospel.

F.L. So when the Lord spoke to the disciples of being the True Vine, the significance of that is to be understood by seeing what the vine had been before.. The Lord does not repeat those things. He assumes that we know.

W.C.R. What were you going to say about the carpenters?

J.T. It is remarkable that it should be such that God should use to overthrow these great powers. It suggests to my mind that in meeting evil God is constructive as well as destructive. A military man destroys. Anyone who goes in the wake of an army knows what it does. Destruction is there. But a carpenter is not for destruction, but for construction, so that in casting out, or fraying the horns of the Gentiles, you have something built up for God. That was what marked the ministry of Christ and it was what marked the apostles' ministry, especially Paul. He has power for destruction, but he had power for construction, and that was what he delighted in.

A.F.M. Are these four horns the four great monarchies spoken of in Daniel?

J.T. I think so. Indeed it is said so formally at the end of this chapter. "These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem".

J.B. When speaking of constructive work done by the carpenters, it would be to displace the horns by that which God would bring in and build up.

F.L. It is very remarkable and one would regard it with reverence, that when the Lord was here on earth, He was a carpenter. He was the Carpenter of Nazareth.

W.C.R. He said, "The Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them".

A.F.M. Why four carpenters?

J.T. I suppose the reference is to what is universal.

A.F.M. All other kingdoms are to be annulled and Christ's kingdom fill the whole earth. Compare Daniel 2:35, 44.

F.L. I suppose there is no doubt that four horns have reference to the four Gentile kingdoms. There was that adequate from the side of God to overthrow every one of those powers, until finally He reaches that which is eternally established.

J.T. Showing that the power God brought in to deal with this universal human power was commensurate, and more than that, "Because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world". (1 John 4:4) That is, the Lord in His ministry met all this in principle in the power of the Spirit, and so did the apostles. Finally these powers, or what represents them at the end, shall be overthrown, their place taken by Christ's kingdom.

R.L.C. The Lord was displeased with two of His disciples when they demanded fire to come down from heaven. The point now is construction, not destruction.

J.B. It is very encouraging to notice in a day like Zechariah's, which answers to the present day, that we find these four carpenters who are indicative of the way by which God works to establish His thoughts.

J.T. It seems to me that the great point for us to see is that our business is construction, to be building up. However small our work may be, it is part of that which is going to supersede all this that is going on.

A.F.M. Paul was regarded as a wise architect, and he gives a word to others to take heed how they build. It is on that line you are speaking, is it not?

J.T. Yes The Lord says, "On this rock I will build my assembly". So Paul lays a foundation, and others are to build on it. Christianity is marked by building or construction.

W.H.F. Christianity in its fulness begins with Paul. Paul was called out sovereignly, after Stephen's testimony. He was the chosen vessel to unfold the mystery of the assembly in connection with the counsel of God.

J.T. He was the "wise architect", and so laid the foundation. He had the whole plan of the building in his mind and it was to be indicated to those who could build with him.

F.L. In other words, if we did not have the ministry of Paul we should not have the full light of Christianity; up till his call God had been recognising Israel in His patient grace.

J.T. Things were in a transient sort of state. But the foundation Paul laid ignored Jewish privileges. The building or construction is such an important feature of the testimony, because we are not so many individuals simply. According to Romans we are taken up as individuals and set up before God; but even Romans laid the basis for unity. We are one body in Christ in Romans 12; not of Christ yet. We are not so many individuals acting in our individual capacity in relation to God. We have relations one to another, and without that you could not have the idea of construction. All has reference to the underlying fact that we are one body. The

point for each is to see that he has part in the building; and not only that I am of the structure, but, in my measure, I am a constructor.

W.C.R. The word edify suggests that. It is continually presented in Scripture that we are to edify one another.

J.T. Quite. "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ". (Ephesians 4:7) He would have that in view in the gift He gives to each of us, so that as we have two or three together this principle of construction becomes immediately applicable. That with which God intended to meet the power of destruction is thus apparent. That is the testimony.

J.B. In verses 18 - 21 you get an encouraging contrast: "Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, four horns; And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. And the Lord showed me four carpenters".

J.T. Yes, "The Lord showed me". The Lord would have the prophet know the means and manner of dealing with the evil.

J.B. If we are exercised the Lord will show us not only that which is going to meet the power of evil and do away with it, but that by which He will establish everything that He has purposed.

J.T. That is the thought that for the moment should lay hold of our hearts. We are on the constructive line and if you have two or three it may become evident.

F.L. One who is really formed in his soul in the teaching of Romans is a finished stone, ready to be put in the building.

J.T. What you notice in connection with the truth of the epistle is that we are not said to be the body of Christ, but "one body in Christ", Romans 12: 5.

It is our relation to one another that is in view there; the thought of the body of Christ is greater than that; it is for His display. Romans, in this respect, saves us from independency. Being one body in Christ,, all fleshly effort in the unity is precluded.

A.F.M. I was going to remark that just prior to that the believer is seen as presenting his own body, and then upon that comes the truth of our being one body in Christ. We could not be said to be that before presenting our individual bodies a living sacrifice.

J.T. Your will would be active unless you had presented your body to God.

W.C.R. I did not follow your point about being one body in Christ.

J.T. Romans 12 says, "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". The point I made was, that it is not the body of Christ in Romans. That is Colossians and Ephesians, but in Romans it is so many believers together in unity. Before you can speak of the body of Christ you must first recognise the unity that is proper and normal among brethren, and that is what Romans teaches. It is a question of our relation one to the other.

W.H.F. Does the body come in to correct independency?

J.T. It is brought in for that in Romans, I think.

W.H.F. But quite a different aspect from what you get in Ephesians.

F.L. And completely opposed to all in Christendom, where bodies are organised on human lines of organisation for different beneficial, uplifting and reform purposes.

J.T. It would be out of all reason to say, that

all these bodies are "in Christ". Is Christ divided?

F.L. It is a great bond. Where are you to find unity now? You get it in Christ.

G.W.H. In order to build you would require wisdom.

J.T. I think so. To build effectively one must have clearly the architect's plans. In 1 Corinthians 3 the apostle says, "Let each see how he builds upon it". He had set the idea before them in Corinth, and now he says, "For other foundation can no man lay beside that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ". It is not Christ Jesus there, but Jesus Christ. It is that order of Man. He would not have any other, and so all the after-builders must see to it that the material used must be of this kind.

G.W.H. So in leading believers your exercise would be to present Christ in some light to meet them in their present need.

J.T. That is it. The order of Man you would be exercised about presenting would be Jesus Christ. Otherwise you could not bring in the constructive idea at all, because if you bring in what is in connection with any other man you have material that has to come under judgment.

W.H.F. Spurious material.

J.T. Exactly. It would be spurious, "wood, hay, stubble".

A.F.M. So it is important that the superstructure in the soul be of the same kind as the foundation.

J.T. Yes, and I think Romans is the great foundation epistle, because one reckons one's self dead to sin, and alive unto God in Christ Jesus. That is how you are alive, not in any other sense; all that is not in Christ Jesus is spurious.

W.H.F. Is it because we are weak on that side we have so often to turn to this epistle?

J.T. The Spirit of God seems to have to remind us of it always, but you see in this passage how much

the purpose of God is before the mind of the Spirit. He says in the nineteenth verse: "these are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem"; these latter expressions involving God's purpose. And then it says: "These are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it" God has the land in His mind.

A.F.M. That introduces chapter two, the holy land, as you were saying.

J.T. Yes

W.C.R. The idea of the four horns was to scatter.

J.T. It says, "No man did lift up his head": the power was so absolute, that there was no resisting it.

R.L.C. When the mighty works of Jesus were taken note of they were offended in Him, because they said, "Is not this the carpenter's son?"(Matthew 13:55) They were offended in Him, because of His humble, lowly origin; but He was on right constructive lines.

F.L. These things are dependent really upon the prophet, and the priest, and the king; and Christ is the Prophet, and He is the Priest, and He is the King. I hope when we get on a little further in the book we shall be able to see how those functions are exercised by Christ in bringing about the establishment of the divine system, and bringing in the purpose of God.

THE PURPOSE OF GOD IN A DAY OF SMALL THINGS

Zechariah 2

J.T. This "man with a measuring line" is very interesting. The thought of measurement is prominent in Scripture.

A.F.M. What does measuring generally suggest?

J.T. One thought in it is that God takes account of what may be in view, as, for instance, you "measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not", Revelation 11:1, 2. What is measured and what is not measured suggests, on the one hand, what God takes account of and is interested in, and, on the other hand, there may be profession which He does not take account of, what is not for the moment under His eye as of interest to Him; indeed it is to be given over for judgment.

A.F.M. He really measures what can be measured morally.

F.L. "Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein. For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about". The thought of measurement seems superseded by the thought of the Lord's personal environment and glory.

J.T. The introduction of measurement here is very significant. In Ezekiel measurements are given, and so in Revelation 21, but in Revelation 11, which I quoted a moment ago, and here, we have no definite measurements, only the thought of measurement.

J.B. Is this measurement in regard of future blessing or did it refer to their present condition?

J.T. I think here it is all in view of the counsel of God. It is a question of the sphere to which

His counsel or purpose, applied, so it is the breadth and length only, as regards Jerusalem, but in Ephesians it is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height. Whilst in Ephesians we have not the measurements given, yet we are to know them; "that ye may know what". That seems to be a very great test as to spiritual power and apprehension.

F.L. Does not that in Ephesians bring in what is really impossible to earth, the depth and height. A fourth dimension in material things really does not exist. It seems to come in as we touch heavenly things. Does it not suggest that we are on a different line there?

J.T. Yes, that is very interesting. Ephesians shows we have to do with heavenly things, so that it may be said, "Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same who has also ascended up above all the heavens". (Ephesians 4:9, 10) The measurements are spiritual, and, although not given formally, they are to be known, and it seems as if it would be the greatest test you could get as to spiritual apprehension and power. "I bow my knees to the rather of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom every family in the heavens and on earth is named, in order that he may give you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power by his Spirit in the inner man; that the Christ may dwell, through faith, in your hearts, being rooted and founded in love, in order that ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height. And to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge; that ye may be filled even to all the fulness of God", (Ephesians 3:14 - 19)

F.L. That is interesting as throwing light upon the heavenly. There is that which passes knowledge, yet we know it. Now we could not say that in

connection with what is merely earthly. We are on lines here that are earthly, but in Ephesians there comes in that which is heavenly.

J.B. Is that your thought in the fourth dimension; "to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge"?

F.L. Yes. That connects with depth and height, as was just quoted. The dimensions are His descent and ascent, and what is involved in that is knowable, but yet it "passeth knowledge".

W.H.F. Would that take in the whole divine system, the breadth, length, depth and height?

J.T. The whole domain in which the divine glory is to be displayed.

W.H. Where Christ is to be displayed in time and eternity? Ephesians 3 makes it very clear that it is eternity, as well as time.

J.T. So it runs on in that passage: "to him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages".

A.F.M. What about the standard? We have a standard of weight in Scripture; is there a standard of measurement

J.T. I think there is, and Ephesians applies there too. "The measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ". I suppose He is the measure.

A.F.M. I was thinking of the difference in Revelation, when the city was measured it was "according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel". (Revelation 21:17) Would that be a parallel thought?

J.T. I thought so.

F.L. In Revelation 21 the dimensions are taken from Christ.

J.T. But they are presented finitely, besides there are only three there, length, breadth and height.

J.B. A cubit is the measurement of a man's arm.

J.T. I suppose the basis of all measurement is in some part of a man.

J.B. We say. foot because we measure by the foot; anciently they measured by the arm.

A.F.M. A span also.

W.H.F. The city spoken of in Revelation 21, in the beginning of the chapter is presented as the bride; the tabernacle in which God will dwell in the eternal state. John sees the holy city, descending from God, then it goes on to say, "I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men.". A divine statement in regard of the heavenly city, in view of the eternal state. Then further on in the same chapter John is taken to a high mountain and sees the same city coming down in relation to the millennial earth.

J.T. And there you get the measurement.

F.L. You do not get the measurement for the eternal thought, the tabernacle of God. I suppose the use of the term "tabernacle" is to give the simplest thought of dwelling possible. What it expresses is the magnitude of the thought that it is God dwelling. It is tabernacle, not temple or palace.

J.T. So "the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us". That was the simplest conceivable form. He became a Man amongst men, moved about in the most ordinary circumstances of life, yet God was dwelling there.

F.L. Yes, just so. If I speak of a palace or temple you at once get an idea of the greatness of the building, but a tabernacle is the simplest form of dwelling.. In the tabernacle in the wilderness the great thought is the ark, and in the tabernacle in Revelation 21 the great thought is God dwelling. The Word became flesh and so God was manifested in flesh.

J.T. "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we have contemplated his glory, a glory as

of an only-begotten with a father), full of grace and truth". All there in the simplest and most humble form and circumstances. It is very touching that the glory of such a blessed, divine relationship should be related to His dwelling "among us".

W.H.F. All that was there when Christ was down here as Man?

J.T. Yes, quite so. So that evidently God's relations with men will be of the simplest form, and yet infinite in their import and blessedness.

J.B. Speaking of this measurement, the measure of Jerusalem, is that in answer to the fourteenth and sixteenth verses of the first chapter? The Lord says, "I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. Therefore thus saith the Lord, I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies". Now it is taken account of.

J.T. Yes, a man was to take the measurement, not an angel. Then further you have, "Run, speak to this young man". You have a man with a measuring line in his hand and the young man to be instructed. The young man here is suggestive.

A.F.M. Of what?

J.T. He is suggestive of living interest, freshness, and energy of youth, as in the things of God.

F.L. It is suggestive at the end. The young man is there, and in this present day the Lord has brought into view vitality in the young men.

J.T. And does it not show too, that where there is interest, as there evidently was in. Zechariah, you get light? See the message to the young man: "Speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein". What a message that would be to this young man, when things were very

small, and in fact a lethargic state had settled down in Jerusalem Here is the mind of God as to what would be.

A.F.M. There was not a wall up, or gate, at that time, and very few people there actually, so, as you say, it would be very encouraging to him.

F.L. "For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her". He speaks that in connection with what was evidently a heap of ruins. This young man in that heap of ruins saw something; and there are young men in the present day who are brought under test and trial, and are passing through the furnace; they could abandon all that and strike out on another line, but they do not, and it is because the light that comes to them from God is that the thing, which is outwardly of no import, is really sustained of Himself and has got wonderful promise in it, and they go in for it.

W.C.R. The young man becomes constructive; certainly Zechariah was. See Ezra 5:1, 2.

J.T. In the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and these two prophets, it is the light of what shall be that is put before the eyes of those addressed. When they saw the foundation of the temple laid, the old men recalled what had been and wept. No doubt a right sentiment in a way, but it was the old who wept over what had been. The young ones, of course, could not recall what had been, but they are shown what shall be; that is, the latter glory of the house. It should exceed the former, and it seems to me that today the Holy Spirit is directing our hearts to what shall be. If it be a question of order, or commandments, or that which should govern us in our relations to one another here, of course it is what has been that is the test. Everything is tested by that which was from the beginning. There is no deviation in that regard, because the principles that governed

at the first govern now, and will continue on to the end, but as regards what God can do and will do, there is something greater coming in, and that was what encouraged me about this book, that it opens up to us what shall be, so that our hearts may be at rest as to what is going on outwardly with the assembly or the world. This book, connected with what we get in the New Testament, opens up to us the mind and purpose of God. Of course we have the length and breadth here only, but we can easily supply the other, the height and depth, and its strengthens our hearts as regards what exists today.

W.H.F. It seems to me, that God would delight to lead us on to these things which He has in His own mind to bring to pass manifestly before the universe.

A.F.M. At the beginning of the revival eighty or ninety years ago, recovery was brought about through young men, was it not?

J.T. Yes Grey hairs are to be valued if found in the ways of righteousness, and the elders in Revelation suggest experience in the things of God; but energy for conflict and for testimony always seems to be found with the young. It is God's way. "Ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you". (1 John 2:14) It is a shame for the young men if it is not so, because it is the divine way.

D.R. In speaking of young men having an interest in what is of God in the midst of distressing conditions, would you say you get an example of it in the ease of Joshua, a young man who departed not from the tabernacle, and knew what was according to God when there was not much outwardly.

J.T. He was a remarkable illustration of what we have been speaking of; and we know there was development in him.

W.H.F. Should we not carry with us the freshness of youth all along the line, as we further develop in things?

F.L. Moses is a good example. His "eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated", (Deuteronomy 34:7) and he carried his experience with him at 120 years of age. I have often said to the young men, 'You can know much more than I do and be deeper in things than I am, but I have one thing you have not; that is experience'. Now Moses seemed to carry both the experience, and energy, vitality and devotedness to the end.

W.H.F. I was thinking too of Jacob. He was the brightest of the whole of them, although his path was very zig-zag; he comes out brighter than any of them in the end, because he blesses the sons of Joseph while worshipping, leaning on the top of his staff. He had a bright finish, and I think the older ones of us ought to go in for that.

J.T. In making comparisons we should note, that there are no warnings in connection with the "fathers" in John's epistle. The young men are exhorted not to love the world. Although they were strong and the word of God was abiding in them, yet there was the danger of loving the world. And so with Timothy: "Flee also youthful lusts". (2 Timothy 2:22)

W.H.F. The "fathers" had tried the world no doubt. They had proven it by experience, which the young men had not and were therefore in danger of being attracted by it.

J.T. The light conveyed in this message should be very encouraging to the "young man", as it should be to us now. "Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein. For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her". We can perhaps add to that what He is giving to us now. It is open to us to know something about the wall and the presence of the Lord in the midst.

F.L. The term "in the midst" is one that the Lord evidently likes in connection with remnant

times. It comes three times in this chapter. Then in Zephaniah 3"In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing". So in verse 12 of the same chapter: "I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord". These are expressions that one hardly finds used of the people at their best estate.

J.T. And this word particularly: "I ... ... will he the glory in the midst of her".

A.F.M. Do we have first the city developed, and re-established for God, and then the holy land? Is that what is in your mind?

J .T. Yes. First the city, I think, definitely taken account of, inhabited, dwelt in, protected. Then, that light being introduced, you have the thought of the gathering of all the people.

F.L. I would like to suggest that in that verse on which you have been dwelling that, in effect, it is the Lord restoring the shekinah. That is, the shekinah was taken up from out of the material temple and God could find no dwelling place there. Ezekiel sees it going away. Here it is seen replaced. He says, My glory shall dwell - "I ... ... will be the glory in the midst of her".

J.T. You get the fact of the glory being there, and the wall, then the appeal to all the people. "Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord. Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. For thus saith the Lord of hosts, After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you; for he that toucheth you

toucheth the apple of his eye". Now that is a remarkable message; it is an appeal to the scattered ones to come to the gathering centre; to come to God out of their different places of captivity.

J.B. Would the force of Zion here be the people of God's choice? Sometimes Zion is used for the city; sometimes for a principle; but here it would seem to be the people.

J.T. It would be the people, because it is "that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon". It would be the people taken account of in that way, in captivity. They say. "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" That would show they felt it.

A.F.M.. Would not this seventh verse be a strong appeal to people in systems today?

J.T. That is the application of it now. You see if you have the truth of the assembly revived, with all its bearings, the presence of the Lord and the protection of fellowship, then the following statement applies: "After the glory, hath he sent me unto the nations that made you a spoil; for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye". Things are established, in principle at least, and now the invitation, or the appeal, that there should be an escape; and mark, it is "Escape Zion". It was for her to do, to deliver herself.

F.L. It is akin to what we get in the second of Revelation. That is, Thyatira, or Babylon, and the Lord makes an appeal to "the rest", or remnant, that is in that entanglement. He reaches His desired end in Philadelphia, where "in the midst" would apply.

W.C.R. You did not say anything about the "wall of fire".

J.T. That is clearly divine protection. I suppose the young man would feel that the walls were desolate,

broken down. He would feel keenly the position, as any exercised brother does now, but instead of being depressed and dejected on account of that, the heart is encouraged by this light.

F.L. So Elisha asked the Lord to open the eyes of the young man to see the environment of the, hosts of the Lord around the prophet, and greater were those for Elisha than those against him.

