Pages 1 - 191 -- "The Upper Room and the City". Readings and Addresses, Great Britain, 1929 (Volume 97).

THE UPPER ROOM AND THE CITY

Acts 1:10 - 14; Acts 9:5,6; Acts 20:22,23

J.T. From these instances we may see, by the Lord's help, how His testimony stands related to cities. The relation between the light of heaven and cities is noteworthy. You will observe that those who saw the Lord ascend, to whom the angels spoke, returned to the city. Then in Saul's case (chapter 9) the Lord directed him to enter into the city and it should be told him there what he ought to do, and later it says that the Holy Spirit testified to him in every city.

W.W. Is it your thought that the Spirit would move in relation to Christ in heaven in regard to the maintenance of the truth, and therefore what is involved would operate in that city character?

J.T. Yes; I think the testimony of God -- of heaven -- should take form as present in the cities in being superior to the concentrated evil of this world. Hence the apostle Paul in writing to Titus later says that he left him in Crete so that he should set in order the things that were wanting, that there should be nothing omitted in the ordering of the house of God, and particularly that he should ordain elders in every city. He had already told him to do that (chapter 1:5), but showing the importance of it, he repeated the order. Earlier they had ordained elders in each assembly, but Titus is charged to ordain them "in every city". Titus 1:5.

W.W. What would be the distinction between the two thoughts -- in each assembly and in every city?

J.T. The assembly as such would be in view in the first; in the second the city is in view as a sphere in God's mind for testimony. The great thought in eldership being rule, implies that there should be subjection. No assembly could be a vessel in the Lord's hands for testimony in any locality save as subject; as it is said of the assembly, "subjected to the Christ", Ephesians 5:24. Without the great principle of subjection the idea of a vessel of testimony is impossible.

J.S. You remarked that in the city the evil and the glory of man are more concentrated, would that be the reason why it is so important that there should be rule and eldership so that there would be an answer on the divine side to the efforts of man?

J.T. God possesses ways of meeting evil on its own ground; hence in Matthew, which is the great church gospel, we find evil in a combined form in twos, so God meets it in a combined way. We see this in the naming and numbering of the apostles (Matthew 10:2 - 4) and the Lord sending them out in twos. Then in chapter 18, "if two of you shall agree on the earth", Matthew 18:19 that is, two of the assembly. Thus we see how God meets evil on its own ground; but this involves subjection in those He uses. "Ye men of Galilee", the angels in Acts said; they were men of Galilee; I have no doubt that they are regarded not simply as Galileans, but also as subject, for their history in Galilee implied subjection. Matthew tells us that the Lord would see them there. In that meeting He maintains His rights in rule and authority, and Matthew leaves us there. There were no Galileans with such a history as these Galileans; they had had to do with Christ in an exceptional way, as Matthew presents it, after He arose. The testimony rendered to the women in Matthew is by one who is in every way marked off as a representative of heaven -- an angel. His countenance was like lightning,

and his raiment white as snow; coming down from heaven in connection with the earthquake, he rolled away the stone from the mouth of the tomb and sat on it. The keepers became as dead men, but the women who were there were told by the angel not to fear, and he sent them to the disciples to tell them about the Lord, that they would see Him in Galilee. And then he said, "Behold, I have told you". Matthew 28:7. Thus the link with Galilee is very marked to the end in Matthew, and what enters into it is not only the reproach attached to it but the history attached to it -- their history with the Lord, involving that they were to be subject.

W.W. Is your thought that there would be nothing of the subject character for Christ to be able to use as material in connection with administration, apart from this exercise?

J.T. I think that is the way it stands; the thought is that God meets evil on its own ground, as I may say, in an organised way; that is organisation under Christ, for all is to be subject to Him.

J.S. "Behold, I have told you", Matthew 28:7 the angel says, and then we read that the disciples went into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed them; I suppose that is the evidence of their subjection.

J.T. Quite. And the women too had gone away immediately with the message, showing that they were obedient. "As they went", it says, Jesus Himself met them, as if to approve of their obedience, saying "All hail", Matthew 28:9 and then He confirms the message, but sending them to His brethren, the word 'brethren' displacing the word 'disciples' which the angel had used. They are to go to Galilee, and we read they went to Galilee, that is, there is subjection.

W.S. "To the mountain which Jesus had appointed them". Matthew 28:16. That would convey the thought of subjection, would it not?

J.T. It is on that line, showing they are truly

obedient and subject. That is how Matthew presents the fact of resurrection. The angel suggests the key to the passage; he is a divinely accredited representative, hence he says, "Behold, I have told you". Matthew 28:7. He is a representative of divine authority.

F.W. This journey in the Acts was in the other direction, from Olivet to Jerusalem, was it not?

J.T. It is founded on what we have been saying in regard to these men of Galilee. These heavenly speakers knew their history, and they say to them, "why stand ye gazing up into heaven?" They had had instruction already.

F.W. The Galilean position must precede this.

J.T. That is the order, so without any further word they entered into the city. "Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey". The angels said nothing about that; but these men knew what to do.

F.W. Does this suggest spiritual movement on their part?

J.T. I think it does; only they were gazing into heaven when it was not a time for sight, for the faith period had begun. The heavens were opened to Stephen, but that was a spiritual matter; these men were looking with their naked eyes into heaven. They could see nothing because a cloud had received Him out of their sight, meaning that the faith period had begun; hence the word of the angels was to regulate them. They knew what to do; it says, "then they returned".

F.W. They moved by spiritual instinct apparently rather than by command as in Matthew.

J.T. They had already had the experience mentioned in Matthew.

Rem. It says, "These gave themselves all with one accord to continual prayer", would that suggest how they were held in the light of heaven?

J.T. I thought so. What they found in the city represented what God intends to be in cities throughout the dispensation. What they found there was well worth the most careful consideration, that is, the upper room and its occupants. The upper room and its occupants stood in relation to the city.

Ques. Is the holy city coming down out of heaven a witness to God's testimony?

J.T. Yes. The great thought of God is that there should be a city.

Rem. So that the city is the full development of normal testimony; the full result of it.

J.T. It is working up to that.

P.L. Would you say that in the beginning of the epistle to the Corinthians the truth of the cross, and of the Spirit, and the thought of the assembly in a city are set out? Would Galilee suggest the thought of the cross -- reproach -- as in Matthew, and the mount of Olives in the beginning of the Acts suggest the Spirit? Would these lead to conditions with us in which we take our part in the assembly of God in a city?

J.T. I think so; reproach attaches to us whatever our city, known to ourselves and the Lord. The Galileans were under reproach, but then the mount of Olives suggests the power by which the dispensation is to be maintained, that is, by the Spirit.

J.S. In what you have brought before us they become subject men; apart from subjection there can be no thought of truly representing God in a vessel.

J.T. Just so. As subject we prove there is power enough in the Spirit. Olivet was near to Jerusalem; the suggestion is that the power by which things are to be maintained in the city is available.

W.S. How do you apply the thought of the city and the upper chamber in our conditions today?

J.T. The upper chamber is obviously not literal now but moral; it suggests moral elevation from the ordinary religious level. The latter is one of the greatest snares to us that there is -- conformity to current religious customs and practices. At the end of Luke the disciples were seen daily in the temple, praising and blessing God, that is to say, it is a question of witnessing to what Christ has effected, hence praising and blessing God. But the Acts contemplates the saints, not as God's witness to the remnant, but as the assembly, so that they acted instinctively in going to the upper room. It was suited; it says, not simply that they went to it, but that they went up to it; they knew what they were doing, and they knew that it meant exercise; they went up to it. One has to leave the level of man's religion, of current religious customs and practices. There is a great deal of that with us in the way of a mixture of religious sentiment, but going up to the upper room involves the leaving of all that behind, and you find the persons occupying it are such as represent God and the thoughts of God. They represent what will meet effectively the power of concentrated evil in cities.

W.W. That is very beautiful because what marks cities in a general way is lawlessness and opposition to God, but in connection with a subdued people who have come under Christ in subjection, there would be a distinctive mark in testimony in the city.

J.T. When they were come into the city they lost no time evidently, they went up to the upper room.

A.J.H.B. It says, "Where were staying both Peter, and John, and James ... and Jude the brother of James". It was not a question of going there once a week.

J.T. Suggesting the permanent local position of the testimony; that it is not a thing to come and go. God has set it up there, as it were, permanently for

His own end. I believe every one should have a local setting; although these men were plainly gifted men, including Peter, they were staying there; that is the principle.

P.L. In Proverbs 8 "She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths". Is that the thought of staying there? "She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors". Proverbs 8:2,3.

J.T. She takes a stand, that implies a certain fixedness; the position is right, and it would be on this principle that she takes her stand. She takes up a certain fixed position here, and then she cried. The disciples' education with the Lord enters into this position, and it was now showing itself, "where were staying both Peter, and John, and James ... with several women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren". These all represent secret history with God, history in companionship with Christ, which ended in Galilee, if we go by Matthew. They were Galileans with histories, hence the position in the city is clearly defined.

Ques. Why do you say Galileans with a history?

J.T. Because of what Matthew presents. How much happened in Galilee where most of the Lord's mighty works were done!

W.S. Is that the same thing you referred to in Paul being sent by the Lord into the city, where he would be told what to do? He would be under rule in going.

J.T. It is the same thought carried through, with the addition that the Lord had something there at Damascus, and He knew what He had. He does not say, 'Go to the saints', He says, "go into the city", for He knew what He had there. It is a very striking passage, because it really emphasises what we are remarking, that the Lord would have His testimony in cities.

J.S. Here they knew they were in that city.

J.T. Hence the mount of Olives is said to be a sabbath day's journey off; it was not part of Jerusalem.

F.W. What do you mean by that?

J.T. The city has boundaries. Olivet was very near, but not in Jerusalem.

J.S. When Paul was told to go into the city, he would not have any special arrangements; going into the city would be the same as any other man going into a known locality.

P.L. So that you get the reference in Luke, "Behold, as ye enter into the city a man will meet you, carrying an earthen pitcher of water". Luke 22:10.

J.T. Yes, that helps, showing what the Lord had there. He knew who the man was that should meet them, but they did not; "Behold, as ye enter into the city" was the point. The city was where the preparation was to be. They are directed by the divine commandment, by the divine word.

W.W. The moment Saul of Tarsus, on the way to Damascus, asked the Lord what he should do, he was directed to go into the city.

J.T. The Lord would have him value what was there. The work of God in him was to be linked up with what was there already; the work of God outside the city immediately links up with what was inside. The Lord knew what He had inside, hence the importance of knowing where we are, the limits of the place and being in it in upper-room conditions, that is in conditions of dependence upon God, as it says here, in prayer and supplication with the women, and with the mother of the Lord Himself, and His brethren. They were staying there. These facts recorded by the Spirit convey to us what the mind of God is in this dispensation as to cities. The idea is that He would have a permanent testimony now, not a mere transitory matter, but something fixed according

to His will, corresponding with the light of heaven. That implies complete subjection, as in the angels doing the will of God without a question. The Son came down saying, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God". Hebrews 10:7. He was here absolutely for the will of God. Now this principle is to be extended throughout the whole world, especially where men are in cities; God is thus to have under His hand the means of witnessing universally in cities.

F.W. The principle is that the heavens rule the earth.

J.T. Well, it is, and that God has here in each place a reflex of heaven, a vessel answering to what is in heaven. The assembly is subjected to Christ, it says. It is the mind of God that this should mark her relation to Him.

Ques. You spoke about the upper room in contrast to current religious customs. Would the wisdom that is from above be found there in contrast to what is found in the world?

J.T. Just so. The truth connected with the upper room began with the institution of the Lord's supper. The Lord said to those He sent, "as ye enter into the city a man will meet you". Luke 22:10. It was to be found out that way; for us it refers to what is moral, "a man will meet you". That is the beginning of the upper room, and hence the position here is understood by those who were occupying it. They were staying there.

Rem. When Paul came to Troas, he identified himself with what was in the upper chamber, and the Spirit of God tells us that they broke bread there.

Ques. Was there anything in this movement to bring about an expression of unity in the city?

J.T. Subjection to Christ precedes and ensures unity; the order of 1 Corinthians 11 is subjection, "I have received of the Lord". 1 Corinthians 11:23 The great order in

creation is God is Head of Christ, Christ is Head of the man, and the man is head of the woman. Then in chapter 12 we have the unity of the Spirit.

Rem. In regard to what follows in these particular scriptures, there was the principle of formation. They were "all of one accord" Acts 5:11; in that way there was a collective expression of what God is, that "God is one". Galatians 3:20, 1 Timothy 2:5, James 2:19

J.T. I am sure that is important. So that as it says in the next chapter, "they were all together in one place". Acts 2:1.

Rem. Yes; and that would show distinctly that it was the power of the Holy Spirit that had brought that about, the only power that could bring it about.

J.T. So the Lord, in the institution of the Supper in the upper room, makes a selection as to who should be there -- the twelve apostles. Where were the others? There is nothing said about them. The Lord has His own wise thought in having a permanent competent witness; no others could be as competent as the twelve. Earlier He had made, on frequent occasions, a selection from the twelve, but now He selects them all. Luke says, "and the twelve apostles with him". Luke 22:14. They are there, so there can be no question as to their testimony, as to what was said and done on that occasion. Now in this second mention of the upper room, there are not only the eleven but several woman, and Mary the mother of Jesus and His brethren. That is a wider area or circle; then we are told the number of them -- a hundred and twenty. Then in the opening of chapter 2 they were all together. It was their obligation, and it was to their credit that they were so. They were not all together at the institution of the Supper because it was a question then of the Lord's selection; but apparently in this case the door was open to them all, and none of them were absent, which gives a suggestion as to responsibility. If the door is open

for me to be there, why not be there, why should I be absent?

Ques. I thought it was in that way that in chapter 2 they were all together, all with one accord -- a marvellous thing!

J.T. Quite. Now today in Hove the saints are not all together, hence the great difference between the day of Pentecost and today. But then there are some, so that you go on with the ones there are, though the door is open to all. The Spirit tells us they were all together in one place.

H.W.S. Would paying attention to what is in the place in that way be the evidence that one is regulated by the Lord?

J.T. Yes. You are bound, if you are in the city as representative of the ways of God, to have regard for all His people in it. The Lord says in regard of Corinth, "I have much people in this city" Acts 18:10 -- note, in this one. He knew the limits of it. He knew, too, what He had in Jerusalem, and they were there waiting to be available to Him. The Lord had said to them, "tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high". Luke 24:49. They soon began to grow; there were three thousand of them added at one time.

W.W. If we are not found on that line, we shall be like Nebuchadnezzar in connection with the Babylonish system, boasting that we have built. He had to learn the lesson to come into line with the movement of the light of heaven.

J.T. I think that heaven is brought in, not only because of its dominion over the earth, but because of its excellence, its superiority; thus we have the heavenly city coming down. We have also the Son of man coming down out of heaven as the unquestionable witness to what heaven is. And so throughout this book we have the thought of heaven; a sound out of heaven, the sheet out of heaven, and the

light out of heaven; so it is well to give way to the thought of heaven and be in accord with its principles and its ways.

A.J.H.B. Would you say that everything that has come to light here has been in heaven first?

J.T. I was thinking, as has been remarked, that if the unity appeared on earth, it was not the first time unity was known in the universe; it had been in heaven long before.

Ques. My thought in regard to unity is that the assembly is here on earth as an expression of what God is. In Philippians 2:2 we get the expression "joined in soul". Philippians 2:2. Does it not all lead up to that? Three thousand all with one accord, no variation, "joined in soul". It is a rather remarkable translation of J.N.D.

J.T. It is very beautiful. "Having the same love, joined in soul, thinking one thing" Philippians 2:2; one could hardly conceive of anything more expressive of unity as all to be thinking one thing.

Rem. You would know what city you were of, you would be able to tell.

J.T. Surely; so that when Phoebe went to Rome she got a letter from Paul, and he tells them in the letter that she was a servant of the church in Cenchrea. I can understand a traveller in Rome from the East saying, 'Oh, you come from Corinth', but if he knew his geography he would know that Cenchrea was some miles from Corinth; and so if anyone had come from Bethany, which was fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem, you might say he comes from Jerusalem, but he does not, he comes from Bethany. The Spirit of God distinguishes between Bethany and Jerusalem, and between Cenchrea and Corinth.

H.F.N. Do you think in that way we should distinguish between Hove and Brighton?

J.T. I am sure we should, the Holy Spirit does.

Ques. Would this be in keeping with what is coming in in the coming day, as we get in Revelation?

J.T. The first city we find in Scripture is built by Cain, but God does not ignore it; the second one is built by Nimrod. Babel, of course, was being built, but it is said that Nineveh was built by Nimrod, and in due course God sent His prophet to Nineveh, in spite of the fact that that city was built by Nimrod, showing that God is meeting evil on its own ground; it is organised evil. The greatest and most powerful opposition to God is organised power, but He meets it on its own ground, hence He brings in the assembly, the greatest possible organisation, as we see here in the apostles and those who were with them. We have to know what it is we have to contend with, and if an elder is ordained for a city or others with him, they have to know the area in which they are to administer. It is for them to know; if they are staying there they will know; if they belong to the place, they will know.

J.S. It is significant that the second scripture we read says, "it shall be told thee what thou must do", and in the end of Matthew the angel referred to says, "Behold, I have told you". Matthew 28:7.

J.T. Saul of Tarsus had to go into the city in order to be told, showing that the Lord had persons in that city that He could trust. The Lord could have told him everything that he needed to know, but He did not, because He wishes to call attention to what He had in the city. He had something there that, having formed, He loved and delighted in, and He had brought them together and He could use them. "Go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do". It was a humiliating thing for a man like Saul; in result he had to go and listen to a man like Ananias -- a man who seemed to be of little or no account. The Lord was concerned that Ananias should rightly represent Him in speaking to Saul;

nevertheless He said to Saul, "go into the city, and it shall be told thee", that is to say, I have to learn from my brethren and from the brethren in the city. You may say, I have to learn from heaven, but I have to learn from my brethren, too. In Saul's case the Lord does not say a word about who they were in the city; His word was, "go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do".

Ques. What do you gather from the expression, "told thee what thou must do"?

J.T. It was imperative; there was no question about it; it shuts out independence of thought. It is very wholesome to get an imperative word like that.

H.F.N. We have a model of subjection in the Lord Himself. He went down to Nazareth, and He was subject to His parents. It becomes us to be subject.

J.T. At a time, too, when He was consciously a Son, He said, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" Luke 2:49.

Ques. Is Ananias a sample disciple in subjection?

J.T. I am afraid he is a sample of most of us, because at first he made out he knew better than the Lord. I think the facts are brought out to show how much the Lord puts up with in us. Ananias thought he knew more about this man Saul than the Lord did.

Rem. What I thought was so beautiful with Ananias is that the Lord only needed to call him once; He called Saul twice, but Ananias seemed to be waiting for orders.

J.T. The Lord said to him, "Rise up and go into the street which is called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas one by name Saul, he is of Tarsus ... . Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem". Acts 9:11,13. That was questioning the Lord, but it only brought out how gracious the Lord is, and He will deal with us however refractory we

may be until we become pliable in His hands. That is the idea of the twelve -- capability of manipulation; they are in His hands ready to be employed. Ananias gives way to the grace, and went to find Saul.

Rem. He obeyed the authority.

J.T. Quite; he went. The Lord has to tolerate much in us, and He has wonderful patience; if in result He can get us to go, then we learn that it is worth while.

J.S. It is very exercising; if the Lord tells me to do a thing I will do it; but to be told by the brethren is a test.

J.T. But then it is the kind of brethren who tell you; that is where the trouble is. Is it done by the brethren whom we can take it from? It is a question whether the Lord has been with them beforehand, and whether they come as being in accord with Him, so that when they tell you what to do, you have no question about it; they feel they can say like the angel, "Behold, I have told you". Matthew 28:7. There is a sense conveyed that they represent the Lord, they are like the Lord. The Lord makes His own selections in His service, and He selects persons who are great enough for the service. Now when I say this, I mean that a person great enough for service will be small enough to serve; it is only a great person who can become truly small. The Lord may humble me, but to be humble myself is another matter. It is in the sense of my own greatness in the calling of God that I can be little, and humble myself, so as to be fit for service. So the Lord selected His own man here in Ananias; He knew all about him; and in due course Ananias went, and he called Saul a brother. He began with that, and thus would gain his confidence. It is not that anyone can do this, for it is a question of being representative of Christ, and if one is so, the brethren will listen, and if they do not, it is a serious matter for them.

Rem. Ananias speaks of the disciples in Jerusalem as "thy saints". Acts 9:13.

J.T. Quite. If one is serving the saints, the principle of service is that you are sent, and the Lord says, "He who receives whomsoever I shall send receives me; and he that receives me receives him who has sent me". John 13:20. Hence it is a serious matter to serve formally, because I am taking the position of representing Christ. That is what comes out in John 13:20, I am representing the Lord. If I am really doing that, and my message is not received, then it is, as I have said, a serious matter.

Ques. Do you not think that the spirit in which Ananias said, "Saul, brother", Acts 9:17 shows that he was in accord with the Lord?

J.T. Quite. The Lord saw to that, He was beforehand with Ananias.

Ques. Would you say that it is the heavenly influence that brings about subjection, as with Ananias and with Saul?

J.T. Yes; Paul says, "I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision". Acts 26:19. If God is working with him, he will recognise that power comes out of heaven.

F.W. I suppose Ananias would be marked by the characteristic features of Galilee and of Olivet morally.

J.T. I am sure he would.

F.W. That is the kind of brother or man we should listen to.

Ques. In saying "a certain disciple", would you gather from that that the Lord in that way raised up Ananias for the special object He had before Him? It must have been a great exercise to Ananias to be told to go and seek out Saul of Tarsus, knowing all that he did about him; he must have gone through great exercise, showing how the Lord takes up one who is so in His hands and in His mind that he is able to meet the situation.

J.T. Then another thing comes out here, the Lord knew the street in Damascus in which Saul was. You might say, What does the street matter? It mattered much here; the Lord knew the street. He knows the names of the streets of the cities in which His people reside. These things are not put down for nothing; Ananias was told to go to a certain house in a certain street.

Rem. I remember you saying on a previous occasion, if only we are in the Lord's hands, we cannot say what He will do with one man; so here with Ananias.

J.T. Saul would never forget this. He would never forget that Ananias had this advantage over him.

P.L. This question of the city is important in Matthew. It says of the Lord having left Nazareth, that He went again and came to His own city; chapter 9:1. You were saying it was important to know where we belong to as having a place there.

J.T. Quite. Now you see in chapter 20 how those conditions being in view, the Holy Spirit is free in cities. He speaks in cities, which is a remarkable thing. It does not say He spoke to this saint or that saint, but Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit witnessed to him in every city, showing that the Holy Spirit had been free to speak to the apostle as he entered into these cities. There are conditions which enable the Spirit of God to speak -- a very important matter! If conditions exist such as we have been indicating in the locality, then you may expect the Spirit to speak, and to get communications from Him.

Rem. It is important in cities to come under the influence of heaven first.

J.T. Quite. Really and truly the heavenly city is being formed in this way. The walls are being formed, all that is of Christ in meeting opposition here is being used to form the city so that it will come out by and by.

Ques. Would you say that Scripture really contains the history of two cities?

J.T. Yes; one representing the history and character of this world, the other the heavenly Jerusalem, representing God's world. It is a wonderful position, that God has set up His own city amidst man's cities.

Ques. Would you say that God is using the evil of man in regard of administration in view of the contrast to be shown and testified to as of Him amongst His own?

J.T. It is the marvellous grace of God that there is not only preaching of the gospel but divine organisation -- as I may call it, for want of a better word -- the principle of which is the city in which He sets out His administrative ways here. I believe these things we have been speaking about underlie it; certain persons of authority staying in the place, committing themselves to prayer, with several women. Then the Lord shows in chapter 9 He has something there that He can trust, and He tells Saul who was to be His greatest servant, that he would be told there what to do. Think of being entrusted with such a service as that by the Lord! Then referring to certain cities, the Holy Spirit was at liberty to speak in every one "saying that bonds and tribulations await me"; it was witnessed in each of them that he should be persecuted in Jerusalem.

Ques. What is the relation of the village to the city?

J.T. The village would be a place. In Matthew it says that the Lord went through the country, village by village, city by city. Villages are taken account of in the testimony.

H.F.N. Have you any thought as to why the apostle emphasises the fact that the Holy Spirit witnessed to him? What is the thought of bonds and tribulations?

J.T. I suppose it was to warn the apostle what was ahead of him in Jerusalem. Undoubtedly the Spirit felt keenly for this great servant in what should befall him in Jerusalem. The Spirit warned him as to what he might expect, as if He had sympathy in it.

H.F.N. While the administration of the heavenly city is connected with the twelve, Paul speaks about it; what would you say about that?

J.T. I think Paul had to do with the inner formation; it is his ministry that sets the assembly up in relation to Christ in heaven. Peter alludes to the heart-knowing God. In that connection the Holy Spirit is given to the gentiles, meaning, I think, that God was going to operate in the gentiles in a new way, and it would be in relation to their hearts, as Paul says, he "was pleased to reveal his Son in me". Galatians 1:16. It was not so much official, although he was an apostle, but the place that Christ had acquired in his heart, as if he had got the breathings of Christ -- like the mighty men of David, so near to him that they discerned what he longed for. The city is marked by the administration of the twelve in its external relation.

H.F.N. So that the city refers to localities. Would Paul bring in the thought of family affection as in John?

J.T. I am sure that is right. It says, The king's daughter is "all glorious within" Psalm 45:13 -- the "within" is in the king's palace. That would meet Paul's line.

Ques. Does the Lord hold the assembly responsible for order in everything?

J.T. We get the feature of responsibility in Revelation in regard to the angel of the assembly; there may be some more responsible than others.

Ques. Does the Lord hold the assembly wholly responsible for what goes on?

J.T. I think so. The angel would represent the

whole, for every one is responsible. The assembly was brought into position at Jerusalem.

W.W. Would the light of heaven coming into a given locality, a city, involve bonds and tribulation, not only in Paul but in those in connection with Paul's ministry?

J.T. In Acts 20 the bonds and tribulations allude to what should befall Paul in Jerusalem. No doubt we get tribulation, as it is said, that through much tribulation we enter the kingdom of God, "and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution". 2 Timothy 3:12. This scripture in 2 Timothy would involve Paul's ministry.

HOW CRISES ARE MET

1 Samuel 1:9 - 11,24; 1 Samuel 4:20 - 22; 1 Samuel 25:18 - 21,23 - 31.

You will find in these early books of the Old Testament, that is, in the typical books, that certain spiritual women are presented. This refers particularly to Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Samuel. They represent the work of God in the saints as a whole, developing into what are maternal feelings and affections. Indeed, all looks on to what God proposed to develop in our own time, which will soon be manifested in a concrete way, for God's operations must ultimately culminate in what is concrete in the most absolute way. We have to be content with light under certain circumstances and conditions, but what God has in His mind to effect is to be substantial in the most absolute way. This is seen in the measurement of the holy city, which is said to be the bride, the Lamb's wife. All these holy women point forward to this great result. In Joshua, as an illustration, what is presented are certain women who represent that which maintains what had already been introduced; they are Achsah and the daughters of Zelophehad. They represent that subjective feature that maintains what has already been introduced by God in power. The same feature appeared in the early part of Judges in one of the same women, Achsah, the daughter of Caleb.

But what comes out in 1 Samuel is a series of crises. Some of these appear and are met by these women of whom I have read. It is not a question of prominent leaders who have their place, and who indeed are marked off in a most distinct manner in this very book; but what is in view in these passages is that which is within the range of the saints as a whole, whether few or many, or within the range of any one

of us. It is a question of how to meet a crisis according to God. The history of God's people in the Old and New Testaments furnishes a long series of crises, some of them met according to God, some of them unmet.

I dwell on Hannah first, because she has a most distinct place in the book as a woman. What she represents, as I apprehend, is soul-history occasioned by the most excruciating rivalry. Who can stand before envy it is said. Her rival, Peninnah, Elkanah's other wife, was bitter in her opposition, and evidently without cause, for she had children, but she represents the flesh, especially as brought close to us. There is nothing more unreasonable than the flesh acting against what is spiritual. The Lord says, "They hated me without a cause", John 15:25 it was gratuitous; there was nothing whatever in Christ to incite opposition under any circumstances, but the flesh is such that its opposition is most unreasonable. The Scriptures abound with evidences of this, so that we should not be discouraged in finding it so; we need not expect anything else. If the flesh be unjudged in any of us, we shall be not only unreasonable, but most refractory, most intractable and obdurate to all overtures, even the most reasonable.

It was so here, and what made the opposition the more poignant was that it came out more particularly as they went up to the house of God. Why should Peninnah be so opposed to an inoffensive woman deprived of what her heart cherished? God had deprived her of it, why should she be the object of opposition and persecution? And yet as they went up to the house of God her rival persecuted her. There is not a word as to Hannah's retort, she makes no defence, but she felt the persecution most keenly; she was a woman "in bitterness of soul"; she was a woman of secret history with God. She was a wonderful saint in the making, one of the most remarkable

in the scripture. The process was severe in the extreme, but it was all gone through with the knowledge of God; she said later in her song that He was "a God of knowledge". 1 Samuel 2:3.

One might enumerate many things of which He is said to be the God. One of them is that He is a God of knowledge, and particularly as to what goes on in the hearts of believers -- "the heart-knowing God". Acts 15:8. And so He weighs things. "By him", Hannah says, "actions are weighed". 1 Samuel 2:3. He knew what went on in her lonely heart, what sorrow, and what a cup was hers! But it was a refining time, and it would culminate in a crisis being met in a most noble fashion in the end, in the current crying need being supplied in the most striking manner.

So one would invite your attention to this history, so that each of us might see that it is within our range to meet a crisis and to act in it for God and supply what may be lacking, so that the work of God should proceed, and all that is essential to it should be present. It is for each of us to determine what may be required in our respective spheres of responsibility. Let no one assume that he has none; all who do are morally worthless in this world. We are left here as responsible persons, and it is for us to determine in our respective spheres what is needed, and to see to it that at least we supply something in a positive way towards that need. No one is of any value unless he accepts responsibility, he has no moral value, but then evidently if I have nothing I can supply nothing.

Now Hannah, whatever her intelligence was, had one desire, she had one thought. It was a burning, persistent desire, for years ungratified, but one which had never waned. The fulfilment of that desire would fill a void in the most remarkable and effective way, and she kept to it. She kept to it in bitterness of soul and weeping, but persisting in what was right

and legitimate, knowing that it would culminate in what was needed, in the supply of what was needed in the service of God. And so she makes a vow.

This came in the course of the exercise, not at the beginning. I have spoken of worthlessness in those who hold themselves irresponsible, and of worthlessness in those who have nothing. I now remark on the worthlessness of those who do not make a vow. What I mean is that many will own their responsibility but are wholly indifferent as to purpose, having neither definite resolve as to what is required in the service of God, nor resolve to meet it. Hannah makes a vow, and a vow is not to be recalled, for we are told elsewhere, "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools:" Ecclesiastes 5:4. God looks for definiteness of purpose. And so in order to fulfil her vow she prays earnestly, for where can we get the means of doing things or of carrying out our purpose? Where is the power, beloved? We can only get it from God. He has the means by Him. Was Samuel an afterthought? Not at all. Samuel was in the mind of God long before he was in the mind of Hannah. How did the desire come into her mind? Why was all this sorrow, all this bitterness, all this rivalry, all this persecution? It was to emphasise in the heart of Hannah the desire for a son. The desire in God's heart was infinitely greater than in Hannah's heart; He needed Samuel far more than Hannah needed him.

Let us dwell, beloved, at our leisure on the place that Samuel has in the testimony of God, and we shall understand that he was no afterthought or accident. The thought was from the heart of God, it came into the heart of Hannah and the fulfilment of it was according to the mind of God. God would bring us through discipline, through persecution, and through suffering into such a state of soul that He can impart His own thoughts to us. We may not

understand them, but there they are, they are given from God. Every right thought comes thence, no right thoughts are begotten in our own hearts, they come from God, He is the source of all that is good, of all that is blessed, of all that meets the need of His testimony here, and He it was who raised up Samuel.

But how blessed to be the vessel, as Hannah was, for the introduction of what is thus from God! As Mary, one so like her, said later, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word". Luke 1:38. What absolute submission in a vessel for the bringing in of what meets the requirements of the testimony of God! The history is well known to us: Hannah needed a child and she got him. It was a man-child she wanted, a son, and she got him. She had to wait for him, like the patriarch earlier, for God would have us value what He brings in. We may not value or care properly for our own children. Mary and Joseph for instance, the most honoured of all parents, could even travel a day's journey and think He was in the company and He was not. One wonders at Mary in this incident in view of all she knew about Jesus, none amongst women or men knew more for the moment. What a history was hers as that blessed Babe grew up year after year under her care; what an experience was hers, unwritten, unknown to all but God and herself! Think of the ways of that Babe, and the movements of that Boy, that young Man, year after year! What an experience was hers!

Hence we see how Hannah had to wait. God would make us wait for things so that we may value them when they come, for they come from Him. Whatever comes in here in the testimony is from heaven; whatever route it takes it is from heaven. But God makes us wait for things; the more you have to wait for them, the more you value them and

the more they will be to you when you get them. You see in the progenitors of Abraham that a man lived thirty-five and forty years and then begat sons and daughters, but when we come to Abraham, he had to live to a hundred before he gets a son; God will have even the patriarch, the great father, value his son when he gets him.

And so Hannah had to wait, but now having got the desire of her heart she weans him; note, she does it. It is not even said of Sarah that she weaned Isaac, it is said that he was weaned, that is, it is a question of his own state not of her doing. But what is said here is that Hannah weans the child, meaning that she did not want to attach him to herself. Her thought was to detach him from herself and to attach him to God and the house of God. It is the giving over of things in self-sacrificing love; that is what it is, like God who spared not His own Son, but gave Him for us all, as we are told. And so Hannah does it, she detaches him, she weans him from depending upon herself in order that he should be handed over to God.

And she brings with her a fitting sacrifice, three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a flask of wine. There is no want with her, no poverty of spirit; it is whole-hearted devotedness to meet the need. It is a crisis, and has to be met, and she meets it royally, for she has learned something from God, she has been with God, and she has acted like Him who spared not His own Son. As we know that we shall learn to give up, and give up what we cherish most, whatever it be; we shall give it up whole-heartedly, for God loves a cheerful giver. Hannah gave bountifully, too -- three bullocks, the meat-offering and the wine, all denoting a healthy flourishing spiritual state, a state that delights the heart of God.

It says of Samuel, "the boy was young". Why should that be said? It is quite obvious that he was

young, why then does the Spirit of God say he was young? To call attention to what is needful in such a crisis, not something old and worn out, not something sophisticated in the ways of this life, not that hard-hearted thing in us, the flesh, cultivated or sophisticated by experience, but something fresh and young that can take on impressions in the house of God.

But I pass on to the next woman, the wife of Phinehas the priest, in chapter 4. I shall comment on her very briefly. It is another crisis; it is a question of the state of the nation, the state of the people. They had thought that external forms would suffice to meet the Philistine attack, but external forms have in themselves no power. We may have the right order, all that belongs to the breaking of bread, the Lord's supper, baptism, ministry, no lack of anything in the way of light as externally right, but that is not power. We need more than that for power to meet the Philistine attack. The ark of God had been taken by the Philistines, for it was detached from the state that was becoming to it. God would thus warn us as to reliance on mere light and external order. At this juncture a son is born, a notable event, but not a word of appreciation is spoken of him, and yet it was an auspicious event; but there was no power to take advantage of what God had done. There was a merely negative state, no power to regard or to say anything as to the son, save that she named him Ichabod. There is light negatively in the name, but that is not much to say; very many say it today, but have not a word to say about what God has done or is doing. What has God done? Ichabod, you say; yes, the glory has departed. But what was in the dying woman's mind? The ark of God; yes, but also her father-in-law and her husband -- a mixed state of things. It is not thus that a crisis is met. Here is a son that is from God, a son born; a life, as

we say, in the midst of death, but why occupy us wholly with the death, with the glory having departed?