J.T. That is what we need now, to see how things are going. The Lord is with His people and the assurance of that in your soul enables you to extend a word of appeal to the people of God in Babylon; and you clothe them with divine thoughts. If I meet a brother who is a Presbyterian, it is not the Presbyterian that is in my mind at all; I regard him according to God's thoughts about him. These people were deeply mixed up in Babylon, but they are clothed here with divine thoughts - "Zion". How different a Christian appears to you, whether an Episcopalian, a Methodist, or whatever he may be, when you regard him from the divine side; he is a brother to you. He belongs to Christ and you clothe him with the divine thought, and appeal to him in that light. Such an attitude will have a great effect on him if he is exercised.

G.W.H. He really belongs to Zion, so to speak, and you bring the light of the city to him.

A.F.M. How is it he does not come to the city

J.T. That, of course, would admit of inquiry as to the various influences holding Christians in these denominations.

A.F.M. So few are helped.

F.L. Think of the wonderful light that was given from God following upon the decree of Cyrus, but how many were influenced? Supposing Zechariah had gone back, as others did, to Babylon, and found a Jew on the streets of Babylon, and would say, Why are you not influenced by what God has done in

opening the door for you to return to Jerusalem? His answer, unless God worked with him, would probably be: I have my business, my position, or something or other that interferes; but Zechariah would undoubtedly not confuse him with an Assyrian or Persian It may be comparatively easy to find many of the Lord's people, but when you come to influencing them, that is another matter.

W H F. The reason why men, even real Christians, are not affected is, to some extent, because we are so feeble in the power of the truth ourselves; we are so little livingly in touch with the Lord, that we are not able to approach others and ready to be used of the Lord in taking the precious from the vile, as we get m Jeremiah. The Lord says, "If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them", Jeremiah 15 19

J.T. One feels, that if one reallywere affected by the light we have, one would have more influence. I suppose we all have to admit that.

W.H.F. I have thought sometimes that really the deliverance of souls, and their coming out into the path of separation, is connected with the sovereignty of God. It must be the work of God that brings them cut of these things. It was the work of God with myself, I am sure of that.

J.T. But our responsibility remains, as you have indicated; and it is well to bear in mind that the ministry, or testimony, of any brother is not only for those with whom he may be immediately connected, but towards all; the bearing of service is towards all.

G.W.H. "Every man".

J.T. At any rate, I mean now in regard of

deliverance, your service is toward "Zion", so to speak; that is, those that are of the assembly. You want them.

G.W.H. Whether a Christian is a Presbyterian or Methodist, you should have it before you to serve him, that he might be delivered. You wish to carry the light of God to that man.

F.L. But in a practical way (in reference to what our brother was saying), the wall of fire works two ways, While it is a protection for what is encircled in it, at the same time it works upon the flesh, and the flesh is not willing to pass through it; those that come within the protection of that fire have to come by the way of self judgment.

A.F.M. When Ezra left Babylon, there was quite a company with him. Both Ezra and Nehemiah are marked by prayer. I was thinking in that connection of what a lack of prayer there is for those outside. I, question whether we enter into the seriousness of the thing in that way, by presenting it to God. What do you think about that?

J.T. I am sure Paul in saying, "The Lord knoweth them that are his", (2 Timothy 2:19) was comforted. He had them all in his own heart. The second letter to Timothy shows how he had this one and that one in his heart. Although some turned away, as Demas, Paul had them all in his heart, so he instructs Timothy; "in meekness setting right those who oppose, if God perhaps may sometime give them repentance to acknowledgment of the truth, and that they may awake up out of the snare of the devil, who are taken by him, for his will", 2 Timothy 2:26. This is the attitude of the servant, and one in such an attitude is sure to be marked by prayer.

W.C.R. When things are recovered it is good to see that they are recovered on the original basis; that is, as to the largeness of it. When they return from the captivity of Babylon they set the wall up

on its original foundation. It was large enough to embrace every one.

J.T. At that time the city was said to be large, but there were few people in it; but the word to faith here says, "Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein". This is what should be before us; it would be an incentive in our service. While things are small, we should always have before us what shall be, according to the sure purpose of God.

G.W.H. In reading the epistle to the Ephesians, do you read it in the light of the future?

J.T. Yes, it is written in the light of the future. That is what is in view. It gives the place of the assembly in the purpose of God, in the future; "For the administration of the fulness of times; to head up all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth", Ephesians 1:10. F.L. Very often we speak of Ephesians as though it only comprised the first three chapters, but there are three more. You have to read the first three in the light of the future, and get the bearing and influence of that light upon the present.

J.H. So you would have saints moved by the thoughts of God for them?

J.T. That is the thought, and this appeal to the scattered ones I think is very important now, because the trend amongst the saints is to narrowness of affection, whereas the Spirit of God would keep before us the whole number of the saints. "Deliver thyself O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon". We want the saints in all relations to be delivered and to be together.

J.H. "Walk about Zion, and go round about her; tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following", Psalm 48:12. We should consider the thing in perfection.

J.T. I think so, and thus we can convey the light of it to the generation following.

J.B. This would be the full value of the prophetic word.

J.T. Quite. The messenger here really, I think, is Christ in spirit, because it says, "After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you". Then again in the eleventh verse: "thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee".

A.F.M. What is in your mind in making it a point in this chapter that we have the holy land? You have been dwelling a good deal upon Zion and Jerusalem. Is the land secured when the city is inhabited and God's glory is there?

J.T. Yes. The land is, of course, a larger thought than the city.

F.L. And "all flesh" is a wider thought still. It really suggests the circles you get in the twenty-second psalm. At the end of the second chapter here we reach a definite conclusion; God is risen up in His habitation. Then another end is reached at the end of chapter 3, the millennium reached by the people. The nations come in too, as seen in verse 11 of our chapter: "Many nations shall join themselves to Jehovah in that day, and shall be unto me for a people". Thus there is a correspondence with Psalm 22 where we see how all the circles of blessing are the result of the one great sacrifice of Christ.

J.T. All flesh is to be silent here. There are many voices now, but all the product of the flesh. In that day there shall be but one voice. "Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation". It also appears that the Lord was valued in the midst of His people. How every voice is hushed as God is known as "risen up out of his holy habitation". Compare 1 Corinthians 14.

J.B. It was in David's time that God chose

Jerusalem, "the mount Zion, which he loved". Now he chooses Jerusalem again it says.

J.T. His choice is once for all. He has really never been diverted from it, from the standpoint of His purpose as to the earth: but now He is risen up (or perhaps "is awaked") in it. Choosing it here would refer to His return to Jerusalem in the future to accomplish His original thought. Jerusalem is desolate now, but presently God will awake there and speak, and rule there, so that all the nations shall be subdued and hushed.

J.B. He does not choose some other city on earth?

J.T. No, it is the same one as of old. It is "the city of the great King".

F.L. The consummation there is the same as we get in the fourteenth chapter, when the Lord's feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, and then it goes on to say, "At evening time it shall he light. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem", and "The Lord shall be king over all the earth; in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one". The climax is reached in the second chapter, and comes up again in the fourteenth chapter.

J.T. You have the singing here. "Sing aloud and rejoice, daughter of Zion; for behold, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith Jehovah". First there is the deliverance, then the promise to dwell in the midst, and they are to sing on account of it.

F.L. What is your thought about the singing?

J.T. I suppose it is triumph. She has come to answer to the appeal, delivering herself. She did not sing in the place of their captivity, she could not, but now she may sing. Singing is the expression, I think, of complete deliverance.

F.L. All oppression, and burden, and captivity and want are gone, and there is liberty and freedom of spirit.

THE PURPOSE OF GOD IN A DAY OF SMALL THINGS

Zechariah 3

J.T. There is presented to us here the man who is to occupy the sphere of God's purpose. The fact that it is Joshua that is brought forward would suggest that. It is man in the capacity of priest. "He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord".

A.F.M. Would Zerubbabel stand for a different idea from Joshua?

J.T. I think he stands for Christ more, as from God's side.

J.B. Zerubbabel was on the kingly line.

J.T. Yes. Priesthood seems to express the relation in which man is to be with God; the mediatorial system depends on priesthood. What we speak of as the eternal state of things is not so much in view in priesthood as that in which God would show how He can bring about recovery; and have man before Him according to His own nature, in His holy city and in His holy land. If the city is holy, and the land is holy, the man must be holy.

F.L. In these first four chapters we get God's resource and the instruments in which it is expressed; Zechariah the prophet; Joshua, the high priest; and Zerubbabel the ruler.

J.T. The prophet, priest, and king, we may say.

F.L. Yes, and it is wholly adequate to effectuate recovery, to carry things on and maintain them according to purpose.

A.F.M. Would Joshua here in the filthy garments represent the people's state?

J.T. Yes. If his garments were filthy all the others whom he represented would be. The chapter, I suppose, would show how God brings in an order

of man that is to occupy the scene in suitability to Himself

J.B. "Like people, like priest". The priest is representative of the people.

J.T. I have no doubt that applies here. Joshua is a representative man certainly. The passage shows how one is cleansed and set up in dignity before God in priestly garments, through redemption.

A.F.M. How do you view the garments?

J.T. I think they would refer to the man's state before God.

A.F.M. In Isaiah we have "filthy rags"; that refers to man's righteousness.

J.T. "All our righteousnesses"; here we have official garments. I suppose the chapter comes in to show that man in his old state and circumstances, even a priesthood that God had owned, will not do for the order of things involved in the purpose of God. The filthy garments of Joshua are to be replaced by "festival-robes". Satan's attitude here reminds us of Eden: there he would rob God of man in innocency; here he would prevent God from cleansing man, and setting him up before Him in righteousness.

F.L. It is evident that to Satan this was a critical time; that which was connected with the testimony was weak, and he would prevent recovery.

J.T. It is in that connection we see how Satan discerns what God is doing, however insignificant it may be outwardly. He knew well what God was doing. If there, is only one righteous man, such as Job, on earth Satan considers him. He had not escaped his notice. I suppose it has a present application, that however small things may be in our account, Satan knows the value of them morally. He knows about them; he is doing all he can to offset the little spark and put it out. But then the Lord said to him, "The Lord that hath chosen

Jerusalem rebuke thee". That is; God has His purpose. It is an immense thing to see that, what God is doing, however small outwardly, is connected with His purpose. This makes things large in our eyes, and we can count on God to defend what He is doing, and confound Satan.

E.H.T.. At times Satan personally comes in and nothing but the rebuke of God can overthrow him.

J.T. He is not here using a mediary, he comes himself. He comes to our meetings, and he watches over you lest your soul should progress. He is especially interested in those in whom the Spirit of God is, so as to resist the work of God in them. Hence the word, "the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee". We cannot rebuke Satan in that way. It belongs to God to do it. Even Michael did not do it, he said, "The Lord rebuke thee", Jude 9.

J.B. The object of Satan was the ruin of Joshua before God.

J.T. At any rate, that the work in Joshua should not proceed. He was as "a brand plucked out of the fire". But there is much more to be done in us than to pluck us out of the fire. We are to be set up in dignity before God and Satan hates the idea of man set up before God, as he hated Adam and Eve in the garden.

F.L. The thing of importance for us is to discern what God has chosen; if you go on with that you are secure. In the second chapter there is the precious light that God had chosen Jerusalem, that He would dwell in the midst of Zion. Now, if they would be right with Jerusalem and Zion there can be no question God will take care of what He has chosen. So that, while Joshua is at a low estate, representing what the people were in that way, yet he was connected with Jerusalem, and God would have him there according to Himself. The great

thing is not so much the question of our individuality as that we are connected with what the Spirit of God is going on with and supporting, what God has chosen.

J.T. Quite. So our exercise is not only to have good meetings; we are labouring in the light of the purpose of God and the other is incidental. The point in whether we are being formed according to God's purpose. The subject of clothing is of great importance, because clothing is what characterises us. It refers to what God is doing by the Spirit, preparation in us to occupy the ground of His purpose. When you are fitted for it and in heaven, Satan can do nothing then, but what he will do is to prevent the work of God now.

G.W.H. Would this be Colossians

J.T. You have the idea of clothing in Romans and in Colossians, and you have it in Ephesians; in each there is the idea of putting on and putting off. In Romans, "put on the Lord Jesus Christ". In Colossians and Ephesians the putting off of the old man and the putting on of the new.

G.W.H. I was thinking of, "I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you", Colossians 2:12.

J.T. The apostle was concerned about them, that they might be led into the mystery, and Satan was against that, hence the conflict. Romans 16:20 shows that Satan was active at Rome also. "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly". As yet he had not apparently been bruised under their feet. Evidently they had not reached in their souls the full result of Christ's victory. They were to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ". Now that is the point. It is more profession. That is the idea you have in your mind, and that is the ground you take publicly. Romans does not go as far as putting on the "new man", but in Colossians you have, "having put off the old man with his deeds,

and having put on the new, renewed into full knowledge according to the image of him that has created him". (Colossians 3:10) And then you have a detailed description of the new man, which I think suggests the idea of clothes to be "put on".

J.B. The character of the new man being set forth in the clothes?

J.T. Yes. In Ephesians the old man is said to be corrupt; he is formally described as corrupt; And then, "having put on the new man", which he refers to as the truth as it is "in Jesus"; "if ye have heard him and been instructed in him, according as the truth is in Jesus; namely, your having put off ... ... . the old man ... ... and your having put on the new man, which according to God is created in truthful righteousness and holiness". It seems as if there you get the full conception of clothes; truth, righteousness, and holiness would qualify us for the new place, because it is holy.

F.L. That really connects with new creation "If any one be in Christ, there is a new creation". (2 Corinthians 5:17)

W.C.R. There is a side of responsibility in connection with the work of God in us that I wish to inquire about Philippians 2:13, says: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both the willing and the working according to his good pleasure". That seems to suggest responsibility as to salvation on our part.

J.T. That was in the absence of Paul, or in the absence of anyone who might have been a special help, you work it out yourself. I think it is collective. The Philippians were to work out their salvation in the absence of Paul, but then they are encouraged in the thought that God worked in them for the willing and doing of His good pleasure. That, I am sure, we are entitled to count upon, in that those who might help us are no longer with us. It brings in the thought of responsibility with each of us. Our

collective salvation depends, in that way, on ourselves, but then God works in us. He works in us for the willing and doing of His good pleasure.

F.L. It is really the subjective answer to what you have just been quoting in Ephesians, to what is created in righteousness and holiness of truth. The saints thus formed can work out their own salvation, through God working in them.

A.F.M. Is that especially in view of the testimony? You are speaking of it as a collective thing, as if they were to navigate the vessel themselves.

J.T. Quite. What had been set up among them should be continued in a living way. Paul had laboured in a peculiar way in Philippi, and with excellent results and these results were to continue. Compare Acts 16. He had lived in their houses, and he would have communicated the mind of God to them as to the assembly, and it was for them to work out their own salvation in regard of all that. It is not simply that I am an isolated individual and do the best I can. No one who has love in his heart can be individual entirely; he includes all those he loves and desires to carry them with him. It was said to Paul in the ship-wreck, "God hath given thee all them that sail with thee", Acts 27:24. Evidently Paul wished it. The more you love the saints the more you pray for them, and the more you pray for them, the more you may count on God carrying them through.

W.C.R. Would working out your salvation with fear and trembling suggest that you are watchful lest anything hinder the work of God in you?

J.T. Yes. Fear and trembling is that you fear God in view of the capabilities of the flesh. You fear Satan working through the flesh.

J.H. The flesh is accountable for the "filthy garments", and these have to be taken away.

J.T. Yes. Then it says; "Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" That was Joshua. And

then; "And Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the Angel. And he spoke and said unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from off him". Apparently that was done by others, by those who stood before him. Here it is not presented from the side of individual exercise, but rather from the side of what God does and what others do. It is from the divine side; it shows how God carries out His thoughts, notwithstanding Satan's opposition.

W.C.R. In the history of our souls, would this be the initial thing?

J.T. The result shown here typically may take a good while to reach with us; with some a longer time is needed than others, on account of spiritual slothfulness. Paul said, "What shall I do, Lord?" Acts 22:10. A good deal had to be done in a negative way, as well as in a positive way, and I suppose Ananias would correspond with those who stood before the Lord here. So the Lord says to Saul, "Go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do". He comes to Damascus and Ananias tells him what to do. "Arise, and be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name, of the Lord". I think this is on that line.

E.H.T. But does it not go a little further? Is it not preparatory to setting one in the purpose of God?

J.T. Certainly, but we have not gone that far. We are speaking here of taking off the filthy garments. "He spoke and said unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from off him". And then it says; "Unto him he said, See, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I clothe thee with festival-robes". God does that.

F.L. If we take account in the abstract of the priestly company as it is brought before God, when it is first brought into view in an individual; he is

undone, he is clothed with filthy rags, and there comes in the work of those who are used of God to relieve us. That is, it comes in through the gospel and other ways. But from the outset God sees us as in His purpose, what we are to be as clothed in festival garments.

G.W.H. Would it be like Luke 15?

F.L. I suppose the element of Luke 15 would be in it. The parable in Matthew 22 suggests the idea; that is, the "wedding garment" is put on.

G.W.H. The prodigal's father said unto his servants. "Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him".

J.T. Matthew is the wedding garment but Luke 15 the best one; the latter is intended to convey the superior thing involved in Christianity.

A.F.M. Does the "fair mitre" crown all this?

J.T. I suppose it suggests his dignity before God.

J.B. Who is the "I" in the fifth verse?

F.L. Does it suggest that the prophet now recognises the divine work in connection with the person, and he calls for the priestly dignity to be put upon his head?

J.B. Is the thought of holiness unto the Lord in the mitre?

J.T. I suppose it speaks of the dignity. The head is usually a member that is taken up to describe the dignity; oil is put upon the head.

F.L. It seems very suggestive that Zechariah should be the one to say it. He seems to claim him in that way, as though the prophet would say, He is a companion in the testimony and, May God crown him with all dignity and holiness.

J.T. So it says; "And they set the pure turban upon his head, and clothed him with garments; and the Angel of Jehovah stood by". This thought of standing by is remarkable in verses 5 - 7. There are those who are in intelligent sympathy with what is

going on and are ready to be employed in the carrying out of the will of God.

A.F.M. What does the crown or mitre stand for in Christianity?

J.T. I think, as I remarked, it is dignity. One is dignified; one is lifted out of the littleness of the flesh, because all that is in the flesh is extremely little and adverse to the dignity in the things of God. I am referring to priestly head-dress in general; the mitre here, as in Exodus 28, would be peculiar to the high priest. The sons of Aaron had "bonnets". The spiritual greatness suggested in these things should lift us out of the littleness of the flesh; its greatest things are very little.

F.L. There is hardly a more wonderful word in all Scripture, as regards our blessing, than, "he is not ashamed to call them brethren". (Hebrews 2:11) That is, He, in all the prominence of His place in glory, is not ashamed to acknowledge the saints as His brethren. That is the idea in dignity; it is conferred dignity.

J.T. As we had it yesterday, "The glory which thou hast given me I have given them". (John 17:22)

G.W.H. But the service in Ephesians 4 fits you to correspond with this; "till we all come in the unity of the faith ... ... unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ". Our exercise should be that there should be a correspondence in us, in intelligence, with this dignity.

J.T.. Yes, quite. The spirit of the speaker here in Zechariah 3:5, would show a lovely disposition to see another honoured.

F.L. I was thinking of the unjealous spirit that welcomes him.

J.B. Does not the prophet recognise the full situation before him, and sees the garments to be taken away and the new garments given, and now he says, Set a fair mitre upon his head. That would complete it all.

J.T. So there is the absence of jealousy in all this. Satan is marked by jealousy. He was jealous in Eden and is jealous here. He hates to see man set up by God. He is governed by jealousy against God. He cannot bear to see the man according to God and will do all in his power to prevent any and each of us from becoming that, a man according to God. So the beautiful spirit in this speaker is the opposite of that, and it surely should find an answer among us, that we rejoice with those that do rejoice. You rejoice in the honour God may put upon a brother. It does not detract from you. It rather adds to you. If we see each other according to the assembly, anything that is conferred upon another will not detract from you at all.

W.C.R. "Honour to whom honour" (Romans 13:7); that is the principle.

J.T. Quite, and you rejoice with those who rejoice. You are not jealous. I think it is very beautiful in the angels, how they gloried in the birth of Christ. God had come down, He had passed them by and became Man. He dignified man infinitely by becoming a Man, and yet the angels are there celebrating it, and a multitude of them, as if they were all represented.

A.F.M. Would not this expression, "And I said", mark the prophetic spirit always, whether in the Old or New Testament, perfect sympathy with what God is doing and aiding it, and if possible seeking to help it forward?

J.T. It is like the spirit of prophecy. It is the testimony of Jesus, of that kind of Man.

F.L. I was thinking of that in connection with the Revelation. John was the vessel of testimony in the way Zechariah was here. John looks upon the saints and says; "I John, who also am your brother and companion" (Revelation 1:9); that is, in the testimony he embraces them unjealously, as a brother and

companion; and here Zechariah recognised the divine work, it seems to me. He welcomes him as his companion in the testimony. "I said, let them set a fair mitre upon his head".

W.C.R. You get the unjealous spirit in Moses, when he was told certain ones prophesied in the camp and he expressed a desire that they would all prophesy.

J.T. That is just it. The testimony filled his heart. You do not know when you will be taken away. The Lord might take you at any moment and you would rejoice to know, that there are others who can go on. You know the testimony has to go on. We have had Joshua's rags; now a changed Joshua, dignified Joshua. It only adds to us all. I think it is beautiful in the Canticles to see at the end the principle of this, and how the speaker pleads for the little sister. At the end the enmity between Ephraim and Judah will have gone, so she says, "What shall we do for our sister?" (Song of Songs 8:8), And then goes on to say what they were prepared to do for her. As a wall they would build a palace of silver upon her, and as a door would enclose her with boards of cedar.

J.H. We sometimes pray that men might be raised up to help the people of God. Is this the answer?

J.T. Zechariah and Haggai must have had remarkable exercises together as to the things that had crept in amongst the people of God. The work had stopped, the people were going to their own affairs, living in their own things, and the house of the Lord was lying desolate; Ezra 4 24. So doubtless the prophets had their own exercises, and this would be the answer to them.

A.F.M. The prophets were helping.

W.C.R. All had been seeking their own, not the things of God.

J.T. Quite so. In Joshua thus clothed what a vessel there was for the work!

J.B. He is clothed first, all this honour and dignity put upon him, and then given the charge.

A.F.M. Would you mind helping us a little in regard to these angels? There are two in the previous chapter and one here. He seems to be identified with Jehovah. Is that so?

J.T. The high priest is said first of all to be standing before the Angel of Jehovah, and then it says again, in the third verse, that he stood before the Angel; and then again in the fifth verse the Angel of Jehovah stood by; and in the sixth verse the Angel of Jehovah protested unto Joshua. Generally he seems to be the representative of Jehovah. In the seventh verse the Angel insists on the obligation. "If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts; and I will give thee a place to walk among these that stand by". That is, he now would have that place. He would be among those that stand by.

A.F.M. Is that some special place?

J.T. Yes. Apparently, those who stand by would have God in their interests and affections. Any saint can be that, even if he has not a gift; but it would suggest one wholly in sympathy with God.

A.F.M. The seventh verse suggests several things. There are, "my ways", "my charge", "my house", "my courts".

J.T. This word of the Angel in verse seven shows how great the things are that we are called to. We are apt to think that they are very trivial, and that coming to a meeting, for instance, is a matter of very minor importance. Doubtless that was the spirit that marked these Israelites as the work lapsed; they were indifferent. People would remain at home rather than be concerned about the house of God, but then God would point out the dignity connected with His things. They are not small things.

J.B. They have reference to His purpose in Christ.

J.T. Yes, and He is honouring you and He is honouring me, and us all, by connecting us with them, and this is what the Angel said to Joshua: "If thou wilt walk in my ways" (that is, God's ways) "and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts; and I will give thee a place to walk among these that stand by". God, however, reserves His own sovereignty and rights: "I will give thee". We must not belittle these things.

A.F.M. Would this correspond with the first epistle to Timothy?

J.T. A good deal. There is an opportunity offered here to "flourish in the courts of our God", Psalm 92:13. Timothy is like one spoken of in the Psalms.

A.F.M. "I will give thee a place to walk among these that stand by". He would be recognised and honoured as such.

J.T. "A place to walk among these that stand by". What company that is! You are no longer isolated. An isolated Christian has a great disadvantage. I mean, one who is isolated by reason of circumstances, he has access to God, but he cannot have this verse strictly. He cannot have a place to walk in amongst "these that stand by". It is very lovely to be walking amongst those that stand by in regard of what God is doing.

W.C.R. It is fellowship and all connected with it.

J.T. Yes. The newspapers are full of what is going on in the world and everybody is standing by to see what is happening. Everybody on earth I suppose is interested in what is going on now in outward things, but the thing to get hold of is that God is doing something and that is seen by faith. God's dispensation is in faith. God is carrying on a great work and there are those that are standing by

and watching. Joshua gets a place to walk among them.

A.F.M. The word in the New Translation is, "I will give thee a place to walk [or "give thee goings"] among these that stand by".

W.C.R. Does that suggest a special place in the house of God for those qualified for it?

J.T. I think so. It suggests not only that we serve God there, but that we have companionship. The Lord spoke about going to the house of God in company, to take sweet counsel together with certain ones; Psalm 55:14.

G.W.H. In the next verse it speaks of his fellows, that sit before him.

J.T. "Thou and thy fellows". Joshua was formally taken account of as a high priest, clothed with a mitre. His fellows are men of portent, men to be wondered at; that is, they are signs. The application now is that anyone corresponding with this is a sign from God.

A.F.M. Living signs.

J.T. Men like these associates of Joshua, are a testimony on the part of God.

J.S. Sisters too may be that by their walk.

J.T. Like Anna. She stood by the house of God; that was her one object. The gospel of John is built up on signs, we may say. See John 20:30, 31. Now it goes on here, "Behold, I will bring forth my servant, The BRANCH" That is Christ. He is to be brought out.

A.F.M. So we have brought out here how we become proficient for the testimony, to answer in this thought of "The Branch".

J.T. You become a sign as to what God is going to bring out, you point to Him in your ways.

J.C. You are morally like Christ, by the Spirit.

J.T. Quite, that is a sign.

W.C.R. Would the Branch suggest what is seen in those that are to be wondered at?

J.T. I think they point to Him. "For behold, I will bring forth my servant, The BRANCH". You connect the idea with the signs.

F.L. It is directly connected in Isaiah 8:18. "Behold, I, and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion". So the Lord, when He comes and takes up the apostles, He with them become the portents, signs and wonders.

E.H.T. Could there be anything greater in the present day than to be in any measure a sign to point to Him that God is going to bring out?

J.T. That is the point. People do not take account of it. Nevertheless God could say that sign was there to point to Christ.

W.C.R. So that wherever God sets up anything in a locality that is a sign there. It may be weak and feeble, but God has intended that to be a sign in that locality.

J.T. That is the thought. It is a sign pointing to "The Branch"; to the One who comes out in dependence on God, as the Lord was here. He came in His Father's name and turned to His Father in everything. The Antichrist comes in his own name. So the sign now is to the coming in of Christ, "The Branch". There are not wanting today, alas! signs of Antichrist's coming.

A.F.M. Would this be in the character of a shoot? It is not a tree.

J.T. I think it means dependence, a branch is dependent on something else.

J.B. So we are branches as depending on Him, as He would be a Branch depending on the Father.

J.T. He depended on God. He took that place as Man, and I suppose, as in the mediatorial system

which this suggests, He is on the ground of dependence on God.

J.B. "My servant".

J.T. Yes.

E.H.T. Would it be right to say in the present day when everything is pointing to the man Satan is going to bring out, the Spirit of God is active to point out the Man that God is going to bring out?

J.T. Yes, that is the point. Then he goes on from the figure of a Branch to a stone. "The stone that I have laid before Joshua". The stone has seven eyes. The iniquity now is not only taken away from Joshua, but taken away from the land. "I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day".

A.F.M. What is the idea of this stone?

F.L. The thought is not exactly the foundation stone which, we may say, is covered, but rather a corner stone upon which there is writing. He is prominent in the building. They had stopped work on the building, now they come back to the foundation, and the stone is put on that, and there is the writing upon it, which identifies the mind of God with that Man who is brought into view.

J.T. Who has seven eyes; power, as you might say, of infinite perception.

F.L. Yes, we read the mind of God and all His thoughts of grace in connection with that Man who is established.

A.F.M. So the stone, in that sense, is the earnest of the whole structure.

F.L. The stone, if we take the illustration from a human building, is often descriptive of the mind and intent of the builder, rather a glorification of the builders. He puts upon that stone what is to be a memorial and a glorification of his purpose. Now I rather thought the writing was to express the mind of God in connection with that Man who is set forth in the stone. "The stone which the builders rejected", (1 Peter 2:7)

becomes the head of the corner. It is not exactly foundation.

J.B. The chief comer stone.

E.H.T. Would there be any significance in bringing in the Man that God is pointing out, who is going to fill the whole universe?

J.T. Here the point is that it is laid before Joshua. Joshua being the great feature of the chapter. First you have the writing, engraving, and then perception. Although wanting perhaps in many things the world regards as wisdom, and instruction, and education, the seven eyes would indicate the power of perception. We judge all things. "He that is spiritual" Paul says, "judgeth all things". The seventh verse of chapter 4 reads: "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou dost become a plain; and he shall bring forth the headstone with shoutings: Grace, grace unto it!"

F.L. There is another thought, that as this stone was before the high priest, the great mountain of Babylon was to be overthrown, and another stone should come forth. Zerubbabel "shall bring forth the headstone with shoutings: Grace, grace unto it!" It is the stone that is to take the place of the ruling power upon earth, but established as the throne of grace, I rather thought.

J.T. Yes, and then in connection with that you get a little further on the word of Jehovah, in the eighth verse of the fourth chapter; "And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; and his hands shall finish it; and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things? Yea, they shall rejoice, even those seven, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel; these are the eyes of Jehovah, which run to and fro in the whole earth".

F.L. So that the laying of the foundation is now connected with the headstone. It is complete, and the stone brought into view overthrows the mighty mountain really, and what is substituted is the power of grace and that mind of God which does not despise the day of small things. How much we have to value that.

J.T. Yes indeed. The eyes in the stone before Joshua would, I suppose, refer to priestly discernment. That is, the Holy Spirit in the saints, then the eyes of the Lord Himself running to and fro, so that things are kept under the eye of God and under the eye of the saints, and there is a judgment about things according to God.

F.L. I suppose in the tenth verse we get a result that flows out from the bringing into view of "The Branch" and the "stone".

J.T. "In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, shall ye invite every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig-tree". That would be the land.

A.F.M. There could not be that restfulness and peace suggested in the vine and fig-tree apart from lawlessness being removed.

J.T. So that the divine thought is to return to original simplicity, as in Eden. The idea of cities, long distances and commerce is out of sight. A man sitting under the vine invites his neighbour there.

J.B. The fulfilment of the law is no doubt involved in that way: "Love thy neighbour as thyself". (Leviticus 19:18)

E.H.T. What did you mean as to verse 10?

F.L. We get the millennium in that verse: a man invites his neighbour under his vine and under his fig-tree..

J.T. "An Israelite indeed" (John 1:47) under the fig-tree.

F.L. Yes, "in whom is no guile"; all shall be, in measure, like Christ then, in whose mouth there was no guile.

THE PURPOSE OF GOD IN A DAY OF SMALL THINGS

Zechariah 6

J.T. There seems to be a division of the book at the end of the sixth chapter, and I thought it would perhaps furnish a good close for our series of readings, especially as it brings before us the priestly kingship of the Lord Jesus as set over against the empires of the world.

F.L. The empires of the world are shown in the chariots with the horses, and then there comes in the Melchizedek, or priest-and-king character. When Melchizedek first appears there was a confederacy of the powers; Abram overcomes, and then he, who was priest and king, comes in.

J.T. There were two groups of kings in the conflict and Abram overcomes, delivering his brother, and then the priest appears.

F.L.. Yes, so there are two groups here, towards the north and the south.

J.T. It might be well to make clear that both agencies are used of God. That is, the horses in this chapter are not regarded as powers against God, but are used in His service. The Gentile monarchies were subservient to God, but in the character of horses; that is, they have no hearts or consciences. They have to be controlled by external means, or pressure. On the other hand, the priest seen in the second half of the chapter sitting upon his throne is a man, and with a man's sensibilities and sympathies, and with a man's intelligence, so that the will of God is seen perfectly presented in him, in his kingdom.

F.T. The Gentile powers are viewed here as carrying out the disciplinary will of God, and His Spirit gets rest in necessary judgments being executed;

but there is that restraining hand over the governing powers of the earth. Though they have neither conscience nor regard for God, in the true sense, yet God lets them go so far and then stops them; but His Spirit is quieted.

J.T. Yes, they suggest the means by which God preserves a measure of order and repression of evil, pending the setting up of His throne upon which the Lord Jesus shall rule.

W.C.R. It says the four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.

J.T. Alluding, I think, to the judgment of God. They carry out the judgment of God.

W.C.R. What are the two mountains?

J.T. I suppose fulness of governmental power for the repression of evil in this world.

W.C.R. When the seals are opened you get different horses coming out there, the white, red and black, but there is a man riding the horses there. Is that any different?

J.T. Revelation 6 is more local. These are universal, beginning with the setting up of power in the hands of the Gentiles in Nebuchadnezzar. Revelation 6 is more limited, because it came in later and refers, I apprehend, to the course of things in western Europe, generally the Roman empire. But these are universal; they go into all directions.

A.F.M. Why are the nations different in the way of colours?

F.L. I suppose in the Revelation the colours are in accordance with the results that follow, or rather connected with them. That is, the white for conquest; the red for war; the black for famine; the pale for death. I suppose the colours here would be in connection with the characteristics of the empires.

J.T. I think the mountains of brass represent the power available in the government of God for the

repression of evil in the world, so they continue on in that light, and we, as Christians, recognise that.

Romans 13 refers to the establishment of government by God.

F.L. How much we have to be thankful for in the regard of the governmental ways of God! That is, the very worst government there ever was on earth is better than no government. It has been our lot to be under what must be ranked as good governments; we should, therefore, pray for them with all the more liberty.

J.T. Quite; we see they are ordained of God, pending the introduction of the government that is altogether according to His own mind. The Christian in that way has an immense advantage because he sees why things are. The conditions on this earth would be intolerable aside from what these horses typify. Whether they are red, black, white or grisled, we recognise them as having come in from between the two mountains of brass. Being horses, they are without consciences or hearts, so we must not expect too much from them. Whatever does come through them in the way of good we owe it to God, who curbs and controls them by "bit and bridle", Psalm 32:9.

A.F.M. Is that why they are called "the four spirits of the heavens"?

J.T. Yes. It is remarkable that they are spoken of in that way, showing how they are of God from this point of view.

J.B. They come forth from "standing before the Lord of all the earth". The earth is in view.

J.T. Quite, and God's supremacy in it. He is Lord of all the earth; sovereign Ruler. The Lord, when rejected, according to Matthew's account, lifts up His eyes to His Father as the "Lord of heaven and earth", Matthew 11:25. There is a recognition of His sovereign rule. Christ, to whom the throne of

the world belonged, according to the Father's appointment (Psalm 2) was present, but He accepts rejection and pursues His course as a Priest merely; He will reign as Priest at the end, according to our chapter, but He exercises the function of Priest, you might say, first.

Melchizedek in Genesis 14, shows how, in Christ, priesthood and kingship are combined. The two groups of kings, the one under Chedorlaomer, the other the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, were of course contending for their own rights on earth; they were not thinking of the will of God, but of themselves, yet God was controlling with the "bit and bridle". The Lord of heaven and earth has His universal rights. Abram understood this, and refused to take anything from the king of Sodom.

F.L. So Psalm 24 starts: "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof". We never surrender that. And the fourth chapter here states how they are the "eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth". Very well, these governing powers may exercise authority on the earth, but we never surrender the claim that "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof", and back of all, His eyes run to and fro through the whole earth in view of His people being here. But in the light of this chapter Christians should be in submission to the powers that be.

J.T. So that in the meanwhile we carry on, as the Lord did, priestly functions. The Father was the Lord of heaven and earth, and the Lord spoke about babes. The Father's things were revealed to babes. Whilst He maintained these Gentile powers and used them, yet He was now taking up a new thing, and the Lord pursues His own service in humility and obscurity; which indeed marks Christianity. The Gentile powers continue, but the priesthood of Christ is carried on and He is developing, as you

might say; a company of priests, for they are seen here in the latter part of the chapter. He is developing that out of the babes. So the chapter opens up a very great deal in that way; I think our position is clearly defined as regards these horses. We leave them where the Lord has placed them, give thanks for them, pray for them, as Paul directs Timothy to do; but we pursue our own way in the exercise of priestly service. The reigning time will be here presently.

F.L. "Have quieted my spirit in the north country" is a remarkable expression.

J.T. You feel how great the need is today for something of this kind in the north country. There is no right minded person but recognises the dreadfulness of the conditions that arise in this world among men when ordered government is overthrown. Man's will is acting, and Satan behind it; and so personally you are thankful that God introduces and maintains government to restrain that and maintain order and peace. It says, "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty". (1 Timothy 2:2) That is what we are concerned about.

F.L. In that way our spirits become quieted. We are confronted with circumstances that are full of anxiety; and yet in the light of what the Lord holds in reserve, behind all, we have quietness of spirit. It is not that we do not sympathise and feel, but we see the issue, we know the end. Here God's Spirit is quieted in that way.

J.T. Yes. We must not undervalue these horses. They are of great importance pending the public establishment of the throne of God. As it is said, "God ... ... hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained", Acts 17:30, 31. It will not be then by these horses, but "by that man whom he hath ordained". And as to this God has given

assurance unto all in that He has raised Christ from the dead.

A.F.M. Do these horses extend to the present day? Do they refer to the four great monarchies and would you say we are in the presence of the last one, the Roman?

J.T. That is, those called "grisled and bay". "The strong go forth", it says in verse 7, "and seek to go that they may walk to and fro through the earth". That evidently is the Roman system, because it has branched out in all directions and is stronger really than any of the empires; and it continues, in the principle of it at least, until now.

A.F.M. I suppose the elements of the other three are there?

J.T. No doubt.

F.L. It is marked by peculiar power. It is weakened by the clay, and it is that which we have today. It was that under which the Lord was born; and under which we now are, and it will be restored to fuller power after we are gone.

J.T. Yes, the Lord ministered under it and recognised it, too.

F.L. "Render therefore unto Caesar". (Matthew 22:21)

E.H.T. Do the colours indicate certain conditions that existed at certain times?

J.T. I should say so. Red, for instance, would point to some distinctive feature of the first empire.

E.H.T. Then in the colours there must be an advance at the end as to evil. In view of that, the Lord comes in at the end and destroys all.

J.T. That is true as we see elsewhere, but the point here is, that they are employed by God for the government of the world, pending the establishment of Christ's kingdom, which latter is spoken of later in this chapter.

W.C.R. They are not exactly against what is of

God now: the teaching of this passage would therefore apply at the present time.

J.T. Quite; they are not seen here as scattering Israel, Judah and Jerusalem, but in relation to the whole earth. It is the government of the earth here that we are under; they are under Christ, They are said to be "the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth".

A.F.M. But the position these chariots occupy will be taken up by the Lord when He comes.

J.T. Only He does not take up any of these horses. How delightful it will be for God the Father to have One to rule who is capable of entering into His mind and who is in every way to His pleasure! It is a Man, One who is subject to God; "The BRANCH" as He is called here. He is alluded to as "The BRANCH", growing up in His place. The Antichrist comes in his own name, but the Lord Jesus as here, as Man, was in dependence on God and moved according to His will.

J.B. "Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua, the son of Josedech, the high priest". What is the thought there of the silver and gold of which they made the crowns? In chapter 3 it is said a "fair mitre" was put upon his head.

J.T. The latter was the high priest's head dress, but now he has additional glory and the "crowns" would refer to kingly dignity. Of the Lord, it is said, "On his head were many crowns". (Revelation 19:12) He is to be "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS". No doubt each crown will have reference to some distinctive glory and rule.