Is there not some possibility of glory in that son? You will observe that what I am dealing with is inability to take account of what there is of God. I have no doubt at all that Ichabod was rightly named, it was a proper name, but then it was purely negative. To say the glory is departing is a negative thing. What about that son born? Is that nothing? What I am occupied with now for the moment is that feature that shows itself in ability to take account of the little life there is; even a new-born babe is not to be ignored. May I not think of the possibility? The new-born, a man-child is something born into the world, are there no possibilities there? Certainly there are, and let us take account of them, however small the life may be. One regards this dying woman in her terrible circumstances, but she had only ability to say Ichabod, that is all, and that is not meeting the crisis. Can we think for a moment that God was indifferent to that crisis? Can we doubt for a moment that the birth of that man-child was an evidence of the power of God? Surely it was. However small things are, therefore, let us not be occupied with departed glory, but with the coming glory.

The glory had not gone for ever; the God of glory had appeared to Abraham; would He give up His thoughts? Never! Why not think a little of the coming glory; indeed, it is a word for the present moment, it is the coming glory that is before us, as it is said elsewhere, "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former". Haggai 2:9. Let us think of that. I was remarking of Shem and Japheth that they went backwards with a garment to cover their father's nakedness, their faces were in another direction, they were not occupied with their father's shame, they were looking in another direction. That other

direction implies the coming glory, for it is to the line of Shem that the glory appeared, that is, to Abraham. Let us then think of the coming glory and make the most of what there is, for we are not to quench the burning flax nor to break the bruised reed; whatever little there is, cultivate that, as Paul did, who gathered sticks to make a little more heat, to add warmth.

Now Abigail is a bright finish to the subject in this book. I want to show you how nobly a crisis may be met where the features of the assembly appear, for that is what Abigail represents. She was a woman of a good understanding and of a beautiful countenance; a fine introduction! And you get that with other dear holy women, for God loves to introduce them in their best features. I think that with Hannah, for instance, the Spirit of God shows us the effect of her sorrow and the depths of her feelings of sorrow in her song in chapter 2. It is called 'a prayer of the celebration of the power of God'. And here you have the introduction of this remarkable woman by the Spirit of God as a woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance.

What I would suggest is that that is how things are met. If you make a good impression at the start, if goes a long way. The same is said of David, he made an excellent impression; the first impression you make on a brother, if you have to do with him further, goes a long way. First impressions are hard to wear off, hence the importance of good ones. What is said of this woman -- Abigail -- is intended of God to convey the thought of a person who makes a good impression. It was said of David that as he appeared in the midst of his brethren he was ruddy, and "beautiful-eyed". 1 Samuel 16:12. What an impression he would make on you as he looked at you! He would inspire confidence in your heart. Indeed, one of the finest commendations you can get of any person is by the young man who commended David to Saul. He said,

He can play well, he is a valiant man and a man of war, and skilled in speech, and of a good presence. You see what an impression a man like that would make, how he would inspire confidence, how he would allay fears; in fact, evil spirits were driven away from Saul by the music of David. Is there nothing in that? It is not simply what I may say, but the music as that which appeals to the feelings and the affections, and that drives away the wicked spirits. How much there is of that amongst the people of God -- wicked spirits dominating us! for where the flesh is allowed the evil spirit is allowed, and he gets a footing in our meetings. Now how is that to be met? By the spirit of David; you see in him the impression that is made by spiritual power.

The story of Abigail is a long and beautiful one, well known to most of us, and it is to be noted that in meeting the crisis she supplies herself with plenty of provision; she has something to give. She makes an excellent impression by her appearance, but then besides that she has two hundred loaves, two bottles of wine, five sheep ready dressed, five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. Now you are facing a crisis that requires provision; it is not a question of the recovery of the ark, what is needed now is provision. David is demanding it, he had asked for it from Nabal, but he did not get it. There was a foolish man in the way; there was provision there and plenty of it, for he was a rich man, but his name was Nabal and folly was with him. One might enlarge upon this; in the book of Proverbs we learn what folly is, how it stands athwart the purpose and service of God. So here was plenty of provision, but a foolish man stood in the way.

It is a solemn thing to be standing in the way of what Christ demands, of what He expects, and of what He is entitled to. David asked for it in the

most gracious manner, but he was denied it, contemptuously denied it, but now it was forthcoming. Who will come forward in a crisis with the supply? Abigail had plenty, and see how she comes. She sends her servants on before; will they discredit her? Not at all, she had the utmost confidence in them. She was not trusting in herself alone, she had confidence in others, confidence that they would not misrepresent her, that they would not do as Nabal had done, incite the judgment of David. So she sent them ahead of her and she comes riding on an ass, all to denote what is suitable in such a crisis.

And then notice the correspondence with David: she comes down the hill and he comes down the hill. They are both coming down. This indicates the spirit which insures the settlement of every difficulty among the saints. There is humility in it. It is not a question of effort, but the liberty and power that belong to sons, for they come down as Christ comes down. The first movement is coming down, and then there is going up. He went down and has come up again, and has gone up into heaven. We do not come from the wretched counsels of partyism, that is not coming down, that is coming up, that is from beneath, that will never meet a crisis, however many may be in the party; it will never meet a crisis in the house of God. Abigail comes down and David comes down, they are both on the way down, and she met David and his company. See the dignity of it! The matter is soon settled; we settle things by coming down, that is to say, by being with God and thus refusing to maintain our dignity in matters of difficulty. The assembly will come down from God out of heaven in the millennium, as we speak of it, in all its glory. Well, Abigail met David and his servants, they were coming down and the matter was soon settled.

I need not go further into the details; I only touch on these points to show how the crisis was met, and

that instead of merely occupying David with the immediate circumstances that occasioned the matter, she enlarges in her remarks on David's own position. It is no longer a question of some party matter or local position even, it is a question of the position of Christ, and that typically is her theme, for the position of Christ is really the assembly's concern. What is Christ doing? What is He occupied in? Fighting the battles of Jehovah. We want to be with Him, that there should not be a stain upon His name here; that is to be our concern. "Bound in the bundle of life", and his enemies are to be driven out; "Them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling". Such is the contemptuous way she alludes to the adversaries of David. It is not a question of my enemy, it is Christ's enemy; her position here is in relation to the testimony of the Lord, what He is going on with. We want to be in that, and hence the crisis here is nobly met in that Abigail appeases David and Nabal is slain by God; God does the thing, for vengeance belongs to Him. The enemy was slain by Him, and Abigail becomes the wife of the king. How beautifully the features of the assembly appear, and how the Lord can own us here as we are made to subordinate our own feelings and thoughts, so that we might put on something of the character of the assembly in meeting the crisis. Thus the Lord sees in us something of the beauty that He admires, as it says, "So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him". Psalm 45:11.

"SIX DAYS BEFORE THE PASSOVER"

John 12:1,2; John 13:1 - 5; John 20:1,2

J.T. In these scriptures we see how the gospel of John is intended to lift us out of current religious settings, and to introduce us into what preceded them, in fact, what preceded everything, beginning with the first day of the week. I thought that we might gather up some suggestions in what I apprehend is the disregard of that which religious minds would make much of, and see, too, how the Lord in His own things acts outside of these things.

The gospel introduces the Lord as in the beginning; in the beginning He was there, personally there. What had come in later -- religious organisations -- had acquired a place, but John the evangelist shows that the Lord was free to act apart from these. Even in regard of John the baptist, the Lord began to serve before he was cast into prison. The other evangelists tell us that John was cast into prison before the Lord entered His service. In this gospel, too, there is the refusal to go to the feast of tabernacles, but He went up in the midst of it and taught; then on the last day of it He brings in what is greater than it -- rivers of living water flowing out. And so here in chapter 12, six days before the passover, an occasion which would fill everybody's mind, we see something that love devised for Himself six days before it. The other evangelists occupy us with the Lord Himself sending to prepare that He might keep the passover, but John says, "before the passover", chapter 13:1. There was a supper, without saying what it was, but the thing began before the passover. Then in chapter 20 we have that which is in the Lord's mind, things that happened on a certain day, a day which religionists were making nothing of, which did not fit in their

calendar at all; a day, "the first day of the week", which means that christianity is apart from the religious calendar altogether. It was not the end of something, but the beginning of what was new.

J.S. Bringing in something entirely new. On the final day of the feast of tabernacles, the great day, Jesus stood and cried, "If any man thirst", John 7:37 showing there was no refreshment in it. The passover was also viewed in that way in John, merely as an occasion of human religion.

P.L. We see the place it had in the Jewish mind in chapter 6:5. The Lord is engaging them in chapter 13 with another kind of feast.

J.T. That shows, as we were remarking, what the great religionists were preparing for, but this supper in chapter 12 comes in six days before the passover. As the Lord arrives at Bethany, the supper is made for Him; it was no religious ordinance at all, it was something done in love in honour of Christ.

W.W. What does Mary's action suggest to us; is it appreciation of the death of Christ?

J.T. She instinctively felt that He was going to die. She represents the intelligence of the saints as Lazarus represents the dignity -- a man raised from the dead by the Lord. Mary represents intelligence and affection; such affection and such dignity did not mark ordinary religious customs and observances.

Rem. In that way the passover in the mind of the Jews looked back; in the Lord's mind it looked forward; He was going to die.

J.T. Yes; the passover in the Lord's mind suggested the real significance of the thing, but John does not present it thus. It is rather brought in here to show that what is in the Lord's mind is something outside, or above it.

P.L. That which precedes.

J.T. Quite. The other evangelists show us what a place the passover had in the Lord's mind because

He wanted to keep it: "With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you". Luke 22:15. They connect christianity as to testimony with what existed before, like Rebekah in Sarah's tent; the three gospel writers had that in mind, but John had not; with him Eve fits as the type. What is before him is the new thing itself; what it is, the superiority of it, and to secure a continuance of it, something outside of all that preceded -- a new beginning. It is indeed what preceded all. "In the beginning was the Word". John 1:1. John presents, not a development in the ways of God, but what was in His mind before the world. It says the first day of the week twice over in John 20, as if that were the thought, a point reached where things could be done; the disciples being together, the Lord acts according to God's primary thoughts.

P.L. Jesus did not trust Himself to men because He knew all men, although they were at their best, so to speak, religiously. Does the untrustworthiness of the old show the Lord's mind in bringing in everything new?

J.T. In the beginning of chapter 3 new birth comes in; being born again is that which underlies trustworthiness. In new birth God begins over again, but it is to effect what He had in mind from the outset.

Ques. Does this show the greatness of the Person of the Son of God?

J.T. The gospel comes in in that way -- "In the beginning was the Word". John 1:1. Then we read that He made everything and that in Him was life and that He became flesh. He, the sent One is doing the things Himself, He was sent here on God's account, but He is doing the works. He came in after John the baptist historically, but John says, He "is preferred before me: for he was before me". John 1:15. Again, "Before Abraham was, I am". John 8:58. These passages show what is in view in John.

Rem. He is before all things, as we get in Colossians.

J.T. He began to minister before John was cast into prison. As the Son, as coming from heaven, He must be above all; but in the other gospels He regards what was there before Him.

Ques. Do you suggest that this line of ministry is necessary because we are naturally religious, and the Lord has to bring in what is greater in order to free us?

J.T. Yes. Religious customs have a great place in people's minds, so that we have to go back to the beginning to see what christianity was; how outside of man's religion it was, and that it is now what it was then, there is no change in it. So in John's epistle we have that which was from the beginning. In chapter 10 of the gospel we read that the Lord left them and went away to where "John was baptising at the first: and he abode there ... And many believed on him there". John 10:40. He began over again according to what the beginning was, there was nothing different, it was the same thing.

P.L. Colossians 2 is in contrast to accredited religion, is it not?

J.T. Quite so; for in Colossians it is not that He is made Head, but that He is Head of the assembly; it is a question of what He is personally; He is before all things, and He takes precedence of everything.

Ques. Does this scene in John 12 indicate what was coming in?

J.T. It is on a lower level than chapter 20. Here He came into Bethany where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom He raised from the dead, meaning that what He had in mind was the persons who were there. In Matthew it says, "Being in Bethany, in Simon the leper's house". Matthew 26:6. It does not say He came. We have to take account of those two

features. The Lord may come to a place because of the persons who are there, because of what they are, such as Lazarus; but He may come in for other reasons, because He moves among the golden candlesticks, and we know that He moves about there in the garb of a judge; He may be in a locality for any reason. "Being in Bethany", He may have been in the same house, but it does not say He came specially into the house of Simon.

Ques. Would you say the Spirit has a peculiar delight in suggesting the things seen in John's gospel?

J.T. The Spirit would emphasise the greatness of the saints in John, what they are in the Lord's mind. Lazarus of Bethany was of that town, he is characteristically a local man, but not in the character of a leper. Doubtless he was a sinner like Simon, and was known in the place as a sinner like the rest of us, because we are all that, all lepers, but the Lord is not viewing him in that light here, but from the standpoint of a risen man, what he is under the Lord's eye. He is therefore characteristically a local man, but a man who was dead, as it says, "the dead man Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from among the dead"; that was his dignity, and the Lord came in connection with him. Someone has remarked that Scripture never says that Lazarus said anything; but the great thing is that he was of Bethany; the Lord Jesus loved him and the Lord Jesus raised him from the dead. There was not another man in Bethany like him, he had an extraordinary history, but his history does not consist in what he said, his history was viewed from the standpoint that he was of Bethany, that Jesus loved him, and that he was sick and died, and Jesus raised him from the dead.

Ques. Does this correspond with the work of God in a person's soul -- being risen with Christ -- according to Colossians?

J.T. Yes; I think it would. "Ye are dead". Colossians 3:3. "If ye then be risen with Christ ... set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" Colossians 3:1,2.

-- it is being brought into correspondence with that. But the Lord comes to Bethany; in that connection it is not so much the resurrection of Christ that is in view, but the bearing of resurrection now, our being "risen with him through the faith of the operation of God". Colossians 2:12. Lazarus is still within the view of men, and people believed on the Lord Jesus because of him. He is seen in the chapter lower down in relation to the Lord; they came also to see Lazarus, they do not come to see him by himself; Jesus being there, they came to see Him, but also Lazarus, that is, Lazarus in relation to Jesus.

Ques. Coming to Bethany, does that suggest a condition attractive to Him?

J.T. Yes; but on the other hand He may be in a locality without you being the object of it.

Rem. In the official garb, there may be conditions that necessitate that.

J.T. Samuel judged Israel and went round in a circuit. The Lord is seen in Revelation in that character. He said, "I will ... fight against them with the sword of my mouth", Revelation 2:16. There are the means with Him of dealing with evil.

Ques. How does that work out practically?

J.T. It is a question of the state of the saints, and something comes about bringing home their local conditions, that local conditions are not right; and then the Lord acts, sending by His angel, meaning that He comes in in a representative way. He says in Revelation, "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify these things to you in the assemblies" Revelation 22:16; it was Himself, but in a representative way. We are taught in Matthew's gospel how this representative ministry goes on; angels are introduced at the tomb, but properly the dispensation is to be marked by representation in men, though there is angelic ministry.

Normally representative ministry is through men such as Paul, as he says, "Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me". 2 Corinthians 13:3. The Lord Himself being in him he could say, "Jesus Christ has been portrayed crucified among you". Galatians 3:1. The Son of God was revealed in him, the Son of God was in him, reflected in him. This principle of representation is a very important one, because the Lord by it can bring in judicial dealings as well as the ministry of love.

Rem. One would have to be very near the Lord to be used by Him at any given moment.

J.T. Quite. We have been noticing how we have in cities those whom He can use, such as Ananias in Damascus.

P.L. Would Paul represent these two thoughts? In writing to the Corinthians his first letter, he had to bring in what was judicial, as representative of the Lord. Then in his letter to Philemon he says, "Prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers". Philemon 1:22. Is that the idea more of Paul as representing the Lord attracted by conditions in the locality?

J.T. Just so. The first letter to the Corinthians he sent by Timotheus; he did not come himself, but sent a representative; he was ready to come, however, but he waited till conditions were right for him, because if he came himself he would have to use the rod.

Ques. What would be the safeguard in assuming you are sent to a district where there may be trouble, in regard of one's local setting?

J.T. It is important to qualify, to be sent, because the principle of ministry should be carried on in that way. Take a man like Isaiah; he goes a good way in his prophecy before he tells us his own history with God. In chapter 6 he tells us how he himself was brought to God. He says. "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up", Isaiah 6:1 and it was in the

year that king Uzziah died. That kind of man died, for he was not the kind of man whom God could use. That was the beginning of Isaiah's history in service; he got a view of the Lord in that relation. And then he is cleansed; he sees the means of cleansing; things that are in relation to all that is of God -- His holiness, the altar and the seraphim. And one of the seraphim flew unto him; he acted with intelligence, and he had in his hand a glowing coal, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; that is, the fire was burning, the judgment of God was there, but the seraph took the coal by the tongs, meaning that he could not do anything, for the Lord Himself alone could endure the judgment. Thus his iniquity was taken away. And then the prophet heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send?" and Isaiah said, "Here am I; send me". Isaiah 6:8. That is the idea of being sent; there is no doubt about the judgment of God in regard of sin, you yourself are cleansed, but you are conscious that you have to watch your lips in what you are going to say, in dealing with evil.

Ques. Would you say it is a very important point hearing the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send?"

J.T. It is indeed. "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then he is told what to say, but it was a most terrible message, "Go; and thou shalt say unto this people, Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand". Isaiah 6:9. And Isaiah went. But there is the remnant, the holy seed; God has acted, and there was the seed, "But a tenth part shall still be therein, and it shall return and be eaten; as the terebinth and as the oak whose trunk remaineth after the felling: the holy seed shall be the trunk thereof" Isaiah 6:13; the holy seed was that which could be relied on. But to refer again to John 12, the first thought I had was how the Lord comes to localities; coming in after the glory of God and the Son of God having been glorified, so

that there might be an opportunity to show what was there. He came in relation to that; the result shows that He recognised and knew what was there. There they made Him a supper; they do it, but in that locality.

P.E. Is that the evidence of recovery?

J.T. Surely. A very different Bethany from what it was when He stayed away two days from it.

P.E. He comes to the locality.

J.T. It says He remained two days where He was without moving until Lazarus had died and was buried and had been four days in the grave. Chapter 12 is not, as in chapter 11, "Let us go to him", John 11:15 but He came to Bethany; it is the place now.

Ques. Is it the result of His glory having shone out that conditions are suitable for Him there?

J.T. Exactly; that is the idea.

P.L. With regard to Bethany, there is no further allusion to localities after the mention of Bethany in John 12; does that suggest completeness in regard of localities in Christ as Head, as seen in Colossians? When you touch Ephesians it is rather universal ground.

J.T. Just so. You have that principle set out. So that as a brother remarked just now, "Jesus knowing ... and that he came out from God and was going to God". So in chapter 13:16 Jesus says, "The bondman is not greater than his lord, nor the sent greater than he who has sent him". John 13:16 It is a question of being sent.

L.S. The disciples were sent out in chapter 20; they would be in the good of all these chapters.

J.T. That is very important, showing what the thought of the whole gospel is in regard of service. We are brought into correspondence with Christ, "As the Father sent me forth, I also send you" John 20:21; and then He breathed into them; so that as sent

they were qualified by His Spirit being breathed into them.

L.S. "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them". John 20:23.

Rem. The appreciation of the glory of Christ brings about affection and intelligence in the saints.

J.T. Quite; it is what should mark the assembly. The assembly is set up here in the light of the glory; that is the kind of thing. The assembly is gathered in the light of the glory of Christ. The position at Bethany suggests the assembly, but not on the same level as chapter 20. The latter chapter bears universally. Bethany is a locality, the kind of thing that the Lord values; the result of the shining of the glory in a locality. Lazarus was said to be of Bethany, and that it was the town of Martha and Mary; these three came from the town.

Ques. Would the last clause of verse 2 show the link with Christ in that little company?

J.T. "There they made him a supper". Not simply that they did it, but that they did it there.

P.L. We learn in a locality what we have in Christ.

J.T. The question is whether we are in our locality, whether I am in mind when the Lord comes to it. If Lazarus were absent it would be serious, hence one should not be out of one's locality except legitimately.

In Acts 1 we read who they were who were abiding in Jerusalem, who were 'staying' there. The divine idea is to bring in the thought of locality and persons in it who hold things for the Lord.

Ques. Do you suggest that not only it is recovery to God personally, but it is recovery to Him positionally in regard to the locality?

J.T. Yes, I think that is how it stands; the principle of christianity is that light comes to you where you are; you are enlightened where you are, and you are identified as in that place. You are, so

to speak, "among these that stand by", Zechariah 3:7.

P.E. What you are bringing before us would make us sensitive as to localities.

J.T. In Luke 11 a man is on a journey, and he comes late at night, at midnight. He is on a journey, showing that he has got something definite before him, but coming late at night the question is, Am I ready for him? He says he is a friend of mine (Luke 11:6); that comes in after chapter 10, where the Samaritan is on a journey; the Lord is a great journeyer. So with Abraham, God appeared to him in Mesopotamia, but then He comes to him on another occasion in the heat of the day -- three men come; they are standing near to him, but they do not come to stay, they were on a journey and Abraham knew that they were passing on. So in Luke 11, "A friend of mine in his journey is come to me". Luke 11:6. The furnishings were lacking, but he saw to it that he got what he needed; he asked persistently for exactly what he wanted, and he got it.

Ques. When it is a question of being sent, does the Lord indicate the persons?

J.T. The Acts gives the best illustration of it, "Separate me now Barnabas and Saul". Acts 13:2. The time had come for that. Barnabas and Saul had been there a whole year.

P.L. "In the assembly which was there" Acts 13:1; then you get "separate me now", now is a definite moment.

P.E. Were they sent forth as brethren?

J.T. They were let go by the brethren. Christendom ignores that; the "churches" send out missionaries, but this is unscriptural. Barnabas and Saul were let go by the brethren, but "sent forth by the Holy Spirit". Acts 13:4.

Ques. Is that what forms true manhood before God? In Genesis 24 it is Abraham's servant who goes forth, then the thought is afterwards changed to

a man at the well, Rebekah calls him a man not a servant.

P.L. The servants are regarded by the Lord in John 17 as "the men whom thou gavest me" John 17:6; manhood is in relation to the commission.

J.T. It is not only that I am sent, but I am representative. As sent I am great enough to represent the Lord. Man was made in the image and likeness of God, meaning that he can represent God as being like Him; not only have I a letter of credit, but I am like the person whom I represent.

Rem. It is remarkable you should say that, because it is in John's gospel that the Lord in speaking of the Father tells them that they had never seen "his shape", John 5:37.

J.T. No; but He says, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father". John 14:9.

P.E. They let them go from Antioch.

J.T. It was sacrificing love. They did not want to get rid of them like a troublesome brother.

P.E. In the case of Lazarus the Lord says, "Loose him and let him go". John 11:44.

J.T. He can be trusted; he is not told where to go; the young man -- the widow's son in Luke 7 -- is delivered up to his mother to be cared for. "That they who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died for them, and has been raised". 2 Corinthians 5:15. Lazarus did not live to himself henceforth, he was found in Bethany when the Lord came there, and sat at the table with them.

Rem. It is the spirit of the sent One in chapter 12, how the Lord serves in love.

J.T. That is the idea. He represents God. "No one hath seen God at any time". John 1:18. "He who is of God, he has seen the Father". John 6:46. If you have seen the Father, you can, as one "who is of God", represent Him; the apostles were of God, so that they were representative.

Rem. The Lord tells them not merely what to do, but He shows them how to do it.

J.T. Quite. It is a service of love that reflects what God is. Chapter 20 begins with the first day of the week, meaning that there is nothing before it, it is before everything else morally, not actually but morally the first day. The Lord is before all things in Colossians, so christianity is not the tail end of anything, or going back to old or heathen customs, or to things that existed before.

P.L. Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.

J.T. Quite. The idea of Colossians is something that God had prepared beforehand for our glory -- all that enters into the first day of the week.

Ques. Is Mary Magdalene the completion of the work of God, as Nicodemus is the beginning of it, in John's gospel?

J.T. She represents the best, that is, one who comes into the greatest light and privilege through affection.

Rem. The Lord appeared to her in resurrection.

J.T. There is much more than that in John. Here it is, "On the first day of the week Mary of Magdala comes"; that is a fine setting! See how she is set up in relation to the very best thoughts of God; the Lord comes to her as the "hind of the morning". Mary comes on the first day of the week before dawn, not at the end of the sabbath as in the other gospels.

J.S. She showed sensibilities answering to Himself.

J.T. A great honour is conferred upon her by the Spirit, for this is written many years after. "The first day of the week Mary of Magdala comes in early morn to the tomb, while it was still dark, and sees the stone taken away".

Rem. So that love would be her incentive, she would come up from her locality.

J.T. It is not locality here; it is beyond that, I think. It is not even where the disciples were gathered, but where they were. Bethany represents localities. When you come to John 20 you are in the realm of eternity, looking into it; it is not a question of where you are, or where the disciples were gathered. We move out of the locality into the realm of the Spirit.

P.L. Like John in the Isle of Patmos, who was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, he was let into eternity.

'And see, the Spirit's power,
Has ope'd the heav'nly door'. (Hymn 74).

He hears the voice behind him and he turned back to see.

Ques. Would you say that the kind of person who is in the good of John 12 enjoys this portion?

J.T. Mary Magdalene is in the forefront of the wonderful picture that the first day of the week involves; John 20:1.

P.L. John puts her in contrast to himself.

J.T. He and Peter went to their own home, she did not.

P.L. A man who is named in love can use love to manifest its object -- Christ; John did it at his own expense.

J.T. Peter and John ran together, so far to the good. See how far we can go and have fellowship together, and yet come short of the divine thought. They went to their own home, the natural circle. In chapter 2 the Lord disallows His mother's claim; and at the end of chapter 7 they all went to their own homes, Jesus went to the mount of Olives. Here even Peter and John went away again to their own home, and that after the experience of fellowship in having run together and having found the tomb empty, save for the linen cloths lying. Mary is set up in the perfection of the truth; she is on the ground

where love meets love, and was morally greater than those to whom the message was sent.

J.S. The light of Christ risen in the soul gives the thought of completeness as to locality; in Colossians you are complete; the normal history of the soul after that is that you enter into the eternal day.

J.T. You see the way that God balances things amongst us. Take a man like Paul, the great apostle being taught by Ananias; he would never forget that, and he would have to admit that light came to him through a man like that. Then the eleven would never deny that they got the greatest light they ever had through a woman; we are balanced thus. We have to come back to it that Mary Magdalene got the message.

This chapter reminds one of the peculiar lights in the house of Solomon, very narrow outside, but widening out inside; 1 Kings 6:4 (margin). A woman comes in and brings the message -- no ecclesiastic or church dignitary -- a very small thing outside, but the light inside broadening out into eternity.

Rem. So what we see in this gospel is that God would work to attach our hearts to Christ in contrast to religious systems.

J.T. Yes. That is the object of the Spirit of God in John's gospel.

SUBJECTION

1 Corinthians 15:24 - 28; Luke 1:38 - 40; Luke 4:38,39; Luke 24:8,9

The thought of subjection is before me, and so I have liberty in calling attention to 1 Corinthians, which epistle is intended specifically to impress upon us the necessity of subjection to God and to Christ. It will be remembered that it is said that "the assembly is subjected to the Christ" Ephesians 5:24, which passage refers to the mind of God for her; the work of God in her leads to that, but the mind of God is clear that she is subjected to Christ.

But what is thus purposed in the mind of God for the assembly is set out in the Lord Himself first, indeed, we may say that everything that God indicates as His mind for us is seen first in Christ. The types help us in this respect, as in others. The pattern of the tabernacle refers to Him; no one really could build the tabernacle, save Moses, for although he had specifications and delivered them to the people, yet he alone had seen the pattern of it; that is, he had an impression of it inwardly, as having seen it, so that while the specifications are given with the utmost detail, what he saw on the mount was the standard. What is seen, therefore, on the mount refers typically to Christ. What is presented to us by the inspired pens of the four evangelists -- men fitted for the work -- is ever to be in view in the epistles, so that what is indicated as the mind of God in regard to the assembly is to be traced for its perfection in Christ, for it is in Him you get the perfection. We get an allusion in this passage, in 1 Corinthians 15, not only to what was in Christ as here in the flesh, but to what is in Him, and what shall ever be in Him for ever, that is, subjection. Not, of course, that there was anything

to be subdued in Him; there was no will contrary to God with Him, I need not say, but as becoming man He was to set forth what God had designed that man should be.

We have to think of what God's conception of man was and is, for after all Adam is but the figure of Him that was to come. Thus all that we get in the Old Testament relative to man, to his creation, and to the divine thoughts as to him, had in view what God had in His mind. It could never have been fully presented until the Son became man. There were indications of it in the figures and in the men of faith, but the men of faith did not refer back to Adam for their model. The glimmerings of what God had in His mind that came out in these men were the outcome of what God brought to their attention in the way of testimony. Not that they could have defined what came before them, but God in His wise ways brought to their attention certain things which elicited from them suggestions of Christ, and so we have inklings in the men of faith throughout the Old Testament of what God's mind was in regard of man. The Lord refers to Abraham as rejoicing to see His day, and he saw it, showing how God answered holy desires, and in answering them elicited from the men of faith that which suggests Christ as in His mind. We read of another "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt". Hebrews 11:26. That also arose from certain circumstances in the history of Moses, not that he would have named these things as representative of Christ, but the Spirit of God does.

There were thus inklings, as I said, brought out, but all looking forward to what is in the mind of God being presented perfectly, not in type or shadow or even in substance partially as in the men of faith, but in completeness; for every feature of man as in the mind of God took form and manifested itself in

Christ. It was largely a life of secret history, as we may call it, for the inspired pen touches but lightly on the history of Christ until He was thirty years of age. It was known better perhaps to Mary than to others, but known to God. Every feature of man thus shone under God's eye. We get just a little glimpse of Him at the age of twelve, indeed, it is said that He was under man's eye at the age of twelve, for we are told that He grew in favour with God and man, but generally it was secret history, that is, it was for God. So that in Luke 3 we are told that when all the people were baptised "Jesus also being baptised, and praying, the heaven was opened" (as if all were culminating there) "and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased". Luke 3:21,22. That is the announcement of heaven of the divine pleasure and complete satisfaction in what had come under its eye in that Man in private life.

And so in His public life the principle of subjection shines everywhere. It is man's place. What He is personally shines, too. We are not left in any doubt whatever as to His Person, as to who is there. No one could answer as man to the mind of God save a divine Person -- His Son, One really and truly a Man, sin apart. What comes out in 1 Corinthians 15 is the continuance of that marvellous fact, that He remains a Man and will remain a Man for ever, and He is occupied in bringing about what marked Himself. He sets out the idea and then brings it about; and each of us may be assured that what He is set on and is working out in each of us is subjection. Let no one be deceived about that. He is patient and persistent, and He has various means and resources at His command to carry out what is before Him, and He will carry on His work with each of us, and with the assembly, until the pattern is worked out in its

entirety. Everything is to be according to the pattern shown on the mount. He is most persistent in it; and it is well to be aware of the fact that He has all the means at His command to carry out His will, that is to say, to bring about in us what has been set forth in Himself under God's eye.

It is striking that in this epistle, which is intended to enforce subjection, the end is referred to: "then cometh the end". The end with every one of us is that the completion of the principle of subjection is wrought out in us, for God can do nothing with us as instruments or vessels until that principle is made good in us. It is in a subject vessel that God works out His thoughts. We get the anointing, and then we get the ministry in this epistle, but there must be subjection, so that the apostle says, in coming to the subject of the Supper, "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread". 1 Corinthians 11:23. What he has received of the Lord is before us in the Supper. It was received of the Lord by Paul, and delivered to the Corinthians without any addition or innovation, and it is intended to convey the Lord's authority, and He will have subjection. Following upon that, we have the merging of the saints into one body by the Spirit. How are we merged? Only as we are subject. Apart from subjection, the Lord's supper must become a dead letter, and the truth of the assembly as the body of Christ is nothing but a mere theory apart from subjection, because we are all baptised in the power of one Spirit into one body. How could He merge me so that I am among them save as I am subject? However distinguished by gift or otherwise one may be, the principle of the baptism of the Spirit is merging, so that each finds his place in the body; and then it says we "have been all made to drink into one Spirit". 1 Corinthians 12:13. We are in the thing happily. If I have drunk into it, I am in

the thing happily; I am satisfied with that into which I have been introduced.

And then there is the anointing. "So also is the Christ" 1 Corinthians 12:12; that is the order. Then in chapter 14 we have the brethren together in subjection; they are so together in spirit, and there is such fine sensitiveness, that if one is speaking and something is revealed to another sitting by, the one speaking discerns it. That fine sensibility all arises from subjection, each finding his place in the body by the Spirit, so that there is no room for the action of our wills. Think of reaching such a state of things among the brethren that the Spirit of God is free to reveal something to another, and the one speaking is conscious of it! What fine sensibilities these are!

In chapter 15 the apostle finishes the subject of subjection by bringing in the Lord at the end -- what He is at the end. One might well ask what I am going to be at the end, for it is the end that counts, as has often been remarked. What about the Lord Jesus at the end? Think of all these centuries of service in effecting this subjection! Now what about Himself? He delivers up the kingdom to God, even the Father. How restful the heart is as one sees that handed back, without any addition, or subtraction, unalloyed in the least degree, handed back to Him who is God and Father! And "then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all". There will be the continuance throughout eternity of this great principle of subjection, and how important to be in accord with it now. The Lord would have us in accord now with what is going to remain permanently. The Son Himself exhibits in the most perfect manner the mediatorial place that He has taken; He is "subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all". We see how the divine thought is perpetuated eternally -- God and man having their respective

places. The Son remains the Son, but He has taken a place as Man, and He retains it in the most palpable manner in that He is said to be subject to Him who has subjected all things to Him.

Now I want to show you how Luke outlines this principle in certain women, because the female side in the Scriptures is in the main to bring out this principle of subjection. Not, of course, that it is limited to them, for it applies to us all, and works up to the assembly. The assembly is to be subjected to Christ, and Luke shows how the thing is worked out by presenting certain women as illustrative of it.

The first great model is Mary, the Lord's mother, a young woman. What a perfect model she is for all young sisters and all young christians! for, as I said, the female side being introduced is only to emphasise the principle of subjection, for from the outset of creation the woman had that place. And so Mary represents the principle of subjection, hence she says, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word". How that should appeal to the young people, and to all of us! There was perfect submission and intelligence. She had an interview with one of the greatest dignitaries in the service of God in heaven, for we rarely get the name of an angel, but Gabriel is mentioned twice by name in this chapter. "In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth". Luke 1:26. And he conversed with this young woman. She was greatly honoured and she knew it. Zacharias had been similarly honoured, but failed in it. The honour is not enough; the advantage is not enough. Zacharias had a conversation with the same Gabriel, and in surroundings that should have impressed him with the divine requirements, in the holy place, at the right side of the altar of incense, and yet he was unbelieving, and was made dumb. We are thus reminded of the solemnity of a divine overture when

it is not believed and submitted to. Hence Mary stands out here as a model for us: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word". She has not a question. And then, as if the Spirit of God would enhance her obedience, it says, "And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste ... and saluted Elizabeth". That is what marks subjection -- moral elevation. You will not descend to the level of the world; you may descend in testimony, but not for fellowship, friendship, or society. It was a question of society with Mary.

What a lovely scene you get in the hill country! The hill country here refers to moral elevation, where the society of the people of God is found. We can picture to ourselves the delightful converse between these holy women, and so it is that subjection to the Lord is sure to be followed by an ascent. Mary was not looking for the society and companionship of this world; she sought the society that was becoming to her as thus honoured by divine communications, and so she salutes Elizabeth -- a fellow-subject of divine honour. All that follows only pictures to us what is within the reach of those who are subject to Christ -- that is, communications by the Spirit and a prophetic word.

I want to continue what we have been considering as to Mary in connection with the mother-in-law of Simon. It was a very great advantage to Simon to have such a mother-in-law. She gave an excellent lead in service. The Lord left the synagogue and entered into the house of Simon, the passage says, and his mother-in-law was taken with a great fever. She is a type of many of us, although believers, perturbed, feverish, unable, unwilling and indisposed to serve, but rather expecting to be served. And He stood over her. It is a question of subjection, of such a person learning subjection to Christ. She would look

up at Him as He stood over her. Many of us are not ready to look up at people, but we rather look down on them. You will remember how Zacchaeus in chapter 19 of this same gospel placed himself in a position from which he would look down on the Lord. That will not do. Perhaps you say, I would not look down on the Lord. But maybe you look down on persons who are morally your superiors, and you despise them. You must learn to look up to the Lord and to those who are morally your superiors, or you will never find your place in the assembly.

The Lord stood over this woman. What happened? He rebuked the fever. There was a voice of authority. He was not rebuking her; He could rebuke her if she needed it, but it was a question of the disease that had to be dealt with. Much could be said on that head. Many of us need to be rebuked because we go beyond the disease. We say, It is a disease. If a disease, then the disease has to be dealt with, but if it is will then the person has to be dealt with. We must distinguish between a disease and will. When it is a question of will the person has to be rebuked, but it is only love that can do that. Those who sin, we are told, are to be rebuked, or convicted, before all; 1 Timothy 5:20. It takes moral authority to do that, but then according to this evangelist, the Lord gave power to His disciples to heal diseases and sick persons. A disease may be an epidemic in a place. We do get epidemics in a district, and then we get sick persons. In the case before us it is not an epidemic, but one sick person in the house, and the Lord rebuked the fever and it left her. That was a new experience, and what marked the operation was the authority and the moral dignity of the Lord as He stood over her and rebuked the fever.

I have said all this to show you the effect in her -- "and forthwith standing up she served them". That is the next thing; she is not partial in her service.

You might say, She would surely serve the One who helped her, but the principle is to serve "without partiality". The Lord would rather she served them than confine her service to Him, because He would teach us that principle -- impartiality. As brought into subjection to Christ, we see how He serves, as He says, "I am among you as he that serveth". Luke 22:25. He did not discriminate; He served them all, and so did Simon's mother-in-law.

Time would fail to go over all the ground. There are several women in this gospel who illustrate this principle. There is the woman at the end of chapter 7. How beautifully she illustrates it! She stood behind the Lord, content to be there; it was no question of drawing out praise from Him or making a show before Him; she stood behind Him, and she began to wash His feet, and to wipe them with her hair, just as He Himself began to wash His disciples' feet. It is the beginning that is emphasised. You see how according to 1 Corinthians 11 the principle of subjection was there in that woman in the most beautiful manner, and she kissed His feet and anointed them with myrrh. She is in advance of Simon's mother-in-law; it is not serving all now, but a worshipful spirit; She is absorbed with Christ, but on the principle of subjection; not that of making herself prominent, or calling His attention to what she is doing; it was behind Him. And how beautifully He vindicates her!

The next woman is in chapter 8 of this same gospel -- the woman who had the issue of blood. I touch on her in connection with the principle of transparency in subjection. She came behind Him and touched the border of His garment, and she was healed immediately. But she did it secretly, and the Lord will not have things that way. He says, "Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me". Luke 8:46. It is a question of formation. Something had gone out of Him and entered into her. It is the

principle of formation, for the assembly is of Christ. This woman would have no one to know what happened, but the assembly is for the display and expression of Christ, and that is not to be secret but public. And so He says, "Somebody hath touched me". Luke 8:46. I speak of this because there is among the saints so much secretiveness and hiding, not only what is good but what is bad. We must be transparent. The body is for the expression of Christ as His formation, and how could this woman be an expression of Christ if she is hiding the effect in her of the virtue that went out from Christ? She thought to get away in the crowd, although she knew in herself that she was healed, but the Lord would not let her go like that. "Somebody hath touched me", He says. "And the woman, seeing that she was not hid, came trembling, and falling down before him declared before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was immediately healed". Luke 8:46,47. And then He says to her, "Daughter". That is to say, she is owned as in the family -- a new feature. The next woman is Mary of Bethany; chapter 10. She is a well-known figure, on which I need not enlarge, but her case is most beautifully constructive in regard to this matter. She is sitting at the Lord's feet and listening to His word. Among other services His word cleanses, and she represents the assembly in that way. It is said that Christ loved the assembly, and it is also said that He loved Mary; she had that honoured place. "Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing". Ephesians 5:25 - 27. In our subjection we have to listen to Christ or we shall not be purified to suit Him. We may pass muster among the brethren, but it is a question here of being purified to suit Him, and instructed, too, in order that defects

and all that would be contrary to that beauty which He looks for may be removed, that we should be "not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing". Ephesians 5:27. Is it not worth while listening to Christ? Look at the way women devote themselves to personal adornment. One of the most pitiable spectacles is to see the time and expense devoted by women in attempting to beautify the eyes, lips, and so forth, which is so derogatory to the beauty that God has put upon them. Let Him beautify you; let Him do it! Mary chose that good part in listening to His word. Things are brought about by listening to His word. He would say to you, 'This is exactly my mind for you'; and what beautification that would imply! You would come out like Himself by sitting at His feet and hearing His word.

The woman in chapter 13 is remarkable. She is made straight. That is another feature of great importance. Whilst one is in subjection to Christ one learns righteousness. The Lord says, "whom Satan has bound, lo, these eighteen years". Luke 13:16. She had not looked up to God in that time. Now He puts His hands upon her. First He calls her to Him, and then He lays His hands upon her, and immediately she is made straight and glorifies God. I do not wish to cast disparagement upon the sisters, but how rare it is to get a woman who glorifies God -- or a brother, for that matter. It is a rare thing to find one who glorifies God. We have here the constructive idea as to subjection continued. The Lord puts both His hands on her, that is, there is complete identification with her so as to make her like Himself -- answering to the mind of God -- and she glorifies God.

In connection with the last chapter, I only wish to point out that these women who went to the sepulchre and saw the two men and heard them speak about the Lord, returned to the eleven. The two men had reminded them of what the Lord had said,

"He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spoke to you ... And they remembered his words". Luke 24:6,8. There is refreshment of memory. One feels as one gets older how things may slip from the mind. Inaccuracy is very dangerous in the things of God; one has to be more and more dependent on the Spirit to be accurate. The things of God require accuracy and we are dependent on the Spirit for that, hence we are told that the Holy Spirit would bring to their remembrance the things that Jesus said. We have minds given to us of God, and we are responsible to keep by the Spirit the things that are said. The two men remind them of what the Lord had said about the resurrection, and "they remembered his words". How happy to cultivate the habit of remembering the words of Christ! The Lord's supper is intended to help us in that way, that is, to keep the best before us. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever". Hebrews 13:8. What He said is equal to what He is saying. What He said He is still saying; every word is of value; it is all gold, and nothing is to be forgotten.

And then it says, "and returned ... and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest", showing that the principle of subjection is carried forward. The eleven represent the authority of Christ. Judas had gone, but the authority of Christ remained, and these women recognised where the authority was. They went and told the eleven, meaning that they were placing the information where it would be best cared for, where it would add to what was already there. They were contributors. Is it not the Lord's mind that we should be contributors? Surely it is. What am I if I am not a contributor? They told the eleven and the rest, principally the eleven. "The rest" were not at the Lord's supper. There is nothing said about any at the Lord's supper save the twelve apostles; this evangelist

emphasises that -- "and the twelve apostles with him". Luke 22:14. There will be no unanswered questions about the Lord's supper if we listen to the twelve apostles. Why has there been so much controversy in connection with it? The early christians had no difficulty about it; "They continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers". Acts 2:42. They had no difficulties about the Lord's supper. The apostles could answer any questions in regard to it, for they were authoritative witnesses. Think of the hideous distortion there is of the thing today, the working of man's will and mind, and of Satan, too! The apostles' doctrine has been thrown overboard, but the Lord intended that there should be a testimony here which should be undeniable in regard to it. Ask Peter what the Lord did; he could tell you, and so could John, and so could James; they could all tell you. And so these women bring the testimony of the two men to the eleven; they place it where it can be made of best use; and then later on in connection with the two restored from Emmaus we see the same thing. They find the eleven gathered together and those who were with them; and they tell them what has happened, and "how he was known of them in breaking of bread". Luke 24:35. We see how the principle of subjection is carried through by this evangelist, and all to the end that the assembly should exist practically here, so that there should be that which the Lord can use in His testimony -- that there should be an anointed vessel, that which represents Him here.

THE SERVICE OF GOD (1)

Romans 1:9; Romans 7:6,25; Romans 12:1

J.T. I have been thinking of the service of God, and in considering the subject, I thought it would be wise to look at Romans first, as conveying the initial idea concerning it, and then, perhaps, later we may look at it in a deeper sense as presented elsewhere, in connection with priesthood. The epistle to the Romans deals with the subject rather extensively in an initial way, reminding us that the service of God belonged primarily to Israel; the apostle, in chapter 9, tells us that the service belonged to them.

These passages in Romans show how christians come into the service of God in a practical way. The apostle, at the beginning, tells us that God was his witness whom he served in his spirit in the glad tidings of His Son, showing that it works out from the inner man. Service as in the hands of christians does not consist in mere outward forms; we begin with our spirits.

Then in chapter 7 we see how it is to be "in newness of spirit", and also that in the service we recognise God's law; then finally, in chapter 12, it is carried on in an intelligent way -- "which is your intelligent service". We know what we are doing.

H.H. "Israel is my son, my firstborn .... Let my son go, that he may serve me" Exodus 4:22,23; would that come into line with what you have before you?

J.T. Well, it does; it presents the mind of God as to the kind of persons who are to serve. Romans, I think, prepares us, as leading us into sonship, for that service. I thought that we might take it up from that point of view in our next reading -- that is, that it is based really on sonship. The apostle, I suppose, illustrates that truth more than any other

did, in that he served God in the glad tidings of His Son in his spirit. Galatians opens up to us the truth of sonship as apprehended by Paul, and prepares us for this great service, which I hope we may be able to look at later from Leviticus.

Ques. What is the difference between "my spirit" and "newness of spirit"?

J.T. "My spirit" would be the man himself. "Newness of spirit" is that I serve in a new way -- in the spirit of the service in contrast with the letter of it; "not in the oldness of the letter".

Rem. "The old" was what he had been engaged in previously.

J.T. Exactly. The first thing is to see to it that we are in the thing ourselves, because a man's spirit is the man himself, especially in all that he is in relation to God. The spirit belongs to God; it is oneself, one's most inner consciousness. So the apostle in saying, "whom I serve in my spirit" was wholly in the thing; he was in the thing in his most inner consciousness and motives; his service was not perfunctory in any way.

Ques. Is that the thought in the end of chapter 7, "with the mind I myself serve"?

J.T. That is right, "I myself", only there it is "the mind", leading up to the intelligent side. The mind is that which can be employed by the inner self. "I myself" is the inner consciousness in relation to God. The mind is something different. "We have the mind", we are told, "of Christ". 1 Corinthians 2:16.

J.J. Is the mind a faculty?

J.T. Yes, it is. It is available like a member, so that it has to be kept under control.

Ques. Is "I myself" the inner man?

J.T. The "inner man" involves a little more than that. The man is the whole being with all his intelligent faculties. The spirit is the innermost part, so that it goes to be with the Lord, as the Lord

Himself said, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" Luke 23:46; and Stephen committed his to the Lord. The "inner man" is not only the person's consciousness, but intelligently so in the faculties by which a man is expressed.

Ques. Is there any link between this and John 4, "the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit"? John 4:23.

J.T. That corresponds with Romans 7:6, that is to say, the service of God does not comprise merely outward form, it involves the spirit so that one's whole being is in it. A man's spirit is the means by which God can put Himself in touch with him. The conscience is that through which God speaks on the responsible side, but I think the spirit refers to God, as it were, normally; we have received it from God, and it is that by which He has direct access to us.

Ques. Is that why it says, "God is my witness"?

J.T. Just so. The apostle is quite conscious of his relations with God, and that God knew his motives; whether he were speaking or ministering there was always the consciousness that he was serving God in his spirit; it was always so.

H.H. God claims that from all who serve, would you say?

J.T. I think so; your whole being is to be in the thing, so that you can refer to God as your witness in the path: "For God is my witness". One in that state has peculiar power in his ministry.

J.J. Would you say a word as to the service itself -- the service in general?

J.T. I thought we should have to reserve that, because it will come out on the priestly side. The apostle is occupying us with the initial ideas here, that is to say, we are directed to our spirits. The point is not so much as to what are the glad tidings of God's Son, but rather as to where we are in our spirits in relation to the service of God. With the

apostle it is not so much that he was serving God in the glad tidings of His Son, but that he served God in his spirit. As regards "newness of spirit", with one coming out of the current religious organisations the tendency would be to carry with him their methods and practices. This verse in chapter 7 is to save one from that; the service is to be in "newness of spirit"; the inner texture of the thing is new. We are very much coloured by that in which we have been brought up, that is, "the oldness of the letter".

J.J. I suppose "newness of life" in chapter 6 would go with that.

J.T. It is the same, only that it is applied to life; it applies to your everyday, practical life. Whereas chapter 12 introduces the idea of service, we are in marital relation with Christ in chapter 7, "in order that we might bear fruit to God". Romans 7:4.

Ques. Would preaching Christ of contention be the contrast of that?

J.T. The contrast is really current religious methods, whether in the so-called 'worship' of God, or in service in any way. In that day they were Jewish methods, in ours, that which represents Judaism. We have to be on our guard. We need what is new, that is to say, what is of God, new from God.

E.S.H. Our spirits need to be liberated in view of this.

J.T. Quite. We are really on advanced ground here in that we have "been made dead to the law by the body of Christ" to be to another "who has been raised up from among the dead", Romans 7:4 and then in verse 6 we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the letter. As having our attention called thereto, I think we shall all recognise the danger of carrying on with current religious ways in the service of God.

Rem. Saul was told to go into the city and it

should be told him there what he must do, as if there were not a single thing he could do rightly.

J.T. Quite so.

H.H. In regard of the service in chapter 1, it requires "newness of spirit" for one who has been brought up in a school.

J.T. Indeed, and in no one more than the apostle himself, as one who had been brought up "at the feet of Gamaliel" Acts 22:3, and who "according to the strictest sect" of his religion, had lived a Pharisee; Acts 26:5. So, as it has been remarked, he said to the Lord, "What shall I do, Lord?" Acts 22:10 -- a very fine question -- and the Lord said, "Rise up, and go to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which it is appointed thee to do". The Lord, of course, could have told him everything that he should do, but he had to learn it in the assembly, and hence he goes to the city and is among the brethren for certain days and learns from them. He would never forget that in all his ministry; however much he shone more than they later, however much greater his gift than that of any of them, he would never forget, nor would the Lord have him to forget that he began by receiving instruction from the brethren. That was where the new thing was; the Holy Spirit was among them, and so the point was to arise and get baptised and have his sins washed away that he might receive the Spirit. He speaks of some "who were also in Christ before me" Romans 16:7, that is, those particular brothers had, in the mind of the apostle, that distinction over him.

H.H. According to that chapter there were many worthy ones in his mind.

J.T. Yes; there were many whom he could salute as worthy, and it is of all moment to recognise in coming into contact with God in our spirits that the new order of service is among the saints who are

walking in the light. We do not get it directly at the outset from the Lord, we get it among the brethren. This is a humiliating process, but a wholesome and necessary one; so we may not assume that we get everything from the Lord. The Lord would say, It is there, and you must get it where I have placed it. It comes from the Lord, but it was already there at Damascus among a despised few, but it was there and Paul had to learn it there. "Go into the city, and it shall be told thee", Acts 9:6.

Rem. That is very interesting, because according to Galatians 1:2 he received nothing of man.

J.T. He makes a point of that in Galatians, referring to the ministry special to him, but as a young christian he had to begin by recognising what was already there. We cannot get past that, we must recognise what is already amongst the saints and placed there by the Lord. Antioch presents the full thought. There were those there who ministered to the Lord and "fasted and prayed" Acts 13:3; they had the full sense of the danger of the flesh in it. It is of great importance that you recognise at the outset what God has set here; you must begin with that, God will not let you go past it. Indeed, the apostle had to be rebuked by Ananias. Ananias had announced wonderful things to him as to what was in the mind of God about him, that he should know His will, and see the just One, and hear words from His mouth. That was a most remarkable distinction that Paul had; but whilst listening to all that, he was not moving. He was listening to the mind of God about him, which would in a measure exalt him, but he was not moving on lines that denoted a humble spirit, so that Ananias says, "Why lingerest thou? Arise and get baptised, and have thy sins washed away". Acts 22:16. He had to go through that process. That would bring the Lord in, and would set aside all that he might glory in, because the mind of God

attaching to him, and all his old dignity attaching to him at the same time would be a most sorrowful state.

Rem. It was a most humbling thing for a Jew to be baptised.

J.T. Yes. He recognised that he had to go to the very bottom, to start there in the midst of the brethren. Supposing you have been a religious man, and you become converted, the light is sweet to you at the start; but then after a little you may not be letting the things go that distinguished you here; you may have listened to the mind of God opened up in the gospel about you, and yet be retaining your personal dignity. Now that is a state of things that is very damaging both to yourself and to others.

J.J. Does chapter 7 indicate what Paul went through at that time?

J.T. No doubt it leads up to what we are dealing with: with the mind he served the law of God. Paul would never forget that he had to be rebuked (for it amounted to that) by this humble brother, as evidently Ananias was, for we do not hear much of him in the testimony. Ananias said, so to speak, Why are you retaining all this, why are you not being baptised to wash away your sins -- the whole past history -- calling on the name of the Lord? You are to recognise another name now, and to acknowledge that your name is gone. Philippians 3 shows how fully Paul came to this later.

J.J. Does chapter 1:4, "resurrection of the dead", Romans 1:4 refer to the new power recognised?

J.T. Jesus Christ our Lord, "marked out Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by resurrection of the dead"; note it is said, "marked out".

Rem. It is to be "in newness of spirit".

J.T. Yes. Christ is in heaven. He appeared to Saul upon earth, speaking kindly to him, but what He reminded Saul of was what was among the saints,

"Why persecutest thou me?" Acts 22:7, Acts 26:14. He was not persecuting Christ personally in heaven, what he was persecuting was the Spirit of Christ in the saints, and he had to learn what that was in Damascus, which he did. We have to learn that what is in heaven is placed down here. You have to get things where the Lord has placed them, and that may mean that you have to humble yourself before some person whom you have hitherto despised. This particularly applies to anyone in distinction, religious or otherwise. It is all very well to say, The Lord spoke to me, and I am the Lord's servant, but the Lord has placed everything of Himself here, and we have to get it where it is.

Rem. Where He is pleased to put His name.

J.T. Well, quite. His name was in Damascus and Paul is told to arise and go into the city, and then he had to be led there.

Rem. Grace amongst the saints would help us to go down.

J.T. Quite. Like trees "that be planted in the house of the Lord" Psalm 92:13; you begin there, and you grow up there, so that your roots are not outside in the religious world, or in the world of literature, or in the commercial world; your roots are not in these things; you come down to the very bottom and you begin as a little child. "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven", Matthew 18:3. You grow up in a new environment altogether, you are "rooted and grounded in love" Ephesians 3:17; and that is where the Holy Spirit is.

Ques. Do you mean that we learn things in the local assembly?

J.T. yes. I think you begin in your local meeting. If I am converted as a man having some distinction in the locality, am I equal to identifying myself with the company there and learning from

them? I cannot carry anything in there, I cannot in any way add to that company, I have to get everything there, because the new thing is there. God has brought in what is wholly new, and I am to grow up in that.

Rem. I was wondering if Matthew 11 would come in here, "Learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart". Matthew 11:29. These features are seen amongst the saints.

J.T. Exactly; but then you see there the Father's will, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes". Matthew 11:25, Luke 10:21. The things were already there revealed to the babes, and all the subsequent chapters in Matthew develop these new things that the Father had revealed to them. The law of Christ was to govern everything, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart". Matthew 11:29. He is not the Teacher there, but the Model; but then the "things" are all there in the babes.

Rem. We learn as being together in a way that we could not otherwise.

J.T. So Colossians would show what there was here. They had received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, and were to walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him; they were not to be led away through philosophy and vain deceit. So the point is to hold rigidly to what is new, and not to allow the old in any way, however dignified it may appear.

J.J. In Philippians 3 Paul goes over what he was as a man, including persecuting the assembly.

J.T. Yes. He had everything which could distinguish him as a religious man, but what things were gain to him he counted loss for Christ.

Ques. Does the thought of behaviour come in, "That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God"? 1 Timothy 3:15.

J.T. Yes: we have to behave ourselves in the

house of God; it is a dignified place. The book of Psalms is intended to help us as to the dignity and spiritual character of the house of God. God has set everything there in a practical sense; it is the sphere of the blessed Spirit of God, and all that is heavenly and new is brought in there. Everyone, even if it were a Caesar, a Herod or a Herod's foster-brother, whoever it might be, would have to learn there, and to grow up there; that sphere was more dignified than any sphere in the world.

Ques. Do you see the Lord growing up in His place in Luke? (Zechariah 6:13).

J.T. Yes; I think that is very beautiful.

H.H. Is it not because the things of which you have been speaking have been overlooked by us that so much difficulty creeps in among the Lord's people? If we had a right appreciation of the kingdom of God and of the truth of the assembly as being here, would not that keep us in proper relation to the maintenance of right order?

J.T. Quite. The apostle begins by saying, What shall I do, Lord? That is the acknowledgment of the Lord's authority. The answer states where the Lord has put the instruction, where the new thing is. The Lord had reminded him that He had met him in his persecuting career; that He had met him when he was dragging off both men and women and delivering them up to prison. But now he has met Christ in His people, and that involved what was new. So it says that he was with the disciples certain days before he began to preach; in those days he would be learning the new thing, learning to serve in "newness of spirit".

Rem. In Ananias and Barnabas he had two good models at the outset.

J.T. Yes.

Rem. Ananias was prepared to receive him; he says, Saul, brother! and Barnabas is quite prepared

to introduce him to the brethren; that is a spirit that would make room for all that is of God.

J.T. I suppose Ananias would represent the local brother, what is in the local company, because he is not mentioned as distinguished by gift, but he was godly, and that is a great point in a local brother. There was moral power in the man. He was a pious man and held in regard by the Jews even (Acts 22:12); that is what ought to make up an elder in any local company. He says, "Saul, brother" Acts 9:17; there is the spirit of the brother; and that is what Saul came into contact with at Damascus; there was nothing repelling in that. The Lord had prepared Ananias really for, the service, so that there should be nothing repellent in him, and that the future apostle might be rightly impressed with christianity as in its local setting. But then he had to do later with a Barnabas who was a gifted man. How the brethren regard you locally is one thing; how those gifted may regard you is another; you have to contend with the gifted brothers, they have their own distinctions. But Barnabas is an excellent example as to how a gifted brother receives a younger brother who has gift. Do you regard him as Barnabas regarded Saul, according to God? It is as if he were to say, This young man can serve here to the best advantage. It was a great opportunity for Barnabas to serve at Antioch, but he went to Tarsus to seek out Saul; he went after him and brought him there, and then they laboured together. The greatest test is among the gifted brethren. The Spirit of Christ was prominent in Barnabas.

C.H. "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined forth"; would not what you have been saying in regard of Ananias and Barnabas answer to that? Psalm 50:2

J.T. I think so; the shining out of Zion is seen in these touches in regard of the service of God.

The epistle to the Romans is divine shining, in so far as it goes, and certainly the apostle was like a precious stone, he reflected the light, in that he was serving God in his spirit, in the glad tidings of His Son.

J.J. Would you say a little as to the difference between the spirit, the mind, and the intelligence?

J.T. The component parts of a man are spirit, soul, and body; the mind is more the faculty that may be employed; "with the mind I serve". The spirit is yourself. If I can get in through that mind and that body of yours, I should get yourself inside. No doubt it is expressed in you, but there may be that which hides the real self. I may hide my real self by certain manipulations, by cleverness and the like, but if I am simple, myself is manifest in my actions and words; the body is light.

Rem. So that the believer has to be renewed in the spirit of his mind.

J.T. The mind is the intelligent faculty, and so we have here, "with the mind I myself serve the law of God". The thing is new; it is "newness of spirit"; we cannot ignore that there are principles or laws governing the service of God.

J.J. So the spirit is the man and the mind is the faculty of the man.

J.T. Yes; it is the intelligent feature. By it he is able to distinguish the law and serve it; mark, it is not simply the ten commandments, but the law of God.

J.J. Do you connect "your intelligent service" with the mind or the spirit?

J.T. With the mind, "renewed in the spirit of your mind" Ephesians 4:23, and "the spirit of wisdom", Ephesians 1:17. Now when I come to the law, I see it is all new; but there is the law of God governing service, and the intelligent christian recognises that; he serves the law of God in his mind; therefore I would take it to include the principles that govern

the service of God. So that although the thing is new, we are not without law; we are in an order of things that is governed by law as much as any other; hence the apostle says, "If any one thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognise the things that I write to you, that it is the Lord's commandment", 1 Corinthians 14:37. In being born again you are born throughout, that is to say, born from the top; every part of you is affected by the work of God, so that in my spirit I am affected. Mary says, "my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" Luke 1:47; she was intelligent then in regard of God.

Ques. Would you say these chapters introduce us into the divine system?

J.T. I think so far as they go you are in a new order of things; you bow to the law of God. And then chapter 12 is a direct appeal to us for our intelligent service; it is a question of intelligent service in the presenting of our bodies a living sacrifice.

Rem. Your body comes under the control of what you are.

J.T. Quite.

J.J. Would that involve the headship of Christ?

J.T. I suppose Romans gives the germ of everything, so when you come to intelligence you begin to apprehend what is in Christ. What has He done with His body? The Lord's supper brings to our intelligence how He used His body. He has led the way for us. His body was the vessel in which He glorified God, that in which He served God, and it was that in which He showed His love to God, and to us: "This is my body which is given for you", Luke 22:19. With the Lord there was utter unselfishness in the use of His body, and this epistle prepares us for that service; I begin with my body, it is available to God; it is presented a living sacrifice on the principle of a vow which is never recalled. I place it on the altar of God -- not a dead thing, but a

living thing, made living by the presence of the Spirit.

J.J. Directly the law of God was stated the Hebrew servant comes to light.

J.T. That is very beautiful; when the law of God is introduced it is exemplified at once; it is not a mere abstract code, it is exemplified in the Hebrew servant on the principle of love. He had his body and he used it. He went to the door-post to have his ear bored through; the ear really is the man in his intelligence. The use I make of my body is to be intelligent; I am to know what I am doing. The monk or the nun may use their bodies to deny themselves, but that is not intelligent; it is a question of intelligent service, of a living sacrifice. What has been remarked about Matthew 11 fits in here, "Learn from me". Matthew 11:29. The Lord leads the way for us in everything.

J.J. Do you think the bringing in of "the Son" seven times in the first eight chapters of Romans would refer to affection being behind all this service?

J.T. Paul's gospel particularly was intended to appeal to the affections of men: "God, who ... called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me" Galatians 1:15,16, that is to say, One whom I love. There is the greatest difference between presenting Christ doctrinally, and presenting Him as loving Him. I believe that Paul in his gospel addresses would greatly affect hearts. He says, "The Son of God, Jesus Christ, he who has been preached by us among you, by me and Silvanus and Timotheus" 2 Corinthians 1:19 -- a threefold testimony. They all loved the Lord, and they presented Him among the Corinthians in their ministry, all to the end that their hearts might be attracted to that Person -- the Son of God.

The compassions of God all came out in Christ. When the dead man, the only son of his mother, was being brought out of the city of Nain, it says, The Lord had compassion on her. And the young man

was raised up and the testimony was, "that God hath visited his people"; God was there; Luke 7:11 - 16.

E.S.H. Would the tenth leper returning be an example to us? He had been the object of compassion, but he came to the feet of the Lord Jesus; and he glorified God; Luke 17:15.

J.T. Quite. One sees the great importance of our bodies in this connection. Corinthians enlarges on the necessity of sanctification, our bodies being the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19); and in 1 Thessalonians 4:4 every one is to know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour. Romans is yielding the body a living sacrifice.

Rem. The apostle speaks of bearing in his body the brands of the Lord Jesus; Galatians 6:17.

J.T. Certain marks were forbidden in the Old Testament; see Deuteronomy 14:1; Leviticus 19:28. They were not to disfigure their bodies; but Paul's 'brands' were those of the Lord Jesus.

Rem. Evidently his body was presented a living sacrifice.

J.T. It is very beautiful to see in his history how he used his body. In Acts 14:19 he is stoned and left for dead; but the brethren encircled him, and he rose up and entered into the city, that is, he was living; it was a living state of things. Martyrdom is the opposition of the enemy to render the body a dead thing. The bodies of the two witnesses in Revelation remain in the street of the great city three days. What a triumph, apparently, for the enemy! But they rose up; there was a testimony to life; they arose up and went up to heaven in life. God has great regard for the bodies of His people. Moses, alluding to men generally, speaks about God carrying them away as with a flood (Psalm 90:5); the millions of people that pass away annually are regarded en masse, "as with a flood";

but when it comes to the saints, it is not so. A Moses is buried by God, an Enoch and an Elijah go up to heaven individually, and so the Thessalonians are told that "God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus". 1 Thessalonians 4:14. The saints are taken care of individually by God in regard of their bodies and all with a view to the testimony of life. The two witnesses go up in life, "the spirit of life from God" Revelation 11:11 -- that is the idea. Already, in a provisional way -- although our bodies remain mortal -- this epistle teaches us that our bodies are living; and then they will be quickened finally on account of God's Spirit that dwells in us, not as taken out of the grave, but as alive here. Already, as the Holy Spirit has His place with us, our bodies are available -- a living sacrifice.

Rem. "Many bodies of the saints which slept arose", Matthew 27:52. May we have a word as to that?

J.T. That is different. It might easily have been said, 'Many of the saints'; but it is "many bodies of the saints". God pays great attention to our bodies, and we should do so.

J.J. Epaphroditus was an example of one who used his body as a living sacrifice; Philippians 2:25.

H.H. "A body hast thou prepared me" Hebrews 10:5; does not that give the initial idea?

J.T. The Lord gives the lead in everything -- certainly as to our bodies. He held His body too in regard of the law of God! As has been remarked, when the law was unfolded, the Hebrew servant with his body is available, ready to go to the limit of suffering on account of love. There was ascending love, there was collateral love, and there was descending love: "I love my master, my wife, and my children, I will not go out free". Exodus 21:5. His body was available in all these connections.

Rem. The apostle Paul was very anxious regarding

Timothy's body; he said, "Use a little wine for ... thine often infirmities", 1 Timothy 5:23. We can be concerned for one another in this way.

J.T. It is important that our bodies should be in a right condition if we are to be used in the service of God, because we cannot serve without bodies.

Rem. He will quicken our mortal bodies by His Spirit.

J.T. Yes, but you want to recognise that the Holy Spirit dwells in your body now, and it is that really which makes it living. If the Holy Spirit uses my body, it is obvious that I am a living person.

Ques. "The light of the body is the eye"; Matthew 6:22. What does the Lord refer to there?

J.T. The eye is the organ that takes in light; the point is, if it is 'single', or simple, the whole body is luminous; it is an organ in relation to the whole body.

Ques. How does the soul stand in relation to these things?

J.T. The soul is that in which you are in touch with men more; the compassions of God are expressed in your soul. The spirit is that in which you are in relation with God, but in your soul you are more in relation with men. "Thy whole body will be light"; that is a remarkable statement. One may say, This brother has light; but is his whole body light? Every part of his body is to emit light.

Rem. "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection", 1 Corinthians 9:27.

J.T. That means that he did not give rein to his natural desires. In chapter 8 of this epistle he says, "If Christ be in you, the body is dead". Romans 8:10. All the natural propensities that expressed themselves in your body, in your unconverted days, are mortified, that is, if Christ is in you. The body must become dead first before it is alive; it is alive in that it is free from the working of sin, as a vessel for the Spirit.

THE SERVICE OF GOD (2)

Leviticus 8:13 - 36; Acts 13:1,2

J.T. My thought is to pursue the subject of service. These passages may be linked on, I believe, with the teaching of Colossians and Ephesians rather than with Romans. You will observe that in the New Translation Leviticus 8:13 reads, the sons of Aaron were brought near; and verse 6 says Aaron and his sons were brought near. The chapter is well-nigh a repetition of Exodus 29, with certain variations which fit in with the teaching of Leviticus, that is, the chapter fits in after the instructions furnished, which are to regulate the offerings of the people. The Lord called out of the tabernacle, we are told at the beginning of the book, having reference to any one who brought an offering, so that the earlier chapters are to regulate and govern the offerers and offerings. The believer is seen, therefore, in a certain advanced stage in his education, and thus is equal to the teaching of this chapter, which has reference to the consecration of the priests -- typically Christ and the saints who form the assembly.

It may be well to point out that the subject of service is in view throughout the whole of Exodus: "Let my son go, that he may serve me", Exodus 4:23. God having in mind that the service should be in His sons. So in that book, Aaron is introduced by God Himself first as the levite, meaning, I apprehend, that God in view of service first refers to secret history. He is the heart-knowing God. There is no public history in regard to Aaron prior to his introduction by God. There is much history in regard to Moses; from his birth we have a record, but we have nothing in regard of Aaron, although he was older than Moses. He is called "the Levite" Exodus 4:14 by God, meaning, I suppose,

that He knowing the end from the beginning names him. God alone can do that. Aaron was that potentially, but there was doubtless something in him that furnished a basis for the name. He was not simply a levite, but the levite, a term having its own spiritual significance as brought out later, and he was Moses' brother. "Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother?" Exodus 4:14. We are reminded, therefore, that the service has that in view, that is, it is in one who is a brother, not only in name but in fact, for the Lord says of him, that not only can he speak well, but also "he cometh forth to meet thee" -- "Aaron the Levite thy brother ... . And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart". Exodus 4:14,15. I think it is well to note these facts, because they underlie effective service. The servant is glad in heart, he takes a journey to meet his brother, and when he saw Moses when he met him on the mount of God he kissed him; that is to say, he carried with him the qualifications that ensure successful, effective service.

J.J. That all came out when Moses told Jehovah that he was quite unequal to the service.

J.T. Quite; he told the Lord that he could not speak.

J.J. What follows Moses telling Jehovah that he was unable to take on this service is like what was said about Paul at Damascus; he had to learn his own nothingness.

J.T. Moses was brought down by divine discipline; he was brought down to a very low ebb; in fact, after all the discipline, God met him on the way at the inn and sought to slay him, reminding us how serious it is to have to do with God in service, that He brooks nothing of the flesh. Even at the end of a long course of instruction, there may be elements of the flesh, and God will not suffer them, and so He sought to slay Moses. The thing was that circumcision

had to be applied, and Moses acquires the title of "A bloody husband", Exodus 4:25,26 denoting that the Lord has the right to insist on circumcision. Colossians goes with that. Romans does not develop the truth of circumcision. In Colossians you get "the putting off of the body of the flesh" Colossians 2:11, that is, every vestige of it, "in the circumcision of the Christ". But Moses is brought to that point. Then Aaron is introduced, meaning that there was another history, a collateral history of which we have no record, but a history which God knows. Without that collateral history, whatever public history there may be, there is no real qualification for the service of God. "Aaron the Levite thy brother" Exodus 4:14 refers to a certain secret history allied with the spirit of a brother.