F.L. When He comes and all His holy angels with Him, He shall sit upon the throne of His glory. It is not the perpetuation of anything that was here. I was thinking of how beautifully this scripture

connects with Psalm 110; "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning; thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head".

J.T. So that the kingdom is taken up by the Priest, as if God were to emphasise the fact that henceforth government is to be in the hands of one possessed of human sympathies and affections.

A.F.M. It is not Zerubbabel here; it is the Priest.

J.T. Yes, I think therefore it helps to connect it with the Lord's position as carrying on His ministry on earth. There was testimony to His kingly dignity, but He was rejected and slain. But God has raised Him from the dead, and now He carries on His priestly service in heaven; presently He will sit as a Priest on His throne.

A.F.M. Of course you distinguish between the character of the priesthood there and that which He carries on now. He is priest after the order of Melchizedek, but the character of His service now is not Melchizedek.

J.T. Not yet. The function is Aaronic, as we have often noticed, but the order is Melchizedek, who "without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth

a priest continually". (Hebrews 7:3) But as regards the manner of His service, it is Aaronic. That is, it is His service inside now. He is not yet in publicity, but nevertheless the service is priestly and it is carried on in all the sympathies of a Man; but then all these sympathies which we know, and which bring down such mercies and blessings now shall be seen in public rule presently. God having raised Him from the dead, "will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men", Acts 17:31. The assurance God gives of His estimate of Christ is in the resurrection; "in that he hath raised him from the dead"; and the testimony of that is now in the gospel.

F.L. The service of the sanctuary, the Aaronic priesthood, is what we know now.

E.H.T. "He shall grow up out of his place"? What significance has the place and the growing up out of it?

J.T. I think it refers to the Lord; His birth and humanity here on earth. That is, He is known, so to speak, locally. He accepted the circumstances into which He was born and grew up in dependence on God. He was a carpenter and despised as such, but the poor of the flock recognised Him; Zechariah 11:11.

A.F.M. Would that indicate the perfection of His own obedience? All others had left their places angels had departed, and men had departed, but here is a new order of Man come in, and He grows up in a certain sphere.

J.T. That is the idea. God appointed a way for Him. He brought Him in in the most humble circumstances; born in a manger and brought up in a poor family, He did not seek to alter anything. The word "BRANCH" here is from the same root as "grow up". "I was cast upon thee from the womb", Psalm 22:10. He was entirely dependent upon God.

from the outset. Isaiah says, "He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him", Isaiah 53:2.

F.L. In Revelation 5, where it is a question of taking the throne of power and judgment, He is presented as the Root of David. This lays the foundation of all kingdom power and administration, but at the end, in Revelation 22, when He is speaking as the blessed Man, "I Jesus", He is presented as "the root and the offspring of David". That is, the Branch comes out of David, as Zechariah speaks of Him. I think as the Branch of David, He is the Offspring, and that is connected with the Man, Jesus, but the fifth of the Revelation is His greatness and glory as Redeemer, and so He is "the Root of David".

J.T. Yes. "Root" implies His deity, but it is very beautiful to think of Him born into these circumstances according to divine appointment, the Father's appointment, and He never raised His finger to alter them. He grew up where He was placed, and His beauty came under God's eye without His circumstances being altered at all. That is what pleases God. So in due time that Man is to rule.

J.B. At the end of Luke 2 when Jesus was twelve years old, it speaks of His going to Nazareth and being subject to His parents, and then it says that He "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man".

F.L. Psalm 110 is very beautiful in that connection; "thou hast the dew of thy youth". That is what came out in Him in that way.

J.T. He retains His youthfulness.

D.R. "He shall rule them" (the nations) "with a rod of iron". Would that have a connection with what comes before us here?

J.T. That is involved also in the word to the overcomers in Thyatira (Revelation 2:26, 27). They should rule in that way, too. I suppose it refers to the power by which all evil is broken up, but as regards the Lord's rule, He has true sympathies and affections. The sway is moral. Of course he has power by Him to repress evil, a sinner one hundred years old shall be cut off, but generally speaking the millennium is moral sway. There shall be no need of armies or navies, or anything of that kind. It is moral sway. The character of the rule is priestly. It is a Priest upon His throne.

F.L. So everything comes to "the valley of decision", Joel 3:14. All is assembled into the valley of decision, and when the decision is made and all evil is separated from that which is in submission to the Lord; and the evil is dealt with and broken with a rod of iron, from henceforth everything is administered in grace and sympathy. What is the residue, is ruled in entire grace and sympathy.

J.T. Yes, that is it. The iron may always be there, but the allusion, I think, is to the shepherd's rod. He "shall shepherd all the nations with an iron rod", Revelation 12:5.

A.F.M. Would the introduction of the temple here, enforce the thought of the priesthood taking precedence of the kingdom? "He shall build the temple of the Lord: even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne". The temple comes in first.

J.T. The passage is very beautiful, as introducing the thought of the Man. He considers for God. "He shall build the temple of the Lord". When Jesus was here He found the temple corrupted and He used the scourge of small cords to cleanse it, and the word is, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up". That is, He showed how He considered for

God. He was concerned about the house of God, and now if the house of God is to be built, He builds it. "He shall build the temple of the Lord"; and then He bears the glory. That He can sustain the glory, refers to His personal greatness.

J.B. He says, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up". He is the one that builds it there.

A.F.M. Then will be fulfilled, the word, "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than of the former".

J.T. Quite. All this would be a word for the people in that day, for they were not building. There is always a local application of the truth. They were not doing this, and the point was that they should do it. If "The Branch" is to do these things, this is what Joshua should be doing.

E.H.T. In saying He sustains the glory, is it your thought that in building the temple, and sustaining it, the mind of God is always seen? Is that what you have in mind as to glory?

J.T. He sustains the glory. I suppose the ark is alluded to. The ark is referred to in this way. He "delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand", Psalm 78:61. Now that shall never happen again, because Christ sustains all that is for God.

F.L. What is your thought about "the counsel of peace shall be between them both"?

J.T. I suppose it is between God and Christ. Peace is the subject, it is the "counsel of peace". What a change from what we have now in the different national counsels!

F.L. And what a delusion is the assumption that it can be reached in any other way!

J.B. They slew the Prince of Peace, and the earth can never have peace until He comes back.

R.L.C. This all beautifully leads up to the

remnant. One asked "What are those wounds in thine hands?", He received them in the house of His friends, but the poor of the flock that waited on Him knew that His word was the word of Jehovah; chapter 11: 11.

J.T. Yes, the next section, beginning with the seventh chapter, develops a good many subjects that lead up to the coming of the Lord, but the place Christ has in the purpose of God is the point up to the end of the sixth chapter. The purpose of God is to have this Ruler; to bring in peace and have Him on the throne. The hidden wisdom of God was there. It was all there in the lowly Jesus, but the princes of this world did not know it. They did not see the immense advantage to mankind that there was in that Man: all divine wisdom was there, but the princes of this world did not know it; "had they known it", says Paul, "they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (1 Corinthians 2:8), but they did crucify Him and hence are deprived of all that wisdom. It is all reserved now for us.

A.F.M. Does the fourteenth verse show, that He is not alone in all this?

J.T. "The crowns shall be for Helem, and for Tobijah, and for Jedaiah, and for Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of Jehovah". It seems as if we have suggested there a royal priesthood. "Ye are ... ... a royal priesthood", Peter says. (1 Peter 2:9)

F.L. There is moral significance in all this that it was brought about by those who had come from Babylon. You have to come out from Babylon, the dominating system.

J.B. You refer to the tenth verse?

F.L. Yes, so to them is committed the taking up of the silver and gold for the crown for the pre-eminent one, and then they seem to come in in association with Him.

J.T. In view of all this it is well worth while coming from Babylon.

A.F.M. It would also suggest suffering. Coming from Babylon involves that. And then you see the pre-eminent One crowned on account of His suffering.

F.L. "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him". (Romans 8:17)

J.T. I suppose these crowned ones would be an allusion to the present priesthood of the saints, as a memorial in the temple? Peter in his epistles brings in the great gain that accrued to the Jewish remnant, and among the many things mentioned was this great fact, that they were a royal priesthood, and their service was to show forth the virtues of Him who had called them out of darkness into His marvellous light. Peter treats of God's government, which involved that those who received the Messiah were not set up in Jerusalem, according to the promises made to the fathers, but they have greater things, and, whilst the Gentile power continues ("Honour the king"), they are to carry on priestly functions, and thus show forth the praises of Him who had called them out of darkness.

F.L. I think we get an idea of this in the gospels. The Lord had those who were separated from the order of things under Himself, and now He says to them that they shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. It is very clear that He apportions thrones to them. It does not belong to them in a tribal way, because nine of the tribes were not there; and those gathered out of Judah, Benjamin and Levi are to sit on thrones of other tribes. It is the sovereign disposition of those that had come from Babylon, as it were, and who were associated with Him in government.

J.T. It says in the fifteenth verse; "And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord; and ye shall know that the Lord of

hosts hath sent me into you". Those afar off shall be added showing how interest shall be increased.

F.L. Who are those?

J.T. I suppose the Gentiles shall work at it. The king of Tyre helped in Solomon's day. I suppose the Lord being over the nations, they shall be available to Him.

D.R. "Ten men shall take hold, out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you", Zechariah 8:23.

F.L. It would seem to suggest the time in which the Lord takes up His rights in the earth as a whole; He gives a foothold around the temple to the nations, that they may feel that they have an attachment to that spot in connection with His person and His rule.

J.T. Yes, 1 Corinthians shows how at the present time Gentiles (Christians) have a part in it. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God?" 1 Corinthians 3:16.

J.B. Of Solomon's temple it was said; "Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people", Isaiah 56:7. The temple was not confined in its influence, or the light that was there, to the house of Israel.

J.T. Solomon was really in the mind of God to be head of the nations, all nations should come. In fact this book shows that not only shall they come to build the temple, but to worship the Lord at Jerusalem and keep the feast of tabernacles there, showing how complete the result shall be; Zechariah 14.

J.B. God has an earthly centre, and that is the centre of the whole earth.

A.F.M. I suppose the building of that temple would be that the second chapter might be fulfilled, where God says, "Lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord".

J.T. That is the end in view. I suppose this

chapter shows how the dwelling is prepared. A priest builds it, but those afar off builded it also.

F.L. The concentric circles come out after the Lord's suffering and death, as we get them in the twenty-second Psalm. It is very beautiful. "I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee". That is the first circle. "Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel". That is another circle Then "All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's; and he is the governor among the nations". There you get the full result of redemption and it includes what we have here.

J.T. It is so refreshing to have these things before us, especially now; and to see how God moves to bring about His own designs, and the agencies that He uses in carrying them out.

G.W.H. Only one of the circles mentioned in Psalm 22 is in evidence now.

F.L. Yes, the second of Hebrews gives it to us, but hidden in the assembly is really the remnant, "the children which God hath given me", Hebrews 2:13. Then the other circles come into view after the assembly is translated.

J.B. You alluded before to the eighth chapter of Zechariah. At the end of that chapter there is a very blessed account of the coming day with regard to the nations, beginning at the eighteenth verse. We get the circles marked out very blessedly there it seems to me.

J.T. Yes, it says, in verse 20, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities; And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the

Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you". A remarkable result!

A.F.M. You regard these chapters we have considered as reaching the highest point in the prophecy?

J.T. I think that the six chapters set out the great thought in the mind of the Spirit as to the purpose of God. Then the seventh chapter begins a new theme. It says, "And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius". It is another date.

A.F.M. I was referring to the earlier chapters that we have noticed during these meetings; they present the highest thought that we have in this prophecy. There would be nothing greater than what we have considered?

J.T. I think the sixth chapter is the completion of the main subject. Of course the others have their place too, and are important, but I think the end of the purpose of God is outlined in those six chapters, ending with the Priest on His throne. There is much that fills in in these following chapters. For instance, in the ninth chapter the Lord is seen coming in lowliness and grace. And then, as regards His priestly service, as I was remarking, I believe the service in the gospels might fit in here. Whilst these horses, the dominion of these powers endure, Christ is carrying on His priestly service. So the eleventh chapter shows us Christ engaged with the poor of the flock. That is what He is doing for the moment. With Israel the bond is broken; they are scattered, but He goes on with the service to the poor of the

flock, feeding them, and they recognise that what He said was the word of Jehovah: Following that you have grace poured out upon the house of David, the house of Nathan. And then there is repentance, and in the thirteenth chapter it says: "A fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness". All these are details showing how the great result is brought about in them, and then, as I remarked, as regards the end of the book, it says; "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem, shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain". And then it says further, in the twentieth verse, "In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem, and in Judah, shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts; and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts".

F.L. We are something of travellers in these days; we come from New York, Council Bluffs, and the like, but here they come up from all parts of the earth every year to Jerusalem, to keep the feast of tabernacles. A brother once said to me, Where do you get these meetings in Scripture? I said, You get the spirit of them, I think, in the feasts of the Lord; the people were to come together under the impression of the goodness and blessing of God. You get the spirit of these meetings that we are now holding, and one is struck with the thought here

that when they came up in their annual pilgrimage it was to celebrate the feast of tabernacles. It is very beautiful the way it is put.

J.T. And the feast of tabernacles suggests the simplicity of men dwelling together according to God. Families are to be near to each other.

A.F.M. There would be a little foreshadowing in that of the eternal state.

J.T. I think it is an indication of it, the simplicity in which men shall live and God with them.

J.B. The feast of tabernacles runs into the eighth day.

J.T. Yes.

VESSEL OF MERCY, PREPARED FOR GLORY

Romans 9:23, 24; 2 Corinthians 8:23; Revelation 21:10, 11

I have in mind to speak about the saints as vessels of God's glory, and I have put these three passages together in order, by the Lord's help, to work this out, and first of all as regards the sovereignty of God in forming us.

The chapter in Romans from which I read speaks of God's sovereignty, and among other things Paul brings in this thought, that those whom God has called are vessels formed for glory; "vessels of mercy ... ... prepared for glory". Wonderful thought for us! God, having had us in mind at the outset before His works of old, has in time formed us. There was no clay out of which to form us when He predestined us, as we may say, for we were predestined before the world was, indeed, not only predestined but chosen in Christ before the world was. God, therefore, had us in His mind, and not only in His mind, but in His heart, for He chose us in love, "in the Beloved". He had Christ in His mind, Christ as Man. He had in mind that the Son should become Man, and, as Man, should be known as "an only begotten with a father", (John 1:14) and He had also in mind that there should be others. As it is said, "chosen us in him before the foundation of the world". (Ephesians 1:4) All that was purpose, a word that we do well to receive into our souls. The purpose was there long before the material, of which our natural bodies are formed, existed,

As regards Adam God took the dust of the ground and out of it formed the man. What handiwork, beloved friends, is seen there! The Potter! Nothing in all the realm of creation could be compared with the vessel thus formed. As one well instructed

afterwards said, "Fearfully and wonderfully made", Psalm 139:14. The skill shown exceeds that shown in anything else. As we have often remarked, there was a divine consultation; "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness". (Genesis 1:26) We can well under-stand that divine skill would be called into action in view of the wonderful model, for man was to be made after the image of God, and in the likeness of God.

The vessel was thus formed, and so, as formed, God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became", it says, "a living soul". (Genesis 2:7) He became that. So that in Adam thus formed (the word "form" is used) and breathed into, we have a vessel divinely fitted. Now he was but a "figure", as we read in Romans 5, "of him that was to come". That is to say, he was the figure of Him who was to be the Head of a new race of men, and in connection with that I desired to just call attention to a passage in Isaiah, so that you may see how the thought runs in Scripture.

Isaiah speaks about One upon whom should hang all the glory of His Father's house; Isaiah 22:24. That is to say, the house of Israel. One could not predicate that of Adam, for had you hung anything on him down it would come with him. Indeed many things were hung on him, but he did not sustain them. Now of Christ it is said by the prophet, that upon Him should hang the glory of His Father's house. Indeed, as one might say, every divine thought introduced, involving glory, was hung on Christ. As we have had it today, "he shall bear the glory". So that the glory of His Father's house hangs on Christ.

But then, not only that, all small vessels, it says, hang upon Him. However tiny you may be, and there are degrees of size, all vessels are to hang on Christ. You say, I am a tiny vessel, easily filled, but if you are a vessel at all you must hang on

Christ. Now is it so with you? However small you are, small vessels are said to hang on Him. Now is it so with your soul and mine? I refer to the spirit of dependence. If we are to be available as vessels we must be found, as it were, hanging there. I have no doubt that the reference to vessels in 2 Timothy 2 involves our hanging on the Lord. In a great house, it says, there are vessels of gold, wood and earth, vessels to honour and dishonour, but they are not said to hang on anything. They are in a great house.

A "great house" is a wide idea, but it says "If a man therefore purge himself from these" (vessels to dishonour - the last mentioned) "he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work". That is to say, I apprehend, that he has come to discover that he must hang on Christ. He names the name of the Lord Jesus, he calls upon that name. He is dependent on that Man. He draws all his strength from that Man. However small or great, to be available, to be sanctified, to be meet for the Master's use, he must hang on Christ. Naught else affords anything in the way of availability for God save that which is dependent upon Christ. There must be dependence on Christ. We must hang upon Him, so to speak.

Well now, the prophet says that all small vessels, and vessels of cups. That is to say, that series of vessels, different sizes no doubt, but all vessels of cups, drinking vessels as one might say, hang on the nail. One might enlarge on the idea of vessels for drinking purposes; there must, of course, be the water, but the water will be available if the vessel is. And then it says, "All the vessels of flagons", namely, vessels of a larger capacity in which the water is stored, preserved, all such vessels are hung on Christ.

So that Adam being the figure of Him that was to come, Christ is the great Vessel, not indeed created, thank God! (I speak reverently of Him. ) No, "the Word became flesh". It was an act of His own. "The Word became flesh", says John, "and dwelt among us". (John 1:14) That is to say, He dwelt so as to be known. And then he says, "We have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only begotten with a father, full of grace and truth". What a Person He was! As He was baptised having attained His full age, the age of thirty, full manhood, the heavens are opened on Him, and there is heaven's delight announced in this wonderful Person; and so the Holy Spirit comes into that Person, to bring within the range of man all that God is, the grace of God, for it is said, "Grace and truth subsists through Jesus Christ". All that God is, as available for the need of man here on earth, is found in Him. "Grace and truth subsists" (subsists - the verb is in the singular) showing it is one idea in the mind of God perfectly blended in Christ. It subsists through Jesus Christ, so that grace and truth go together, but they are all in that blessed Person. The Word became flesh and dwelt among men, placing Himself to be reached, as it were. He is there, He is among men. "Who went about", it is said, "doing good". (Acts 10:38) He went about. He sought out the need and met it, "Who went about doing good, ... ... for God was with him". The glory was there. Every divine thought involving glory was in Christ. Wonderful to contemplate! It is well to have the Lord ever in that way before us, for our souls to feed upon. The Person was so great that He sustained every divine thought. All was, so to speak; hung there.

But not only that, every other vessel that God had hung upon Him. That is, there should be an increase of the vessels, and so one after another comes to Christ and is formed by Him into a vessel, and then

that vessel must learn to hang on Christ. The Lord says, "without me ye can do nothing". (John 15:5) He says, "if ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ash what ye will, and it shall be done unto you". (John 15:7) What a lesson there is for us in that. The expression of His mind ("my words") abiding in your heart, and you abiding in Him, everything comes to pass.

So one might enlarge on that; how in the gospel one vessel after another was formed, and all set up, all hanged on Christ and in perfect order. For instance in the Acts, in the first chapter and in the second chapter, how perfectly formed they were after the great Pattern. In the absence of Christ (mark you, it is in the absence of Christ that you are put to the test as to how much you are formed) they are left for ten days. After forty days He was received up into heaven and they are left by themselves in Jerusalem for ten days. That is, the period between His ascension and the descent of the Spirit. Now what are they going to do? Well, I think what they do qualifies them as vessels. They were acquainted with the Scriptures. They knew the scripture that governed the position at the moment. You may be assured that you can find yourself in no position that is not governed by Scripture. It is good for you to know that, for you to know the scripture that fits your circumstances. Hence the importance of knowing Scripture. The Lord appealed to the Jews, "Search the scriptures" (John 5:39) and if you search them you will find the scripture that applies to you.

Now Peter and those with him found out that, "his bishopric let another take". Judas must be replaced by another, and that other must be indicated by God. Hence they pray, they are dependent. They qualify in that way as vessels, and so the Holy Spirit comes, and what vessels they were as possessed by Him! They contained all the light that shines

in the face of Jesus in heaven, it was brought into those vessels in the power of the Spirit of God. As Paul says later, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels". Although earthen, the treasure is there. The light of the assembly, of the glory of God in the face of Jesus, was in Paul's heart, in that vessel. And so in Peter, and so in John. And then in the second chapter the order in which the service is carried out shows how they had qualified. It says, that Peter stood up with the eleven. The Lord had ordered how the vessels were to be set and used. There were great and small ones. The eleven and Peter were twelve. They represented the authority of Christ. It does not say he stood up with the one hundred and twenty. They were there. They were the standers-by, as we speak. They were in sympathy and interested, but Peter and the eleven only stood up. Compare Zechariah 3:7. That was according to the pattern. The Lord had commissioned them. He had given them a place that was unique, and they accepted it, whereas the others did not assume it. It is well, dear brethren, for us to find our place in the house, in that sense, as vessels, to know the use the Lord is to make of us, whether we are to be a vessel of the cup series or the flagon series, or whatever it be. Find out from the Lord, and then there you hang, in dependence. In the faith of your soul there you hang until you are needed.

Well now, I take that passage in 2 Corinthians as illustrative in a marked degree of the idea that I am seeking to propound. The apostle says, "Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner" ("inquire" is not in the original, but it is implied) "and fellow-helper concerning you". That was that vessel. He was content to be subordinate. It is a very important thing to learn to be subordinate in the service, for in the ways of God there must be subordinates. What a thing it is, although serving subordinately, yet to

havepartnership in this wonderful service, the service that the Lord is carrying on down here now. To have part in that! There are claims now, of course, no doubt right to put forth, which we have to respond to in the will of God, but let us see to it, dear brethren, that the claims of Christ are acknowledged. Nothing should interfere with that. I retain my responsibility as a vessel under all circumstances, and the Lord is carrying on His service and is graciously disposed to give me part in it, that I should be a partner in it, and I want to be known in that capacity. Paul wished that Titus should be known in that capacity. He says, "He is my partner and fellow-helper concerning you". He served with Paul concerning the Corinthians. That was Titus' employment. And now he says, "or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ". Remarkable passage! These brethren are not named. Their function for the moment was to carry certain money subscribed by the brethren for the benefit of need, or needy ones, elsewhere, and the apostle says, in effect, 'If anybody inquires about those men do not say to them that they are simply treasurers or custodians. No, they are ministers of the assemblies'; and then he adds "and the glory of Christ".

It is well to keep that in mind when you contribute to the box. What you put in it not the point. It is the spirit and motive, beloved brethren. I often recall the Lord's posthumous saying, as it has been called, recorded in Acts 20, "Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive". The glory is in the giving, and so as these assemblies gave, the money was entrusted to certain brothers, and so, as the apostle says, the service that they were performing in the capacity of ministers, representatives of the bounty of the saints, was to the glory of Christ. How exalted trivial things become when taken up in this

way by the Spirit in relation to God and His service! The material gift of the saints to meet the need of others is regarded in this light, "the glory of Christ". It is the reflection of Christ.

I have often dwelt on the Lord placing Himself over against the treasury, as if He would say, I would love to see the reflection of My own giving disposition there. What did He give? This very chapter tells us; "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich", 2 Corinthians 8:9. What giving was that! What wealth He gave up in order that we might be enriched, and hence, as I was saying before, He gives us the idea of glory. It is in giving or sacrificing. So as the saints gave they were the glory of Christ. It was the expression of Christ. "It is more blessed to give than to receive". How it would enlarge our giving if we were conscious that the Lord was standing over against the treasury, and conscious that He was saying, 'I would like to see the reflection of My own giving disposition there'. Now that is what the box is. If you look upon it as that in which the glory of Christ shines how expanded the giving should be. As it says, "God loveth a cheerful giver", 2 Corinthians 9:7. Mark you! He looks at your conscience and looks at your heart as you give. He does not say He loves your gift, but you as giving it. He loves a cheerful giver.

Well now, in turning to the last scripture in Revelation 21:10, I wanted to show how the great idea of the vessel is carried forward. As we are sovereignly formed by the Potter "vessels of mercy" (signifying that we are taken up according to sovereign mercy) "prepared for glory", we become in the aggregate a great vessel for the shining out of the glory of God. No one of us could be that, I need not say. Christ only could be regarded as great enough to contain

and set forth fully the glory of God. Indeed He is said to he the effulgence of the divine glory. That is what Christ is; and the assembly, being His body, is seen here as "having the glory of God".

The heavenly city, being formed of the saints, is taken account of in this chapter in Revelation, and I just wish to dwell upon it for the remainder of the time. It says in verse 10, which I read, "And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God".

I desire by the Lord's help to keep your interest so that you might see how in the aggregate we are to be the vessel of God's glory, as descending from God out of heaven. I have no doubt that the assembly may be viewed, and is viewed, in a retrospective way in this chapter. That is, she is looked upon as the wife; that character has marked her, viewed according to what she was as formed of the Spirit, throughout the long night of the Lord's absence. A wife is to be trusted. You will recall how the false wife described in Proverbs says, that her husband has gone a long way on a journey, and has taken a bag of money with him, and so she abandons herself to unfaithfulness in his absence. That is the false one. She was not a true vessel. She is utterly untrustworthy. She is not staunch. Now in the end of the book of Proverbs you have the true idea of the wife. She is virtuous. It is a most essential feature, we know in a practical way, to be virtuous. I have often endeavoured to define virtue and have put it this way, It is the power in your soul to say no to evil, and to say yes to good, as in fidelity to Christ. That is what I think virtue is, briefly. That is, you refuse all that involves unfaithfulness to Christ. You close the door on that. There is to be no admission in thought, or in ways, that involves unfaithfulness to Christ. The

wife is, normally, to be trusted. And so the assembly (I am not referring to the great public body) in principle at least, has been confided in by Christ, and now the time of her display has come. She has held to what belonged to Him in the hour of His rejection, and now it says, "The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready", Revelation 19:7 That is, she is preparing now for the public nuptials and display.

You will all remember that there was no marriage ceremony between Isaac and Rebekah. There was nothing of display at all. The union was there, but all was of a private nature. She was a comfort to him. But now the hour of display has come, and so it says "his wife", not the one that is going to be His wife, but the wife, the one that is trusted. It is the one who has known His mind, who has been a comfort to Him. Romans itself teaches us that we are "married to another" already, and Ephesians and Colossians teach union with Christ, so that the wife relationship exists now. But I am dwelling for the moment on the point of faithfulness. The wife is to be trusted. Paul says, "Keep ... ... . the good deposit entrusted". (2 Timothy 1:14) But how keep it? "By the Holy Spirit". You cannot keep it any other way. You might write down, and subscribe to the "thirty-nine articles", the so-called fundamentals of Christianity, as many did in the Reformation, but that is not keeping by the Holy Spirit the good deposit entrusted. The truth is to be held in our souls in faithfulness. Is there anyone who does not love the truth? The absence of love of the truth brings sudden destruction presently; 2 Thessalonians 2:10. There may be certain features of the truth that are not directly applicable today, but everyone who loves it treasures it, and keeps it in the soul by the Holy Spirit. There is no other way to keep it. "Keep, by the Holy Spirit", he says, "the good

deposit entrusted". You are faithful to Christ. You use the Spirit, speaking in that way, in order to conserve the truth. You are keen in regard to the truth. You must not let one iota of it go.

Now the wife, I apprehend, comparing the passage with Proverbs 31, holds to that. She loves the truth. The false one says, "I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow". She cares nothing for the truth. Do you think Rome cares anything for the truth? Nothing! Like Judas, she would sell not only the truth, she would sell the Lord; indeed, she has done so. We are told to "Buy the truth, and sell it not". (Proverbs 23:23) Judas sold the Lord. The true wife conserves the truth. As I said, she keeps by the Holy Spirit the good deposit entrusted.

And so now the time of the display, "The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready. And it was given to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, bright and pure; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints"; Revelation 19:8. That is, she had been marked by righteousnesses. The word is in the plural, and would include, I suppose, all the practical righteousnesses from Pentecost until the rapture. It is a record of all she had kept. Practical righteousness is a wonderful thing, you know, in the testimony. "If ye know that he is righteous", says John, "know that everyone who practises righteousness is begotten of him", 1 John 2:29. Practical righteousness now is, as it were, formed into a robe in which the wife is to be arrayed. It is her marriage trousseau!

"It was given to her". There is the principle of sovereignty in it. "It was given to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, bright and pure; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints". What I do or you do, as a vessel, as used of the Lord, shall all be seen there, and we will come out in our

wedding garments, beloved, suitable for Christ, suitably arrayed to be presented to the Bridegroom, to the Lamb, the suffering One, for it us the suffering One. He is the suffering One now, but He has this wonderful city as His bride. And so the angel takes the prophet, for John is a prophet here, to a high mountain, as it says: "he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God".

Now this is the wife. John has to be taken up from earth to see her. One has to be withdrawn from the earth to the high mountain to see this, the assembly in this light. And so he says, "that great city, the holy Jerusalem". There have been many great cities, but there is only one holy one. This one is great and holy, so that, beloved brethren, if we look for greatness let us not look for it apart from holiness. To be great in this world is not to be holy, whereas to be great with God you must be holy. Greatness and holiness must go together. Hence the great city, holy Jerusalem, she is described as here, and she is seen as descending from heaven from God. How lovely to have before our souls the thought of being taken to God, taken up by the Lord Jesus, who descends, as it is said. He descends and we shall be caught up, as changed, to be together with Him, for ever. He takes us up and now we come out, as John says, He "showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God".

Well, that is what I have to say. He adds, "And her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal". That is, the assembly is the vessel of the divine glory, coming out in dignity and in liberty.

There is only just one word I would add to that, and that is the necessity now for clearness, for

transparency As vessels we are to be transparent. There are in this book of Revelation several references to it. The first is the sea of glass. The victorious ones are said to stand on the sea of glass; all there is transparent. There is nothing hidden, no secret counsels. All is open. It is a lovely trait amongst us, as brethren, to have that transparency of glass; to be such vessels in that sense, that all that is done is open, no mixed motives, nor hidden ones. All is in the simplicity of love. As the apostle says, "By love serve one another". (Galatians 5:13) So that the city's light is clear as crystal. All is perfectly open there.

Well I hope what I have said may be a help to us, dear brethren, in view of what we have had, that we may see that we are taken up sovereignly, formed by the Potter, so to speak, "vessels of mercy, ... prepared for glory". (Romans 9:23) We are prepared; there shall be no disparity between us and the glory. We are fitted for the glory, and while down here in whatever we do there is to be a reflection of the glory of Christ and of God. If we are to be fitted and finally to come out as changed in regard of our bodies, having bodies of glory, as it is said, we shall be in the aggregate a great vessel. The city lieth four-square. She includes all, but she lies four-square, in every way formed after God so as to express Him universally in His nature, the shining out in the light most precious, the whole realm of creation shall bask in it. May God grant blessing to His word, to each of us.

Pages 158 - 221, "Spiritual Food and Priestly Clothing", Glasgow, January, 1919 (Volume 40).

THE BREAD OF GOD

John 6:5 - 14, 25 - 71

J.T. I do not propose to go over this chapter, but I desire to call attention to the matter of food, the subject being necessarily of very great importance spiritually, as it is physically. This chapter presents it fully, and gives us the kind of food that we require to partake of in order to live. There is food that one has to partake of in order to serve, priests' food; but the food in John 6, is what is essential to life. The Lord, in raising Jairus' daughter, commanded that something should be given to her to eat, without specifying what it was. He left that to those responsible, which raises a question as to those who are in any sense "stewards" of the "manifold grace of God", 1 Peter 4:10. The faithful and wise servant provides food for the household, and in regard to the kind of food, he would be concerned as to whether those needing it were young, middle-aged, of old, and what work they had to do. This principle is illustrated in the apostle, who said, "I have fed you with milk and not with meat", 1 Corinthians 3:2. Under other circumstances he would supply other food. I would further remark, in order to make the subject clear, that in this chapter the Lord, it appears, gives the food direct to "the men" who "were set down". In the other gospels it is said to be given through the disciples, but verse 11, correctly reads; "And Jesus took the loaves, and having given thanks, distributed them to those that were sat down". The Lord provides that which is suited to His own. He gives us the Supper, and says: "Take, eat, this is my body", Matthew 26:26. Then, in Jerusalem, after He rose from the dead, He "ate

before them". In His eating, though food is partaken of, yet it is not in order to live; it simply states, "He ate before them"; it was evidently for them to see. He was a real Man; and as such, ate before them. It was a thing to be noted. I just mention this as preliminary, so that the subject may be clearly before us.

A.F. Would you go over the points again?

J.T. The necessity for food, spiritually as well as physically, is obvious. The subject is older than Adam, for we have a reference in Scripture to angels' food. "Man did eat angels' food"; Psalm 78:25. Food becomes necessary for life. When Jairus' daughter was raised, the Lord commanded that something should be given her to eat, without saying what it was to be, or providing for her Himself. He did provide food for the disciples. He desired to eat the passover with them, but the passover, literally, was not to be continued. There was to be a new thing: "This is my body given for you". (Luke 22:19) The Lord's supper suggests food for us. At the passover, the Lord ate with the disciples; but in Jerusalem, when He rose, He ate before them. He inquired, "Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb", Luke 24:41, 42. Further, there was food for the priests, in connection with Jehovah's service; and then the exercise of the faithful and wise servant is, that there should be food for the household; something to eat and something to drink.

F.F. Does John provide both water and bread in a special way?

J.T. Yes. That is the point of this gospel. You have water in the fourth chapter, and meat or bread in the sixth.

F.F. He speaks of living water and living bread. This is significant.

G.F.M. At the end of John's gospel you have not only life, but a good constitution

J.T. Saints come out, "ruddy and of a beautiful countenance". Gideon's brethren appeared healthy like himself like the "children of a king".

P.L. Barley loaves were food, and we read in Judges 7, that "a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian". It terrorised the enemy.

J.T. The. Midianites would have destroyed the food, but Gideon threshed wheat. The barley loaves were to overthrow the enemy, and really the issue of the present war has turned on food.

F.F. Food is needed so that there may be a constitution for the conflict.

J.T. If you can establish a blockade, that settles things in the long run..

F.F. John hides the food like Gideon.

J.T. He is a reserve man. That is a military principle, but one may be free to use those similes. The Lord did not tell Peter what He intended to do with John, though Peter was largely in His confidence. Peter looked up and saw John following, and said, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" The point is, what he is doing. "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me". (John 21:21, 22) It is a matter of reserve, the Lord would say, My reserve. The immediate action was following. John was a reserve man, and his gospel is of this character.

F.F. So that although this conversation was public, the thought of food for us is hidden.

J.T. Yes. John 21 is a mysterious one, but we can read through it now. The Lord Himself had food for the disciples on the other side; He had the reserve, showing that the disciples had been on wrong lines. As soon as they were diverted from divine principles as led by Peter and Thomas, they had nothing. Nakedness, night, and nothing, marked their position. The Lord had food and a fire of coals.

Peter had said, "I go a-fishing". The others went with him; but they caught nothing.

J.H. The children of Judah in the palace of Babylon declined the king's meat; Daniel 1

J.T. That shows resolution. They were not to eat everything that was offered. A spiritual man has a palate, and exercises discernment in regard to what he eats. It suggests the need of being careful. The Lord in John 21 had the food, in spite of the waywardness of the disciples. John, at the end of this chapter, comes out as a reserve man; and the way he refers to Christ and the ministry of Christ, shows that there is no need of "rationing" in the divine system. "There are also many other things which Jesus did", he tells us, "the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written". (John 21:25) This has a reference to food for the mind, this being largely what is needed. The heart, too, has to be met, but it is noticeable that Peter should speak of "the pure mental milk of the word", 1 Peter 2:2. In the end of John 20 we get John's estimate of the ministry of Christ; it is so extensive in his eyes; it is infinite.

R.D. John has in view, "life in abundance"; there is plenty of sustenance.

G.N. There were twelve baskets over, as if each were to have one.

J.T. It is an administrative thought. All present were satisfied, and there was enough left for a further administration.

R.D. Was your thought as to John being the reserve man, that he comes in after the breakdown of what Paul takes account of, and brings in abundance of food?

J.T. Yes. I think that is very encouraging and helpful. There is no lack of food.

F.F. Does not John suggest that on our part it

is a question of vision, as to whether we discern the food? Seeing has a large place in his gospel.

J.T. Yes, it is remarkable how he records things. He groups all under certain signs. The first is given us at Cana of Galilee where He "manifested forth his glory, and his disciples believed on him". He wrought the signs before His disciples, the point being that they should believe. "Many other signs", we are told in chapter 20, Jesus did before them. So the whole gospel is intended to make believers of His disciples, but believers who have plenty of resource, food and drink. Then the last chapter comes in as a warning, lest one turn aside. So that the things that John records are like signposts on the way, one pointing on, and then another, and each assuring you that you are in the right direction, until you come to the last, and this is a signpost of danger. There is great encouragement in it, however, for although there was failure, the Lord appears for recovery, with food prepared by Him. There was an immense haul of fishes too, and yet the net did not break. We have here what is dispensational, but the thought of food is carried through. Chapter 21 is solemn and searching, showing that all, as in the hands of the disciples, was hopelessly lost, were it not for the Lord's faithful watchfulness and provision.

G.N. How do you account for John having turned aside?

J.T. It was owing to the influence of Peter's leadership. A defection originates with one or two, and others fall into it without wishing to. Peter says, "I go a-fishing", and they go along with him.

R.D. Even John needed to watch the signs.

Ques. What about those who turned away from the Lord?

J.T. A passage like that has a voice to us today. The public benefits of Christianity are very great, and many are affected, but when you come to what

is spiritual, then they are tested. Mark had turned aside, and he wrote his gospel as one who was recovered. John turned aside as regards food, but he failed to secure any, and he shows us the incident as a signpost.

P.L. We see the sovereignty of God as regards the distribution of food. He indicates where it is.

R.B. The Lord tests Philip as to whether he is aware of His resources.

J.T. It is humbling to find how little one believes!

Ques.. Is it not strong food in this chapter?

J.T. It is food for life here. "And the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world". It is not priests' food exactly, it is "flesh for the life of the world", for the whole race of man.

J.M. Is there anything beyond, "he that eateth me, even he shall live by me"?

J.T. Not as regards life, but there is priests' food.

R.D. There is the old corn of the land. I thought you might help us as to John's way of presenting how that life is sustained, beginning at chapter 3.

J.T. I would specially note that the action of the Spirit in John 3 is to bring about the new birth of the individual. Not simply that something is done in him, but he is born anew, so that he is an entity to whom attaches, even before he knows redemption and gets the Spirit, responsibility to God. To such an one the love of God is presented, and provision made for his conscience in the brazen serpent. This chapter gives us the wilderness position. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up". One is contemplated as in a desert land, as to his soul, but the brazen serpent is there, and he needs that. Now in chapter 4, that same person is met in regard to thirst in his soul, and evidently thirst comes before

hunger spiritually, and the Lord proposes to the woman that which would be an eternal source of supply, so that she should never thirst.

F.F. Her desire is met. Would you say it is a question of desire?

R.D. In principle, as to desire, she is satisfied.

J.T. Quite so. The thing is there; it had to be developed.

R.D. It becomes a question of recognising the Spirit, in order to get all the benefit.

P.L. She leaves her waterpot.

J.T. Romans gives what is potential. It is very much akin to this. It gives the possibility, what is there, but undeveloped. The well can be exploited to any extent.

R.D. The princes dig the well and sing to it in Numbers 21.

J.T. We want to know the value of the product.

G.N. The gift of the Spirit involves that we shall be glorified.

J.T. If yon are looking for water, or oil, or anything the earth yields of commercial value, you want to know the value of the product; according to its value it will be developed.

R.D. So that Paul in Romans 8, gives us to know the value of the Spirit, leading up to purpose.