J.J. The two are blended.

J.T. That is what I thought, so that God says, "Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well", Exodus 4:14. I have no doubt that he was accustomed to speak to God; God knew that he could speak. It is not so much speaking in ministry publicly, but ability to convey thoughts.

Ques. Is that a divine principle?

J.T. I think it is. The secret history is of all moment. It is known to the heart-knowing God, That feature is brought out in the Acts; there was the open history of the twelve, the open history of Peter and the others, but in connection with the coming in of the gentiles, it is the heart-knowing God; Acts 1:24; Acts 15:8. We have to do with God, who knows the heart; He is not occupied with public history now, but with hearts; He knows hearts.

H.H. Would the apostle's sojourn in Arabia answer somewhat?

J.T. No doubt the secret history went on there. I think it goes on with all of us if we are to have a part in the service. God alone knows what you have been through, and He gives you a name.

Rem. David had a secret history before he came out to meet Goliath.

J.T. Exactly.

J.J. Why do you connect that with Leviticus 8?

J.T. Exodus is the background of this chapter; it is the truth on the divine side in Exodus; Leviticus is more from our side; it is, If any one draw near to God. In Leviticus it is not God drawing near to us, whereas it is that in Exodus. If anyone draw near to God there is sacrifice; you have regulations, and then sacrifice comes in at the end of these regulations.

Rem. The Lord commends Paul in that way, "Behold, he prayeth". Acts 9:11.

J.T. Jehovah said to Moses, "I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth". Exodus 4:15. That is the next thing. He knew Aaron's heart; He knew he could speak, but He would be with Moses' mouth, and with Aaron's mouth, and He would teach them what they should do. Then Moses was to be to him for God, that is to say, there is an element of divine authority in the service. "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God", 1 Peter 4:11. And He said, Aaron shall be to thee for a mouth. So that the servant carries authority in his ministry if it is rightly presented in an anointed mouth; but there is authority in it.

J.J. Would you say there is sympathy in connection with Aaron?

J.T. Yes, "Aaron thy brother"; the mouth through which it comes is sympathetic, as the apostle in writing to the Corinthians said, "Paul, a called apostle ... and Sosthenes the brother". 1 Corinthians 1:1. Authority is vested in Paul, but he joins himself to a brother, not simply a brother, but "the brother", and so again in the second epistle we get "the brother Timotheus". 2 Corinthians 1:1. These feature underlie this great subject of service. That section of Exodus underlies all, and after you have these facts presented, you have the effectiveness

of the combination of Moses and Aaron in that they gather the people together and the people worship. Then later you have the genealogy of the tribes given until you arrive at Levi -- Reuben, Simeon, Levi -- and the Spirit of God stops at Levi because He wishes to bring out these servants, Aaron and Moses, "This is that Aaron and Moses" Exodus 6:26; they are the concrete expression of service. I do not think we shall have the service according to God either Godward or manward unless we understand the earlier chapters in Exodus, because they underlie the calling of Aaron to the priesthood in chapters 28 and 29. Aaron is to minister unto the Lord in the priest's office.

J.J. Would the rod of God in the hand of Moses suggest authority?

J.T. Quite. "Cast it on the ground", Exodus 4:3 that is, as released from Moses' hand it becomes a serpent, meaning that if I get out of the divine hand I am in the hands of Satan. That is another important and solemn matter. One getting out of the divine hand of authority becomes an agent of Satan. As taken back again by Moses it becomes a rod, which is a useful implement of authority. Then the hand put into the bosom becomes leprous, but when put in again and taken out of his bosom it becomes normal These are to teach us what good and evil are in the service of God; how that with the natural man there is nothing for God but satanic power and sin, whereas in Christ there is divine power and healing. In meeting with evil the Lord says, "Get thee behind me, Satan". Matthew 16:23, Mark 8:33. That is authority, but based on moral grounds.

J.J. Moses' rod was really a shepherd's rod; one who wields authority must be a shepherd, would you say?.

J.T. Undoubtedly it was a feature of those whom God used in the Old Testament.

E.S.H. Would you say that the instincts of service

were right with Moses, and that he thought the people would recognise that he was their deliverer?

J.T. Moses' history helps us negatively as well as positively. One has often thought that Jacob's history, Moses' history, and David's history are set down in full length so that we might be helped negatively and positively; negatively in Moses' case so that we should not attempt to serve in natural energy; however conscious we may be of right motives, there must be the disallowance of the flesh.

J.J. Why was Moses so timid at the start?

J.T. I think he had been so brought down after forty years of discipline.

C.H. You were saying that service was in view from the outset when God said, "Let my son go, that he may serve me". Exodus 4:23. Do you connect that with the thought of "My son, give me thine heart", Proverbs 23:26; and then, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh"? Matthew 12:34.

J.T. We are set up in sonship as a matter of light. There was little or nothing to indicate sonship in Israel when God said, "Let my son go, that he may serve me", but it was there potentially. God could speak thus. Sonship is a matter of light to start with, but unless the heart be yielded up, you cannot have sonship developed; so that the book of Proverbs is to develop the heart of a son.

H.H. And there is authority and power to meet what was on the side of evil in connection with Moses and the rod; the power of evil has to be met.

J.T. That is very important. It comes out in the letters to the Corinthians, having in view to banish all distance. There was power in the apostle to bring down everything that exalted itself against the knowledge of God; 2 Corinthians 10:5. Therefore the Lord's example in meeting Satan in the wilderness is important for us, because it is a question of moral power. The enemy was completely overcome, and at the end

the Lord could say, "Get thee hence, Satan". Matthew 4:10. Overcoming is a matter of moral power.

Rem. The apostle was taking up the rod again.

J.T. He challenged them as to whether he should go to them. He had the power to deal with evil. The Lord forewarns the apostles in regard of evil, and in Mark He gives them authority or power to deal with every form of it.

I thought we might see now in this chapter the relation of Aaron and his sons. It is not simply those who offer, though really the same persons as those who offer, but they are now seen in relation to Christ -- Aaron and his sons are brought near.

E.S.H. Being near to God would bring us into correspondence with Christ, would it not?

J.T. Being brought near is an allusion to the position in relation to the tabernacle where God was. We are not to serve at a distance, we are to be brought near.

Rem. But with something to offer.

J.T. Yes; the required offerings were all there. We did not read the first part of the chapter, but the requirements were all there first; "Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin-offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread". Leviticus 8:2. These are all understood if we have gone through the earlier chapters, so that we become intelligent in offering. We have the divine requirements of the offerings, and we have the requisites for sanctification, and consecration -- that is, the consecration of those who were known in this relation, "Aaron and his sons with him;"

Then there are the baskets -- the containing vessels; the requisites are all there as the consecration proceeds; they are known elements, the baskets of unleavened bread besides other varieties of confectionery.

J.J. What is the thought in touching the ear, the thumb and the toe of Aaron with the blood? One could understand it in connection with the sons.

J.T. It is intelligible, I think. The earlier verses contemplate the personal dignity of Christ, He is anointed without blood. You have the general thought of bathing first; Aaron and his sons are bathed; but there is nothing said about blood in the earlier verses, meaning, I apprehend, that Christ, in becoming Man, indicates that for our consecration there must be the principle of cleansing. But the blood meets the claims of God; death must take place; so Aaron comes in in the second part in the sense that He has been through death -- "who 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; He stands on that basis.

J.J. The ear, the hand, and the foot imply the whole body; the entire man is secured.

J.T. Yes. One would seek to make clear that as we progress in this great subject, as in others, we look for increased understanding and spirituality, so that we have these requisites at the outset, as if they were understood. They are all there now, but they are not all seen as ordinary individuals draw near with their offerings. In chapter 8 it is assumed that the offerings of the previous chapters are understood.

Rem. In obedience; it would be according to the commandment that they brought these things.

J.T. But what was commanded was understood. It is one thing to act in obedience (it is always right to do so), but I am to act in spiritual intelligence, so that I understand the meaning of the things, and as we go through the earlier chapters we understand the things that are brought forward.

Ques. Have you anything particular in mind as to the basket?

J.T. I think it alludes to a containing vessel in which things are kept. In having to do with spiritual things, there are no loose ends; nothing is loose or off-hand; everything is in its place. The idea of a containing vessel is important in Scripture, and the basket is that here, that is to say, its use is to contain certain things for the moment. The baker in Genesis 40 had three baskets of confectionery on his head and the enemy got at them. In our consecration we have to watch that things are contained, and are kept right. The enemy has no footing here, everything is under divine control.

T.W. Are you pressing that the divine requisites are still available?

J.T. The question is whether there is the basket -- that containing vessel to keep things intact, because this principle of consecration, of keeping things, must proceed to the end of the dispensation.

Ques. Do you suggest that the saints are the containing vessel?

J.T. That is the idea. What the basket contains has reference to Christ's humanity, the truth of Christ's humanity. It is a question of unleavened bread, oiled bread and wafers. You come to very fine spiritual distinctions and discriminations, and these are all in the basket, ready as they are needed.

J.J. Would you say that in Acts 13 the assembly at Antioch was like the basket with all the requisites for the consecration of Barnabas and Saul?

J.T. That is the idea of it; the full thought of the assembly was there; in the assembly at Antioch, in the local company there, these elements were present.

Ques. "Filled with the full knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" Colossians 1:9; is that the idea of the basket?

J.T. In Colossians 2 you have all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily; that is, all that God is towards us is in Christ so as to be available in

Him bodily. And then we are complete, and filled full in Him. The thought of filled full is that we have all that He is as man before God. What you would look for is the containing vessel, so that there are none of the requisites for consecration lacking. There they were in the basket, and as needed they were appropriated; they are essential to consecration -- the truth of Christ's humanity.

E.S.H. It should be an exercise to have the basket in our hands. The baker in Genesis 40 had the basket on his head.

J.T. Quite; hence in the gospels you have the baskets to gather up the fragments. This is an important matter; secret soul-history goes on before, and now you are to have part in the service of God, but it must be with the confidence of the brethren. At Antioch you see how the brethren are brought into the service. "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them". Acts 13:2. The saints are brought into the thing. What one is in service requires that you should be known to the saints. They are not likely to hear you unless they know you.

J.J. I suppose that was true of Paul; what would you say marked Barnabas?

J.T. Energy and maturity. It is a question of manhood. "That ye may be no longer babes". Ephesians 4:14. The teaching of the epistles to the Colossians and Ephesians was that they should not be babes. That is the thought in these two epistles. The Corinthians were that, and they were enjoined to be men. The Lord says, "The men whom thou gavest me", John 17:6. You cannot serve God save in manhood in the sense of maturity as seen in Barnabas. The two rams here denote energy in maturity.

H.H. Speaking of Barnabas, it is interesting to see how after arriving at the Antioch assembly he went to seek his brother Saul and brought him to

them, and they remained at Antioch twelve months. Barnabas sought his brother because he knew how valuable his service would be.

J.T. They remained at Antioch. Barnabas is spoken of as a Levite; he sold his lands; he acts with common sense. That is an element of importance; you are not to be extreme in your views, you are to use practical wisdom. He did not simply leave the lands, he saw that they could be sold and that the price could be used for the furtherance of the testimony, and thus he gets his name from the apostles, that is, from those who had authority. They named him "Son of consolation" Acts 4:36; he became, too, the link between what was at Jerusalem and what God was about to do among the gentiles. He was "a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith", Acts 11:24 so that he seeks out Paul, and they laboured together for a whole year in the assembly, and they taught a great crowd; Acts 11:26. The disciples were first called christians at Antioch.

Ques. Do you suggest that every local company should be self-supporting?

J.T. So long as you do not make local companies congregational churches. It is all well in a way, but you can be self-supporting only in relation to the whole, because the local companies need the gifts, and the gifts are never given locally, they are always universal. So that there is an interdependence that maintains a catholic state of things, and you are conscious that you need all that God has provided for His people. The gifts that God has given to the assembly are for all; they are given "with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ, until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God;" Ephesians 4:12,13. So we are never really independent or self-contained, we are always dependent on all that God has provided for the assembly.

J.J. Would you say that these elements of consecration

were lacking at Corinth to a large extent?

J.T. Well, it was so. Not that they did not know and have the right example put before them, for the Son of God was presented there. The Son is a full thought, a complete thought; it is not infantile. Paul said that the Son of God had been preached by him and by Silvanus and Timotheus. The Corinthians had had the full thought presented to them, but they were in the babe state, they had not gone on.

Ques. Would Romans lay the basis for taking up service according to Leviticus?

J.T. Yes. We have here the thing in an advanced stage, so that you have Aaron and his sons. You now see yourself in relation to Christ, and you are consecrated according to what He is. The hands are filled with the excellences of Christ; it is a full-grown man that is in view for service.

Ques. Would you say that the clothing mentioned in Leviticus 8 is now found in the assembly?

J.T. Clothing would refer to personal or official dignity. The anointing here is not on the ear, the thumb, nor on the great toe of the right foot, it is sprinkled on the persons and on their garments. The anointing of the leper after his cleansing is on his ear, his thumb and his toe, and all that is left over is poured on his head; and the oil is in the left hand of the priest. But here the anointing with the oil and the blood is on the persons and their garments. The blood alludes to the application of the death of Christ and the oil to the Spirit, not only to the individual, but to the saints together as priests, that is, in relation to the assembly. The anointing with these is the circumstances in which the service is to be carried on.

J.J. What is the thought of the boiling of the flesh?

J.T. That comes in at the end, and alludes to Christ being made available as food. In the type the

victim was already slain; but death alone is not sufficient in these circumstances; you have the thing made available as food by the process of boiling -- not roasting. It is not here a question of the judgment of God, but of the food made available. The flesh is boiled, there is the indirect action of fire. It is that kind of food that sustains priesthood.

Ques. Would you say that what took place at Antioch was a voice out of the tent of meeting?

J.T. The Holy Spirit said, "Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul". But the voice from the tent of meeting in Leviticus is to call us in. It is an allusion to Corinthians, where we are "called saints" 1 Corinthians 1:2; God has called us out of the tabernacle, and then as we are there we are regulated by the law governing the offerings, and now we are ready for the consecration. We understand these requisites and what they mean, and we see it is not now simply an individual matter, but it is that we stand related to Christ; it is Aaron and his sons, and they are brought near. It is very touching, to my mind, that God would have us brought near and consecrated in that nearness, and then, as consecrated, to abide by the tabernacle for the whole period; we are never to go out; we are never to regard ourselves as separate from the tabernacle.

J.J. What New Testament scripture do you connect with that thought?

J.T. At Antioch they ministered to the Lord and fasted. It is not that they were told to do that; Acts 13 agrees with this chapter; this type had been fulfilled.

Ques. Would that be Colossians or Corinthians?

J.T. It would be Colossians and Ephesians.

H.H. Being consecrated for the priestly side of things is distinct from going out in service.

J.T. They are not the same thought. "Ministering to the Lord" is distinctly priestly. When I am

ministering to man, I am more a Levite, but it is the same service; one is Godward and the other manward.

E.S.H. "In the midst of the congregation will I praise thee" Psalm 22:22 -- is that similar?

J.T. Quite. Aaron and his sons. "He that sanctifies and those sanctified are all of one". Hebrews 2:11. You see here how they are brought near, and then the application of the blood of the bullock, that is to say, the full thought of the death of Christ apprehended, then the burnt-offering and then the consecration-offerings. So that I have all that Christ is in His intrinsic preciousness to God in my hands and I present it to God; it is waved before Him, showing how delightful the service is, the servants being viewed collectively as before God. And then, all is burnt "on the altar over the burnt-offering"; and then after the individual application of the blood (verse 24) you have the general application of it in connection with the Spirit, in the anointing oil and the blood being sprinkled. We are equal now to generalisation; we are not ambitious for personal distinction, we are merged, so to speak, in this anointing. If you have personal distinction it cannot be hidden, it is sure to show itself, but we are all merged as sprinkled with the same blood and with the same precious anointing oil, and not only ourselves but all our circumstances. All is merged in the same precious death and the same precious anointing, and thus we are in good company; we are not likely to quarrel at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation!

C.H. Is that the thought in the words of the hymn, 'By the Spirit all pervading' (Hymn 14)?

J.T. Yes; but I suppose that alludes to eternity. We are dealing with the present time, where we are all merged in the one sprinkling, in the one anointing; and we are to abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. We are thus set up in companionship, as all being merged in the same thing -- the death

of Christ, and the anointing of the Spirit; it is a very precious companionship. There is no room in the chapter for any kind of ambition or personal distinction, it is a question of what we are collectively as at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge of the Lord for the whole period -- "seven days".

J.J. What about the seven days?

J.T. They are a figure of the whole dispensation, of the assembly period. Chapter 9 is Israel; this chapter is exclusively Christ and the assembly.

Ques. Would what Abigail said, "The soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God", 1 Samuel 25:29 be on this line?

J.T. There is the linking up with all. Here we have a company of persons in this wonderful relation, the sons of Aaron accepted in all the acceptability of Christ. They have been brought together in one double action -- the death of Christ and the anointing of the Spirit, and then remaining for the whole period at the door of the tabernacle of congregation. It is a wonderful position to abide there; the nourishment is the boiled flesh, which is Christ, that is Christ made available as food for the priests. The basket containing these precious bake-meats is there; they are very suggestive as emblematic of the humanity of Christ. The wafer, a cake of oiled bread, and an unleavened cake are very fine distinctions, known alone to God and the priests.

F.I. Is the basket found in the local company?

J.T. We have to begin there; everyone who is converted is taken up locally. The book of Numbers is to emphasise that side of the truth; we are taken up locally in relation to the standard and the ensign of the father's house. Whatever there is locally is available to you; you begin there, but you progress into the universal side. A brother told me lately that it was only recently that he had been able to

pray for all saints. I was in a prayer meeting recently, and so far as I remember the prayers did not extend beyond what was local; whereas when we come to Colossians and Ephesians we are enlarged. It is a question of love to all saints and prayer for all saints, and correspondingly we are in the apprehension of what there is for all universally -- the universal provision. Ephesians contemplates the universal provision for all, When He ascended up on high the Lord gave gifts to men, and He has given all that is necessary for all times. "Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ", Ephesians 4:8 - 13.

As we progress locally we begin to see that what is elsewhere belongs to us, too; we need to take it in. We should become accustomed to see what God is doing elsewhere, what He has provided everywhere, and that it is for all of us. You feel yourself responsible for everything that is of God; the charge in responsibility attaches to what there is down here.

J.J. Some never move away from their local meeting.

J.T. Ephesians has the whole church in view -- "Using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit". Ephesians 4:3. It is a remarkable thing, as has often been noticed, that the body comes first; because to keep the unity of the Spirit I must be in right relation to those who are immediately near me. Then "one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all", Ephesians 4:5,6. That is how I arrive at the universal thing; it all lies in the Spirit, and I do not need to travel for that. Take a bedridden brother or sister; they are often in the unity of the Spirit; if you talk to them, you find they know what is going on in connection with the

Lord's interests. An aged sister told me that she travelled over the world; this was said in reference to her service in praying for the people of God; and she added if people were asleep she did not disturb them, for her visits were often made in the night. "Bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord", Psalm 134:1.

In the book of Proverbs we have, in a concrete way, the service of one who is called "a woman of worth" Proverbs 12:4, Proverbs 31:10; there is the element of priesthood there, for she is concerned about every interest of the Lord.

Ques. Would you say a word about fasting?

J.T. There is a remarkable presentation of it at Antioch, as they ministered to the Lord and fasted. It was as they were doing that that the Holy Spirit said, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them", as if the Holy Spirit would honour that. There is not only the giving up of things that are in themselves, perhaps, objectionable, but also the giving up of things that are legitimate, denying myself of what is legitimate, so that the service should be unimpaired. The Holy Spirit attaches great value to that.

Ques. The Lord says, "For their sakes I sanctify myself" John 17:19; would the saints at Antioch have the same spirit?

J.T. Quite. We see, too, how the services are transferred from Israel to the assembly. In Acts 13 the thing is formally recognised. In Romans it is the Jew first; it was still the transitional period and full provision is made for the Jew, so that the apostle says, "to whom pertaineth ... the service of God" Romans 9:4; it was his. But now at Antioch you see the service of God transferred from the Jew to the gentile. It was according to God that they ministered to the

Rem. There is that which can only be done by prayer and fasting.

J.T. Prayer brings God in, and fasting shuts man out; the two things ensure power.

Ques. What was in your mind as to the meeting-place of Moses and Aaron -- "the mount of the Lord"?

J.T. The allusion is to Genesis 22:14, "On the mount of Jehovah will be provided". Moses and Aaron met at the place of heaven's provision.

CONFIRMATION IN THE TESTIMONY AS MAINTAINING IT

1 Kings 17:8 - 24

You will remember that the Lord Jesus refers to this incident. As in many other instances, in referring to incidents, He opens up a vein of thought which He intends to be followed up. Indeed the New Testament is marked by furnishing keys, so to speak, to the Old Testament, so that we might use them to explore them, and thus be, as the apostle says, "thoroughly furnished" 2 Timothy 3:17 in relation to that with which we have to do, namely, the testimony of God. The Lord says, "There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, so that a great famine came upon all the land, and to none of them was Elias sent but to Sarepta of Sidonia, to a woman that was a widow", Luke 4:25,26.

The Lord, whilst asserting the sovereign action of God in that passage, also refers to the fact that the prophet was sent to the widow there. He says, "Of a truth I say to you". The circumstances required that the truth should be asserted, and it implied that some widows were passed by. "There were many widows in Israel"; there were many in that privileged sphere or nation, but in the sovereignty of God; the prophet was not sent to any of them, but to a widow outside, in the neighbourhood of Sidon, that is to say, she was, in the sovereignty of God, greatly honoured. Right down the history of this dispensation the sovereignty of God has been asserted, and is being asserted, and will be asserted. The assertion of it may cut across our most cherished thoughts, for God thinks not as we do, and so we have to be prepared for occurrences wholly different from what we

may have expected. The Lord in speaking to the privileged people at Nazareth -- a wonderfully privileged town, for the Lord Jesus was brought up there -- said to them, "But of a truth I say to you" Luke 4:25. In an earlier day like privileges existed, but God instead of admitting that they involved any virtues in the privileged ones, ignored the widows of Israel and sent His prophet to one outside -- far away. The book of Kings says that Jehovah spoke to Elijah and said, "Arise, go to Zarephath, which is by Zidon, and abide there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman thereto maintain thee".

Now I want you to notice, beloved friends, that if God sends His prophet to this widow, she was qualified to receive him. That is to say, if God acts sovereignly and passes by those distinguished in this world religiously, and sends to those who are in obscurity, to those who have no reputation at all religiously, He has prepared them beforehand for the honour. So He says, "I have commanded". It is a dignified word. I wish to note, too, that if we are to be honoured in this way in these last days, there must be the habituating of ourselves to obedience. "I have commanded", He says, "a widow woman there". To do what? "To maintain thee". The word is 'maintain'. God would have the vessel rightly cared for, and the question arises as to what is come to us, what it is that God in His sovereign ways has sent to us? How much do we value it? How are we to maintain it? "I have commanded", He says, "a widow woman there". He selected the city and He selected the woman -- a widow -- and He commanded her to maintain the prophet. Now the Lord is not putting upon us that which is beyond us. "But to you I say, the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I do not cast upon you any other burden; but what ye have hold fast till I shall come" Revelation 2:24,25;

that is to say, He took account of their circumstances and that they were just a remnant. "I do not cast upon you any other burden". He gauges our ability and burdens us accordingly, but He burdens us. "I have commanded".

Now the Lord would recall the setting of this chapter. The prophet Elijah appeared abruptly, and said to the king, "There shall not be dew nor rain these years, except by my word". 1 Kings 17:1. He is as a man who had rights under God. That is the light in which Christ is suggested to us here. And God said to Elijah, "Get thee hence ... and hide thyself by the torrent Cherith". The circumstances there were small; He says, "I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there". 1 Kings 17:3,4. You see how much God bears with in that the vessel of His testimony should be fed by ravens. Indeed, we see how independent He is of us -- a humbling suggestion. He says, "I have commanded the ravens to feed thee", but feeding is not maintaining; maintaining is connected with the widow. It is well if we have the widow spirit; it is very different from the ravens! The ravens, morning and evening, brought bread and flesh, that was all -- no affection, no attention to the prophet beyond that. Still that was important, they fed him. But you can understand the living conditions were very poor, very different from what was becoming to a prophet -- a representative of God.

Now we must not think lightly of that through which the light comes to us. God marvellously, graciously, puts up with much, but there were no vessels by the brook Cherith. We read nothing of a fire of coals and fish laid thereon and bread. The brook came down in the ordinary way, and the prophet drank thereof without a vessel as far as we know; there was no intelligent care and attention, no affectionate regard. Nevertheless it was important

that the bread and flesh were brought, that the ravens fed him, but all that state of things dried up and came to an end. It is not what answered to the mind of God. There has been much of it in the history of the assembly, much of that poor attention. God bears with it, even commands it, but now He commands a widow to care for His servant. I dwell on this because God would promote that spirit in us. One says, "I sit a queen, and I am not a widow; and I shall in no wise see grief", Revelation 18:7. She will not be entrusted with the care of the prophet; she will be entrusted with nothing from God. She sits a queen, decking herself with all the glory of this world; there are no springs for God with her; she is in a desert where there is nothing at all to sustain what is of God. But here is a widow, one who is bereft of outward care, who nevertheless is possessed of something; she has something.

So it is, beloved brethren, in these days, God passes by those people distinguished in this world religiously and He finds the widow. Would that one were in that spirit -- the spirit of a widow. She is a selected widow; there were many others, but evidently none like this one! He says, "I have commanded a widow woman there to maintain thee". She is taken up in connection with her own locality. Elijah was to dwell there. She is under divine command. I wonder how many of you young people are under the sense of divine command. Do you run hither and thither? When we are young we gird ourselves and go where we wish, whither we will, but we shall never be entrusted with anything unless we learn to be under command. "I have commanded a widow woman there to maintain thee". Think of the magnitude of the trust -- to maintain the greatest man on earth at that time! A man without whose word the heavens would not pour forth their rain. Think of that! Think of the blessed privilege of maintaining such a

man as that! God looks for the maintenance of the vessel of His testimony; He looks for our best. The demand to maintain this is made upon our very best.

Well, the prophet reaches the city and there was the widow woman. She was not out of view; as we might say, she attended the meetings. Spiritually, it is that you are in view in this way as needed. She was doing something needful. True enough she needed adjustment, but she was in view, she was doing what was right, so far, though very little outwardly -- gathering a few sticks -- but she was doing that. I wish now to enlarge on this passage so that we may see how the maintenance is effected, and how the very youngest is called into it. Whatever your spiritual growth or stature may be, you at least have a body; you have that. God in the epistle to the Romans would impress us with the idea of a containing vessel. We are "vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory" Romans 9:23, but in the meantime we are to be in the hands of the Lord for the maintenance of this service of the testimony. And so the prophet says to her, "Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel". It was not simply the water, but the vessel also. If you are to serve the Lord thus, you want the vessel to be clean, it must not be polluted. We are enjoined to possess our vessels in sanctification and in honour; 1 Thessalonians 4:4. We are challenged as to how things are done. There is nothing said in connection with the ravens about a vessel, they used no vessels, but the first challenge to this woman is as to a vessel. You see the application, young people. God has "fearfully and wonderfully" Psalm 139:14 made you, He has redeemed you by the blood of His Son, and put His Spirit into you. Think of that! A little water in a vessel; note, a little water, for God does not expect what you have not got; He begins in a small way with you.

And so she went off to fetch it. But he said to her as she went to do so, "Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thy hand"; in thy hand, note. You have first the general idea as to the vessel and then one of her members; a little bread in her hand. She said, "I have ... but a handful of meal in a barrel". Ah, she has got the idea! She might have said, I have only a little meal, but she said, I have got it in a barrel. She had already the idea of keeping things in vessels. The things mentioned are worth keeping. Think of the value of meal in those days when there was a famine in the land for three years and six months! It was precious, and she kept it in a barrel; and the oil was in a cruse -- a little oil in a cruse. Although she had not much, yet she had something; she had a variety of things and she kept each in its place -- the meal in a barrel, and the oil in a cruse; she was not unprepared. She was a ready vessel in the hands of God for the maintenance, not simply for the feeding of the prophet, as with the ravens, but for the maintenance of the testimony.

Now the prophet said, "Go, do as thou hast said". God is very ready to acknowledge any right word or any right thought in a young christian; He will never belittle it, He will never turn you aside from a right thought. "Go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first". He says, so to speak, You have been talking about little things and about dying, now I want you to get a whole idea into your soul; you do not want to be occupied with parts. A cake is a whole idea. The prophet had first asked her for "a morsel", which was in keeping with her state, but he would lead her forward. Many christians are just like that, they deal in parts, in little things. It is true enough "we know in part, and we prophesy in part" 1 Corinthians 13:9, but in order to do that effectually we must have the idea of the whole. The epistle to the Corinthians brings

in the whole or complete idea: "The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" 1 Corinthians 10:16. That is a whole idea. Nor shall I ever be a member of Christ intelligently and consciously until I arrive at the complete thing.

"Make me thereof a little cake", small indeed, but it is a complete thought. You are getting on; as partaking of the Lord's supper you are getting into your mind that in Christ there is completeness. "A body hast thou prepared me", He says Hebrews 10:5 -- a vessel in which God can be set out. "Make me thereof a little cake first". I wonder whether any of you young people have ever made a little cake? You will remember how the Israelites of old, when they received the light of Christ typically, were to bring out of their dwellings two wave loaves baked with leaven; Leviticus 23:17. They were to be baked, that is to say, sin was owned to be there, but it was not active; it was rendered null and void by the action of the fire and the baking process. Loaves, that is the thought. You do not come to the assembly with a morsel; that a morsel will be accepted is true enough, but you want to come with the whole idea, to move forward. "Make me thereof a little cake first".

Well, she tells her tale to the prophet. She had it in mind to use the sticks she had gathered, and to use the little that she had to die with. She does not say anything about making a cake, but about preparing the little she had for herself and her son so that they might eat and die. A poor affair! The idea of dying: is often so with christians. Quite right to die in one sense, but really it is extinction that she is thinking of. We do not want extinction. It is by the power of the Spirit of God I die; but that is not extinction; I remain as living in the Spirit. We do not want to disappear. What is needed here, beloved friends, as we shall see later at the end of the chapter, is a man out of death, a living man. The widow had

no thought of that; she had not thought of dying to live, but only of eating to die, which would mean that she and her son would disappear and there would be nothing for the prophet. That was not God's thought.

And so the word comes, "The meal in the barrel shall not waste, neither shall the oil in the cruse fail, until the day that Jehovah sendeth rain upon the face of the earth!" We are stayed by the prophetic word in these our days. God is coming in, beloved, the prophetic word announces the intervention of God in blessing, and in the meantime as the little cake is made for the prophet, there is the meal in the barrel, and the oil in the cruse. The vessels were not to be empty, for God does not care for empty vessels. The meal remains in the barrel and the oil remains in the cruse. It is a question of vessels -- containing vessels. But what more? She and the prophet and her house live on the meal and the oil for many days -- for a whole year. Now you see how things are; the woman is brought into blessing, she is sensibly supported by God for a whole year. What formative experience! The whole year through, spring, summer, autumn, winter; all the varied experiences of the year are gone through, and there is sustenance for her and for her house and for the vessel of God's testimony. These are precisely the circumstances in which we are; God has acted sovereignly, He has selected certain ones in His sovereign way, and He has commanded them. They are under His command and they have got something. Then the prophet brings in the light of Christ, and there is a living state of things, not a dying state of things, but a living state of things for a whole year.

The second part of the chapter gives the supreme test in all this. The "son of the, woman", we are told, "the mistress of the house, fell sick". It is right to understand the Lord's position as over the house; He is Son over God's house; Hebrews 3:6. That is

perhaps owned by most christians, but that "the mistress of the house" should come to light is another matter. If the feminine idea is to prevail in a moral way, there must be something beyond the ordinary, and that is developed in this woman during the year she maintained the prophet. What an experience, beloved, to maintain the prophet, the vessel of the testimony! What growth in the knowledge of God there must have been with that woman as she observed the ways of the prophet, how he partook of God's provision for him! You can understand the piety of Elijah as he partook of the meal and the oil and the little water, how much there would be for God in that period. We read of the Lord lifting up His eyes to heaven and giving thanks (John 11:41); what a model for the disciples! They were to learn from Him, and they did. They saw Him praying at one time, and one said, "Lord, teach us to pray", and He did; Luke 11:1,2.

What an honour, as I said, it is to maintain the vessel of God's testimony as coming under your own roof! The Lord says to Zacchaeus, "Today I must abide at thy house", Luke 19:5. What an honour! The widow is the mistress of the house. Elijah did not take the place of master. It is a question of developing what is subjective, as we call it -- the work of God in us in relation to the perfect model presented to us in Christ. She is worthy of being mistress of that house, she has given up her natural rights in meeting the needs of the prophet, and in doing this she has made a little cake. She had some conception of Christ, and she had set the meal and the oil at the disposal of the prophet; she is mistress of the house, and she is in every way entitled to be it.

There is very little of that in our local gatherings. I say that advisedly. The book of Proverbs develops what becomes the mistress of the house, "a woman of worth", Proverbs 31:10 as she is called in the last chapter.

Well, the supreme test comes, for the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick. It is not that he died suddenly, but the illness was severe. God would put us through things so that we might feel them, that we might learn to take them seriously. He brings in death upon us, a prolonged kind of thing, a severe illness. Day after day there is the child severely ill and there she was, and God brings to light the latent unbelief that, in spite of the fact that she is mistress of the house, was in her heart. She was ready to charge Elijah with bringing her sins to remembrance; showing that she did not know forgiveness after all, typifying believers in similar circumstances today. God does not remember sins that He has dealt with in the death of Christ. She was entirely mistaken. But there was death in her house; there was the severity of the illness, so that the breath was ebbing out of the boy; a severe test indeed for the heart of a widowed mother. It was to bring out those feelings in the widow and in the prophet, too, which were so perfectly exhibited in Christ, as He wept and was deeply moved in His spirit, and was troubled; John 11:33. He said, too, "Now is my soul troubled". The Lord felt things. "What shall I say? Father ... glorify thy name". John 12:27,28. In His trouble He refers to His Father and the Father's glory.

Not so with this poor widow; she did not think of God's glory in what was occurring. But God would bring us into the reality of things through the experience of bitter feelings, to give tone to us, and that we may learn to give up the natural links. This was what she had to learn. The prophet took her son out of her bosom. It is the last thing we give up -- the natural link. Naturally that was the place for the boy -- in the mother's bosom -- but he was dying in it, his life was ebbing out of him in it. "What shall I say?" the Lord said, as His soul was grieved and troubled. "Father, glorify thy name". The Father

says, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again". John 12:28. He had glorified it in the raising of Lazarus, and He would glorify it again. It is a question of life out of death -- a risen life. The woman had no thought of that. Perhaps some of us have not thought of it, of a life developed, not out of our bosom, but by the power of God. The prophet took the boy "out of her bosom, and carried him up into the upper chamber where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed".

He took him up. A principle in christianity is elevation. She had not learnt that, she had learnt that she was mistress of the house and had reputation thus. We are apt to live in that and never ascend. It may be desirable to be a leading brother and to be able to help the saints locally, but that in itself is not ascension. The principle of christianity is in going up or being taken up. The prophet took the boy up and laid him upon his own bed, and now the prophet has to go through experience of sorrow, foreshadowing what the Lord Jesus has gone through, as I said. God, beloved friends, would make men of us, and we shall never be men according to God as we cling to nature. However legitimate it is to have a child in your bosom, you have to learn to relinquish him. "Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest", Genesis 22:2. And so the prophet comes into the bitterness of the position, as our Lord Jesus Christ came into it in perfection. The prophet stretched himself on the child on his own bed. It is very different from the child being in the bosom of his mother. "Come, see the place where the Lord lay", Matthew 28:6. That is a touching appeal! "Where the Lord lay". As we say:

'Jesus died, and we died with Him,
Buried in the grave He lay'.