J.T. Yes, the value of the Spirit, and how it renders one independent of the flesh.

R.D. In John 4 you get all that lies in the Spirit meeting the desire of the soul.

J.T. One might become rich in finding a certain spot that yields a certain commodity; all that remains is to exploit it.

F.F. "The water which I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into eternal life".

J.T. Yes, that is potential, the possibilities of it are stated.

R.D. It is not only the fact of having the Spirit, but the use you make of it.

F.F. It is "living water".

J.T. The Lord might have said "the Spirit", but He does not. He spoke to the intelligence of the woman. The desire has to be met and gratified, so the figure of living water is employed. It suits the state of soul.

Ques. Has living water reference to thirst, and food, to the mind?

J.T. It is pretty much so. Chapter 7 says, "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water", referring to the lower affections, so to speak, but in chapter 4 for the moment, it is simply the thought of a fountain. In chapter 5 it is a question of the Lord's power. He says in chapter 4, "If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water". He was so great and yet came so low; but in chapter 5 it is, "He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life". It is a question of His greatness. In each chapter He brings in what He is personally. In chapter 4 He descends to inspire confidence; in the fifth, He proves His power, so there is nothing we need fear, for His voice is to be heard. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God". The domain of death, suggestive as it is, has to yield to Him; so that chapter 5 settles the question of what may be against us in the way of power. The sixth presents how one is sustained in life.

F.F. The Lord says, "he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever".

R.D. So that, beginning at chapter 3, what is in view is a spiritual person, not a spiritual constitution merely.

J.T. Yes; a man.

P.L. So the man is born again.

J.T. Yes. The thought is, born from top to bottom, so to speak, not born a second time. From the very outset there has to be a spiritual foundation.

P.L. A new moral texture.

F.F. "He that comes to me shall never hunger, he that believes on me shall never thirst", chapter 6: 35. Is that the thought of the man?

J.T. Yes, one asks, hears, and comes; these come out in the fourth, fifth and sixth chapters. The drink in chapter 6 is His blood, meeting man as needing life; In chapter 7 you have another thought of the Spirit. It is a question of the dignity of Christ. "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink". It is as if to say, 'Whatever you may think of Me, any one may come to Me and drink'. He brings Himself forward on the last day of the feast as being in a position to give man drink, and such drink, that out of the inward parts of such an one living water should flow. You could hardly get a stronger statement of His greatness. "This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive". It is not the Holy Spirit viewed as Comforter to the assembly, but as received by the believer.

W.H. Conditions were there to receive the Spirit.

J.T. It is not the objective side, but the Spirit received, and it goes on to say, "for the Holy Spirit was not yet, because that Jesus was not yet glorified".

P.L. The conditions that existed were the fruit of the ministry of Christ.

J.T. Yes, there was progress.

R.S. Is the believing confirmation, and preparatory to chapter 20?

J.T. It gives another side. There are several lines running through the chapter. Primarily the

disciples should believe, but the teaching goes wider than the disciples. The question of new birth is universal. The real beginning, as regards the Christian, is in chapter 3. One must be born anew. It is not exactly something in me, but I am affected throughout by this action of God, so an individual is completely changed; new sensibilities and desires are the result, and only God can meet them.

P.L. Is thirst the result of new birth?

J.T. Yes.

W.W. You distinguish between the receiving of the Spirit, and the giving of the Spirit?

J.T. Well, God seals you by the Spirit, that is His work.

R.D. You emphasise the point, "they that believe on him", receive it. The saint is ready for it. The conditions necessary for the reception of the Spirit are seen in Acts 1.

J.T. Yes, only there it is more official. The apostles were to tarry at Jerusalem until endued with power from on high, and the power came, but at the same time it is the Spirit coming to all believers. We might note this, reception involves appreciation.

F.F. Such an one anticipates the great result in the feast of tabernacles.

J.T. You have heaven brought in in the flowing of living waters.

W.W. Are the activities of the Spirit more on the line of preparation before He is received?

J.T. It is the way things are presented. The Lord in chapter 4 says, "he would have given thee living water". In chapter 7 it is, "Come and drink", denoting state in the person and how he receives the Spirit.

R.D. A person who has been formed in the truth set out in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth chapters realises what it is to be filled in the inward parts, and this exceeds all.

J.T. So, as our brother said, you get the glorification of the believer in chapter 7.

D.G. Is John 7 in advance of Ephesians 1?

J.T. Ephesians 1:13 is a statement of what occurs after one believes; whereas here you get what is characteristic of state, and then the flowing out in testimony. John 7 is a development.

R.B. The receiving is the result of desire. Luke tells us that the Father gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him.

J.T. The Spirit is brought in there in connection with prayer. It is more on the side of giving;

G.N. It is not so much the thought of a single act, as the kind of person who receives the Spirit.

J.T. Yes. This gospel, as it develops, builds up the spiritual man. He who thirsts.

A.F. The Lord tested the disciples by means of the loaves and fishes.

J.T. "This he said to prove them". It is more the disciples who are in view, in John, and their education and formation. As chapter 20 puts it, "many other signs did Jesus in the presence of his disciples", but much comes out that is universal in its bearing.

A.F. What would food of this kind represent?

J.T. The sign is, the literal loaves multiplied and increased, pointing to the second part of the chapter. It signified that there was spiritual food. The Lord said, "Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you, for him hath God the Father sealed", John 6:26 and 27. That is what the sign pointed to.

R.D. So the whole subject involves appropriation, and calls for exercise.

THE BREAD OF GOD - CONTINUED

John 6:26 - 71

J.T. The idea of eating and drinking, it may be remarked, is spoken of in the Word, as not only meeting the needs of the body physically, but as a means of enjoyment. We get the thought of feasting. In the tenth chapter of the first letter to the Corinthians where Exodus 32 is referred to, in connection with a "feast to Jehovah", eating and drinking are called idolatry; then, in chapter 15, the apostle reasons, that if there be no resurrection, men would simply eat and drink, and die to-morrow; thus showing how the terms are used as expressing enjoyment and satisfaction away from God. Whereas they are also used in the same sense, to denote enjoyment and satisfaction in the presence of God, as in Exodus 24, where the elders of Israel ate before God, having seen God, as we are told. He did not lay His hands on the elders, and they ate and drank, so their life was continued there. Then in the gospels we have several instances of feasting, in which eating and drinking form prominent features. I mention these things to show how Scripture connects what is of the world, as well as what is of God, with eating and drinking. Eating in the presence of God necessitates very great exercise.

R.F. In 1 Corinthians 10:7, it is said, "the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play". That is the opposite of exercise.

J.T. Yes; that was as away from God. In the absence of the mediator, Moses being on the mount, they sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. I suppose that is typical of Christendom now, where the mass of people have forgotten where Christ is, and go in for satisfaction of the flesh without Him. The Lord's supper provides an antidote to that,

because it is instituted in order that we should not be without Him. It is for a remembrance of Him.

P.L. In Luke 15 there is feasting in the house.

J.T. It is the Father Himself who says, "Let us eat and be merry". It is His proposal.

F.F. Showing God's part in the joy occasioned by the recovery of the prodigal.

W.H. This chapter suggests an exercise to get food.

G.F.M. The sixth of John forms a contrast to the third of Genesis.

J.T. To Adam there was given a wide range of choice in regard to what he should eat. There was no restriction as to any food, save one tree in Paradise; and it was in this way that Satan took advantage, by suggesting that God was selfish in imposing that restriction. In regard to what was given as meat, we get herbs mentioned first, then fruit with seed. Before the flood men were evidently vegetarians. It does not appear that any animal food was eaten till after the flood.

J.H. The fish of the sea were included in Adam's dominion. Fish is available for food, in the chapter before us.

J.T. There was no life to be taken at that time, and animals were not given as meat before the flood.

J.H. Our brother's remark calls for a little attention, the contrast between Genesis 3 and John 6. In Genesis 3 you have man partaking of that which is forbidden; that is, one doing his own will.

G.F.M. The principle behind that which has been instilled into man, is ambition. Here, what God provides is in order that we should live, in the place where death reigns.

J.T. This is a food that dissipates ambition.

P.L. It is bread come down.

J.T. The Lord Jesus, instead of taking the place of equality with God, made Himself of no reputation.

It is the antidote to what we find in Genesis 3; so the contrast is very marked.

R.D. That brought in death; this food is to sustain in life.

G.F.M. What is the point in "flesh" and "blood"?

J.T. Blood separated from flesh implies death. It could not be partaken of otherwise. Nothing strangled was to be partaken of, so the passage refers to Christ as dead, and further on you get Christ alive. First it is eating His flesh and drinking His blood, then eating Him.

R.D. What would this effect in you?

J.T. It would have a reducing, displacing effect. It is terrible that I have to come to this, that whatever I may be in the world, it is this kind of food I have to eat in order to live. It dissipates all kind of ambition and inflation.

R.D. Would it work through our affections?

J.T. Through the mind and affections. Light in itself does not suffice, though it enters through the mind. Here it is not the Lord's death vicariously that is contemplated, but death as ending the state in which man was in inflation and pretension.

G.F.M. The point in John 6 is, the necessity for eating. "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you".

J.T. The world, and the Jews, had no life in themselves. The first world developed out of Genesis 3. The aspiration was that man should be as God and do his own will. All that has to be effaced, to be dissipated in me. How is it to come about? Not only by light, but I have to eat the food presented here, and assimilate it.

R.D. The Lord went down into death in order that we might have this food, when we think what it cost Him it touches the affections.

P.L. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus". (Philippians 2:5)

G.N. What would be the difference between "eating" and "drinking"?

J.T. Eating is the more prominent feature, but drinking would answer to "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts", Romans 5:5. It is said, "We have all been made to drink into one Spirit", 1 Corinthians 12:13. It is not developed here, but you get a reference to it in the Lord's supper. Life belongs to God.

P.L. We drink the cup, which is the new covenant in Christ's blood.

J.T. The life of the Man who was the negation of Genesis 3 was for God; that life as given up is the testimony to the love of God. God abominates the life of the lawless man, but life is His. No blood was to be partaken of in the Old Testament. God is not claiming the life of the man that sinned, for that life was forfeited and of no value. The life God claimed was the life of Jesus. In the Old Testament there was an indication that there was a life which He cherished, and when it appears in Christ the testimony comes into evidence that it belongs to God. The blood of Christ, therefore, is a testimony to the love of God. Christ's body speaks of His own love for us; "this is my body which is for you". (Luke 22:19)

G.N. What is involved in the words "flesh" and "blood"?

J.T. The will of God in the flesh, and the love of God in the blood; these are two great elements on which we feed.

G.F.M. They are made available for us in the death of Christ.

J.T. I can partake of them now, but if so, I surrender my will. It is the negation of my will. Christ came to do God's will in the body prepared for Him, so when the Lord speaks of my "flesh",

He refers to the condition He took in order to set forth the will of God in man, and that means the complete and absolute negation of myself I have to go.

R.D. I am to be sustained in life outside the scene of sin and lawlessness.

J.T. That is what it comes to. You are here for God's will. Blood expresses the love of God. The new covenant is in Christ's blood, but Christ was not the One making the covenant; it was God who made it. Christ is the Mediator of it.

G.F.M. You get in it the declaration of the love of God.

J.T. Yes. See what a generation is brought to pass by eating this food!

R.D. A generation living in the love of God.

J.T. So there is a complete reflection of Christ in that generation. The principle of the will of God is, to go down. "But what and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before". The idea of doing the will of God comes down from heaven. The idea of it is in heaven.

R.D. How would you connect that with "I will raise him up at the last day"?

J.T. It is the triumph of God. The saints go to the wall outwardly now. The last day is the final day; you get the final issue and analysis, and then only those who eat will be raised up.

P.L. Raised suggests the thought of complacency.

J.T. "Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return", Genesis 3:19. That is because of lawlessness and it disappears, but raising up is the contrast to that. I reappear as having eaten this food.

R.D. The Lord says, "I will raise it up", in verse 39, as if He there speaking of all; in the three other cases, it is "raise him up".

J.T. The whole of those who believe is involved in "it", then each individual. He says, "of all

that he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up".

R.B. A generation is brought about by individual appropriation.

J.T. Yes; the Father's will is, "that every one who sees the Son, and believes on him, should have life eternal" Firstly there is the thought of faith, and then of eating. The latter is more definite, as expressing appropriation of what is presented in Christ for men to feed on.

G.N. Has the eating of His flesh a negative result?

J.T. Yes, the negation of my will.

G.N. And the cup is positive.

J.T. Yes, the love of God in which we live is set forth in it. There is more, of course, in the body than what is negative, as Christ's personal love is in it too "We being many are one bread and one body". It brings about in the assembly a response to Christ, while the cup would produce love to God also.

G.F.M. It is not only the negation of my own will, but leads me to accept the will of God.

J.T. We need food to strengthen us, in order to set aside our own wills; they are strong, and this food gives me power.

A.N. What is the difference between John 6 and the Lord's supper?

J.T. The Lord's supper has not the world in view. It is brought down to narrower limits and clearly defined. God's part in it, and Christ's part, are more taken up. "This is my body". You get Christ's affection and interest which brings about assembly affection. "The new testament in my blood", corresponds with the Spirit shedding abroad the love of God in the heart.

R.D. The food of John 6 is in the world where sin and death are; it involves daily eating.

J.T. It goes on to the millennium. The Lord's supper contemplates the period of Christ's absence,

and is not for life. It is for a remembrance. It is interesting to note that there are two sacraments in Christianity, as J.N.D. said. The first, baptism, introduces me into the wilderness; the second, the Lord's supper, sustains me there. The idea of food is necessarily there. "As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup".

G.N. The Supper is the way out of the wilderness, too.

R.D. We are able to leave the wilderness and go into home conditions. So it is a supper.

J.T. There is food in it; it nourishes our souls in the love of God -and of Christ.

Rem. The Lord had a title to live.

J.T. He laid down His life. He had power to lay it down, as having received commandment from the Father.

G.N. What is the typical significance of the manna?

J.T. It is the life of Jesus, and affords us sustenance in a scene of contrariety. You find it wherever you go. As you go through this scene doing the will of God, you find Christ has been into every possible circumstance.

A.F. In the tenth chapter of first Corinthians the blood is mentioned first, then the body.

J.T. The tenth chapter gives the bearing of the Lord's supper on our every day walk, and the cup is mentioned first as expressing the love of God; then the bread, as setting forth the will of God. The tenth chapter is more a question of what God is.

R.D. Taking up the will of God, because of the portion you have in the love of God. It is the only way you could do it. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. Has not Romans 5 in view, that we are to traverse the wilderness? We are not to be ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts.

J.T. So you accept all that is involved in your baptism.

A.F. What is the thought in the new covenant?

J.T. In the first covenant, the proposal made to the people was that God was to be their God, and they, His people; "if ye obey". The new covenant is constituted as regards the house of Israel and Judah; they are still to be His people, and God their God, only the terms are different. Instead of obedience being demanded, the principle of obedience is put into their minds and hearts so that they are able to answer to God's requirements. God had exclaimed, "Oh! that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always", Deuteronomy 5:29. The first covenant did not change their hearts and minds, whereas the new covenant does.

R.D. God now sheds abroad His love in the heart, so He reaches His primary thought.

J.G. The people accepted the obligations under the old covenant, but God undertakes to make good the new.

J.T. It is what God does, but it necessarily results in what they do, as He puts His laws in their minds and writes them in their hearts.

R.D. They obey; we should recognise that.

J.T. You could not think of the covenant without obedience. The whole point on the side of the people is obedience from the beginning. The moral system is founded on obedience.

R.D. "Unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ", 1 Peter 1:2.

G.N. What about the change of terms?

J.T. He puts a new heart into the people. He gives them a heart, this did not take place under the first covenant. The commandments were then written on tables of stone; for the new law is to be written on the heart.

R.D. He does not ask us to obey, but we do obey from the heart. Christ is to be written on our hearts.

J.T. Yes, that is greater than the law. He says, in the mount of legislation, "I say to you". He adds to the law. So Christ written on the heart is greater than the commandments. He is the revealed will of God.

R.D. That is Christianity. It is a greater thing.

Rem. In Christ there is the complete disclosure of the mind and will of God.

R.S. The people are willing in the day of His power.

J.T. In the Psalms we get the expression, "Amen and Amen", at the end of the first three books, and at the end of the fourth, "let all the people say, Amen". They acquiesce in all that God does.

R.D. As having willing hearts.

P.L. We become firmly attached to the will of God.

G.N. The affections are gained, in Romans 6.

P.L. How does the cup come in in connection with the covenant?

J.T. The Lord says, it is the new testament in His blood. It is the blood of the Mediator. It gave God a means of expressing His love. God's love is told out, and it comes before us, so the thought of a covenant is in no sense foreign to Christianity, or contrary to it. It is developed in Christianity. Christ written in the heart is greater than what Israel will have. So we see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. It is the effect of what God is in His nature. Christ is said to be the covenant.

A.F. "He also who eats me, shall live also on account of me", John 6:57.

A.N. Is the covenant made with Israel?

J.T. The first covenant was with Israel, and it is said of the new covenant, that it is "as regards the

house of Israel and as regards the house of Juda". It expresses the disposition of God towards His people. Paul was a minister, not of letter, but of spirit, and the Lord is the Spirit; the Lord has brought in the love of God, and the presence of this gives character to Christianity. Excess marks everything that Christians have. The disposition of God towards us in Christ rises to the full height of our position. It qualifies us for our heavenly calling.

A.N. If we take account of the position Jew and Gentile respectively occupy, it makes a difference.

J.T. The Jew knew the law as actually under it; the Gentile was not, but knew enough of it to enable the apostle to write to them about it. The law, the apostle says, rules over a man as long as he lives. Then he cites the case of a woman, whose husband is dead, and who is free to be married to another. This thought he carries through to Christianity. "Ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God", Romans 7:4. So the thought of a bond remains.

R.D. One could not enjoy deliverance without recognising the bond. You must recognise that you are free to be married to another.

J.T. The old bond is dissolved, and now you are free to be attached to another Man.

P.L. It is a bond of attachment.

J.T. Yes, a bond of affection. The apostle seizes the fact that the Roman Christians knew the law, and he carries forward the thought of it to the Christian assembly, showing that nothing is dropped. The reference is no doubt to Exodus 19, as the prophets formally state that the bond was entered into then. Now Christian believers are regarded as released from the legal thing, and brought into a new bond to Christ. F.E.R. used to say that you really

do not get love proper to a husband and wife until the marriage contract is entered into. If we apply that to Christ and the individual, true conjugal affections are only known when the bond is recognised.

P.L. It preserves from idolatry.

J.T. The heart is closed to other claimants. The bond is between Christ and the individual.

R.D. The heart responds to Christ. "He that eateth me, even he shall live by me". How do we appropriate Him as food?

J.T. The thought of blood is dropped in that passage. It is Christ as He is; we eat Him and live by Him.

R.D. It is the thought of communion.

J.T. Firstly John says, "Unless ye shall have eaten the flesh of the Son of man and drunk his blood"; and then "He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood". The latter is continuous. In verse 57, which you quote, it says, "he also who eats me"; that is, you appropriate Christ as alive. As revived, the daughter of Jairus had to be sustained, something was to be given her to eat. We are to live by Christ. I learn what I am in His affections, and He is in mine, and it comes about by "eating" Him.

R.D. I become like Christ, and live in His affections.

R.B. We get in Malachi, "and did not he make one"? (Malachi 2:15)

J.T. God hates putting away. There is to be one wife, and one husband. The Lord said, "From the beginning it was not so". (Matthew 5:32) The thought is "one flesh".

F.F. At the close of this chapter the Lord says, "Will ye also go away" Peter replies, "Lord, to whom shall we go?" He was held in attachment.