"We have been buried therefore with him by baptism unto death" -- a very real thing! "For if we are become identified with him in the likeness of his death, so also we shall be of his resurrection". Romans 6:4,5.

It was a very real thing for Christ. "Now is my soul troubled". John 12:27. In Gethsemane how He felt it as anticipating the awfulness of the cross -- the suffering of death -- and then the grave: "Come, see the place where the Lord lay". Matthew 28:6. Do we go there? Life begins there. It is life out of death; that is the principle with God, and He set it out before ever sin came into the world. God set out that principle that life was to be out of death, and Eve was the figure of it -- taken out of Adam as figuratively in death. It is a divine principle, and the prophet as a type of Christ goes through it, and he prays to God and the breath comes back into the boy. It is a wonderful point to be reached in any soul, in any local company, or in the whole church, that life begins there. The soul of the child comes back into him. It is a remarkable figure -- the severity of the illness and the ebbing out of the life, and now the life coming back to the boy. Then the prophet takes him alive and presents him to his mother and says, "See, thy son lives". You expected him to die, he says, so to speak, but now he lives, he lives by the power of God. And so he brings the child to the mother. There is now a living son in the house.

What I want to do in closing is to draw your attention to the fact that the woman was confirmed; confirmation is in life out of death. She says, "Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of Jehovah in thy mouth is truth". There is a great deal of latitudinarianism amongst the people of God. 'That is your view', people will say, 'and I have mine'; that is what latitudinarianism is. What God intends is that His people should know. The unction that we have teaches us all things and is true. We need not anything else. He gives us certainty, for we need to be certain; and the process

to certainty is seen in this chapter; it is as we accept obligations to maintain the testimony. The result is that you come into certainty as to it. The word of the Lord in the mouth of the prophet, the woman says, is truth. Thus confirmed believers have got the truth. You need to be sure about things, and you may be. We need not be in any doubt, for we have the Spirit, who is the truth and who "searches all things, even the depths of God", 1 Corinthians 2:10. God is true, and He gives us an understanding that we should know Him that is true; 1 John 5:20. The apostle John says, "These things have I written to you ... that ye may know that ye have eternal life" 1 John 5:13, that you may be conscious -- as it may be rendered -- that you have eternal life, that it is no longer a theory but it is what you know. That is what the woman came to, and what in a simple way is presented here. The Lord would give us assurance as we accept obligations in regard of the testimony; when we arrive at divine assurance there is no longer any doubt that the word of God, as ministered by fit persons, is truth.

May the Lord bless His word.

THE DIVINE GLORY ENTERING

Exodus 24:9 - 11; Exodus 40:17 - 33

R.B. Will you indicate what you had in mind?

J.T. I had in mind the circumstances, as divinely appointed, in connection with which the divine glory enters in among the people of God. It may be observed that the house of God is introduced in Scripture in connection with journeying, that is, it is provisional; it is introduced in Genesis, as most of us will remember, when Jacob was on a journey; chapter 28: The appearings or manifestations of God, vouchsafed in Genesis, may be compared profitably with the appearings in Exodus, all of which have the house in view. I had in mind in reading the passage in Exodus 24 that we might see something of the divine circumstances, what the divine dwelling associations are on high, so that we may have some conception of what is suitable here. There is with us, I fear, the disposition to assume that anything, as it were, will do for God, whereas He would impress us in view of the dwelling, with what He is accustomed to. So after the covenant in which, typically, He makes known His love to the people, He introduces the principle of ascension, directing that Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel should ascend, so that there might be competent witnesses of what is required by the divine dwelling on high. What is here must in some way correspond with what is there.

All that preceded in the book furnishes abundant evidence of God's interest in His people, and His power and His love, so that He would now impress them with what is on high, what He was accustomed to in the way of dwelling, so they saw Him and what was under His feet. He was not asking them to give

any such pavement of sapphire in the wilderness, but He was reminding them that this was what He was accustomed to. So that if He walked with them for a time in a tent on the bare sands of the desert, He would impress them with the love that would put up with such circumstances, but He would also remind them that He was accustomed to something different; He was accustomed to a pavement of sapphire under His feet. He tells David that He had not asked him to build Him a house (which would include a flooring), but that He had walked with the people all those years "in a tent and in a tabernacle", 2 Samuel 7:6. That was His love, but He would remind them, as I have said, that if they bring God into menial circumstances or hardship, so to speak, they should remember that they are taxing His love. He is ready to meet them, ready to be taxed in that way, but they should remember that they are doing that.

The Lord Jesus came in on these principles: "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us", John 1:14. John points out what He was, where He was, and with whom He was; but He "became flesh, and dwelt among us", or tabernacled, as it should read. His feet felt the thorny way, and this was recognised by those who loved Him; we see in Luke 7 and in John 12 how love recognises Him. So the saints should understand that if divine love takes that way, there is sacrifice in it; it is His love acting, doing its very best for us, and we should not think lightly of it, or think that God is prepared to accept anything that we may furnish.

R.B. Do you connect that with John: "Looking upon Jesus as he walked"? John 1:36.

J.T. Well, it is how it is presented. Having come in to dwell among men, "among us", as John says, they "contemplated his glory". John 1:14. First it is said, "there standeth one among you, whom ye know not", John 1:26 waiting, as it were, for His time: He was there in

love. And then they are looking on Him as He walked; He was first walking toward John, and then walking. In both evangelists, that is, in Luke and John, He is anointed on the feet; it was love taking account of the way He took; it was no "paved work of a sapphire stone".

G.J.E. The basis of God being with us is divine love.

J.T. That is how it stands; He is showing us what He was leaving to come down into our circumstances.

Rem. "Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor", 2 Corinthians 8:9.

J.T. That is the principle of it.

Ques. Would the colour of the sapphire stone -- blue -- suggest the heavenly character of things?

J.T. I suppose so; it says, "As it were the form of heaven for clearness".

H.H. It is more than a sapphire stone, it is a pavement.

J.T. "Paved work", it says. It would be a formation; it suggests great care being expended on it; putting down a pavement work under the feet requires peculiar labour; and besides it is of sapphire.

H.H. Do you think it would convey the thought of what was permanent? You have the sapphire stone in the holy city at the end; what was God's thought at the beginning carries right through.

J.T. Just so.

R.B. Do you apply the pavement of sapphire to the house of God on earth at the present time?

J.T. Well, the house of God, as I was saying, is connected with journeying both in Genesis and Exodus -- something that could be taken down, as it were, and put up again; and the idea of a flooring is not in view. It was said to Jacob, "The land on which thou liest". Genesis 28:13. He was on the bare earth with a stone for his pillow; there was nothing there in the way of comfort, but then it is called the house of God,

for God was there. So throughout the instructions here, we have no provision whatever for flooring. Of course the pavement is found with Solomon, but that leads in another direction. The house is primarily what we have here in Exodus.

R.B. Did you say that seeing the pavement of sapphire would give them to understand what was suitable to divine walking?

J.T. I did not mean that, I meant that we should understand what the heavenly thing is, and thus what God would sacrifice so as to be with Israel. Of course there should be some correspondence with it here, but we cannot provide a pavement of sapphire, nor does God ask us to. Love would take the way indicated, as He says, "... even to this day, but I have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle" 2 Samuel 7:6; it is love's way. He does not ask for a flooring, but He shows us that that was what He was accustomed to; hence it was sacrifice.

A.J.H. Is it your thought that if God is pleased to walk with us here, we should have a deeper sense of the condescending love that would do so?

J.T. That is what I was thinking; we should ever bear in mind that divine love has come out of its own circumstances to serve us, and to be with us.

R.B. Have you something to tell us about Jacob lying on the bare earth?

J.T. That is literally what he did. Of course he did not know it was the house until he dreamed, but spiritually it is a very unsuitable position to be in; "The land on which thou liest" Genesis 28:13; that is chapter 28. But in chapter 35 he is not lying on the earth, but standing, and Jehovah comes down and stands by him, talks with him there, and goes up from the place where He talked. Jacob then sets up a pillar there, showing that he had now arrived at the idea of the house, that he had intelligence as to it. We are not to lie in the house, there are no beds there: I mean

to say, the idea is rather that of service. God is working and it is for us to be there ready to serve; When you come to 1 Samuel you find with Eli the idea of sitting at the door of the temple and of lying down and sleeping in it, but that is not in keeping with it.

P.L. "Which by night stand in the house of the Lord". Psalm 134:1.

J.T. That is it, it is a question of a charge; so that the ark shows us the way in Numbers. The ark was set up in the centre of the camp in dignity according to the direction, but when the people had to move, the ark went before, showing that divine love could never be limited even to its own regulations. It will ever be ready to act for us, free to show itself, and hence the ark moved out of its own place and went before, doing the pioneering, the suffering part; it went before them.

R.B. Then in the house of God one is to have the sense of the beautiful condescending character of the love of God.

J.T. Yes, exactly; Exodus teaches us that. Genesis emphasises the idea of manifestations of a more personal nature, to show personal interest, as to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. Here in Exodus the first manifestation is at the backside of the desert; God is in the bush, and it is called the thorn-bush, meaning that He had come down to these humble circumstances. Thus the first impression that Moses is to have is that God comes into these circumstances; and withal he is to understand that it is God who does it: "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground", Exodus 3:5. Nevertheless, God had come into the bush, and so it was the "goodwill of him that dwelt in the bush" Deuteronomy 33:16, it is not the goodwill of Him that dwells in heaven, that is fully admitted elsewhere, of course, but it is the goodwill of Him that dwelt in

the bush. One who comes down to dwell in the bush will do anything for you; what may you not expect from Him?

P.L. Does God get worship as the result of this condescending love? The Father seeks worshippers, seeks them at the hand of Him who sat weary on the well.

J.T. Exactly. He was weary with His journey and sat thus on the well, and made no effort to hide the circumstances. Think of the Lord of glory, the Son of God there! He had come down there, and He impresses that on the woman: "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". John 4:10. But then in the instruction given to her you have the thought of "the Father seeketh". John 4:23. He takes great pains in seeking worshippers. He comes into that position to reach the woman of Sychar.

G.J.E. It is the love of God in Him that attracts; it is seen there in Him, and He was journeying.

J.T. That is the point. In the parable in Luke 10 He pictures Himself journeying, and as we were saying, both in Luke and John you have the feet anointed, showing love in the believer taking account of love in Christ.

G.J.E. So that in journeying to the house of God, there is the taking account of the love that gives us to move.

J.T. That is so; we are ever in the presence of love coming into such circumstances, so He says to Moses, "I am come down to deliver". Exodus 3:8. But then He dwelt in the bush. Think of God there in those circumstances! He dwelt in it, whereas in heaven He has under His feet a paved work of a sapphire stone. You can understand how the Lord "emptied himself", as it says, in coming down; Philippians 2:7.

J.J. Does that agree with the gospel of Luke when the Lord refers to what was said to Moses, and then immediately following you have the house of God and the widow casting in two mites, the Lord thus recognising the humble circumstances?

J.T. The widow's act introduces a new order of things. The literal thing, the old order, was hardly equal to her gift; the widow was beyond her day. She gave all that she had. That went far beyond Jacob's proposal, which was a tenth.

In proceeding with the subject of these manifestations, I was thinking that the holy anointing oil is essential to the divine incoming of the glory. That is to say, when the tabernacle was set up according to the scripture in chapter 40 which we have read, it is not simply the shell, and all the curtains and so forth first, although that no doubt was so, but as you proceed in the account of it being reared up, the thing is all there at once; it is a living organism. If you have the ark, you have the testimony in it; if you have the table the bread is upon it; if you have the candlestick, the lamps are lighted; if you have the altar, there are the offerings being offered on it; if you have the laver, you have the priests' feet being washed in it. It is typically a living state of things and all pervaded by the Spirit.

Ques. Is that what is meant by being in accord with heaven?

J.T. Well, God is the living God; Peter says in writing to the dispersion, "To whom coming, a living stone ... yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ", 1 Peter 2:4,5. The whole thing is there at once, it is all in function, it is all in the persons, so to speak. It is a living thing, as if God would remind us in forming the house that there is movement all the time, and you are governed by right principles,

having Him in view. The house normally is marked by intelligent service.

R.B. So you mean that, even now, when we have the idea of the house we have at once spiritual activities relative to it.

J.T. That is right, but you cannot come together on the first day of the week and find a ready-made state of things. There is to be a living state of things throughout the week; that is what underlies the anointing. 'By the Spirit all pervading'. (Hymn 14) "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit", Galatians 5:25. And so in coming together on the first day of the week, there is a living state of things -- the thing is in process, it is workable at once.

H.H. Is it because God is dwelling there?

J.T. The anointing secures it for us, as we give place to the Spirit.

P.L. Would that be borne out in John 12? In the family at Bethany we have every one in the movement of life, and the Lord supreme there.

J.T. That is an excellent illustration of it. The Lord knew well enough what was at Bethany, "Loose him, and let him go" John 11:44 had the activity we are speaking of in view. The subject really begins with "Lazarus of Bethany", John 11:1 the idea being a locality in which active life is to be. Lazarus was sick, and he died, but it was for the glory of God. So at the outset in chapter 11 it is "Lazarus of Bethany", and then Mary the sister who anointed the Lord with ointment, that is what is in the mind of the Spirit; and then in chapter 12 the Lord comes to Bethany "six days before the passover". He "came to Bethany, where was the dead man Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from among the dead. There therefore they made him a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those at table with him. Mary therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of pure nard of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment". John 12:1 - 3.

It is all movement, a living state of things, and everything is ready.

Rem. It is a living state of things governed by affection.

J.T. Yes, and by intelligence, because Mary had kept it against His burial. It was a measured amount, a pound, meaning that she was in keeping with 1 Corinthians 14. You measure what you are giving; for instance, you do not make your prayers too long.

H.H. There would have been the consciousness with them that they were doing that which was His pleasure.

J.T. Yes; you feel in the way it is presented that it was that -- a scene wholly befitting.

H.H. Being at Bethel a second time, Jacob would be there for God's pleasure. It is an important point; we are there not conscious of need, but of being for the divine pleasure.

J.T. So that all the care expended on Jacob was in view of Bethel. After he reaches it, it says Rebecca's nurse dies. Then the Holy Spirit gives us an epitome of the result of Jacob's experience: that "God appeared to Jacob again after he had come from Padan-Aram, and blessed him". Genesis 35:9. Then it goes on to say what God said to him; He changed his name to Israel and then divulged His own name, saying, I am God Almighty. He talked with Jacob as having come down to him, and then He went up from the place where He talked with him. Then Jacob sets up a pillar there, pouring a drink-offering upon it, signifying that he was conscious now of being to God's pleasure. And so I think in John 11 all the care expended by the Lord was to the end that there should be such a state of things at Bethany -- a living state of things.

J.J. Do you see the same living state of things at Colosse? Chapters 3 and 4.

J.T. Well indeed. "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God". Colossians 3:3. In regard to Bethany, it says, according to John's gospel, that He came to Bethany six days before the passover, but Matthew in mentioning it says, "But Jesus being in Bethany, in Simon the leper's house", Matthew 22:6 which is a different thing altogether. John suggests that the Lord may come to a locality in relation to those who are intelligent and who love Him; but Matthew would intimate that He may be in your town but not in relation to you, but being in the town He may have to say to you. We know He could not be bound whatever may bring Him; what brought Him there is not mentioned; but we know He moves about. He may come to a town apart from you and me, because He has great affairs, and He is carrying on much that we may not know about. But being in the town in the house of Simon the leper, "a woman [her name is not even given] having an alabaster flask of very precious ointment, came to him and poured it out upon his head as he lay at table". Matthew 26:7. But it is very different in John's account, because he is dwelling on a condition of things that the Lord Himself had expressly brought about.

G.J.E. These living conditions so beautifully spontaneous are the result of something you mentioned earlier, that is, sacrifice.

J.T. Yes. That is so, something on the line of sacrifice. If we speak about the testimony, there is the ark of the testimony, and the testimony is in it; the thing is there in its full function, so to say; if we speak about the table of shewbread, the bread is on it, the thing is there; if we speak about the candlestick, the lamps are lighted; and if we speak about the altar of burnt-offering, the offerings are being offered; that is how the record reads; Exodus 40.

G.J.E. That is the normal condition of the house of God, but in following the divine light what

troubles me is how these conditions are brought about.

J.T. That is just the point; it means that I am in these living conditions all the time. I do not change my coat, so to speak, when I come to the meeting; I am there all the time in principle; I am living.

G.J.E. You do not change your coat any time during the week.

J.T. No, you are there; it is the same thing. There is the laver; what is it there for? They are washing in it, the priests do so. We can draw near on those lines: "Let us approach with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, sprinkled as to our hearts from a wicked conscience, and washed as to our body with pure water", Hebrews 10:22.

Ques. Are you pressing that when the saints are together they are to be ready to function for the divine pleasure?

J.T. You are to be available. It is not a shell that you come into; in principle you are the thing. In the house of God there is intelligent activity.

R.B. The thought of the coming down of God to such a level is what is before you, is it not?

J.T. That is what I was leading up to, the glory comes in in these circumstances.

Ques. Does John 1:14 suggest a living condition of things, "The Word became flesh"? John 1:14

J.T. Well, that is active love; He came in thus; those among whom He was dwelling contemplated His glory, that is, He was within their range. Moses contemplated God in the bush, and Moses, Aaron and the seventy elders contemplated Him above; but then you must have living conditions for God down here. He comes in in this setting, that is, as the living conditions are there.

Ques. What would answer in the New Testament to "they saw God"?

J.T. The mount of transfiguration. The Lord specially selected those who were to ascend; they should see there what He was, and what heaven thought of Him; He was transfigured, He was changed, "His face did shine as the sun", Matthew 17:2 but then He was praying. It is a wonderful scene. So Peter says, "We have not followed cunningly devised fables ... but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory". 2 Peter 1:17. You get an apprehension of what He was on high. Then it says, "they no longer saw any one, but Jesus alone with themselves", Mark 9:8. Moses and Elias were not coming down; but He is coming down with the disciples.

D.L.H. Is that not pretty much the force of the incident when Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and the elders of Israel went up and saw God and the pavement of sapphire stone? Is that not a kind of representation of the glory to which everything is tending in result?

J.T. I think so, but help us further on it.

D.L.H. Well, I thought in Exodus before the tabernacle is set up we have the divine thought in regard of the pleasure of God, how He would desire to have men in His presence in perfect rest; they saw the God of Israel, and they ate and drank; they are perfectly at rest there and familiar with the whole scene of glory that comes in. It seems to me, before we get the tabernacle system set up, God would show what He intended in full and final result to bring His people to.

J.T. That is true, hence the journeying. The conditions that He is willing to accept down here remind us of His love.

D.L.H. Then what is quoted from Peter, "but were eyewitnesses of his majesty". 2 Peter 1:17 really is the end

to be reached after all in regard to the kingdom glory, and it will be reached assuredly.

J.T. Yes. The purpose of God and the house of God are two distinct things. The house of God is here and appears as we are on a journey and affords us home conditions on the journey, and God takes part in the journeyings, as we have it here; He comes into desert conditions. The specification, of course, provided for His dignity and majesty, but nevertheless it is His love coming down; I am sure you would admit that.

D.L.H. Indeed, I think that is a blessed thought, the end of it all will be secured, namely, this scene of glory is going to be established assuredly.

J.T. So that "they saw the God of Israel"; "they saw God", it says, "and did eat and drink"; as you say, they were perfectly restful there.

Ques. Is there any difference between these two expressions -- seeing the God of Israel and "they saw God"?

J.T. There is a difference, the latter is a fuller thought; He has other relations besides Israel. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth", Genesis 1:1 that is not the God of Israel. He is the God of Israel, but He is in another relation, and so "from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God" Psalm 90:2; that is what Moses said himself; he understood that. "Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations" Psalm 90:1; that shows what an impression Moses had of God. It was not what He built that was their dwelling; God was their dwelling place. "He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him", 1 John 4:16.

G.J.E. I suppose the reason why John does not give us the mount of transfiguration was because God was there all through.

J.T. Well, I think so. They contemplated His glory, His coming in, as an only begotten with a father.

That really is essentially the mount of transfiguration; the glory of His Person is seen in both: "This is my beloved Son"; "we contemplated his glory". John 1:14. John is able to describe it; it was "a glory as of an only-begotten with a father, full of grace and truth".

Ques. Do we get an illustration of it in Hebrews 2 and 3, "Bringing many sons to glory", Hebrews 2:10 in chapter 2, and then the house of God in chapter 3?

J.T. I think the glory must precede the actual formation of the house. It is so in John 11. "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it". John 11:4. That glory is to shine before you have the formation at Bethany, the formation to which He could come. It was in the light of the glory and the glory shone in the most resplendent way there. The glory of the Son is seen in the way in which He speaks to the Father. He says, "And I knew that thou hearest me always", He knew that; "But because of the people which stand by I said it" John 11:42; and then He says, "Lazarus, come forth". John 11:43. It is the Son in perfect subjection to the Father acting for Him and with Him, but nevertheless in His relation as Son. John 12:27 - 30 records a similar scene, and then there is the wonderful prayer of chapter 17, evidently uttered in the presence of His disciples.

Ques. In regard to John 12, as to Mary anointing the feet of the Lord, did she recognise the condescending love expressed in the journey?

J.T. Just so; and she goes beyond the point He had reached; for there were six days yet ahead; she kept the nard for His burial, showing that she apprehended the full length of the journey -- He was going all the way. It is a wonderful scene at Bethany, because it is expressly to bring out what may take effect as the result of the care expended by the Lord in any locality. If the Lord comes, He comes in relation to that: "where was the dead man Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from among the dead". John 12:1.

But then, as I said, in Matthew He was there. "Being in Bethany", we read, "He was in the house of Simon the leper". Matthew 26:6. What brought Him there we are not told, because He does not always tell us why He comes to a place, for He has great business affairs. He has other people that He is looking after, and whom He may not tell us anything about. I mean, if we are not near, He will not tell us, but the nearer we are to the Lord, the more we shall know what He is doing in christendom.

Ques. Do you think the passover lamb in the house of an Israelite for a few days before it was slain is analogous to John 12?

J. T. The one who represents the position in Exodus is typically the Hebrew servant; he is the spirit of the thing, that is, he loves, but then God loved before. I mean to say, the thought is, that God has come in in love. He said in effect, "I have come down and I am ready to dwell in the bush". Now the Hebrew servant says, I love, "I love my master", Exodus 21:5 that is the response here. I suppose in some little measure Moses answered to that, and God honoured him greatly.

H.H. Moses did what God would love us to do; he entered into the spirit of things, into what is behind the letter.

J.T. Quite so; you get a beautiful expression in regard of him when envied by his brother and sister: "But the man Moses was very meek". Numbers 12:3. The suggestion is there was a man there, a person of affections and sympathies -- the meekest in all the earth; God says, "The form of Jehovah doth he behold" Numbers 12:8; God spoke with him face to face.

H.H. He was the Hebrew servant.

J.T. In measure he was, and that is what is needed, that is what God recognises.

Rem. "I love my master", Exodus 21:5 etc.

J.T. Yes; he was learning what God was doing, and he was in some little way entering into the spirit of it.

R.B. Do you connect your thought in chapter 24 with chapter 40, that an apprehension of the love that stooped down to be with them in those lowly circumstances would promote affection and response in the service of the tabernacle?

J.T. That is it, and then God comes in to that; He is the living God, and He comes into a living state of things.

R.B. Will you say a word about the glory coming in?

J.T. Well, if you take the systems of worship, so-called, around us, they are not living. He is the living God and the Lord says the Father seeks worshippers, that is, the persons; it is not the thing but the persons, and I think that is what is suggested in the setting up of the tabernacle. There is a living state of things. If you understand it spiritually, it refers to the persons who are living, who have the Spirit, so that all these things are in function. The testimony is in the ark, the lamps are lighted, the shewbread is on the table, and the sacrifices are on the altar, and the water in the laver is being used, so that it is a living state of things and things are done intelligently. God will go any distance with people who love, He will put up with all kinds of adverse circumstances to be with those who love, for he who dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him, wherever he be or whoever he be.

R.B. Then are these things that are going on in the tabernacle, in the house, the outcome of the anointing?

J.T. That is what I thought; the anointing is the great feature; much is made of it.

R.B. You made a remark that it refers to intelligence.

J.T. It does. The Spirit is everything to us in that way, the anointing giving us intelligence, and is the power of love in us, so that it is, as the apostle says, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit", Galatians 5:25. We are thus kept, and as we come together we are free, we are ready for God, we are available for Him.

Ques. Did Paul see these living features at Thessalonica, where he could speak of them as having become models to the assembly?

J.T. Exactly; they are not described as persons who are saved, but that they had "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God". 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

P.L. Would the glory coming into the tabernacle correspond to Christ's activities as Head? In Colossians He has been referred to as the hope of glory: "Christ in you, the hope of glory", Colossians 1:27.

J.T. I think so; I think these manifestations in Genesis and in Exodus (and there are many of them) point to divine incomings under certain circumstances. The Israelites were familiarised with divine Persons. At the very outset God was there in the cloud by day and in the pillar of fire by night. He was there before their very eyes; then He moved round between them and the Egyptians. Then as the manna comes the glory shines; He is there in that relation. And right through you have constant appearings so that the Israelites were familiar with the presence of God personally. During all the forty days the cloud was on the mount for their eyes to see.

Ques. What would you say as to Nadab and Abihu having had such experience and yet so grievously failing later?

J.T. That is another matter, it comes out in Leviticus. They have their place there, but there you get the breakdown of the priesthood, because Leviticus is the priest's book. Exodus is not the

priest's book specifically; it is in the priest's book that we have that record of failure. The priests make a poor showing, which is a humbling thing for us to see. The book that is intended to instruct us brings out how we fail in the exercise of priesthood.

SPIRITUAL ENERGY

Luke 20:34; Philippians 3:10 - 12; Genesis 35:27; Joshua 14:6

What I have to say has in view the promotion of spiritual energy in the people of God, and I have selected the passage in Philippians as furnishing a direct lead in this respect in one who by appointment under the Lord is the leader of our dispensation. But I began with Luke 20 because the Lord there refers to "that world", as He calls it, "and the resurrection". Luke 20:35. The circumstances under which He spoke these words was when answering the Sadducees, who were infidel materialists, and He appeals to the Scriptures, thus furnishing us with an excellent example how to meet such opposers, for they are prevalent in our days.

The Lord appeals to the Scriptures, alleging that these opposers erred, not knowing them: "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God", Matthew 22:29. Whatever else they knew, or pretended to know, their ignorance in regard of the Scriptures and the power of God was unmistakable. Then the Lord particularly alludes to Moses, as if He foresaw that the attack would be there, saying that even Moses showed that the dead rise. The thing is shown, not simply said, "in the section of the bush", Luke 20:37 in that part of Scripture so full of precious fundamental truth -- truth relative to the Deity, and that He could dwell in the burning bush; truth relative to divine purpose; truth relative to this great matter of the resurrection. The Lord thus, as is often found in the New Testament in the gospels, lets us into a vein of truth and a field of truth which is impregnable, notwithstanding all the efforts of these modern opposers. "Moses showed", He says, "in the section of the bush", that

the dead rise, for God said there, "I am ... the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"; "but he is not God of the dead but of the living; for all live for him". Luke 20:37,38.

Now, having thus brought to your attention this remarkable utterance of the Lord in this particular setting, I proceed to show how the scripture illustrates for us the way to it, that is to say, the end of the journey of faith. The house of God comes in on the way to it; it leads to it, for the house, although a provisional thing, is seen now in that which is eternal, that is, in the assembly. The house of God is that in which we are to learn now how to behave ourselves, as the scripture says; but then it is also "the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth" 1 Timothy 3:15; that is another view. The one, as I understand it, is provisional, pending the restoration of Israel here, the other is eternal, for the assembly of the living God, as such, is not a temporary or provisional thing, it is a primary thought of God and therefore I connect it with "that world". Primary thoughts all stretch on to "that world", so that the assembly of the living God is for His use eternally. It came in in type before sin came in, and in purpose before the world, as Hebron did; they synchronise in that sense. Eve is the type of the assembly, which suggests that it was in the mind of God before sin was introduced, and that its life was to be out of death, that is to say, the idea of life out of death did not depend on the incoming of sin; it was in the mind of God before. Historically it became that, but God intimated in the plainest terms that He had before Him that kind of life, life out of death. It was not death as a penalty, but in the form of sleep -- a well-known term used later as covering death in the scripture. We have therefore the idea of the assembly in that life before sin came in; it was a divine thought, a primary thought.

Thus, as I said, these two lines run on together, the line relating to the house of God and the line relating to the purpose of God.

The idea of the purpose of God came in before the house; it was intimated in Adam and Eve, in Abraham and in Isaac, but the house of God comes in in connection with Jacob, who was then on a journey. The journey, literally, did not lead to it alone. The end was by the way of the house but went beyond it, for you will find in Genesis 35 that Jacob was said to journey twice after he reached Bethel. I do not say that in spiritual things we leave Bethel behind, but I do say that Bethel represents one thing and Hebron another. We may reach Bethel and not reach Hebron. There is the house of God, that in which we are here and in which we are to behave ourselves according to God, and there is "the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth", 1 Timothy 3:15 something that subsists beyond death, which enters into the world to come.

I want now to show, if I can, that these two things are before us, and that spiritual energy is essential, especially if we are to reach Hebron. We first have to lay hold of the divine thought, and it is a wonderful thought: "They who are counted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection". Luke 20:35. Have we, dear brethren, the light of that in our souls -- of "that world"? "They who are counted worthy to have part in that world, and the resurrection from among the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage ... they are equal unto angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection". Luke 20:35,36. You see what light that is, and how in that light, laying hold of it, the believer aims at reaching the thing -- not merely the light of it, but the thing itself. Paul says, "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead". It is not a question of God raising him there. God will raise us, and quicken us all, but

the apostle is dealing with the thing as it is to be realised now: "That I may know him", he says, "and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead", that is, to be out of that state, out from among the dead, to be consciously in a realm beyond death. That was what the apostle desired.

And so you see the journeying side in Jacob. He presents the initial side of the subject, as I apprehend, Caleb being the completion of it. Jacob journeys, and Rachel dies by him. On that journey death is rolled in. God graciously snaps for us every tie and all natural links; not that nature and natural links are not right, but they do not belong to Hebron, they do not belong to "that world, and the resurrection". We have to arrive at the snapping of them somehow in order to reach "that world, and the resurrection"; for there, we are told, they "neither marry, nor are given in marriage", but are as the angels, "sons of God, being sons of the resurrection". Luke 20:35,36. Mark you, it is a question of maturity in regard of the resurrection, that is, it is not simply God raising me, but my arrival at it at the present time, to be a son of the resurrection. I have faced the thing, and I have come to apprehend the power of God, so that in that power I reach the realm which the Lord calls "that world".

Now after Rachel's death Jacob moves on; he journeys again. The principle is journeying until you reach it, and the house of God, that in which the order of God is seen here publicly, supports you. But "that world and the resurrection" are outside the view of man and this world; it is a sphere laid hold of by faith in the power of the Spirit so as to become real. So Jacob journeys towards Hebron and God rolls in death and sorrow. Rebecca's nurse dies

as he reaches Bethel, and Rachel dies, and his very best after the flesh becomes corrupt, that is, Reuben sins. All that is on the way in the government of God, but all to the one end, that he may reach the goal of the journey. And so, notwithstanding Reuben's defection and corruption, we have the allusion to the twelve sons: "Now the sons of Jacob were twelve" Genesis 35:22; that is to say, at the borders of Hebron the full divine thought of administration is seen, and Jacob arrives there; we are told further that he "came unto Isaac". It is not yet, to him, the place of the resurrection; it is a question of Isaac. To him it was a place of death, but not death without hope; it was death with hope. And so, throughout his life, Jacob has Hebron, or the cave of Machpelah, before him as a burying place; it was for those who had faith. Even Isaac dies, but then, as I said, Jacob had reached the spot where Isaac was, where Abraham sojourned, and where Isaac sojourned. What a group of circumstances for faith around that spot!

Caleb is the consummation of this line of faith, and I wish particularly to dwell on him so that we may see, in a simple way, the kind of energy that secures Hebron, and that it is not beyond the reach of any of us. And so I refer briefly to the history of Caleb, well known to most here, but not, perhaps, to some of the younger ones. He was one of the twelve, as you will remember, sent out by Moses from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and what came to light in that service was that his feet trod that land, as it is said, "the land whereon thy feet have trodden". Joshua 14:9. I commend that to the young, for Caleb was comparatively young at that time. He was not lying on the earth as Jacob was, but his feet trod the promised land, the whole ground of purpose, and in that connection we are told that Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt. These things have to be understood spiritually, The Holy Spirit puts that in a

parenthesis so that every young christian who reads the book of Numbers should understand that there is something that existed before the world, and that it is for you.

And then, what kind of a young brother or sister sets out commendably for that inheritance? Let Jehovah tell us. "But my servant Caleb", He says, "because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully", Numbers 14:24. That is the secret of it -- "another spirit". Of Joshua, his companion, it was said that he had the Spirit; but the point with Caleb is "another spirit", and no young brother or sister will ever start out for Hebron save as he changes his spirit. Of course it depends on the presence of the Holy Spirit, but it is your spirit. In what direction is your spirit moving? Is it towards this world? I know well enough how young people are governed by what this world offers, but Caleb was of another spirit. We have to begin with that -- another spirit; that is the commendation for his entering that inheritance. He is to have that inheritance, and now, forty-five years afterwards, he recalls what his strength was. He is an old brother now, but when his feet trod that land he was not old, he was a young brother as age went in those days. These things are not beyond the young people, they are for them. The Spirit of God puts down for you in Numbers 13 that little parenthesis about Hebron, and you do well to stop and think over it as you read it. It is an outlet from the exercises and sorrows of the wilderness; it is light from that world for you.

So the apostle Paul in writing to the babes at Corinth, as he calls them, reminds them of "that hidden wisdom which God had predetermined before the ages for our glory; which none of the princes of this age knew, (for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory)". 1 Corinthians 2:7,8. The hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory;

There is "the Lord of glory", and there is "our glory", which is bound up with His, but there is the hidden wisdom, too. Is that beyond you? Has it any attraction for you? God has prepared it before the world for you. Whatever this world may offer in all its phases, ecclesiastically or philosophically, can it offer anything that was before the world? Absolutely nothing! whereas God prepared for us the kind of wisdom that is beyond their range. It is "that hidden wisdom", and He prepared it, beloved, "for our glory". Can we do without it? If you see something of the light of that world, then you begin to say, I want to be fitted for it, I want to be educated for it.

And so there is the hidden wisdom, not the wisdom of the classics, as they are called, but the "hidden wisdom" which the Holy Spirit teaches. Think of that! Where is there a teacher like the Holy Spirit? as it is said, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him". 1 Corinthians 2:9. That touches every young christian who loves God. God has prepared those things for us, and He has revealed them to us by His Spirit, "for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God". 1 Corinthians 2:10. And then again, "But we have the mind of Christ". 1 Corinthians 2:16. God has given to us of His Spirit that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Now that is how it stands, and as you read that passage in Numbers, and the Holy Spirit brings home to your heart what Hebron means, you say, I want to shine in that world and the resurrection, I want to be a son there -- a son of God, a son of the resurrection; that is one who is mature, and who has reached it in the power of the Spirit of God.