PRIESTLY SERVICE

2 Timothy 2:1, 2; Ezra 7:1 - 6, 10; Nehemiah 8:1 - 6, 8 - 18

In reading these scriptures I do not intend to go into detail, but I wish to speak a little of priesthood. I desire to point out how essential it is at the present time, if the testimony of Christ is to be preserved and continued; and I have for this reason read a passage in Paul's epistle to Timothy, which places Timothy in a position of trust, and, as so placed, he is necessarily regarded as a priest. Timothy had been in captivity, but was released. "Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty", Hebrews 13:23, There is, perhaps, more said of Timothy personally than of any other servant in the New Testament apart from the apostles. He receives remarkable mention in the Scriptures. He appears, as many of you know, at a period when he was greatly needed. Barnabas had failed Paul, and on the occasion of Paul's mission to Europe as recorded in Acts 16, Timothy appears. His genealogy is given spiritually; he was the son, it says, of a believing woman, not only of one who had believed, but of a woman characterised by faith; his mother was such. In the second letter to Timothy, the apostle reminds him of that, and also that his grandmother was one in whom unfeigned faith dwelt. Furthermore, the Spirit of God tells us of him, that he is designated by Paul as his true child in faith, his beloved child, so that he has spiritually, in that way, a very remarkable parentage. I would emphasise it, he had a believing mother, and a believing grandmother, and an apostle as a father spiritually; and as such he comes into a position of trust in the house of God. He is a custodian of the good deposit entrusted; that is to say, of the truth in regard to God and in regard to

Christ. He is, as one may say, the trustee for. Paul's doctrine; Now, that is saying a good deal, but it is not saying more than Scripture predicates of this remarkable young man, for such he was yet, even when this second letter was written to him from Rome. I am not ignoring the fact that the Holy Spirit is the power to maintain things for God here, but I am speaking of the position that Scripture accords to this remarkable young man.

He is, as I remarked already, also referred to as a brother. The writer to the Hebrews does not speak of him as his son, but as a brother. "Know ye", he says, "that our brother Timothy is set at liberty". And so being free, he is now available, as one may say, in the service of the truth, and is constituted a trustee, so that he should pass on, what he had learned from Paul, to faithful men. Indeed, the passage is somewhat like the last will and testament of a man. Timothy is to administer; he is delegated by the apostle to entrust to faithful men what he himself had heard of Paul in the presence of many witnesses. You will understand I am not ignoring the fact that the Holy Spirit is here to maintain the truth. I am speaking for the moment of a servant. Timothy has to administer the truth, and he is to commit to faithful men what he had heard from. Paul.

Having said this about Timothy, I must press on to Ezra, hoping to refer to him again for a moment at the end. I want to show you how the Old Testament aids us in the understanding of the New. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah, in the Old Testament, fill a place similar to that of Paul's second epistle to Timothy in the New Testament. I wish to show how priesthood appears in these books; how it is, so to speak, true to itself in Ezra. I want to dwell on this, by the Lord's help. In the first instance, I have selected a passage in Ezra 7 which gives us his genealogy.

It is as if the Spirit of God would set this man before us, as one unquestionably qualified to fill the office with which he was entrusted, and on which he was about to enter. At this juncture I would call your attention to one peculiarity in these books of Ezra and Nehemiah, that in them the principle of genealogy is emphasised. A genealogical register is set down as of the very greatest importance in these two books. Ezra, I apprehend, is the great genealogical chronicler of the Old Testament, and I would ask you to note that whilst he is the priest and his genealogy is incontrovertibly established, he is also said to be a scribe, and a ready one. Now in saying that he is a scribe, one would be careful to point out that he was in no sense a journalist; he was in no way occupied with the narration of the events of the time; he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given; he was efficient in that. I mention this in view of the great value of writing in our time.

It is a remarkable thing that in the second letter to Timothy, books are specially mentioned, and they were brought to Paul; he says, "especially the parchments". And so Ezra was a ready scribe in the law of the Lord. I would suggest that the conditions in his day required writing. The saints were scattered. They had not all returned to Jerusalem. And the true priest of God would concern himself about every saint of God. Let us not be narrow in our affections. It is essential to be narrow, in a sense, in our fellowship, as another has said, 'Keep our hearts large, but our feet in the narrow path'. In that relation I would remark that Ezra, in his wonderful prayer to Jehovah, when confessing the sins of the people, says, "there hath been favour from Jehovah our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place ... ... and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem". (Ezra 9:8, 9)

These were what I might call the available things in his day. There was a remnant available, a nail in the holy place of God was available; and a wall about Jerusalem was available. But then all the saints of God were not available, but Ezra would embrace them all in his affections; so Paul says in writing his letter to Timothy, "The Lord knoweth them that are his". It may not be within our scope to test the genealogy of everybody, but the Lord knows everyone's genealogy. "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his". This is a great comfort. There are many, alas! who are not available to us, but there are those who are, and it is for us to value what is available, and to make the most of it. Those three things are available, according to Ezra's prayer. A remnant of the people of God; thank God for the few or for the many: the larger the number the better, provided they are genuinely the people of God. Then access to the holy place of God; and then, finally, a wall. These things are to be cherished. They are the available things at the present time. The question is, Am I using what is available? a remnant of the people of God, access to God, a nail in the holy place of God; a sure footing there through the blood of Jesus! As the writer to the Hebrews says: "Having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, and having an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart", Hebrews 10:19 - 22. And then there is a wall in Jerusalem. It may be called exclusivism, but it is: a priestly feature. It is that which the priest delights in. It involves the security and the protection of the people of God from error or defilement. Fellowship is available within.

Now to return to Ezra's genealogy. He is a true

son of Aaron as verses 1 to 5 of Ezra 7 show; there is no question about that. In saying that, I am not losing sight of the fact, that priesthood belongs to all believers; it involves being kindred to Christ. Now while your genealogy may be indisputably established, what about your heart? What about your resolve of heart? I will just read you again a verse from Ezra 7"for Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord". Now this is what Ezra did, he "prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments;" Ezra 7:10. I invite your attention to that word. How many of us are preparing our hearts to seek the law of the Lord? You understand what the law means for us here; it includes the New Testament as well as the Old Testament. It is the revealed will of God, and the revealed mind of God. We have to distinguish between these. The will of God is His commandment; the mind of God is His word. You must have both. There are those, it may be, who go in for the word, but forget the commandment; and those who go, in for the commandment and forget the word, but we need both. What about your resolve of heart as regards the law, the revealed will and mind of God?

Now, in referring to priesthood, I would introduce for a moment a thought in regard to the priests' garments and the priests' food. These are two important features. Scripture speaks of the food that is suitable for priesthood, and also the garments which the priests should wear. I cannot enlarge upon these two features of priesthood, as the time is short, but I would refer to them for a moment. Firstly, as to priestly food, in the book of Leviticus we are instructed as to the food which a priest should eat, He is to have a part in the sin-offering, and he is specially to feed on the meat-offering. In Ezra's confession we see the reality of a priest eating the

sin-offering. I put these things before you. What is it that we eat? The general thought of eating and being clothed is, I suppose, as commonplace as any thought in the world; but on the other hand there are no more important considerations in the whole world than food and clothing. The Lord said, "these things do the nations of the world seek after", Luke 12:30. But, when you apply it spiritually, how great must be their importance! What about the food that you eat? As recovered, so to speak, as brought back to the light of the assembly, what about the sin-offering? If you look through Ezra 9, you will find that he accepted the awful condition of the people and confessed it, as having his part in it; he ate the sin-offering, in that sense.

It is a serious consideration as to the conditions in which we find ourselves. Am I attributing the ruin and the failure of the assembly to other people, or am I, as a true priest of God, eating the sin-offering, owning my share and part in the ruin? If I am to have a constitution that is suitable to priesthood, I must eat the sin-offering, and I must eat it in the holy place; that is, take it up in relation to the sanctuary of God; Leviticus 6:26. And then, if I am to be a man like Christ in the midst of my brethren, how is that to be brought about? I must eat the meat-offering; Leviticus 2:10. The food of the sin-offering marks me off as a man that judges sin. I judge sin in myself, I do not judge it in others alone, and I am marked by that judgment. It is not that I am attributing it to others, though I may be called upon to judge it in others, but I am to judge it as a priest. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted", Galatians 6:1. For this I must feed on the sin-offering, but further, if I am to move about in the midst of my brethren as a heavenly

man, as Christ was here, how can that be brought about? I must eat the meat-offering. These are the two great features in the book of Leviticus in regard to the priests' food. I would commend this to your consideration as most essential at the present time. Am I eating priestly food? And, Am I wearing priestly garments? Food is for sustainment; garments are for warmth and appearance.

If you look at Nehemiah 7:70, you will find that he provided a great many priests' coats. That indicated that Nehemiah, in returning to Jerusalem, thought of the priests. He had in his mind how essential they should be to the recovery and the maintenance of the remnant in Jerusalem. And so, too, the Psalmist says, "Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness", Psalm 132:9. How about that clothing, dear brother? How about your associations, your business relations? Re-adjustment, to use a well-known term, applies constantly to the Christian. I have to revise my relations constantly. As I get a little bit more light, I have to make my relations fit in with that. Hence, if I am to be clothed with righteousness, I must be concerned and exercised about my relations in every circle and sphere, in my family, in my business, and in all my social connections. All these, and more besides, are involved in the idea of the clothes I wear. They must not be put on only for the meeting. I do not know of any scripture that speaks of a priest wearing the clothes of a common person. He was always marked off and distinguished by his priestly garments. They were to be clothed with garments "for glory and for beauty" as they came to serve in the inner sanctuary; but, generally, the priest was to be distinguished by wearing vestments made according to divine instructions. Having food and clothing, one is set up in spiritual independence. I use that word advisedly; I doubt very much if any one of us

is of much value in the things of God unless he arrives at spiritual independence. I do not mean independence of God; but that one has found the means, and is now prepared to take up his service in connection with the house of God.

I just touch for a moment on Nehemiah 8, because in it we see the priest in the exercise of his functions in days of weakness. Firstly it says, "and all the people gathered themselves together as one man". I greatly love the assemblages of God's people, especially when they come together themselves. Note here, it is "the people gathered themselves together". This was not by a trumpet. In Numbers 10 the assembly was brought together by the blast of the trumpet. There, in figure, it was a question of the authority of Christ, and I MUST come. It is imperative. The claims of Christ demand it. But then there are opportunities which are left to ourselves, and our spirituality is tested as to whether we avail ourselves of them; and so here it says, "And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the watergate". That was a good place to assemble. There was a goodly company too, forty-two thousand came with an addition of about seven thousand servants and attendants. There would be therefore approximately fifty thousand people; Nehemiah 7:66, 67. I do not say that they were all there, but if I read the passage literally, they were, as chapter 8 verse 1 says. In other words, there was a large company in Jerusalem on that particular day, and the priest was available; they spoke to Ezra the scribe. The people wanted a priest, and so Ezra mounted the pulpit of wood, as it is called, and read the book of the law. It was a long meeting, a much longer meeting than any meeting we hold, it lasted from morning until mid-day.

I want you to note particularly, that this is the movement of the people; the people wanted it.

God was working in them, and that is what one prays for, the work of God in His people. "And they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had commanded to Israel". What a state in the people! They wanted to hear the encouraging book of the law read, not only the law of Moses, but that which the Lord commanded for all His people. That is what they wanted. One has great encouragement in reading the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, as showing what may come about among the people of God through the exercise of one or two men. It goes on to say, "Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the watergate, from the morning until mid-day, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law", Ezra 8:2, 3. That is a fine picture. It was an occasion in which the priest was available and he shines. I bring this before you, so that, in the exercise of your hearts, there may be a resolve to seek the law of God, and to teach the law of God to His people. These are resolves of heart that the Spirit of God would produce in us, and make effective in us.

I shall just run through the chapter for a moment. In verse 6 we read, "And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands; and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground". They were entirely at one with the worship of the priest. They had come together to hear the law, and now they are led in priestly energy to bless God. They commit themselves to the worship of God; and then it is recorded

in verse 8, "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading". I believe, that the Lord at this present time would emphasise the meaning of Scripture. We are not half alive to the treasures we have in the holy writings; what treasures lie in these blessed pages! The priests and the Levites gave the sense; that is what I would call general public ministry.

And then in verse 13 it says, "And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests and the Levites unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law". I apprehend that this is special. There are those, who, as priests and Levites, responsible persons, would come together in dependence upon the Lord and in recognition of the Spirit, in order to find out the word, the mind of God in the Scriptures. In beginning to search: they find something they had not expected. One has often met with brethren, over the Scriptures, and found unexpected things. It was no question of the needs of one's soul being met, or of light to relieve one's soul. No, it was like Mary sitting at the Lord's feet; she had no soul needs then; it says, she "sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word", (Luke 10:39) she was listening to what He was saying. So in Ezra's day these came together. "And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths". I believe that the Holy Spirit, at the present time, if the saints have the heart for it, would lead us into the very highest and most blessed thoughts of God. I take it that the feast of tabernacles represents that, in the Old Testament. It was the highest and most blessed privilege accorded to the people of God. It was one of the three great feasts of the Lord. In Ezra's time, those coming together on the second day, for

special inquiry as to the words of the law, found this remarkable record, and they put into practice the privilege that was for Israel. So it says, "they kept the feast seven days", "and there was very great gladness". I have run over Ezra's service in this brief way, in order to show how, in recovery, priesthood reappears and becomes available to the people of God; and it brings to light the mind of God, and the privileges which He accords to His people. I have connected it with Timothy, because he is the typical servant for the last days, and his service was priestly. He is a brother set free, and one who, as I said, is made the custodian of the truth as delivered to him, as having learned it of Paul, and he was to commit it to faithful men.

Now, I would just make a remark about Paul. I believe that, from the time he was sent out, his ministry has been the test of the people of God. I am convinced of this. When Paul came to Europe, to Philippi, it is said that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia to attend to the things spoken by Paul. And I believe that is what the Spirit of God would do at the present time. He would open our hearts to the things spoken by Paul. Now, Timothy is mentioned for the first time, in that chapter, Acts 16, when Paul first visited Europe. He appears there, and he becomes a true companion, and child of Paul; so that he knew Paul's doctrine, his manner of life, and he learned things from Paul. Paul says, "The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also", 2 Timothy 2:2. I commend Paul's doctrine to you, and would take it home to myself, as the special feature for the time. There are those who have exercises about getting things from the Lord, but what are we doing with what we have received? The word is, "Hold that fast which thou hast", Revelation 3:11. That is the word

for us. We have had wonderful things handed down to us. It is for us, in the spirit of priesthood, to treasure these things, and to pass them on to others, and pass them on without being tarnished by the mind of the flesh. May the Lord help us in this, There are just these few points which I would bring to your notice; the genealogy of the priest; the food; the clothing; the responsibility of the priest, and the trust with which he is entrusted of the Lord.

THE BROTHER SET AT LIBERTY

Acts 4:23 - 37

I take the liberty of reading this scripture on account of the great encouragement which it affords the saints, especially under circumstances such as those in which we find ourselves. I refer to the measure of limitation imposed on a portion of the people of God. Along with this passage another came into my mind; that is, Hebrews 13:23, in which the writer says to the saints addressed, "Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty". It was a piece of encouraging information for the people of God at that time. The apostle does not state the nature of Timothy's bondage, nor by whose authority he was released; the fact that he was released sufficed. It is of great moment now that the brother should be set free. No doubt the enemy would limit a brother by whatever means possible, military or otherwise, whereas I apprehend the release of the brother is what has marked the last days. The Spirit of God has brought out the true relation of saints, first to Christ, and then to each other as brethren. Now, the enemy would limit the idea in the working of it, so the word in Hebrews seems to me to be forcible, "Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty". One would like to be assured of that.

No doubt, if we look around, we shall recognise that readjustment is a very serious consideration in the world at the present time, and I would observe that this is not limited to the world system; there must be readjustment all round, and it is for us now, in connection with that readjustment, to find our own company. The word company is one which has been emphasised of late, being used in a military sense, but there is only one Christian company in the true sense, there is no A or B company in

Christianity. The scripture we have read tell us, that "they went to their own company"; the company is designated as "their own". It seems to me this word has a voice to us at the present moment, for if the word readjustment has any application to us, it has this, that one has definitely to find, in one's soul, his own company, and being free make that his resort, he goes thither.

Now, the apostles, arriving there, reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. It was a matter of common interest in the place of mutual communications. It is very beautiful to note the simplicity and mutuality that marked the people of God in those early days. If we refer to the two disciples going to Emmaus, we may recall how when they returned to Jerusalem, they found the eleven and those with them, and reported all that had taken place, the result being that their contribution occasioned satisfaction and joy. So here we find that "when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said: Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things, the kings of the earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy servant Jesus; whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done", Acts 4:24 - 28.

The Spirit of God would have us to be engaged with what God is doing. What the world is doing, or shall do, is of very secondary importance to God. It is a question of what God is doing, and the more we think of that, the more satisfaction we shall find.

God is acting governmentally on our behalf, and acting by the Spirit in the saints, so that it remains for each of us to discern what He is doing. We are not to be blind to what the enemy is doing. Self-judgment must be maintained, and readjustment must go on; it is a question of discerning where one is in regard to God.

As I said, the Spirit would suggest to us the importance of seeing what God is doing. Here, the company tell the Lord that He created heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is. They recognise His lordship, and then go on to speak of the attitude of the kings of the earth, and of the rulers, towards Him. The issue is, Christ; and they go on to say, "For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done". Whatever governors may do, it is what God's counsel predetermined. Things are entirely in the hands of God, and so far as they accord with His counsel, shall they be carried out. Then they continue, "grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy servant Jesus". That was their prayer, very short, but very comprehensive, and the answer to it is contained in verse 31: "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness". That is to say, God acted. He acted in answer to their prayer. The place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

It is encouraging for us to observe how things were at the beginning. There is no change in God. We may still reckon on His hand being stretched out for us, and further, as I remarked, it is recorded that "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit". What a company! We are not to be together for a good

time merely, but in recognition of the lordship of Christ, so that we may have the realization of the Holy Spirit indwelling and actuating us, towards Christ and towards the brethren.

It is well to be reminded of how things are in the sight of God, and of how He acted to preserve and continue His testimony at the beginning, and later in the release of Timothy, whose service, as released, would be for the continuance of Paul's ministry. God is acting now for the release of the dear brethren so that we may serve Him to the end.

ADMINISTRATION IN THE HANDS OF THE SON

John 3:35; John 4:14; John 6:27; John 21:20 - 25

Before speaking on what I have specially on my mind, I wish to call attention to John, the writer of this gospel, so I have read this passage in the last chapter. His writings have many peculiarities, as compared with other apostolic and evangelistic writings, for the New Testament, with the exception of the Apocalypse, which is a prophetic writing, may be classified under these two heads.

One thing which I think may he noted is that John brings in, in a special way, fatherly and brotherly interest. The Apocalypse is distinguished by the brotherly spirit. The gospel is the narrative of a loved one, a very touching ground on which to write. The Apocalypse is by the brother; that, too, has its own voice. The epistle is mainly the address of a father. In other words, John's writings may be grouped under these three heads, loved one, brother, and father. Now, in speaking of the brother which is perhaps the most prominent feature with us, in these last days, I would remark that the thought appears in the introduction of nearly all the collective epistles of Paul; Romans is an exception. He writes to the Romans as an apostle, and his concern is to make known the gospel; to declare, as he says, the gospel of God, to which he was separated. But in writing letters which involve discipline, he invariably connects the brother with him in his writing; that is to say, he blends apostolic authority with brotherly interest and sympathy. So, in his first letter to Corinth, he has Sosthenes, and in the second, Timothy; and if the things are exceptionally serious, as in Galatia, he says, "all the brethren with me". If all the brethren are joined in a judgment, it is a serious matter for those who are judged, and the matter was

serious among the Galatians. I only remark these things so that you may have before you the manner in which the Scriptures were presented to the saints.

Returning to John, we learn from him, that it was he who wrote his gospel. He tells us in chapter 21: 24, that "This is the disciple". It is as much as to say, 'The Lord has designated me a reserve man, ad I want you to understand that what I have written is an evidence of the reserve'. It is, as it were, the Lord bringing up His reserves, and that in view of final and complete victory; let there be no mistake about that! It is not that these are all the reserves; this gospel is only part of what is infinite. We need have no fear as to the results of that in which we are engaged, though it is a warfare of the most strenuous nature, if we have faith. If we have not faith, John is entirely outside of our range. Have we any fear, if we have faith? None whatever, for John, after saying, "This is the disciple which testifieth of these things and wrote these things", immediately adds, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written". There is much more, John tells us, that he or others could write, if the Lord so ordered it, but it was not necessary, for all the reserves, so to speak, that were required had been brought up. "There are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one; the world itself could not contain the books that should be written". I suppose it is the conjecture of a loved one. We see thus that there is an infinitude behind this; the full account and amplification of the ministry of Christ would mean infinitude. How encouraging to realise that all this is, so to speak, in the rear, while all that is necessary has been brought forward! This gospel is not all

that could be written, it is all that is needed. It is in view of the break-down of what was official, of what was set up under apostolic service and ministry. This gospel comes to those whom it may concern, to those who have faith, in order that they should be supported. If there should be only one such, he lacks nothing; that is the import of the gospel of John.