Now in the book of Joshua you have the thing presented fully in Caleb, so that we might see the work of God in the believer -- forty-five years of the

work of God. Look at the start he had! And here he is after forty-five years journeying with a disobedient and gainsaying people! He was not disobedient, he was not gainsaying. God Himself had also walked with the people. He was walking with them all those forty years. Was Caleb idle? No; he was comparatively young, but he was learning; he was not growing old in the wilderness. Some of us do, alas! As one sees old brothers and sisters one often sees the dimming of the light and lessening of the energy, the loss of colour, the dwelling on reminiscences. That is not "that world"; "that world" is future.

Not so with this remarkable believer, this type of a mighty man of spiritual energy; he recalls what his strength was forty-five years before. He was not neglectful to take his own measure. We should take our own measure; it is wise to do it, for we are to do things according to our measure -- "according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" Romans 12:3, and Caleb knew his measure. He could recall what his strength was forty-five years before, and he says, "It is just as great today, I have lost nothing in regard of strength, in regard of energy". He had gained much, doubtless, in the way of intelligence and experience. Where was there another like him? He had lost nothing in strength. Old brothers and sisters, of course, have what we younger ones cannot have, that is, experience; but then the point that Caleb makes is not that; the point he makes is "strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in", Joshua 14:11 and it was not in the least degree diminished. What a man he was! Is it written for our curiosity? No! It is to give a living picture of a spiritual man, for that is what Caleb was. The fulness of what is presented in him in type is, I believe, in that passage in Philippians where we have a man striving might and main, according to the power that God had given to him, to lay hold of the resurrection -- to "attain",

as he says, "unto the resurrection from among the dead".

And so Caleb goes over the ground with Joshua -- Joshua representing God here -- and calls attention to what he knew. He asks for the mountain, knowing full well the kind of inhabitants who were in it; but he was nothing daunted; he had power to overcome and to eject the enemy, for it is a question of enemies. If a graveyard existed at Hebron there was an enemy there; I mean, death was there, the power by which the family of God was held, but Caleb understood that there was power to overcome that. It is a question of the resurrection. Jacob did not have that exactly before him; I mean, he was not stressing that side, whereas Caleb does; he knows the enemy that is there and the power that is there. The more we are with God, the more we shall recognise the power that is against us. But then, beloved, "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world", 1 John 4:4. There is a means of reaching the resurrection from among the dead; as it is said, we are raised "through faith" -- what faith? The "faith of the working of God who raised him from among the dead", Colossians 2:12. It is the same power that worketh in us. And then we are said to be quickened, so that we are made to live in our affections, and thus can enter on the realm of resurrection, "attaining", as it says, to the "resurrection from among the dead".

Now, that is what was set out in Caleb in type in the most striking way, and so while he asked for the mountain, nothing daunted, what is before the mind of the Spirit is Hebron. Hence it is said that "Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb ... because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel". Joshua 14:13,14. That is the mind of God. The mountain represents the power, but what is in the mind of God is Hebron, that is to.

say, "that world and the resurrection". Luke 20:35. And so "Joshua blessed him". You see, the blessing of God is available to us in that connection. "Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb", Joshua 14:13 as though God was delighted with such energy, with such desire to reach His thought -- "that world and the resurrection". Then it says it was secured to him and to his generation. "Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed Jehovah the God of Israel". Joshua 14:14. And then we are told what it was. The name of Hebron before was Kirjath-Arba; which Arba was a "great man among the Anakim. And the land rested from war". Joshua 14:15.

That is the end, and so I would commend -- especially to the young -- first what Caleb was as a young man, how he had "another spirit", and understood thoroughly that God was able to eject the enemy and to put His people in possession; and then at the age of eighty-five his strength remained, his ardour remained, and his desire for the inheritance remained. It is not simply a question of the Lord coming to take us, many talk much about that, and read about it, and rightly so far, but they have not thought of laying hold of the thing in the power of the Spirit at the present time, for that is the point, and that is what Caleb represents to us.

May the Lord bless the word and lead us into more spiritual energy, so that we may get outside, in some measure at least, of the present world, and enter into the realm of "that world and the resurrection". Luke 20:35.

FOOD (1)

John 4:31 - 34; John 6:1 - 14,60 - 71

J.T. These scriptures introduce the subject of food as John presents it, and I thought they would furnish substance for this reading, and perhaps we might look at chapter 21 this evening. I am thinking of it particularly as it bears on those who are ministering, and it works out in this section in the Lord formally recognising "the twelve". This evangelist does not make much of the official side in the disciples, but the twelve are formally recognised at the end of chapter 6. I think they were making progress, the designation "the twelve" having allusion to their responsibility and administration, which largely involve feeding the saints. Thus the Lord in John would instruct us how food is to be administered in our times; it is to be on the principle of twelve.

This may be linked instructively with Solomon's regime, in regard of which we are told that there were twelve superintendents over the realm in order to provide food for the people. There was no lack. Much depends therefore now on the distribution of the servants, each having his own province or section. There must be food for the people of God. We have given to us Solomon's provision for one day, which was very liberal, all flowing from this wise distribution of the "superintendents". 1 Kings 4:7.

In this gospel the references to the disciples do not generally show them to be spiritual; for in chapter 4 they went away to buy bread, leaving the Lord alone. All did not need to go. They are occupied with food from a material point of view, and being thus occupied, when they returned and found the Lord talking with the woman they marvelled at it. So the Lord brings in the spiritual side as to food -- what

His food was, which was very different from their conception of it. Many subjects are interwoven in these chapters, but food has a very important place in them. We have to learn from the Lord as to this, what His food was, for to have an apprehension of the subject we must understand what His food was. The manna was said to be "angels' food", but His is of a higher order.

W.C.G. Is He introducing them into the grace and fulness of His ministry?

J.T. Exactly. All things were delivered into His hands, it was said earlier, but this was His food. The subject must necessarily work out from what His food was.

W.W. You said that His food was of a higher order. What is the significance of that?

J.T. "My food is that I should do the will of him that has sent me, and that I should finish his work". That is greater than the manna. He was the bread of God Himself, but we have to see that in its setting, that is in chapter 6; but His food was to do the will of God and to finish His work, and that is what is suggested in chapter 4; the Lord is occupied, not with our food, but with His. They said, "Rabbi, eat", and that brings out the truth of what His meat was.

S.J.B.C. "I have food to eat which ye do not know". Would that imply a lack of sympathy in them?

J.T. There is reproof in it. They did not know what He was going on with; they did not know even what His food was.

P.W. Is it what we have in Psalm 40? "Lo, I come ... I delight to do thy will, O my God". Psalm 40:7.

J.T. That is involved in what He regards as His food here.

Ques. Are you linking His food with the finishing of the work?

J. T. That is what He says: "That I should do the will of him that has sent me, and that I should finish his work". The will of God may not always imply being sent. It is imperative on everyone to do the will of God, but here it is the will of Him that sent Him.

M.W.B. Is that why you link it with service?

J.T. Yes. Doing the will of God is imperative on everyone, but it is a question here of your service as being sent, and what the food is of those who are sent.

D.L.H. Would you take the finishing the work to be in keeping with what the apostle Paul said when he wrote to the Colossians, that he would present every man perfect in Christ?

J.T. He would present the complete product, present every man perfect in Christ.

D.L.H. I recollect J.B.S. used to say he thought the finishing the work primarily referred to the woman, the completing of the work of God in her soul.

J.T. No doubt. I think the work was finished so far as it was intended at the moment. She left her waterpot, and that comes in just as they returned with their loaves or whatever they had brought. She left her waterpot, that is to say, the work is complete so far. She discerned that the Lord was moving on spiritual lines, that her body was what He had in view. She was to be a vessel, and so she left her waterpot, signifying that she saw the Lord was not on the lines of the material thing, but that she was to be the vessel spiritually. So she went away to the city and said to the men, "Come, see a man". John 4:29. She was the vessel herself, and the result was that the men came to Him.

W.W. Does the food in chapter 4 raise the question of responsibility in regard of service?

J.T. I think it does. What is the food by which we are to be sustained? The disciples are quickly

turned away by the Lord from what is material to what is spiritual. He mentions also what was intended to humble, that they were not the inaugurators of anything, they just entered on other men's labours.

Ques. Is joy (verse 36) intimately connected with the thought here? Was His joy the food to which He referred?

J.T. I am sure it was very real joy to Him to find such an one as the woman. No doubt He alluded immediately to what had passed in His interview with her, of which they were utterly ignorant.

Ques. So His joy is completing that for which He was sent. Is that what you had in mind?

J.T. The Lord says His meat was to do the will of Him that had sent Him and to finish His work. You may be doing something that seems profitable, but what about the finish? The point is the finish, the completion of the thing.

H.W.S. Do you think it means that the whole scope of the will of God must be in view for service?

J.T. That is the only way we can serve effectively; you see what God is doing. As working with Him we have the completion of the work ever in view.

Ques. Would it answer to Ephesians 4:13, "till we all come in the unity of faith"?

J.T. It would; that is what ministry is for. "Until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at the full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ". Ephesians 4:13. That is the thing. Your soul is sustained as thus engaged; there is positive pleasure and sustenance on those lines. The apostles were brought on to those lines in due course, and I think that is the reason why in the end of chapter 6 they are alluded to as "the twelve". As compared with chapter 4 it is a dignified reference. Peter's remark in answer to the Lord shows they were coming into the thing: "To whom shall we go? thou hast words of life eternal".

They are now owned by the Lord as taken up for service.

Ques. Is completion seen here in John 4 in the Father having worshippers?

J.T. That was in the Lord's mind. He unfolds that to the woman as the Father's thought. Ministry must have that in view. Chapter 9 shows how "the works of God" John 9:3 lead up to the worship of the Son of God.

H.H. It is important for us all to be entirely taken up with the will of God. The Lord Jesus was entirely absorbed with God's will.

J.T. Yes; but that is a more general thought; we all are to "prove what is the ... will of God", Romans 12:2. But here it is the idea of being sent -- to "do the will of him that sent me". I think it would help us greatly in service to see there is a finish to the work, and that God has not left us in the dark as to what that is, so that we can work up to it; we can have that in our minds and there is positive pleasure and sustenance in moving on those lines. There is sustaining joy in the sense that it is God's will and the finish of His work.

P.L. You see this with Moses. When he set up the tabernacle, it says, "And so Moses finished the work". Exodus 40:33.

J.T. That confirms fully what we have said.

Rem. And also with Solomon: "And all the work was finished". 2 Kings 7:51, 2 Chronicles 5:1.

J.T. In every instance you find God indicates fully what He requires. No one really could tell what was needed save Moses, because to him alone the pattern was shown. He saw the thing, and he had to receive and pass on every part of the tabernacle. It was all brought to him, one part after another, and he approved and placed it. The specifications in themselves could not convey fully what God required, hence the pattern of the tabernacle was

shown to Moses, and all had to be according to it.

H.H. All our service is more or less deficient. I suppose what you have before you is the thought of the divine end producing results from the service that would be for God's pleasure.

J.T. Exactly; and now you see in the beginning of chapter 6 the Lord is setting out the way of feeding, in connection with which you have the twelve hand-baskets, meaning that the thought of administration is developed in it. The disciples are not yet alluded to as the twelve, but there are twelve hand-baskets, that is, portable baskets, signifying, I suppose, that each of them would understand that there is a basket for him. The indication is not that any one of them would take two or more baskets, but there is something for each one to carry about. It is portable; so such work can be conveniently done.

H.H. One can work in relation to others, and yet be doing what has been given him to do.

F.W. Is it the same as in chapter 13 with the washhand basin?

J.T. I think the idea there is that it was portable; it could be carried around. You do not ask the saints to come to you where the basin is, but you carry it around.

F.W. In chapter 6 it seems to be indicated that the apostles needed to be educated, because they do not seem to be available at the beginning of the chapter. The Lord does the distributing.

J.T. They were disqualified in their representatives, that is, in Andrew and Philip. I think these passages bring out the Lord's patience in dealing with us as in His service, for there is a great deal of irregularity and lack of co-ordination in the service of the Lord.

The idea of "twelve" is that we are an under the Lord's control and we are coordinated; we are moving under Him. I think the designation, "the twelve",

at the end of this chapter is an allusion to that. It is a dignified reference, meaning that they were learning. Peter's answer to the Lord's question shows that definite progress had been made, especially in the knowledge of Himself.

M.W.B. Why does He refer to one of them being a devil?

J.T. So that he might not pass; the others apparently had not discerned Judas, but the Lord would not include him when referring to them as progressing in the knowledge of Himself. He speaks of Judas after Peter's statement.

M.W.B. You do not think it has any implied thought minimising the whole idea of what was official?

J.T. There is an allusion to the breakdown. He says, "Have not I chosen you the twelve? and of you one is a devil"; but then earlier it says, "Jesus therefore said to the twelve". You have got to take that by itself, that is, there is a formal recognition of their administrative position. His saying He had chosen them is to throw into greater evidence the wickedness of Judas.

Rem. The twelve were still here when the Lord appeared in resurrection as in 1 Corinthians 15.

J.T. The number was made up. You have a double reference there, first to the twelve, and then "to all the apostles". "The twelve" is an administrative allusion; "all the apostles" refers to authority and representation.

M.W.B. Would you take Peter's remark as indicating the state of the twelve?

J.T. That is what I thought, showing they were getting on.

W.C.G. Is there a suggestion that ability to administer food is bound up with the enjoyment of food oneself?

J.T. You have to begin with the thing you are

going to administer. You have to arrive at what it is. Its most spiritual form is in chapter 4.

S.J.B.C. "As the living Father has sent me and I live on account of the Father, he also who eats me shall live also on account of me".

J.T. It is important to notice that food for a sent one is the line involved in this passage, and the administration of food must be on that basis.

W.W. Is your thought in directing attention to being sent connected with our being in nearness to God?

J.T. Yes; "There was a man sent from God" John 1:6 -- he had been with Him. The principle of ministry is first the idea of being sent, and then the representation of the One who has sent you. The Lord said, "He who receives whomsoever I shall send receives me; and he that receives me receives him who has sent me:" John 13:20.

S.J.B.C. My thought in quoting that passage was that we must be in the enjoyment ourselves of that which we give out. It has a wonderful effect upon those you are ministering to if they feel you are enjoying what you are saying.

J.J. What was your thought in saying they were disqualified in their representatives?

J.T. The Lord challenges Philip as to how the thing is to be done. He says to Philip, "Whence shall we buy loaves that these may eat?" He puts it upon Philip to answer, and he replies, "Loaves for two hundred denarii are not sufficient for them, that each may have some little portion". Then it goes on, "One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, says to him, There is a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fishes; but this, what is it for so many?" We can see that they were not equal to the exigency.

D.L.H. Have you any thought why Philip is singled out by the Lord for testing in this way?

J.T. We have remarked before that he and Andrew are associated in this gospel, beginning very well in chapter 1, but they miss it here; that is, on this line John would remind us that even with a good beginning in those who minister, there is the danger of break-down and failure. Philip, as we know, found Nathanael and spoke well to him, so that he secured him for Christ. Andrew found his brother Simon Peter, and secured him for Christ. That is one thing; it is one thing to get souls to Christ, but it is another thing to feed them, and that I think is the point here, whether you can minister food, for in order to do that you have to come into chapter 4, to understand what the food of a sent one is. One's food is not in the number of souls he gets or in large meetings, or even in the support he gets in the meetings, but in the will of Him that sent him being done -- something done in the light of the mind of God.

H.W.S. Material for the harvest, do you mean?

J.T. The heavenly side is presented to us as the end to be reached. If I have not accomplished something on that line I have not done much.

M.W.B. What is completing the work? As to the detail none of us can say the work is completed as the Lord did; He finished. In what way do we come in as completing the service?

J.T. The Lord says to His Father, "I have completed the work which thou gavest me that I should do it", John 17:4 but then, that was so far. As here in the flesh and leading up to His death, He finished the work. It was supposing something additional, that is, He was to be glorified that He might glorify the Father in bringing the thing into form as it is now. It is after He had gone into heaven and the Holy Spirit had come down that the thing is worked out to completion, so that it was so far, "I have completed the work which thou gavest me that I should do it" As to ourselves the important thing is to be doing something

that fits in with the general work of God. Each has his own part, but he is working in relation to the whole with a view to completion.

M.W.B. Moving in the direction of completion which will be seen when the city comes in?

J.T. That is right. God furnishes us with the end before Him, and if I have not secured something for that, I have not really done anything.

H.F.N. Do each of these individuals represent some distinctive feature of the Lord finishing the work? For instance, you have referred to the woman in chapter 4. Would Peter here represent another feature of the work being finished, and would it be seen in its entirety when they are all together in chapter 20?

J.T. I thought so. One has often referred to the verse, "While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may become sons of light". John 12:36. Each of those cases furnished a son of the light, so far. I think the woman, for instance, was a son of the light; she moved intelligently in it; and so, too, the nobleman at the end of the chapter, and right through. Peter particularly is a son of the light, and what he says is a mature statement. "We have believed and known". It was experience, and so in each case you see the idea of completion. More may be added, but it is complete in the connection presented.

H.F.N. That is one's exercise, and one is thankful for the way the Lord is helping us. If it is not going aside from the question, I would like to ask how you view the thought of food in John in relation to the sent One and in regard to Mark. Mark's gospel we have looked upon as the great levitical gospel. How would you suggest the thought of food in the two connections?

J.T. What I see in John is that it is intended for our own times, as is obvious. We really lose nothing of first principles, only that we are made to feel in

John's ministry that things are broken and there is failure. That, I think, is why so much reflection is cast on the disciples, that they were not up to the mark at all, but they are brought to it; they are brought in the end to a higher plane than in any other of the evangelists. It is very encouraging for the last times that God is working up to the very highest plane, so to speak, that is, to the brethren of Christ and the ascension. Then the Lord breathes into them His own Spirit, sending them out as He had been sent out. Hence we lose nothing at the end; all the principles are carried through in the most spiritual, elevated way.

J.J. What you say makes John entirely different from the other evangelists.

J.T. It does. In John's gospel the Lord does not wait for John the baptist to be cast into prison to begin His service, whereas He does in the other gospels. The levitical rules are for the moment not in prominence; things refer to the Lord's Person; He is not presented in this gospel in relation to what existed previously. There is, however, allusion to a levitical principle in the disciples being called "the twelve" in chapter 6. They were equal to it, as we have said.

R.B. Is being brought up to it the outcome of discovering what the food is and feeding on it?

J.T. That is really the great question in our consideration now, that is to say, the food of John 6. It is a wonderful chapter, and I think its results are seen in Peter as representing the twelve. The principle of the chapter is coming down -- coming down from heaven, but coming down. We have to feed much on the principle of coming down if we are to be effective in service. It is manifested right through the chapter. The Lord's challenge is, "Will ye also go away?" He knew well that Peter was taking in what He was saying. The words He had spoken were spirit and life, and He knew Peter was taking that in,

and hence He draws it out. Peter said, "Thou hast words". The chapter is very long, full of words, and pregnant with precious meaning. It is what the Father was doing. The Father gives the true bread. It is a question of Christ; it was Christ provided for man here in the most positive way and at the greatest sacrifice.

Eu.R. What feature does the little boy suggest?

J.T. It lays the basis for what we are saying. The little boy is of no reputation, but he has something. That is the way the thing works out. It is a question of what you have. If you have got something, the Lord will make room for you. So you come in in that way. The little boy develops into administration. What he had is made to feed all, with twelve baskets full remaining. It is the administrative idea that is worked out in the most simple way. There were the twelve baskets there, as it were, for anybody to take up. The administrative idea is present, not yet the persons who are to be used in it. These, as we said, come in at the end of the chapter.

H.H. Would you say a word as to what the five barley loaves and two small fishes convey?

J.T. I suppose the barley would refer to the first-fruits, alluding to what was here in Christ and what might be seen there. I apprehend it would be to Andrew's credit that he knew this little boy. He did not say anything to enhance his own position and importance by it. If you have a spiritual brother in the meeting, you may seek to clothe yourself with his importance, but that is not what Andrew has in his mind. He says, "There is a little boy here", not we have a little boy; he knew him. It was no credit to him that the little boy was there, but it was a credit to him that he knew he was there, and that he spoke of him in that way.

R.B. You were speaking about coming down in

chapter 6, and if I understand rightly you were not speaking of it in connection with the manna.

J.T. The manna was angels' food. I was referring to chapter 4, where the Lord says His food was to do the will of Him that had sent Him and to finish His work. That is not the manna. Manna is sustenance for us in the wilderness; it carries us through; but it is not the idea of food for persons specially sent. There are other kinds of food, priests' food, for instance, but the Lord in chapter 4 is alluding to food for those sent.

J.J. Do you think the little boy would suggest what was to come in later? The Lord always had Paul in His mind.

J.T. Well, he answers to the thought conveyed. It is what you are or have, not that you are put into any position. To put a man into a position will not do. There is nothing of that kind in John; it is what you are. "There is a little boy here", and he has something. Where did he get it? They were barley loaves. Spiritually, I understand, they allude to Christ as He was here, and the fishes allude to some apprehension of the sovereignty of God. I think the two go together -- what has come in in Christ, and an apprehension of God's sovereignty.

S.J.B.C. I suppose in all that great crowd the little boy was the most unlikely person to be able to supply the need. He was little in his own eyes and in the eyes of others.

J.T. He was little in the eyes of Andrew.

A.H.W. Would you say the two things represented in the barley loaves and the fishes must always be found in service, that is, what is put together in a way through exercise and the sovereignty of God?

J.T. I think so. I think the barley loaves allude to what was here in Christ as the first-fruits of what God was bringing in. Of course, the Spirit of Christ

was in the Old Testament in the men of faith, and in that sense it would be the same thing, but Christ here personally must be distinct from anything. I think the barley loaves would allude to the apprehension of Christ in that way, and the sovereignty of God is suggested in the fishes.

J.J. Would it not be "he that overcometh the world", 1 John 5:5 as in John's epistle? I was thinking of Gideon and the barley loaf there.

J.T. Just so. In Gideon's case it was an irregular thing, and it is irregular here. It was irregular for a cake of barley to "tumble" in, Judges 7:13 but it did the work. It represented Gideon, and therefore, in due course, he had a place of reputation according to God.

J.S. The opening part of the chapter introduces the subject of food, but it does not only say, "come from heaven", but "come down from heaven". John 6:37.

J.T. You have the thing set out in the first part of the chapter in the sign. Then the Lord says, "Work not for the food which perishes, but for the food which abides unto life eternal, which the Son of man shall give to you; for him has the Father sealed, even God". John 6:27. The Father has committed Himself to Him; and Christ will give food that abides to eternal life. Then we have, "What should we do that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he has sent". John 6:28,29. You must get an apprehension of what is in the mind of God, of what He is doing. It is the Father and He sent this One, He sealed Him. Then they bring up the question of the manna, and the Lord says, "It is not Moses that has given you the bread out of heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven". John 6:32. The true bread is that which My Father gives; the true bread is He that comes down from heaven. We are to be prepared for that. The whole chapter is built up on the sign and culminates in Peter's

confession, who began to see that the Lord's words were life eternal.

J.S. The shewbread was God's thought.

J.T. It was "the bread of the presence"; the priests had part in it. It only emphasises what I was saying that administration is largely a question of food; it is what there is for the saints. These baskets represent this; at the end of the chapter there are twelve who can take them up. That is the way the thing is set, and before you are recognised as qualified you have all this wonderful instruction about what the Father is doing. What a cost in giving His Son that He should come down out of heaven and give His life! All that enters into you and forms you so that you become spiritual, and spiritual enough to come in under the heading of "the twelve". He "said to the twelve, Will ye also go away?" and in Peter's reply they come out as representing the work of God, "We have believed and known that thou art the holy one of God", meaning that the experience had developed and culminated in this.

Eu.R. I think there has been a tendency with us to connect the thought of ministry and those who minister in that way, with light rather than food.

J.T. The food is the thing that tests, whether one is able to minister it. In the next reading we may see that to minister food is the commission given to Peter.

Eu.R. "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?"

J.T. Quite.

H.W.S. Do you think Peter illustrates one who is appropriating the living bread?

J.T. I think so. It is the words of life eternal. He was taking them in in detail; they were being

built into his soul. Then he recognised where they were -- that the Lord had them.

M.W.B. If we knew something of the first food you referred to, we should be more capable in the second connection of administration.

J.T. I have no doubt that is right. The Lord said what His food was, and we want to be like the Lord as workmen, understanding His food as sent and living on it.

Eu.R. The little boy would suggest one in the gain of the chapter. He has a supply.

F.W. Would you say a few words about eating the flesh of the Son of man and drinking His blood? Would those be part of "the words"?

J.T. It is a very great challenge as to our spirituality, whether we are spiritual enough to take in the words. These hearers did not take them in. First the Jews murmur, and then His disciples, and then some went away from Him because they were unable to take in spiritual thoughts. I know no chapter that challenges our spirituality more than this one; whether we can take in the idea of eating the flesh of the Son of man and drinking His blood. Notice it is not His body here, as in the Lord's supper. It is the condition He took up -- the Word become flesh -- and He has died, that is to say, the real condition that the Lord took up comes to light in His death. Eating His flesh and drinking His blood is our appropriation -- eating is a figure of this -- of His death as ending judicially the sinful condition in which we were. This could be food and drink only to those who as judging this condition wish to be clear of it and to live in the new condition in Christ.

D.L.H. Is there a suggestion of weakness in the five barley loaves, which is carried on in the way the Lord speaks about His flesh and blood, apparently so weak in themselves, and yet so full of blessing for those who eat and drink them?

J.T. That is very suggestive. Perhaps you have more to say on it?

D.L.H. It occurred to me there is a suggestion of weakness in the number five. It is well known and acknowledged that five is the number which constantly suggests weakness. David asked for five loaves of the shewbread out of the twelve; he did not ask for any more. I suppose there was the suggestion of extreme weakness at the moment, but that would do for food to set him up and those with him effectually.

J.T. Quite. What you do is with simplicity. The apostle urges on the Corinthians that they should not be corrupted as to the simplicity of the Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3). The extreme simplicity of David in asking what the priest had under his hand suggests that you accept whatever is in your meeting or locality, and make the most of it; that is the principle here. David says, "What is under thy hand? give me five loaves in my hand, or what may be found". 1 Samuel 21:3. Whatever the priest had would do. And then, what sword have you by you? The sword was there, but it was wrapped up behind the ephod. There was not much in it being wrapped up, but it was there; that is, you will get things if you are simple enough. David says, "There is none like that", 2 Samuel 21:9 and he takes it. So here, the Lord simply accepts what the boy had. You accept what there is, which is a great principle in service, that is not mourning over the past, but accepting whatever there is. So here the Lord accepted what there was and made much of it, and it developed into an administrative thought. If you get the thing, then the principles work out, and appear. The idea of "twelve" comes in and at the end of the chapter you have persons known as "the twelve".

Ques. What would you say as to Peter's confession of Christ as the "holy one of God"?

J.T. It is a question of their service, and bearing

in mind that they are alluded to as "the twelve". Holiness marked Him, and Peter apprehended that and says, "We have believed and known that thou art the holy one of God". He spoke for the others. He was "the holy one of God", and so we are reminded of the need of holiness in our service. The One who was anointed was the "holy one of God".

Eu.R. You have been speaking of it in connection with coming down, What is the importance of the verse? "If then ye see the son of man ascending up where he was before?"

J.T. It was to bring out who He was. In John He is the One who ascends; it is His Person, for in this gospel He says, "Before Abraham was, I am", and He ascends up where He was before. His person is unchanged and unchangeable.

FOOD (2)

John 21

Eu.R. This chapter begins with a manifestation. Have you any thought in connection with that?

J.T. The main thought is that it is a manifestation. The unfolding of it brings out other things bearing on what we have had before us today, but the main idea is that of a manifestation. You will observe that the expression occurs in verse 1 and again in verse 14, that is, the Holy Spirit emphasises the idea of a manifestation. But what develops out of it is this question of food, and the service of feeding and caring for the lambs and sheep of Christ. But, as I said, the idea of a manifestation is the main thought in this chapter, showing how complete was the attention of the Lord to His disciples ere He ascended. It was the third time, a complete series of manifestations, having to do, I suppose, with the divisions of the dispensations the first bearing on the church, the second on the Jewish remnant, and the third -- that is, this one -- bearing on the in gathering of the gentiles. But what we are concerned about is what comes out of this third manifestation -- the subject of food. It involves in a special way those who are ministering; here the leading one of them, the leading apostle is the one who moves off in this fishing expedition. It is very touching to see how the Lord turns such things into occasions of manifesting Himself to us. John makes use of this word 'manifestations', which is to be noted.

H.F.N. Would you briefly gather up what we had this afternoon?

J.T. We read certain verses from chapters 4 and 6 which treat of the subject of food, the disciples being brought in in each instance. In chapter 4 and the

beginning of chapter 6 they are brought in to their discredit. On the first occasion they were material in their thoughts; they had gone into the city to buy food, and on returning they find the Lord engaged talking with the woman, and they marvelled that He talked with her. So the Lord reminds them that He had meat. Then in the early part of chapter 6 He would feed the multitude, and He inquires of Philip, proving him as to how it could be done. They had been occupied in buying already, but how can they buy for this large number? Andrew says, "There is a little boy here". John 6:9. Philip was on the commercial line. He calculated about how much would be needed that each one should get a little. Andrew speaks about a little boy. "There is a little boy here", he said, "who has five barley loaves and two small fishes". He was uneasy and had no idea how such a small amount could meet the need, so that the leading men in the service are here found to be wanting in regard of food. They were successful evangelists, for Andrew had brought in Simon, and Philip had brought in Nathanael, but they were defective on this line; but the Lord taking the matter up and giving thanks, could use what was there, and the administrative suggestion of the twelve hand-baskets follows. Out of a small beginning the thing is worked out naturally, without any effort. The quantity is there, and the baskets are there, but there is no reference to any persons who could take up the baskets. The Lord did not even use the disciples to hand the things to the multitude, although He allowed them to gather up the fragments. He certainly allowed them to become acquainted with the idea of

the baskets, but how He disposes them is another matter.

Then, at the end of the chapter, the disciples are formally alluded to as "the twelve". I think they had profited by the teaching of the food in the chapter. The chapter is so full of the subject of food. The Son of man is food, as come down out of heaven, and in all that follows as giving His flesh. His flesh is truly food, and His blood truly drink. Then the Lord says, "Will ye also go away?" speaking to the twelve and formally alluding to the administrative position. Peter says, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast words of life eternal; and we have believed and known that thou art the holy one of God". Peter undoubtedly speaks for them all; he is qualified, I think, in that way, as having learned from the teaching as to food. That was what I think we had.

H.F.N. How does that lead on to John 21?

J.T. Well, this chapter alludes to the departure, beginning with those in responsibility as servants. It shows how the Lord turns it into an occasion of manifestation, dealing particularly with Peter, and that He would focus our minds on the question of feeding: "Feed my lambs", "Shepherd my sheep", "Feed my sheep". That is the heading under which all ministry should be carried on.

Ques. Was the apostle Paul an instance of one who was sent? He was supplied with abundance of food, and finally he could say, "I have finished my course". 2 Timothy 4:7.

J.T. Quite. As was remarked this afternoon, in writing to the Colossians Paul's thought was to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. That was the aim he had before him, and in Ephesians the gifts, whether himself or others, are to that end; they were given in perfect wisdom; first, apostles, then prophets, then evangelists, then pastors and teachers. "for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ".

I think the Lord would help us in respect of ministry at the present time. There is a great deal of ability (and thank God for it), but perhaps we need more co-ordination.

M.W.B. You have alluded to irregularity and incoordination. What have you in your mind?

J.T. I alluded to Solomon's regime and how much is made of the food provision. The realm was divided up into twelve sections, each governed by a superintendent, and generally their names are hyphenated, implying sonship. That is to say, this relationship seems to mark the persons, "Ben-Hur, in mount Ephraim, Ben-Deker in Makaz", 1 Kings 4:8,9 and so forth. That is, the idea of sonship is attached to each superintendent, and some of them were united in marriage to Solomon's daughters; they were linked in that way with Solomon's house, and there was to be no interference one with the other. The regulations seemed to be such that each superintendent looked after his own province, and all Israel dwelt safely, "eating and drinking and making merry". 1 Kings 4:20. Then we are told what Solomon's provision was for one day, a most sumptuous bill of fare -- fine flour, meal and all kinds of animal food, including oxen and sheep, fallow-deer and fowl. It was certainly a very rich provision, and the setting of the scripture shows that it was due to those superintendents being over the realm, so that there was the greatest possible result. Irregularity in the thing would greatly minimise the product; I thought the Lord might help us on the line of co-ordination, that we might see that service involves maturity and known relationship with Christ, so that each knows what he has to do and does it.

J.J. It is striking that under Solomon and David

each man had his own work. One was not doing two works, but each man one kind of work.

J.T. That is what marked them. Order had entered into everything.

J.J. Should that not be true now?

J.T. That is the thing, because irregularity leads to persons acting on their own initiative, doing their own wills. The leading man here says, "I go a-fishing", and the others say, "We also go with thee". That is always the danger unless we are under regulation, and each has his own province and knows what he has to do.

P.L. So in John service is enhanced in the sent One.

J.T. That is the great principle running through John. John the baptist might be taken as a sort of model; you get no failure mentioned of him in John's gospel. We have him introduced almost immediately. "There was a man sent from God, his name John. He came for witness, that he might witness concerning the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but that he might witness concerning the light". John 1:6 - 8. The Spirit of God goes on as if delighted to delineate the character of John the baptist, and he disappears as rejoicing in the Bridegroom's voice.

A.H.W. Is there any significance in Peter and Thomas being the two leaders here?

J.T. I think so. If you go back in the history it would look as if there had been something left unregulated in each of their souls. Peter would represent them all in a way, and needed regulation after the manifestation. In all such movements there is someone who needs to be personally adjusted.

A.H.W. So that saying "We also go with thee" is serious on the part of the others?

J.T. Yes. It shows what party spirit is. We are all exposed to it.

W.C.G. Would you say why the fishing is unsuccessful?

J.T. That is what comes out. He speaks parentally to them. "Children", he says. They were, as it were, of the household. "Children, have ye anything to eat?" That is the test. What have you got in this expedition? what have you to show? You belong to the family, but that is not everything. "Have ye anything to eat?" It does not say, as in Luke 24:41, "Have ye anything here to eat?" It is not a question here of locality, but of the persons. Have you anything of value to show from this expedition? Their salvation lay in the fact that they acknowledged they had not anything; they had toiled all the night and had taken nothing.

Ques. Is there any thought that it was not the twelve?

J.T. I think they had lost all sense of administration; because the idea of the twelve is that you are administering in relation to the whole; it is complete. It represents the mind of God, that we are available for the service of God, and are not thinking of any party; and besides having lost all sense of administration, they have nothing to administer. Holding the idea of the twelve, we hold ourselves in relation to all the saints. There were seven of them here, but seven in a bad sense. Perfect so far as they went; no doubt enough to man a ship and cast out a net; perfect in that sense, but a bad sense. The more perfection on that line the worse for us. They had been fishermen, but the Lord called them, and they had left all and followed Him; now they returned to what they had left.

Rem. It mentions two other disciples.

J.T. But they are not named. They are there to make up the seven; enough of them to make an expedition with a hope of some success.

Ques. Is the contrast seen in Isaiah? "Here am I, send me". Isaiah 6:8.

J.T. Yes. What we see here is the Lord's grace in moral adjustment. As you see, they had neglected that side. Paul said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Acts 22:10 but here they had neglected that, and said, "I go a-fishing". When things are unreal they are exposed. They have men enough from their own reckoning, but not enough from God's reckoning. God's number is twelve. They had men enough for their purpose, but they caught nothing. Now they are exposed, but the Lord says, "Children". That is a very gracious touch. He would still hold them as belonging to the house, to the family. It is a parental word.

A.H.W. Would that meet the party question?