I would call attention to the fact that John enlarges on Christ's position as administrating the things of God. He brings Christ forward first of all, in chapter 3, as loved of the Father. You do not find a king appointing a prime minister because he loves him; that is hardly to be expected; administration in this world is not on the ground of affection. The more one considers what is going on in the world, the more hopeless the position is, as regards government, but in this passage, John 3:35, we are told that "The Father loves the Son". It is a very beautiful statement, and then it goes on, "and has given all things to be in his hand". That is to say, the Father loves the Son, and on the ground of that, you have administration given into the hand of the Son. The Father has given all things into His hand. What I would seek to show is that the administration of the Son is in order to bring in what God is. It is surely of all moment, in testimony, that what God is should be made apparent; so that, after stating that things are given into the hand of the Son, the evangelist goes on to say, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not (or is not subject to) the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him". Believing on the Person brings one into everlasting life. The emphasis is not on "he that believeth", but on "the Son". Anyone not subject, does not even see life, but wrath abides on him. That is how things stood after the testimony of the Son was presented in Paul. He

announced Jesus as the Son of God, and those who were not subject to the Son, those who refused to submit, should not even see life, but the wrath of God would abide on them. It describes the Jewish position.

But then God must be made known, so the Son proceeds to make Him known. Hence the Lord, in speaking to the woman at the well says, "If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water". It is a question of God; that is how matters stand in John 4. The Son would make God known, and God is known in the gift of the Holy Spirit, for it is what He gives.. He is known in my soul by what He gives to me. He is known objectively by what He gives for me, that is chapter 3, but then I am to know Him in what He gives to me. The point is, not exactly what I receive, it is what He gives. The giving is greater than the receiving, for it must be connected with the Giver; that is John 4. The gift is according to the Giver, not according to the receiver. We must never limit anything to our own capacity. In John 3:34, it says, "God giveth not the Spirit by measure". The principle is that the Spirit is given unlimitedly in Christianity. No one of us receives it in that way, but I worship God in the light of the gift. I worship God because of what He gives. Worship is brought in, in chapter 4, worship of the Father. The worship is of One who gives. What I receive enables me to worship, but the gift must be viewed in connection with the Giver. It must be taken into account objectively in regard to the Giver, not in regard to the receiver.

Now, John 6 speaks of the Son of man who administers. The Lord says in verse 27, "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son

of man shall give unto you; for him hath God the Father sealed". That is, Christ as Son of man, and so I apprehend that in chapter 6 the thought is to bring man in for God. It is the Son of man sealed, it is not loved here, although in chapter 3 the same Person is spoken of as loved. Here He is presented as sealed of the Father, so that we take account of the Lord as Man, as Son of man. I do not know if you have clearly in your minds, or if I, what is signified in the term used here: "The meat which endureth unto everlasting life". It is that which the Son of man; the sealed One of the Father, is to give.

If we refer to the book of Ezekiel, the point of it appears to be life. It presents to us the Son of man. Ezekiel is designated Son of man a great many times. He does not so designate himself, it is Jehovah who designates him in that way. In the beginning of his ministry he had a vision outside the limits of Israel, and he describes to us in the first chapter what he sees. He says, "Above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire". I do not dwell on what he says, but what I apprehend is, that it is a figure of Christ as Son of man. In the loins, or the seat of the affection, being referred to upward and downward, I believe you have all that man is for God in Christ, and all that God is for man in Christ. There is the working of affection, as one might say, upward and downward. Wonderful vision! There on the throne, in the brightest spot, there is a man.

So, in John 6, He is sealed, as I apprehend, in order to bring in man for God in life. That is what the chapter presents to us, hence the administration in His hands is for life, that we might have food such as is requisite for life. In other words, the Son of man would have a human family after His own pattern. In Proverbs 8 it is said, that Wisdom's delights were in the habitable parts of God's earth, and in the sons of men. What kind of inhabitants were there?. In Hebrews 2 we are told, that God "has not subjected to angels the habitable world which is to come, of which we speak; but one has testified somewhere, saying, What is man that thou rememberest him, or Son of man that thou visitest him"? All is put under the Son of man, and He brings in the inhabit ants. He says in John 6:54, of the one who eats His flesh and drinks His blood, that He "will raise him up at the last day". Believers in Christ will appear in the last day on the earth. Daniel will be one who will stand in his lot in the last day. It is very blessed that one is to stand in one's lot where death occurs, where burial occurs; the Lord says; "I will raise him up at the last day". He will raise up Israel at the last day, according to Ezekiel. In other words, He is to be over the habitable earth, filled with inhabitants after His own pattern. He is heir, as Son of man, to everything that belonged to Adam, to Noah, to Abraham and to David; as to these last two He is said in Matthew to be Son of David, Son of Abraham. Everything that was designated in regard to these men falls to Christ as Son of man. Now, how does He effectuate these things? The Father seals Him and He brings in a human family patterned after Himself. I would commend to you that word patterned. I have remarked that in regard to the material world there is no pattern mentioned, but when you come to the figurative representation of things in the heavens, you must have it, and the

pattern of everything is Christ. So that the Son of man is pattern of the whole human family. He brings in a population upon earth, and the inhabitants are all like himself. They are brought in and caused to live, according to this chapter, by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of man. I would commend to you the importance in these last days of those two points. The administration of the Son, as involving the introduction and maintenance here of what God is, in the gift of the Spirit, on the one hand; and on the other, the maintenance in us, by our eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of man, of what man is according to the thought of God. In no other way can you have a generation according to Christ, than by eating the food which the Son of man gives, which is His flesh given "for the life of the world".

May the Lord bless all we have heard today. There is a voice to us in regard to food, and in regard to the Administrator, the One through whom everything comes. The Spirit, as received from the Father, is given by the hand of Christ, and the food by which we enjoy eternal life also comes to us from the hand of Christ.

HE SETTETH THE SOLITARY IN FAMILIES

Psalm 68:6

This verse has come before me since I came in, not being: what I purposed to read. In reading it, however, I intend to bring in other scriptures, but it came before me as suggestive of God's present activities. He "setteth the solitary in families". If one refers back to the history of the human family, it will be recalled that God had men before Him in this connection in families; the original trunk or tree, whence all the branches have sprung, being Noah, God has each branch under His eye. Subsequently they were divided into nations with different languages, but the divine thought was that there should be families. A family involves affection. It involves parental interest and affection, so that the family answers to what God is. A nation is the human idea. Although adopted by God in His ways, it nevertheless comes to an end. It is not eternal, whereas the family thought is; and so God is referred to in Ephesians 3 as "the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom every family in the heavens and on earth is named". Thus we see that God is occupied with families, and a moment comes when He selects one family which has the first place with Him. Of old Israel had been a family, and was formed into a nation. It had the first place with God in the Old Testament system of nations; now the assembly has the place of the first family and will retain it, it will never lose priority in this way for "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance", Romans 11:29. The gifts and calling referring to the assembly, preceded the gifts and calling referring to Israel, for the assembly was in the mind of God before the foundation of the world, that it should be holy and without blame before Him in love, and He will not give up that thought. It is not dependent

on anything that man may do, or may not do; it was a conception with God before the world was, so it remains in its place of priority. It is said, "glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages", Ephesians 3:21. That is the assembly's place; it is according to divine purpose, and irrevocable. I just mention that to begin with.

Now, God is putting solitary ones into that family. In the previous verse to the one we read you will observe, that He is said to be a "father of the fatherless and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation"; that is what God is, in His holy habitation. I apprehend this in a spiritual sense, though I should be far from restricting it, or denying the comfort of it to any orphan, any one who, in a literal sense, was deprived of parents, or any one deprived of husband, or husband of wife; for Scripture contains comfort for all, as we read, "that we through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope", Romans 15:4. I apprehend, however, that the application is more to spiritual orphans, and those bereft of shelter spiritually; and if there is one such here, I would say, there is comfort in this word for you. God will be a Father to you and He will judge your cause, you need not have any anxiety. So if difficulties arise among the people of God, and if there are those who, in consequence, are denied the shelter and protection due to them, God is the Judge of all such in His holy habitation; and, as is said elsewhere, He is "greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints", Psalm 139:7. He is to be feared there. It is well to have that before us, the fear of God in His saints. Whilst He has revealed Himself in Christ, in love and grace and mercy, He is also said to be a consuming fire, and this is said, not of Israel's God, but of our God. "Our God is a consuming fire", Hebrews 12:29. There can be no change in God as to the manner in which He regards sin, He is

the same as at Sinai. What He was then against sin when He gave His fiery law, He is now against it; yea! what He was against it at the cross, He is now; there is no change. He is the same, yesterday, today and for ever. There is no change, I repeat, in God as regards His attitude towards sin, hence we do well to remember, that "our God is a consuming fire", and we would not have it otherwise.

It is a comfort to know that there is a God armed with power to deal with sin, whether in you, or in me, or in any one else, hence it says, "Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear". These are wholesome words; they stand against any tendency to fleshly activity or presumption in the presence of God. He may take His own time to deal with sin, He reserves His sovereign right as regards that, but He leaves us in no uncertainty as to how He takes account of it. "The wrath of God", we are told, "is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness", Romans 1:18. Terrible words! God takes His own time in the execution of this sentence, but it discloses what He is against sin. He deals with it because its action against His people, and against His testimony. If a widow or an orphan is ill-treated, God acts for such, because He is Judge of the widow Hence we need have no anxiety as to our cause, for every morning His judgments come to light, and fail not

Well, He places, as I said, the solitary in families In regard to the present world, there can be no doubt that the government of God will bring to light all the families of Noah, for the streams, according to God's order, have not failed on account of man's will. Imperialism, man's will, may seem to disarrange the order of God; but a watchful eye-tracing the ways of God in the history of the world

can take note of the original families of Noah coming to light; and they will come to light, as God has in mind to bless them. "In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed", Genesis 12:3. They become nations, and in Galatians, God says they shall be blessed, and so they will be. But the family God has in His heart, the spiritual family, is being put together now, and He places the solitary there. It began at Pentecost, and I want to say a word as to the formation of it. For this purpose I would refer to Genesis 49, where we get the blessing of Jacob. When about to die, he gathers all his sons together, and says, "Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father". Then later, "All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them". I refer to this passage, as it aids us in seeing the formation of the family into which you and I have been put. As solitary ones, we have each been taken up and put in there by the Father, who names every family; and the formation of the family is seen typically in this passage. Jacob is here a type of Christ in a parental sense.

If you compare Jacob's blessing with that of Moses in Deuteronomy 33, you will observe that in the latter it is the "blessing wherewith Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel before his death"; whereas the last words of Jacob, who is the father of the tribes, are parental. "Hearken unto Israel, your father", he says. It expresses to me what Christ was to His disciples. He could say to them, "With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer". (Luke 22:15) As Head of the family, He ate the passover, because every household ate it. It was a household affair. So you have in these last words, typically set forth, the parental interest of Christ in His disciples, and in the whole assembly, on the night of His betrayal. Let these

words sink into our hearts, "Hearken unto Israel your father". It is an outline, as Jacob proceeds, of the history of his family; nothing is overlooked, evil is taken account of as well as good; but withal, fatherly interest and affection come out. So the disciples are left orphans, but left with such a testimony of parental interest, that all the elements which constitute a well-ordered family remain. Such it was at the beginning, but how is it now? Do these elements work out accurately and truly, so that no breach in the family exists? Alas! the prophetic utterances of Jacob disclose only too plainly the will of man at work, as it has been in the assembly outwardly. Nevertheless, the Lord's supper instituted on the occasion already referred to, is a testimony to that love and order which are essential, and requisite to the maintenance of a family suited to God.

Further, I would draw attention to the way in which the parental interest of Christ reflected itself in Paul. I am dwelling on these points in order to show how the family was formed. I would refer you to one or two passages, to indicate why I speak of Christ in the character of a parent. You get such a word as, "Child, thy sins are forgiven thee", (Mark 2:5) and again, "Daughter, go in peace". (Mark 5:34) Furthermore, we have the passage in Isaiah which says He is "the everlasting Father". (Isaiah 9:6) Becoming man, He has taken that place. David had to say, "Although my house be not so with God" 2 Samuel 23:5; and the departure of Judas showed how the will of man wrought, even in that blessed circle around Christ. Nevertheless, while the hand of the betrayer was on the table, the Lord introduced the elements, so to speak, that constituted a family. There were fatherly and brotherly interest and affection. John understood this, and throughout the whole of his writings he labours to maintain family affections, himself taking the place of father. "I write to you, children", he says. (1 John 2:12)

Touching another point, you get the thought in Corinthians The apostle says, "for though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers", 1 Corinthians 4:15. They had only one father. Paul had begotten them through the gospel; he was their father in the faith; and the working of fatherly interest and affection is stated in the most formal way, in his letter to the Thessalonians. "Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus", he says, "unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father". (1 Thessalonians 1:1) This is one of the most remarkable expressions of Scripture, referring, as it does, to the tenderness of family affection God has for the saints. Paul had only spent three weeks in Thessalonica, as far as we know, teaching there on three successive sabbath days, whereas he had laboured eighteen months at Corinth, and three years at Ephesus. So the few days he spent among the Thessalonians were all the more remarkable in their results. They "consorted with" him, we are told in Acts 17:4. They not only got the blessing, but became allied with the apostle in his ministry. Could you conceive of anything greater than being loved of God the Father, and then being in Him. We speak of the earth being in the sun, but think of being in God the Father! "The church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father". What security there is in that!

Well, that is how Paul addresses the Thessalonians, and then he says, further down, "Ye became followers of us, and of the Lord". (1: 6) Followers of whom? "Ye know", Paul says to them, "what manner of men we were among you". Paul's walk and manner were after Christ. It comes home to me often, in any endeavour to serve the Lord's people, How much of Christ is seen? You cannot lead a soul beyond yourself, you are nothing more than a finger-post if you do. A finger-post never leads, though it may

point the way. Many a man speaks what does not affect him, but if I am to speak as Paul did, it can only be in the measure in which I am formed after Christ. Anything else is but confusion. "It must needs be that offences come", the Lord says, "but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh", Matthew 18:7. Offences will come, but they will come in through those who are not after Christ. So Paul says, "Ye know what manner of men we were among you". (1: 5) He could refer to what the Thessalonians had seen in him when among them, and he adds, "Ye became followers of us and of the Lord". Think what a man the apostle was! Then he continued, "ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven". (1: 9, 10)

Now, he goes on to say in chapter 2, "We were like a nurse among you", and there was not only the skill of a nurse there, but the affections of a mother, as the nurse of her own child, Not only so, but he was also as a father among them. "Ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children". How is it, I would ask, with each of us, as regards our behaviour See what the apostle sets before us, not only what he preached and taught, but what he was, in the midst of the people of God, "how holily and justly, and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe". Did he cause any trouble, or create any confusion among them? Certainly not by his walk. "As ye know", he says, "how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children". So that he was among them in all the skill and affections of a nurse, and in the walk and behaviour that was befitting a father and now he can exhort them. And to what end? "That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory". He was,

in that sense, to set up the Thessalonians as a family; and as such, God could set a solitary one among them.

Following that, he says, "Ye, brethren, became followers of the assemblies of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus". This is an additional thought. They became followers of the assemblies of God. In other words, they were Catholics. Do you understand that? The expression, assemblies of God, means that you become catholic; that is, you have come to recognise the universal order and behaviour suitable to the assembly of God. Nonconformity is absolutely contrary to the mind of God. Rome has the catholic idea, in a way, but no true idea of the assembly of God. Catholicity is right; there is only one assembly, and it is to be governed everywhere by the same principles. The Thessalonians had learned how to keep rank. It was said of old that the children of Issachar had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do (1 Chronicles 12:32), and all who came to Hebron to make David king knew how to keep rank. It is a great thing in any locality to have an understanding of the law of the house of God; this preserves from independency. "So ordain I", the apostle says, "in all the churches". All assemblies are to be governed by the same principles, hence if there is a solitary one in Judea, or elsewhere, he is set in the family of God.

Now, I pointed out, in the epistle to the Thessalonians, how that in the ministry of Paul, following that of the Lord Jesus, there were the elements of the family of God. "Ye became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus", he does not say the churches of the Jews. The Thessalonians did not become followers of the churches of the Jews, but of the churches of God, and these, in the aggregate, being governed by the

same principles, were the family of God. Nothing is more important than that we should all understand the principles that govern the assembly of God, and that we should take our place in relation to it, bearing in mind that there is only one assembly. We are not meant to be different from other saints, but alike, as the divine thought is that we should all be formed according to the principles of the assembly of God; hence there should be the constant endeavour to "keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace", Ephesians 4:3. All the saints together, as alluded to in Thessalonians, are the family of God, as known here on earth; and order is to be established so that that family shall be preserved, but if we have not love, what is the value of outward form? To be maintaining form and order, without affection, is but a shell without substance. Let us therefore cherish the family, so that if there be any solitary one in Christendom, any soul who has no city of habitation, found there, he may find a place in the family of God.

I wonder if what I am saying finds a response in all our hearts? One would not like to speak beyond the intelligence of one's audience, so I am constrained to ask whether the word finds a response. You will recall how, in your soul's experience, you were found solitary, and God took you up, and placed you in the family. He set your roots in the soil of love. He rooted and grounded you in love. I would appeal to you, have you grown up in that? Or have you developed weeds which are becoming the occasion of sorrow to the people of God? It is a serious matter, and ought to be faced, as to whether I am developing the elements introduced by Christ, and carried on by His people, or not. Am I developing the elements introduced by Christ, and carried on by His people, or not. Am I developing these elements; am I promoting family affections in what

I say to the saints? I believe the Lord would help us, so that there might be in localities the principle of the family of God, and thus the solitary ones might find a home. Without a family, there is no home. Stone walls do not make a home! You cannot have a home without a family, and the point with God, in establishing order, is that the family should be preserved, and every family is to be named of the Father.

Each family will receive its name according to the measure in which it answers to Christ. That is what I understand; for every family must bear Christ's name in some sense, as He is Head of all. The Father, as I said, names every family. There are things He does not do, He does not judge any one, but one thing He does, He names the families. The "family" corresponds to the Father's affections, it is what He delights in, and He names it according to the measure in which it corresponds to Christ, so one would seek the promotion of what Christ is among the people of God. Thus, if any one is attracted to those who seek to walk according to divine principles, it is the attraction of Christ that moves such an one. The city in Revelation 21, which is the assembly, comes down from heaven as having the glory of God, and the glory of God is the perfection of His nature in Christ.

CHRIST AS GOD'S COVENANT

Isaiah 49:1 - 9, Luke 7:20 - 30, 36 - 50; Luke 10:38

I have read these verses as I want to say a word about covenant, not exactly the new covenant, but covenant in the principle of it as seen in Scripture In Hebrews the new covenant is referred to, which God will make with the house of Israel, and that covenant was not to be according to the first one, because it says they did not continue in it. It was made in the day when He "took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt", Hebrews 8:9. He had in that way caused them to realise the touch of deliverance, He had taken them by the hand, but He had also borne them on eagles' wings. They were held in Egypt; God had seen the affliction of His people, He had heard their cry, so He took them by the hand to lead them out. Having brought them out, He speaks of having borne them on eagles' wings, which involves more than leading. In eagles' wings we get power and swiftness. So He says, "I bare you on eagles' wings and brought you unto myself", Exodus 19:4. He then proposes to enter into covenant with them. The reason He brings in the new covenant later is because they did not continue in the first one. His thought was they should be a people to Himself, a peculiar treasure to Him, and that He should be their God, but they continued not in His covenant, so that He said, I must constitute a new one. The old was not continued in, so He must bring in a new one.