J.T. I think so, because you would thus be reminded that you are of the family, and party spirit does violence to the family. They had toiled all the night and taken nothing. They say "No" in answer to the Lord's question, and their salvation was in that, and then in accepting the Lord's word. He said, "Cast the net at the right side of the ship and ye will find;" He did not say that to Peter earlier; what He said to him was, "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught", Luke 5:4. That is another thing, but here it is, "Cast the net at the right side of the ship and ye will find".

M.W.B. What do you see in the thought of the right side?

J.T. I think it is a suggestion of power, and the casting, too, would suggest it; not letting down simply, but casting it. What do you think yourself?

M.W.B. What you say commends itself. It was at the Lord's direction.

J.T. Everything now hinges on coming under the Lord's direction. Unless we do that it is hopeless.

W.C.G. Would you say the Lord's direction is enough for the power of administration?

J.T. It is, assuming the power is still there. These were not apostate. They had gone off on this expedition, but they are not opposed exactly. They are children, and so belong to the house, and the Lord spoke to them with affection, but with authority at the same time. They do not hide the result. He says, "Children", and He directs them. Everything now hinges on coming under His direction. "Cast the net at the right side of the ship".

P.L. Is He directing His own life in them? Does the casting suggest the energy of life?

J.T. I think so; it is supposed that power is there. There is no power in apostasy. It is said, "I will kill her children with death", Revelation 2:23 but it is not so here. Whilst there is power, there is hope of something for God.

Eu.R. That was one of the lessons of chapter 6. "It is the Spirit which quickens, the flesh profits nothing". John 6:63. They prove that here.

Ques. Would you put this on the line of the grace that encourages?

J.T. Surely. You are impressed with it. It is a manifestation, not a question of exposing the brethren. The Lord makes use of an opportunity of this kind to manifest Himself. There is going to be some result out of this, but everything hinges now on coming under His direction. "Cast the net at the right side of the ship". You have to discover what that means. Where have you been casting it? Not on the right side under His direction.

H.F.N. Does that fit in with the co-ordination you have referred to?

J.T. Yes. They are all coming under His direction. So we read, "They cast therefore, and they could no longer draw it, from the multitude of fishes".

M.W.B. The question of direction is a very practical

one. There was an instance in the Acts giving the impression Paul had when he saw the man of Macedonia: "concluding that the Lord had called us to announce to them the glad tidings". Acts 16:10. In what way do we get direction today? Is it by impressions?

J.T. I think so. If we are near to the Lord we shall discover where the fish are. He knows. One has often wondered why the apostles did not go east. It was true they had to "go into all the world, and preach the glad tidings to all the creation", Mark 16:15 but then that does not abrogate levitical law -- the principles that govern the levites. You have to go where you are sent in fact, and so it is said, "The Spirit of Jesus did not allow them" Acts 16:7 to go to Bithynia, nor to speak the word in Asia. The Lord knew where the fish were, so the material for the assembly was to come from that direction. We have to be on the alert to discover what the line of service is. Here you notice there is a multitude, but they are all great ones, that is to say, it is the size of the fish as well as the number. That is in keeping with John; they are great ones. We are on the outlook not only for numbers but for greatness -- spiritually great persons.

P.L. Is that in keeping with what one might call with reverence the Lord's own fishing in John? the worshipper of the Father in chapter 4, the blind man in chapter 9, and here Peter.

J.T. Quite so. It is the greatness of each individual fish that is seen in John.

F.W. Simon Peter seems to be the one to finish the work here.

J.T. Yes; he drew the net to land.

F.W. Do you think he had learned his lessons?

J.T. I think he was coming to it. The Lord's final challenge leads to the finishing touch.

F.W. I mean he realised what it was to be sent.

J.T. Just so; the Lord had directed them to bring the fish they had caught.

P.L. And then he casts himself into the sea. There is another feature of casting. Do you think he reaches the Lord through death in the energy of life, and so is qualified at once to serve in the completion of the work?

J.T. Yes. Then the Lord was on the shore and had prepared for them. John represents in this scene the discernment of affection. He says, "It is the Lord"; it is the discernment of affection.

W.C.G. After all, dining is more important than fishing.

J.T. That is the next thing, the attitude of the Lord on the shore. He says, "Come and dine". That is a dignified invitation; not come and eat, because John here shows He had in view the dignity of those He is dealing with.

J.J. I suppose both are necessary. Fishing would connect with the gospel, and the feeding with the assembly.

J.T. Quite. What you get here is that the Lord had fish on the coals, but not the fish they had caught. That is another feature -- He was carrying on without them.

Ques. Was the thought of fishing in connection with the supply of food?

J.T. They were fishermen by profession, and so the expedition was to get fish, but the Lord carries on. That is the way John deals with it. The Lord carries on, hence He Himself had the fish and the coals and the bread. It is the grace of Christ in providing against such an emergency as this, so He not only has the bread and the fish, but He has the fire of coals on which these were laid; He has everything. He is taking account of our need. It is a dignified repast.

P.W. As to the number of the fish, I have heard it divided into twelve times twelve and three times

three. If that is right it is very significant -- administration, affection and divine power.

J.T. I think that is very suggestive. The number simply is divisible by three.

A.H.W. Do you think we have profited in these last days by the Lord's activity as you referred to it? Breakdown has come in, but it has not hindered the Lord's personal activity.

J.T. He carries on; there is no cessation of the testimony. That comes out always. It implies that you can be done without. Even those great men, Peter and the sons of Zebedee, can be done without.

Ques. Would the "fish laid on it" indicate sovereignty?

J.T. No doubt. The fire of coals and the fish on it and the bread point to the grace of the Lord, and how He still retains His servant character; I suppose John would teach us that we have to retain our servant character. One can never hope to get at souls who have turned aside except in servant character, not only that we are "servants of the Lord", for that is usually a term of dignity with us, but servants of the saints. And that is what the Lord was here. It was the chief meal of the day, and He knew they must have been hungry. Nobody ever did go off on an expedition like this without becoming so, and in their telling the truth the Lord met their needs. It was the love that ever does its best for us, and so He has the things on the coals. Not only the fish was on the fire but the bread. It was a good bill of fare, like Solomon's. If we give the Lord His place, we shall be short of nothing.

Ques. Are you suggesting we only touch these things on the line of affection?

J.T. That comes in. The latent thing, the work of God, is there in Peter and John. They represent the work of God, and it will ever show itself. Peter

appeals to the Lord's own knowledge that it was in him.

P.L. Would you say Paul recovered the Corinthians in that servant spirit? "Ourselves your servants". 2 Corinthians 4:5.

J.T. That is right; you retain your servant character.

F.S.M. Is there a principle in the fact that they had to feed on His bounty before they were qualified to feed others? The Lord said, "Come and dine", before He said, "Feed my sheep".

J.T. It is on the same line as we had earlier. You learn from Him and see how bountifully He did it, and with what care and forethought. They got the best He could devise for them; that is what can be relied on. Then He says, "Bring of the fishes which ye have now taken". He would bring them into it. What He has done is there, but "Bring of the fishes which ye have now taken".

M.W.B. It was a very sweet act of grace.

J.T. The Lord brings them into what He is doing.

F.S.M. Would you suggest that it is not only what He did, but the way and the spirit in which He did it that would colour their movements afterwards?

J.T. You may be received into a house or a meeting by those responsible, but how do they treat you afterwards? What you get after you get in is the test. The Lord brought up that principle in speaking to Simon the Pharisee, and it is seen in regard of Martha; Luke 10. She received Him, but that was not everything. Receiving the Lord, or one whom He sends, is the same thing, for if you receive whom He sends you receive Him. But after the reception, what goes on? what do you get? With the Lord love will do its best for you after you are received. With Martha there was criticism, that was all. The word 'dine' here is fully borne out by the food and the cooking, the preparation of it, for after all you

might have the best kind of food, but if it is not properly cooked it is not palatable. But the Lord did the cooking here to show how He maintained His servant character. It is the service of a love that does its best for its objects.

D.L.H. We get in the case of the Lord's dealings with Peter the thought of how He finished the work of God in his soul.

P.L. And in regard of dignity in connection with the servants, does that connect with the first-born, the levites?

J.T. Yes; you never lose that. Each levite is a first-born. In recovery we ought always to bear in mind the dignity from God those recovered may have had. Even in Satan it is recognised. Michael would not rebuke him; he recognised his dignity. We can never ignore what persons are, what God has made them.

H.H. Does it all depend on the work of God in Peter's soul?

J.T. That, is right; the thing was there in a latent way. It was not destroyed. It was only a question of bringing him back to it.

H.W.S. Was it not bringing him back to full communion with His mind?

J.T. Quite. He would probe him and clear away the rubbish. The Lord knew what was there; the work of God in a man is indestructible. It is only a question of clearing away the rubbish, and the Lord did that effectively. He perfected the work, and now He says, "Feed my sheep". He entrusts him with the care of His sheep; that implies trustworthiness.

M.W.B. The fact of the Lord manifesting Himself shows that a failure in service may serve to bring the Lord into evidence.

J.T. We have proved that. Whilst we have to own each has his part in it, yet the Lord graciously makes it an occasion of a manifestation, that is,

some feature of Him comes into prominence, and that becomes the property of the assembly.

They were all soon conscious it was He. They did not say a word to Him; they knew it: "knowing that it was the Lord". That is a fine point to reach, and they all came to it. As soon as you discover it is the Lord, you will be perfectly restful. There is much to follow, because He deals with each of them individually. So the Spirit tells us it was a manifestation to the disciples, and after this, Peter comes under the Lord's adjusting touch.

Ques. Would there be a link of affection between him and the Lord in that the Lord said, "my lambs" and "my sheep"?

J.T. Yes; I think He reminds him of how precious they were, and how He would entrust them to Peter, John is earlier entrusted with the Lord's mother, and here Peter is entrusted with the lambs and sheep, and the feeding of them; that is to say, he will have to determine what kind of food lambs need, the special food for the young, and what kind of care shepherding is. It is a remarkable thing the lambs are not said to need shepherding, but the sheep. It is the old ones.

M.W.B. The lambs move more by instinct.

J.T. They follow the mother. There is not much trouble caused by young christians; it is the older ones. The principle of shepherding comes in there. I think, perhaps, that is where we have to own our weakness. We need moral power to do that.

P.L. Would the Lord's tender dealings with him develop those tender sensibilities?

J.T. I think so; and knowing how to use the right word. The Lord began on the high note, but He came down to where Peter was in using the word 'attached'.

A.S.L. I suppose Peter had had a private interview

with the Lord before this. "He was seen of Cephas", 1 Corinthians 15:5 but here he is restored in such wise in the presence of his brethren that no one could point the finger at him any more. It is delightful to think of how the Lord carries on whatever breaks down. It is even better than the little boy with the five loaves and two small fishes. He was a little instrument used in the provision, but here there is no instrument.

J.T. Yes; the Lord Himself has the dinner ready. Peter says, "Thou knowest". You are in the presence of One now who knows all things, and it is a comfort that He does. He knows whatever is down below, however misjudged one may be. It is not telling the brethren. The Lord knows my heart. Peter is not speaking to the brethren but to the Lord: "Thou knowest all things".

P.W. It was after they had dined that He gave all these instructions.

J.T. That is very important, because if a meeting goes wrong, you always feel that a little ministry, a little food helps greatly; and so in the case of an individual, as we see here.

Ques. Would dining bring about co-ordination in service?

J.T. I think the latter verses bring that out. The Lord's word to Peter was, "Follow thou me", and he looked round and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, and said, "What of this man?" That is where the difficulty lay, and that had to be settled. None of Solomon's superintendents had to make any inquiry about another. Each one knew what he had to do.

Ques. Would you say what is involved in following?

J.T. You see the line the Lord is taking. He says in chapter 8, "I am the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life". John 8:12.

I think that applies to a time like this, that you look out for the light of life; you see where the life is, where the Spirit is. Wherever He is you will find life. It is not that you follow the life, but the Lord has a place there, and you may be sure that if there is the evidence of life, He has a place there.

H.F.N. Would you say a word in regard of the ministry of these two servants, Peter and John? They are evidently seen together in the Acts. Has the divine end been reached there? You have remarked that John was the reserve man, the man the Lord held in reserve.

J.T. They are seen together in the Acts: "Look on us". Acts 3:4. How thoroughly they were together. Co-ordination had taken effect: "They went up together into the temple". "Look on us", Peter says. There is something very beautiful in that. So that there they represent the administrative side that we have been speaking of, that is, Peter in the government of the house and John in the affections of the family -- the two principles that are essential. But they are seen separately here. The Lord's reference to John is a mystical allusion to his continuing to the end, and it is something that leads the brethren to be in doubt. They are saying the Lord said something that He did not say about this brother. He did not say that he should not die, but it does not say the Lord did not imply his ministry should not continue. It is an allusion to the ministry of John continuing, and he qualifies for the thing because he has such an apprehension of the greatness of Christ. "There are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they were written one by one, I suppose that not even the world itself would contain the books written". I have no doubt that since that day the Holy Spirit has been writing in an indelible way. Not one of the thing Jesus did is lost. "One by one" suggests they

are all precious, and John had that conception of Christ.

H.W.S. Is that why he brings out the heavenly city at the close?

J.T. I suppose the heavenly city includes all.

LIFE EXPRESSED

2 Corinthians 4:10 - 12; Numbers 19:1 - 13; 2 Samuel 10:4,5; Judges 16:22

In reading these scriptures I have been thinking about life. 2 Corinthians speaks of it in a peculiar way, that is, in its workings in the ministers -- workings through sufferings. Note, too, life works not only in the person or persons experiencing the sufferings, but in the saints generally, showing how intimately bound up we are and how in the acceptance of suffering we gain the means of helping the saints -- a service which is within the reach of all. "Death works in us", the apostle says, "but life in you". His great thought was the manifestation of the life of Jesus, first in his body, meaning the vessel -- as he describes it earlier, the earthen vessel -- and then in his "mortal flesh". Life is manifested in these two ways, in the body that is in the vessel suggestive of a whole idea (it is worked out in the members, involving our intelligence and the use made of the members, underlying which is the teaching of Romans), and then in the "mortal flesh", that even that should be adorned by the manifestation of the life of Jesus. This is set down in this letter, so full of the apostle's personal affection for his brethren at Corinth -- another great feature. His heart was enlarged and his mouth was opened to them so that the life of Jesus should find a place amongst them.

Now in saying this, I have particularly in view to dwell upon the chapter in Numbers, because it is intended to keep this spiritual life, which we come into by the Holy Spirit, pure, and to keep those who possess it free from the tinge of the world. Hence the Lord Jesus is brought before us in this passage under the figure of a red heifer -- an unique and

peculiar kind of sacrifice, set out in a similar way to that to which I have been alluding in Corinthians. It comes in after the great manifestation of life in the book of Numbers -- a life that developed in the sanctuary. It developed fully overnight, as before God. It was a miraculous development, nevertheless it was in perfect order, in the order in which the life, the perfect life, should appear. I refer to the staff of Aaron. Aaron was of the tribe of Levi, and his name was written upon the staff of Levi. The saints viewed in that family typically thus are brought into evidence as living through Christ. It is "in him"; that is the great principle, "In him was life", we are told, "and the life was the light of men", John 1:4. But the twelve staves were laid up together, the staff for the levites with the others, and overnight the life developed, so that there was no question about it, and the rebels were silenced. We are reminded thus of the only sure way, the only way of meeting current darkness and opposition.

The book of Genesis, which has been singled out for many years past by leading opposers of the truth as an object of attack, develops what I have been speaking of -- the idea of life in its own order. Like all scripture that book was written for us, that is to say, for those who have the Spirit of God. Christians normally are never viewed as in the nursery. When, the fulness of time had come, the nursery stage had passed away. We have arrived at sonship. Galatians 4 says, "That we might receive sonship. But because ye are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father". Galatians 4:6. Thus you have a people potentially matured, equal to understanding things as Christ understands them, for as we read, "we have the mind [the thinking faculty] of Christ", 1 Corinthians 2:16. It is to such that the Scriptures are addressed. It was understood by the Old Testament writers that the things which they

ministered, they did not minister to themselves, but to us (see 1 Peter 1:11,12); that is, to those who had the gospel preached to them by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven. The Spirit come down from heaven is engaged in that way, as the scriptures of old too announced the gospel, and announced it to such a man as Abraham. The scriptures, therefore, are intended for Christians -- for matured people, who have the means, in the possession of the Spirit, of understanding, and so we understand Genesis, and only thus.

The Lord Himself, in view of all this, as we are told, "opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures". Luke 24:4. He says to them, "thus it is written". It is that we might understand the Scriptures, and hence this question of life, as I said, in its own order. Whatever it be, whatever order may mark any given life, it is true to itself. Thus it is that the rod of Aaron, representing Levi, developed life in its own order. Now that life is in Christ risen. It was ever in Him, but it is for us in Christ risen; "in him was life", John 1:4 but it is made available to us now. So chapters 18, 19 and 20 of Numbers have to do with this great question of life; it is to govern all administrative dealings. "Take the rod", Jehovah said to Moses, that is to say, Aaron's rod, the one that budded, "and speak to the rock". Numbers 20:8. We have no punitive idea in this section with regard to the rock; it is a question of life. Christ is risen, and we are in the environment of life, we have part in it.

And so the great subject of priesthood and levitical service is carried forward in chapter 18, and then the use of the rod in chapter 20, but in between there is chapter 19, showing that this precious life in us must not be marred or coloured by the world. Hence we have the Lord presented to us in type as a red heifer, without spot or blemish, as we are told, and who never came under the yoke. Why should the sons of God

come under the yoke of this world? It is a challenge to every one of us. Why should we? To say the least it is beneath our dignity. And so the Lord is set before us here in that character -- the female -- offering -- a sin-offering, showing that what we may think is trifling, God looks at from a different standpoint. Because this chapter is not dealing with what we speak of as committed sins, but with contaminating influences. God looks at these in their own innate and hideous character. And so whilst the fullest room is made for the outgoing of our affections, for the heifer suggests not only affection, but ardent affection, there is provision made that in the exercise of this we should be saved from the contaminating influence of sin. It is not the open committal of it that the chapter deals with, but what is in question, as I said, is the contaminating influence of the thing. The character of the type means that Christ was entirely, absolutely, infinitely different from the life of flesh of man in this world.

Red is a striking colour, as we all know; it attracts the eye, and that is what marked the Lord Jesus. He was full of holy feelings and compassions; never allowing need to go unmet, yet infinitely free from every taint of this world. He was in no way narrow. As a matter of fact, those who are narrow spiritually are those who are worldly, although they may think they are broad-minded. The Corinthians were worldly, and they were narrowed up, as the apostle tells them, and he says to them, "Now for a recompense in the same ... be ye also enlarged", 2 Corinthians 6:13. The Lord, however, was never narrowed up, but He was infinitely apart from the world. It is in that light He is presented here as a sacrifice, an offering for sin, but He was wholly different.

Now what develops in the chapter is that Eleazar is the officiating priest, meaning that contact with the world requires this, that is, priestly service is

marked by the energy of the Spirit. It is not a question of sins committed, or of open identification with sins; it is a question of coming under the influence of something with which perhaps primarily you have nothing to do, such as a man dying suddenly in a tent by you. You come under the influence of the thing and it contaminates you. Whether it be in the home, the office, or in the school, the thing is insidious and contaminating. That is what the chapter deals with.

Eleazar refers to spiritual instincts developed amongst the saints of God; it is not Aaron here but Eleazar; he has a peculiar place in this book. Nadab and Abihu were his elders, but they died through offering strange fire, and so Eleazar and Ithamar remain. That is in Leviticus. They make a poor showing in Leviticus, but in Numbers Eleazar shines. He was the overseer of the tabernacle, he was set over it; he had charge of the oil and of the precious things in connection with the tabernacle. And then it is said of him that he was "the prince of the princes of the Levites", Numbers 3:32 so that you can see what a place he has in the priesthood, not merely in an official sense but in an active sense. He was a man thoroughly conversant with all that was going on amongst the people of God in the sanctuary and outside amongst the Levites. The saving feature amongst us is that of detecting and discerning, and exposing the contaminating influence of sin. This is soon discerned amongst the spiritual. You may be able to say the same things, give out the same hymns, but the spiritual discern that you have come under some damaging influence. You are dulled; you are not what you were; you have become assimilated to the world. The sin in the chapter is not that; it is not dealt with in that way. It is sin, of course, and that is a serious matter, but the more serious matter is that being defiled you do not use what God has

provided for your cleansing, so that you should come back into correspondence with Christ -- "the life of Jesus".

You see how much is made of the effect of this procedure. In the type the priest himself is defiled; the man who burns the ashes of the heifer is defiled, and he who gathers up the ashes is defiled. God is thus impressing upon us what He thinks of sin, and that unless we utilise what is provided in the death of Christ for our cleansing, we shall be cut off as unfit for the fellowship of the people of God. The blood is only applied once; it is not applied here to the people; it is for God. It is sprinkled seven times directly before the tent of meeting; that is to say, it is to maintain us as before God, in communion with Him. It is the water that is the important feature in detail, that is, the running water allied with the ashes is the only means whereby we are preserved in keeping with Christ as seen in the red heifer, and neglect of using it constitutes us unfit for the congregation -- a most serious matter.

I have dwelt on this at length because it lies at the bottom of the assimilation to the world, which is so prevalent amongst the people of God. We are enjoined not to be conformed to the world, but to be transformed. It is a transformation that is needed; the passing over from similarity to the world to correspondence with Christ.

Now having said so much about this chapter, I want to touch on the other two passages which show how the life manifests itself, first as under reproach, for we come under reproach in witnessing for Christ, as Paul came under it at Corinth. The second epistle shows how the life is to appear, that is to say, speaking figuratively, how the beard grew, for so I have ventured to connect the passage in Samuel with this thought. You will remember how the messengers of David were sent to the king of the children of Ammon,

and what a reception they received. We are reminded of what is involved in representing Christ; He would show kindness, and He is not going to be turned aside whatever men do. Whatever may be done to His servants, the dispensation goes on, and our point is to be in keeping with it. We need to know how to manifest the unfailing presence of this vital principle in spite of the severest opposition and reproach. Think of having half of one's beard shaved off! What reproach! They were ashamed, and rightly. How little we know of what it is to be put to shame in connection with the testimony of Christ!

But I would refer now to the growth, as to whether there is this growth of hair, involving personal beautification, or whether there is some naughty manifestation of the flesh under these circumstances. It is a question of my representation of the King. We represent a great personage, One who has authority -- Christ Jesus the Lord, as the apostle says. The Lord -- we represent Him, and He is mindful of us. You will observe there is nothing said about re-clothing the men, although their clothing was also cut by the king of Ammon. It is not a question of the clothing, but of the evidence of the power of life in these circumstances. "Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown" was the order of the king. He will deal with the children of Ammon, but for the moment it is a question of grace to those who had come under reproach; he would show kindness to them, "Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown". That has to be accepted. What comfort was there at Jericho? Who can say? It was not noted for that. Jericho had its own spiritual significance, it was the city of the curse. Christ was there. We know how He entered and passed through it; how well He knew it, and in His own parable (Luke 10) He represents Himself as journeying down there. "Tarry there", is the order of the king.

There is no possibility of our being of use to the king in this service save as we accept the shame indicated here, and accept his word to "tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown". The king might have sent raiment, but the beard must be the result of growth -- the manifestation of life, but life which in result beautifies the person. The Lord would have us to remain there rather than go back to the city with our beards off. It is a humbling process, but a most educative and salutary one. You can understand what such an experience meant for these men, and how many days or weeks were required for the beards to grow. They would be reminded of the power of life: "the Spirit is life". Romans 8:10. It is a question of making room for the Spirit, instead of in these circumstances giving way to the naughty querulousness of the flesh. In such an event our patience is tested. We must tarry at Jericho until our beards be grown; it is the order of the king.

I will pass on now to the last scripture. I wish to show how the same principle works out under the governmental dealings of God. No doubt Samson is a type of the assembly as set apart. He had taken a Nazarite's vow. His hair grew, and the secret of his strength lay there, but he divulged the secret, and in the loss of his hair he became weak as any other man. What a sorry picture! that the great oppressor of the Philistines should be in their hands through the divulging of the secret. He is grinding in the prison-house, but with all that there is the latent life, for the Holy Spirit says, "The hair of his head began to grow". That was the portent for the overthrow of the world. It is a question, therefore, of suffering under the government of God, which applies to us collectively; we cannot evade that. The accumulated guilt of the public assembly ever remains, and not one of us can escape the consequences. As to the general position, the government of God holds. The

way out is in the development of life. Thank God, the Holy Spirit remains here and is operating in a little way, but enough to indicate that the end is near, that the overthrow of this world is near. "The power that worketh in us" Ephesians 3:20 is the same which will overthrow this world. Presently the world will be overthrown by the power that works in us. "Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world". John 4:4

But the point is that Samson's hair begins to grow, that is, there is a little evidence of life. It is not a question of light. Light is of all moment, surely; it precedes life, but the point here is life. We have light, thank God! but the great effect is in life, that is to say, the evidence of it in the growth of hair as in these passages. I do not say it applies in every passage where hair is mentioned, but undoubtedly here it is an allusion to the development of life. Samson's hair began to grow, and so presently he has power to pull down the world. A marvellous suggestion! We are nearing the time, dear brethren, when the world is going to come down. The Lord said, "Now is the judgment of this world". John 12:31. The judgment of it is already announced, and the Holy Spirit has brought in the demonstration of its guilt. Its prince is about to be overthrown literally, and by the very power that is working in us; hence the obvious obligation for the development of life -- the growth of the hair. Samson's hair began to grow; he is led to the pillars of the house and all comes down. It is the mighty power of God; a marvellous thing, but it is according to the power that worketh in us. We often ask in our prayers for things, but what we get is always according to the power that works in us. There has been no power added since Pentecost. All that we get is according to the power that works in us, and that power shows itself, as I said, in the growth of hair, where it had been shaved off through the giving away of the secret.

May God help us, therefore, to come to this point -- the manifestation of the life of Jesus. What delights the heart of God as He looks down on this world is a saint in whom is the manifestation of the life of Jesus, first in his body, that is to say, in the vessel, and then in his mortal flesh, so that, as the apostle says, "death works in us, but life in you".

THE WAY OF LOVE

Numbers 10:33,34; 2 Corinthians 4:7 - 15; Genesis 11:6 - 10; Revelation 3:8

From these scriptures I hope to show something of the way of love, and in speaking of it I would point out that love is of God, and that the manifestation of it is mediatorial. That is, that while it has been manifested in Christ, and whilst He is personally God, a divine Person, yet He, as here, made it clear that love is "of God". John, who is employed by the Spirit to expatiate on this great subject, emphasises that it is of God. In chapter 4 of his first epistle, in which he enlarges upon it, a chapter of twenty-one verses, you will find the word 'God' no less than twenty-nine times. He says, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us", the proof being that He sent His Son into the world "that we might live through him", and that He might be the "propitiation for our sins". 1 John 4:10. So that we have to look to the only-begotten Son here, as I said, as sent, or mediatorially, for the manifestation of that love, ever bearing in mind that the testimony is of God.

There is also the love of Christ to the assembly which is peculiar to Himself, but I desire on this occasion to emphasise the way of love as finding its expression in One sent, in One here who was in obedience. I have therefore selected the passage from Numbers and the passage from 2 Corinthians, the first setting out in type in a most beautiful and striking manner love's way as in Christ; the second in a correspondingly beautiful manner, love's way in one of like passions as ourselves, so that it may not appear to be far away, but the rather brought near to us.

Now having said so much as to what I wish to present, I want to show from the other two passages how the government of God is to enhance this way of love, indeed, to make it possible in this world; and then the government of Christ in the sphere of profession as making it possible for us, for the assembly. Without these two features -- features which are perhaps somewhat overlooked by many -- it were impossible that love's way should shine here.

The combination at Babel was intended to prevent such a way, such a manifestation of God. The line of blessing had already been introduced in Shem, and you will observe that the Spirit of God gives us his generation, both before and after this great historical event -- the effort to build Babel. He it was, as you will remember, who led in the hiding of his father's shame, for the divine way takes its course in the recognition of parental rights. In this he takes the lead with Japheth his brother. They take the upper garment, placing it upon their shoulders, and going backwards they cover their father's shame and nakedness. They went backwards, we read. It was a movement of parental respect, and, I may say, of affection. Their faces were in another direction, they were not occupied, or would not be occupied with their father's shame, that of which Ham spoke with no concern. Ham was indifferent and spoke without shame of the self-degradation of Noah, whereas Shem and Japheth took the upper garment and went backwards, their faces being in another direction. This action in due course God would respect in His government, for in their posterity they should see something blessed different from parental degradation. Hence we find that Shem is blessed by Jehovah -- the covenant name of God.

God adds a double blessing to Shem, for he had earlier been blessed with his father and his brothers, and now he is blessed again: "Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem, and let Canaan be his bondman". Genesis 9:26.

Jehovah is his God, and in due course the fulness of that will be known to Shem. Hence as the nations are divided in the government of God, we have the second account of his generation, as if God were to say, "I have intervened governmentally to make a way for Shem, for the line of blessing will be blocked if men are to unite and remain with one language". It says, they "had one language, and the same words", so that they should be perfectly intelligible to one another, but I ask, intelligible for what? Opposition to God. And thus the lines of blessing would be blocked were it not that the government of God intervened. Let us mark that it is the line of God's purpose to bless universally through a chosen person; it is not as in Genesis 5, the life-line. There are two distinct things, there is the line of life in Adam through Seth, culminating in Enoch being received up into heaven; but then there is the line of the purpose of God to bless through Christ, for it is a question now of the glory of God, and what underlies the glory of God is the love of God. His glory is the shining out of His love, and that in universal blessing. Hence He says to Abraham, the descendant of Shem, "In blessing I will bless thee", Genesis 22:17 and "thou shalt be a blessing", Genesis 12:2 and "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed". Genesis 12:3.

You will thus see how the government of God subserves this wonderful way of love. So that Shem, in Abraham, with his face in another direction, in a different direction from that in which the shame of his father lay, sees the glory of God. How honoured! And so Stephen began with that: "The God of glory", he says, "appeared to our father Abraham", Acts 7:2. Then to Stephen, one of his most honoured sons, the glory itself appeared; it says he "saw the glory of God". Acts 7:55. He had to face the setting aside of God's earthly people for the time had come for it:

he says, "Ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also" Acts 7:51, but he saw the heavens opened through, and the Son of man, as he says, standing at the right hand of God, and the glory there. What a marvellous end reached! What interventions of divine power there had been to make a way for the line of blessing, from the days of Shem to the days of Stephen, for the way was made. Forty-two generations came right down unbroken under the government of God in the line of blessing, culminating in Jesus, the son of David, the son of Abraham; and now the God of glory has reached His end in that that glory is secured in heaven in Jesus; it is there.

Now I wish that we may take notice of this, that is, of the government of God. Nothing is happening amongst the nations unknown to Him nor even without Him, for the Lord says a sparrow does not fall without Him. How much more then the overthrow of governments, or the establishment of a government in any nation is taken account of by God. These things do not happen without Him. It is not that He is the author of these things, but nothing happens without Him; and thus we may be assured of the way. John in his gospel, which particularly applies to our times, remarks more than once that there was a division amongst the Jews because of Christ. We may thank God for these divisions, however many there may be amongst them; the more the divisions amongst the enemies of Christ, the weaker they become, and the less power they have against the truth. These things are not there for nothing, they are there for our learning and encouragement.

Then, too, there is the Lord's direct government, in the sphere of profession, Revelation shows that He is walking amongst the golden candlesticks; He is walking. He has, as it were, right of way. Who can interfere with that walking? There are no passports needed. However high the walls between the

nations He walked through or over. The Lord is not dealing with the nations, God is dealing with them. The Lord is dealing with the profession. Is He not walking there? He is, and some of us know it well. Things are happening that enable the saints of God to move on when the enemy would block up their way. Hence He says, "I have set before thee an opened door" -- not simply an open one, but an opened door; it had been shut. One of the witnesses of the love of Christ to us lies in that, "I have set before thee an opened door, which no one can shut"; thank God! But then why? "Because thou hast a little power". That is why; there is power to move on, and He makes a way. It is useless to talk about an opened door, it is like a sounding cymbal, unless we move on through it; He says, "thou hast a little power, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name". Are such not worth making a way for? They are, indeed, to Him. "Because thou hast a little power". It is that He thinks of, and the keeping the word of His patience and the non-denial of His name. He loves to see such, and to see such move; thus He opens the door for them.

It is all a question of movement at the present time. "I have set before thee", He says; it is He who has done it; there it is -- an opened door; the enemy had closed it, now it is opened, but opened for what? Not for earth-dwellers, not for stationary people, not for those who live in this world, in their families, and in their businesses, but for those who have a little spiritual power; it is they who move in; they have kept the word of His patience and not denied His name. It is worth while; there is that here which He values, and He would make a way for it, and He has done it, beloved friends, there is no question about it: the door has been opened. The question is, are we moving through into whatever there is for us? What is beyond that door? The

best that love can provide; that is what is there, and it is entering in that you find it out. As the Lord says elsewhere, "I am the door; if anyone enter in by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and shall find pasture", John 10:9. Things are to be found according to John's way. The Lord says, "Come and see". John 1:39. You find the things; light comes to you, and the next thing is movement, "Because", He says, "thou hast a little power". How He loves to see us moving, and moving together!

I like to go back to Genesis, for the root of everything is there. I think of the appearing of the God of glory to Abraham the great father, and the descendant of Shem whose God was Jehovah, whose servant was to be Canaan. Canaan was cursed in order to make room for the line of purpose. Israel went into Canaan legitimately, it was not arbitrarily; it was according to the rights of love. The curse was there for hundreds and hundreds of years: "Cursed be Canaan". Genesis 9:25. It is not Ham but Canaan; it is a question of the inheritance of God and room being made in it for His loved ones.

Well now, having said all that, I want to come back to what I began with, and that is the way of love. You see how beautifully it is presented in the ark. The ark, as you will all know, is a symbol of Christ as the power of God, and the glory of God. "He delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand" Psalm 78:61; that is to say, it is a question of the power as subservient to the love. Love is behind everything in God and His ways.

And now, let us look at what love will do, so as to understand its way. The ark had been enthroned in the midst of the camp; it was to be carried by the levites -- by the Kohathites -- when in movement. Many of us like to be carried -- a service involving great energy and strength in others. It also involves love in them, and there is such a thing, thank God, as love in others, so that our burdens should be borne.

That is their responsibility, but love's way is not to expect from others. Love's way is to lay aside one's dignity and take up the most menial, the most arduous, the most trying features of the service. Hence John says that "Jesus knowing ... that he was come from God, and went to God ... laid aside his garments" John 13:3,4; note, knowing that He came from God and was going to God, laid aside. It is all a question of God; God who has been manifested here mediatorially, that is, in One in the place of a servant. It is a question of God, that He may be known, and that thus the way of love may be known.

And so what is emphasised is that the ark goes before on the three days' journey to find out a resting-place for Israel; it goes before, we are told, on the three days' journey. Every moment of those days you could see the ark going before. It does not say it was carried, though doubtless it was, but that is not the point; the point is it went before. Jesus was not carried. Mary anointed His feet six days before the passover. There were six days of travel yet ahead for those feet of love, and every inch of that way was travelled by the very feet of Jesus. He was not carried, He went His way; those feet of love trod every inch of that way. "If therefore ye seek me, let these go their way". John 18:8. He would go that way; He went down into death to seek out a resting-place. It was the service of love. Think of the combination of satanic power that lay athwart that path! What will love do? "What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest?". Psalm 114:5. It was in the presence of the Lord here, as I said, in mediatorial service. He came as the sent One, as representative of God, that God should be known, and that divine love should be known. That was the thought, that the saints should live in that love and respond to God in it. So Jordan fled; it was as the feet of the priests touched the waters. The type refers to the Lord's own feet, not to any feet

that carried Him. No feet could dare to tread there save His; He had not gone this way before; two thousand cubits separated the people of God from those feet. The Son of God trod that way alone to make a way for us, so that we might enter into the place love has prepared for us.

It is a wonderful theme. God would impress upon us what love is, and what its way is, the way, as Paul says, of more "surpassing excellence". 1 Corinthians 12:31. So he sets out that way in these verses; "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassingness of the power may be of God". It is a question of God, but God as manifested in the life of Jesus; that life should be manifested first in the body, in a vessel, and then in a condition -- mortal flesh. There can be no question as to what Paul was; he was an earthen vessel and he was in mortal flesh, just what every one of us is, and yet the way of love shone through resplendently. The glory had shone into that heart, the glory of God in the face of Jesus, The God of glory had appeared to Abraham; now the glory of God in the face of Jesus had shone into that heart. He was persecuted and cast down, but his way was not entirely shut up. The enemy would shut it up, but it was never shut up, nor will it ever be. For any one who is the vessel of that love, the way will never be entirely shut up.

And what was Paul's motive? The Corinthians. "Death worketh in us". That was love's way. Paul, as it were, had placed himself on the altar of God, and whatever the will of God was for him, he accepted it. The will of God was that he might be a vessel for the help of the Corinthians, refractory as they were, and though the more abundantly he loved them the less he was loved. But be it so, there he was, it was "death worketh in us, but life in you". It is a question of the saints; but then what about the vessel? The God who had raised up Jesus, he says,

will raise up us also with you and present us with you; for love will not do without its object. One thinks of one's own resurrection and ascension, but it is a question of the saints being with us. We are raised up together. We are told in Ephesians that God has quickened us with the Christ, and has raised us up together, and has made us sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. It is a question of love and love's way, and love will not be without the brethren. I speak of it in Paul because the Spirit of God sets him out as a model for us. He says that he sought that the life of Jesus should be manifested in his body.

Now note the two expressions -- body and mortal flesh; first in his body. Every one of us has a body, it is a mortal one, but nevertheless a vessel, fragile indeed, and the more fragile the more the dependence upon God. "This treasure"; what is that treasure? The glory of God in His love shining in the face of Jesus, having shone into our hearts; that is the treasure. That must not be impaired in any way. Let the vessel be tossed about, it is under divine protection, the way is not entirely shut up; so that the life of Jesus is manifested in it, first in the mortal body, and then in the mortal flesh; that is to say, in my actual living condition every day, but all to the end that the saints should be benefited. Of what value am I to Christ in this world if the saints are not being benefited by me? Of what value is any one of us if we are not a benefit to the saints of God, those who are most precious to Christ? "As ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me". Matthew 25:40. Hence the way of love is to be here on behalf of others. "Death worketh in us", but then the resurrection is the great end, the power of God taking us together and lifting us out of death, out of mortal conditions, raising us and making us like Christ altogether.

Well, I hope that what I have said may convey some little further thought of love's way and the end of it and the importance of it. Then how the government of God in the world and the government of Christ in the profession tend to make the way clear for it in us.

Pages 192 - 339 -- "The Chief Musician". Readings and Addresses. Great Britain, 1929 (Volume 98).

THE CHIEF MUSICIAN

1 Chronicles 25:6 - 8; Revelation 22:16 - 18

I have in mind in reading these scriptures to point out that the end of our wonderful dispensation will be equal with its beginning, if not in quantity or extent, certainly in quality. We see the same thing in the end of the Old Testament. Certain features appeared which were particularly pleasing to God, of which He speaks more appreciatively perhaps than of any previous manifestation of His work, bringing in the suggestion of sonship. He says of certain ones who feared Him and who thought upon His name, and who spoke often one to another, that they should be His when He made up His jewels (that is, what is most precious, most valuable in His account); and He should spare them as a man spares his own son that serves him; Malachi 3:17. That was what was in His mind in calling Israel out of Egypt at the outset: "Let my son go that he may serve me", Exodus 4:23. The end of that dispensation thus accorded with the beginning; and as the time of the Son whom He would call out of Egypt drew nigh, the remnant were putting on a character in agreement with His.

And so I have selected this well-known passage in Revelation because it introduces David. David, I need not say, stands for much in Scripture; but he stands for what is best, and most spiritual, and most refined in the Old Testament, and thus in him we are reminded of quality. In him was developed that which would bring out the deepest and most refined spiritual feelings, whether of sorrow or of joy. He represents the great subject of music in the Old Testament which spiritually is calculated to appeal

to the deepest and most refined spiritual feelings of saints. It is therefore an important element in the Scriptures; whatever it may be in a literal sense, it undoubtedly is intended in the Scriptures to convey to us that which appeals to our deepest spiritual feelings, and these are intended to be for God. I need not say I am making no reference whatever to those natural feelings that are produced by the music of this world; I am speaking entirely of what is legitimate, what is of the Spirit, and what God seeks from us.

So we are at once introduced to this subject in the history of David. The first commendation of him after he is anointed is that he was a musician; he could play well. I apprehend, therefore, that this is in view in the Lord's presentation of Himself to us in these last days. He says, "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star". The assembly would understand as in the company of the Spirit -- for that is the viewpoint -- what these references imply; the root referring to Him as the divine source of all that is best and most delightful to God, and then the offspring -- that worked out in our Lord as Man in the most extraordinary variety of circumstances, particularly in suffering. The first refers to the gospel of John, with which the Holy Spirit would make us familiar, so as to fortify us against all attacks on the Lord's Person; the second refers to the gospel of Matthew.

An understanding of these two gospels would enable us to enter into the force of the Lord's announcement here: "I am the root and offspring of David".

In the gospel of John we are in the presence of the Person of Christ; it is a question of His Person, that He is the root of all that is of God -- the root of David. The Holy Spirit would detain us there, so that we should have a due estimate of Christ, hence His

challenge in chapter 9 to one who was cast out. When Jesus heard that they had cast him out He says, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" He answered and said, "Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?" "Thou hast both seen him", the Lord says, "and he it is that talketh with thee". John 9:35 - 37. The Person had come down and was there talking with him. "And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him". John 9:38. That is the idea conveyed in the root of David. The offspring brings out that of which He is the root; all that is of God, but particularly what is best and deepest in the way of spiritual feelings and affections.

I hope to come back to this presently, but meantime, I wish to point out certain features in the ministry of David which I believe must be understood if these holy feelings, which go to make up that which God values most highly, are to appear in the people of God at the end. Of light, I need not say, we are not wanting, thank God! but light is not feeling, nor is it affection. David sets the way for us in both these respects. We see in him depth of feeling in suffering, corresponding with what is briefly touched on in the New Testament, for we must go to the Old for the detail; but we have touches in the antitype, as in our Lord saying, "Now is my soul troubled". John 12:27. Think of the depths of feeling as He contemplated the cross! He says, "What shall I say? ... Father, glorify thy name". John 12:28. God values those statements. How much there was for the Father in those expressions! what depth of feeling in trouble in His beloved Son, who can say? In the midst of it He challenges Himself, as it were: "What shall I say?" -- a suggestion to be noted in having to say to God in our feelings. He immediately says, "Glorify thy name", and the answer from heaven was, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again". John 12:28. But how much entered into the glorification of that name in the way of sorrow,

in the way of feeling in our Lord Jesus Christ! And again, He says, as the thought of our place in heaven comes before Him, His servants engaging Him with their service and its success, "In this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven" and then He "rejoiced in spirit". Luke 10:20,21. In thinking of the companionship in heaven, according to the dignity conferred upon us, our names being written there, He rejoiced in spirit, and thanks the Father that He had hid these things from the wise and prudent and had revealed them to babes; it was pleasing in the Father's sight. You see thus how experience was being made in our Lord's wondrous history. The heart is touched as one dwells on Him "who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death", Hebrews 5:7. Think of the Lord of glory in that condition and attitude, and compare the shallowness of our feelings! And then we are told He was "heard because of his piety" -- manhood in its perfection on earth in the place of suffering.

We thus see how the Old Testament opens this up, expands it for us, enlarges upon it, and we find, as I said, this feature of music and song in David, who says of himself, "David, the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel", 2 Samuel 23:1. These last words of David convey to us what his ministry was in this respect; and a most remarkable thing appears in him, the combination of military with the musical features. They must go together. If we are to reach the blend that God seeks in these last days, that refinement of feeling and affection which a bride suggests, as in the passage I read, we must understand the combination of the military and the musical features in David.

And now what I would touch on briefly is the reference to garrisons in David's military undertakings. It will be recalled that he essayed to build a house. God accredits him with the motive, but reminds him that that was not within his province; that the builder of the house must be appointed by Him, and that he must be a son, and not only a son, but he must be God's Son. David humbly submits, and enters into the sanctuary of the Lord and sits down there before the Lord; 2 Samuel 7:18. This is a very fine example, especially after correction, to enter into the house of Jehovah and to tarry there! You gather up impressions there as to what is in the mind of God, not only of what He says, but the whole atmosphere breathed in conveys impressions of the divine mind. As there, David says nothing about his building the house; he was now adjusted in this respect.

After this, the scripture says, he subdues the Philistines (chapter 8); you see the relation of the house with the military service. You cannot have the house with the Philistines, for they stand in the way; they stand right athwart every divine operation, in so far as they may. And so we have a history of subjugations, of the most extraordinary military prowess in David, for that was his business, not building the house. At times he fulfilled it with remorseless severity, but he cleared the ground, and then we are told that he garrisoned Syria of Damascus, and Edom; 1 Chronicles 18:6,13. These represent particularly dangerous elements, in which, although outwardly they may be subject, yet inwardly there is hereditary opposition to what is spiritual. Both Syria of Damascus and Edom refer, I repeat, to certain hereditary elements that are most dangerous, which although outwardly subdued, can be held in check only by a garrison. We can hope to be kept from these elements only by a garrison, that is to say, by a permanent

military check, as it were, which is seen here as a garrison. David did that, and it was necessary.

And then, right through to the end of his career, we find attention to this particular service. I am not referring to certain failures; the point was clearing the ground, and the ground was cleared of the enemies referred to in an earlier chapter, and after doing so, he devoted himself to the service of the house. It is the end of the period. We are told in an earlier chapter (1 Chronicles 23:1) that he was old and feeble, and that he appointed Solomon to be king; that is to say, you have the merging, in the most skilful and unselfish manner, on the part of this great servant of God, of all the experience which he had with the new order of things which was about to be inaugurated in the person of his son. His son was young and tender. Applying this to our dispensation, which is typified by David and his regime, it is not to die out in old age; that thought must be banished. It is the merging of all that experience may have acquired with that which is fresh and young and energetic. That is how the dispensation will end.

And so you find in this chapter that "David and the captains of the host separated for the service those of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun who were to prophesy with harps, and lutes, and cymbals". Thus the military are now engaged in the provision whereby the best feelings of Israel are to be secured for God. As a time of peace prevailed they were concerned that God should have His portion and that it should be of the very best. We shall be tested, I believe, in respect of what I am saying, because there is so much lightness and shallowness with us, but God is demanding the very best, and He is affording the facilities whereby that is to be secured. Of military activity, there has been much, and there will be. We need not hope for any lessening of the pressure; we have a wily foe to contend with, and as

the days of the end draw near we may be sure of increasing effort. So you find the military captains of the host with David are concerned here about the number of the levites, for in David's regime everything is brought into order as things are handed over to Solomon. The wisdom and experience in David merge in the new order of things; that is to say, there is to be freshness, the vigour and energy of youth, and so "the Levites were numbered ... and their number ... man by man, was thirty and eight thousand", 1 Chronicles 23:3. That is an appeal to maturity, and development in the brethren, and each has his own value.

Then as to their work they are divided up, so many to preside over the work of the house of Jehovah, so many for the service of song, and so many to be doorkeepers; 1 Chronicles 23:4,5. "Of these, twenty-four thousand were to preside over the work of the house of Jehovah; and six thousand were officers and judges; and four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised Jehovah with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith". You will notice how the levites, that is to say, the saints viewed as servants, are engaged in bearing the burden of things; and this applies to every one of us, brothers and sisters alike, and it is worthy of note that the number of musicians was equal to the number of doorkeepers. I apprehend the allusion is to the exclusion now of all mere religious sentiment and feeling in the service of God. "The doors were shut ... for fear of the Jews", John 20:19. There is much of that kind of thing -- natural feelings, sentiment -- mingling with the Spirit, which is obnoxious, and the doorkeepers would shut it out. And you will see, moreover, throughout these chapters, the constant reference to the number twenty-four as well as to twelve, that is to say, David typically is dealing with the people of God as related to the testimony, and

as possessed of the divine nature, for whatever be the service, we can never hope to be under the Lord's hand, under His direction, save as we understand these numerals. They have reference, essentially, to the divine nature in us. I stand in relation to the brethren in love, and I am only thinking of the Lord and His testimony. What He may do in His infinitely wise manipulation is His matter; it is mine to be subject, and to fall into line, and to see that every part of the kingdom, every department, is governed by that principle. How can we hope to get through unless there be the principle of affection, unless we take our places in relation to one another as in the Lord's hands for service? The hand of a man is intended to manipulate, and so it is that these were in the hand of David and in the hand of the officers appointed by him for the service of God. We are to be at the disposal of the Lord, for His infinitely wise manipulation, in order that the service should go on and that God should have the best, and that the saints, should have the best there is for them.

Now that is how the matter stands, and so in chapter 25 the military are brought into it -- "the captains of the host", showing that although in the field and exposed to the rigours of war, they have not lost the sense of what was due to God in His house; for the warriors and the levites are the same people in the antitype. And what I would say to young brothers and young sisters is this, "Thou therefore, my child ... take thy share in suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" 2 Timothy 2:1 - 3; it does not say 'in fighting'; no, the point is suffering in warfare; take thy share in it. It is intended to give tone and lustre to us, not hardness, nor callous hearts which often mark soldiers, but tenderness and patience. "What sufferings happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra", 2 Timothy 3:11 said the great soldier and leader in conflict.

It is a "good soldier" 2 Timothy 2:3 who is to look after the house, and things of the house, and the vessels of the house. Let God have the best there is; that is the great end in ministry; it is for God, hence you find these three men, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, and their children. We are brought down now to two hundred and eighty-eight persons, because it is a question of refinement in music. That is a number that may be manipulated numerically -- twice one hundred and forty-four, it is double twelve times twelve. I am not dealing with mathematics, I am dealing with what is spiritual, with what the Holy Spirit presents to us, and what we are working up to. The greatest expression of it, the most concrete expression of it, is in the heavenly city -- a perfect cube governed by this numeral. What can it be but divine love operating so that every member is under Christ, available under His hand? That is what it is; it is the simple working out of love amongst us, hence you get the names of the heads of families, the names of the sons of these musicians. And then they are all under the direction of their fathers for song; that is to say, there must be the principle of rule. We need not be afraid of the young brethren. It is a question of moral weight in the elders that is the solution of it. The young, of course, have to judge themselves, have to bind on humility, and be subject to the elders; but then the solution of difficulties that often arise between the elder and the younger lies in moral weight and power in the elder. Every one of these sons was under his father. One man is said to have fourteen sons and three daughters (verse 5) -- a large family! It is brought in here just to emphasise the family element and the moral weight in the parent, in the father.

And now you find there are two hundred and eighty-eight of them, perfectly divisible so as to be manipulated by the Lord, and it says "they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar".

There is perfect order in the passage. The fathers of these families have the moral weight. But now we come to what belongs to God, the actual exercise of song, of music and of musical instruments, that is, that all that is best in the people of God should be brought out for God. They cast lots, and in casting lots in Scripture we are in the presence of divine sovereignty. It is what God determines now; it is not a question of my age, or my learning, but the teacher and the scholar, the small and the great. The lots are cast, and the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord; Proverbs 16:33. He knows what is going on beneath in everyone of us, and He brings that to light. But all are perfectly divisible, and in perfect unity; they are in sets of twelve, as you will notice. Thus we see what we have got in the assembly of God, and that, as I understand, leads up to the end, that is to say, to the bride. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come".

Thus this mutual state of things makes room for the sovereign action of God by His Spirit, so that all that is best comes to light and is available. What a blend, therefore! And so when the Lord says, "I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star", the immediate answer is, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come". What is the bride but the answer to the very best in Christ in feelings and affections? The Holy Spirit has brought her thus (what toil, what service!), but He has brought her: "the Spirit and the bride say, Come"; she speaks as well as the Spirit; and she speaks in answer to this presentation of Christ, which suggests all that is best and finest for God. That is what Christ is; He is the embodiment of all that is of God; and when you come to the assembly as of Him, it is all that is best and most refined spiritually. Think of what the Spirit has had to deal with in us, what rough, coarse

things He has had to subdue in us! Think, too, of what the saints have had to encounter, what treatment at the hands of this world! And now look at all the glorious perfection of Christ, at all that is best in Him -- the root and offspring of David. It is not development in Him, beloved, for He is the root of it, and all that He was in manhood morally He brought into it. He is a divine Person, but it was set forth in Him as Man here; I mean to say, He was in manhood all that of which He was the root; it was set out in Him so as to be attractive; He entered into every possible circumstance of suffering in working it out as the offspring of David. And now it is there in Him in glory for us. Does it not appeal to us? It appeals to the Spirit and the bride, so that, as I said at the outset, you have the very best at the end; it corresponds with what was at the beginning. The assembly values with the Spirit what is presented in Christ as He announces Himself as "the bright morning star".

May God lay it upon us to think more deeply, to dig more deeply, and to discern the superficiality there is; not that one blames others more than oneself, because it is the actual state of things. The Lord would work to bring about depth of feeling, whether it be of sorrow or of joy, feelings according to God. God accepts this; and the music is to bring all that out, so that God should have His part.

LOCAL ASSEMBLY CONDITIONS

Acts 1:13,14; Acts 9:32 - 43; Acts 13:1 - 3

J.T. These scriptures show how the local feature was developed in the early days. There is also in the Acts the general thought of fellowship, but it would appear that the manner in which the truth should appear in any locality in which God works is introduced at once in the conditions of the upper room -- the persons who were staying there, and what marked them, Then chapter 9 anticipates the incoming of the gentiles; in Aeneas and Tabitha we have set forth ability to make one's bed for oneself, and a living woman. Then chapter 13 sets before us the full spiritual product in the locality -- the assembly that was there, that is, at Antioch -- and those who were ministering to the Lord, and fasting; it was not simply that they had the reputation for doing these things, but they were actually doing them.

A.N. Do you mean that these are the features which should properly mark a local company?

J.T. Yes. The Holy Spirit indicates at the beginning how things were at Jerusalem, and the persons who were staying there are mentioned -- the apostles by name, Mary by name, and the Lord's brethren, besides women whose names are not given. The recognition of the authority of the Lord in a local company is supposed to mark all; and there were women there, they were not all brothers. Then there are persons with experience, with peculiar knowledge of the Lord Jesus; Mary His mother represents these. There could be no one in the whole world who had greater opportunities of experience, and of knowing the Lord in a private way, than Mary His mother had.

A.N. When you said the recognition of the authority of the Lord is supposed, what were you thinking of?

J.T. The apostles. They are not called apostles, but their names are given, signifying certain attachment to Christ in His public ministry. They were men who had become acquainted with Him in His public service, whereas Mary knew Him thirty years previously. Her knowledge of the Lord would be more private, referring to secret history. Each of the apostles who are named had his own history among the brethren, each one stood for something; together they stood for the authority of Christ.

A.N. And the bond by which they were bound together was owning Him as Lord.

J.T. Quite so. Anyone in that company introducing anything derogatory to Christ would soon be resisted by Peter and John.

A.N. Would it be the same as the local company at Corinth? The apostle writes to "all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours". 1 Corinthians 1,2. That was the bond that held them together.

J.T. Yes. If Peter were there we may be sure he would look out for the interests of Christ -- his history was known. One loves to look over the field and think of the different ones whose names are known, what marks them, and how they regard any matter that arises. What is needed in localities is brethren who knowing the Lord have been with Him. Such would look after His interests, for they love Him, they know how He did things, and thus know what to do.

H.H-s. Would you suggest that the features set out in these different ones should be seen in varied localities at the present moment?

J.T. Yes; for I believe that is the way it works.

Ques. Would you say that these twelve had so come under the hand of the Lord that they knew the position of things, and so they go to the upper

chamber, not being content any longer to stay on the street level?

J.T. They would not look after the things of God according to the common religious custom of Jerusalem; they had learned how to look after them from the Lord. In the end of Mark 13 it says, "As a man gone out of the country, having left his house and given to his bondmen the authority". Mark 13:34. Peter would understand that the authority was given. The general principle governing localities is this, that the Lord is in heaven and we are here. Can I determine what He would do if He were here, and how He would meet any emergency? These men whose names are given here knew, for they had been with Him; they would meet things as He would meet them.

G.N. How would the influence of His mother and His brethren come in?

J.T. They had a peculiar apprehension of Christ. They had an apprehension that even Peter could not have. Mary had the most intimate knowledge of Jesus. For thirty years in private life she had opportunities of knowing Him that no one else had. His brethren, too, who probably had worked with Him, knew Him intimately, having opportunities of knowing Him that others had not. I think they would be taken to represent that secret knowledge of the Lord, the knowledge that I acquire myself that others may not know. That kind of thing is of incalculable importance in the assembly; persons who have a secret knowledge of Christ, each one having his own apprehension. As the Lord says, "Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret". Matthew 6:6.

G.N. Mary at the beginning of Luke would set forth the hidden and secret thing.

J.T. There is that hidden thing which each one of us has, the Lord knows it is there. He knows our history; the brethren may not. We know, perhaps,

the public history of the testimony for the last eighty years, but there is that secret history with each of us which is of immense importance, a sort of reservoir, and the Lord knows that it is there. Mary does not represent the kind of profit that I gain from public meetings, invaluable though that is, she represents secret growth with Christ.

E.A. The white stone would speak of that.

J.T. That is it; the white stone and the name written which no one knows but he who receiveth it.

A.N. The disciples who went to Emmaus got a knowledge of the Lord which, when they went back to Jerusalem, added substance to the company. There was a knowledge they had gained through their personal link with the Lord.

J.T. And no others had it.

A.N. The others could tell what they had got, but these two were there as contributors. I suppose in that way, each one having a distinct knowledge of the Lord personally, adds considerable substance to the whole.

J.T. Exactly; there is a spiritual element in the meeting, and the Lord knows what is there. In a crisis you will see how it works. And so indeed in any meeting, there is an undertone.

Ques. The apostles, with the women mentioned, are "of one accord". Is the gain of the aggregate seen in their being of one accord?

J.T. Quite so. So in these circumstances, when a matter has to be faced -- the nomination of an apostle, an important matter, surely -- the undertone warranted that. Peter could stand up and give a lead, and the matter was solved.

Rem. It is always Peter, John and James (Peter and John sometimes); the order is not reversed.

J.T. I think they represent what you might call the more excellent, the first quality. There is a principle of grading with God. These three brethren

are known to have been selected by the Lord on special occasions. The Lord knows whom He can select for a special purpose. These first three have a distinct place. It is said of some of David's mighty men that "they did not attain to the first three". 1 Chronicles 11:21. If the Lord makes a selection, He makes it according to His perfect wisdom.

A.N. While being together in affection to the Lord, there were those who had a special experience of the Lord, and it would make them quick to discern what would be suited to Him.

J.T. Quite; they would fall in. There was Mary the mother of Jesus; anything that would come out in regard to the fine flour, in regard to the meat-offering, she would verify from her own experience. For thirty years she saw the perfection of that humanity as no one else could have seen it.

A.N. In the world when anything has to be carried, it is done by vote, but here a spiritual system had come into being, and the spiritual state was what counted..

J.T. Yes, you are conscious of the spiritual body underlying; and it shows itself, you cannot get past it.

W.A. Do you think where there was distinct local interest the saints would be held together?

J.T. Yes, if you get these features, they will not be scattered. Why should I follow another voice, why should I be influenced by another influence than His? It is a question of the state of my soul.

W.A. Is there any significance in the way in which they go to the upper room from the mount of Olives?

J.T. It shows the influence of heaven; they had seen Him go up, and that corresponded with the upper room. "This same Jesus ... shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go". Acts 1:11. Hence all that comes in between must be in keeping with that movement -- a reflection of Himself. We were noticing

that they were staying there. You are not a bird of passage; in the acceptance of local responsibility you stay there; the Lord's interests have to be cared for.

G.N. When you come to chapter 6, the twelve seem to be separated from the local administration.

J.T. Yes, and one just wonders whether they gained by it. Paul took up service as a deacon. It is not that one would say much, but it has often occurred to me that it does not seem as if they gained much by it. Two of those who took it up were specially honoured in general service and testimony -- Stephen and Philip.

Rem. You have touched a very important point. Positionally we might be right, but it is intimacy with the Lord that gives us a knowledge of what is suited to Him, and it will come out in a spiritual state.

J.T. And then you will see, your vision will be clear. We often hide behind our professed blindness, and say, I do not see it, and justify ourselves in taking another way. But then it is there to be seen; why do you not see it? Thousands see it, and you do not. It is the state you are in, a question of eyesight.

J.McB. Peter, speaking of Christ in his epistle, says, "leaving us an example". 1 Peter 2:21. Do you think that begins here?

J.T. Well, quite. They saw Him go up, and they are to see Him come back in like manner. He is not changing between these two events -- His going up and coming back; it is the same Jesus, He who is the same yesterday, today and for ever. It is a question of what corresponds to Him. All this modern thought about development is wrong; finality is reached in Christ; the staves of the ark were drawn out. It is a question now of being maintained in relation to that, or rather of being brought to it. There is to be development in us, of course, in regard to the perfection which has been in Christ from the

outset; we are to arrive at the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

G.N. So that in Revelation, where the whole background is antichristian, it is the same Person who presents Himself, "I Jesus". Revelation 22:16.

J.T. That is it; there is no development in christianity at all; God has reached His thought in Christ; it is a question of bringing us to it.

Ques. Is that why the thought of continual prayer is brought in here?

J.T. That is beautiful. "These gave themselves all with one accord to continual prayer", as if that was the thing to be maintained in relation to the perfection that had been reached in Christ.

A.N. How quick it made them in discernment! When the case of Judas comes up, they have such a knowledge of the Lord, and their affections are so true to Him, that they come to a definite pronouncement in regard to evil. He "was guide to them that took Jesus", Acts 1:16 and they have a very definite judgment about him. But the only way in which we are qualified to take up discipline, is in having a personal knowledge of what is suited to the Lord.

J.T. It is very striking that they express such a judgment of Judas. Some say, Such a thing happened fifty years ago and we had nothing to do with it. But what it was then it is today; the sin remains, and if you are associated with it, you have to judge it and forsake it.

H.H-s. They have also a definite judgment as to the one who should take his place.

J.T. They have; he must be one of the men "who have assembled with us". Acts 1:21. Now here an apostle is to be appointed, and what are the qualifications required? One who has "assembled with us all the time in which the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day in which he was taken up". Acts 1:21,22. This man

must know all about the life of Jesus in public service; and he has been accustomed to assemble. If we pay attention to these two things, I think on the one hand we shall come into line with what God is doing, that is, judging evil unsparingly; evil is evil and years do not alter it, but on the other hand there is the good; there is the assembling, and the Lord Jesus coming in and going out among us.

H.H-s. So that we should be "followers of that which is good" 1 Peter 3:12 by the assembling of ourselves.

J.T. Quite so. Then the lot is cast; they selected two, but they did not know which to choose. They might have passed a vote and determined it themselves. A good deal of that goes on, indeed that marks christendom, but the lot means that God is to determine; that was a principle established in Israel and which had come down. "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord". Proverbs 16:33. The lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven, and the Lord appeared to the twelve afterwards, showing that He approved. The Lord coming in and approving what His people do is a very precious thing.

Ques. Would you say that to reach this we need first of all the personal knowledge of Jesus, being of one accord in continual prayer, and then, as we see in Peter, the knowledge of the Scriptures? He can quote the verse.

J.T. Yes, that is another important thing.

G.N. It was not sufficient that he should have companied with them from the baptism of John, but he was to be a witness of His resurrection.

P.T. You referred to something that may have happened several years ago, but still remains. People often say, I was not in the meeting then, and must I go back and judge that? How would you answer them?

J.T. Well, as in the fellowship in which it is unjudged, they are partakers of the evil. The Lord said to Jerusalem that all the blood from Abel down to Zacharias would be required of that generation -- the one that then was. The accumulated sin of centuries would be required of them. They were not there, they did not kill Abel nor Zacharias, but the guilt was there unjudged, and those who remained in the Jewish system were identified with it.

A.N. Suppose you have a person in exercise of soul as to assembly position, and he finds various companies of christian people who are not walking together, is it necessary to go over the past?

J.T. I think it is. The thing stands; the only way one could get out of the Jewish system, and escape the wrath of God, was by accepting the death of Christ in baptism through faith. "He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved", Mark 16:16 the Lord said. And to Saul it was said, "Arise, and be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord". Acts 22:16. There is complete severance from the whole system. There are the two things in 2 Timothy, the first is iniquity, "Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity". 2 Timothy 2:19. But then the vessels to dishonour are persons; these may be affected by it, advocating it, preaching it, from these you also have to separate.

In chapter 9 it is important that one should know, as healed, how to make his bed. In the gospels we have one carrying his bed, but what is in view here in the local setting is that you are ordering your circumstances (not only superior to them, but ordering them) so that they should be according to God. My circumstances must be ordered according to the mind of God; loose ends must not be left. This is to enter into all my affairs -- my house, my business, and every sphere of responsibility. One is thus a testimony.

A.N. Just as Israel pitched their tents in relation to the tabernacle.

J.T. Exactly. This first incident took place at Lydda; it is still the local thought that is in view. Peter says, "Jesus, the Christ, heals thee". It is not something done in the past; the assembly is a continuous thing, and as the Spirit remains here, things are being done. Some brother or sister, perhaps, has been for eight years in circumstances that are not according to God. Now Jesus, the Christ, heals thee. Christ is a name that denotes One who is doing things, and doing them for God, doing them properly according to God; as in the gospel of Mark, He does all things well. So here it is for the man to make his bed, to see that his circumstances are right.

J.S. Are you speaking of individuals, or the company, with regard to this man?

J.T. It is better to work it out as applying to the individual, but it would surely show itself in a local company. Things will be properly done; all the circumstances attaching to the testimony are to be done according to God.

W.A. Would this be a man able to take up his local responsibilities?

J.T. Well, he would be not only a brother who could preach, but he would look after everything connected with the Lord's name in the locality. You do not want things to go contrary to God, whether it be the room, or the order of meetings, or whatever goes on -- things are to be looked after in a godly way.

A.N. This making the bed would be the result or fruit of the moral conditions in chapter 1. It is an important point that you mention, that assembly condition depends upon your personal knowledge of the Lord, that is, you know what is suited to Him because you know Him. I fear we may have been content in simply being technically right, and accepting

the position, but it is our knowledge of the Lord that enables us to discern things.

J.T. You see that beautifully brought out in the next case, that of Peter dealing with Tabitha. He puts all those sentimental people out. The Lord had done exactly the same thing when he was going to raise Jairus' daughter -- He put them all out and taketh with Him Peter, James and John and the father and mother of the child. So Peter here puts out all the widows who stood by weeping, showing that natural sentiment is not only useless, but it is in the way when you come to what is spiritual. It says of the woman that she grew sick and died, and having washed her they put her in an upper room. Now whoever did that had some spiritual intelligence. And so when Peter comes they bring him into the upper chamber. The thought of the upper room is carried forward, that is one right principle. If there be one right principle in evidence, we can be hopeful about the rest, but if we go to a meeting where all the principles are given up, it is a difficult matter. Peter, having put them all out, kneeling down, prayed. That, too, is in keeping with the first chapter.

Ques. Would the sentimentality of the widows here refer to natural feelings operating in the assembly? I suppose the sorrow of the widow of Nain was perfectly natural, and the Lord had sympathy with that.

J.T. Well, that was right and legitimate; it would have been out of place if she had not felt things.

Rem. So your point is, the damage that results from the working of natural feelings in the assembly.

J.T. In the assembly it is a question of spiritual operations, and the Spirit is extremely sensitive as to any intrusion of natural sentiment. Now it says, "When she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up", as if to raise her into the position of action, "and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive".

G.N. Referring to the widows weeping, it would be well for us to seek to understand what it was that Jesus felt in His spirit when He wept at the grave of Lazarus.

J.T. There you are in another set of circumstances -- the family of God, with death upon them. John emphasises the feelings of Christ: He wept, He groaned, He shuddered. All these have to do with the power of death over the believer's spirit; the Lord has met that, but in meeting it He felt it, it was a reality to Him. We should note in Acts 9 that the widows wept, and they are distinguished from the saints. Now in chapter 13 we have the full result, the local thing presented. These brethren were ministering to the Lord and fasting; they were doing it, and whilst that is going on, the Spirit says, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them".

A.N. Does ministering to the Lord set forth the height of spiritual state?

J.T. I thought so. We have now the assembly in a locality, available for the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, a divine Person, can speak there; He speaks to them in regard to the work of God. There is a condition in which the Spirit can speak. He does not take the leading men all away; He leaves enough so that the assembly should not be impaired. Spiritual activities are to continue. He takes two out of five, the first and the last mentioned by name.

H.H-s. Would you say that the conditions referred to in chapter 9 -- the man brought into healing and blessing, and the woman into living conditions -- would result in what we have here, living conditions in the assembly?

J.T. And then added to these priestly conditions -- ministering to the Lord. As it says of Aaron, "That he may minister unto me". Exodus 28:1.

G.N. Then you take it that anyone sovereignly

called to serve the Lord should go out from proper local conditions?

J.T. That is the thought. The company then revert back to the fasting and praying, then lay their hands on Barnabas and Saul, and let them go. Things are on a very high plane here; it is the assembly in a locality as God intended it.

A.N. The local assembly is like the base of action; you go out from it, and you come back to it.

J.McB. Fasting and praying, which means the shutting out of the flesh and nature, and the bringing in of God, were characteristic of these early days.

J.S. The Lord has first to be considered; it speaks of ministering to the Lord first, and then He sends them out afterwards.

J.T. Surely; that is what the assembly is for. It must be first for God, then the pillar and base of the truth here.

H.H-s. It must be very encouraging for servants at the present moment to be connected With a locality in which there are spiritual brethren. The saints lay their hands on them, and let them go, so that they are in full fellowship with Barnabas and Saul.

J.T. They would keep them if they could; it involved sacrifice.

G.N. Would it not show the complete identification of the local company with the testimony of God?

J.T. It does; and that, I think, is the thought of the local company -- "the assembly that was there". Acts 13:1.

THE SERVICE OF SONG

Hebrews 2:11,12, Exodus 15:20,21; 1 Chronicles 16:7 - 18

These scriptures speak of singing, and I have read them in order to bring forward certain features of divine service associated with and expressed in song. So I take the passage in Hebrews as the end to be reached in what I have to say, the Lord Himself being presented there as the Singer. Little is said of Him as singing in the gospels, but we are not to conclude that He did not sing. We have indeed a notable instance of singing in which evidently He took part. After the institution of His supper, according to the records of Matthew and Mark, they sang a hymn, and went out to the mount of Olives. They went out on a note that was to be continued, the mount of Olives denoting that spiritual power and resource for the maintenance of the elevated note indicated in that song. The Holy Spirit being here, if it has not continued (and we know it has not), there is at least the possibility of recovery in that direction, so that the church should go out on the top-note, so to speak, and not as drooping.

Now music (I speak spiritually) is calculated to produce the best feelings of which we are capable. I believe that the Lord at the present time is looking to the end, aiming at bringing out the best results of the work of God in the saints. So in Revelation He addresses Himself to the assembly at the end, "I am the root and the offspring of David". Revelation 22:16. David stands in Scripture, in connection with many other things, for music; he is "the sweet psalmist of Israel". 2 Samuel 23:1. Whatever he was for God, Christ was his root. The root of David alludes to the deity of Christ; and the gospel of John presents Him to us from the standpoint